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Part 2 of 3 Parts
Part 1: Elizabeth in Charleston
Part 2: A musician on the go -- then gone
Part 3: A long-sought reunion, but with who?
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- It was a big house, but nothing could absorb the racket radiating from the basement of the Arkansas home of George Bartlett, his parents and three younger sisters.
George and his boyhood friend and fellow Boy Scout, John Shepherd, were swept up in the Beatlemania that ensued after the Beatles landed in 1964 to wild acclaim in New York, followed by an "Ed Sullivan Show" appearance.
"After seeing the Beatles, we knew we had to have a band. He decided he was going to be the drummer," Shepherd said.
But with what? With no drum kit at hand, George used whatever he could find around his white pillared house beside the railroad tracks in the town of Corning.
Pots and pans. Trash cans. Cooking utensils.
Upstairs, the rest of the family grimaced, especially after George progressed to an actual drum kit, which ratcheted the decibel level even higher. "It would just about drive us crazy," recalled Sharon Bartlett, oldest of George's sisters.
As the boys moved into high school, they played for the dances held after football games. What was the name of the band?
"That's where they just called us 'Live Band,'" said Shepherd, who now lives in Bowden, Ark.
They did eventually have band names. General Electric. Backyard Witchcraft. Mammoth. The Muleskinner Blues Band (except that they spelled the word 'band' as 'banned').
"We had a million names. Nothing stuck," said Shepherd.
But George was dead serious about becoming a musician. Growing up, he kept his ears tuned to the latest music and introduced the sounds he heard and loved to small-town Arkansas.
Steve Mcelyea, who went on to play guitar with Ronnie Milsap and the Christian group The Imperials, was another high school bandmate.
"The local progressive music station at that time was FM 100 in Memphis. Sometimes, George would record something off of that and he'd bring it when we'd get together. We'd listen to it, as best we could pick it up, and learn the songs."
This was about 1968-69, Mcelyea said. George, born in 1953, would have been 16 or so.
"I had a little red Farfisa organ and I played bass with my left hand, kind of like what The Doors were doing -- they were an influence to us," said Mcelyea. "We were doing Vanilla Fudge and stuff like that. Kind of psychedelic music. The stuff we were doing was not quite the norm."
The family might be cringing upstairs, but the sisters were taking note. George's youngest sister, Lisa Marie Davis, was entranced by the star quality of her handsome musical brother and the songs his bands attempted.
"George used to play 'More Than a Feeling' by Boston. To this day, that is still one of my favorite songs. I used to want to be part of that band growing up," she remembered. "I'm telling you, he was on the verge of stardom."
That may sound like a star-struck kid sister who idolized her older brother. It might, except for what happened a few years later when George's talent got called out in the pages of Rolling Stone magazine.
Krunch time
"Johnny's good lookin'/ He likes cookin'/ He doesn't smile / For he's sad all the while/ But Johnny's good lookin' .../ He has a fine motor car / Got his baggage in back / They say he's off his sprocket / Says he's going somewhere ..."
~ from "Johnny's Good Lookin' Motorcar" by George Bartlett
Other bands followed as George improved as a player.
Krunch was one. He wrangled time at a studio for another group called NiteLife. In 1979, the band pressed a 45 rpm of two of George's songs, "Marathon Man" and "Johnny's Good Lookin' Motorcar," with George on vocals, keyboards and drums, and Shepherd on guitar and another friend, Rick Buford, on bass. (An unknown female singer adds backing vocals, but as George pieced the song together from different recording sessions, Shepherd and Buford don't recall her name.) They released the 45 independently on "Uncut Records Ltd."
Buford, a registered nurse in Jonesboro, Ark., who at 58 still plays guitar and bass regularly with his band The Lowdown Saints, also played with George in Krunch at Batesville High School. "He introduced me to some early Steve Miller. Traffic. Black Sabbath. I could go on and on. It was intriguing," said Buford. "I left the group I was playing with to start playing with him."
Buford went off for a stint at the University of Arkansas in 1975. He lost track of his friend. In 1978, he dropped out of college and moved back to Batesville. George tracked him down, then moved in with him to work on music.
This was at a time when a flood of angular pop music, often driven by synthesizers and jangly guitars, swept out of clubs in New York, Boston and elsewhere. Spun from the punk movement and dubbed New Wave, the music had a more eclectic, melodic and polished sound.
As ever, George had his musical antennae up in the wind.
"He dropped by and turned me on to some of the new stuff that was coming out, with The Cars and Blondie and some of the groups at that time," said Buford. "We had access to a studio and we went up there after hours to mess around."
By this time, George had taught himself to play keyboard. With contributions from other players, they cut some rough tracks, recording them to cassette tape. When The Cars, one of the biggest New Wave acts, played a tour stop in the region, Buford and his friend hopped in a car to go hear them, cassette tape in hand.
"There wasn't much of a label on the cassette. -- it said 'Geo' Bartlett, short for 'George' and a phone number," Buford remembered. "That phone number on the cassette was my home phone. I didn't think any more about it."
During the concert, the two made their move.
"We handed that cassette tape to the sound guy who was mixing the show. George asked him if he could get that into the hands of Ric Ocasek," said Buford, chuckling at the memory. "It was a shot in the dark."
Where's Geo?
"Spoke of fortune he believed/ Was just a figment or a state of mind/ Nothin's left to show but life.../But life. And life's so unkind..."
~ from "Marathon Man" by George Bartlett
The concert came and went. Time passed.
One evening, Buford had worked all night, collapsing into sleep at his house. George by this time had begun roaming, couch to couch, town to town. "George had since moved on somewhere else. He did that. He would come and go," Buford said.
It was perhaps 9 or 10 a.m. The phone stirred to life. Startled out of sleep, Buford grabbed for the receiver. "Hi, this is Ric Ocasek of The Cars," the voice on the other end said. He wanted to get in touch with this "Geo" Bartlett fellow.
Groggy from sleep, Buford thought it might be a prank call, but played along.
"He was inquiring about the tape. He liked it. He thought it was cutting-edge material. He compared it to Brian Eno's stuff," Buford recalled. "I was thrilled. I bought into it initially."
Buford said he didn't know where Bartlett was. He hung up, doubts growing. "I had some prankster friends who would do something like that," he said.
A while later, another call came, but the Boston accent now sounded fake. Buford was feeling more sure he was the target of a prank.
"I think Ric got the hint he might be talking to the wrong guy or he sensed my impatience. It probably left a bad taste in his mouth during that second call."
No more calls came. Ocasek shifted his search straight to the "Random Notes" section of the April 3, 1980 issue of Rolling Stone:
Cars leader Ric Ocasek thinks he's discovered one of the next great rockers of the Eighties -- now, if only he could find the guy... "From what I know, his name's Geo Bartlett," Ocasek says. "He gave me a tape in Memphis when we were there on tour -- -- although I don't exactly remember him giving it to me. I brought it home and totally flipped. He had a phone number on the tape, but every time I called, the person on the other end got real mad and said, 'He moved out of the state, don't call again.' I don't know if I'll ever find him, but it would be so great if I did, because I would immediately do something with him. His songs are amazing, and his voice is so unique. It's hard to explain. It just doesn't sound like anything that would come out of Memphis. What's he doin'?"
"Good question," the Random Notes item concluded. "If you're out there, Geo (short for George?), call Random Notes and we'll put you in touch with Ric."
But where was George "Geo" Bartlett?
George had begun "to lose his way," as his sister Sharon put it, about the time of their parents' divorce in 1977 after 25 years of marriage. "He would find vacant houses to live in that had no electricity," she said. "He stated he didn't need it anyway, as it bothered him, and he would use candles for light."
But the magazine item electrified George's friends. They tracked him down. George got in touch with Rolling Stone. The magazine hooked him up with Ocasek.
Ocasek apparently brought Bartlett to his Boston studio. It is not clear what happened there. Ocasek -- in the midst of a recording project, his management firm said -- did not respond to several Gazette queries about what happened next. George's Arkansas musician friends don't know for certain.
One thing was for certain, though. A young musician nicknamed 'Geo' seemed like a hot property in spring 1980.
"It was a shocker," said his boyhood friend, John Shepherd, who thought that he, George and crew might be on their way up the pop music totem pole.
"I went out and bought a new car," Shepherd said -- a Mustang GT. "It kind of pushed me over the edge because I thought we were going somewhere."
The next month, Rolling Stone updated news of Ocasek's potential Next Big Thing in a long Random Notes item in the May 15, 1980 issue. The magazine had tracked Geo to St. Louis, where he was studying, of all things, to be a hairdresser:
"Don't ask me why," says the soft-spoken, twenty-six-year-old multi-instrumentalist. "I moved here to be with my girlfriend, who wanted to go to school to be a chiropractor. Now, she's left to become a minister."
George told Rolling Stone he was recording new songs onto a Sansui cassette deck. The item also noted that Rolling Stone had put him in touch "with a delighted Ocasek who hopes to record Bartlett sometime in the fall."
The piece concluded with what sounded like the start of something big:
"Meanwhile, with the Cars busy working on their next album, Bartlett has sent Ocasek more tapes to consider: "They're rough," he admits, "but Ric says that's the way he likes 'em."
Opening the door
Family and friends are not sure of the exact date -- possibly late 1979 -- but George took a trip to New York City sometime before Ric Ocasek flipped a national spotlight upon his life. George returned from the city and shared a bombshell with his middle sister, Leigh Ann Keller.
Leigh Ann, eight years younger, was a senior in high school at the time. "He and I were very, very close and he would confide in me," she said. "So, we went back in the bedroom. He showed me a magazine and it was all these men in drag. He proceeded to share with me that he wanted to be a woman."
This was at end of the '70s in small-town, Bible-belt Arkansas.
"Back then, I mean, you just didn't hear of things like that," she said. "I just kind of freaked out. I didn't know how to handle it. He was my only brother. I just absolutely idolized him. All my sisters did."
The bombshell landed even harder given that George had once been married in the mid-70s. Leigh Ann described her brother's short marriage to a young woman with whom the family has since lost contact.
"They were married for maybe a couple of years and then all of a sudden they got a divorce," she said. "After the divorce, he was very, very sad."
The news that came back from his New York trip began to ripple outward.
Sharon, closest in age to her brother, picks up the thread. "We lived in a small community. We didn't understand," she said. "We told him we didn't want another sister. We wanted our brother."
It didn't help that their father and George had a contentious relationship, even as George once worked briefly at his dad's realty company.
"My dad didn't want him to play music as a career. He wanted him to have another career," said Leigh Ann. "So, as he got older and everything they fought a lot. It was very, very difficult for him."
Here and there around town, George began to dress as a woman. Word got out. His oldest friend, John Shepherd, got a call one day from George's dad.
"His father called me, asked me if I'd see him dressed up like a girl? I told him no, but I've seen pictures. He told me: 'Well, if you ever do, just whup his butt for me.'"
'Quite a scene'
Given the time George lived under his roof, Rick Buford may have seen most intensely how much his friend wanted to radically redraw his life -- his entire identity, in fact.
After the second Rolling Stone mention, Buford drove to St. Louis and brought George back to Arkansas to get to work on new music for Ocasek. "I was terribly excited," said Buford.
He overheard phone conversations George had with the leader of The Cars.
"George was just seeking advice on how to handle it and what recommendations Ocasek might have for him and us. And [Ocasek] said 'Just keep doing what you're doing, polish it up, do some public performances. You know, get a following. And I'm going to try to get the group up here to Boston and we do...'"
Buford paused. "Whatever Ric does. Produce it."
But George had become a little different, Buford said. He began to dress in women's clothes around Buford's place even as friends dropped by, he said. "I'm sure at that time it was quite a scene for the residents of Batesville, Arkansas."
George wanted him to be his boyfriend, Buford would come to learn. But after a few months, the weight of it all sent Buford packing.
By this time, many locals knew of "Geo" Bartlett via Rolling Stone.
"I said, 'George, we're in a small town here. People are coming and going, they're sticking their noses in our door. They're extremely curious about what we're doing.' Because by that time, the word had gotten out that we could possibly be something that was going to put the city on the map."
Buford left, moving to a different apartment outside of town. "I told him I just could not do this anymore."
Meanwhile, the family's turmoil only increased.
"Dad tried to put him into a mental hospital," Leigh Ann said. "And he somehow got released from the mental hospital and lived with my mother for awhile in a little town."
And then?
"After that, he left," she said. "And we never saw him again."
The two older sisters, living in different places, last saw their brother in 1982, while the youngest, Lisa, spent a few months with him in the summer of 1983 at their mother's place. Then, he disappeared.
He went missing for a few months.
Then, a year. Then, five years.
And then, 10 years. And 20.
Gone, finally, for more than a quarter century.
One day, in late 2009, a phone rings in Arkansas in the house of George's Aunt Bernice. It was a call from Charleston, W.Va. From that one call telephones started lighting up across Arkansas and Oklahoma.
'George is alive! He's in West Virginia!'
But he doesn't call himself George anymore.
She calls herself Elizabeth.
And she wants to see her family again.
Coming in Tuesday's Charleston Gazette: A Charleston reunion.
Part 2 of 3 Parts
Part 1: Elizabeth in Charleston
Part 2: A musician on the go -- then gone
Part 3: A long-sought reunion, but with who?
@tag:Reach Douglas Imbrogno at email@example.com or 304-348-3017.


