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NEW YORK -- Apple ( AAPL) has set its first-quarter earnings release for Jan. 23, with a conference call the same day to discuss the results. Wall Street will be paying close attention to sales figures for the iPhone and iPad, with the iPhone driving more than half of Apple's revenue in its most recent quarter. Meanwhile, reports said Wednesday that Apple is testing the next iPhone. The Next Web reported that developers have started to see logs with an 'iPhone6,1' identifier, using iOS 7, which could be Apple's next mobile operating system. iPhone 6: Will People Even Care?
Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD) appointed Devinder Kumar as its chief financial officer after a four-month search. An AMD veteran, Kumar had served as the company's interim financial chief since September 2012, when Thomas Seifert stepped down from the role. The appointment is effective immediately. AMD Appoints Company Insider Devinder Kumar as CFO
Mellanox Technologies ( MLNX) on Wednesday reduced its revenue forecast for the fourth quarter. The data-storage company said it expects fourth-quarter revenue in a range of $119 million to $121 million, down from previous guidance of $145 million to $150 million.
Family Dollar Stores ( FDO) is expected by analysts Thursday to post fiscal first-quarter earnings of 75 cents a share on revenue of $2.38 billion.
Worthington Industries ( WOR) is seen earnings 41 cents a share in its fiscal second quarter on revenue of $636.4 million.
Microsoft ( MSFT) bought start-up id8 Group R2 Studios as it looks to expand further in technology focused on the home and entertainment, a person familiar with the situation told Reuters on Wednesday.
Quiksilver ( ZQK) co-founder Robert McKnight Jr reportedly will step down from his CEO post, effective Jan. 11. He has been with the surfing outfitter since 1991. Former Walt Disney executive Andy Mooney will take over as CEO, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Zipcar ( ZIP) surged 47.8% on Wednesday after Avis ( CAR)announced that it is acquiring Zipcar for about $500 million, or $12.25 a share in cash, a 49% premium over Zipcar's closing price on Dec. 31. Prices May Zip Higher After Zipcar, Avis Deal
-- Written by Joseph Woelfel >To contact the writer of this article, click here: Joseph Woelfel >To submit a news tip, send an email to: email@example.com.
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Todd Schneider, ex-Virginia mansion chef, indicted
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The former chef at Virginia's executive mansion has been indicted on four felony counts of embezzlement in connection with a continuing criminal investigation involving the mansion.
Todd Schneider was arrested Thursday when he turned himself in to Virginia State Police on indictments handed up last week in Richmond Circuit Court. Court records show each alleged offense involved values of $200 or more.
Schneider became the chef at the executive mansion in 2010 shortly after Gov. Bob McDonnell and his family took residence there. He was dismissed last March after a state police inquiry into irregularities in the kitchen of the governor's mansion.
His attorney, Steven Benjamin of Richmond, said Schneider "continues to freely cooperate and provide information to authorities as he has since the first inquiry in February of 2012."

subset: commoncrawl


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Paliut wrote:Jangchup Donden wrote:Paliut wrote:As you grew so did the altar? That's pretty interesting... I hope to be the same one day...
Same thing happened with mine. Almost everything on it was a gift. I started with just a couple pictures of my teacher and the Buddha put in frames.
I'm always very curious but what school are you part of? I find it very interesting.
I'm a Tibetan Buddhist, the Karma Kagyu school in particular.


text: Cheap trips for winter By Market Watch January 12, 2013 Story Share McClatchy Newspapers Irish towns such as Kilkenny are expecting many visitors of Irish heritage this year as tourist agencies have dubbed 2013 "The Gathering." McClatchy Newspapers Alaska is seeing more competitive cruise deals this year with both Princess and Celebrity adding ships there. Now that the obligatory holiday trips to see family have wrapped up, consumers hoping for a more leisurely getaway may want to keep their suitcases handy. Experts say the travel deals available in early January are often some of the best offered all year. And this sale season, lower-than-usual snowfall in many parts of the country has added a few peak-winter destinations to the mix.In general, travelers can expect to pay more for air fare and hotel stays this year. Average daily rates for U.S. hotels rose 4.2 percent in 2012, to an average $106.23 in November, according to Smith Travel Research. Domestic air fare increased 4.5 percent, adding from $2 to $10 per trip on round-trip flights, reports FareCompare.com.And forecasts suggest more of the same this year. Part of the rise comes from economic recovery, but higher air fare also resulted from airlines cutting back schedules to fly fuller planes and maximize their profits, says Gabe Saglie, a senior editor for deal site Travelzoo.com. Hotels have been able to offer less-generous discounts.Travelers booking in January -- whether for last-minute getaways or a trip later in the year -- may be able to score deals that negate those rising prices and then some. "The first two weeks of the year tend to be a great time for bargains," says Anne Banas, executive editor for advice site SmarterTravel.com. "These are some of the best travel deals of the year."Many of the offers are for travel by February, but some extend well into the fall. Travelers should also read the details for restrictions like minimum-stay requirements, or higher holiday-weekend rates. Packages that combine air and hotel or other components packages can also be a great deal, but it's still worth crunching the numbers, she says. Some offer a range of extras (like ski lessons or fancy on-site dinners) that, if unneeded, may make the total tab higher than it would be if each element were purchased separately.In particular, experts say, travelers should look for deals in these seven destinations:The Caribbean and BahamasThe islands are a popular holiday destination, "but now everyone is back to work," says Kari Dilloo, a spokeswoman for Bing Travel. That creates softer pricing until demand picks up in March for spring break travel. Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas, for example, currently has rates as low as $65 per person per night for a family of four, savings of up to 50 percent off regular rates. The deal also includes air fare credits of $200 to $300 depending on the length of stay, free meals for kids age 12 and younger and a deal pass for free appetizers and drinks at various resort restaurants.CruisesThe so-called Wave Season -- when many lines offer their best deals -- kicked in Jan. 1. "For anybody who's looking to cruise last minute in January 2013 -- or booking six, even 12, months out -- January is the time to start scoping the deals," Saglie says. Alaska especially is seeing more competitive deals this year with both Princess and Celebrity adding ships there, he says. (Look for a May or September shoulder-season sailing to maximize savings.) Norwegian has rates as low as $449 per person on select May and June cruises from Whittier to Vancouver, a savings of 40 percent. IcelandConcedes Banas: "Iceland is not top of everyone's mind in the winter." But there are plenty of winter attractions, including hot springs and prime Northern Lights viewing. Some of the most attractive deals stem from airline Iceland Air. Its Northern Lights Escape package, which starts at $953 per person, includes round-trip air fare from New York, Boston or Washington, D.C., as well as four nights' hotel, breakfasts, intra-Iceland air and bus travel, a Northern Lights tour and entry costs to other attractions. Depending on travel dates, just the flight might cost you that much, she says.Ski resortsResorts often reassess bookings this time of year, offering deals to entice travelers before warmer spring weather kicks in during March and April, says Banas. With a warmer-than-usual winter, skiers may even see some deals over the Presidents Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekends, which usually demand premium pricing. At Sugarloaf Inn, in Carrabassett, Maine, "Classic Ski Week" five-night packages of lodging and lift tickets start at $425 per person, a discount of up to 50 percent off prices if purchased separately. Village Inn Plaza in Vail, Colo., has discounts of up to 30 percent, with per traveler rates on seven-night "Ski & Stay" lodging and lift ticket packages starting at $464 per night.New York City Prices fall off dramatically in January, when attractions like the Times Square ball drop and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree are past. Typical December rates run $300 to $500, with peak weekends sold out; in January, it's easy to spend less than $100, Saglie says. Even higher-end properties come in at under $200 per night. The four-star St. Giles Hotel, for example, has January rates as low as $152, a 25 percent discount. Four-star Hotel Mela, in Times Square, is up to 40 percent off, with starting rates of $129.HawaiiIt's another destination that sees traffic drop off between the December holidays and March Spring Break traffic, Dilloo says. Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club, on Kauai, has two-bedroom villas for as little as $480 per night, a 40 percent discount, through the end of February. On Maui, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa offers $389 per night on select dates through June, 25 percent off regular rates. Most deals require booking by mid January to claim.IrelandIrish tourism groups have dubbed 2013 "The Gathering," and a main focus of the yearlong celebration is enticing travelers of Irish heritage to visit, says Saglie. "We're seeing already some very aggressive packages, even from tour companies that don't usually specialize in Irish travel," he says. That helps undercut rising air fares, even during the peak summer season. Great Value Vacations has seven-night hotel, air and car rental packages starting at $1,199 per person for June through August. Travelzoo estimates the savings at $900 over booking components separately. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Police seek car driven by woman found dead in Kanawha River 2 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 3 Teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 4 Man allegedly cuts father in Rand over argument about sandwich 5 Rhode Island bank claims Justice companies owe $4.2M on helicopter loan Anything goes at Clay Center's Carnaval benefit Previous Story Live Life Fully: What do you need to let go of? Next Story


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FREE SHIPPING back to AFA for grading on all submissions received at the SDCC!
Action Figure Authority announces that they will be at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Make sure you stop by their booth #2045 and say hello to Chad Thompson and the guys! AFA will be accepting all submissions for grading again this year so make sure you bring all items to their booth including any SDCC exclusive that you pick up. All submissions received at the SDCC will receive FREE SHIPPING back to AFA for grading. What a great way to save money on your submissions!
AFA will also have many different beautiful acrylic sliding bottom cases available for purchase at the booth including ones that fit SDCC exclusives. These acrylic cases are a great way to protect and display your collectibles as well as a great way to get them home safely.
Action Figure Authority looks forward to seeing you!


