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Meet Congressman Keith Ellison, democrat from Minnesota
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"It's easier to fool people than to convince them
Meet Congressman Keith Ellison, democrat from Minnesota
September 28, 2013, 06:07:08 AM »
Born in August 1963, Keith Maurice Ellison was raised as a Roman Catholic in Detroit, Michigan. At age 19, while attending Wayne State University, he converted to Islam because he perceived it to be a faith that "might inform social change [and] justice in society." After graduating with a BA in economics in 1987, Ellison enrolled at the University of Minnesota Law School.
As a third-year law student in 1989-90, Ellison penned two columns for the Minnesota Daily under the name "Keith Hakim." In the first piece, he made respectful reference to "Minister Louis Farrakhan," defended the incendiary Nation of Islam (NOI) spokesman and black supremacist Khalid Abdul Muhammad, and, as The Weekly Standard reports, spoke "in the voice of a Nation of Islam advocate." In the second piece, Ellison demanded reparations for slavery and said that African Americans should be offered the option of settling in an all-black, geographically self-contained "homeland" if they wished to do so. In February 1990, Ellison participated in sponsoring Kwame Ture (a.k.a. Stokely Carmichael) to speak at his law school on the subject, "Zionism: Imperialism, White Supremacy, or Both?"—a speech that proved to be deeply anti-Semitic.
After earning a Juris Doctorate in 1990, Ellison worked three years as a litigator with the Minnesota-based law firm Lindquist & Vennum. He then served as executive director of the Legal Rights Center in Minneapolis, which specialized in the pro bono defense of "low-income people and people of color." After that, he took a job with the law firm Hassan & Reed Ltd. (also in Minneapolis).
During the 1990s, Ellison failed to pay all or part of his income taxes on a number of occasions. Consequently, the IRS filed liens against him and he eventually was forced to pay some $25,000 in back taxes. Ellison also ignored fines that he had incurred for parking tickets and moving violations so numerous that his driver's license was suspended multiple times.
In October 1992 Ellison publicly came to the defense of Sharif Willis, a convicted murderer and ex-convict who was now the leader of the violent Minneapolis-based Vice Lords gang. The previous month, four Vice Lord members had used Willis's house as their headquarters for planning the murder of a local police officer named Jerry Haaf. At the trial of one of the killers, two witnesses implicated Willis in the plot. Willis himself was never charged, however, because law-enforcement authorities said they lacked sufficient evidence to convict him. Ellison helped organize a demonstration against Minneapolis police, where he denounced "the campaign of slander the police federation has been waging" against Willis. He also told the crowd that the police union was systematically trying to frighten white people in order to persuade the city to hire more officers and thereby strengthen the police union's power base. In February 1993, while the trial of Officer Haaf's killers was in progress, Ellison led a protesting crowd outside the courthouse in the chant: "We don't get no justice, you don't get no peace!" In February 1995 Willis was convicted in federal court for several drug and gun-related offenses, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In 1995 Ellison worked actively on behalf of the Nation of Islam. At a University of Minnesota rally to promote Louis Farrakhan's highly anticipated Million Man March, Ellison appeared onstage with Khalid Abdul Muhammad, who delivered a thundering, racist diatribe.
That same year, when Qubilah Shabazz, daughter of the late Malcolm X, was indicted for conspiring to murder Farrakhan, Ellison organized a march on the U.S. Attorney's office in Minneapolis demanding that Shabazz be released, and alleging that the FBI itself had conspired to try to kill Farrakhan. In a November 6, 1995, column for the Minneapolis periodical Insight News, Ellison wrote under the name "Keith X Ellison" and condemned a Star Tribune editorial cartoon implying that Farrakhan was an anti-Semite. Ellison argued to the contrary, saying that "Minister Farrakhan is a role model for black youth"; "is not an anti-Semite"; "is a sincere, tireless, and uncompromising advocate of the black community and other oppressed people around the world"; and is regarded by "most black people" as "a role model for youth and, increasingly, a central voice for our collective aspirations."
In February 1997 Ellison served as a local NOI spokesman (with the surname "Muhammad") at a public hearing in connection with a controversy involving Joanne Jackson of the Minnesota Initiative Against Racism. Jackson, a supporter of Louis Farrakhan, was alleged to have said that "Jews are among the most racist white people I know." Declared Ellison:
"We stand by the truth contained in the remarks attributed to [Ms. Jackson], and by her right to express her views without sanction. Here is why we support Ms. Jackson: She is correct about Minister Farrakhan. He is not a racist. He is also not an anti-Semite. Minister Farrakhan is a tireless public servant of Black people, who constantly teaches self-reliance and self-examination to the Black community."
Ellison first emerged as a candidate for public office in 1998, when he ran, unsuccessfully, for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination for state representative as "Keith Ellison-Muhammad." In an article on his candidacy that appeared in Insight News, Ellison was still defending Farrakhan:
"Anticipating possible criticism for his NOI affiliation, Ellison-Muhammad says he is aware that not everyone appreciates what the Nation does and [he] feels there is a propaganda war being launched against its leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan."
In February 2000 Ellison gave a speech at a fundraising event sponsored by the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, on whose steering committee he previously had served. Also in attendance was the former Weather Underground leader Bernardine Dohrn. The event was a fundraiser for onetime Symbionese Liberation Army terrorist Kathleen Soliah after her apprehension in St. Paul for the attempted murder of Los Angeles police officers in 1975. Calling for Soliah's release, Ellison referred to her as "basically … a black gang member" (though she is white) because she was purportedly a victim of government persecution. He also described Soliah as a woman who had been "fighting for freedom in the '60s and '70s." (Soliah subsequently pled guilty to charges in Los Angeles and to an additional murder charge in Sacramento.) Further, Ellison spoke favorably of the high-profile murderers and leftist icons Mumia Abu Jamal, Assata Shakur, and Geronimo Pratt.
In 2002 Ellison, having dropped "Muhammad" from his name, was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives; two years later he was re-elected.
In 2006 Ellison ran (as a Democrat) for Minnesota's Fifth District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Early that year, the Minnesota State Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board reprimanded Ellison's campaign for unreported contributions, misclassified disbursements, and inaccurate cash balances. Ellison himself was fined for willful violation of Minnesota's campaign-finance-reporting law and was sued twice by the state attorney general.
In May 2006, Ellison addressed his Nation of Islam links in a letter he penned to the local chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council. In the letter, Ellison asserted that his involvement with NOI had been limited to an 18-month period around the time of the Million Man March in 1995; that he had been unfamiliar with the organization's anti-Semitic views at that time; that he "did not adequately scrutinize" those views; and that he himself had never expressed or defended such views. All of those assertions were demonstrably false. As journalist Joe Kaufman, founder of Americans Against Hate, writes: "Indeed, although he has since denied it, Ellison was involved with NOI for ten long years. In that time, he participated in NOI rallies, including the Million Man March hate fest; he defended NOI hate speech; and he used such NOI aliases as Keith Hakim, Keith X Ellison, and Keith Ellison-Muhammad."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) executive director, Nihad Awad (a self-identified supporter of Hamas), spoke at an August 25, 2006 fundraiser for Ellison, who accepted thousands of dollars in campaign donations raised by Awad.
Also during the 2006 campaign, Ellison called for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the impeachment of President Bush.
In August 2006 the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) said: "If Keith Ellison is elected in November to represent Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, he will bring to the U.S. House of Representatives a fresh progressive voice in tradition of Paul Wellstone. He will also be the first African American congressman from Minnesota and the first Muslim in the U.S. Congress."
In October 2006 Ellison keynoted a closed-door meeting of CAIR in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
Ellison won his congressional election on November 7, 2006, and has been re-elected every two years since then. At his 2006 victory party, a number of his supporters shouted "Allahu Akbar!"—the traditional battle cry of jihadists.
Later in November 2006, Ellison gave a speech titled "Imams and Politics" to the Fourth Annual Body Meeting of the North American Imams Federation (NAIF). At that conference, he also participated in a "Community Night" event along with Imams Siraj Wahhaj and Omar Shahin. Two days after the NAIF gathering, Shahin and five other conference attendees were removed from a US Airways flight when their suspicious behavior alarmed other passengers. In the wake of the airline incident, Ellison asked to meet with executives of US Airways and the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to discuss what had happened. "While some constituents have understood the fears of the passenger who reported the clerics' prayers as suspicious activity, many more have expressed shock and surprise at what they perceive as discrimination," Ellison wrote in a letter to US Airways CEO Doug Parker and Jeff Hamiel, executive director of the MAC.
On December 24, 2006, Ellison spoke at a Dearborn, Michigan convention of the Muslim American Society and the Islamic Circle of North America.
That same month, Ellison spoke at the sixth annual convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). Two years later, he would address a town hall forum during MPAC's "Activate '08 Election Campaign."
