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Your Boat Club – Open House This Week
Take a test drive of unlimited boating this summer by coming out to the Your Boat Club Open House this week. Just in time for Memorial Day. Take a look at the fleet of new boats that Your Boat Club has available and see how it all works. Join us this Wednesday, May 21, from 4 – 7 p.m. at our Prior Lake location, at Water's Edge Marina. Or come out this Friday, May 23, from 4 – 7 p.m. to Admiral D's on White Bear Lake for some music, refreshments and your favorite boats. Bring some friends, have some fun, tell some fishing stories. Boating has never been easier or more hassle-feel. Whether it's skiing, tubing, fishing or just taking the family for a spin, you'll enjoy the best that Minnesota has to offer. The best part is all your time is spent having fun. No hauling, storing, maintaining, cleaning or repairing. The boat is in the water and ready to go.
Not ready for a trailer? Membership options provide you with a boat when you want one. Just show up.
Imagine having access to an armada of beautiful boats on Minnesota's best waterways and you could select the boat you wanted to use each time you went out. Maybe you don't have a hitch or are not ready for a trailer. Add to that the benefit of someone else putting it in or taking it out of the water, cleaning it when you're done, gassing it up and performing all the maintenance. Imagine all your time at the lake or river devoted to boating. Well, it's not just a dream, it's a reality with Your Boat Club where members enjoy the fun and excitement of boating at less than the cost of ownership. The ice has disappeared and now the full beauty of Minnesota boating is here to enjoy and it's more convenient than you ever thought possible. Bring your friends and family and make memories that will last a lifetime with Minnesota's favorite past time.
Members of Your Boat Club have convenient access to beautiful new boats of their choice and can enjoy unlimited boating for a full year. The video below will teach you everything you need to know about Your Boat Club, or visit our Boating is Amazing page to learn more. Just drive to the lake or river when you're ready to boat and when your day of boating is done, just turn in the keys and you're on your way.
Your Boat Club makes boating affordable and hassle-free for the typical family. Your Boat Club gives you access to all kinds of beautiful new boats (over 80) and to some of the best boating and fishing waterways in the metro area and outstate:
- Forest Lake (slips available)
- Lake Minnetonka (slips available)
- Cross Lake
- White Bear Lake
- Waconia
- St. Croix River
- Prior Lake
- Gull Lake
Membership includes unlimited boat use for a full year. With warm weather here, you can be ready to enjoy some time in the sun. Reservations for boats can be made ahead of time and spontaneous/same day usage is possible also. We have runabouts, fishing boats and pontoons and a variety of memberships to fit your plans and budget. Contact us today and make it a memorable summer!
Your Boat Club 10 S 5th St Ste 110 Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612-208-1800
Email: [email protected]


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Advanced potassium test kit includes a mini filtration kit to enhance accuracy. Red Sea Potassium Pro Test Kit takes an innovative approach to titration (color change) testing for convenient and accurate test results. Reagent solution is filtered and incorporated into a titration process for accurate and convenient test results. The patent-pending titrator streamlines the titration process by allowing amazing single hand testing!
Red Sea Potassium Pro Test Kit boasts a new level of convenience for reef aquarium hobbyists. Routine and precise measurement of aquarium potassium levels is essential for coral reef aquariums supplemented with potassium. This advanced potassium titration test kit encourages proper testing skills with ease-of-use and a high degree of accuracy (±12ppm).
Included quick guide card walks you through the testing process with simple, easy-to-understand illustrations. Reverse features a chart that displays potassium test results ranging from 150 to 450 ppm. Measure and monitor potassium levels with Red Sea Potassium Pro Test Kit to ensure ideal water parameters for coral reef aquariums housing SPS, LPS and Soft Corals. 40 Tests. Accuracy of ±12ppm.
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Please click on "More Information" for directions for use.