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Topic: Biopsy Results Confirmed Colangiocarcinoma Yesterday
The Monday before Thanksgiving -- Nov 25th -- was my first symptom that something was not right. By Wednesday, Dec 4th I was in full Jaundice, and on Sunday the 8th I took myself to get some blood labs to be able to take to my doctor. More lab work on Monday and Tuesday led to an Ultrasound and a CT Scan on Wednesday and an ERCP on Thursday the 12th to put a stent into my Common Bile Duct (CBD) through the Ampule. This relieved the block of my CBD and started to bring me back to 'normal'. The biopsy from the ERCP took about ten days to return and it was equivocal, so we went to the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) last Monday, Dec 30th, for an Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) with fine-needle aspiration. The EUS showed a 26x28mm tumor on the head of my pancreas that is possibly invading my CBD and my Superior Mesenteric Vein. I'm going back to UCH on Jan 10th for a detailed 3D scan of my pancreas and a discussion with Dr. Edil about the surgery option.
I just celebrated my 76th birthday. My stay at Mercy Hospital in Durango is the first time I've spent a night in a hospital since 1958. I'm in vigorous good health (except for this!) doiing Yoga and Nia dance (see nianow.com), cross-country skiing and bicycling. I'm also just about to receive my Certificate as an Energy Medicine practitioner at the end of this month -- just in time to help me with my healing!!


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GDB 61: San Fernando es muy bueno!
Jason Gregor
February 26 2009 11:44AM
The Oilers will get a lift tonight when Fernando Pisani returns to the ice for the first time since Nov 17th, a span of 42 games. He will skate with Moreau and Cogliano, while Stortini returns to his usual spot on the fourth line with Reddox and Brodziak.
His teammates wasted no time trying to make him feel part of the team again.
Moreau said jokingly, "It's easier for him to come back compared to a skilled player."
When Mark Connolly and I asked Pisani about that he replied, "He should know. Have you seen the puck after he handles it? It's chipped up badly," laughed Pisani.
Pisani is well-liked in the room, and Moreau went on to say how much of a boost it should be for the team.
Pisani does play a simple game, and since he doesn't play very physical his conditioning shouldn't be an issue.
Grebeshkov will not play tonight, but thinks he might be able to go on Saturday.
The last time the Blue Jackets were in town, it was the Ales Hemsky show. He scored twice, had two assists and basically beat the Blue Jackets himself. Hemsky has been okay of late, but he needs to amp up his game again. The Blue Jackets have been a good match up for the Oilers offensively this year, and they sounded like a confident bunch at the skate today.
Of course that doesn't guarantee a solid effort, but for unexplained reasons this team has been able to ramp their game up at this time of the year before, excluding 2007.
Spotlight on coaches
Ken Hitchcock goes for win #501 tonight. He became only the 12th coach to win 500 games when the Jackets beat the Leafs last Thursday.
Pat Burns is next in line with 501.
Here is the top ten.
- Scotty Bowman: 1244-574-323
- Al Arbour: 782-577-248
- Dick Irvin: 692-527-230
- Mike Keenan: 660-539-163
- Pat Quinn: 657-481-180
- Bryan Murray: 620-465-154
- Billy Reay: 542-385-175
- Ron Wilson: 539-452-158
- Jacques Lemaire: 528-405-172
- Jacques Martin: 517-406-175
Pretty exclusive company for Hitchcock, but the Oilers are hoping he waits to tie Burns for at least another two days.
But wait, there's more!
And what were the Penguins thinking? Why not just sign Ryan Malone to the $4.5 million contract in the summer. Is Chris Kunitz better? Of course not. Ray Shero must have something else up his sleeve or Ryan Whitney has completely lost his game. I'm betting on the former.
February 27 2009, 10:00AM
Colin wrote:
Yes, deep oil and his conspiracy theories and thread hijackings are getting old, him and his long lost brother WT need to bugger off for a while.
Sorry mised the ride to Texas with WT this morning
February 27 2009, 10:06AM
@ caloilfan: Both of those guys must lead the league in bullsh*t answers. Are they completely oblivious to the crap-show they just witnessed and really think they were in it and were 'a bounce away' from taking it? That had to be the most lopsided 1 - 0 game I've seen.
Sorry that you had to drive a few hours for that one. All I had to do was turn off the TV and go upstairs when it was over. We both lost last night...you just paid more for it.
February 27 2009, 10:20AM
@ Deep Oil A.K.A. Deep Throat
Don't you have a job? Don't you have a life? You're on this site all damn day! Shut the computer off and go get some exercise dude. I don't want to sound like an ass, and I mean no offense to you, but this can't be healthy. Mix it up brother.
February 27 2009, 10:21AM
The oil might have to rehire Eric Upton for sales and sponsorship if the team misses the playoffs - no - actually it is the economy not the team.
February 27 2009, 10:22AM
Peter Pan wrote:
@ Deep Oil A.K.A. Deep Throat Don't you have a job? Don't you have a life? You're on this site all damn day! Shut the computer off and go get some exercise dude. I don't want to sound like an ass, and I mean no offense to you, but this can't be healthy. Mix it up brother.
I have three screens - two work and one for the sheep.
February 27 2009, 10:43AM
@ caloilfan:
That sucks man, I feel for you. Thanks for not jumping ship and becoming a Flames fan, must have taken a lot of willpower after watching that abortion of a hockey game and hearing MacT's ridiculous excuses.
I liked how he just seemed like he was in awe of the Blue Jackets after the game. Bigger and stronger, they played a perfect game etc. Don't worry Craig, we're not blaming you. What chance did you have against the unstoppable juggernaut that is the Columbus Blue Jackets. THE COLUMBUS F**KING BLUE JACKETS!!! What happens when Detroit comes to town, does MacT just spend the whole game cowering behind the bench until it's all over?
February 27 2009, 11:18AM
Fan; "Hey Mac T, you were just out-coached by a guy that used to work in the basement of a bike shop. What are you going to do now?"
Mac T; "Well, we're going to go in and have Bucky breakdown the tape and see if he can find ways we can get Moreau, Pisani and Reddox out there more often near the end of games when we really need a goal. We'll have Hud's (Huddy) talk to Hemmer and see if he can help him, he seems to be lacking offensive creativity right now and maybe Charlie can get him out of the funk. I'm going to go a sit with Kevin and maybe we can prank call Burkie and make fun of him picking Bobby Ryan. That guy has zero JAM."
February 27 2009, 11:18AM
The Blue Jackets are actually the team that MacT wishes he had. He will probably soon get his wish and end up and assistant for Hitch next year.
February 27 2009, 11:27AM
@ caloilfan:
I totally feel your pain - although I don't have to drive 3 hours one way to watch this garbage. It truly is a sad state when people from all over Alberta flock to the RX1 to watch some of these games. How do people that travel from Whitecourt, Grand Prairie, Lloydminister, Edson etc feel about driving in & watching this garbage.
So far this season I have watched them lay eggs in person against Chicago x 2 & last night against Columbus. It is getting tougher & tougher to find people that WANT to go to these games. They are so inconsistant it makes it so much easier to stay at home & watch games.
Last night took the cake though - behind my seats are a mom & daughter who have seat & go to every game. Last night they left with 5 minutes left. Normally they have nothing bad to say about the team, but their actions speak loud to me.
1 night out for me... 2 seats = $130 Parking = $14 2 German Sausage = $12 1 Perogy = $5 3 Beer = $24 1 Bottle Water = $4(!!!!) 50/50 tickets = $30 Fuel to get to the game = $30? $250 for that garbage
I have done this like 6 times this season. I have not problem going to watch our top 6 players compete & play their asses off for 60 minutes. But when you are watching the foot soildiers play & the 'talent' taking the night off in an important game I feel your pain man. Hopefully you feel inclined to try the experience of an Oilers game in the future...
February 27 2009, 11:59AM
@ shakey:
I just want the truth...is that too much to ask of these douchebags?
I'll never be in danger of cheering for the Flames...no worries there MK, but shit, at least their organization is willing to do something to try and shake things up. Playfair finished his one season as a head coach with more points than Sutter did the previous year and they fired his ass...I'd honestly rather have Tambo blow the whole ship up right now and start from scratch than continue down the same road that we have been traveling...at least it would show that the braintrust (do we have a sarcasm button here?) is willing to do something.
February 27 2009, 01:04PM
@ caloilfan: It appears the truth is too much to ask of these guys. A little of it would be refreshing to say the least.


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adamposey wrote:If there is no such guide on getting started perhaps we could create one in this thread, and learn by teaching?
adamposey wrote:Thanks for sending me those sources, as they (in combination with other sources here on this forum) have been very enlightening on matters of meditation in particular. I'm going to attempt to attend a beginner's meditation retreat at Bhavana Society in the spring so I hope my work and school schedules will be conducive to doing that. I feel it best to learn from those who have practiced for a long time.
Now, onto the meat and potatoes, when it comes to actual practice and studying. Should I be listening to dhamma talks primarily or would I be best to study suttas daily on my own, to start?
TheDhamma wrote:
A "wholesome" Spring Break could be a good idea. If they don't have any introductory retreats during that time, you could always just take a trip over there to visit and talk with the monks. It's a beautiful place.
Both; whichever you have time for and enjoy more if you need to focus on one over the other.
clw_uk wrote:I would recommend Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Buddhadasa
Lots of other teachers here as well
I personally recommend to read the following first:
Ajahn Buddhadasa (kinda the essential of Buddhism)
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books ... o_Tree.htm
Ajahn Chah (collection of his teachings)
http://ajahnchah.org/pdf/the_teachings_ ... ah_web.pdf
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A BROMLEY accountant who stole £150,000 from family trusts and failed to distribute the cash to cancer charities is facing jail.
Ronald Bassett-Cross, 70, of Sandford Road, Bromley, today pleaded guilty to six counts of theft and three counts of fraud by abuse of position when he appeared at the Old Bailey.
Bassett-Cross was a partner at now defunct accountancy firm Vantis, but was struck off for misappropriating client money in 2009.
He admitted stealing credit balances ranging from £8,970 to £62,845 from trusts including the G St Pierre Trust between August 1992 and June 2004.
Two of the admitted fraud charges relate to an abuse of his position as a trustee of the Sale Settlement Number Three Trust.
The third states that he abused his position as a trustee of another trust by failing to distribute monies to Cancer Research UK and the Marie Curie Foundation.
Bassett-Cross still denies a charge of conspiracy to defraud the G St Pierre Trust relating to a series of properties between January 1989 and January 1997.
The prosecution will now decide whether to press ahead with a trial on this count or accept the pleas.
Bassett-Cross is due to return to court on a date to be set next month.
He is on conditional bail.