On January 4, 2007, Ellison placed his right hand on a Koran (instead of a Bible) at the photo-op reenactment of his congressional swearing-in ceremony. (At the earlier, official ceremony, all the newly elected representatives were sworn in at one time, without any books.) Notably, the Koran used by Ellison had once belonged to Thomas Jefferson; the book had been taken from the Library of Congress, under security, specifically for Ellison's swearing-in ceremony. Clayton State University English professor Mary Grabar observed: "In this p.r. stunt [Ellison] tried to claim Jefferson's blessing. The mainstream media presented it as another way to upstage what they see as ignorant rubes who would be upset by a Congressman not using the traditional Bible in the swearing-in ceremony."
Soon after joining the House of Representatives, Ellison became a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus.
On February 20, 2007, Ellison endorsed the 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama, praising the latter's "unifying spirit" as well as his "message of an open and fair economy, a balanced prosperity and clear opposition to the war in Iraq."
In May 2007 Ellison spoke at the fourth annual convention of the Muslim American Society. On June 16, 2007, he was a featured speaker at the first annual banquet of CAIR's Minnesota chapter. That same month, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee honored Ellison with its Trailblazer Award, for his "career of advocacy focused on promoting civil and human rights, peace, and prosperity for working families."
On June 28, 2007, Ellison co-sponsored Rep. Dennis Kucinich's bill to impeach Republican Vice President Dick Cheney for "high crimes and misdemeanors." The bill charged that Cheney had "purposefully manipulated [pre-Iraq War] intelligence" and had "fabricated a threat of weapons of mass destruction." Other co-sponsors included William Lacy Clay, Jan Schakowsky, Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, and Maxine Waters.
In a July 2007 speech, Ellison likened America's military response to the 9/11 attacks to the manner in which the Nazis had exploited the 1933 burning of the Reichstag in Berlin: "It's almost like the Reichstag fire, kind of reminds me of that. After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it, and it put the leader [Hitler] of that country in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted."
In 2007 Ellison was a guest speaker at that year's Take Back America conference, which was organized by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and the Campaign for America's Future (CAF). Ellison also spoke at the 2009 and 2010 America's Future Now conferences organized by those same two organizations, and at a 2011 Take Back the American Dream conference, again organized by IPS and CAF.
In 2007, 2008, and 2009, Ellison spoke at the Islamic Society of North America's annual national conventions. His 2008 address discussed the theme of "mobilizing the Muslim political machine."
In the spring of 2008, Ellison keynoted the Muslim American Society's Minnesota convention, appearing alongside Siraj Wahhaj.
In 2008 Ellison spoke at CAIR-Tampa's sixth annual banquet, where he urged his listeners to support Sami al-Arian, the former University of South Florida professor who had confessed two years earlier to conspiring to supply goods and services to the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In April 2008, Ellison introduced Resolution 1078 to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This Resolution called for the implementation of a Global Marshall Plan that would "demonstrate the commitment of the United States to peace and prosperity," a plan that "must operate within the ethical framework of generosity and magnanimity, not merely of instrumentality, and to be successful and must be perceived as more than a new attempt to extend influence into the world." This plan mirrored the foreign-policy approach advocated by the Network of Spiritual Progressives.
In May 2008 in St. Louis, Ellison was a panelist at a town hall meeting held at the 37th International Convention of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, which was founded by the Communist Party USA.
Also in 2008, Ellison accepted $13,350 from the Muslim American Society (MAS) to finance his pilgrimage to Mecca.
In 2009, after the FBI had cut off its contacts with CAIR because of the organization's ties to Hamas, Ellison spoke at three CAIR fundraising dinners, gave videotaped statements at a number of others, and appeared with CAIR officials at meetings on healthcare reform and at Muslim religious festivals.
In 2009 Ellison delivered the keynote address at a Washington, DC forum titled "Engaging The Muslim World—Challenges and Opportunities," sponsored by the U.S. Institute Of Peace. In his speech, Ellison stated that "violent extremism with a Muslim veneer is essentially a post-colonial reaction" (i.e., a reaction to past Western colonialism) and a manifestation of a "political environment rooted in grievance."
In October 2009 Ellison denounced four Congressional Republicans who had called for an investigation of CAIR's possible infiltration of government committees. Said Ellison: "The idea that we should investigate Muslim interns as spies is a blow to the very principle of religious freedom that our Founding Fathers cherished so dearly."
Soon thereafter, Ellison attended a CAIR fundraising event in Washington and urged his organization's supporters to apply for jobs with the incoming Obama administration.
On January 27, 2010, Ellison and Rep. Jim McDermott led a coalition of 54 Democratic members of Congress in signing a letter addressed to Barack Obama, exhorting the President to use diplomatic pressure to end Israel's "blockade" of Gaza, which was causing "de facto collective punishment of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip."
During his 2010 congressional re-election bid, Ellison accepted campaign contributions from such notables as Jamal Barzinji and Hisham Al-Talib, both of whom had previously served as vice presidents of the International Institute of Islamic Thought, and both of whom had been identified by the FBI as U.S. leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. Ellison also received donations from former Muslim American Society president Esam Omeish; Turkish Islamist Merve Kavakci; and former American Muslim Council officials Aly Abuzaakouk, Mohammed Cheema, and Yayha Basha. Further, CAIR executive director Nihad Awad helped organize a fundraiser on Ellison's behalf.
In 2011 Ellison spoke at a rally held during the annual conference of Netroots Nation.
At a Network of Spiritual Progressives event in early 2011, Ellison derided what he viewed as America's traditional means of conducting foreign policy:
"Diplomatically, we have got to understand that it's not about imposing will upon countries through economic warfare, like all these sanctions that we're so fond of. Equity has got to be how we interact with the rest of the world. And I'm telling you that many of the problems that we are facing today find their roots in colonial relationships that are fundamentally premised on inequity. And the reactions from people of what we used to refer to as the Third World. ... Much of what we are seeing is a reaction to historic colonial relationships and neocolonial relationships."
Ellison added: "
omething is wrong ... when we have the attitude that my oil is under your sand, and so I'm gonna get it from you, and I'm willing to end your life to do it and ruin your society to do it." He then proceeded to urge U.S. dialogue with Iran vis à vis the latter's nuclear-weapons program: "When we discuss Iran, we should be discussing what happened in 1953"—a reference to the overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh's government, with the aid of American and British intelligence agencies.
On March 10, 2011, Ellison testified at a Committee on Homeland Security hearing in Washington, DC, titled "The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's Response." In his testomony, Ellison said:
"Ascribing the evil acts of a few individuals to an entire community is wrong; it is ineffective; and it risks making our country less secure.... Targeting the Muslim American community for the actions of a few is unjust. Actually all of us—all communities—are responsible for combating violent extremism. Singling out one community focuses our analysis in the wrong direction."
In the fall of 2011 Ellison strongly supported the activities of the anti-capitalist Occupy Wall Street movement.
In September 2012 Ellison condemned a portion of the Republican Party Platform that stated: "There must be no use of foreign law by U.S. courts in interpreting our Constitution and laws. Nor should foreign sources of law be used in State courts; adjudication of criminal or civil matters." Interpreting the foregoing text as a manifestation of anti-Sharia sentiment and a generalized spirit of intolerance, Ellison said:
"It's an expression of bigotry. There has never been any legislation offered to establish Shariah law—not at the federal level, not at the state level. There's not been a municipal ordinance opposing this, there's not been anything.... Why do they want to become the party of hate? They're hating on immigrants who are from Latin America. They're demonstrating hatred toward Muslims. They're demonstrating hostility toward women. They act like they don't like gay people.... I'm sad that they have decided to go into this dark ugly place where they see the whole world as their enemy.... [T]hey're the party that is basically a bigoted party and they have now officially declared themselves against a whole segment of the American population, because if we said we were going to put a plank opposing Jewish law, or Catholic canon, it would be an outrage. This is also an outrage."
When Ellison debated Republican challenger Chris Fields on October 18, 2012, the latter accused Ellison of having paid a law firm $240,000 to dig up embarrassing details of Fields' divorce; of having shorted his own (Ellison's) ex-wife on child-support payments; and of having enriched himself to the tune of some $2 million via funds from pharmaceuticals and other companies. In response, Ellison called Fields "stupid," a "lowlife scumbag," and a "gutter dweller." Notably, however, the congressman did not deny the $2 million enrichment charge.
In a February 2013 interview with Fox News' Stuart Varney, Ellison expressed his belief that it is "fair" for the wealthy to be taxed at whatever rate is necessary to raise money for the provision of services to lower-income Americans. When asked if a 65% or 75% income tax rate would be fair, he stuck to his principle.
In April 2013, Ellison was the featured speaker at a "benefit dinner" held by EMERGE USA, an organization that seeks to increase the political influence of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Americans.
A glowing example of today's democrat party, America hating scumbags.