subset: commoncrawl


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Love Halloween? Then you'll love this: Organizers of many Halloween celebrations around the Valley are getting an early start to the scary season by holding their events even earlier than normal this year. And thanks to the fact that All Hallows Eve falls on Thursday, October 31, many bars, clubs, and other nightlife establishments are planning to offer their usual parties on the weekend prior. We've included all the aforementioned Halloween-related shindigs that are taking place throughout the latter half of October in our exhaustive guide to the scary season, which features all manner of events, parties, concerts, and freaky fiestas happening from Thursday, October 24, until Saturday, November 2.
Special Events
The Good Egg
3110 N. Central Ave.
50 E. Camelback Road
34948 N. North Valley Pkwy.
All three locations will serve up "Trick or Treat" pancakes (made with salted peanuts, dark chocolate chips, caramel, Nutella, whipped cream, and powdered sugar) and "Butter Beer" during the month of October. Call 602-248-3897, 602-263-8554, or 623-582-4442.
UltraStar Multi-tainment Center
16000 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa
This massive entertainment complex will dish out fun and excitement aplenty via its variety of Halloween-themed attractions and distractions. The Urban Arena will feature a Zombie Outbreak theme during nightly sessions until Thursday, October 31, from 5-7 p.m. for patrons ages 5 and older, as well as "Ultimate Scares" on weeknights from 7-10 p.m. for those 12 and up and from 7 p.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday. Admission is $5 to roam the maze, $7 with a laser gun included. Interactive versions of the Halloween films will screen a 8 p.m. on Monday, October 28; Tuesday, October 29; and Wednesday, October 30. Costume contests for prizes will also be held on Saturday, October 26, at 7 p.m. in the lobby with various categories for kids and families, and at 9:30 p.m. in the Luxe Lounge for the more adult-oriented categories. Call 520-494-7827.
Special Events
The Pressroom
441 W. Madison St.
Swedish doom metal band Ghost, led by Papa Emeritus II, will serenade both ghouls and fans alike with a night of terrifying music. 8:30 p.m.; $20 in advance, $22 day of show. See www.ticketfly.com.
Salt River Fields
7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale
The sky will be illuminated by the glow of numerous hot-air balloons, many in the shapes of creatures and characters, during the two-night Spooktacular Balloon Festival. About 1,700 tons of candy will be handed out to trick-or-treaters of all ages during the event Balloon rides, live music, fireworks, games, food and drink vendors, and a haunted house also are planned. 5 to 10 p.m.; $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 3 to 12. Also runs on Saturday, October 26. See www.srfballoonfestivals.com.
The Underground
105 W. Main St., Mesa
The two-night Punk Rock Halloween Bash kicks off at the Underground with local bands dressing up and sending up some of the most legendary punk and hard rock acts of all time. The lineup includes Rotten Youth paying tribute to Reagan Youth, To Our Grave covering Mötorhead, The Proles going as The Queers, When Enough Is Enough taking on Operation Ivy, and The Crew as 7 Seconds. 6:30 p.m., $15. Call 480-834-3709.
Bars & Clubs
Joe's Grotto
13825 N. 32nd St.
Halloween Bash with music by Howitzer, Altered Silence, Killing Spree, Scarab Vex, Illusion of Control, Woodsplitter, Heir Elite, and Unforeseen. Costumes are encouraged. 6 p.m.; $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Call 602-992-1007.
Maya Day & Nightclub
7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
Pre-Halloween celebration featuring the mixing talents of NYC's DJ Carlos Melange. 9 p.m., $10. Call 480-625-0528.
The Mint
7373 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale
On the heels of its recent renovation, this Scottsdale ultra lounge is planning three different nights of festivities. A Halloween-themed edition of The Mint's Fantasy Friday event (dubbed Fantasy Land) on October 25 promises sweet treats in the form of specialty cocktails and sweet sounds from DJ MCB. Next, the Pick Your Poison party on Saturday, October 26, will include plenty of potent concoctions from the bar and spins from DJ Aaron Taylor. And the night before All Hallow's Eve will involve the weekly Project M Wednesdays transforming into Project Massacre on October 30 with music from DJ Five. Doors open at 9 p.m. each night. Call 480-947-6468 for admission info.
The Reef
393 W. Warner Rd., Chandler
Two different parties will be offered over Halloweekend at the Reef. Friday will feature a classic rock band, $2 Jell-O shots, and $1.75 drafts. Saturday, however, will include a DJ spinning the hits, two-for-one drinks from 9-11 p.m., and $5 Hennessey and $5 Patron from 11 p.m. until close. Costume contests for Reef gift cards will be held each evening. Call 480-963-5520.
The Shout! House
6770 N. Sunrise Blvd., Glendale
This piano bar will be aglow during the Black Light White Out Party as patrons will dress in their whitest whites or visit the "Electric Paint Station" to shine brightly under UV lights. Dueling pianos provide the music and drink specials include $2 Bud Light drafts, $4 Toxic Slime shots, and $5 Electric Bombers. 7 p.m., $5. Call 623-772-1500.
Special Events
Alwun House
1204 E. Roosevelt St.
Thrills and chills await at the Alwun House's annual Monsters Ball, which will be occupied by creepy creatures and nightcrawlers aplenty. Rockabilly and surf bands like The Sinisters and Mod Zombies will gig at the event, as will a variety of dance and performance art troupes. Hors d'oeuvres, dancing, and other freaky fun is also planned. This is a 21-and-over event. 7 p.m.; tickets are $11 in advance, $17 at the door. The yearly "Monster's Menagerie" group art show will also be on display in the Alwun House gallery until October 31. Call 602-253-7887.
Cave Creek Wicked
What's better than one Halloween party? How's about seven of 'em in a row. That's what awaits the patrons of the yearly bar crawl that will hit up a septet of Cave Creek's favorite haunts on Saturday, October 26. During the day, a slate of family-friendly activies will transpire beginning at 11 a.m., including gigs by "Thriller" dancers, pumpkin carving, and costume contests for kids and even horses (!!). After evening-fall, however, the crawl will start at 7 p.m. at Big Earl's before moving onto the Cave Creek Smokehouse, Buffalo Chip, Harold's Corral, Hogs and House, The Hideaway, and other stops. Admssion is free.
The Clarendon Hotel
401 W. Clarendon Ave.
The Clarendon's swank Halloween Party will take place and feature live music by Zero Zero, spins by DJ Michael Hooker, and a costume contest for prizes. The members of the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will judge the competition and also stage a luminaria ceremony. 6 p.m.; $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Call 602-252-7363.
Historic Heritage Square
115 N. 6th St.
Prepare yourself, mortals. Undead creatures once again will rise from their graves and invade the streets and sidewalks of downtown Phoenix as the annual Zombie Walk once again dawns. Thousands of brain-craving freaks will don ghoulish makeup and tattered clothing before assembling for an afternoon-long Halloween festival at Heritage Square before they begin stumbling and strolling through around downtown at sunset. The event runs from 2 to 10 p.m. and admission is free. See www.downtownphoenix.com/zombie.
Hotel Valley Ho
6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale
This vintage Scottsdale lodge will host its yearly Haunted Hotel Ball, which will star DJ Tranzit, DJ XCalibur, and DJ Decipha laying down hot sounds in two ballrooms, premium cocktails, and a costume contest with winners getting $1,000 in cash and prizes. 9 p.m., $50. Call 480-248-2000 or see www.hauntedhotelball.com.
The Nile Theater
105 W. Main St., Mesa
Local pop-punk bands will be in abundance during Spooky Night III concert, including Avilion, Cities of Refuge, The World to Come, Take Up Your Cross, Plagued Angel, and others. 5:30 p.m.; $12 in advance, $14 at the door.
Pop Culture Paradise
715 S. Forest Ave., Tempe
Geek out during the afternoon-long Halloween Comic Fest 2013, which will feature an appearance by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II actor Ernie Reyes Jr. as well as more than a dozen local comic book artists and authors. A costume contest, silent auction, games, giveaways, $5 sketches, and other nerd-oriented distractions are also planned. Noon to 4 p.m. Call 480-557-6640.
Sixth Street Merchants
900 N. 6th St.
Sixth Street in downtown Phoenix will hold a "Unsexy/Sexy Halloween Party" that's probably going to be a bit different from other All Hallows Eve events. To wit: organizers are requesting that attendees come dressed as an object or person that's inherently unsexy, like "a loaf of bread, a tube sock or Gary Coleman." Then, they'd like people to sex things up, such as a "boy scout in shorty shorts or the box of tools in silver unitards." Live music, food, and beer is also promised. 9 p.m.; $5 suggested donation.
The Venue Scottsdale
7117 E. 3rd Ave., Scottsdale
The first Halloween Howl will take place at the venue and feature music from The Chris Parker Project and DJ Mike G., as well as drink specials, creepy culinary delights, funky photo ops, and a costume contest for cash and vacation prizes. Benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix. 8 p.m.; $30 general admission, $60 for VIP access. Call 480-945-5551 or see http://venuehowl.eventbrite.com.
W Scottsdale Hotel
7277 E. Camelback Road
The W will be transformed into a stylish-yet-sinister zombie wasteland for its Resident Evil Halloween Party, which will include an experimental corpse lab up on the WET Deck, DJ Soulman in the mix, specialty cocktails, and a photo booth where patrons can zombify themselves. 8 p.m., $25. See www.wscottsdaletickets.com. And on Thursday, October 31, the hotel will host the Scream Halloween Event at 8 p.m. Admission is free. Call 480-970-2100.
Bars & Clubs
BS West
7125 E. 5th Ave., Scottsdale
Reincarnation Block Party with spins from special guest DJs Dawna Montell and Derek Monteiro, a costume contest with $1,000 in cash prizes, and more. 8 p.m., $30.
BT's Sports Pub
13610 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
www.buffbrothers.net A Jim Beam-sponsored "Create Your Own Superhero/Villain" costume contest is planned, as it a pumpkin pie-eating competition and music from Swain's World. 7 p.m. Call 480-951-8837.
Coach's Corner Grill
333 E. Jefferson St., Suite 110
Party with $3 specials on Bud Light, Miller Lite, Fireball, Jack Daniel's Honey, and well drinks, as well as $4 Sierra Nevada. DJ Nerd will spin and a contest offers prizes for the sexiest, funniest, most creative, and best Elvis costumes. 8 p.m. Call 602-293-3332.
Fat Tuesday
680 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
Monster Masquerade with four different DJs, two dance floors, multiple bars, and a costume contest for prizes. 7 p.m.; $5 general admission in advance, $15-$25 for VIP access. Call 480-967-3917.
The Gym Grill & Bar
2510 E. Hunt Hwy., Queen Creek
The Gym's Halloween bash with DJ X-Rated, a huge selection of drink specials, and a costume contest with prizes for scariest, sexiest, and the best pair. 10 p.m. Call 480-677-2146.
Maya Day & Nightclub
7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
The Ghostball Block Party returns and will include activity inside Maya and Hi Fi, as well as out on Indian Plaza. Cash prizes for the sexiest and best overall costumes will be handed out and DJ MCB will spin. 8 p.m., $10. Call 480-625-0528.
Paradise Lounge
4541 E. Cactus Road
The lounge will host "A Ghoulish Night in Paradise" with $3.50 Three Olive drinks, Halloween Jell-O shots, and a costume contest at midnight with prizes for the sexiest, most creative, and funniest outfits. 8 p.m. Call 602-953-2993.
Sail Inn
26 S. Farmer Ave., Tempe
Local bands French Girls, Fairy Bones, Pleasure Victims, Sister Lip, Scorpion vs. Tarantula, and The Echo Bombs will perform during the "Trick 'R Treat" show. 8 p.m. Call 480-966-9565.
Sandbar Mexican Grill
21001 N. Tatum Blvd.
7200 W. Ray Rd., Chandler
9868 W. Northern Ave., Peoria
All three Sandbar locations will host "Pirates of the Sandbar" parties with DJs, dancing, and specials on Jell-O Eyeball shots, pumpkin ale, and Pirate's Grog black salt margaritas. Pirate outfits and "wench-wear" is encouraged. Come back on Thursday, October 31, for "Comicon Halloween" with similar drink deals and patrons dressed as superheroes, villains, or other comic book and gaming characters. Call 480-585-5900, 480-961-1700, or 623-877-6444.