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Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Oct. 30, 2013
Celebrate National Bison Day With the Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock Canyons State Park
QUITAQUE—Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway and the Texas Bison Association are joining dozens of bison-friendly businesses and groups from around the country to celebrate the second annual National Bison Day this Saturday.
The park will be hosting the "Sunset with the Texas State Bison Herd" event from 4 p.m. — 8 p.m. to commemorate the historical, economic, ecological and cultural contributions of bison across the American landscape.
"This is a great way to raise awareness about the importance of bison and pass along the conservation message about our own Texas State Bison Herd and others," said Caprock Canyons State Park Superintendent Donald Beard. "Seeing these animals grazing in the prairie in their native habitat at Caprock Canyons State Park may help encourage people to view bison and other species as something to properly manage and respect for future generations."
Beginning at 4 p.m., view the Texas State Bison Herd in its native prairie range. Then, enjoy a slide-show presentation about the history of this historic herd 20 minutes before sunset, around 7:15 p.m.
The bison—America's largest land mammal—is celebrated for its cultural relevance and power to inspire. In the early 1900's, bison numbered fewer than 1,100 individuals after ranging across North America in the tens of millions a century earlier.
Today, after an unprecedented conservation effort, bison number in the hundreds of thousands in the United States and are found in state and national parks, wildlife refuges, and on tribal and private lands. Bison are integrally linked to Native American culture, are a keystone species that benefit grassland ecosystems, hold significant value for private producers and rural communities, and are considered a symbol of the American West. Bison currently appear on two state flags, on the seal of the Department of the Interior, and on U.S. currency.
The "Vote Bison" Campaign, supported by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Chief Earl Old Person of the Blackfeet Nation, and Ted Roosevelt V – the great-great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, is asking the public to vote and help make bison the National Mammal of the United States. To vote, please visit www.votebison.org.
All programs are free with paid park entrance fee and camping is available, along with hiking, biking, fishing, and many other outdoor and recreational opportunities. For more information, call 806-455-1492.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Creepy Old Spice TV Commercial Features Crazy Moms [VIDEO]
If you watched any of the playoff games this weekend, you no doubt saw the new ad for Old Spice body spray. You also probably had nightmares.
The commercial titled "Mom Song," starts off with a mother hiding behind her son's bedroom door as he applies body spray. Completely normal, right?
While the song itself is funny, the ad features mothers pulling off Exorcist-type stuff to try to keep their sons from growing up and dating.
The campaign is called "Smellcome to Manhood." After seeing this a couple dozen times over the weekend, I didn't want to go out and buy some Old Spice, I wanted someone to hold me.


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Star Wars, Masters of the Universe, JLU, and Funko Plushies!
Star Wars fans have a lot to celebrate, with loads of new toys on the way and the upcoming Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando Florida. If you're visiting the convention, stop by and visit Past Generation Toys at booth #333!
In the meantime, check out the great new in stock Star Wars figures PGT have available including the newest 2010 Star Wars Saga Legends and Clone Wars waves. There's nothing like new cardbacks and new figures to renew your interest in a line, so don't hesitate to check these out!
The Star Wars love at PGT doesn't even end there this week, as they now carry 12 Inch figures, including pre-orders for Medicom's two newest announcements, Boba Fett and Jango Fett. These two make for a beautiful pair of high-end collectibles that will make any Star Wars fan jealous.
For everyone else out there, check out our newest Masters of the Universe Classics acquisition, Count Marzo, one of the most dynamic figures in the line yet.
PGT also has a ton of hard-to-find Justice League Unlimited pre-orders up for your perusal, including favorites like Mr. Terrific, Batman Beyond, and the Starro Spore Superman.
Finally, if you just aren't in the mood for plastic, check out these super cool new Funko plushies of Superman and Batman!
And as always, check out the Past Generation Toys Blog, PGT on Facebook, and PGT on Twitter for updates on the world of toys and collectibles!