Last Edit: September 28, 2013, 06:09:15 AM by rangerrebew
Constitutions are not designed for metaphysical or logical subtleties, for niceties of expression, for critical propriety, for elaborate shades of meaning, or for the exercise of philosophical acuteness or judicial research. They are instruments of a practical nature, founded on the common business of human life, adapted to common wants, designed for common use, and fitted for common understandings.
Joseph Story
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Meet Congressman Keith Ellison, democrat from Minnesota
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It's never too early – or too late – to help your child discover the joy of reading. In fact, reading aloud to your child helps build important vocabulary and language skills that last a lifetime. Despite the considerable evidence of a relationship between reading regularly to a child and that child's later reading development, six out of 10 babies and five out of 10 toddlers are not read to regularly by parents or family members.
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and the Buddig Be A Reader campaign offer scores of activities, tips and resources for raising readers of every age:
* Start reading to your children when they are very small and make this time together a special time without everyday distractions. Continue reading aloud to children even after they're reading on their own.
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* Consider books with big, bright colorful illustrations and pictures of familiar objects for infants or very young toddlers. Preschoolers like playful animals, both real and imaginary. Add "how-to" and craft books for young readers ages 6 to 11.
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* Set a good example by reading frequently and sharing your enthusiasm for reading. Talk about the books you read and your favorite authors.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Bogaerts will keep working, learning in Majors
BOSTON -- Monday, the Red Sox optioned center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to Triple-A Pawtucket because of his offensive struggles. Sending down Bradley, 24, had been discussed in the last few weeks, manager John Farrell said. Mookie Betts was recalled in his place and will see time in center.
But because of the position he plays and the stretches of consistency he has shown, Xander Bogaerts likely won't suffer the same fate as Bradley in the coming weeks, Farrell said. The skipper said he's been pleased with Bogaerts' improvement going to his glove side in the field and his success at the plate earlier in the year, and said an organization has to be accepting of growing pains with all young players.
"We've seen stretches of consistency that maybe some others haven't had," Farrell said. "There was a stretch of games in which he showed it here. Part of that is dealing with the expectation here, his personality and how it handles that. This is part of growing up as a 21-year-old in the big leagues."
Those pains were evident Sunday when Bogaerts neglected to step on second before throwing to first after fielding an easy double-play ball with one out. That extended the inning and Jose Altuve eventually hit a grand slam to put Houston up 6-0.
"A lot of lessons learned here," Bogaerts said Sunday. "I think it's time to stop messing up so much, you know."
Monday afternoon, Bogaerts worked on the exact play he botched Sunday with infield instructor Brian Butterfield. The shortstop got right back to work.
"He's a conscientious kid. He probably feels as horrible as anyone with some of the happenings lately," Farrell said. "The anticipation of the play prior to them happening is what we're centering our conversation around. Anticipate the play, make the decision accordingly and let your natural ability take over."
At the start of the 2013 season, Bogaerts was the sixth-best prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. He's as heralded a position player as the Red Sox have brought through their system in the last decade, so he's a big part of 2015 and beyond. Signed as an international free agent out of Aruba in 2009, Bogaerts is under team control until 2019.
Bogaerts began the season at shortstop and moved to third when Stephen Drew rejoined the club, but has since returned to short because the Red Sox traded Drew to the Yankees on July 31.
Entering Monday, the infielder was batting .228/.296/.342 in his first full Major League season. He'd played 113 of the team's 123 games at either shortstop or third base. In early June, though, he was hitting over .300 with an on-base percentage near .400.
Bogaerts played just 18 games during the 2013 regular season, but looked poised in the playoffs. He went 8-for-27 with nine runs, four extra-base hits and six walks. He hit .296/.412/.481 over 12 games, including all six in the World Series against St. Louis.
But his struggles this year have been a part of Boston's as a whole.
"I'm going out there every day and trying the best I can," Bogaerts said. "It's not like I'm not putting in the effort or work, or anything like that."
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Steven Petrella is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Malware disguised as Rovio's new game, "Bad Piggies," has infected about 80,000 users at the Google Chrome web store. Read »
Google is "polishing Chrome" according to the company, until it's ready for Apple's retina-display MacBooks. Read »
Google's Chrome browser has come a really long way since it was launched three years ago. Today, it adds another excellent feature that workaholics have been pining for: cross-device syncing for all of your open... Read »
Google lets users print from the cloud to their Android device or at a FedEx store. Read »
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And, of course, the fine print:
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Dec 19 2009
SixthSense Technology: Seamless Interaction Between the Real World and the Digital World
Pranav Mistry demonstrates the real-world application of his SixthSense technology which enables people to seamlessly interact with ordinary objects and digital objects using natural gestures. For example, your hand becomes as phone or a sheet of paper a laptop. Watch the video, you will be slackjawed by the time you reach 6:25.
As Mistry states at the end of the video, he plans to make available the software behind SixthSense open-source. Forget Derek Jeter or Lady Gaga, these are the people our kids should aspire to be like.


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Before Mothership Zeta launches on Monday, we've uploaded a new trailer. Check it out on our site or through our Bethesda Softworks YouTube Channel. Special thanks to Matt Killmon for all his awesome work on all our DLC trailers.
We've also got a new Team Diary from Fallout 3 Lead Artist Istvan Pely, who spearheaded Mothershp Zeta. In the diary, Ist discusses what went into making this "far out" DLC — detailing the hard work and countless hours put in by members of the team. Here's an excerpt:
"And with that begins the Vault Dweller's final and most fantastical adventure in the Capital Wasteland, or rather several hundred miles far above it. The concept of the UFO visit emerged early in the idea-toss sessions we had for DLC, in fact it was the very first thing to pop into my mind; it just seemed a natural fit. But we saved it for last, as a fitting conclusion to the Vault Dweller's story."
You can read the rest here — complete with new screenshots.
Updated: Polish site Polygamia.pl has a Mothership Zeta interview with Brian Chapin. It's in both Polish and English. For consistency's sake, I'll post the snippet in English…
We know that the main quest in this add-on will be to escape from the spaceship. How many side-quests and achievements can we expect from it?
BC: There aren't any explicit side quests, but Mothership Zeta is a pretty big place. While you'll be receiving three of the four achievements from completing the main quest line, you'll have to do some searching off the beaten path to get the last achievement. And it's worth exploring just to see everything that the aliens are up to — they've been doing some pretty strange things.
For those keeping track, we're less than two days away from Mothership Zeta!


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Someone posted this over at Zen Forum International and ascribed it to someone called I-tuan whom I can't seem to look up. No matter who said or wrote the words, they certainly made me smile this morning:
Talking is blasphemy,
Silence is delusion.
Beyond talking and silence
there's a way upwards -
but my mouth isn't big enough
to point it out.
Me and my big mouth!


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Ryan ten Doeschate is a candidate for the world's premier freelance cricketer - and the sport's most travelled man.
Born in South Africa but emerging as a Dutch international, ten Doeschate has played international or Twenty20 franchise cricket in every test-playing country except Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He has also represented the Netherlands at home as well as in Kenya, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.
As a cricketing gun for hire, the 32-year-old's passport must look like James Bond's working for Universal Exports. Ten Doeschate has become his own universal export.
His dossier has seen him play in World Cups, the Indian Premier League (with Kolkata), Australia's Big Bash (Tasmania), in England (Essex) and Zimbabwe (Mashonaland). He will play for Chittagong in the Bangladesh Premier League which starts this month.
Ten Doeschate - pronounced ten-da-SCAR-tuh - is dominating the HRV Cup with Otago, who top the table heading into today's full round of matches. He is familiar to New Zealand fans as the most valuable player from the 2010-11 HRV Cup when his middle-order batting and medium-pace bowling helped Canterbury to third. Fitting into different cultures is an important part of his brief.
"I used to put too much pressure on myself as an overseas player," ten Doeschate says. "I've learnt to try to treat myself as a local player so I'm not overburdening myself. Getting on well in a team helps.
"I'm purely success-driven. Travel was initially a massive incentive to play in different places but it becomes wearisome. Now it's about the challenge of winning matches with good people. Otago have made me feel welcome."
Ten Doeschate has repaid the province's faith. Otago has won every game since his arrival. After four games, he was already fourth on the HRV Cup MVP table.
Wellington's Jesse Ryder and Northern Districts' Anton Devcich and Scott Styris are above him; they had each played seven games. Ten Doeschate has hit three half-centuries, 47 and 26 in four innings at an average of 64.75 and strike rate of 165. He has taken three wickets, striking every 16 balls with an economy rate of 7.12.
He relishes the regular game time: "I didn't have a particularly good English summer, didn't play much in the IPL and didn't play in the Champions League. At Otago, I knew I was going to get nine games in a team with a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League.
"Still, I've enjoyed 10 seasons with Essex [qualifying as a local using his Dutch/European Union passport] and the IPL is an incredible experience [where he was the first player signed from an associate or affiliate nation].
"Not playing in the IPL is one thing, but you've got to be philosophical when you see the quality of those ahead of you. I made a conscious effort to put that thought aside and enjoy it. Being in the thick of things - backroom staff and owners included - is a memory I won't forget.