Stacy's at Melrose
4343 N. 7th Ave.
Halloween party with free gifts, a costume contests for prizes, and DJ CrashAttack. 4 p.m. Call 602-264-1700.
Yucca Tap Room
29 W. Southern Ave., Tempe
The Punk Rock Halloween Bash concludes with performances by the PV Casualties as The Misfits, Atomic Zombies as Circle Jerks, West End Crooks offering tribute to Agent Orange, The Venomous Pinks covering Black Flag, and Storm the Beach doing their best Smut Peddlers impression. 7 p.m., free. Call 480-967-4777.
Special Events
603 N. 5th Ave.
The urban pizzeria's annual Hallowine event this year will feature more than just exotic selections of vino and gourmet Italian cuisine selections as the event will also help raise money for esteemed local chef Lisa Giungo (of Lisa G.'s Wine Bar and Café fame) and her fight with lung cancer. Live music and benefit raffles are also planned. Tickets are $20 ($5 off with costume) and include food and wine. 4 p.m. Call 602-441-2697.
Bars & Clubs
Club Red
2155 E. University Dr., Tempe
Get in some alcohol-free fun at Party Sober Clothing's Halloween Show, which will hace live music from such bands as Artificial Insanity, Unconscious Minds, A Moment to Rise, Kill the King, Kapital Disorder, Apathy's Insight, and I Don't Konform. 3 p.m., $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Call 480-966-4733.
Bars & Clubs
Marquee Theatre
730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe
The tattooed and pierced princesses of the Suicide Girls Blackheart Burlesque will strut their stuff on the Marquee's stage as the touring troupe returns to the Valley. 9:30 p.m., $25. Call 480-829-0707.
Special Events
iPic Theaters & Salt Bar
15257 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite F-230, Scottsdale
This swanky cinema and nightspot at the Scottsdale Quarter will celebrate the scary season starting at 6 p.m. in the Salt Bar with delicious and spooky specialty cocktails drinks, a haunted house photo booth, costume contest at 7 p.m., and showings of the original Halloween at 8 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. No cover for the party and admission to the screenings is $18.50 per person.) Call 480-483-3232.
Roosevelt Growhouse
902 N. 6th St.
Stories of a spooky, creepy, and scary nature will fittingly be slung around a campfire by comedian Greg Tidrow and those in attendance at this Halloween Eve event. The musicians of 23.kt will also perform and participants are asked to keep their tales family friendly. 7 p.m. Call 602-885-6267 or see www.phoenixhealthgeek.org.
The Trunk Space
1506 Grand Ave.
Mega Ran hosts a night of chiptune music and other video game-inspired jams with performances by D&D Sluggers, Amanda Lepre, Professor Shyguy, and others. 7 p.m.; $3 with costume, $6 without. Call 602-256-6006.
Bars & Clubs
Blue Martini
5455 E. High St., Suite 101
Exotic Erotic Halloween Ball with live music from The Marley Taylor Band, drink specials, and a costume contest for cash and prizes. 8 p.m. Call 480-638-2583.
21001 N. Tatum Blvd.
The Desert Ridge Marketplace location of this party-hardy bar chain has Halloween revelers covered throughout the entire holiday and its aftermath with a quartet of shindigs spread out across the entire weekend. The lineup starts on Wednesday, October 30, with the All Hallow's Eve celebration that have specials that will help countdown to the big day with discounts on brews that will increase each hour until midnight.
The Night of the Living Drunks commences on Thursday, October 31, and includes $3 zombie shots all night and $2 drinks from 9 to 11 p.m. with costume or student ID, as well as $500 in prizes for the scariest and most original costumes. A Pixar Party is planned for Friday, November 1, where $3 mixed drinks will be served and another $500 in cash goes to the best cartoon-inspired and best overall outfits.
Those with any mojo left over on Saturday, November 2, can attend the Hangover Party and show up in what's left of their costumes to get in for free and score a complimentary drink. Each event starts at 9 p.m. Cover charges vary.
Special Events
815 N. 2nd St.
Andrea Beesley (a.k.a. The Midnite Movie Mamacita) will offer thrills and chills on Halloween night. First, famed horror director Dario Argento's latest vampire shocker Dracula 3-D screens at 5:30 p.m. with a $9 admission. It's followed by a special edition of the interactive Dr. Diabolic Show at 10 p.m., which will include a showing of Night of the Living Dead. Tickets are $10. Call 602-595-9187.
Talking Stick Resort
9800 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale
Scottsdale party planner and events queen Raven Valdes will hold her namesake Masquerade Ball at the resort on Halloween night. The rockers of The Instant Classics will perform and DJ Kilo will work the mixers while two bars serve up $6 cocktail specials. A costume contest will award cash and prizes to the best-dressed male, female, and couple. 8 p.m.; $15 per person, $25 per couple in advance. Call 480-850-7777 or visit www.ravenevents.com.
The Venue Scottsdale
7117 E. 3rd Ave., Scottsdale
Local Top 40 station Live 101.5 will put on its Halloween Hook Up with a costume contest with a total of $5,000 in prizes for the sexiest male and female costumes, best duo, and most creative. A slew of selectors — including Crystal Ellis, D-JR, Mikee Mike, Decipha, and Mattafact — will be in the mix and KAPTN will perform. 8 p.m. $18 general admission, $71 for a VIP package that includes two complimentary cocktails, free deserts and appetizers, and more. See halloweenhookup-hh1.eventbrite.com.
Bars & Clubs
15 E. 6th St., Tempe
The 18-and-over Neon Halloween Block Party will encompass both the C.A.S.A. Sunbá and lounge and will boast costumed revelers, drink stations, and a haunted garden. DJs like Luminox will spin at both locations, as well as inside the enormous Kalliope art car outside. 6 p.m. $20-$22. Call 480-557-8226 or see neonhalloween.eventbrite.com.
Cash Inn Country
2140 E. McDowell Road
Drag king troupe Sisterzz Twisted will offer an evening of special Halloween vignettes. 8 p.m. Call 602-244-9943.
4125 N. 7th St.
Zombie strippers will invade Cheetahs on Halloween night as its crew of exotic dancers will be dressed as the undead before baring it all onstage. Bottles XVII Karat champagne and $300 in cash and prizes will also be awarded to patrons with the best zombie costumes. Well drinks and drafts will be $3 from until 11 p.m. Call 602-277-8487 for cover.
Crescent Ballroom
308 N. 2nd Ave.
Sean Watson isn't sure what exactly he'll be wearing on All Hallows Eve (and admits he might wind up throwing something together at the last minute), but he guarantees it will be something memorable. Ditto for his namesake Halloween Costume Ball at the Crescent's lounge, which is likely to be a haven for the hip crowd. Fellow DJs Kris the Fist and Jared Alan will also perform and artist Matt Castleberry will stage a visual takeover. Concert tickets will be given away to those with the best getups. 10 p.m., free. Call 602-716-2222.
Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row
4420 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale
The newest arrival to Saddlebag Trail will off three straight nights of events inspired by Halloween. First, there's the "Outlaws - Dead or Alive" event on Thursday, October 31, with music by Georgia Chrome and patrons dressed as their favorite rogues and outlaws. It's followed by the "Camo or Commando" affair on Friday, November 1, and a staging of the "Redneck Games" on Saturday, November 2. Call 480-945-4200.
Hi Fi Kitchen & Cocktails
4420 N. Saddlebag Trail
www.hifibars.com Kinky thrills await at the Bondage Ball featuring DJ Aaron Taylor in the mix all night. 9 p.m. Call 480-970-5000.
1724 E. McDowell Road
A special Halloween show hosted by Ruby will take place at 10:30 p.m. Specials include $2 domestic bottled beers, $2 well cocktails, and $3 beer bust pitchers. Call 602-254-0231.
El Hefe
4425 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale
They take their partying pretty serious at El Hefe, especially when it comes to Halloween. As such, four nights of events are planned, kicking off on Thursday, October 31, with an appearance by Scottsdale favorite DJ Fashen. Next, the "Dias De Los Hefe" party will take place and star DJ Diverse in the mix all night on Friday, November 1. If you ain't worn out yet, the Circus Freak Show with Deejay Diesel on Saturday, November 2, and a gig by DJ duo Sick Individuals on Sunday, November 3, will wrap up the joint's "Halloweekend." Call 480-945-6200.
Marc's Sports Grill & Nightlife
4494 W. Peoria Ave., Glendale
Nightmare on Marc's Street with DJs and dancing in the main room, karaoke in the lounge, and drink specials all night. The sexiest, spookiest, and funniest costumes will win prizes. 8 p.m. Call 623-842-1053.
Marquee Theatre
730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe
The insidious costumed bass freaks of Destroid — which consists of dubstep kings Excision, Downlink, and KJ Sawka — will blast their heavy-duty audio from the sound system at the Marquee. 8 p.m.; $32 general admission, $62 VIP access. Call 480-829-0707.
Maya Day & Nightclub
7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
Australian DJ duo Nervo will spend their Halloween in the booth dropping electro-house tracks and other EDM offerings. Patrons are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite duos for a chance at winning $2,500 in cash and prizes. Call 480-625-0528.
Nutowne Saloon
5002 E. Van Buren St.
Halloween party with a costume contest at 10 p.m. for $1,000 in cash prizes, including $600 for first place. 9 p.m. Call 602-267-9959.
RA Sushi
Five Valley locations
Each RA will host a Boo Bash Halloween Party, which will feature food and drink specials (including such small plates as $8 Vampire Chicken and $10 spider rolls), costume contests for cash prizes, and guest DJs. 7 p.m. Call 480-303-9800 or 480-990-9256.
Sail Inn
26 S. Farmer Ave., Tempe
Halloween party with rock band karaoke and live music from The Metal King and 2 in the Chest. 9 p.m., $10. Call 480-966-9565.
Sleepy Dog Brewery
1451 E. Williams Field Road, Gilbert
Live music from alt-rock band Sketching In Stereo at 8:30 p.m., Halloween-inpsired food specials from the kitchen until midnight, and a candy-themed cocktail menu that will include such specialty drinks as "Pop Punk" and "Pink Starburst." Call 480-963-1805.
SunUp Brewing Company
322 E. Camelback Road
A cask of Spiced Porter will be specially tapped, $2 kids meals (with purchase of an adult meal) will be available from 3 to 7 p.m., and a contest for the best costume takes place at 8 p.m. Call 602-279-8909.
World of Beer
526 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
WOBoween costume party with the Fireball Whiskey Girls and plenty of free stuff and giveaways. 9 p.m. Call 480-638-2337.
Special Events
Fear Farm
2209 N. 99th Ave.
The Arizona Zombie Prom with rockabilly and psychobilly music The Embalmers, Koffin Kats, 12 Step Rebels, Three Bad Jacks, Nim Vind, and Kats of Horror, as well as performances by freak show artists and fire-eaters. Food trucks and face-painting stations will also be available. 6 p.m. See www.azzombieprom.com.
Bars & Clubs
Aunt Chilada's
7330 N. Dreamy Draw Dr.
Halloween party with Zimis, DJ Mike G., a costume contest with such prizes as a spa vacation in Rocky Point and $1,000 pesos, and more. 7 p.m. Call 602-944-1286.
Big Fish Pub
1954 E. University Dr., Tempe
Halloween bash with music from Black Mountain Moonshine, L.V.D., Tridon, I Don't Konform, Unconscious Minds, and more. 6:30 p.m. Call 480-449-3474.
Special Events
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The attendees of Dr. MD's infamous underground dance party will be drenched in gallons of fake blood crimson liquid as James St. James, Ron D. Core, and more than a dozen other DJs spin everything from dubstep to hardcore at a venue somewhere in the Valley. Call 480-294-7523 on the day of the event for location and ticket info.
Bars & Clubs
Apollo's Lounge
5749 N. 7th St.
Tongue Tied's DJ Roya and DJ Funkfinger will celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with their Dance of the Dead affair. Patrons can add old cassettes, LPs, and other mementos to an tribute alter honoring music's past, get their face painted for $5-$10, purchase folk crafts, or dance to indie and retro tunes. Free before 9:30 p.m., $5 afterwards. Call 602-277-9373.