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There are several scholarships that are available only to students enrolled to the Purdue Polytechnic Institute at South Bend. These scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and/or need. To be considered for these scholarships, beginning and continuing students must submit a scholarship application each year of their attendance.
Potential Scholarships
Employee-Sponsored Scholarship - $250.00
Open to all majors, who are degree-seeking, with at least three technical courses or one completed semester. This award may only be received one time.
William Shields Scholarship - Up to $3,000.00
Open to all majors who exhibit leadership, initiative, and character with scholastic achievements. Student must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and show leadership qualities. Student must have at least one completed semester before applying. This award may only be received one time.
Purdue Polytechnic Institute at South Bend Director's Scholarship - Up to $1,000.00
This scholarship is open to all Purdue South Bend Technology degree seeking students enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours). Students must complete the scholarship form, demonstrates leadership, initiative, and character with scholastic achievements.
Bruce Albert Wilhelm Scholarship - $500.00
Student must be an incoming freshman with a B or higher average OR undergraduate student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Student(s) must meet financial need as deemed by the Purdue Financial Aid Office, completed the FAFSA Application, and meet the priority FAFSA filing deadline of March 1.
BSET Scholarship - Up to $2,000.00
The BSET (Bachelors of Science in Engineering Technology) Scholarship recipients must have a high school GPA of 3.00 (B) or higher, have applied to the Purdue Polytechnic at South Bend and plan to take at least 9 credit hours. This scholarship is an award of $1,000 for two consecutive years.
Charles W. Cole Scholarship - Up to $3,800.00
This scholarship is open to current undergraduates, incoming freshmen, and transfer students from St. Joseph County, Indiana, or adjacent Indiana counties. Applicants must: Rank below the top 10 percent of their graduating high school class; demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA; maintain a minimum 2.5 semester and cumulative GPA and satisfactory academic progress toward a degree; be enrolled a minimum of 6 credit hours. This scholarship is awarded annually and awards vary on financial need and number of credit hours enrolled. The award amount includes a book stipend and additional funds to pay child care expenses at the IU South Bend Child Development Center may be requested.
**For more information on how to apply, please contact the Purdue Polytechnic Institute at South Bend Main Office at 574.520.4180.
Other Scholarships Available
Alumni Club Scholarships
Purdue Alumni Clubs usually have a scholarship program to support students living in their county and who are attending any Purdue University campus. Contact the club directly to apply for available scholarships.
Purdue Club of St. Joseph Valley - www.purduealumni.org/stjoe
Purdue Club of Elkhart County - www.purduealumni.org/elkhart
Purdue Club of Southwest Michigan - www.purduealumni.org/swmichigan


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6 Wild New Personal Aircraft
Are intrusive airport scanners legal? Probably—but that's the wrong question. Here, PM contributing editor Glenn Reynolds talks about the rights of all citizens in a democracy—to obey or change the laws of the land.
Since 9/11, cryptology expert and security consultant Bruce Schneier has been one of the most pointed critics of the government's anti-terrorism security programs. In his 2003 book "Beyond Fear," he coined the phrase "security theater" to refer to measures which are undertaken not because they will be effective at thwarting attacks, but because the agencies carrying them out need to appear to be doing something useful. We spoke to Schneier about the recent controversy involving the Transport Security Agency's use of invasive scanners and full-body pat-downs. Here's the full interview.
Top 10 Craziest Plane Landings Caught on Video


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Debut release on Progrez for producer Ressive with the two tracker "Feel Heaven".
"Feel Heaven" gets right into prog house mode from the off with a fantastic well rounded kick and cool synth riff. Solid rhythms are steadily built which morph into a superb groove alongside a warm house bass. Arpeggio synths become a big focus as they weave a complex melodic sequence that is always on the rise. Very well crafted and definitely one to watch.
"Varicolored" powers straight into full on mode with a well balanced kick and mashed up with superb percussions. The darkly droning synths create a sinister vibe which contrasts beautifully with the bass and some of the brighter synths, these synths ebb and flow and tease with cool melodies adding a rich dynamic to the sound, top notch grooves.
8 October 2013 Bonzai Progressive FEATURED RELEASES Progrez, Ressive


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aroma: earth, dark fruit and spice.
body: medium to heavy
acidity: balanced
flavor profile: blueberries, honey, and maple syrup
hint: this coffee comes from a region a certain renowned french "enfant terrible" called home for many years. this poet was the toast of the literary world in paris at age 19, and quickly gained infamy for his stormy absinthe fueled fights with male lovers, one such battle ended with a certain man named paul shooting him in the wrist.


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How Can I Become a La Leche League Leader?
A La Leche League Leader is a mother who has had a specific type of breastfeeding and parenting experience, meets the prerequisites for Leadership, completed specific reading and introspection and has finished the extensive written training curriculum established by LLLI.
The first step towards becoming a Leader is to become an LLLI member. Anyone interested in supporting and promoting breastfeeding can join LLLI. If you are not already, we urge you to attend a La Leche League Group regularly and become a member.
If you are currently attending a meeting, be sure to let one of the Leaders know you are interested in becoming a Leader. She will review with you the philosophy of LLL and the responsibilities of Leadership, as well as how you can prepare for Leadership.
Even if you are too far from any LLL groups, you can still contact the Leader nearest you. This Leader would be able to assist you in contacting the LLL Leader Accreditation Department for your locale.
For more information on the process of becoming a Leader, please see our "Thinking About LLL Leadership?" Web pages.


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Last September I did a post titled, "A look at Daptone Records Studio in Bushwick.". They are a great label and studio who keeps a candle brightly lit for pure analog recordings. Unfortunately some hard news came my way today:
"Friends and associates,
As you may have heard through the grapevine by now, Daptone was broken into last night. Unfortunately, there was a lot of equipment (mics, pre-amps, monitors, turntables, guitars, amps, computers, etc.) stolen and damaged. It is going to take us a while to go through everything and take full stock of what was stolen, and we are not supposed to touch anything until the cops come back to collect fingerprints so we can only guess what's missing from some mic drawers and cabinets.
And, no, we did not have insurance. We had been shopping around with different companies earlier this month but had not signed a check, so nothing was insured. We are working on replacing the gate in front, installing an alarm system, and getting insurance, but it is President's day so it's not going as quickly as we would have liked.
Nydia's computer was stolen (which wasn't backed up) and the modems/ phone system was ripped out, so we'll be relatively out of commission for a few days.
I would like to ask for everyone's help first in keeping an eye out for all of our stuff showing up on ebay/craigslist/local music shops, and secondly (and more realistically) keeping an eye out for good deals on headphones, mics, pre-amps, etc. I could really use a heads up on any kind of studio package for sale or studio equipment to be possibly bought or borrowed as soon as possible. We have a session scheduled for Friday to lay down some music for (I know this sounds surreal) Rod Stewart, and I'm going to have to get the studio running by then. I know I'm going to need to find headphones, cables, mics, and pre-amps by then. I'm not sure what else yet." – Gabriel Roth, Daptone
I'm actually building my new studio in Manhattan and spent $2500 on steel doors and another $1900 on the alarm/surveillance system. I know that money and the moola going to insurance is well spent. For a list of tips every studio owner (large and small) should check click this: Secure your recording studio from thieves. Remember if someone breaks in and your inside: Shoot to kill!
For a list of what was stolen from Daptone: click here