"I'm pigeonholed mainly as a T20 big-hitting middle order batsman but that's the way cricket has gone in the last six to seven years. That is the type of player most teams need."
Ten Doeschate grew up in Western Province. He was born in Port Elizabeth, went to school at Fairbairn College near Cape Town and played rugby as a first five-eighths at South Africa's oldest club, Hamiltons.
His background meant he also played cricket with South Africa's player of the moment, Vernon Philander, who, at 27, is five years his junior. Ten Doeschate has sympathy for the New Zealand batsmen who succumbed to Philander's nagging line and length in the first test at Cape Town.
"It wasn't a typical Newlands pitch and that was an exceptional bowling spell," ten Doeschate says.
"We played in a few teams through the Western Province grades. He was coming on to the scene as I was leaving. He was still at school.
"There were some big write-ups on him but I don't think anyone would have guessed he'd become the bowler he has.
"Even four to five years ago in English county cricket [for Middlesex], he wasn't as deadly as now. He has become the best seam bowler in test cricket through the old-fashioned method of hitting his line and length and seaming the ball around. You don't see too many opening bowlers bowling at less than 140km/h these days and taking that many wickets.
"However, I think with the issues going on around the New Zealand team, it was going to be tough regardless. I feel sorry for everyone; that's nightmare stuff."
- By Andrew Alderson


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This is a fancy salad for a time when you're having an adult dinner and you want something really nice. It's really not that much work for how incredible the results are. And yes, in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you Trudy got the recipe from a magazine, but I named the salad after her anyway.
Only consider making this in the summer when the veggies and mint are fresh. And if you live in Salt Lake you can get mint from my garden anytime.
Trudy's Salad in a Cucumber Cup
2 large cucumbers
1 large red or yellow tomato, diced small
(or use one small red and one small yellow tomato)
1 T. red onion, diced small
3 T. fresh mint, diced small
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Variations: Try this with fresh basil or cilantro to replace the mint if you have one of those in your garden.
South Beach Suggestions:


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Dissatisfied with how much bang Los Altos is getting for its buck, two council members want to explore options for providing library services other than through the Santa Clara County Library District.
The city council will consider a proposal tonight from Mayor Val Carpenter and Council Member David Casas to convene a task force to examine whether the city would be better off partnering with one or more neighboring cities that operate their own libraries, such as Palo Alto and Mountain View.
In addition to Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, the library district provides services to Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga and unincorporated Santa Clara County.
Costs are allocated among the 10 members using a City/County Managers Association of Santa Clara County-developed funding formula that equally weighs population, property assessed valuation and library circulation.
However, Los Altos Hills Council Member Jean Mordo discovered last year that Los Altos and Los Altos Hills are contributing substantially more to the library district than the Los Altos Main Library and Woodlands Library are receiving in services, Carpenter and Casas wrote in a report outlining their proposal.
The annual difference ranges from $620,000 to nearly $1.47 million, depending on underlying assumptions.
The funding formula was subsequently reviewed, but the library district's board of directors opted not to make any changes.
The board also rejected a proposal in October that would have increased the amount of money Los Altos and Los Altos Hills receive when the percentage share of assessed valuation for a library exceeds the calculated formula by more than 5 percent. Since 1996, the so-called "5 percent threshold" has been exceeded just twice: fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
Had it been adopted for the current fiscal year, Los Altos libraries would have received an additional $66,800 in their budget for personnel and materials, with a corresponding decrease distributed proportionately among libraries that had a deficit in their assessed valuation contribution, according to the report.
"This self-serving response to minor annual service decreases ranging from $8,667 to $35,287 in favor of the nine cities, coupled with the substantial annual subsidy that Los Altos and Los Altos Hills property owners provide to those cities, leads us to conclude that it is prudent for the City of Los Altos to explore alternatives to continuing to participate in the Library District," Carpenter and Casas wrote about the board's recent decision.
The task force Carpenter and Casas want to form would consist of one council member each from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills; both city managers; two representatives from the Los Altos Library Commission; one representative each from the Friends of the Los Altos Library and the Los Altos Library Endowment; and one Los Altos resident not serving on the city council, library commission, or boards of the friends or endowment groups.
The objective of the panel would be to determine whether it is in Los Altos' best interest to withdraw from the library district and form a partnership with another entity for services.
"It's not that we're simply looking to break away," Casas said. "We're looking to provide a better service for the same cost."
Email Jason Green at email@example.com; follow him at twitter.com/jgreendailynews.
WHAT: The Los Altos City Council will consider a proposal by Mayor Val Carpenter and Council Member David Casas to form a task force to explore other options for library service.
WHEN: 7 p.m. today
WHERE: Community Meeting Chambers, City Hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road.


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Thomas Manton: A Guided Tour of the Life and Thought of a Puritan Pastor
Book by Derek Cooper
Thomas Manton (1620–77) was an influential Puritan preacher and an important figure in English Society. This book has two aims, to introduce readers in an engaging manner to Manton and, through this pivotal figure, to provide an introduction to the … Learn MorePaperback $15.00 $12.00 Add to Cart
The Last Days According to Jesus
Book by R.C. Sproul
Save more when you purchase five or ten copies of The Last Days According to Jesus. While apocalyptic references appear throughout Scripture, it's the prophetic words of Christ that often attract the most attention from both skeptics and scholars. In … Learn MorePaperback $16.00 $12.80 Add to Cart
Also available in one other format
Developing a Healthy Prayer Life: 31 Meditations on Communing with God
Book by Various Authors
Is your prayer life characterized by such things as sincerity, urgency, and delight? Engagement in prayer is a vital part of our communion with God, making a profound impact on our growth in grace. In this book, you will find … Learn More
Discovering Delight: 31 Meditations on Loving God's Law
Book by Glenda Mathes
Does the concept of loving law sound strange to you—like two things that just don't go together? Christians today often don't want to read about law because they would rather revel in gospel and grace. Yet the Bible clearly links … Learn More
Can I Lose My Salvation?
Book by R.C. Sproul
Save more when you purchase five or ten copies of Can I Lose My Salvation? Whether you can lose your salvation is one of the most pressing issues you can face as a Christian. In an uncertain world, painfully aware … Learn MorePaperback $2.50 $1.88 Add to Cart
Also available in five other formats
What Is the Great Commission?
Book by R.C. Sproul
Save more when you purchase five or ten copies of What Is the Great Commission? After His resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples a mission: to go to all the nations and make disciples, baptizing and teaching them. That remains the … Learn MorePaperback - out of stock $2.50 $1.88 Backorder
Also available in five other formats
The Blessed and Boundless God - Puritan Treasures for Today
Book by George Swinnock
From the psalmist's assertion that no one in heaven or earth is like God, George Swinnock derives his principal doctrine—namely, God is incomparable. Throughout The Blessed and Boundless God, he proves his doctrine by demonstrating God's incomparableness in His being, attributes, … Learn More
Truth and Error
Book by Horatius Bonar
For those in the Church who find their apprehension of truth to be somewhat dim and obscured, Horatius Bonar's cogent letters will shed the light of the Gospel anew. Bonar recognized that truth is not mere mental assent, but wrought … Learn More
"Right Reason" and the Princeton Mind An Unorthodox Proposal
Book by Paul Kjoss Helseth
According to the "orthodox" consensus, the Presbyterian professors at Old Princeton Seminary (1812–1929), influenced by Common Sense Realism and Baconianism, betrayed traditional Reformed theology by their alleged claim that human reason was in certain significant ways unaffected by the fall. … Learn MorePaperback $22.00 $17.60 Add to Cart
What Happens After I Die?
Book by Michael Rogers
Exploring the wonders of heaven while taking an honest look at the realities of hell, pastor Michael Allen Rogers provides us with a clear and accessible summary of all things related to the afterlife. This book is an invaluable resource … Learn MorePaperback $16.00 $12.80 Add to Cart
A Vine-Ripened Life: Spiritual Fruitfulness through Abiding in Christ
Book by Stanley Gale
The grace that stimulates the fruit and maturity of a sanctified life comes to us through Jesus Christ. We bear much fruit only as we abide in Him. In A Vine-Ripened Life, author Stanley Gale points us to Jesus, the … Learn More
Preaching Like Calvin: Sermons from the 500th Anniversary Celebration
Book by David Hall
John Calvin was a transformative force for modern history, delivering thousands of sermons in Geneva's St. Pierre's Cathedral, where he pastored from 1536 until his death in 1564. What better way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of his birth than … Learn MorePaperback $18.00 $14.40 Add to Cart
Rules for Walking in Fellowship
Book by John Owen
In Rules for Walking in Fellowship, John Owen supplies struggling congregations with biblical guidelines for making church life in the present a foretaste of heavenly fellowship to come. He discusses both the responsibilities congregations have toward pastors as well as the … Learn More


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Craig: "There's no time like the present to donate"
"I've been happy with the job that President Obama has done. I don't agree with everything he does, but then again, I don't agree with everything my wife does! He's done a great job with national security, and the economy is steadily improving. He saved entire industries the Republicans would have let die, and forced the banks and Wall Street to stop risky and hurtful policies.