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In a vitamin D study, researchers evaluated the diets, lifestyles and blood levels of vitamin D in 520,000 men and women and followed up for several years. During this time, 1,248 participants developed colorectal cancer. Doctors matched these people to 1,248 healthy participants from the study who had similar diet and lifestyle characteristics. Overall, men and women who began the study with the highest blood levels of vitamin D were 40 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer compared to those who started with the lowest vitamin D levels. Scientists also found that those who consumed more calcium were less likely to develop colorectal cancer. Researchers said that the results did not vary by sex or in what season people gave blood.
In a related lab study, researchers gave 92 people with a confirmed colorectal adenoma 2,000 mg of calcium with or without 800 IU of vitamin D per day or a placebo. After six months, while there was no change for placebo or calcium alone, colon tissue from the calcium plus vitamin D group showed 22 percent fewer signs of the DNA damage that can lead to colorectal cancer.
In a colon cancer study, researchers measured magnesium in the diets of over 87,000 men and women, average age 57, and followed up for eight years. While there was no link between low levels of magnesium and cancer in women, men who consumed at least 327 mg of magnesium per day were 52 percent less likely to have colon cancer compared to men who got the least magnesium.


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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotelFamily-friendly hotel with free breakfast and indoor pool
Popular property highlights
This family-friendly Athens hotel is located in a rural location, within 3 mi (5 km) of Hot Dog Museum, Ohio University and John Calhoun Baker University Center. Peden Stadium is 3.1 mi (5 km) away.
Hotel Features
This hotel features an indoor pool, a fitness center, and a spa tub. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, coffee/tea in a common area, a business center, and conference rooms are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 86 rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves, plus free WiFi and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Other amenities available to guests include coffee makers, hair dryers, and laptop-compatible safes.
Guest Highlights
- Spotless guestrooms
- Helpful staff
- Guestroom size
- Comfy beds and overall room comfort
Hampton Inn Athens
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool, Hampton Inn Athens provides a spa tub and a fitness center. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access. This hotel offers access to a business center and meeting rooms. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. This family-friendly hotel also offers an arcade/game room, coffee/tea in a common area, and laundry facilities. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Hampton Inn Athens has designated areas for smoking.
- 24-hour front desk
- Arcade/game room
- Total number of rooms - 86
- Number of floors - 3
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Free breakfast
- Conference space
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Designated smoking areas
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Meeting rooms
- Tennis on site
- Free self parking
- Spa tub
- Indoor pool
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Laundry facilities
- Arcade/game room
- Playground on site
- Miniature golf on site
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary hot/cold buffet breakfast each morning.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Fishing on site
- Miniature golf on site
- Golfing on site
- Playground on site
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Hotel Name
- Athens Hampton Inn
- Hampton Inn Athens
- Hampton Inn Hotel Athens
- Hampton Inn Athens Hotel Athens
- Hampton Inn Athens Ohio
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Weddings in Ravello
Sun-drenched terraces, frescoed ceilings, intimate gardens, a truly breathtaking location… This 11th-century palace in the heart of the Amalfi Coast is the perfect venue for a wedding day to remember.
Take your vows in the enchanting, 900-year-old Duomo of Ravello. Entertain your guests in the verdant, scented gardens. Or treat them like kings and queens with exclusive use of the hotel, courtesy of our Ultimate Take-Over offer.
Let our dedicated team take care of your every desire.
Honeymoons in Italy
Across Italy, honeymoon inspiration can be found at every turn, but few places compare to the dreamlike Amalfi Coast. Enchanting roads wind between emerald mountains. Picturesque coastal towns overlook an endless blue horizon and colourful houses cling to the cliffside.
The world-famous towns of Positano, Sorrento and Amalfi are but a stone's throw away. Or spend an afternoon in the ruins of Pompeii or the ultra-hip streets of Capri.
For pure decadence, why go anywhere when you can pull up a sun-lounger, order a glass of Champagne and bask in the beautiful surroundings of Belmond Hotel Caruso?
Our sister properties are also unrivalled honeymoon destinations in the most romantic country in the world.
- Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Venice
- Belmond Villa San Michele, Florence
- Belmond Hotel Splendido, Portofino
- Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily
- Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea, Taormina, Sicily


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Valleys towns get big boost
8:52am Wednesday 5th February 2014
8:52am Wednesday 5th February 2014
AN EXTRA £3.2m is being pumped into the continued transformation of Newbridge and Bargoed, it has been announced today.
Finance minister Jane Hutt made the announcement while on a visit to Newbridge to see improvements already made with backing from Welsh government and European Union funds.
It comes as part of Caerphilly council's wider regeneration plans for the area, building on previous regeneration phases which included the development of Calzaghe Bridge as well as the renovation of the Newbridge Memorial Hall and Institute.
The £3m pedestrian footbridge was the first structure in the county borough to be named after living people and honoured the achievements of boxing legend Joe Calzaghe and his father and trainer Enzo.
This additional funding, which comes from the EU, will allow further physical improvements to get under way, and regeneration of derelict land for economic and community use.
In Bargoed, the funding will support the development of a new site for business as well as an urban, green park. A commercial improvement funding scheme will be available for local businesses in both towns to enhance the frontages of their premises.
The minister said: "The funding will help build on progress already made in creating an attractive environment to ensure the success of both towns. It will also boost private sector investment and contribute towards the long term economic prosperity."
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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A few years ago, during a typical earnings-season cram-fest at the office, midnight came along and my brain could take no more spreadsheets -- so I made a pot of coffee, did some pushups began to read Jim Cramer's Confessions of a Street Addict. The book reinforced that, yes, I was definitely in the right profession, and it shared very valuable insights into the necessary ingredients to get ahead in both good and bad markets. I've since woven them into my life, and here are a few:
1. One must have a legal edge on the trade. For example, you must consume so much research and network contacts that the outcome on the stock seems almost certain -- or certain enough for you to make a large wager.
2. You really, really, want to have investing success for reasons beyond just building profits. Call it the thrill of the chase, or a never-ending pursuit to prove something to someone, but there has to be substance behind your actions.
3. Organic research is the best kind. Keep that in mind as you ingest analyst comments on projected future sales of an Apple (AAPL) iWatch that the non-Cupertino ecosystem hasn't seen yet.
4. If the market is sending you strong signals, don't ignore them. Have trust, and wait for the inventible directional break to occur.
This book is in my one of my top three, bar none. I return to it frequently for guidance on a range of topics, from career advice to general inspiration to a kick in the butt to maintain conviction should a specific call go against me. After some additional reading Wednesday, and also in light of my normal market-stalking, I am OK with saying that equities seem overbought.
I don't particularly like how stocks have run through expansion in their price-to-earnings multiples, instead of seeing both this and rising estimates. I'm not real fond of these earnings warnings from retailers, or the market's negative reaction to them, as the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yield flirts with 2%. Further, we're seeing traction in the notion that the Federal Reserve will slow its monthly bond buys sometime this year -- so it's straight creepy the market is poised to sell off with greater velocity.
The message, as has become the norm in the past two years, is that gains in stocks are being fueled by liquidity injections, rather than by good old-fashioned organic measures by companies and naturally healing global macroeconomic conditions. Suddenly those long the market, or those inclined to finally jump in, find themselves rooting for a sluggish domestic economy in order for the Fed to stay firm in its liquidity commitment.
Things are getting odd out there. I reiterate that it would be reasonable for you to hike your cash percentage and think twice before buying dips, regardless of what Joe the Shark begs you to do.
Quick and Dirty: Stay Away from Dead-Money Wal-Mart
Basically, I don't care about Wal-Mart's (WMT) earnings report. If you're treating this dog like a long-term play, keep the following in mind:
● Wal-Mart continues to reinvest its hard-fought-for profits as it reduces product prices for customers (with a $6 billion goal by fiscal 2016). It's a strategy that could only work long-term if expenses were consistently whittled down and if costs remained at bay. I fancy that investors have been beaten into believing Wal-Mart will always be able to lower its expenses and costs. Good luck with that when you source 70% of your goods from inflationary China, when fuel made from dinosaurs begins to disappear, and as consumer-product companies merge to take the fight back to Wal-Mart. This company is unable to command any semblance of consistent pricing power due to its own initiatives, and that's a major red flag.
● Wal-Mart management comprises an arrogant bunch, from their pre-recorded earnings calls to their interaction with the press after important events. What I care about, though, is its arrogance with respect to intense new square footage while it drops prices. Why? Simple: It hurts your returns! Pricing pressure will only increase as Amazon (AMZN) gets closer to homes and dollar stores surround Wal-Mart's rural shopping shrines.
● Contrary to its assertions, Wal-Mart is failing abroad. It's as if the company is gung-ho with opening new stores without even studying local customer preferences -- another sign of the company's arrogance.


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Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
More opinion
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
More Ag News
In conceding defeat in the race for the U.S. Senate seat, Bob Kerrey had this to say:
"Whatever personal animus you have towards her as a consequence of fighting hard in this campaign, please try to conquer it. The only behavior we control is our own. Please, on behalf of our country, join me in wishing her well.
"From the beginning we knew this would be an uphill struggle. We did not begin this campaign because we thought it would be easy. We knew the odds were against us.
"But remember this: Some of the best causes seem at first like lost causes. But in this cause, I believe that with time we will prevail, and I believe we began in this campaign and for that we have a reason to celebrate tonight.
"We sounded the alarm about a hyper-partisan, dysfunctional Congress.
"We offered specific proposals that would make our democracy more just and more likely to produce ways to resolve rather than create conflict. We earned the support of Republican leaders like Chuck Hagel who are equally alarmed and appalled by what they see happening in our nations capitol.
"We proposed specific bi-partisan solutions to the national crisis of debt and deficits. We were not afraid to tell the truth about what needs to be done to restore sound national fiscal policies.
"And we did not duck the tough calls:
"We told Nebraskans that climate change is real, that it is caused by our own habits, and that changing those habits would head off irreversible human and economic damage.
"We supported the Affordable Health Care Act because we believe it will help reduce the burden of poverty in Nebraska and increase the health of our States families.
"We defended the rights of all Nebraskans gay or straight to have equal civil opportunities to work, to live and to marry.
"We trusted women to make their own health care decisions without the interference of government law enforcement agencies.
"We made the case that economic development and economic justice are compatible sides of the same coin.
"The cumulative impact of these arguments did not produce a victory tonight. But they were worth making all the same.
"In the words of Dorothy Lord quoting Martin Luther King: We will not remember the words of our enemies. We will remember the silence of our friends.
"Above all else we were not silent in this campaign. Our voices were heard. They did not fall on deaf ears. I know - and I hope you do as well that this campaign was worth the effort all of you have made.
"The people of Nebraska have spoken. They have made their choice. Do not love them less for having chosen in a different way than you had hoped. Love them more. It is the right thing to do.
"So walk out of here tonight with your heads held high. You did a good thing in this campaign. You were brave. You persevered when the odds were overwhelmingly against you.
"You conquered cynicism. You believed in our better natures and came together to make our world safer and more just.
"You have made new friends and I sincerely hope some very good and inspiring memories.
"I am indebted to you. Thank you all. Very, very much."
-- By former Senator and Governor of Nebraska, Bob Kerrey. First published in the Nov. 7 print edition of the North Platte Bulletin.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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A Deeper Dive Unearths the Ugly
This commentary originally appeared at 8:04 a.m. EST on Jan. 23 on Real Money Pro -- for access to all of legendary hedge fund manager Doug Kass's strategies and commentaries, click here.
Let's take a deeper dive into the profit and sales progress, or lack thereof, in the three months that just ended....1015 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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Google AdWords Ad group phrase to landing page matching
Ad group phrase to landing page matching
As a consultant who manages a team with client PPC budgets ranging in value upwards of $300,000 a year in PPC spend, I and my team have been assigned a Google Account PPC Management Team. We work closely with them through all phases of some of our larger client pay per click campaign initiatives. For most clients, the average cost per click ranges from $2 up to about $6. For others in more competitive fields, that cost can climb to $20, $50 or even as much as $90 for a single click. So one of our primary responsibilities is to do all we can to manage the AdWords account in a way that ensures the highest position possible with the lowest cost per click.
One of the things they taught us was the importance of setting up individual ad groups with specific keyword phrases, where each ad in a particular group links directly to a web site's landing page that is optimized for those specific phrases.
The importance of ad to landing page matching can't be overstated.
Because Google wants to present the absolute best matches to a person doing a search organically, they naturally focus much of their algorithm on evaluating how high the quality of a given page is to a specific search phrase. The more closely that page matches the search from this regard, the higher it will appear in the organic results.
The Google Quality Score
The more closely an ad group matches a specific page's phrases, and the higher the quality of that page organically, the higher your overall quality score, and in turn, the higher your ad will appear in the PPC (sponsored) listings and here's the inside scoop – the LOWER your cost will be for each click.
That's right – the actual cost of an individual click is NOT determined solely on how many others are bidding or what they're paying!
If you have two companies bidding on the exact same phrases and using the exact same wording in their PPC ad, the one that has a better match to the landing page that ad links to, the lower the cost per click.
And the better optimized that landing page is for organic purposes, the lower still the cost per click.
These are aspects of the quality score of an ad group that many "SEM" and "PPC" experts aren't even aware of or discount in terms of importance.
Smaller Ad Groups For Better keyword Matching
So one of the most important aspects of our PPC internet marketing services is to first group those vital keyword phrases together into sub-sets as related to the client offerings. One ad group might only have three to five phrases set for broad match, and then those same phrases set for "exact" match and phrase match. This ensures we can closely tie an ad group to a specific page since we try to never maximize the organic optimization on any single page for more than three to five phrases.
Only when you take this approach are you going to provide the best PPC management for a sites needs, because it's inexcusable to rationalize or justify or make excuses as to why the AdWords account budget is being expended at a higher than possible per-click charge.