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All of those whose hearts jumped into their throats when they saw George Hill come up limping say Aye all those who didnt reply Nay.
The Ayes have it, motion forwarded.
Im telling you guys I saw our season flash before my eyes when I saw George grab his hip & limp off of the floor. Ill say this as simply as possible, we do NOT haven an adequate replacement for him if he goes down with injury or illness. Im sorry but D.J. Augustine still looked like a flaming dung pile tonight, I know a lot of people dont like Ben & Im not going to argue that he is ever going to be a solid NBA player either but I just see nothing from Augustine. Now to be fair to him he would have had two more assists if Mahinmi could have hit any of the wide open shots he got him but Im telling you his defense is so bad that it takes anything away from whatever he brings on the offensive end.
When Hill came back on the floor my heart returned to my chest.
This was a trap game IMO, we were well rested (probably to rested) and facing a team who has been losing and coming off of a loss. Exactly the type of game that on occasion teams just get caught napping in and in the second half this became a little closer than I am sure all of us would have preferred. But to the teams credit (and frankly some very odd coaching from Alvin Gentry) we did not collapse and held on to win and beat a team we needed to beat. That is the difference between now and the early part of the season, we are beating teams that we should. We still have yet to master the good teams but hopefully that will come. We have a very rough couple of games coming up with the Hawks & the Grizzlies but for now we can bask in the sunshine of a 4 game winning streak.
Its been awhile so lets revisit the grading system tonight.
David West: B (A to end the game but really not much more than a D before that)
Spent the first three quarters of the game being pushed from stem to stern by Louis Scola and throwing up nothing but one handed runners that just would not find the bottom of the net. In fact he really wasnt doing anything very well for those three quarters as his defense was suspect, his passing not bad but nothing special and frankly a couple of mental errors that cost the ball. But then came winning time and the old war horse just took over once again. It has to be frustrating to teams to try and guard him in the crunch because hes not like a LeBron or Bryant who will slice you with a magnitude of different looks. He basically has one move, a stutter step to create space and then a face up jumper and Ill be damned if Ive seen anybody be able to stop it. Now having said all of that Ill say this I dont think he should have played the entire 3rd quarter and then the vast majority of the 4th because Tyler was really killing them when he was in there and West up until the 4th struggled.
Paul George: B
Solid game, not one of his killer super awesome games that he has been having lately but this will do. He really needs to elevate I think when he goes in the lane for a layup because I think he draws a lot of charges by staying low to the ground, I just wonder if he wouldnt get the call or at least a no call if he was going up instead of just forward? Good solid defensive effort as always and he and George Hill were working on entry passes during a time out which I thought was a really cool thing to watch as both of them were sharing ideas. There was no argument about it, just two team mates trying to work on a rhythm.
Roy Hibbert: B
Some are going to say that this grade is too high but Im telling you that defensively he was once again a juggernaut even though he doesnt have the blocked shots to prove it. When he was in the game the Suns resorted to mid range jumpers and on one occasion Telfair drove to the rack looked at the rim and saw Roy coming and instead of going up he passed it out between two Suns and right out of bounds. All created by Hibbert and his shot blocking ability. Yes we all know right now he cant shoot, Im not sure what is going on there but on the other end of the floor he is giving you a lot. Now on a small note here & this is where I am thankful for Gentry being a horrid coach, but Jermaine was just abusing Roy in the second half and for whatever reason he was taken out to close the game. Im not sure what would have happened had he stayed in. Also lets make sure to point out Roys 14 boards, very happy to get that kind of production from him. We just have to hope that the shots will come.
Lance Stephenson: A
3 missed free throws away from an A+. Who would ever have dreamed that Lance would be a steady stable offensive presence who also turns games around with his defensive prowess? In the first quarter when the Suns were on a run Lance turned the game around with steals leading to breaks for our team. Now in fairness he did have one really boneheaded play where he drove down court and then across the baseline jumping in the air without knowing what he was going to do and getting cut off forcing him to throw a crappy pass right to Gortat. But other than that he was golden all night long. Getting in with the starters is really a great learning experience for him & I wonder what will occur when he returns to the bench. BillS and I debated that tonight & Im still not sure where I stand on what happens with him.
George Hill: A
Until he came up lame I would have said that Roy or West was the MVP of our team. When I was very afraid that we might have an extended time without George it became very clear to me that he is the MVP of the team. We have a replacement for every position on the floor minus one. We do not have anyone who could step in and run the show if George went down. Anyway I think he went 3 quarters before he missed a shot and he was throwing up some really bizarre stuff. Telfair seemed to give him some problems, which I think is a pattern in fact. Not that Telfair gives him problems but it seems George does ok vs. the athletic big point guards but seems to have problems with the little water bug quick ones.
Tyler Hansbrough: B
In the first half he was the bomb. In fact I was stunned when Vogel didnt play him in the 3rd and then by the time he got in during the 4th he hadnt played in real time in over a half hour so while he didnt suck he didnt really do anything in the short time he played. But he really was a punch in the gut to Scola both figuratively and literally as Tyler was his typical physical self all night long with Louis and took him out of the game in the first half. He not only scored on him but took over rebounding as well. He also gave Jermaine a good pop in the chest with his forearm that caused me to grin and J.O. to grimace. This was a good game from Tyler.
Gerald Green: C
Meh, floated around the three point line to much for my taste. But I understand he did hit a couple of threes so that helped the cause. Im not sure though if I will ever be able to give him anything below a C for the rest of the season though after that dunk the other night vs. the Cavs. Im still in awe of that dunk and stare down.
Ian Mahinmi: C-
Can we get him some stickum for when he is under the rim? Dear God Lance hit him in the hands with a perfect entry pass and he bobbled it out of bounds. Scott Pollard was even shaking his head on that one. Got to the line and did at least have the decency to hit the majority of his free throws. I dont know what happened when he was in there if it was him or someone else but it seemed like the Suns were able to penetrate at will during his time on the floor. Hes not a bad defender so I dont know for sure what happened.
D.J. Augustin: C-
Im being generous here. To his credit he at least didnt lose the lead but other than that not much else. I hate his defense so much I could cry when he is on the floor. I know Ben wasnt the answer either but Id still much rather have him. I know Frank doesnt like Lance at the one spot but I swear that if Hill ever goes down I dont think we will win a game if we let D.J. get the majority of the p.g. min.
Anyway we won, we are on a good winning streak and the photo the other day of Danny taking jumpers lifted my spirits even higher.
Now the schedule gets a little tougher but thats ok, if we are a good team we need to start beating good teams. That Atlanta game would be a nice start but Im being realistic.
Also as a side note.
There is the P.T.O. Pacers Tailgating Organization which I know has a good pre game showing.
I would like to invite everyone to join us later in the night for the P.T.T.S. Pacers Trash Talking Society. We meet immediately after every game outside section one right near the green trash can (hence the name Trash Talking). Weve been doing this for a few years and we have our regulars but I wanted to let everyone know that you are welcome to come join in or just stop by and say hi.
Anyway on to the Hawks.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
Cause of stuffy right nostril
I`ve had allergies all my life. I have been on allergy shots for a year along with daily Veramyst & occasional Zyrtec. The treatment seemed to begin to work almost immediately & I have spent the last year living like an allergy-free person. I got a cold or some type of virus in mid-October which turned into a sinus infection. My right nostril has been partly swollen a great deal of the time. I had to take 3 rounds of antibiotics for the infection. A CT scan was basically normal & the radiologist noted no structural abnormalities but after finishing antibiotics I still have a partly swollen right nostril off & on throughout the day & night. Neither my allergist nor my family doctor can tell me why. That nostril also bleeds a little right at the front but I get minor bleeds every winter from dry indoor air. I also use saline rinse twice a day. What could be keeping my nostril swelling from going away?
By swollen presumably you are referring to the inferior turbinate, a structure located along the outside wall of you nasal cavity. This structure will congest and decongest in response to environmental conditions, and to certain exposures or other possible sources of inflammation. Sometimes it can become chronically swollen or congested, or remain enlarged. It is also possible you have some deviation of your nasal septum (the structure that separates your two nostrils), and this narrows the right side of your nose, making it seem more swollen. I suggest an evaluation by an ENT physician.
Allen M Seiden, MD
Professor of Otolaryngology, Director of Division of Rhinology and Sinus Disorders, Director of University Taste and Smell Center, Director of University Sinus and Allergy
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati


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2000 - Water Resources Development Act - Authorized the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in Florida, up to that point the largest ecosystem restoration project in the nation's history.
2000 - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - Established the state wildlife grants program, which provides funding to the states to implement comprehensive state wildlife conservation strategies (known today as Wildlife Action Plans). In response to this funding opportunity, for the first time in history, every state and territory prepared a detailed blueprint for the conservation of the full array of species and habitats within its boundaries. Today, these Action Plans provide a roadmap for building a national habitat network for future generations.
2002 - Farm Security and Rural Investment Act - NWF was a major force in this renewal of the Farm Bill in securing the establishment of the Grasslands Reserve Program, a voluntary program to provide assistance to landowners in restoring, managing and protecting their grazing lands to prevent their conversion to other uses.
2004 - Bunning-Bereauter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act - Expanded NFIP funding for flood hazard mitigation and voluntary buyouts of repetitively flooded and severe repetitively flooded residences and businesses.
2006 - The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act - Reauthorized and increased the grants program from the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 1990. Also increased funding for National Fish and Wildlife Service regional projects proposed by states and tribes.
2007 - Water Resources Development Act - Set major policy reforms of Army Corps of Engineers water development programs sought by NWF and conservation organizations by requiring outside independent reviews of plans for costly and controversial Corps projects, detailed fish and wildlife mitigation plans and annual monitoring and reporting of progress toward mitigation success for all Corps projects and revision and modernization of quarter-century old federal water project planning rules called the Principles and Guidelines. Authorized large-scale ecosystem restoration projects for wetlands of Coastal Louisiana and the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.
2007 - Energy Independence and Security Act - Created the Renewable Fuel Standard, which increased bio-fuel standards, and significantly strengthened vehicle fuel economy standards.
2008 - Food Conservation and Energy Act - NWF developed the legislative concept and successfully lobbied for inclusion of a new program in the farm bill energy title, the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. This program is helping landowners begin to grow biomass crops in a sustainable manner, for next generation bio-fuels and bio-energy. NWF also helped to craft and win passage of the first-ever tax incentive for farmers to help recover threatened and endangered species. This new tax deduction for activities taken pursuant to Endangered Species Act recovery plans represented the first significant amendment to the ESA in twenty years, one that addresses a longstanding need to help those landowners who seek to go above and beyond the law to help endangered wildlife.
2008 - Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Water Resources Compact - Congress approved an eight-state Compact that rewrites the water laws of each of the eight states to protect the Great Lakes from diversions and unwise water use. NWF led the development of the Compact language and the campaign for its passage.
2008 - Great Lakes Legacy Act - Congress re-authorized the Great Lakes Legacy Act for another three years at $54 million per year. The program aims to clean up some of the most polluted sites around the region-so-called Areas of Concern-that suffer from a legacy of toxic pollution threatens the health of both people and wildlife. The next year the program received a significant boost in President Obama's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (see 2009). NWF and the coalition it co-chairs and staffs were leaders in this effort.
2008 - EPA Veto of Yazoo Backwater Pumps, MS - After more than sixty years of controversy, the USEPA applied a seldom used power under Section 404 (c) of the Clean Water Act to veto the Army Corps of Engineers proposed Yazoo Backwater Pumps project in the Mississippi Delta region of the State of Mississippi. This primarily land drainage project threatened to damage or destroy more than 200,000 acres of Mississippi Delta wetlands and bottomland hardwood forests, among the richest areas of waterfowl habitat and biological diversity in North America. For more than three decades NWF and affiliate Mississippi Wildlife Federation battled this ill-conceived project, joined by other NWF affiliates and conservation partners from across the nation.
2009 - Omnibus Public Lands Management Act - Designated three new national parks, four national trails, three conservation areas, ten national heritage areas, and a national monument in nine different states. The act added over 1,100 miles to the Wild and Scenic River system and increased wilderness areas by roughly two million acres. The act also codified the National Landscape Conservation System as part of the Department of the Interior.
2009 - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act - Working with conservation partners, NWF helped secure language authorizing the Obama administration to quickly repeal damaging Endangered Species Act regulations put in place at the eleventh hour of the Bush administration. The regulations would have eliminated the role of expert biologists in reviewing and modifying federal activities that are harmful to threatened and endangered species and their habitats. The Obama Administration quickly utilized its newly-won authority and voided the Bush regulations.
2009 - Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - After a 5-year campaign led by NWF, Congress approved and the President signed a $475 million appropriation for Great Lakes protection, the largest in history. This appropriation is the first year's funding of the GLRI, a $5 billion commitment from President Obama.