"The Republican Party, on the other hand, has gone to scare tactics and have not actually put together a reasonable program to move the country forward. They continue to want to fund the people who need it least at the expense of building the infrastructure and improving the education that we need to build a better future for America.
"I just don't understand it. Even though I'm 62 and I've played by the rules and I've done everything right, my COBRA health insurance is running out and Mitt Romney and the Republicans would have me losing my coverage, while I'd receive good affordable care under President Obama.
"There's no time like the present to donate. If you know someone who's been brought home from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, then donate. If you know someone who's had their mortgage readjusted because of the pressure President Obama put on the banks, then donate. If you know someone whose health insurance was extended because of "Obamacare," then donate. If you know someone working in the auto industry, then donate. If you know someone from the Gulf Coast or visiting the Gulf Coast you and they should both donate. If you know someone who got extended unemployment help, then donate. If you know someone who got help with their student loans, then donate. If you are a woman and want to make up your OWN mind, then donate.
"I did."
—Craig, Ohio
Craig is one of 2.7 million people who have already donated to this campaign. Will you join them?


text:
Laptop Battery
- How to Maintenance your new replacement apple m8433 battery?
- 1.Please check your original apple m8433 battery's OEM part Numbers Apple model Numbers with our postings and picture before the purchase to make sure you get the correct battery.
- 2.When you prepare to charge for your battery, make sure the temperature is around the room temperature.
- 3.Store it in a cool and dry area. Do not expose battery to water or other moist/wet substances.
- 4.Do not forget to take away your apple m8433 battery from the laptop if you will not use it for a long time.
- 5.Please notice this: weak batteries charge faster and remain on 'ready' indicator longer than strong ones. Also it only be used for a short time. So do not buy a used apple m8433 battery even if it is very cheap because used battery usually means weak battery.
- 6.Keep Your Batteries Clean - it's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and your laptop.
- 7.Do not leave your apple m8433 battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks.


text:
Asymptomatic Colonization With S. Aureus After Therapy With Linezolid or Clindamycin for Acute Skin Infections
This study is ongoing, but not recruiting participants.
University of Chicago
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
University of Chicago
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: June 12, 2012
Last updated: June 8, 2017
Last verified: June 2017
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
In this pilot study, the objective is to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic carriage of S. aureus in patients with ABSSSIs and minor cutaneous abscesses after therapy with either linezolid or clindamycin at 40 days after the completion of therapy. Secondarily, the investigators will assess the efficacy of linezolid vs. clindamycin in the empiric therapy of ABSSSIs and minor cutaneous abscesses, as well as the genotypic spectrum of S. aureus isolates causing ABSSSIs or minor cutaneous abscesses and colonization in the target patient population before and after therapy. Given the results of a recent study on linezolid and vancomycin and the investigator's own experience, it is hypothesized that persistent MRSA carriage will be less common after therapy with linezolid for ABSSSIs and minor cutaneous abscesses than it is with oral clindamycin.
|Skin Diseases, Bacterial Abscess
|Biological: Linezolid Biological: Clindamycin
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Asymptomatic Colonization With S. Aureus After Therapy With Linezolid or Clindamycin for Acute S. Aureus Skin and Skin Structure Infections in Patients With Comorbid Conditions: A Randomized Trial
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: Abscess
Drug Information available for: Clindamycin Clindamycin hydrochloride Clindamycin phosphate Clindamycin palmitate hydrochloride Clindamycin palmitate LinezolidU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by University of Chicago:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- The presence of Staphylococcus aureus after treatment with linezolid versus clindamycin [ Time Frame: 40 days after completion of treatment ]Asymptomatic carriage of Staphylococcus aureus at the 40-day visit will be compared in the patients assigned to receive linezolid to the patients assigned to receive clindamycin.
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Clinical response of skin infections to treatment [ Time Frame: 7 days and 40 days after completion of treatment ]The efficacy of linezolid versus clindamycin in the treatment of skin infections will be measured using treatment outcomes of cure, treatment failure, or relapse.
- The type of of Staphylococcus aureus present at the diagnosis will be compared to the type of Staphylococcus aureus present after treatment [ Time Frame: 40 days after completion of treatment ]The genotype of Staphylococcus aureus which is found to be the cause of the skin infection will be be compared to the genotype of Staphylococcus aureus present after treatment. Comparisons will will be made between the linezolid and clindamycin treatment groups.
|Study Start Date:
|January 2012
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|August 2017
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|August 2017 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|Active Comparator: linezolid
Biological: Linezolid
Linezolid 600 mg every 12 hours for 7 days
|Active Comparator: Clindamycin
Biological: Clindamycin
Clindamycin 300 mg po every 6 hours for 7 days
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- having an ABSSSI or a minor cutaneous abscess treated in the ED
- age 18 years or older
any one or more of the following co-morbidities:
- diagnosis of diabetes mellitus
- obesity with a BMI >35
- chronic kidney disease
- coronary artery disease
- peripheral vascular disease
Exclusion Criteria:
- known history of or current thrombocytopenia
- Currently taking anti-depression medication
- Current or recent hospitalization
- Known current alcohol or drug abuse
- Known or suspected hypersensitivity to any ingredient of the study drugs
- Irregular heart rate and blood pressure measurements
- Fevers or low body temperature
- Known psychiatric condition
- Superficial skin infection
- Skin infection caused from an animal bite
- Recent treatment with antibacterials
- Pregnancy
Other protocol related inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01619410
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01619410
|United States, Georgia
|Grady Memorial Hospital
|Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30303
|United States, Illinois
|University of Chicago Medical Center
|Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60637
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Chicago
|Principal Investigator:
|Michael Z David, MD, PhD
|University of Chicago
More Information
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|University of Chicago
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01619410 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|June 12, 2012
|Last Updated:
|June 8, 2017
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Skin Diseases
Skin Diseases, Bacterial
Bacterial Infections
Skin Diseases, Infectious
Clindamycin palmitate
Clindamycin phosphate
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Instore Regional Manager
As a tenured employee of Woodforest National Bank, I am proud to share my experiences and honored to work for such a stellar organization. I have been with Woodforest for nearly fifteen years and through coaching, support, and empowerment, I have grown from an entry level retail banker to a Vice President and Regional Manager for 24 locations in the state of Indiana. As an inexperienced banker straight out of high school, I was given the opportunity to work with many influential mentors and managers who have shaped me into the servant leader I am today. Read more ...
After being with another bank for almost a year, I learned that Woodforest National Bank had purchased the location where I was currently employed. I began to research the company and ended up being the only employee in my branch to seek employment with Woodforest; as everyone else elected to stay with the existing bank. This is where my whirlwind of opportunity began. I was quickly promoted to a manager in training and within months I was a promoted to a branch manager. I managed several different locations in the next several years to include the first 24 hour full service branch in the nation. I then went on to convert an 8am to 8pm instore branch location to a 24 hour branch location. For the next several years I held the position of a Regional Manager in Texas and then took on a unique position to assist with the expansion of our brand to Illinois and Indiana. Today I am a Vice President and Regional Manager of 24 branch locations and I have since relocated to Indiana. I am very proud of my accomplishments and I am proof to any Woodforest employee that the sky's the limit with hard work and dedication.
Woodforest National Bank has allowed me to create my own destiny and make this my career. Our culture is team oriented with a continued focus on the employee and customer. We continue to challenge ourselves year after year to be the "best" bank in the country. I am extremely passionate about my role to assist in helping people to be successful and Woodforest is my vehicle to do so.
HR Business Partner
Woodforest has continued to provide opportunities for me to utilize my banking knowledge and passion for customer service in ways I have never imagined. Although my 8 years with my Woodforest family has gone by in what seems like a flash, the time spent in each of the roles I have held has impacted me professionally and personally in profound ways.
As a Branch Manager, Woodforest allowed me to fulfill their commitment to customer service by giving me the support to make decisions that were right for the customer. I was then given the amazing opportunity to join a team of extraordinary individuals who share my passion for people to develop and deliver employee training. Through the development of training, Woodforest opened another avenue for me professionally to obtain an understanding of Human Resources again fulfilling my personal desire to partner with people.
I have enjoyed growing with the company and am excited for what our future holds.
Traditional Branch Manager
There are plenty of places to work, but not many places to work and LOVE what you do. There's definitely something special about the Woodforest culture that you won't find anywhere else.
Woodforest is a company that allows employees to continuously grow and be challenged. Here, you will find an environment of hard-working people who are committed to the success of our bank. One of the biggest factors for me, is that we care about our customers and we are in the business of doing what's right for them. No other bank offers the products, services and benefits that Woodforest does, so I am proud to talk with friends, family and potential customers about how great our organization is. For me, what started out as a little part time job, twelve years ago and counting…has turned into a wonderful career that still pushes me to be my best every day!