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I found a video today talking about a world record-breaking relay race to benefit Breast Cancer research. The catch, however, is they were racing in stiletto heels. The race took place in Sydney, Australia with several teams of women participating in the race sponsored by Gillette's Venus Embrace razors. The winning team's strategy wasn't very complicated, they just ran on their toes as you would if you were sprinting, so it didn't even matter that they had heels on because they weren't even hitting the ground. Whether they were running in sneakers or not, I am sure they are suffering some minor aches and pains and promotional fitness accessories like hot and cold packs are a perfect solution to soothe their legs. Fitness centers can put good use to promotional hot and cold packs to promote memberships, and even manufacturing facilities can use them to instill good health and safety habits on and off the job site.
Marketing Coordinator
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Ancient Word, Changing Worlds
Book by Stephen Nichols
Belief in the Bible as God's authoritative revelation to humanity forms the bedrock of the Christian faith, laying the groundwork for nearly everything in the practice of theology. For the last 150 years or so, this doctrine has been put … Learn MorePaperback $17.00 $13.60 Add to Cart
A Reformed Approach to Science and Scripture
Book by Keith Mathison
In A Reformed Approach to Science and Scripture, Dr. Keith Mathison briefly introduces us to a topic that has long been a subject of debate, aiming to equip Christians with a clear foundation so that they may approach questions and … Learn MoreEPUB eBook $0.00 Add to Cart
Also available in one other format
Biblical Studies Teaching Series
Teaching Series by R.C. Sproul
Studying Scripture is one of the most important duties we have. This collection of 275 MP3 messages represent Dr. Sproul's efforts to help believers live according to the whole counsel of God. The topics found in this category include studies … Learn MoreMP3 DVD This item has sold out.
Can I Trust the Bible?
Book by R.C. Sproul
There is a common assumption that the Bible is "full" of errors and contradictions, and that its often-unusual people and events render it useless for today. These ideas are fueled by the teachings of scholarly critics, who seem to delight … Learn MorePaperback $2.50 $1.88 Add to Cart
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Choosing a Bible: Understanding Bible Translation Differences
Book by Leland Ryken
Of the many Bible translations available today, are some better than others? If so, what criteria can we use to determine what makes a good translation? Leland Ryken introduces readers to the central issues in this debate and presents several … Learn MorePaperback $4.00 $3.20 Add to Cart
Discovering God's Will
Book by Sinclair Ferguson
There are few more important things in the Christian's life than discovering God's will. The assurance that we are in the centre of God's purposes brings lasting stability to our experience. But how do we discover the will of God … Learn MorePaperback $10.00 $8.00 Add to Cart
Dust To Glory
Teaching Series by R.C. Sproul
Fifty-Seven 23-Minute Messages. 21 Hours of Teaching. Join Dr. Sproul on a unique study tour as he explores the major themes, events, and people that are brought to life in the Bible. Dust to Glory provides a panorama of biblical truth and … Learn MoreDVD $142.50 $128.25 Add to Cart
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Give Praise to God: A Vision for Reforming Worship
Book by Various Authors
This call for the doxological reformation of the church is offered to "ministers who lead their congregations in worship, musicians who seek a deeper understanding of the spiritual purpose of their work, [and] seminary students who are clarifying their commitment … Learn MoreHardcover $30.00 $24.00 Add to Cart
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Glory Veiled and Unveiled
Book by Gerald Bilkes
"You have likely read the parables of Christ before, perhaps many times. But have they read you?" With this thought-provoking question, author Gerald Bilkes introduces readers to the concept of interpreting the Scriptures experimentally as he takes a heart-searching look … Learn MorePaperback $12.00 $9.60 Add to Cart
Holy Scripture
Teaching Series by R.C. Sproul
Dr. Sproul explains that mainline Protestant denominations have confessions or creeds that provide definitions of what they believe about the Bible and other essential matters of the faith. For the most part, these creeds were hammered out during times of … Learn MoreCD $31.00 $27.90 Add to Cart
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How to Enjoy Your Bible
Book by John Blanchard
This book is written out of two firmly held convictions. The first is that the Bible is the Word of God. There was a time when the meaning of that statement would have been absolutely clear and incapable of being … Learn MorePaperback This item has sold out.
Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible
Book by Various Authors
Most one-volume Bible dictionaries are aimed at scholars and specialists - people who already have a thorough understanding of the Bible. But this dictionary was designed, written, and edited with the needs of general readers in mind. People with no … Learn MoreHardcover $30.00 $24.00 Add to Cart
January 2014 Tabletalk
Tabletalk by Various
Get free shipping on individual 2014 issues of Tabletalk. The January 2014 issue of Tabletalk examines some of the most common hermeneutical and exegetical fallacies that are committed by those who study Scripture. All Christians have the right to study the Word … Learn MoreMagazine $3.00 Add to Cart