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Made in USA
Our Tara Floor Lamp is available in prints that look just as good in a child's room as in any other room of your house. The lampshade measures 9" x 41" & is 49" tall. If you don't see the print or color scheme you need, email us & we can show you more lamp shade options than we have room for here. This beautiful lamp is made in California.
- Made in USA
- UL Listed
- 49" High
- Lampshade: 9" x 41"
* Please note: As each lamp is customizable & made to order, please allow 2-3 weeks for completion, plus packing & shipping time
©2008-2017 Baby Eco Trends, LLC | Site Updated September 26, 2017 | info {at} BabyEcoTrends {dot} com


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Get an overview of this hotelStaten Island hotel with an indoor pool
Popular property highlights
St. Patrick's Church nearby
Situated in Staten Island, this hotel is close to St. Patrick's Church. Regional attractions also include Ellis Island Immigration Museum and Colgate Clock.
Pool, fitness facility
Recreational amenities at Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island include an indoor pool and a spa tub. Other amenities include an airport shuttle and a bar/lounge.
32-inch LCD TVs
LCD televisions come with cable channels. Guestrooms also feature complimentary wireless Internet access, microwaves, and refrigerators.
Guest Highlights
- Comfortable rooms
- Breakfast
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Guestroom size
Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool, Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island provides a spa tub and a fitness facility. Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island offers a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site at the hotel where guests can unwind with a drink. A complimentary breakfast is offered. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
A business center is on site at this 2.5-star property. This Staten Island hotel also offers self parking, express check-out, and shopping on site. An airport shuttle (available on request) and a ferry terminal shuttle are complimentary for guests. Onsite parking is complimentary.
Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island is a smoke-free property.
- Total number of rooms - 107
- 24-hour front desk
- ATM/banking
- Number of floors - 6
- Free breakfast
- Free airport transportation
- Bar/lounge
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Coffee shop or café
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Luggage storage
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free self parking
- Shopping on site
- Smoke-free property
- Spa tub
- Indoor pool
- Free ferry terminal shuttle
- Free WiFi
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Air conditioning
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Room service
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Desk
- Cable TV service
- Free WiFi
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary hot and cold buffet breakfast.
Room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and a spa tub are on site. Other recreational amenities include a fitness facility.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- In-room accessibility
- Accessible bathroom
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Hotel Name
- Hampton Inn Hotel Staten Island
- Hampton Inn Staten Island
- Staten Island Hampton Inn
- Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island Hotel Staten Island
- Hampton Inn And Suites Staten Island
We should mention
This property offers transfers from the ferry terminal and airport. Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. 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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The New School
Brushes with the Law: Young New Yorkers, Neighborhoods and the Criminal Justice System
A Child Welfare Watch forum presented by the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School and the New York Juvenile Justice InitiativeThe city has overhauled its juvenile justice system to keep more young people out of confinement and in their communities. In the process, officials, organizers and providers also aim to strengthen families and neighborhoods. How can city government engage communities and tap into the strengths of local groups that work with teens and families? Will community organizations find resources to participate? And how can families and residents hold the juvenile justice system accountable so that it does not repeat old mistakes?A conversation with:
Moderated by:
The Child Welfare Watch project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Prospect Hill Foundation, the Pinkerton Foundation, the Ira W. DeCamp Foundation, the Viola W. Bernard Foundation and the Child Welfare Fund.
Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor
Admission is free but you must reserve a seat: RSVP.
If a person attending your event has a special needs request, i.e. hearing assistance or wheelchair accessibility, they should contact the organizer of the event at:
Phone: 212.229.5400
Email Updates
Browse Events by School


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David N. Snyder wrote::thumbsup: Thank you for that link!
Las Vegas is number 7 !!!!!!!!!!!
We should get an even higher rating here in Vegas; after all we have Brahma here, Mandalay Bay, Tao night club (okay, maybe not for the Tao night club) but the Brahma statue is a big attraction and the Manadalay Bay casino has a "Buddhist" theme. And Steve Wynn is a Buddhist.
David N. Snyder wrote:I like San Diego. I lived there 1998-1999. You can't beat the San Diego weather; about 70 degrees all year, fairly sunny and the Pacific ocean / beach too. I didn't realize there were that many Buddhists in San Diego.
I wonder why Honolulu is not on the list? It probably should be #1. They probably only checked the stats for mainland U.S.
Now, with only 50 members, mid-week services are held just 10 times a year, with no Sunday service offered. The congregation shares the same minister, Rev. Jerry Hirano, with larger and more active congregations in Ogden and Salt Lake City.
But Aoki said her church wasn't always so quiet.
"We used to have more and we used to even have a Sunday school," she said. "But the young people, they get married and not many people come back on the farm. The young people go away to school and they don't come back."
The congregation was a branch of the Intermountain Buddhist Church in Salt Lake City until 1943. It then became a branch of the Ogden Buddhist Church until 1971 when it became independent.
Mike Monson, a minister's assistant at the Ogden Buddhist Church, said the Honeyville Buddhist Church will one day die as its members get too old to attend.
He said at that time, the building will revert back to the larger church and likely will be sold.
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- Home
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- Spectrum Noir™ ColourBlend™ Pencils: Primaries 24 Color pack
Spectrum Noir™ ColourBlend™ Pencils: Primaries 24 Color pack
Product ID: 10006131
Filled with primary core colors, this Primary themed set of blendable colored pencils features 24 wax-based colors. Use these Spectrum Noir™ ColourBlend™ pencils alone - or paired with their popular markers - to create professional quality coloring.
All of the pencils in this set are further designed to include color family groupings of light, medium and dark colors. This ensures that shading and lighting techniques can be employed when using the Primary color pack by itself.
Spectrum Noir™ ColourBlend™ pencils feature:
- Soft lead for seamless blending
- Intense and soft color capabilities
- High pigmentation
- Water resistance
Want to see these pencils in action? Check out our Spectrum Noir Pencil and Marker Tutorial over on Crafts Unleashed!
Ages 14 & over.
Color: Other
Material: Other
Product Type: Colored Pencils
Shape: Other
Our Price: $19.97
24 spectrum noir pencils per package.


text: If You Think Your Day is Bad, Just Watch This [VIDEO] By Lil Joe August 19, 2015 under $s Subscribe to TRI-102.5 on Now we all at times have bad days, it is just how life works right? What if you bad day involved a big highway sign and a dump truck. Yeah, this guy might be having the worst day. (more…) Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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Aroma D'orange Verte Cologne
By Hermes for Men
Aroma D'orange Verte Cologne by Hermes, Aroma d'orange verte was introduced in 1979 by the design house of hermes . With this masculine scent possesses a blend of orange leaves with lemon, mandarin, papya, mango, oakmoss and patchouli. Along with fruits and blossoms aroma d'orange verte is recommended for everyday wear. All products are original, authentic name brands. We do not sell knockoffs or imitations. ... Read More
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About Hermes
History and background of Hermes. The company was founded by Frenchman Thierry Hermes in 1837. It specialized in saddles and leathergoods during those early years. Read more about Hermes
More Hermes fragrancesfor Women: 24 Faubourg , Un Jardin Sur Le Nil , Eau Des Merveilles , Caleche , Un Jardin Sur Le Toit , more
for Men: Terre D'hermes , Eau D'orange Verte , Voyage D'hermes , Equipage , Bel Ami , more
See all Hermes products
Customer Comments
FragranceX.com did provide prompt service and the products were in good condition. Will do business again with them. Thank you
K. Noorani (Northbend, WA)


