text: Food Notes: Aug. 1, 2012 By Julie Robinson July 31, 2012 Story Share Locally grownCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Celebrate National Farmers' Market Week, Sunday to Aug. 12, with a visit to a local farmers' market. It's peak production season, so the markets are full of locally grown vegetables, fruit and herbs. Some also sell handmade baked goods, meats, eggs, poultry, dairy and other food products.Representatives from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture will roast corn and hand out fruit and vegetable samples and USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Audrey Rowe will present information about farmers markets at 11:30 a.m. Monday at Capitol Market.Capitol Market, 800 Smith St., is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.West Side Farmers' Market, on the corner of Washington Street W. and Beatrice Street, is open from 2 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.Montgomery Farmers' Market, 702 Third Ave. in Montgomery, is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.Fayette County Farmers' Market, 312 Court St., is open from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays and at the BB&T parking lot in Oak Hill from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.Putnam Farmers Market, W.Va. 34 in Hurricane City Park, is open from 3:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Farmers' Market at Tamarack in Beckley is open 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays.Jackson County Farmers' Market in the New Stone Square in Ripley is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.Pig roastThe Metro Valley Chapter of the Gabriel Project of West Virginia is sponsoring its annual pig roast from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at St. Agnes School, 4807 Staunton Ave. Eat-in or carry-out orders available. Lunch delivery of four or more meals to addresses in the Charleston area also available. Meal includes a pulled pork barbecue sandwich with slaw, chips, cookie or fruit and drink. Tickets are $10 each or three meals for $25. For more information or to schedule a lunch delivery, call 304-414-4666. The Gabriel Project provides cribs, car seats and other baby items to needy mothers and babies.A big breakDo you make a food product that you think is good enough to sell? The State Fair of West Virginia organizers will select a winner Aug. 12 in the West Virginia Recipe Challenge, a competition of potential food entrepreneurs. The entrants will compete to have a chance to have a specialty food produce launched in the marketplace and for prizes of goods and services.Registration is still open.The competition sponsored by West Virginia State University Extension Service and partnering agencies is for emerging entrepreneurs who have dreamed of taking their home-cooked product to the grocery store shelf. The challenge consists of two categories: new entrepreneur and existing business.The West Virginia Recipe Challenge is a collaboration of WVSU Extension Service, the State Fair of West Virginia, Tamarack and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.Visit www.grdi.wvstateu.edu/RecipeChallenge for registration forms and more specific information. The State Fair, which runs from Aug. 10 to 18, features all the usual baked goods, canned goods and produce contests. Visit statefairofwv.com for details.Reach Julie Robinson at email@example.com or 304-348-1230 with information to be included in Food Notes. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Philanthropist Betty Schoenbaum of Shoney's fortune turns 100 2 YWCA Charleston's Women of Achievement to be honored in March 3 WVU pulls away from Kansas for 56-34 win 4 Derek Redd: Marshall thinks outside the cable box for broadcasts 5 Deer in 8 WV counties found dead from EHD Small-farming advocate puts the tea in fair trade Previous Story Taylor Books ties children's characters to sweet drinks Next Story


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Satin anodized aluminum
Textured tread resists slipping
Serrated handrail for sure grip
Reflective strip increases visibility
400 lbs. capacity
Enjoy much more convenient access to your boat when it's in the boat slip or on the boat lift. This satin anodized aluminum folding platform easily bolts to your dock with a tough hinged mounting plate. The included 1-3/4" dia. handrail is easily added and removed with set screws. A reflective strip down the side increases nighttime visibility. Textured tread plate resists slipping, while serrated inner surface on the handrail delivers a sure grip. Mounting plate is 18"W x 8"L with 7-1/2" center-to-center mounting holes. Platform measures 24"W x 20"L. Handrail measure 36"H x 15-3/4"W. 400-lb. capacity.