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Here it is, in all its glory: Wilmer Flores waling up to the "Friends" theme song pic.twitter.com/SCJfs88OeH— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) September 5, 2016
25-year-old Met's player, Wilmer Flores is a self-proclaimed Friends addict. Flores says he's watched every episode since starting the series 4 years ago.
"I don't know. I just can't stop watching it," he told ESPN. "I don't know -- on the road, when I'm home, every day -- I don't want to watch anything else. I don't know why. There's something about that show."
By his second at bat, most of the 30,257 fans in the crowd clapped along to the theme song, proving we're all here for him (when the rain starts to pour).


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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotelHotel in North Charleston with free breakfast and outdoor pool
Popular property highlights
Situated in North Charleston, this hotel is 0.6 mi (1 km) from Northwoods Mall and within 6 mi (10 km) of Frankie's Fun Park and Charleston Southern University. Whirlin' Waters Adventure Waterpark and Wannamaker County Park are also within 6 mi (10 km).
Hotel Features
An outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and a 24-hour business center are available at this smoke-free hotel. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include a meeting room, dry cleaning, and laundry facilities.
Room Amenities
All 98 rooms provide free WiFi and free wired Internet, flat-screen TVs with cable channels, and conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves. Guests will also find coffee makers, free local calls, and hair dryers.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Breakfast
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charleston-Ashley Phosphate
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charleston-Ashley Phosphate features an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. Wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary. This hotel offers access to a 24-hour business center and a meeting room. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. Event facilities measure 1140 square feet (103 square meters). This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, gift shops/newsstands, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charleston-Ashley Phosphate is a smoke-free property.
- Total number of rooms - 98
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 1140
- Conference space size (meters) - 103
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- 24-hour front desk
- Free use of nearby fitness center
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- One meeting room
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Number of floors - 4
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Outdoor pool
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Free breakfast
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Free self parking
- Smoke-free property
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- Free dial-up Internet access
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Premium TV channels
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- Cable TV service
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary buffet breakfast.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center.
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10.0 per night.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 10.0 per night
Hotel Name
- Holiday Inn Express Charleston-Ashley Phosphate
- Holiday Inn Express Phosphate
- Holiday Inn Express Phosphate Hotel
- Holiday Inn Express Phosphate Hotel Charleston-Ashley
- Holiday Inn Express Charleston-Ashley Phosphate Hotel
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Emerald City Comicon 'Monsters & Dames' Exclusive Art Preview: David Petersen, Tim Sale, Adam Warren, Chrissie Zullo and More
The official art book of Emerald City Comicon, Monsters & Dames is an annual release that invites a wide spectrum of talent to indulge their artistic idiosyncrasies in the name of charity, with proceeds from sales of the hardcover release and original art auctions having raised over $55,000 for Seattle Children's hospital. Between now and Emerald City's start date of March 27, ComicsAlliance will showcase some of the gorgeous work to be found in the 2014 edition of Monsters & Dames, including exclusive images you'll see here before any where else.
Our final preview includes never-before-seen art by David Petersen, Tim Sale, Ken Taya and Rick Schmitz, plus new work by Chrissie Zullo, Louie Del Carmen, Brandon Graham, Simon Roy and Adam Warren.


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7ontheline wrote:discspeed wrote:It makes sense that at 425' you are going to be throwing an Orc as far as anything else when height is unlimited. However, the faster discs help you get there on lower lines and cut the wind better on the course. The style of courses you play will dictate what you are better off using.
The Champ Orc I traded for is broken in as I'm getting the 425' on a slight hyzer flip line drive less than 20' high. The Orc slowly turns over holds for a second or two then fades back to the original line so basically ending straight. I'm just struggling a little to turn my newish Sword over but when I do I feel like its a few degrees anny for a s-curve and presto 425'. However, too much hyzer and there's a hard fade way left or too much anny and I lose D because the s-curve is so wide or occasionally turn and burn it. My Z Nuke has to have all kinds of big high sweeping s-curve room to get 425'... not my favorite shot also no chance of me turning the Nuke over into the ground on a lower line.
I was throwing a Katana for Max D so perhaps my form would be better with a King as opposed to beating in my Sword to less HSS. I'm willing to work on my technique for better D as the Katana lost a lot of distance making its sweeping turn, was hard to control when thrown really hard or into a heady, and the rim is wider than the Sword. I'll search King and read up on it.
Half hitter here trying to buy a better game instead of going to the field to work things out...JR wrote:Kings vary. My 165 has 1 mm lower outer edge and is 1 mm thinner all from the dome height i think than my 169. Totally different flights. 165 flips a lot and 169 likes flat releases or even a little anny.
Discspeed, does Clearwater have any lower weight Swords with a lower PLH and thinner similiar to the difference JR found in his 165 King flipper?
Thanks to all.
Today I went and played with my new 175 VIP Sword since I just lost the one I've been throwing for about 7 weeks. Even though it's completely deflashed, the new Sword is MUCH more stable than the one I had been using. I'm not sure how, but these discs break in fast for me. I did put some decent hits on my old Sword, but I'm surprised by how fast it got flippy. Until I broke this new one out I did remember when my Sword was much more stable, but I thought it might be the fact that I've been playing more lately or something. It's totally not me...The Sword breaks in really fast in VIP plastic. Hopefully I will know over the next few months if they break in and hold the stability, or keep getting flippier.
So for your case I would recommend that you just take a little time to break in a new Sword. It will give up the stability and be what you want before long. For reference, the Orc is one of my favorite drivers of all time and the first I broke 400' with (back in '04). It was the first that I did a lot of field work and I compare everything to them. The line you describe above is also how I like to throw distance (from a shallow hyzer angle). Any rim wider than the Orc has a smaller window of forgiveness in terms of how much hyzer is too much to totally ruin your intended line. That being said, I think the Sword is very forgiving if you compare to similar rimmed discs, and I would compare it to the Orc flightwise, it just does so at half the height.
Currently we do have a lot of the orange colorshift VIP Swords(lower PLH than the cobalt blues) in the upper 160s. I'll have to wait until I'm in the store to give you more specifics. I'll let you know via PM.