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LeBron James is considered a once-in-a-generation talent, a transcendent player with the ability to cause seismic shifts in the way basketball is played.
In an era ruled by advanced statistics, the common approach is to use numbers as the main determinant of greatness. With stats as the bar, James is on pace to become the greatest player the NBA has ever seen.
He has reached milestones faster and at a younger age than most players before him. That continued in the Miami Heat's 92-75 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, when James, at 28 years, 17 days, became the youngest player to reach 20,000 career points. He also passed the 5,000-assist threshold.
This is nothing new to James, who entered the NBA fresh out of high school in 2003. He is the youngest player to have reached 1,000 and 10,000 points as well. He sits among Hall of Famers as a select few players to record 20,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 5,000 assists.
NBA milestones: 20K points in fewest NBA games
But as is often the case, data can only tell so much of the story. A player of James' ilk should be assessed as much on intangibles as he should measurables. Without proper context, his remarkable versatility can become lost.
Records can't define James, nor can positions. He has blended the skills of a guard with those of a forward—or center, for that matter—to reach rare heights. Along the way, he's created moments that will remain far more memorable than the midrange jump shot he hit over Golden State's David Lee in the second quarter to pass the 20,000 mark.
Case in point: During the Miami Heat's last two bids for an NBA championship, the 6-foot-8 James has taken on defensive assignments ranging from 6-foot-3 Derrick Rose to 6-foot-9 Kevin Durant. On a team playing small because of his prodigious talent, he's rebounded at the rate of a center, but he also has brought the ball upcourt himself and attacked the defense off the dribble.
James has always done what was necessary to affect games. On Monday, in the Heat's 104-97 loss to the Utah Jazz, James used defense in the paint on center Al Jefferson to spearhead a last-ditch rally.
At 6-foot-10, Jefferson is a true big man in a shrinking league that lends itself to James' ability to play all five positions. Still, James was there, fronting the post and changing the course of a game in a remarkable way that appeared ordinary to the naked eye.
A night later, James decided to provide scoring punch. He had 18 points in the first half (which put him at 20,001) and finished with 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. The exact stat line will be forgotten by the time the Heat take the court Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now that he has reached 20,000 points, James will be placed aside career scoring leaders and assessed on criteria that don't work in his favor.
James will not score 100 points in a game like Wilt Chamberlain, or average more than 30 points per game for his career like Michael Jordan. What James will do is find an open teammate in the corner for a pivotal shot, or defend the other team's best player in a make-or-break moment. That versatility and skill is what should define James.


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When Len Filppu became a first-time father at the age of 49, he was nervous about it.
"I worried about falling asleep at Little League games, drooling like Homer Simpson," he told a Nov. 8 gathering at Linden Tree Books in Los Altos.
Filppu, author of the new book "Prime Time Dads: 45 Reasons to Embrace Midlife Fatherhood (Bright Lights Press, 2013)," appeared at Linden Tree to sign books, read excerpts and offer his off-the-cuff, humorous perspective on later-life parenting.
While he acknowledged that fatherhood at an older age isn't for everyone, Filppu called having children later in life the "absolute best thing that ever happened to me."
The retired corporate communications specialist, now 62, pointed to his daughter, 13, and son, 10, in the Linden Tree audience.
Prime-time fatherhood worked for him, Filppu said, because focusing on his career in his youth allowed him the financial security to raise a family later.
"I was able to travel around the country," he said. "Had I had children in my 20s and 30s, I would have been inhibited from doing that."
Filppu said the life experiences that come with maturity are a big plus for raising children.
"You know more about people," he said. "You know more about your own shortcomings."
Another advantage, he noted, is losing the pretense and not being afraid to "act like a clown." He recalled playing Captain Hook on the playground.
"My son immediately joined in the game," he said, adding that before long, another 30 kids were playing with them, raising the eyebrows of curious parents. "I worried they might think I was the local pervert, but I sensed a touch of private admiration."
Other benefits involve a change in attitude and philosophy. Being older, Filppu said, made him say yes to his children's requests rather than "maybe later," because time was more precious – and later might never come.
"When they ask me, 'Dad let's shoot baskets,' instead of putting it off, I get myself up to do it," he said.
Later-in-life fatherhood also inspired him to stay in shape – hike, do yoga – because he wants to be around as long as possible for his kids. Or as he puts it, "It gets me out of the rocking chair and keeps me rocking."
Former CNN broadcaster Larry King, who had two sons when he was in his 60s, can relate. He provided a testimonial for Filppu's book.
"The best thing that ever happened to me in life is being able to be a later in life dad," King wrote. "I'm 77 years old, I have three grown children, and the lights of my life are my 11- and 10-year-old boys. Later life fatherhood keeps me young, keeps me vital, and makes me feel relevant each and every day. I urge you to read 'Prime Time Dads.' Its point of view is young and vital and relevant each and every page."
"Prime Time Dads" is available through major online retailers both as a print book for $14.95 and as an e-book for $9.99.
For more information, visit primetimedads.com.


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SANTA CLARA -- Alex Smith expressed clear disappointment Thursday with his benching but did not blast 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh's communication methods.
"We sat down and talked. It wasn't a one-sentence thing," Smith said. "He explained where he was coming from, felt it was a difficult situation but wanted to go in this direction."
Did Smith try and talk Harbaugh out of starting Colin Kaepernick at quarterback for a third straight game, when the 49ers visit the St. Louis Rams on Sunday?
"No, I mean at this point, what's talk going to do?" Smith responded. "I felt he made up his mind. He's not a guy who didn't put thought into it already."
Speaking for the first time since Harbaugh confirmed Wednesday he was sticking with Kaepernick's "hot hand," Smith appeared clearly agitated over once again losing a job that's repeatedly been swiped from his grasp since he was drafted first overall in 2005.
"I feel the only thing I did to lose my job was get a concussion," said Smith, who sustained that brain trauma Nov. 11 during the second quarter of a 24-24 tie with the Rams.
In his last full outing, Smith completed 18 of 19 passes in a 24-3 win at Arizona, earning him a first-career NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. Dating back to halftime of an Oct. 18 win over Seattle, Smith is 35 of 38 for 385 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.
"It's tough. You state your case with your play and I feel I've done that," said Smith, who leads the NFL with a 70.4 completion percentage and ranks fifth with a 104.1 passer rating.
Smith said he found out about this week's benching "a couple days ago" from Harbaugh, who announced it to the team after Wednesday morning's walk-through practice. Smith holds "no resentment" toward Harbaugh, citing such decisions are what Harbaugh "gets paid to do."
Kaepernick's first career starts have produced big-stage wins over the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman praised Kaepernick's "natural progress" and a "more efficient" throwing motion.
Smith's next step is to prepare for his next chance on the field, at which time he plans to "make the most of my next opportunity."
That could come in relief of Kaepernick, or perhaps next season on another team. Smith's 2013 base salary of $7.5 million is guaranteed only if he's on the 49ers' roster on April 1, according to CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.
Of all his ups and downs -- and through the coaching and coordinator changes he's endured -- Smith is particularly stung by the timing of this benching.
"It's such a great team, a great group of guys in the locker room and something special is going on here," Smith added. "It's a tough pill to swallow."
Across the locker room, defensive tackle Ray McDonald sat at his locker and put in perspective the NFL's harsh reality.
"It does (stink) to kinda lose your job to injury, but that happens in the NFL," McDonald said. "Guys move on, they have mouths to fee and want to win championships. You've got to put it in the back of your mind."
Smith harbored no regrets about informing team officials about the blurred vision he experienced that signaled his Nov. 11 concussion.
"No, I'm not looking back on that," Smith added.
Former 49er Bill Romanowski told 95.7 The Game that Smith's cautious approach opened the door for Kaepernick. Said Romanowski: "If Alex Smith would've played through the ding, the concussion, like a lot of guys still do ... Careful in the NFL means losing your job. And that's what this did for him."
Smith endorsed the league's recent emphasis on reporting concussions and called it "a good thing." He did note that it is a "good question" if others will hesitate to report their symptoms in fear of losing their job to their injury replacement.
"It stings the most because I really feel like there's something special going on here," Smith added. "You sacrifice and you invest so much time. Like I said, I really feel like I hadn't done anything but get a concussion to really to facilitate this. I feel like I was playing good football."
A week ago, Smith sounded resigned that his benching could be forthcoming, and a few hours later, Sports Illustrated's Jim Trotter correctly reported that Kaepernick would start Sunday's game at New Orleans.
While Smith's status remained in Harbaugh-ian limbo, another clue emerged Saturday that Smith wouldn't be reclaiming his job, and it came in the form of a tweet from Smith's wife.
Elizabeth Smith tweeted: "I am beyond thankful to walk through life with an amazing man by my side. He is the perfect example for our sons and my best friend. No matter what life throws his way, he has the utmost respect, honesty and integrity. Something a lot of people lack these days."