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Raising Cane
Posted August 1, 2000
Rum Makers Are Elevating Sugar's Nectar to Higher Levels
Another perfect day is wrapping up in paradise. A farmer is leading his horses to the seashore for a sunset dip after a sweaty day's work. A fisherman tosses his gear into the trunk of his car, exchanging it for a stalk of sugarcane. He whacks a point into it with a machete, creating a toothsome, if cavity-promoting, reward for his toil. Up the street in Speightstown, one of the 1,000 or so rum shops on the island of Barbados is just starting to fill up. Inside, patrons are toasting each other with a more refined version of the fisherman's treat.
A couple of tourists, refugees from the winter that rages up north, wander into the tumbledown establishment to soak up a little atmosphere and a drink of the only hard beverage served. The man orders a rum and Coke. His wife asks for a Daiquiri and as an afterthought calls her brand: Mount Gay Extra Old. At the other end of the bar, Winston, who is otherwise engaged in a heated game of dominoes, wrinkles his nose. "If she's gonna have Extra Old, why is she wasting it on a daiquiri?" he puzzles.
Winston is a purist. He has an abiding respect for the superpremium rums being created on his island--for that matter, all over the Caribbean--and he doesn't much care to see it adulterated with fruit juice. "That's what the 'see-through' is for," he says, referring to clear rum. Winston grouses that millions of tourists come to the islands every year and never really bother to appreciate the native spirit, preferring to glug it down in Piña Coladas, Daiquiris and Mojitos, or with soda pop. "They don't respect it."
Winston is only partly right. If rum has been the Rodney Dangerfield of the spirits world, that image has begun to come around in recent years. A number of premium aged rums have been added to the list in a movement that seems to follow the increased appreciation for rarified whiskies such as single-malt Scotch and small-batch Bourbon. In Las Vegas, a nightclub devoted to rum opened at the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino and Hotel. Rumjungle serves 147 rums and tries to further the customer's education through flight tastings and encouraging customers to enjoy the spirit neat or over ice. The public is responding, says Kelley Jones, the bar's director of operations. "They're discovering there is more to rum than Captain Morgan and Bacardi."
Indeed, there is much more to Bacardi as well. The largest maker of rum (and for that matter any spirit) in the world, and always a firm presence in the quality-rum world, Bacardi recently punctuated its devotion to aged rums by introducing a limited millennium edition of its already-distinguished Bacardi 8 line. With a sherry finish and a Baccarat container, the refinements pushed its price up to $750 a bottle.
Anyone who looks at price as a prime reflection of quality can spend $5,000 on a gallon of rum. A supply of the spirit the British navy used as its sailors' daily rum ration (until they ended the centuries-long practice in 1970) was lately unimported by Great Spirits Inc. and offered at that price in the wicker-covered jugs in which it was originally shipped. (Rarity and curiosity, of course, are the selling points here. While that rum can claim to be 30 to 70 years old, it is in bottle age, not the all-important barrel age.)
If rum still has a run-down reputation, it isn't a recent development. Much of that infamy derives from semantics and history. Although crude alcoholic beverages were probably made from sugarcane long before the plant was brought to the West Indies by Christopher Columbus, Barbados was long considered the birthplace of rum. That was not because the first rum made here (sometime between 1627, when it was settled, and the 1640s) was the first sugar-based spirit or even that it was the original New World rum (the Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch were making simple sugar spirits by that time). It was apparently because Barbados first exported rum and invented its name.
The islanders might have given their drink a respectable, refined moniker such as "sugar brandy." Instead they called it rumbullion (or rumbustion) and kill-devil. The former term, it seems, referred to the effect the spirit had on the drinker and relates to the English words "rumbustious" and "rambunctious" as we use them today. Kill-devil, while sounding even more sinister, probably referred to the supposed curative properties of rum. At any rate, the names bespeak a certain lack of respect. Even the shortened form of rumbullion--rum--has its derogatory meanings: queer, odd, dangerous.
As years passed, the word took on greater infamy, as it was included in other tainted expressions: rummy (for a drunk); demon rum (as a catchall for the evils of alcohol); rumrunner (for smuggler); rum corps (for the corrupt overseers of the Australian penal colonies). The terms grog and groggy comes from British sailors' slang for the watered-down rum that became their daily ration under Admiral Edward Vernon, nicknamed "Old Grog" for the grogram coats he wore.
It didn't help that the first rums were of questionable quality (hence the term rotgut rum). A seventeenth-century visitor to Barbados called it "a hot, hellish and terrible liquor." These early attempts were considered suitable as tonics for slaves to ward off disease or take the edge off the heat, but plantation owners themselves avoided rum if they could. The drink was also notorious for its connection with pirates (think "yo ho ho and a bottle of ...") and the trade triangle that promoted the spread of slavery. Sea captains found they could get rich quick by trading rum in West Africa for slaves, taking the slaves to the West Indies and trading them for molasses (a by-product of sugarcane distillation). They then brought the molasses to New England distillers who made it into rum, which could be traded for more slaves.
Over the years, production methods improved, aging was introduced and rum became widely accepted. It became the most popular alcoholic beverage in the American colonies prior to the War of Independence. However, the Revolution curtailed trade with British islands like Barbados and stemmed the flow of rum as well as the molasses to make it. Tastes changed and America looked elsewhere to quench its thirst for quality aged spirits. Rum was largely relegated to cocktails and became the drink of unsophisticated youth--the memory, perhaps, of a hangover from too much bad rum imbibed with Coke.
At the Mount Gay plant in St. Michael, Claire Jordan, the company's international brand manager, is sitting on a verandah bemoaning the lack of knowledge about high-end rums. "It is the only category that hasn't had a recognized superpremium end," she says, the emphasis on "recognized". "It's all perception." To Jordan's way of thinking, fine rums are there. What is needed is for the rest of the world to appreciate choice rums the way it has single-malt Scotch. That's not a problem in Barbados. "We have a real rum snobbery here. We live a rum culture in the Caribbean."
Inside a nearby laboratory, Jerry Edwards, the master blender, conducts a tasting to lead some visitors through the niceties of rum. He holds up a glass of rum and asks, "Are you aware there is a difference between age and maturity? Maturity is a description of quality." It can come at different ages, he explains, depending on where a spirit is aged. Since rum is usually aged in a warm climate, it doesn't take long to gain maturity. In the heat, the alcohol easily expands into the barrels in which it is stored, taking on flavor more quickly than a whisky that is resting in a cool climate such as Scotland. As a result, you don't see 25-year-old rums. A law of diminishing returns would take over by that age: the rum would have already gained most of the flavor possible, as well as quite a bit of tannin, and its alcohol would be evaporating from the barrels at a prohibitively expensive rate.
Since all rum is made from either molasses or sugarcane juice (usually the former), there is no mash bill or sugar conversion process to consider during the fermentation process. Some whiskies contain three different kinds of grain, one to help the complex carbohydrates turn to sugar. With rum, yeast is simply added to the diluted molasses and it begins converting the sugar into alcohol. The resulting liquid is distilled and then put up in barrels to age. Therefore, rum making is a blender's art. The formulae that are most closely guarded are the ones that tell how much rum of a particular age goes into the mix for any particular brand (of which there are four at Mount Gay). Edwards is the guy who keeps those secrets at Mount Gay.
One recent entry to the aged rum category is, Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum. It isn't really a single-barrel in the way the term would be used for Bourbon. That fine rum, made on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is actually a married spirit that is further aged after blending and then bottled straight from the barrel in which it spent its final maturation. (Todhunter Imports, which brings the rum to this country, is also involved in the elevation of another downtrodden spirit--Tequila--with its Porfirio.) Thomas Valdes, the Todhunter president and a cigar smoker, says that the rebirth of cigars goes hand and hand with that of rum, especially since they are both produced in the same area and have historically made wonderful pairings (see sidebar, page 176).
At Mount Gay, one of the variables Edwards must consider is that they do two kinds of distillation. One is done with old-fashioned copper pot stills--a process that is performed twice to render the levels of alcohol needed to make rum. The other is with a Coffey, or continuous, still. The rum boils off a column, creating a purer distillate at the correct proof in one try. Edwards believes each process has its advantages. While pot distillation isn't as pure, the impurities it renders add flavor. The distillate from the Coffey still ages up to four times as fast as that from the pot still, however, and that is a major consideration in blending the rums before they go in the bottle.
When it comes time to blend, Edwards has to choose from the thousands of barrels, ranging in age from two to 20 years, that rest in a nearby warehouse, its walls painted with fungus from the humidity created. The white oak barrels have come to him from Kentucky, where they were used once to make Bourbon. They arrive disassembled, and a cooper puts them back together in the yard, using fronds from cane lily plants to seal the spaces between staves. Edwards says that part of the flavor profile of Mount Gay comes from the Jim Beam that was once in the barrel.
So many variables exist--such as the number of times a barrel has been used to age rums (no more than five) and the temperature in the aging room--that blending is never an exact science. Edwards and his team have the happy responsibility of constantly testing the rum while it ages and then again after it has been blended. "Sometimes we have to go back to tweak the rum. Luckily, we don't have to do that too often."
A visit to the Four Square Distillery, across the island in the parish of St. Phillip, is perhaps more reflective of the sugarcane and rum tradition that pervades Barbados. As you drive past acres of cane in the relatively rural area, you are likely to get stuck behind a slow-moving truck fraught with cane or find yourself waylaid in one of the rum shops that dot the island. While the distillery, which makes the spectrum of different rums that make up the R.L. Seale line, may be one of the most modern plants of its kind in the world, the property itself also contains Heritage Park, a monument to the history of rum making on Barbados.
When rum was first made on the island, it was mainly an ancillary operation to the main business of growing sugarcane. Settlers grew the cane, refined it into sugar in a conical mill made of stone, and made rum for personal use as an afterthought from the molasses that was left. Later it became an import commodity for sale to the British navy and American colonies.
Mount Gay claims to be the oldest rum maker in what may be the world's oldest rum culture, based on its having made rum as early as 1703 and possibly as far back as 1663, when namesake John Gay Alleyne was the caretaker of the Mount Gilboa estate in northern Barbados. The rum is still distilled there (although the distillery can't be toured) before being brought to the blending plant.
Nevertheless, David Seale, the scion of R.L. Seale, makes his own claims to local seniority. He points out that there has been an unbroken line of five generations of Seales making rum here. A tradition, he says, that is "our family silver." Mount Gay's pedigree was broken, he explains, in the early 1900s when Aubrey Ward (the man whose signature appears on the bottle) bought the company and reinvented it.
Despite this apparent bit of rum snobbery and the fact that David Seale recently became Sir David when he was knighted, he is not at all a haughty man. Of British ancestry, he nevertheless speaks in the sing-songy island accent as he enthuses about his passion for rum. "It's in our blood here in Barbados."
Seale makes a white rum called E.S.A. Field that is the island's most popular. Nevertheless, enough of a tradition exists in the family for aging rums that when Seagrams was putting together its recent collection of four brands, called Rare Rums of the Caribbean, it asked Seale to create the only rum in the series not made by the company. "I don't know why they happened to come to us," says Seale, "but we must be doing something right." He adds that the Seales always made aged rums for private consumption even when the market wasn't clamoring for it. "The older rums were the chairman's reserve," he says with a smile and a hint of a lip smack.
Hans Bergheim, Seale's export sales director, takes a visitor on a tour of Heritage Park. The park, housed on what was once a sugar factory dating back to 1700s, has replicas of the buildings used in the trade as well as quite a few of the tools used to make rum. "There are a lot of myths about rum that need to be dispelled," he confides. The first is that a rum's dark color is a reflection of years in the barrel. Like Scotch, rum will only take on so much color from the barrel. Even at the relatively ancient age of five years, it is only slightly muddy. To make it darker, manufacturers add caramel coloring, as do makers of blended Scotch. Seale prefers to package its older rum in a darkened bottle to give it that suggestion of age rather than mix the rum with as much caramel.
Another myth, Bergheim notes, is that the age statement on a bottle of rum is necessarily reflective of all the rum that goes into the blend. It might refer to only the oldest rum in the mix, and not very much of it at that. "If you read that a rum is 21 years old, it may be just a teaspoon of it is that old. People didn't predict 21 years ago that there would be a market for aged rum and put away enough of it to sell now." What Bergheim doesn't say is that a pure rum at such an age is likely to be past its prime.
In stark contrast to the historical displays at Four Square is the distillery itself. Spic 'n' span clean and highly computerized, it can be run by a team of two men checking needles and gauges. The modern vacuum stills are capable of cooking rum at a constant low temperature, which, Seale says, is the hallmark of his product. The plant's degree of technical sophistication is rivaled in the rum world only by Bacardi's Puerto Rico plant.
Both facilities are highly ecologically conscious, recycling by-products of the fermentation process to make solid foods for livestock and carbon dioxide for soft drinks or dry ice. Four Square Distillery takes pride in the fact that it doesn't dump spent molasses at sea where it might retard coral growth. At Bacardi, 70 percent of the energy used to run the boiler comes from methane that is captured in the fermentation process.
While Bacardi may be the most modern of rum makers, it still wears its pride and passion for the spirit as a badge of honor no less obvious than its familiar bat logo. Nowhere is this clearer than at the Bacardi Museum at its U.S. headquarters in Miami, Florida. As you step into the museum, you see two maps. One shows Bacardi's worldwide presence before 1958, the other shows it now. On the former there is one bat logo, representing a Cuban plant. On the latter there are dozens scattered all over the world--but none in Cuba.
Bacardi made the fortunate decision to move to Puerto Rico before Cuba turned Communist, thereby giving itself a foothold outside the country that was invaluable when its Cuba property was confiscated. While it lost its home base and millions of dollars in property, it was able to regroup with a worldwide presence.
Largely a family-owned company, Bacardi values its Cuban heritage and created the museum in 1995 to display what artifacts of its history are available outside of Cuba. Jose "Tito" Argamasilla Bacardi, a vice-president and the director of the museum, is the great-great grandson of the company's founder, Don Facundo Bacardi y Maso. He explains that many of the displays--photos, signage, promotional materials, etc.--were donated by people who had brought them from Cuba after the 1959 revolution. They tell the story of Don Facundo, a wine merchant originally from Catalonia, Spain, who set out to elevate the status of rum by smoothing its rough edges. He did it by applying the latest scientific methods available, and, after years of experimentation, bought a distillery in Santiago de Cuba to test his theories. Many of the advancements that Don Facundo brought to the process, such as the use of the Coffey still (the first in Cuba), were aimed at ridding the rum of impurities. The final product was a light rum made from molasses, using a standardized yeast and a quickened fermentation process. The aging process utilized oak barrels and charcoal filtration. And, as always, there were the proprietary secrets of the master blender, which have been passed down and jealously guarded through the generations. To this day, Bacardi rums have followed the same basic style formulated by Don Facundo.
In the building's dining room, high above Biscayne Bay, Tito gives a visitor a mojito, a sugary concoction, to sample. "Pretty sweet, eh? You don't have to drink it. Why don't you try the Bacardi 8?"
In his office, president of global brands Alfredo Piedra is describing the origins of that blend. "Bacardi 8 is our flagship," he says, explaining that while it was first commercially introduced about two years ago in limited quantities sold only in duty-free shops, the rum has been around much longer as a special taste reserved for family and friends. The trend toward other superpremium spirits and cigars, Piedra says, suggested that there was an opportunity for finely crafted age rum. "We saw the trend 10 years ago, but the formula was in our archives for 120 years."
Part of the key to Bacardi 8, he reveals, is selection of special barrels that accentuate the aging process. "The eight-year-old matures more than an 18-year-old Scotch," he claims.
The Millennium Edition, issued with 3,000 bottles on a one-off basis, was made by way of commemoration and used to raise $300,000 in charity for underprivileged children in an auction of celebrity-signed decanters. (Some bottles are still available.) The inspiration to put the rum in sherry casks for extra finishing he describes as "intuitive."
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Ghost Hunters Live Comes to the Morrison Center Tonight
The Ghost Hunters come to the Morrison Center for this Idaho Premiere! Join Jason Hawes and Steve Gonsalves of T.A.P.S. as they talk about their ghoulish adventures and scariest paranormal experiences. Learn their unique methods for tracking the paranormal. See unreleased footage from the show and ask them questions about themselves or perhaps share a ghostly experience of your own.
About Jason Hawes:
Jason Hawes created The Atlantic Paranormal Society, or TAPS, with fellow plumber Grant Wilson. Both are part of a small, blue-collar Rhode Island community where many of the TAPS members were born and raised.
Jason's own highly personal paranormal experience (which he prefers not to discuss) prompted him to do more than wonder about an afterworld. As a result, he launched TAPS from a spare room of his apartment.
Jason co-created the show Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International with Pilgrim Films and has been on every episode of Ghost Hunters since its beginning 9 years ago. He has also been on Ghost Hunters Academy numerous times.
About Steve Gonsalves:
Steve Gonsalves is one of only two lead investigators for the TAPS team. He has been one of the three main cast members of Ghost Hunters since its very first episode. After enjoying success on his own spin-off show Ghost Hunters Academy he has since assumed the position as 2nd cast member on the wildly popular Ghost Hunters television show. Steve has been a public speaker and educator of the paranormal for over 15 years. He is also the co-founder of the TAPS publication, Paramagazine.