subset: commoncrawl


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Photos: Sideburn
The Mana X represents Aprilia's idea of what a fun, stylish urban run-around could look like. Minus the ugly headlight, it represents ours too. At first glance the Mana X looks nothing like the Mana 850 that its based on, but it retains what looks like most of that model's frame and all of its engine and CVT transmission while adding flat track-inspired styling and some interesting technical twists.
The styling is the immediate appeal of the Mana X. Over the standard
model it's been lowered and had its seat extended to cover most of the
airbox (the Mana's fuel tank is underseat); huge dirt-style tires have
been fitted to 17" wheels; there's a new swingarm with KTM 690 Duke-style
exposed bracing; a heat-wrapped under-engine exhaust; some sort of
not-a-grab-handle sits proudly at the rear, housing the LED brake
lights; spiky motocross-style foot pegs round out the changes.
Look closely at those foot pegs and you'll notice something's missing:
gear and brake levers. Because the Mana X uses a CVT transmission,
shifting takes place automatically or by buttons mounted on the
handlebars. This has left room for the rear brake to be moved up to the
left bar. Aprilia envisions the Mana X appealing to riders looking to
make the switch from scooter to motorcycle, so retaining a scooter's
control system makes sense.
For now the Mana X is just a concept and not one that looks terribly
production ready. Despite being based on the Mana 850, it would need to
have its rear extended to cover a much greater proportion of the rear
tire in order to be road-legal. Having said that, we'd really like to
see something similar reach showrooms; a stylish, accessible, fast
motorcycle that doesn't adhere to traditional motorcycle categories and
therefore isn't subject to their stereotypes could be just the thing to
encourage more urban riders to move up to large motorcycles. We just
wish Aprilia would get the damn thing into a photo studio already.
Click the image up top for the photo gallery.


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Of course not using breadcrumbs makes these delicious meatballs Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, and the meatballs also Can Be Paleo if you use approved meats. They're also South Beach Phase One, and they were featured for Phase One Fridays back in April 2013. That's when I added them to the list for a new photo, so I'm happy they finally made it to the front of the line!
Low-Carb Baked Swedish Meatballs
(Makes 36-42 meatballs, depending on how big you make them; recipe originally from Anne's Food, slightly adapted by Kalyn.)
1 lb. very lean ground beef (less than 10% fat)
1 lb lean ground turkey breakfast sausage or lean ground turkey (You can also use all ground beef, half ground pork, or half pork sausage if you don't care about making it low in fat.)
1 onion, diced very small
1 T garlic puree (also called ground garlic)
1/2 tsp. Veg-Sal or 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
When the meat is room temperature, mix in onions, garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and cinnamon. Mix with your clean hands just until spices and meats are well combined; don't over-mix the ingredients.
Use a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon to measure out meat, forming small meatballs by rolling with your hands and placing them on the rack as you go. Bake until meatballs are slightly browned and cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
With low-fat ground beef and low-fat ground turkey sausage or ground turkey, these Low-Carb Baked Swedish Meatballs are a good dish for all phases of the South Beach Diet, and also good for any type of low-carb diet, including Keto. The meatballs are even Paleo Whole 30 if you use approved meats! (People following low-carb diets might want to use meat with more fat; take your choice on that.)
Nutritional Information?
More Tasty Meatballs You Might Like:
Grilled Sriracha-Seame Turkey Meatballs ~ Kalyn's Kitchen
Dagmar's Spicy Meatballs ~ Nami-Nami
Baked Greek Meatballs with Feta ~ Kalyn's Kitchen
Greektown Turkey Meatballs ~ The Perfect Pantry
Beef and Sausage Meatballs with Tomato Sauce ~ Kalyn's Kitchen
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Central Park 5k Fun Run
Central Park
Sat 07/13/2013
100 Participants
An incredible stroll around Central Park early Saturday morning. The Central Park 5k Fun Run is an exciting way to enjoy the view while giving back to the city. Funds raised for this event benefit MOVDance – helping low income children learn dancing and self respect. The run/walk is 5k or 3.1 miles and is flat the entire course. Runners & athletes are welcome though the focus is to raise money and have fun! When you come to New York, a trip is not complete unless you've ran in Central Park. Whether you want to see ducks swimming in summer time or ice skating in winter, this is a central hub for the city for years. Stay after your run and enjoy the park. Come out and run with your friends and bring a picnic basket for a fun brunch or head out to the lake and see what is going on! Everyone is welcome! To participate in the MOVRun Central Park 5k, register now ! WHAT'S DIFFERENT? MOVRuns are VERY unique compared to all other running events you've been to. We don't have official staff at our event, but instead local volunteers who are happy to time you, cheer for you, and help give you directions along the course. However, we give out NO WATER, we don't pollute the environment in any way – and we hope you help us leave the park a little cleaner than we found it in. Please bring your own water bottle and understand that our run is limited to 100 people. These are small, intimate events where we really hope everyone can help us raise money for our cause. To teach dancing to these young kids is a great way to clean up the violence on the streets & your participation with us really helps. Upon registering, you'll receive an electronic goodie bag filled with your choice of a fitness DVD, a fitness book, motivational book, meal planning guide, and hopefully more as we grow. These are not small gimmicks but products you can also find at your local book store from fitness guru Matt Hackney. Our goal is to provide a fun run to the community while raising money for MOVDance. ____________________________________________________________________ WHAT'S IN THE GOODIE BAG? Our goodie bags are 100% electronic and super cool! Check out our Goodie Bag page for more details. ____________________________________________________________________ HOW MUCH SHOULD I DONATE? Prices are automatically set when you register $20 if you preregister (more than 2 weeks in advance) $25 if you preregister 2 weeks in advance $30 if you preregister 1 week in advance You're welcome to give a larger donation if you wish No registration day of the race More questions? Check out the Discussion Board.
- Address:Central Park West & W 77th Street
New York City, NY 10024