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Last night, fashion designer Cynthia Rowley showcased her Spring 2013 collection in New York City accompanied by her daughter, Kit Rowley, who was decked out in a chambray shirt and tulle skirt from her mother's new line DREAMPOP by Cynthia R. available exclusively at JCPenney. Kit and her stylish friends Zoe and Ruby, also wearing Dreampop duds, stopped by to see the installation. Aimed at girls ages 7-14, Dreampop features skirts, tops, dresses and denim in fun colors with a bit of edge, and most pieces average just $20. Perfect for back-to-school! Moms, are you loving this?
Continue reading "DREAMPOP by Cynthia R. for ... »


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Note: This item is more than 13 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Feb. 17, 2004
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, TPWD Conduct Waterfowl Enforcement
AUSTIN, Texas — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) special agents and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) game wardens worked cooperatively to address waterfowl hunting violations in Colorado, Wharton and Calhoun counties during the regular 2003 and 2004 waterfowl seasons.
Service agents and TPWD wardens documented 157 federal and state wildlife violations during the waterfowl season. The fines and restitution resulting from these cases totaled around $50,000. The types of violations included taking waterfowl over the daily limit, failure to properly tag waterfowl, possession of toxic (lead) shot shells while hunting waterfowl, hunting waterfowl without state licenses and/or federal waterfowl hunting stamps, unlawfully hunting waterfowl with electronic waterfowl calls, hunting waterfowl after legal hunting hours and, placing and hunting waterfowl over bait.
One significant investigation involved a commercial waterfowl guide service in Colorado County that was found to be in violation of Federal waterfowl baiting regulations. The investigation revealed that a member of the company intentionally planted and manipulated an agriculture crop for the purposes of luring waterfowl for hunting. Service agents and TPWD game wardens apprehended an employee and clients of the guide service hunting waterfowl on the baited field. The guide service paid $9,950 to the Federal Central Violations Bureau for violating baiting provisions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Another significant investigation by TPWD game wardens and service agents involved six waterfowl hunters who were accused of taking a significant number of pintail and redhead ducks over their daily bag limits in Calhoun County. The justice court has accessed fines of $2,400 and hunters will face civil restitution to the State of Texas totaling $3,440.
Colorado and Wharton counties consistently have the highest waterfowl harvest rates in the State of Texas. These counties also have a significant number of commercial waterfowl guides operating in them. The State of Texas hosts approximately 500,000 migratory bird hunters annually.
The joint enforcement efforts of the Service and TPWD were successful in addressing waterfowl hunting violations during the 2003 and 2004 hunting seasons.
"This type of cooperation between the USFWS and TPWD law enforcement divisions will ensure that waterfowl enforcement is as effective as possible in protecting this valuable resource during the fall and winter migrations to our state, said Col. James Stinebaugh, the director of law enforcement at TPWD. "The cooperation between our two agencies is an invaluable asset to our efforts to preserve our nation's waterfowl."
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text: Designed to stand up to the rigors of the jobsite and crafted from soft, comfortable cotton, these warm shirts by Port & Company are perfect for work or play. Best of all, it comes in a large selection of colors including purple, blue, red and white. Port & Company is America's No.1 private clothing label, and G&L clothing has a fantastic selection of their solid-color T-Shirts. Don't hesitate to contact our knowledgeable staff for product or sizing information.


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(11-5) After a 5-11 season last year, the Ravens are happy to be in the playoffs once again and hope to get a road win against a legit Dolphins team that is looking to prove themselves.
(11-5) With Chad Pennington winning another Comeback Player of the Year award, the Dolphins hope to get past the Ravens and their always tough defense.
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL


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19 fun car road trip activities
Turn an ordinary drive into a world of fun adventures and possibilities. more
There are some really simple steps you can take to boost your family's health and happiness. Often it's the little things that can really make a big difference to your life. Here are top tips to help you and your family make the most of your life and improve your wellbeing:
It sounds simple, but stop and think: when was the last time you had fun together? Let down your hair and do something silly as a family. Sit down and ask everyone for ideas, write them all down - and start working your way through the list.
One of the most important things we can do as a family, is often one that many of us neglect. The family meal is no longer a regular event in most families but it's a vital part of bonding. Set regular meal times, even if it's only a couple of nights a week. Sitting down together, enjoying a meal and chatting is vital.
Fit families are happy and healthy families. Go out on a family bike ride, run around the park together, play tennis together - find something you love, and do it together.
Whether it's whipping up a batch of cupcakes, tossing a salad or making dinner together, cooking is a great way to instil healthy food values in your children and help them learn valuable life skills.
Often we are so busy correcting bad behaviour that the good stuff goes unnoticed. Take the time to notice, comment on and reward good behaviour - in children AND spouses.
Every night should be family reading night. When they're young, read to your children at bedtime, but, as they get older - they can start to read to you. But don't just save bedtime for book time. Make reading together a pleasurable pastime.
Don't take each other for granted - when someone does something nice look them in the eye, smile and say "Thank you". A simple acknowledgement that you appreciate what someone has done benefits everyone.
It's often said that the best thing that parents can do for their children is love each other and that's true. Having happy role models who genuinely like and admire each other models positive behaviour for children's future relationships. So make sure your kids see their parents be kind and affectionate to each other - regularly.
You've heard that laughter is the best medicine - and it's true! Laughter has a range of benefits for our health and wellbeing. So do what it takes to have a laugh. Family joke night, Friday Funny Films, watch a sit-com together - or classic funny cartoons such as Tom and Jerry. Just do what it takes to have a giggle, a chuckle or a real belly laugh together.
The best mood-buster is to get outdoors. Getting out helps your body get some much-needed vitamin D - and is essential for mood-maintenance. Go for a walk, a picnic in the park, a swim at the beach or just go lie on the grass in your yard gazing up at the clouds.
Random acts of kindness make everyone feel better - the giver and the receiver. Random acts of kindness don't need to be big, in fact sometimes the smaller the better. Why not try:
Pop on some music and sing and dance up a storm. You don't have to sing in tune - just out loud! And dance like nobody's watching, too. This is a great form of exercise AND it'll get you smiling in no time. Watching your kids bust out moves is a great mood-elevator - and you can show them some of your moves, too.
Is there anything better than a really good cuddle? Whether it's snuggling together in bed before getting up for the day, a great big bear hug - or just for no good reason - a cuddle says "I love you". Cuddling also releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin - so it does actually make you feel better.
Before saying anything to anyone think "Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?" Be kind to your family, your friends, and, most importantly - yourself.
How to be kind:
This article was written by Linda Drummond for Kidspot, Australia's best family health resource.
Last revised: Monday, 9 September 2013
This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.