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The Garage is one of Glasgow's largest nightclubs and mainly caters for the student crowd during the week and the larger population on Fridays and Saturdays. Thus drink prices vary greatly during the week and on weekends, needless to say it goes up to about five pound entry after 11 on a saturday night. The club is situated near the bottom end of the busy Sauchiehall Street and has plenty of other bars and clubs round about it and takeaways. There is also a taxi rank outside of the club which is useful.
The club itself isn't particularly nice, they also only knock people back on very rare occasions which makes the club a good back up option. The drink isnt particularly nice and you get served it in horrible plastic glasses so I would recommend having something to drink before you go out. The bars also tend to be quite busy depending on the night of the week you go out.
All in all you will no doubt have a decent night in the Garage, the music is decent and the club itself is fine.
The Garage is a great club that has a variety of different types of music styles, ranging from R&B to my all time fav. cheesy pop. Well, i know on the nights i have been it has been great. The garage is situated in suchehall Street and you really cant miss the place, it has a huge yellow truck sticking out of the front of the building ( very appropriate considering its name)
There is only one problem, that is the doormen on the front door are a bit over the top with their restrictions on people and can sometimes be extremely rude, i advise anyone who is going to go the garage, go around the corner and enter through G2, they are much nicer around there. G2 is situated down the alley beside the garage.
Another thing make sure you dont wear trainer or desert boots, you wont get in and make sure you have some ID. You dont want to be left standing outside while your mates have been allowed in.
I do think The Garage is a great night out and well worth going and seeing what you think yourself. I am sure you wont be disappointed
As Glasgow is well known as having some of the best night life in the UK I thought it would be worth giving my opinion on what my personal favourite in the the city is! The Garage is situated on Sauchihall Street in the city centre just before you get to Charing Cross.The entrance is not very big but you can't miss it because it has a great big yellow truck above it. The norm when going out there would be to go to one of the many pubs around the area untill about 11.30 where a lot of the time it is possible to pick up free entry flyers for getting in. The club actually opens at about 10.30 however it is usually very quiet untill half past eleven as up to that point you can only stand about in one of the bars untill they open up the main dance floor. Without a flyer from one of the pubs, the cover charge is pretty decent. The price is usually £3 for students (must have id thats valid as they check them all) and £5 otherwise although if you have a snap fax (a student thing) you can get in for free before 12am. At the door the bouncers can be a bit picky but as long as your not trying to get in in a big group or are steaming drunk, there should be no problem getting in. You are likely to be searched (all girlie hand bags are) so there is no point on trying to smuggle any of your own drink in! Once they even made me take my belt off because it was studdied so they can be strict!!!! Once you get past that point, you need to walk up the stairs to the cash desk. When busy you do have to queue on the stairs but trust me its worth it! You could be forgiven for feeling like you will get lost the first time you go there, you are pretty much hearded in through the first bar to get to where you put your jackets in (£1 per item) and then you need to go up another set of stairs to the next bar. Once you get past this though, you start to appreciate the sheer size of the club. There are seven bars in total spread over three
floors which all cater for different peoples tastes in terms of music and if you fancy dancing like a maniac or sitting to have a chat. There is the Attic which plays grunge, indie and rock music, the karaoki bar which speaks for itself, the main dance floor which plays chart and cheesey music, a balcony area above the main floor where you can see all the action, G2 in the basement which tends to play more R&B/Hip Hop stuff, a cocktail type lounge where you can sit and relax on comfy sofa's and a large bar area just off the main dance floor. So you see, there really is somthing for everyone there! One of the main good point of this club is the prices of the drinks in the club. At any point, the cost of a vodka and mix or a bottle of bear is never more than about £1.50 with midweek prices usually being less, sometimes down at a pound! If you want a shot, you are looking at about £2.50 although by the time I usually get to buying them I just hand over the cash as I'm well gone in terms of drunkenness!! While it can be busy, you usually don't have to wait much longer than about 5 mins to get served. Personally, I prefer to stay in the main floor area as thats where they play chart music and I prefer it. Plus, you are usually likely to find at least someone other than the people you came in with in this area to dance like a maniac with!! You can put in a request for a song here or to get a message displayed on the large projection screen. You should get your requests in early though as I have found that its usually booked up by about 1.30am. The only downside of the place (other than the stairs you have to try and navigate down after 10 vodka and cranberries and a good few sambruca shots!) is that for some reason the floor in the main hall is always filthy so I would advise against wearing any really nice (or white!) clothes in case you happen to fall over (happens to me quite a lot....) as they will end up filthy! The clu
b stays open to three but it can be a good idea to head down to the cloakroom to get your jacket at about 2.45am to beat the queue but if you are going to get others jackets for them I would advise asking what they look like as the attendants won't release a coat without a description which is a really good security measure of you were to have dropped your ticket and someone else had picked it up. Once outside, you have the chice of about 10 fast food places in the immediate area ranging from kebabs and chinese to (the almost mandatory in Glasgow) chips and cheese. The prices are higher than during the day and you should expect to pay about £3 for chips with some chedder on them. The taxi queue is right outside the Garage and ranges from being able to get one straight away to having quite a wait which can be another reason for leaving the club that little bit earlier. Otherwise, you can walk about 15 mins down to Renfield street where you can get night busses to most places in the city for £2.50. All in all, I adore this place and have spent many a happy night (at least I think I have a lot of the time.....!) in there. It has been described as just a student club however untill recently I wasn't a student and neither was any of my mates and we went there all the time. The people who go there usually range from about 18 up to 28/30 so there is a good mix of people. I also don't find it too be as much of a meat market as some other clubs in the area as most people are really just out to have a good time! I would recommend anyone visiting Glasgow to give this, one if its best known clubs, a go and if you see someone passed out at the door at the end of the night, please just step over me!
I have no idea where the other reviewers have been before but I have to put a stop to any pro-garage nonsense circulating. First thing I noticed is that the DJ on the particular night was god-awful. I mean, I don't expect someone who can mix at a cheese-fest like the Garage but I expect him to be able to set sound levels! For the awful quality system the Garage has the volume was far too loud to hear any proper music... not that he would have played any anyway... For those who aren't into music, I can't even say that the average attendee is classy by any stretch of the imagination... if you're after an easy pull for the night then this might be the place you're looking for but anyone looking to find a partner with a clue may have better luck elsewhere. The staff appear to be heavily male based and even the female bar-staff seem to serve female club-goers first - something I've never experienced in other clubs where usually female bar staff serve males first and vice versa. As far as good points go it has a cheap entry price, there is no pressure to dance well (if you have the slightest rythm you'll shine on the 'dance' floor,) and drink prices are fairly reasonable for a nightery. If you're a fan of Red Bull be sure to be picky about which bar you get it from as one of the bars serve a horrible red liquid that seems to be an off-brand Red Bull... not very nice in my oppinion. If you look like the kind to have a good time, be prepared for a full touchy-feely search at the door - come on, as if taking E or any other drug could be that enjoyable when the dj doesn't even cater for decent musical taste never mind bothers about beat-matching. Call me a music snob or a social elitist, but if you have any class or taste then don't expect to go to the Garage for a good night, be it a last resort for anyone too steaming to get in any respectable club.
The Garage is one of two fantastic student clubs in Glasgow. It's situated at the far end of Sauchiehall Street and has a big yellow truck sticking out the wall above the door, so is pretty hard to miss. Being on Sauchiehall Street The Garage is next, or nearby a vast array of pubs to go to before hitting a club for the night. My favourite three being, Ocho for a nice sit down, Firewater for nice cheap drinks although it is a total cattle market and Edwards if I'm feeling fancy! The queue for The Garage is usually all right, depending on what time you decide to go at. My usual time is about 11:15, so to get in free with a snapfax. At that time you have to queue for no longer than 5-10 minutes. In the queue every single person, unless quite obviously over the age of thirty will get id'd. More often than not one of the bouncers will shout down the line: "Have your ID ready!" So this is good for keeping under age folks to a severe minimum. Although, have an older brother/sister or mate that looks somewhat similar use theirs, the bouncers tend to pay little attention to the picture. Once inside there are six bouncers, 3 female and 3 male standing to the side of the wall. They will choose people at random to search for drugs and weapons. You then walk up a set of stairs to the cash desks. £3 with a student card, £5 without and you get free entry before 11:30 with a snapfax. The first thing you will come to after the cash desks, is the snapfax bar. Quite a limited bar, not having much choice but has 2 for 1 offers on selected shots and beers. Most people I find will go straight past this and onto the cloakroom, but if you want to, it's easier to wait 10-15 minutes and then the cloakroom downstairs at g2 opens. You avoid the queues at the end and the mass rush on the main dancefloor come 3am. There are 3 dancefloors, the main floor, which is enormous. Fits many many a student for a boogie. Can often become very
very cramped and you dont get the most space for dancing. The main floor plays all the cheesy, fun and chart tunes. Sometimes you even get to dance away to The Ghostbusters theme tune. Downstairs is g2, mediumish sized dance floor where they play all the latest r'n'b and rap music. Cans sometimes become incredibly busy when the main floor upstairs starts to over flow and when that happens it gets warm. Too warm! Upstairs from the main floor is the attic, the attic plays your indie rock anthems for those wanting a slightly more laid back night than you'll get in either of the rooms downstairs. The facilities are often dirty and not very well kept, but then you try keeping them clean with that many students in the place. Drinks prices are quite cheap as you expect in a student club, with offers of a vodka mix at £1.50 and beers being £2.20ish. Quite often The Garage also has gigs, and the main dance floor can be nicely laid as a good gig venue. Overall, The Garage, is great for a nice cheap night out. The clientele is pretty much anyone under the age of 21. Anybody out on the pull shouldn't have too much of a problem, a wee chat and a few drinks bought are usually all The Garage girls require. Simple! Address: 490 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3LW Phone: +44 (0)141 332 1120
If you like clubbing, then the Garage is for you. Basically the epitome of 'nightclub'. DO NOT however, if you can't last the pace - it can get mind-numbingly boring, as WYSIWYG. Also a very good place to land a catch if you're out on the pull - if you're not from Glasgow then you'll probably find us a very friendly bunch. The best thing is the big dance floor, with plently of room to pass out/pull round the sides. The staff have always seemed helpful and there's never too much vomit on the floor. Plently of bars too which means you never have to wait longer than 5 mins for a well-deserved drink. The Garage is on Sauchiehall St - with plenty of chippies and a couple of 24-hour cafes (24-7, Cafe Insomnia) waiting for you when you finally drag yourself out at 3am. Get out early though - or it could be a very long wait in the queue for taxis. Go on a Thursday night and you'll be guaranteed a night of pure cheese and at least one playing of 'It's Raining Men' - if you're nice to the DJ he might even play your requests. As I've got older I noticed a lot more teeny-boppers than there used to be...but I think that's just a sign of old age. At 19 I really can't face to go there any more, but that's just because I've been there too many times over the last 3 years...
Plays a range of music - check out which night is most suited to you. If you're not into heavy dance music, try a thursday night. The atmosphere is friendly, although it's a bit of a cattle market. Big dance floor, which is good. There are two levels, each play different kinds of music - if you're more into indie, try the attic. Drinks are not too pricey, as a lot of students go to dance. Overview - it's a good place to go with a bunch of people, for a laugh. If you're looking for a snog, it's practically guaranteed.