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Lackey whiffs 11, but allows five runs in nightcap loss
Red Sox denied twin-bill sweep of O's as Badenhop can't hold lead
BOSTON -- It will likely go down as one of the most bewildering starts of John Lackey's career. The fact that the righty had 11 strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings would seem to indicate he had pretty good life on his pitches.
Yet he also gave up 10 hits and five runs while throwing a season-high 120 pitches in what amounted to a 7-4 loss to the Orioles on Saturday night at Fenway Park. Boston took the twin-bill opener, 3-2.
If anything, Lackey's control might have been too good. The Orioles swung at strikes, and hit several of them hard.
"Honestly, it's about as good of stuff as I've had all year," said Lackey. "I'm still trying to figure out what happened, honestly. I don't know how I gave up five runs, to be honest with you. You've got to give their guys a lot of credit. Tough lineup. I made a couple of mistakes, and they hit a couple of balls out of the park."
One of those home runs was delivered by Nelson Cruz, who went 5-for-5 and fell just a triple shy of the cycle. Cruz went for the triple in his final at-bat, only to be thrown out at third on a relay throw by Stephen Drew.
Lackey didn't have much to say about Cruz, in large part due to his annoyance with players who were suspended as part of the Biogenesis scandal last season.
"I'm not even going to comment on him," said Lackey. "I've got nothing to say about him. There are some things that I would like to say, but I'm not going to. You guys forget pretty conveniently about stuff."
Lackey actually left the mound with a 4-3 lead, but Burke Badenhop and Tommy Layne couldn't get the job done after his exit.
There seemed to be at least a decent chance the Sox could pull off a Saturday sweep when they erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to overturn a 2-0 deficit.
Mike Napoli opened the inning with a walk and Drew crushed a two-run homer to right. Drew also homered in Game 1.
"It's a work in progress," said Drew, who is hitting .151. "I put some good swings on some pitches and getting some results. So it's a good feeling."
A.J. Pierzynski kept things going with a one-out single. Mookie Betts followed with a single to right-center, but he got caught trying to stretch it to a double. Brock Holt lofted an RBI double to left and the Red Sox had the lead. Daniel Nava made it a 4-2 game with an RBI single to right.
Cruz got a run right back for the Orioles when he laced a 92-mph fastball by Lackey over the Monster in the fifth.
"Swinging a hot bat," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Cruz. "Looks strong."
Things fell apart for the Red Sox in the sixth. Lackey was removed with two on and one out.
Badenhop had been so reliable for Boston, but not on this night. Steve Pearce promptly greeted him with an RBI single to tie the game. Adam Jones delivered a single to right that brought in another run, and Pearce moved to third on a fielding error by Nava. Cruz smoked a single off the arm of Holt for another RBI single.
"Yeah, he's been good all year," Farrell said of Badenhop. "Couple of pitches up on the plate. They did a good job of staying in the middle of the field and into right-center with their approach, particularly the three right-handers that he did face. But that was very uncharacteristic for what Burke has been giving us."
Layne, who was called up from Triple-A to fill Boston's 26th roster spot for the game, walked Chris Davis on four pitches. J.J. Hardy's fielder's-choice grounder to third made it 7-4.
There was no scoring for the rest of the game. The only true drama centered on whether Cruz would get his cycle.
"As soon as I saw it went over his head, I was like, 'I've got to take a shot. See what happens,'" said Cruz, referring to Nava in right field. "I think my angle from first, it was bad. So I had to go a long ways to second. I'm happy we won."
As for the Red Sox, the ended a long day the same way they started it -- eight games behind the Orioles in the American League East.
"Yeah, we had an opportunity to sweep going into the second one," said Farrell. "This is a team, like I said the other day, that's playing with a lot of confidence and we're looking forward to getting back on the field tomorrow."
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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dear owners in the AKL and IKL,
some of you may have realised that both keeper leagues are in danger right now - the AKL has no commissioner since scott left, and the IKL currently has 15 (or less) owners, as 5 have not yet responded to my constant pestering.
i would take over the AKL too, but i am starting law school next week (hey, at least i'm actually in the US now!) and i do not believe i can handle commissioner responsibilities for two separate leagues at the same time.
I believe most of these guys have AKL teams also, and with the normal attrition rate per season I see the AKL being decimated as well.
what many of us have suggested is unifying the leagues and starting over - although this is a big kick in the teeth for guys who have slowly built their rosters to a respectable/awesome stage, this is probably the only way we can get a PD member-only league going.
so, AKL and IKL owners, if you are still interested, please search for the "unified keeper league" on sports.ws. the password is pacersdigest.
thank you, and once we finalise a number i will get back to you with more details.


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The Australian dollar has taken a hit from renewed interest in the US dollar.
At 1700 AEST on Tuesday, the local currency was trading at 92.89 US cents, down from 93.49 cents on Monday.
"Following the US Labor Day trading lull, the greenback bulls have returned in force," FXCM market analyst David de Ferranti said.
"Broad-based US dollar strength has permeated the Asian session today, which is surprising given the lack of major supportive news flow from the US."
Mr de Ferranti said the "status-quo" rate decision by the Reserve Bank, which left the cash rate at 2.5 per cent for the 13th straight month, had little impact on the Australian dollar.
"The resilience of leading indicators like business and consumer confidence are offering positive signals for the health of the local economy," Mr de Ferranti said.
"Yet a soft labour market and subdued inflation expectations are likely to prompt the RBA to leave the cash rate on hold over the near term.
"Coupled with a hesitation to weaken the exchange rate via direct intervention, the Australian dollar could remain elevated."
All eyes would now be on Wednesday's economic growth figures, Mr de Ferranti said.
"Expectations are set for a moderation in growth and a downside surprise could cause a short-lived spike lower for the currency," he said.
"However, without the required shift in RBA policy bets, the downside risks for the Aussie may be limited."


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Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Feb. 10, 2014
Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Restoration Efforts Continue
AUSTIN — The continuation of the Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Restoration Project progressed with another successful relocation of almost 100 pronghorn recently.
The animals were captured from healthy populations around Pampa and moved to an area southeast of Marfa to supplement severely depleted pronghorn populations.
The relocation process was coordinated among the Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University (BRI), Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Working Group, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, and USDA-Wildlife Services. Quicksilver Air, Inc. conducted the capture.
The objective of the Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Restoration Project is to bolster pronghorn populations that have reached historic lows through translocations, habitat improvements, and predator management.
At least 17,000 pronghorn once roamed the West Texas region; today there are less than 3,000. The Trans-Pecos Pronghorn Restoration Program is a five-year $1.4 million public-private partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. To date, $1 million has been secured.
Last year, 125 pronghorn were captured from the Dalhart area and released on ranches near Marathon. Currently, TPWD estimates about 80 percent of the transplanted pronghorn remain and reproduction was also high with a fawn crop of over 70% in the Marathon area. The transplanted pronghorn and their offspring have significantly boosted the local population within the release area near Marathon, which had less than 50 animals prior to the translocation.
"We hope this population will continue to grow and become another source for pronghorn in the next few years to help supplement other herds in the Trans-Pecos," said Shawn Gray, TPWD Mule Deer and Pronghorn Program Leader.
"The release areas in 2013 and 2014 had favorable range conditions. We also spent months working with landowners to prepare each release site, including fence modifications and predator management. Trans-Pecos field staff and BRI students, headed by local Wildlife Biologists Mike Janis and Mike Sullins were instrumental in this effort" Gray stated.
For the 2014 transplant, Trey Barron, TPWD Wildlife Biologist stationed in Pampa spent endless hours coordinating with local landowners to obtain trapping permission and working on trap-site logistics.
"Without Trey's dedication and local landowner support, this project would not have happened" said Gray.
At the capture site, workers took each animal's temperature to monitor stress, along with blood and fecal samples for disease surveillance. The pronghorn also received a mild sedative to minimize stress related to capture and transport. Ear tags were attached for identification. Sixty six of the captured pronghorn were fitted with radio collars, including 53 GPS collars programmed to collect GPS locations every hour. One year post-release, the GPS collars will automatically drop from the animals and be retrieved by researchers to download and analyze the GPS data.
After processing, the pronghorn were transported by trailer to the release site southeast of Marfa.
"The capture could not have gone any smoother," said Dr. Louis Harveson, BRI director and Sul Ross professor of Natural Resource Management. "The pronghorn were in excellent shape and traveled really well."
During the next year, the BRI and TPWD will closely monitor the translocated pronghorn to determine survival, reproductive productivity, fawn survival, habitat utilization, and movements. This research will help define the best management practices essential in growing pronghorn populations in the Trans-Pecos region.
"We sincerely appreciate all the cooperation and support from our partners and the Pampa and Trans-Pecos communities," stated Gray. "Their continued support will help ensure pronghorn herds will recover and continue to roam the desert grasslands of Texas."
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So, yeah, lockout. I find myself particularly unmoved by either side of the equation this time around. I can never understand how the negotiations move so slowly, always start later than seems logical, involve only a few actual meetings, and seem to treat an actual deadline as something of a suggestion. Both can say they are all about the fans, but we're being condescended to. The only honest one out there so far (that I've seen) is Paul Bissonette. He pointed out that the players are trying to protect their futures, which I get. Especially for a plug like BizNasty, who will likely never make big bucks (for a pro athlete), and may have a short career thanks to a major part of his job is being pummeled in the head. The owners, of course, have every right to want to make as much money as possible. I do have some trouble believing their accounting on some of this, but the fact is, it is a business for them, even if they are fans too. I could imagine that Terry Pegula's "if I want to make money, I'll drill another well" probably went over well with Jeremy Jacobs and his ilk.
Anyway, now that the lockout is on, and the owners pulled the "this deal is only valid until tomorrow!" card out of the deck, I don't expect much of anything to happen for a couple of months. I can't think the league will want to lose the Winter Classic, though that would be hilarious since Toronto's involved. But with little actual negotiating happening week to week, who knows at this point. My interest wanes with every passing day, and football season is here for now. I'll see what's up after Thanksgiving, or when the Bills are eliminated from playoff contention, whichever comes first.