text:
"I don't believe 87 percent of our schools are failing," Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez said at a July 25 study session on student test scores.
Seated at a conference table in the SFPS central office building at 610 Alta Vista St., Gutierrez was reading from prepared remarks three days after the announcement that all but one of the district's schools failed to meet federal academic standards. With her head bowed over the papers like a scolded child, even Gutierrez' lilting Texas accent didn't hide her defensive, embattled tone.
When the previous round of data came out in the summer of 2010, Gutierrez said test scores can be misleading and disguise positive change. Three out of 30 public schools in Santa Fe met national Adequate Yearly Progress standards that year.
In 2009, five schools met the standard. At the time, Gutierrez said it was humanly and statistically impossible for districts to meet the ultimate goals of AYP, and argued that a different metric for gauging students' achievement should be developed.
But to critics, such excuses ring increasingly hollow.
"I think anybody leading a district that has been in charge for three years has got to take more ownership and be held more accountable for the performance of the school," SFPS Board of Education Member Steve Carrillo says. "If our scores are consistently dropping and our graduation rates are consistently falling, then it needs to be the superintendent that's held accountable for that."
Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent
Bobbie Gutierrez says poor academic performance
at local schools is "a community issue
that we all need to get behind."
Few disagree that the AYP benchmark established by No Child Left Behind has ceased to be a meaningful way to look at Santa Fe's schools or at New Mexico's in general. The 2001 law enacted by former President George W Bush created standards in reading and math for students in elementary, middle and high schools.
Each year, a higher percentage of students must be "proficient" in the tested material; otherwise, the schools in question are labeled as failing.
Santa Fe is well below state averages in nearly every indicator of academic success.
Most critics of the AYP system point to the ever-advancing standard, which leaves more and more schools in the "fail" zone each year, as evidence that the system is designed to disappoint. By 2014, schools will fail if 100 percent of their students aren't proficient in both math and reading. When a record proportion of schools statewide fell short of the benchmark this year, the drumbeat of anti-AYP sentiment grew louder.
It's not unusual for administrators to react to the predictably dire results the way Gutierrez did—and the way board President Barbara Gudwin did at the same study session in July, stating that AYP is an unsatisfactory ratings system which "doesn't tell us anything about whether kids are learning."
But the obvious problems with the provisions of No Child Left Behind also create an excuse behind which SFPS can hide. Although the NCLB benchmark may be unrealistically high, the district's AYP scores are far from meaningless. On the contrary, they show that Santa Fe is well below state averages in nearly every indicator of academic success.
A comparison between Santa Fe and the state as a whole, based on the test data used to determine AYP—called Standards Based Assessment data—reveals a significant gap. For overall results among all grade levels and subgroups, Santa Fe's math scores are 9.6 percentage points below state average. Reading scores are 7.9 percentage points below. For Hispanic students, the gap is even larger: 11.2 percentage points lower than the state average in math and 9.8 percentage points lower in reading.
Last year, its high school graduation rate—53 percent—was the second-worst out of all 89 New Mexico school districts.
This year, signs of improvement were even harder to find in statewide test data because the New Mexico Public Education Department changed its proficiency standards. But like the ever-moving AYP benchmark, the new proficiency standard created one more smoke screen disguising the SBA test scores' significance; Gutierrez spent longer discussing that issue at the July study session than addressing the need for academic improvement.
Under PED's new definition, improved scores were almost too much to hope for. Scores declined somewhat across the state, but SFPS' scores for almost every subgroup dropped more steeply. Reading proficiency among ELL, or English language learners, plummeted 18.9 percentage points in Santa Fe, while statewide it dipped only 6.6 percentage points. Math scores for ELL took an 11.3 percentage-point dive in Santa Fe; at the state level, they fell by just 3.4 percentage points.
In New Mexico, though, even state averages are far from exemplary. Nationwide, the state ranks 32nd for educational achievement. Less than half of New Mexico public school kids are proficient in math (41.8 percent) or reading (49.8 percent).
A look at sample SBA test questions undermines the notion that poor test scores stem from unrealistic standards, Santa Fe parent Julie Murray says. One question, for instance, asks a third-grader which operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) performed on the numbers 8 and 4 yields the number 32.
But test scores aren't the only indicator of SFPS' deficiency relative to the rest of the state. Last year, its high school graduation rate—53 percent—was the second-worst out of all 89 New Mexico school districts.
The parent gap
The principal of Clovis' Zia Elementary School, which has met the AYP benchmark every year, says parent involvement is perhaps the most important factor in her school's excellent test history. National research and SFPS data support her point. In 2008, researchers at the University of New Hampshire found that sufficient parental involvement—even at the level of dinnertime conversations about school—equates to approximately $1,000 in additional per-pupil educational expenditures.
At SFPS, four out of five of the district's worst-performing schools have no parent teacher associations at all. Although some level of involvement depends on the parents, Zia Principal Jarilyn Butler says, schools are still responsible for cultivating it.
"There are always students that come from homes that are very, very busy," Butler notes. "Parents may not realize how crucial that developmental stage is, so it's our job to communicate with parents and help them help their child."
Given the importance of parent involvement, it's surprising that more SFPS kids aren't excelling. Some local parents are so involved that they stepped up to raise money not just for extra school programs, but also for basic needs such as physical education teachers and substitute teacher salaries. SFPS parents show up to often-epic Tuesday night school board meetings and voice their opinions, whether the microphone is plugged in or not [June 22: "School Board Divided on Comment Snafu"]. But many parents feel the district doesn't support their activities—that instead, the district considers them a nuisance.
"As a parent, I don't feel like I'm on the same team as the district; I always feel like we're on a different side," Wood Gormley Elementary Parent-Teacher Council President Dan Baker says. "We have massive parental involvement, and I feel it's in spite of the district. It's just crazy. I just feel like the district, quite honestly, doesn't want us to talk to each other. Otherwise, they would make sure every school has a PTA."
Former SFPS Superintendent Leslie Carpenter, who held that position for three years before passing the baton to Gutierrez in 2008, says her biggest regret about her tenure was her failure to encourage more parent involvement, which she says has a "huge impact" on test scores.
National nonprofit Project Appleseed finds that 79 percent of elementary and middle school parents want to be more involved in their children's education, and 77 percent feel that teachers need more training in how to involve them. According to Project Appleseed, teachers' lack of time or inclination to reach out to parents is a major barrier to parent involvement.
"Parents need to know there's these opportunities for indirect support that are the critical pieces of supporting your child," Carpenter says. "We have parent-teacher conferences, but I don't think we do enough parent training to educate parents…It has not ever received the attention we have placed on the teacher's role…and I think the parents' role in schooling is equally important."
Test score trends from elementary school to junior high at SFPS bear out the importance of parental involvement. Seventh-grade test scores are approximately 10 percent lower than the average across all grades; a dismal 21 percent of SFPS seventh-graders are proficient in math, while only 32 percent are proficient in reading.
Many SFPS parents are familiar with the "middle school problem"—the conundrum of whether to keep their children in the public school system after 6th grade or jump ship to a private or charter school. Santa Fe's public middle schools have poor reputations, so often parents who can afford other options pull their kids out of public school. Some say that leaves only students with less-involved parents at the public middle schools.
De Vargas Middle School Principal Diane Garcia-Piro says middle school in general creates challenges for developing a PTA because parents are only around for two years. This year, Garcia-Piro hopes De Vargas will have a PTA and a parent teacher council, but since school just began, they haven't formed yet, she says.
Wood Gormley Principal Linda Besett says it's critical for teachers, principals and administrators to treat parents like equals in the education process. Gutierrez says she believes Baker is mistaken in perceiving parents' relationship with SFPS administrators as adversarial, but when she talks about "beyond the bake sale" ways for parents to be involved, they tend more toward serving the school than the kids—such as helping landscape, putting up bulletin boards and "feel[ing] useful."
School autonomy
But parents are only one part of what Carrillo calls the "sacred triad." Teachers and principals have the other two critical roles, and SFPS' top-down management approach restricts them from exercising their power. Last year, SFPS started a new program to try standardizing reading instruction throughout the district. The Treasures curriculum program from Macmillan/McGraw-Hill education publishing company is designed to provide comprehensive reading materials and test preparation from kindergarten through sixth grade. The program cost the district $1.4 million and has angered even Gutierrez, who at a June school board meeting ranted, "I hate Treasures. I hate Treasures!"
Gutierrez now says "hate" was probably too strong a word, and that her outburst stemmed from frustration at Treasures' cost and its less-than-literary quality. But she says having a standardized curriculum throughout the district helps ensure kids learn the state-mandated standards.
She says the New Mexico Public Education Department requires that districts choose a curriculum from an approved list, but PED spokesman Larry Behrens says districts can apply for waivers to exempt themselves from that requirement without losing funding.
From several parents' points of view, Treasures doesn't challenge students or inspire them to learn. Parent Sharon Pomeranz recounts how her second-grade daughter mocked the babyish tone of a recent Treasures offering about leeches, saying that both the book and its subject matter "sucked." Watching her daughter navigate the internet and learn from articles targeted to a general audience, Pomeranz feels that dumbed-down readers are hardly interesting, or enriching, to the latest generation of kids.
Wood Gormley Elementary School Principal Linda Besett
confirms she was scolded by district brass for teaching
outside the prescribed Treasures curriculum.
Baker says he believes Wood Gormley's success this year in AYP—it was the only school in Santa Fe to meet that goal—is partly due to its refusal to stick exclusively to the Treasures program, for which he says Besett was reprimanded by district brass. Besett confirms that her school has been "firmly addressed" on the importance of "fidelity" to the program on numerous occasions. Gutierrez won't confirm that Besett was reprimanded, but says fidelity to the core program is important and state-mandated.
Besett says Wood Gormley uses Treasures in group settings but augments it with regular books. One of Besett's core educational philosophies is that academic standards are more important than adherence to any one program. She adds that Treasures is tailored to Texas and California's standards, not to New Mexico's, so it must be supplemented with other materials—not to mention that Treasures isn't challenging enough for advanced readers, and kids of all reading levels want to read real books, she says.
"The content of the Treasures program is built from test material. The problem I have with it is they teach so directly to the tests that it's not literature; it's just fragmented word problems," says Baker, who feels that SFPS kids served as guinea pigs for an untried program. "There's no context, no character, no thought. It's just mechanical; it's test prep material."
For adults who remember discovering classics such as Where the Red Fern Grows or the works of Beverly Cleary, the idea of literature turned into test-prep sound bites is repugnant enough. But the fact that, by "teaching to the test," Treasures actually made test scores worse is even more upsetting.
"I just think that was a big waste of money and a big irritant to teachers and parents," Murray says.
Gutierrez argues that a new curriculum usually has seven years to prove its worth, but with the state mulling a new "A-F" school rating system, it's hard to say what curricular changes might be ahead. She would not commit to ditching Treasures if scores don't improve this year.
The backlash against Treasures points to another possible area for improvement: moving away from top-down, central-office-dictated practices to "school-based management," wherein each principal acts as a minisuperintendent, with the freedom to tailor programs to his or her particular school. Board Vice President Glenn Wikle says he would like to see a shift toward a more school-based management model, and Carrillo believes it is the kind of "creative, innovative, bold initiative needed to pull us out of this rut."
One of the main arguments in favor of school-based management is that it makes each principal directly accountable for an individual school's performance. It also gives parents more direct input at their kids' schools, rather than forcing them to appeal to the district-wide school board or superintendent. Increased control can in turn motivate parent participation, including fundraising.
Parent Dave Merriman argues that, at the least, the district should make better use of principals' on-the-ground experience with the teachers and students.
"I see some highly capable principals who are never solicited for their ideas on how [the district] could do better," Merriman says. "There hasn't been one meeting, I don't think, where Bobbie pulled principals in and kind of gave them a blank piece of paper and said, 'What do you need to do your job better?'"
In a meeting with Gutierrez and SFR, SFPS Director of Assessment and Accountability Lynn Vanderlinden said Gutierrez has reached out to principals for their input. Both Gutierrez and Vanderlinden say the school-based management style has drawbacks because principals have to be responsible for facility and budget issues that lie outside their realm of expertise.
Gudwin says the district can explore such options at a future board meeting aimed at creating a strategic plan for the district. No such plan currently exists—a fact critics point to as a profound lack of vision and planning, especially in a district in such obvious need of improvement. There is, however, a district-wide plan laying out one of the least-popular top-down initiatives SFPS has tried to implement. It's called the Facilities Master Plan, and it details future construction plans in the district.
Lynn Vanderlinden, the district's director of assessment
and accountability, says letting principals have more control
means they may have to deal with budget and facility
concerns outside their expertise.
Superintendent of construction
To some, the fact that SFPS has a long-range plan for construction, but not for academic improvement, epitomizes its misplaced focus.
Construction initiatives have also generated more ire from parents and community members than nearly anything else the district has done. After Acequia Madre and Atalaya elementaries, two higher-performing east-side schools, were targeted for closing and consolidation, a record number of voters turned out for the 2010 school board election.
In a sweeping moment of turnover, they elected three "reform" candidates to replace those members who were deemed partly responsible for the consolidation. Those two schools were spared, though three others were consolidated last year.
"Santa Fe has the most amazing potential. I think our teachers are fantastic; I think our school communities are wonderful; and there's no reason why we shouldn't be excelling."
Test scores at Aspen Community Magnet School, created out of Kaune, Alvord and Larragoite elementaries, suggest consolidation may have adversely affected academic performance. Under the A-F rating system the state is transitioning toward, Larragoite would have received an A and Alvord a B; Aspen would receive a C. Gutierrez says that Kaune was the biggest of the three schools, so its former population dominates Aspen and drags down its scores—but to Wikle, it's still evidence of a failed policy decision.
"I don't believe the consolidation benefited those kids in any way," Wikle says. "I don't think that the setup at Aspen is any better than it was at the original schools."
Agua Fria Elementary, which is slated to be torn down and replaced with a new facility—a controversial plan opposed by many community members and completely in limbo as of press time because of wildly inaccurate construction cost estimates [Indicators, June 29: "Hard Sell"]—performed worse than every other SFPS elementary. It was also the ninth-worst performing elementary statewide, out of 371 schools.
Thirty-five elementary schools jumped ahead of Agua Fria in the rankings during the past year while debate raged over the fate of its facility [news, April 13: "Cold Water"]. Meanwhile, construction activities have consumed much of the school board's time and sent parents into panic mode, with few tangible positive results.
So far this year, the SFPS board has spent almost no time discussing anything curriculum-related. Construction issues have taken up far more of the members' time, as have damage control discussions about various controversies concerning Gutierrez.
"I really can't help but wonder what's been going on the last eight years that certain things like [a strategic plan] weren't in place," Carrillo says. "Everything we need to be doing needs to be feeding the goals of graduating more kids…We could have the best facilities in the western United States, but if we can't graduate kids, what point is there?"
Though none of the school board members have said publicly that they want to oust her, Gutierrez has been at odds with the three newest members from the beginning, after the outgoing board approved her contract for an additional year at the last minute. In a school board meeting last spring, Gutierrez seemed on the verge of breaking down when she said that the board could vote to get rid of her immediately if it felt that was the best course of action [briefs, June 22: "Board Blame"].
Based on student performance trends, the board's concerns about Gutierrez are not unfounded. When Gutierrez took over from Carpenter, SFPS achievement data were showing an upward trajectory. After Gutierrez took the helm, the numbers stayed roughly level for a year, then started to dip (see page 17).
Gutierrez blames SFPS' inferior performance on factors that are consistent throughout the state: the economy and the budget, which is set on a per-pupil rate and affects all districts equally. She also says better-performing districts have fewer economically disadvantaged kids. But when presented with a list of 32 New Mexico school districts with higher percentages of those kids than SFPS, and higher graduation rates, she responded that the comparison is unfair because those districts are smaller. However, Albuquerque and Las Cruces are larger districts with higher graduation rates than SFPS.
"Can we improve in Santa Fe Public Schools? Absolutely," Gutierrez says. "Do we have some black eyes and some gaping holes and some sores we need to cure? Absolutely. But that's not the complete and total fault and responsibility of the school district. That's a community issue that we all need to get behind."
Gutierrez has already said that the new A-F rating system could be problematic—high-performing Wood Gormley would receive a C purely on a technicality, she says. But the prospect of new models for evaluating New Mexico's schools also provides a dangerous opportunity for SFPS to hide behind another flawed-testing-method excuse.
In the state's capital city—a community blessed with a diverse, politically active population, reform-minded school board members, education-oriented nonprofit organizations and plenty of affluence—it's shocking to many that district leadership is focused on justifying poor student performance instead of trying to lead the state academically.
"Santa Fe has the most amazing potential," Carrillo says. "I think our teachers are fantastic; I think our school communities are wonderful; and there's no reason why we shouldn't be excelling."
But it's up to district leadership to help make that leap.