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Prize Recipient
Thirumalai Venkatesan
National University of Singapore
"For his exemplary scientific career in research, industrial leadership, and guidance of new generations of physicists in the creation new ventures by innovation."Background:
Prof. Venkatesan spent 17 years with Bell Labs and Bellcore in various capacities before becoming a Professor of ECE and Physics at the Superconductivity Center at University of Maryland for the next 17 years. In between he was the founding director of the surface modification Labs at Rutgers University and over the last 4 years he has established a multi disciplinary Nano Institute at the National University of Singapore where he is the Director. He is the inventor of the pulsed laser deposition process and has published over 500 papers in the field of oxide films and hetero structures and has been a pioneer in the field of Oxide Electronics. He is among the top 100 most cited Physicists (global rank of 66) with a Hirsch index of ~ 80. He founded Neocera in 1989 and this company is globally recognized for PLD systems and magnetic field imaging magma systems. His students/ researchers (about 10 of them) have founded close to 15 different companies. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Fellow of the World Innovations Forum, and winner of the Bellcore Award of excellence and has been a member of the Physics Policy Committee in Washington DC. He got his PhD from The City University of New York in 1977 and his MS and BS degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur and Kharagpur respectively. His current field of interest is electronic and magnetic properties of nano structured oxide films and interfaces.
Selection Committee:
Joseph Heremans, Chair; R. Doering; J. Hollenhorst; B.S. Meyerson; D. Morelli


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"In Your Possession" Sterling Silver Earrings
by Othahyuni | Item #: 434371 |
- $ 45 00 45.00
Non-members pay 10% surchargeJoin now!
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About this itemThe perfect earrings and the perfect symbol.
Contemporary designs by Native American artist Diane Schenandoah that will become classic. Originally hand-sculpted by the artist then cast in sterling silver.
- Sterling silver post earrings
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Welcome Simulation Enthuisiasts!
I'm excited to have the UNE SimLog up and running now! I want to try and post every week but most likely it'll be more like every two until it becomes more routine. This will be the place where healthcare simulation enthusiasts and tech geeks come to find out the latest goings on in the Clinical SImulation Lab at the University of New England's Westbrook College Campus (WCC).
A spinoff from the static webpages so to speak.
These posts will be informally gathered with links and pics and a sense of fun!
From week to week I'll cover:
1. What we've been running for simulated scenarios(if appropriate).
2. Technical issues in the sim world.
3. Updates to the lab or the program.
4. New faculty and staff additions/accomplishments.
5. General simulation discussion topics.
6. Hotbed issues around technology in higher learning .
7. Links to other simulation programs and tech geek sites!
So, if you are new to hi fidelity healthcare simulation, then start by checking out the UNE Clinical Simulation Program website. There is alot to see and read about there so take your time and look around.
Another nice jumping off point for all kinds of simulation in general is The Human Simulation Web Community. Jeffrey Taekman is well respected in the sim community and is a featured author and editor. I think he created the site too.
That's it for the first official post. Tune in next week.


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A graffiti artist spray-painted "tastes like hate" on the back wall of a Torrance Chick-fil-A on Friday as the fast-food chain prepared for protests nationwide over its president's stance on gay marriage.
The graffiti was discovered about 7 a.m. at the Hawthorne Boulevard eatery near 182nd Street - hours before protestors planned to stage a "kiss-in."
Employees saw the vandalism on the restaurant's east wall when they arrived for work.
The message, scrawled by street artist Manny Castro (who took responsibility in an interview with The Huffington Post) was written in the style of the company's advertising logo, in a boxy black font accompanied by an image of a cow with a paintbrush.
"Everybody is entitled to free speech, but it seems like for the gay tribe, this is more of an issue of equal rights - human rights," Castro said. "I'm against what these people stand for, what this company stands for. They're trying to take away what little rights we already have."
Torrance police officers became aware that Castro said he was responsible for the vandalism Friday afternoon and said they were investigating the crime.
By 9 a.m., Castro's painting was covered with a fresh coat of beige paint. The planned kiss-in - a sort of impromptu referendum on same-sex marriage - fell flat in Torrance. There was no kissing to be seen at either Hawthorne Boulevard Chick-fil-A location through the lunch hour. Instead, the restaurants were packed with supporters of traditional marriage and free speech.
The issue was set off last month, when Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told reporters that he supports "the biblical definition of the family unit," and he called gay marriage backers "arrogant."
Supporters of Cathy's beliefs showed their solidarity on Wednesday during a national "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" called by former Arkansas governor and talk-show host Mike Huckabee. Restaurant officials said they had record-setting sales on Wednesday but wouldn't release sales figures.
The same crowd filled the fast-food restaurants on Friday as well.
"I came here because I think marriage should be between a man and a woman," Lakieya Williams said. "This is my way of supporting (Dan Cathy) - by buying his food."
Lunch lines for both for the drive-thrus and the dining areas at Torrance Chick-fil-A businesses were long, with cars stretching out onto Hawthorne Boulevard.
Cole Donahoo, who owns the restaurant, spent the noon hour directing traffic in the jammed parking lot and double drive-thru line.
"I'd like to think folks recognize our commitment to hospitality and customer service," he said, when asked why lines seemed longer than usual.
On the corner, Isidro Mendoza of Torrance propped up a large yellow sign declaring that "Jesus is the only answer," drawing horn-honking from passing vehicles.
Mendoza, who attends a Pentecostal church in South Los Angeles, said he came out to "show some love.
"People say we're haters, but we are compassionate, we are here to show people there is a way out of sin," he said.
Donahoo said his store has had especially good sales so far this week.
"Business has been great," he said. "We're grateful that the community has embraced us."
Customers who arrived for breakfast at the Torrance restaurant Friday morning had to contend with a parking lot full of media vans, cameras and microphones.
Anthony Jones said he drove to the location on Hawthorne Boulevard and 182nd Street from Westchester because it's his favorite place to go for breakfast. He took in Castro's graffiti as he left with his meal.
"To be honest with you, I think marriage is between a man and a woman but I don't judge," Jones said. "I think (Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy) has rights like everyone else to freedom of speech. They should respect his opinion just as well as he should respect theirs."
Lacy Loeb was on his way to a doctor's appointment when he stopped to take photos of the graffiti, which was cleaned by 9 a.m.
He said he didn't approve of the way Castro expressed himself.
"This is vandalism," he said, looking at the graffiti. "It's gone beyond my view and the way I feel. This is criminal. Everybody has their own opinion but I don't think vandalism is the way to express it."
Larry Altman and Donna Littlejohn contributed to this report.
Follow Sandy Mazza on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sandymazza


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COMMUNITY groups in Winchester will see a cash boost to help maintain their halls.
As part of the Community Buildings and Capital Fund, Hampshire County Council has granted £10,000 to groups across the county, including the parish of St Matthew with St Paul and Stanmore Community Association, both in Winchester.
The funding enables the voluntary and community sector to maintain the quality of Hampshire's village halls and community buildings by making improvements or developing new facilities.
The parish of St Matthew with St Paul received £1,480 to support a new boiler and water filter for the Parish Rooms, which host Yoga, Pilates, a mother and toddler group, Russian School, Neighbourhood Watch meetings and a weekly Kinderkiste German Pre-School.
Stanmore Community Association was awarded £1,125 to help replace the wooden entrance doors, including a high security locking system.
Cllr Keith Chapman, HCC's executive member for culture, recreation and heritage, said: "I'm pleased the County Council is able to support these groups by making a contribution to the cost of building repairs or improvements to make the facilities better for the local community. I wish all the communities every success with their projects."
Groups in Gosport and Whitehill & Bordon also benefitted from the scheme.


text: House in So. California, built around 1965. Doing a master bath remodel. Did demo of the stall shower and found this in the plumbing wall. I'm sure this is vent pipes, but I don't know why the cleanout opening (if that's what it is called?) that was in the wall. What is this for? I will be replacing the shower drain and trap, and if I were to replace this pictured area (not sure yet) with ABS what is best to do here? NOTE: I definitely need to do something about this area because that cleanout piece sticks proud of the wall stud. It didn't bother the previous fiberglass shower but bothers me now with where I'm headed. Many Thanks, Clark (PS, sent here by the great folks at the John Bridge Forum)


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My husband has been trying to cheer me up for the last week. You see, I've been pretty much bedridden (after a bad fall — don't worry it's only temporary!) — alone at home; just me, our pug and my laptop. It's been pretty frustrating for a workaholic like me who doesn't like to be kept down.
A couple days ago, an email from my hubby pinged into my inbox--inside was a video that had just gone viral. It was of the Holderness Family's annual Christmas newsletter--done in video form.
The video is ridiculous, heartwarming, clever, unique all rolled into one. I seriously suggest you watch it if you haven't already (as I mentioned the video went viral and the family has now been featured on pretty much every major news network in the United States).
Now before you write this blog off as something I cooked up while on some seriously strong painkillers, give me a minute.
I've had a lot of time to think the past week, and I've been looking at the year in review. It's been a pretty mixed bag for agriculture in the public's eye. This year we've had countless undercover videos shot, we've gone to war with the activist community over legislation they call "Ag Gag," we've battled misinformation in the media on topics from antibiotics, to sustainability, to animal welfare.
We've been ridiculed and caricatured by the likes of Chipotle and other restaurant chains (yes, Big Burrito, you're definitely off our Christmas card list!) marketing to that pesky generation of which I am a part: millennials.
And we've struggled to bridge the gap, pop the "ag bubble," identify our true stakeholders or whatever other euphemism you want to use for actually being able to communicate a message to consumers.
Watching the Holderness Christmas video "Christmas Jammies," I had the same thought over and over again: why can't someone do this for agriculture?
Don't get me wrong, folks like the Peterson Farm Brothers and others have done a wonderful job adding a playful side to agriculture and trying to connect with people outside our usual circles. But we need to do more--and we can learn some lessons from Christmas Jammies.
Yes, it's the holiday season, and it's a cute family, but that's not the only reason that this video caught on. It's a family that had no intention of "going viral"--they were just making a Christmas newsletter for their friends, professional contacts, and relatives. They were authentically goofy--discussing topics that could be considered taboo (vasectomy, anyone?) and updating people on their family's life the past year.
We in ag could take a page from the Holderness family and try on some authenticity in 2014. I think we need to start discussing our issues, on our terms, in our words. It's not all fun and games on the farm--you and I both know that--but consumers don't! Most have no meaningful point of reference on real farm life.
My good friend and a speaker at the upcoming 2014 Alliance Stakeholders Summit in May, David Wescott, recently gave a talk to public relations professionals about the continuing trend of isolation in online communities.
Blogging about this after the event, David wrote: "as more people use curation tools to screen out everything but the information that most closely fits their interests and worldview, we speak only with like-minded people. These smaller groups collectively move toward more extreme viewpoints. We begin to find an 'otherness' in people."
It's becoming more and more challenging to break through the barriers that people have set up to block out everything except their very limited world view. We instinctively do it every day: I bet many of you reading this immediately thought that Christmas Jammies has nothing to do with agriculture (come on, admit it).
And you're right--but that doesn't change the fact that Christmas Jammies in all its holiday ridiculousness also managed to be one of those rare events to truly break through barriers. After all, it was featured on both Fox News and MSNBC (and we all know how polar opposite those two are). Even my very Jewish mother-in-law emailed it to me and thought it was "quite cute."
While there's no silver bullet for creating viral content, I think a lot of the reason Christmas Jammies was an overnight success had to do with its authenticity, its relate-ability and its humor. It has chutzpah, which (loosely translated from yiddish) means: "is the quality of audacity, for good or for bad."
The video was outrageous, courageous and above all, didn't take itself too seriously. So that's my wish for you, agriculture, in 2014. Let's take the road a little less traveled, take some risks, and get out of our communications rut. It's time we shook things up a bit. Let's break down barriers with authenticity, humor and audacity. Let's start to tell our story, on our terms.
And let's do it in our Christmas Jammies.
Happy Holidays and heres to an incredible 2014!