Instore Assistant Branch Manager
After deciding to make a career change in 2003, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work for Woodforest National Bank. One of the main reasons that I decided to work for this company was that it was small enough to care about the people that they employ.
I began my career as a teller and eventually moved into the management training program. My path then led me to my current position as an assistant branch manager at a very busy 24 hour location. I have met many customers that have truly enriched my life and I hope that I have touched their lives in return. Read more ...
The commitment that Woodforest has toward excellent customer service exemplifies my beliefs as well. It is the customer that is our number one priority and it is why we are here. Strengthening those relationships is our future.
I like the fact that Woodforest is very committed to the community through the Woodforest Charitable Foundation. It is this that shapes our company as an important part of the communities that we serve. I have always done community service through my church and I fully commit myself to the different activities that we do throughout the year for the foundation.
Woodforest is a wonderful company to work for. It is a community owned and community oriented company. There are not too many banks out there where the CEO knows your name and will take the time to talk with you. Everyone in the company is accessible when you need them. I plan on retiring with the company and could not think of any place else that is a more inviting place to work.
I went back to work after several years of being a PTO Mom! Woodforest is a great bank to work for, the commitment to community, the Woodforest Charitable Foundation, the friendliness of the employees. I have been here 6 years now and honestly, I never looked back!
Instore Branch Manager
I have been given a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those I come in contact with each day by serving customers in my community and being a part of developing and mentoring my team. Through this opportunity I have volunteered in my community to educate and to volunteer my time with many organizations through the Woodforest Charitable Foundation. It is important to me to give back to others as I have been given so much from our leaders and customers.
Honestly in the 12 years that I have worked with Woodforest National Bank I have got out of bed, planted my two feet on to the floor excited and passionate about getting up and coming to work to serve those I come in contact with each day. Woodforest National Bank strives to be the best in all that we do and I am very proud to be a part of such a stand up organization!
We invite you to join our team. Whether as an employee or customer, we think you will find that we are... SIMPLY THE BEST!
If being the best is important to you, apply for a position today!
© 2017 Woodforest National Bank
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text:
Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
Chocolate? Check. Caramel? Check. Bacon? Check. Delicious? Definitely.
I have had these cupcakes bookmarked FOREVER. Literally, they've had a star in my Google Reader for a very long time. I even included them in my Top Ten list back in June of 2009. It took me forever to make them and I'm very glad I did.
I made these for our friend's annual Pirate Party. The bacon provided a salty and smokiness to the cupcakes that balanced the sweetness nicely. And this caramel frosting is my new favorite. It's awesome. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed licking the beaters and bowl after I made the frosting.
This chocolate cupcakes recipe wasn't my favorite. I overfilled mine a little bit and the top of the cupcakes looked almost like meringue after they baked. It was also a little flaky and crispy similar to a meringue. I think not overfilling these would have helped that issue, but if I made these again, I might just use a different chocolate cupcake recipe and add bacon to it.
One Year Ago: Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies and Overnight French Toast
Two Years Ago: Raspberry Meringue Cookies
Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Yield: 24
For the Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
200 grams of dark chocolate, chopped
3 sticks butter (340 g), at room temperature
2-1/4 cups sugar (250 g)
8 eggs
1-1/4 cup flour (165 g)
1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened (23 g)
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 pound uncooked bacon
For the Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1 1/4 cups sugar (250 g), separated in half (1/2 c + 2 Tbsp per half, or 125 g)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 large egg whites or enough powdered egg whites and water
Pinch of salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
1 tsp vanilla
For the Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Cook the bacon until crispy. Chop the bacon into very small pieces and set aside.
Place chocolate and butter in a metal bowl and put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until everything is melted.
Remove the bowl from the water and stir in the sugar. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside.
When the chocolate mixture is cool, beat with an electric mixer or your stand mixer for 3 minutes. The mixture will get just a tad thicker.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each one. After two or three eggs, the mixture will start to get thicker and shinier.
Once all the eggs are incorporated, add the dry ingredients. Mix on a low speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
Add the bacon and fold it in with a spatula.
Scoop the batter into cupcake cups until 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack.
For the Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Make the caramel
Place half of the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is clear. Let the syrup come to a boil, washing down the sides with a wet pastry brush if necessary to prevent crystals from forming.
Boil the syrup, swirling occasionally, until it changes color to dark amber (~340° on a candy thermometer).
Immediately remove from the heat (the sugar will burn if it gets to 350°). Carefully add the cream, standing away from the pan since the mixture will bubble a lot. Stir the caramel until smooth and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool. (I actually put the bowl into an ice bath, stirring occasionally, to help it cool faster.)
While the caramel cools, place the rest of the sugar, the egg whites and the salt in the metal bowl of a standing mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 140° Fahrenheit.
Fit the standing mixer with the whisk attachment and put the bowl in place. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it is stiff.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and begin adding the butter, a tablespoon or two at a time. Beat until the butter is no longer visible, and add in more, until it is all added. At some point it will look curdled and broken, but just keep on beating and beating until it gets smooth again. This could take a few minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment and add the caramel and vanilla extract. Beat on low until combined and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
At this point you can frost your cupcakes, or you can refrigerate the buttercream for up to 2 days. When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge and bring to room temperature, about an hour. Rebeat in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Recipe as seen on Scrumptious Photography, cupcakes originally from Chockylit, frosting originally from Martha Stewart
19 Responses to "Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting"
I'll take any leftovers! They sound amazing. I keep saying dessert recipes with bacon and bookmarking them, but I haven't tried any yet. Adding this one to the list now too. 🙂
These look so terrific. I love the flavor combinations!
I'm intrigued!
interesting! I have a recipe for chocolate bacon fudge or maybe pb bacon fudge but I'm afraid to try it
The frosting sounds amazing. I honestly still can't bring myself to get behind bacon in desserts. Maybe someday I'll try a bacon cupcake if I'm given one though. 🙂 I can only resist so long.
YUM! These look so good! I haven't tried the bacon / sweet combo yet, but I'm sure I would love it!
This looks delicious but I've got to ask….what is a pirate party?
Fun and Fearless – It's exactly like it sounds… Everyone dresses up as a pirate (or something related – Hubby and I went as Treasure maps last year). They even hire this guy who looks like Captain Jack Sparrow to come and there's a prize for best costume. One of the best parties of the year!
Sounds great! The problem I've seen with bacon is that sometimes it is chewy in cupcakes. That's not good. I like that this recipe says to cook until crispy. Extra crispy for me!
My favorite candy bar is bacon chocolate!!! I can't wait to try this 🙂
Wow, those look and sound amazing!
oh yum. after putting bacon in last years cookies this might need to be next 🙂
I'm so curious to try bacon in baked goods, but do you think turkey bacon would work?
Corrine – I'm sure turkey bacon would work if you could get it nice and crispy. I've heard that if the bacon isn't super crispy, it has a really weird chewy texture in baked goods.
Thanks Jen! I'm going to give it a try!
This has just about everything that I would want to go together. Awesome recipe!
This is certianly a unqiue mixture of tastes and textures, but it comes together nicely. Definatly a must try!
I am infatuated with the perfect smoky/salty addition of bacon into sweet baked goods. So delicious. Of course, I'm kind of a fan of adding bacon into just about anything.
Great pics, def wanna try these out!
Sorry the cupcakes didn't turn out like you wanted. Have you ever tried the bacon/chocolate cupcake at Cherry Bomb Bakery in Brighton? They are fantastic!


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Sociology Courses
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology 3 credits An introduction to the discipline of sociology with special emphasis on the unique per- spective this science utilizes to examine the social world. Sociology is distinguished by its focus on understanding patterns of human behavior and emphasizing the social forces that shape and influence these patterns. Primary course focus is on culture, inequality, race and gender, and social institutions. This course serves as a "gateway" course for all Sociology majors and minors, and must be passed with a minimum grade of "C" to be used as a prerequisite. Prerequisite for all 200-, 300-, and 400-level Sociology courses.
SOC 150 Environmental Sociology 3 credits The sociological perspective is utilized to examine a variety of issues addressing the human-environment interface. In particular, this course examines how social organization and culture both shape and are shaped by the natural environment. The course focuses on issues of sustainability, the rights of the natural world, and environmental justice.
SOC 168 Social Problems 3 credits
An introduction to the field of sociology through an analysis of social problems in the United States and in the world. Course focus is on topics such as drugs and alcohol abuse, crime and prisons, health and illness, hunger and poverty, resource depletion and pollution, and the effects of globalization.