text:
IT was an evening of fire-eaters, steel-drummers and a dinosaur or two.
This year's Sunset Party in the Park at Marwell Zoo gave animal-lovers a rare opportunity to see some of the most loveable creatures at dusk at a special out-of-hours event.
The big attraction was the Rise of the Dinosaur's exhibit which saw children of all ages line up to spend some time with Velma the velociraptor and her prehistoric friends.
Some of the resident penguins put on a brilliant display while some of their larger relatives, in the form of Mr and Mrs Pigeon, followed children around the zoo pecking away for crumbs and special treats.
There was an inflatable area, with a bouncy castle and bungee run, fire-jugglers and even some musicians on stilts who performed for the crowd.
And it all kicks off again on July 5 with another behind-the-scenes evening session featuring the popular Jurassic creatures and just a few friendly favourites.
There will be naturalistic gorillas accompanied by their funny explorer friend, a specialist bird exhibition and the Big Noise Samba Band.
For more information visit the zoo's website at marwell.org.uk/party/booking.asp.


text:
[This thread was originally titled 'OT: Gonna be in Indy this week (week of 7/25)']
Updated Plans
Day and Time:
Sunday, July 31, Noon to 3 pm (or so)
Buffalo Wild Wings
8440 Castleton Corner Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46250
Phone: 317-577-BWWW (2999)
Mapquest Link to location
Planning to be there List:
Shade (I think)
The Maybe List:
Jose Slaughter
Please PM me or post in this thread if you want me to add your name to one of the lists.
---------------Original post------------------------------
I'm going to be in Indy this week to see family, and would love a chance to meet up with a few of my PD buddies if I can. I've already been talking to Jose about it via PM, seeing as how he's PD's "unofficial gathering coordinator".
My plans are still not 100% nailed down, so I'm probably going to continue to coordinate any mini get-togethers via PMs with Jose, though he's already told me that he himself may not be able to get together this week. I'll try and give a firm date and time as soon as I'm able to once I get to Indy. I'm hoping to be able to be able to meet up sometime later in the week if possible.
I'll probably check in one more time before hitting the road...


text: Almost three weeks after National Signing Day for football - which actually only begins the period in which schools can sign high school and junior college football prospects BYU announced Monday that it has added a defensive lineman to its list of signees. Tomasi Laulile, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound senior at Westlake High in Westlake Village, Calif., has signed a national letter of intent to play for BYU. Laulile began his high school career at Palmdale High in California. He totaled 52 tackles and 10 sacks last season. "He is a talented football player who has worked hard to put himself in this position. We look forward to having him be part of our program," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a school news release. Laulile is from Thousand Oaks, Calif., and is the fourth defensive lineman in this year's signing class. He also had offers from Fresno State, UNLV and Ohio, according to several recruiting websites. - Not long after Signing Day perhaps even before Feb. 6 BYU coaches were working on recruits for the class of 2014 players who will be seniors next fall. They have already received four commitments from members of that class, the latest one being Trey Dye, a 5-11, 175-pound wide receiver from Cooper High in Cooper, Texas, near Abilene. Trey Dye is the son of former BYU kick returner and receiver James Dye. Trey played all over the field as a junior running back, receiver, defensive back and kick returner. The Dye family moved from Utah County to Texas prior to his freshman season. Last week, BYU coaches got a commitment from Zac Dawe, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound lineman from Pleasant Grove High in Utah. Dawe, a junior, recently won the Class 5A state heavyweight wrestling championship. His brother, Parker Dawe, is joining the BYU football team this fall as a walk on.Previously, BYU had received commitments from Isaiah Nacua, a 255-pound defensive end from Las Vegas and Neil Pau'u, a quarterback from Anaheim, Calif., meaning that four scholarships in 2014 are already spoken for. Nacua and Pau'u committed last June.


text:
Black Ninja!
Fresh Member
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Black Ninja!
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Hey guys Knox here hoping all is well. I wanna blog about the possibility of Cena being the leader of The Shield. Now I know its a long shot but I have some great points that could be Cena's motive. Again, I'm 100% sure none of this will ever happen because they refuse to turn Cena heel but hear me out, hope you enjoy.
Who Has The Shield attacked?
Hey guys Knox here hoping all is well. I haven't blogged in a while, good to be back for a second. I have to blog on a few guys I think are worthy enough to end Punk's reign as WWE Championship. Since its pretty much set in stone that Rock is going to end it, I wanna go against that option and explain the reasons why.
The Reasons The Rock Shouldn't End Punk's Reign:
Hey guys Knox here hoping all is well. I'm going to blog on my favorite opening things for some wrestling shows. Hope you all enjoy this. I'm going to stick with normal wrestling shows and leave out PPV's since they have different themes every year. Enjoy.
Top 5 Wrestling Show Opening Themes:
5. WCW Nitro Teme
The memories of this theme is why I love it. I wasn't
Hey guys Knox here, once again its been a while. Hope everyone's all well. Today I wanna talk about wrestlers who need new theme music as well as my choices of what their theme should be. Hope you guys enjoy this. This will be fun. Please listen to the themes I suggest as I feel they really do fit the character of the wrestlers.
5. AJ Lee
I think her music now is cool but here's
Hey guys Knox here hoping all is well. Its been a long time since I've did a blog, August 17th to be exact. Been super busy with college and simply trying to graduate on time. I truly hope everyone is good in life and I'M BACK NOW!!!!!!
I wanted to blog on something fun. I've noticed the THQ crew has been very lazy with entrances and updating them on the games. WWE 13' isn't perfect


text:
And, of course, the fine print:
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Despite the huge role sports have had on this country's history as a shared passion and social equalizer, our knowledge of past teams and leagues seems to be gathering dust. Peoples Garment Company is dedicated to clearing that dust - by putting traditional, historic designs on super soft garments with water-based ink, mixed by hand. Like they did with this 1949 Chicago Hornets get-up.
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