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Mayors, school boards and other local officials want to know how their tax collections will play into Gov. Bobby Jindal's upcoming tax package.
At the center of the conversation is a federal push to capture sales tax when someone buys a birthday gift on Amazon.com or logs onto Barnes and Noble's website to purchase a book. The Internet is a largely tax-free zone. The University of Tennessee estimated that $11.4 billion in sales tax on e-commerce sales would not be collected in 2012.
Last year, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., backed the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would allow remote sellers to be required to collect and remit sales taxes. To participate, states must join the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, of which Louisiana is not a member, or task a single entity with administering all sales and use tax laws. The bill has not been introduced in the 113th Congress.
"This legislation is about fairness to small retailers in Louisiana and around the country that should not be put at a disadvantage against large, online businesses. I will continue to be a strong voice in the effort to pass this bipartisan legislation so that we can level the playing field for all our businesses," Landrieu said in a prepared statement.
The Louisiana Legislature made the sales tax system more uniform in 2003 by making administration of the law the same from parish to parish. However, the state still collects its own taxes and locals collect their taxes, a situation that critics claim is a headache for businesses with locations in multiple parishes. Local officials contend the system works well and ensures dollars are readily available for public services.
Efforts to have the state centralize the collection of local sales taxes flared and died in past years.
Now, Gov. Bobby Jindal is reopening the discussion by proposing to eliminate the state's personal income and corporate taxes. Nearly $3 billion in revenue will have to be replaced, sparking the governor's interest in something he had previously spurned — collecting sales taxes on Internet sales. Collecting those taxes most likely means changes to the state and local sales tax structure.
Kimberly Robinson, an attorney with Jones Walker law firm, said all of the bills require some form of centralized collection.
The legislation allows for the possibility of a single collector, such as a board, which would oversee state and local collections, she said. Local governments could have a seat at the table, she said.
The Jindal administration is looking to bills before Congress that aim to grab tax revenue on Internet sales, said Tim Barfield, executive counsel for the state Department of Revenue.
The Jindal administration envisions putting sales tax collections in a new bucket that would have state and local oversight, he said.
"We do not want to take over local sales tax collection," Barfield said.
Still, local mayors said they are uneasy about what the governor is contemplating for discussion in the legislative session that begins in April.
Mayor-President Kip Holden, of Baton Rouge, said the current tax system works well.
"There is no need to centralize it. We're big boys and girls," he said.
Holden predicted mayors will fight that portion of the governor's package.
Zachary Mayor David Amrhein said he can pinpoint when city dollars are coming, where they're coming from and what day he will receive them. He said he is adverse to anything that impedes the revenue flow.
"They can't keep messing with the way we do business," Amrhein said.
Bob Rainer, an attorney who represents the majority of local governments and school boards across Louisiana, said his clients are nervous about central collection.
Local governments want to preserve the local sales and use tax base that funds schools, law enforcement and other public services, he said.
Driving the anxiety is a lack of details from the Jindal administration. The governor has only released broad points of his package.
"We hear rumors," Rainer said. "We read the press. We've not seen anything. We have been invited to work with the administration and look forward to it."
Tom Ed McHugh, executive director of the Louisiana Municipal Association, which represents local governments, said there is a state constitutional protection that allows local governments to collect their own tax dollars.
"That is a huge issue for us," McHugh said. "Our money goes straight to our accounts."
McHugh, a former Baton Rouge mayor, said the idea of joint oversight might have merit depending on the details. He said he has had conversations with the administration, but received no concrete details.
"We've heard so much. We don't know what he's going to propose," McHugh said. "We're optimistic because they're talking to us."
The Public Affairs Research Council, a Baton Rouge-based public policy group called PAR, is in the process of studying the state's tax policies. One of PAR's initial recommendations is for a centralized, single sales and use tax administration system.
PAR's president, Robert Travis Scott, said very few states handle sales taxes the way Louisiana does.
The problem, he said, is that businesses with multiple locations have different tax collectors and different paperwork before even dealing with their state tax obligations.
Another concern is online sales that escape taxes and put local retailers at a disadvantage, Scott said.
The simplest thing to do would be to let the state collect all sales taxes, he said.
"If you do have a new structure that leans more toward sales tax, then you need a good system for compliance," Scott said. "In the end, the local governments would be better off. They managed to do this in all these other states."
John LeBlanc, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry taxation and finance director, said his hunch is that the Jindal administration will propose a centralized administration instead of centralized collection. Exactly what that means is unclear, he said.
LeBlanc said it may be more of a streamlined, single collection point that allows the state and parishes to act more seamlessly as one.
He said his organization has talked to local governments for a few years about consolidating into one local commission for sales tax collection. The next step, he said, would be to include the state and form a consolidated body.
"There's not a huge fiscal note to it," he said of the possible hurdles. "It's more political will."
Jordan Blum with The Advocate Washington bureau contributed to this report.


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Giving students the tools to effectively communicate about sex is the drive behind the student-run "Let's Talk Sex" campaign.
Coordinated by CU-Boulder students Dominique Guillen (junior, psychology and women and gender studies) and Beth Bernard (sophomore, integrative physiology and journalism), the campaign is run through Community Health, a division of the Wardenburg Health Center. Guillen and Bernard also are working with the statewide organization beforeplay.org on the campaign, which kicks off with its first event on Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on the UMC stage across from the Alfred Packer Grill.
"During our first 'Let's Talk Sex' event, we will be exploring sexual communication, which includes getting people to talk about sex, taking some pictures and just trying to get people to engage in this conversation," said Guillen.
Later on Oct. 30 from 2:30-5:30 p.m., they will also offer their "With Pleasure" presentation in the campus SORCE office in the University Memorial Center room 227. This presentation includes basic information on sexual health, contraception and STIs.
"Our goal with this campaign and these presentations is to get people to talk about sex, and reduce the stigma so when they want to get birth control or talk to their doctor or partner about sex, they will be more comfortable," said Bernard.
Upcoming events include:
- "Let's Talk Sex," Nov. 13, 7-9 p.m., in the Hallet Hall lobby
- "Let's Talk Sex," Dec. 3, 5-8 p.m., in the Darley Commons lobby
Photo: Alei Santisteban (senior, anthropology major)


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2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty - Plasma Powered
Let The Sparks Fly
When Hypertherm needed to build a platform to display its line of plasma cutters, it could have chosen a trendy compact car, but since it makes more than one plasma-cutting system, the company decided to go a bit bigger. Enter the '08 Super Duty.
Super Duties are massive, but to give the F-250 even more presence, a Rize Industries' 10-inch lift was installed, along with 22-inch Ultra wheels, and 37-inch Toyo Open Country M/Ts. Extra mass on the front end meant that a shock upgrade was necessary; luckily Rize included a King remote-reservoir coilover in its lift kit. The rear suspension of the Rize kit added stout traction bars that match the front suspension's four-link bars and reduce axle wrap. Other functional upgrades include a Gale Banks exhaust and Road Armor bumpers that were bolted on front and rear, with Superwinch winches on each end. The last exterior addition was a set of Amp Research steps that ease access into the waist-high cab.
Once the truck was capable of reaching the most remote work site, it was time to transform it into a mobile, cutting platform. A SnugTop SnugPro bed cap was installed, which gave APE Wraps a larger canvas for its Hypertherm vinyl wrap. Accenting the new wrap are custom-cut fender vents and a grille from Eddie Paul Customs that bears the Hypertherm logo.
The SnugTop cap serves another duty, as it also keeps a full display of plasma cutters. Drop the tailgate, raise the rear hatch, and five plasma cutters can deploy on the Bedslide, along with the necessary air tank and four Viair compressors, ready to tackle any metal cutting job.
This truck was built to cruise from site to site, so interior comfort was also a priority. The crew at Hot Motorsports of Santa Ana, California, began by installing Performance Technique subs and amps under the rear seats. Up front, a vacuum-formed center stack now holds a JVC head unit and a mount for a laptop. Finally, all of the truck's occupants now benefit from new black leather upholstery, courtesy of Katzkin. Now the truck is ready to tour, on behalf of Hypertherm, throwing sparks wherever it stops.