SOC 197 Special Topics 1-6 credits
SOC 202 Sociological Theory 3 credits
A formal introduction to classical sociological theories relevant to the discipline. Students learn about the history of the discipline, identify major sociological theorists and their theories, learn how these theories can be applied to various historical and contemporary social issues, and discover the relationship between theory, research, ideology and every-day life. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 211 Quantitative Research Methods 3 credits An introduction for students of the social sciences to the fundamentals of quantitative research analysis. Students design and administer surveys, code data, and analyze results. Students become familiar with descriptive statistics (frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, and dispersion), inferential statistics (sampling theory, hypothesis testing, normal binomial distributions, confidence intervals, and types of error), as well as techniques for computing correlation. Prerequisites: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C"; and MATH 113 or MATH 140.
SOC 225 Self and Society 3 credits
An examination of how the discipline of sociology approaches "micro-level" phenomenon. Emphasis is on the formation of the self, the socialization process, and the importance of language to social interaction. Beginning with the premise that social reality is a social construction which has been created through our interactions with others, the implications of this premise for the version of reality each of us experiences is explored. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 259 Introduction to Criminal Justice 3 credits An introduction to the history and contemporary issues of the criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts, and corrections) in the United States. Topics surveyed include the system's history, constitutional limitations, philosophical background, and the system's process. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 297 Special Topics 1-6 credits
SOC 303 Contemporary Sociological Theory 3 credits A formal introduction to sociological theories developed since World War II. Students are able to identify and describe recent sociological theories and apply theory to con- temporary social phenomena as well as their individual experiences. Students recognize the relationship between theory, ideology, and daily life. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 310 Qualitative Research Methods 3 credits An examination of qualitative approaches to understanding social life. In particular, the course covers selecting a topic suitable for qualitative investigation, participant observation and in depth interviewing techniques, the ethics and politics associated with doing qualitative research, writing up field notes, formulating topics, reviewing the literature around the topic, the analysis of field notes, and the writing of research reports. Prerequisite: ENG 102 with a grade of "C-" or above; SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 320 The Family 3 credits
An analysis of the family as a social group and institution. Students consider the ways in which the family is influenced by demographic changes and by the changes in other social institutions, such as the economy, education, the state and religion. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 321 Sociology of Religion 3 credits
An analysis of religion as a social institution. Classical and contemporary sociological theories and concepts of religion are analyzed, as is the role of religion as an agent of social control and social change. Contemporary trends are also discussed including the relationship between religion, politics and culture. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 322 Medical Sociology 3 credits
An examination of the United States Health Care System and comparison of various components of this system with that of others. The allopathic (Western) medical model is also examined. The course emphasizes the mortality and morbidity trends and patterns which exist in the U.S., the problems facing our health care system (high costs, unequal access), and alternative models of health and disease. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 323 Cultural Studies 3 credits
A foundation in the sociology of culture as well as extensive analysis of selected regional national and/or global (sub) cultures and their environments. Issues covered include the social organization of culture, institutions and narratives, material and non- material culture, and cultural identity and the self. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 340 Social Movements 3 credits
An introduction to the study of social movements with two goals in mind. First, is to expose students to the beliefs, practices, and consequences of a number of important historical, and contemporary movements. Second, the course familiarizes students with the theoretical perspectives, conceptual issues, focal questions, and empirical research that animate the study of social movements. This includes such issues as movement emergence, movement participation, mobilization dynamics, movement strategies and tactics, and movement outcomes. Prerequisite: SOC 101 or ENVS 100 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 349 Law Enforcement 3 credits
An examination of issues affecting American law enforcement. Students are exposed to the historical underpinnings of the American policing experience, police operations and applications at the local, state, federal, and international levels, law enforcement sub- culture, police structure and organization, ethics, selection and training, and career opportunities. Prerequisite: SOC 259 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 350 Deviance 3 credits
Students examine various forms of nonconformity—criminal and otherwise. To do so, they study the major theoretical perspectives addressing deviance and its control. Students explore how ordinary rituals, agents of social control, and ideology interact to maintain the existing social order. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 351 Juvenile Delinquency 3 credits
Biological, psychological, and sociological factors in juvenile delinquency are examined, as are modern trends in prevention and treatment. The course also addresses the procedural and substantive aspects of the juvenile justice system. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 355 Drugs and Society 3 credits
An examination of trends and patterns in American drug use, drug classification schemes, the relationship between drugs and crime, and drug education and prevention strategies. The use of hallucinogenic plants in other cultures is also explored. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 367 Corrections 3 credits
An in-depth look at corrections in the United States. Topics include history of corrections, jails, prisons, community corrections, offenders and inmates, women in corrections, juvenile corrections, correctional officers and treatment professionals, an special inmate populations. Prerequisites: SOC 259 with a minimum grade of "C."
SOC 380 Social Inequalities 3 credits
An examination of major theories and concepts associated with social inequality as well as the causes and consequence of social inequality. The historical and contemporary aspects of social inequality in the United States are explored. Forms of resistance to social inequality are also considered. Prerequisite: SOC 101 with a minimum grade of "C".
SOC 397 Special Topics 1-6 credits
SOC 399 Internship in Sociology 1-6 credits Sociology internships provide Sociology majors of junior and senior status with opportunities to work on sites off campus in the areas of law enforcement and social services. The experience must meet standards set by the University and by the sociology faculty. Up to three hours of internship credit may be counted toward the major. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
SOC 492 Independent Study 1-6 credits
Independent studies are available to seniors as a Capstone option. Enrollment is contingent upon developing a proposal with a faculty sponsor and requires a variable credit form. Prerequisite: minimum GPA of 3.50 in Sociology courses or instructor permission.
SOC 497 Special Topics 1-6 credits
SOC 498 The Capstone Experience 3 credits Provides Sociology majors with a culminating activity for the senior year. Students summarize and integrate their coursework, apply their emerging sociological perspective to real world events, and prepare for future careers, jobs, and/or graduate work. Prerequisites: SOC 101 and SOC 310 with minimum grades of "C", and one of the following: SOC 211, PSY 200, ECON 216, or MATH 213 with minimum grade of "C"; senior standing, or instructor permission.


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Washington, D.C., U.S. retail sales dropped by a greater-than-expected 2.1% in August, the sharpest drop in almost four years, after car purchases collapsed from July's near record-level, government data showed today. Sales excluding autos climbed a stronger-than-expected 1.0%. Much of the rise was a pure price effect due to high gasoline prices. Retail sales excluding motor vehicles and gasoline gained 0.5% following an unchanged reading in July.
The Commerce Department said it could not quantify the impact of Hurricane Katrina but said it would have been small because the storm-impacted region accounted for little more than 1% of total national sales.


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Phil Gingrey on Immigration
Republican Representative (GA-11)
Proponents support voting YES because:
It is obvious there is no more defining issue in our Nation today than stopping illegal immigration. The most basic obligation of any government is to secure the Nation's borders. One issue in which there appears to be a consensus between the Senate and the House is on the issue of building a secure fence. So rather than wait until comprehensive legislation is enacted, we should move forward on targeted legislation which is effective and meaningful. The legislation today provides over 700 miles of two-layered reinforced fencing, and for the rest of the border provides a virtual fence, via integrated surveillance technology.
Opponents support voting NO because:
Just to build the fence is going to cost us at least $7 billion. Where is the money coming from to pay for it? How much is it going to cost to maintain this 700-mile fence? Who is going to do it? This bill contains no funding.
This bill also ignores real enforcement measures, like hiring more Border Patrol personnel, and instead builds a Berlin Wall on our southern border. So long as employers need workers in this country, and while our immigration systems impede rather than facilitate timely access of willing workers to those opportunities, undocumented immigration will never be controlled.
Walls, barriers, and military patrols will only force those immigrants to utilize ever more dangerous routes and increase the number of people who die in search of an opportunity to feed and clothe their families.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to provide a foreign government information relating to the activities of an organized volunteer civilian action group, operating in the State of California, Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona, unless required by international treaty.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a national, non-profit, public interest membership organization of concerned citizens united by their belief in the need for immigration reform. Founded in 1979, FAIR believes that the U.S. can and must have an immigration policy that is non-discriminatory and designed to serve the environmental, economic, and social needs of our country.
FAIR seeks to improve border security, to stop illegal immigration, and to promote immigration levels consistent with the national interestŚmore traditional rates of about 300,000 a year.
With more than 70,000 members nationwide, FAIR is a non-partisan group whose membership runs the gamut from liberal to conservative.
The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2005-2006 USBC scores as follows:
U.S. Border Control, founded in 1988, is a non-profit, tax-exempt, citizen's lobby. USBC is dedicated to ending illegal immigration by securing our nation's borders and reforming our immigration policies. USBC [works with] Congressmen to stop amnesty; seal our borders against terrorism and illegal immigration; and, preserve our nation's language, culture and American way of life for future generations.
Our organization accepts no financial support from any branch of government. All our support comes from concerned citizens who appreciate the work we are doing to seal our borders against drugs, disease, illegal migration and terrorism and wish to preserve our nation's language, culture and heritage for the next generations.