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Topic: Here and There - ASCO seminar-Bits and Pieces- 2013
I was suprised By. Dr. Tolcher who is the CEO of South Texas Accelerated research Therapeutics,LLC saying that the diagnostic bio markers tests are still not being that of high standard and thus are for investigational or research purpose mostly. Those chemotherapy tests and bio markers test now in use ,except for the Kras mutation bio marker for colon cancer are " far from the effort of being actionable." That is most of the genetic tests done now are too expensive and of little or no clinical benefit at all. ( ie: we know about p13k kinase,but what its benefit is still not known not to mention what it's interpretation is represented in those reports done by the companies.)
I am a kind of lost ,therefore I asked him personally after the meeting to see whether I heard him correctly since he is the head of that research LLC.
He recommended since right now the standard is very low to be of benefit of such testing, we should look at how many patients actually benefited from the clinical study as compare to using the test for diagnosis purpose.
Even if the predictive value for a biomarker is high but what exactly does it mean in terms of whether the drug really works well or not is unknown.
His advice is do not waste money on those tests because even the test report says this drug X will work on your cancer but it may not be so. The best way at this point is to continue the chemotherapy treatment and join clinical trial instead. There is at least a 5-10% successful rate for joining the clinical trail . But even if the clinical trial does not work for you, it is still better than to waste a lot of money in both testing and purchasing the drug recommended by such chemo sensitive testing reports.
In his point of view, the technical know how to correlate the disease state with the usage of the bio markers testings are Not There yet.
Surprise,surprise ,this comment is coming from the head of a company which is in the business of such topic.
BTW, The title of his lecture is"Understanding the difference between molecular data and the actionable information."
This is one of the reason to keep up to date of our understanding about this and other disease.
God bless.


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You've probably heard that Andy Warhol Enterprises will be on display at the IMA from October 10th through January 2, 2011. Organized by IMA Associate Curator of Contemporary Art Sarah Urist Green and former Assistant Curator Allison Unruh, this retrospective includes works by Warhol that relate to his business as well as studio practices spanning from 1946 until his death in 1987. Andy Warhol Enterprises encompasses Warhol's beginnings as a commercial artist upon his move to New York in 1949, as well as works that are more familiar, such as his Brillo box sculptures or his portraits of Marilyn Monroe. Archival materials included in the show provide insight into the many different areas of Warhol's career. For example, record covers and contracts chronicle his time spent as the band manager for the Velvet Underground and Nico, and episodes of Andy Warhol's T.V. and copies of Interview magazine serve as evidence for Warhol's explorations into mass media.
Filed under: Art, Current Events, Exhibitions


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This column originally appeared on Real Money Pro at 8:32 a.m. EDT on Sept. 24.
Pride goeth before a fall -- also publicity, handshakes and celebrity. The biblical injunction about the first and the last trading places often has literal truth. Thus, stocks and bonds, which fared poorly in the inflationary 1970s, excelled in the disinflationary 1980s. The country's most admired companies (as listed annually in the glossy business magazines ) are frequently on their way to becoming among the country's least admired investments. When a cynical investor hears that there are too many optimists in the market, he will begin to worry. By the same token, an over-abundance of pessimists will give him courage. After all, he may ask, if everyone is already bearish, who is left to sell? -- James Grant, Minding Mister Market: Ten Years on Wall Street With Grant's Interest Rate ObserverApple ( AAPL) has been a once-in-a-century profit dynamo that has prospered and has expanded its market share by delivering innovative products and expanding its self-sustaining ecosystem. Here is the remarkable chart of Apple's shares since 1985. In the 1960s and 1970s, the stock market was inhabited by the " nifty fifty," a small subset of one-decision stocks that had strong balance sheets, solid franchises (typically leaders in their field), relatively superior profit prospects and were generally credited with the bull market of that era. Some examples of the nifty fifty included Wal-Mart ( WMT), Avon Products ( AVP), Disney ( DIS), McDonald's ( MCD), Polaroid and Xerox ( XRX). The stocks flourished for a while but ultimately became overvalued and were weighed down by the bear market that continued until 1982. Today there is no more nifty fifty, arguably there is the nifty one -- and that one is Apple. The Wall Street analytical community and many money managers are unambiguously and unanimously optimistic about the company, but let's not lose sight of the fact that the sword is double-edged, as an investor who bought the nifty fifty at the end of 1972 would have had 50% less wealth by year-end 2001 relative to an investor who bought the S&P 500. ( Sic transit gloria.) Over the weekend, The New York Times' Joe Nocera wrote an interesting article which speculated that Apple has peaked. It got me thinking, and below I highlight a list of 10 concerns, fully recognizing the current quarter will be ahead of expectations. Apple's significant role in the indices as well as its extraordinary relative and absolute performances have been an important determinant of investment returns. A portfolio heavily weighted to Apple has been a ticket to outperformance. By contrast, a portfolio dismissive of Apple's prospects and underweighted the stock has underperformed. But the above paragraph modifies the past; it does not necessarily hold for the future. Investment history shows that when there is such unanimity of good will bestowed toward a corporation's equity, when the very share price performance of only one security has such a profound impact on aggregate investment returns, when a record amount of analysts (53) follow an individual company with enthusiasm and optimism and when a company's total capitalization is mentioned in the media constantly and throughout the trading day, resonating throughout the investment community, it is time to be on guard if not concerned.


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Message From Associate Deans
There has never been a more exciting time for the faculty and staff of the Joseph and Nancy Fail School of Nursing. We challenge prospective students to join us as we prepare professional nurses to provide high-quality healthcare within the global society and shape the future of the nursing.
The SON provides a number of programs to meet the needs of motivated adult learners. The established day pre-licensure program, which takes 18 months to complete, is offered on the Hattiesburg and Tradition campuses. The program integrates time-honored classroom and clinical environments with modern technologies and teaching–learning strategies to prepare graduates to successfully sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. The RN-BSN program is designed to provide flexibility for diploma and associate degree registered nurses who desire to continue their formal education. The RN-BSN program is offered on both Mississippi campuses as well as the Louisiana (Slidell) off campus site. Graduates of the MSN and MSN/MBA programs are equipped with the knowledge and skills to take a leadership role in shaping the future of nursing education. The first class of Ph.D. in Nursing Education and Administration students will graduate in August 2014. These doctorally-prepared graduates will be prepared to assume leadership roles in organizations of nursing education as well as in healthcare facilities. The wide-range of programs in the SON are designed to meet the ever-changing healthcare needs in our global society.
On behalf of the faculty and staff, we would like to encourage you to explore educational opportunities offered by the Joseph and Nancy Fail School of Nursing.
Karen Sicard, RN, PhD(c)
Hattiesburg Campus and Louisiana Campuses
Bobbie Loveless, DNP, RN, CNE
Tradition Campus