A bill to provide that Executive Order 13166 shall have no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes.
Be it enacted that Executive Order 13166, 'Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency' (August 16, 2000), is null and void and shall have no force or effect.
On August 11, 2000, the President signed Executive Order 13166. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them.
The amendment made by subsection (a)(3) shall not be construed to affect the citizenship or nationality status of any person born before the date of the enactment of this Act.
[OnTheIssues note: This bill would change the existing interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which currently defines as a US citizen any person born within US territory. This bill intends to remove the right of illegal aliens to gain US citizenship by bearing children while in the country illegally; the issue is known by bill supporters as "anchor babies"]
ALIPAC supporters have a diverse range of opinions, yet we are united in the belief that more should be done to reduce illegal immigration. ALIPAC supports those that legally immigrate, but we DO NOT support any amnesty, visa expansion, or "Guest Worker" program designed to reward illegal aliens or legalize their presence in the US. We support a peaceful, non racist, rule of law approach to resolving illegal immigration. America is a land of generous and caring people, but our hospitality and values are being strained and abused by those who are willing to break the law and take our jobs and our tax dollars. America's illegal alien population will begin to shrink instead of grow if we support candidates that will reflect the will of the vast majority of American citizens.
Congressional Summary: Acknowledging the right of birthright citizenship established by section 1 of the 14th amendment to the Constitution, amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is:
Constitutional Authority Statement: Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Section 5 of the Amendment XIV to the Constitution and Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution.
OnTheIssues Explanation:The relevant part of this law is what is NOT in the list above: illegal aliens or undocumented workers. Those groups are this bill's target: it addresses the issue of "anchor babies," wherein non-citizen mothers cross the US border and give birth in the US and thereby establish citizenship for their newborn. If passed, this bill will likely face a Supreme Court challenge on its constitutionality, since the 14th Amendment defines citizens as "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States." That clause was written after the Civil War to establish citizenship for former slaves; this bill reinterprets that clause to mean that not everyone born in the US automatically becomes a citizen. The cited authorization of the 14th Amendment is "Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article."
Congressional Summary:
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to consider a person born in the United States "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States for citizenship at birth purposes if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is:
This bill declares English as the official language of the United States, establishes a uniform English language rule for naturalization.
|Other candidates on Immigration:
|Phil Gingrey on other issues:
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Mining and milk jugs, a heady mix for new bossPeter Ker
Published: January 18 2013 - 3:00AM
IF ANYONE can kill the stereotype of the mining industry being a rough and tumble boys' club, Sam Walsh can.
A refined lover of the arts, Mr Walsh gives the impression that his collection of antique milk jugs is his proudest achievement in life.
''I just about have a heart attack when someone sort of swings (one of his jugs) around the table without realising it is 400 years old or 2000 years old,'' he told Fairfax Media in a recent interview.
''I jokingly say 2000, but I do actually have one that is that old.''
But after the shock events of Thursday, Mr Walsh surely has something beyond his 350 milk jugs upon which to hang his hat.
The 63-year-old grandfather became the chief executive of one of the world's most influential companies just after 6pm, when he replaced Tom Albanese at the helm of Rio Tinto.
Born in Melbourne and educated at Brighton Grammar before studying at the University of Melbourne, Mr Walsh already knows Rio well, having run its most important division - iron ore - for more than eight years.
He has been with Rio for almost 22 years, having served in multiple divisions including aluminium.
But despite decades of exposure to an industry that is supposedly dominated by a blokey, dust-soaked culture, Mr Walsh remains anything but the stereotypical miner.
He sits at the helm of Perth's Black Swan Theatre company, the WA chapter of the Australian Business Arts Foundation, and counts opera music as one of his true loves.
He speaks with an accent that belies his years of exposure to WA's working class Pilbara region, and he has no time for the popular perceptions of his industry.
''People think of miners as people with pick axes and shovels, but that is no longer the case … it is a very sophisticated, high-tech business,'' he said, in the same interview with Fairfax's Boss Magazine.
Personality is not the only way Mr Walsh defies the stereotypes of his sector.
His influence on Rio's business has been to transpose the lessons learnt during his years in the car industry with General Motors and Nissan.
The notion that Rio's disparate iron ore operations in the Pilbara are just one big factory has revolutionised the company's biggest money spinner, and turned traditional afterthoughts such as ''efficiency'', ''sequencing'' and ''debottlenecking'' into highly held goals.
Rio's Pilbara operations are now run from an office outside Perth Airport, thousands of kilometres away, where workers sitting at airconditioned desks break rocks using cameras, and control train movements via big screens.
The approach continues to find extra tonnes of export capacity again and again, as proved in November when Rio revealed its operations were capable of producing an extra 7 million tonnes of iron ore than previously thought, simply by optimising and better synchronising its existing assets.
The thirst for technological improvement within Mr Walsh is not slaked, with Rio's iron ore division soon to introduce high-tech autonomous trucks.
Ascension to the top job at Rio will see Mr Walsh's base salary rise by 15 per cent to $1.9 million.
Once that base is added to relocation allowances for shifting from Perth to London, bonuses and share incentives, he is expected to earn about $7.8 million a year.
Mr Walsh, who is married with three children, was in Rio's offices in London's Paddington when the announcement was made.
His only public comments last night were through a statement issued by the company.
"I am honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this wonderful business. I have great respect for Tom and the many positive attributes he brought to the role and I am grateful for the experience of working closely with him over many years. I will be working flat out to build an even stronger, more valuable Rio Tinto business for shareholders and for our many other stakeholders," he said.
This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/business/mining-and-milk-jugs-a-heady-mix-for-new-boss-20130117-2cwk2.html


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Friday, Jan. 24, 2014 — a day that shall live in...
Nope. Not at all that dramatic. But with no ability to Gchat, Hangout or email through Google's most popular apps, Twitter came alive with talk of conspiracy, apocalypse, and the usual snarky barbs.
Having trouble reading this on your mobile device? Try this link instead.


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Vikings up 10.
Rams rolling over and dying.
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Vikings up 10.
Rams rolling over and dying.
Minnesota hits a FG to make it a two-possession game with 4:05 to go. It looks like The Suck For Luck Sweepstakes is about to be down to two teams.
What we need to be looking at now is the 49ers, how their playoff seeding is shaping up. We need them to be locked into a playoff seed heading into next week's games so that they'll rest their starters, giving us a glimmer of hope that the Rams can beat them.
If you're St. Louis, would you keep Luck and trade Bradford or keep Bradford and trade Luck?
Either way, they're going to get a ton of value for both. Probably a little more for Luck, but Luck is a major risk to not take.
If I'm them, I'd keep Luck and trade Bradford. Plenty of teams out there would love to have Bradford.
In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!
Vikes up 7, 1:25 to go.
Cool, so at least we know we got the 2nd pick overall for sure.
By the way, the Rams are in a worse situation than us, they have a promising QB in Bradford and are looking to draft Luck? that could be stupid, isn't Bradford making a lot of money?
So it's 1st pick (Luck) or 2nd (Blackmon, my guess) for us.
So, to sum things up, the Colts get the #1 pick with either a loss to Jacksonville or a Rams win over the 49ers.
So it looks like the Rams will very likely wind up getting Luck.
Would you keep him or Bradford?
In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!
edit: Do you know how much money is Bradford making?
My choice, I keep Luck.
They'll get a ton of value for either, but Luck is a risk that is hard to pass up on.
I still think Bradford will be a hell of a QB someday, but Luck will just be better.
In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!
Bradford signed a 6 year, 78 million dollar deal. It all depends on how it's distributed and how much of his bonus has yet to be paid on how much it'll cost to trade him.
The Browns and Dolphins I think will be in the hunt for either.
The Browns have a lot of offer, but the Dolphins really want a true franchise QB (Luck), but would still be thrilled with Bradford.
I'm sure the Jets will be mentioned as a rumor.
Last edited by Scot Pollard; 12-24-2011 at 05:23 PM.
In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!
That's a lot of money, Luck is easier to trade.
I guess if you meant it would be harder on the Rams, yes it would be. They would take the hit of all remaining bonus money on next years cap.
Bradford is still a promising QB so the Rams will still get nice value for him.
Probably more for Luck just because.
I'm predicting them to at least keep the pick and draft Luck and then decide whether they want to trade his draft rights away or trade Bradford. In the end, I think they'll trade Bradford.
In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana!
All right, here's what I've been able to find on Bradford. Here are his base salaries per year .....
This year, $405,000
2012, $1,205,000
2013, $2,005,000
2014, $2,805,000
2015, $3,605,000
How much of his bonus is left? I don't know, but the numbers you see would be the cap hit for anyone who trades for him. Which is pennies.
I have been reading trying to find anything definitive but is it that the colts get the #1 pick if they lose against the jags or is it pretty much the rams pick to lose?
We lose, it's our pick. We win, we have to pray the Rams win to keep the pick.