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Ally Sees Full U.S. Repayment by 2014 on Auto Lending
Ally Financial Inc. (ALLY), the second-largest remaining investment by the U.S. Treasury's bailout fund, will repay the government by 2014 on the strength of its auto-finance business, its chief executive officer said.
Ally can make a significant payment this year toward the $14.6 billion still outstanding from the Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program, CEO Michael Carpenter said in a Feb. 9 interview. Ally in 2012 financed the most new- and used-vehicle sales in the U.S. for the second consecutive year.
"We are 100 percent confident that we can repay the American taxpayer completely," Carpenter, 65, said at the National Automobile Dealers Association's convention in Orlando, Florida. "Whether that's this year or next year, I don't know. But it's in that time frame."
Ally is selling assets outside the U.S. to narrow the company's focus to autos and its online retail bank while fending off claims tied to its Residential Capital unit, which went bankrupt because of losses on subprime home mortgages. Ally's auto unit has expanded its used, leasing and subprime financing offerings ahead of expirations this year of agreements that guarantee business from General Motors Co. (GM) and Chrysler Group LLC.
GM Financial, the largest U.S. automaker's credit arm, agreed in November to purchase Ally's international auto-finance businesses in Europe, Latin America and China for $4.2 billion. In October, Ally agreed to sell its Canadian operations to Royal Bank of Canada, receiving $4.1 billion, and reached a deal to sell its Mexican insurance business to Ace Ltd. (ACE) for $865 million.
U.S. Autos
Once Detroit-based Ally completes those deals, U.S. auto financing will be "basically our only business," Carpenter said Feb 9.
"Our customers don't have to worry that we'll wake up on Monday morning and decide we don't think this is as attractive as we used to and back away," he said.
Banks including Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) have pursued auto financing after consumer debt within the industry performed better than most other categories during the financial crisis. U.S. sales of cars and light trucks climbed by at least 10 percent each of the last three years, according to researcher Autodata Corp.
Ally received $17.2 billion from the U.S. in a rescue that began more than four years ago. The lender, formerly known as GMAC Inc. and owned by GM until 2006, effectively became the captive finance units for GM and Chrysler, keeping credit flowing to new-vehicle buyers following the automakers' bankruptcies, said Bill Muir, Ally's president and head of its auto operations.
Diversified Offerings
"For us, that was not a sustainable model," Muir said in an interview at the NADA convention. "We were dependent on what the manufacturer wants."
Used-vehicle financing and leasing were 46 percent of Ally's originations last year, up from 14 percent in 2009. Subsidized-rate loans, made to consumers at below-market rates for the automaker's marketing campaigns, have dropped to 20 percent of originations from 58 percent during that span. With so-called subvented loans, the automaker compensates the lender for the difference for the below-market rates.
"We now have morphed to our business reflecting what's important to the dealer," Muir said. "We've trended toward a much more balanced group of business, which by the way has better margins."
Ally's agreement with Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler that guarantees a minimum percentage of its vehicles sold with subvented loans, expires at the end of April.
Chrysler, majority owned by Fiat SpA (F), last week reached an agreement with Banco Santander SA (SAN), Spain's biggest bank, to replace its deal with Ally. Santander Consumer USA Inc. will form Chrysler Capital, which begins operations May 1. GM's agreement with Ally ends at the end of this year.
Santander's arrangement with Chrysler has negative implications for Ally's credit because it will erode Ally's share of financing to Chrysler car buyers and dealers, Moody's Investors Service said today in a report. Moody's cited an immediate loss of subvented loans from Chrysler, a "small fraction" of Ally's originations.
"We're still happy to do subvented buying, but it's not our reason for existence anymore," Ally's Muir said Feb. 9.
'Meaningful' Threat
The "more meaningful" threat to Chrysler's deal with Ally is any potential erosion in Ally's dealer finance business, Mark Wasden, a New York-based analyst for Moody's, wrote in today's report. Ally financed 58 percent of Chrysler dealer inventory through Sept. 30 last year, he wrote.
"For Ally, strong penetration of dealer relationships is central to its overall business proposition and differentiates it from other auto lenders," Wasden wrote.
The U.S. Treasury and the watchdog for its bailout program sparred last month over whether the department has an adequate exit plan for Ally. Christy Romero, the special inspector general for the TARP, wrote in a report that while Treasury has listed several options for divesting its Ally investment, including a public or private sale of stock, Treasury hadn't decided which of these exit paths to take.
Timothy Massad, the Treasury's assistant secretary for financial stability, said in a letter to the inspector general released last month that the exit plan involves the reorganization of ResCap, Ally's mortgage unit, and the sale of the company's international operations.
Treasury's Exit
"We can make a significant repayment to Treasury this year, for sure," Carpenter said. "Whether we can get them all the way out this year, probably not is the real answer."
Ally is the second largest remaining TARP investment behind GM, which hadn't repaid $21.6 billion as of the end of last year, according to the special inspector general for the TARP.
"We don't want them as our shareholder, and they don't want to have the investment," Carpenter said of the Treasury Department's 74 percent stake in Ally.
To contact the reporter on this story: Craig Trudell in Orlando, Florida at firstname.lastname@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jamie Butters at firstname.lastname@example.com


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CHICAGO — The Chicago retail market is more competitive than ever, with independents doing battle with major chains and more than holding their own.
"The Chicago market is so unique because the independent stores are so strong," said Lisa Strube, director of finance at Strube Celery & Vegetable Co.
Chicago's independent retailers are doing an effective job in delivering value and service to consumers, said Anton Marano, co-owner of Anthony Marano Co.
Marano said that independent retailers have become stringent receivers, a change from years past.
He said some of the more successful independent retailers include Pete's Market, Mariano's, Valli Produce, Shop & Save Supermarket, and Cermac Fresh Market.
While some chains such as Dominick's have cut the number of their stores in the midst of the U.S. recession, Marano said independent retailers have held steady.
"Independents are maintaining store count, and maybe adding one here and there," he said.
In general, Marano said independent retailers have stepped up their level of service, making sure shelves are stacked and customers are served.
Central Grocers buys for independents such as Shop and Save, Pete's Markets and others.
"A lot of our stuff goes into Central and get distributed out from there," said Ed Romanelli, vice president of sales and marketing with Agrow Fresh.
Independent retailers such as Pete's Market, Tony's Finer Foods and Shop & Save control much of Chicago while chain stores such as Jewel's, Dominick's and Meijer are stronger in the suburbs, said Nick Gaglione, president of Dietz & Kolodenko Co.
"Independents know what their community needs, while some of the chain stores put out a list saying we need this and this and this in the store," he said.
Growth in retail purchases is coming from ethnic fruit stores, said Steve Chmelovsky, president and chief executive officer of Everyday Fresh Produce Inc.
Jewel Foods and Dominick's seem to be downsizing, while independents keep adding stores, he said. Independents that had two to three stores 10 years ago may have 10-15 stores now, he said.
"Their biggest asset is they go right next to a chain store and undercut them in pricing," he said.


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Genus: Puma
Species: concolor coryi
Puma, cougar, mountain lion, panther and catamount – these names are often used interchangeably to describe big cats, much to the confusion of the public. What do all the names mean? Are they the same or different species?
Technically, they are all common names for one species of wild cat, Puma concolor. The historic range of Puma concolor included almost all of North and South America. The species was so wide-reaching and populous that it had multiple sub-species that varied based on location Throughout the 1800's and early 1900's, people feared Puma concolor, because it posed a risk to their livestock. The species was maliciously hunted and almost eradicated from the eastern United States.
Only one subspecies remains in the eastern U.S. - the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). Hunting decimated the population badly and it was one of the first species added to the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1973.
Today, there are less than 100 Florida panthers left in the wild. They are found in southern Florida in swamplands such as Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. The species is so critically endangered that it is vulnerable to just about every major threat – from habitat loss to cars and even feline diseases. Although there is a lot left to do to save the Florida panther, conservationists are working hard to study the cats and hopefully make the population healthy and viable.
Description: Florida panthers are large, tan cats. Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. Black markings decorate the tip of the tail, ears and around the snout.
The main way to tell a Florida panther from other sub-species of Puma concolor is by looking at the tail and back. Florida panthers have a crooked tail and a unique patch of fur on the back. The back fur is almost like a cowlick, not conforming to the rest of the panther's fur.
Size: Florida panthers are about 6-7 feet long – males are bigger than females.
Diet: Florida panthers are carnivores. They are skilled at hunting white-tailed deer, feral hogs, raccoons and other medium-sized mammals and reptiles. Florida panthers also stalk birds.
Typical Lifespan: They live about 12 years in the wild, but with such a small population of Florida panthers left, they are very susceptible to disease, genetic disorders and car accidents.
Habitat: Florida panthers utilize a diversity of warm climate habitats. They live in wetlands, swamps, upland forests, and stands of saw palmetto.
Range: The historic range of the Florida panther extended from Florida to Louisiana throughout the Gulf Coast states and Arkansas. Today, the only place with wild Florida panthers is the southwestern tip of Florida.
Communication: Just because a cat is large, doesn't mean it's going to roar like a lion. In fact, Florida panthers can't roar at all! They purr, hiss, snarl, growl and yowl to communicate.
Florida panthers are territorial and solitary. They use pheromones and physical signs (like claw markings or feces) to define their territory.
Life History and Reproduction: Florida panthers live alone, unless a pair is mating or a female is raising cubs. Males roam much larger territories than the females. A male can make a territory over 200-250 square miles in size.
In the mating season of November to March, males venture out to find a female mate. After they breed, the female is pregnant for about 3 months. She'll give birth to a litter of 1-3 kittens. Not all of the kittens will survive into adulthood.
At birth, the kittens are born covered in dark spots. The spots help camouflage the kittens under forest debris. The kittens are vulnerable to predators, especially right after birth when they are blind. As they develop, the spots fade away and they look more and more like adult panthers. The kittens stay with their mother for about a year and a half before they leave to form their own territories.
Threats to Florida Panthers:
Florida panthers are listed as Endangered on the Endangered Species List.
National Wildlife Magazine Articles:
Cat on a Collision Course
Where Would they Be Now?
The Health of North America's Big Cats (PDF)
Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge


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My Outfit Monday: Wishing for warmer days
Am I the only one whose morning shower included belting several renditions of "Baby, it's cold outside"? (My apologies to my neighbors.)
I'm actually not on the clock today. But if I were – and if it were a heck of a lot warmer – I'd likely wear something like this:
This slate blue dress, about $14 on Target's clearance rack, is actually the mirror image of the green one Deal Diva Katie fabulously showed off a few weeks ago.
The coral-colored cardigan is also from Target, while the belt came with a pair of jeans I owned in college. I typically wear this outfit with my fave brown pumps or, if I want to go casual, wedge-heeled sandals.
Of course, what I'm actually wearing at the moment consists of a lot of sweat material that covers all my extremities.
The good news is I'll be able to shed it for something more festive as the temperature rises today toward a more Floridian 70-ish degrees – just in time to celebrate New Year's!
Thumbs up or down for my outfit? What are you all wearing to battle the slight chill this morning and what do you plan to pare down to tonight?
Deal Diva KeyonnaFull Story


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Last Updated on 4 April 2012, Company: KernSafe Technologies, Inc.
iFlyDisk, is a network based virtualized disk mapping software. iFlyDisk allows you to map disk or RAID arrays on a computer, but the source is a disk or an image file from another computer. Virtual disk which you are mapping from another computer can be used as a local drive. It is fast, reliable and convenient. Compared with Microsoft iSCSI, iFlyDisk also provides Virtual Write Technology.