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Researchers at Dominican University in San Rafael are embarking on a study of ocean coral in hopes of saving the keystone species under threat from global warming.
As water temperatures have risen, the reef-building coral has struggled to stay alive in many areas. In some cases the coral — marine animals — have bleached white as they expel colorful algae living in their tissues under the stress of staying alive.
Across the globe, reefs that have proven resilient for thousands of years are in serious decline, degraded by overfishing, pollution, coastal development and warming ocean waters. And threats to coral are only expected to intensify as a result of climate change and ocean acidification due to greenhouse gases.
Now a Dominican University researcher is trying to determine if using shade to limit the light that hits coral could help nurture it back to good health.
At the beginning of the month 300 elkhorn corals up to 2 inches in length arrived at Dominican from a controlled aquaculture farm in American Samoa. The corals will be used to advance the research of professor Vanhia Coelho, an associate professor of biology at Dominican, who has focused on preventing coral stress and mortality due to the rise in water temperatures.
"They are the foundation species of the ecosystem in the ocean," Coelho said of coral. "Not having them is like having a forest without the trees. You can't. If you remove coral you lose everything else."
The coral at the university are in 12, 20-gallon tanks. The water in each tank will be raised to varying temperatures and some will be provided shade to determine if limiting light could counteract the warmer waters.
"Corals usually can handle a range of temperatures fairly well," Coelho said. But as water temperatures creep above 85 degrees, the coral begins to struggle and stress. "They lose their color when temperatures get higher."
As temperatures rise the algae within the coral becomes toxic and the coral works to rid itself of the material. But if the temperatures can be brought down, the coral can regain healthy algae and regain its color.
Coelho's research is geared toward preventing bleaching through shading in coral species commonly found in the Indo-Pacific and is a product of a grant originally funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Shading coral could be done by erecting greenhouse shade cloth to moorings in coastal areas over areas where coral live, Coelho said. "It can be complicated, but on a leeward side of an island in a protected bay you could use moorings for boats to put the shading up," she said.
The coral — in the same phylum of jellyfish and sea anemones — are critical because they provide food as well as habitat for other species that promote life in the oceans.
"They also support fishing, tourism and are a great buffer of wave energy that protect buildings on islands," Coelho said.
She and a group of eight students will soon begin a one-month experiment with the corals. The students, who will monitor the corals daily, are giving up their weekends and spring break to work on the project.
Phil Kramer, a marine geologist who is director of the Nature Conservancy's reef program in the Caribbean, said the long-term outlook for coral reefs is poor in the face of projected increases in temperature and ocean acidification. But he says that can't justify the "abandonment" of reefs.
"Reefs are generally in bad shape at the moment and if more interventions are not taken we will continue to lose what remains," he said. "But I remain cautiously optimistic about the future."
Contact Mark Prado via email at email@example.com; the Associated Press contributed to this report.


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CCTV images have been released of two men who left a restaurant without paying.
Essex Police are trying to trace the pair who, along with two women, ordered food at TGI Fridays in Lakeside and then walked out without making any attempt to pay.
Anyone with information about the pair, who were in the restaurant at 7.40pm on Sunday, January 6, is asked to call PC Nicola Hadfield on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.


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Crystal Mozart
5 out of 5 stars
Read the best port reviews and tips for this cruise itinerary.
|Day 1
|Vienna, Austria
|Day 2
|Vienna, Austria
|Day 3
|Durnstein, Austria
|Day 3
|Melk, Austria
|Day 3
|Cruise The Wachau Valley
|Day 4
|Linz, Austria
|Day 5
|Passau, Germany
|Day 6
|Passau, Germany
|Day 7
|Bratislava, Slovakia
|Day 8
|Budapest, Hungary
|Day 9
|Budapest, Hungary
|Day 10
|Vienna, Austria
|Day 11
|Vienna, Austria
A roll call is a space for members who are signed up for the same cruise (same ship & departure date) to connect.
Make friends BEFORE you sail, exchange tips on what to do onboard and in the ports and maybe even organize a shore excursion with your ship mates.


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Map of Health Department Clinic and District Offices
Click on the colored thumbnails on the map for addresses, directions
and contact information. Use the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons on the
map to zoom and locate multiple health department sites that may be at
the same or nearby addresses.
View Fairfax County Health Department sites in a larger map


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Hi-Fi Systems
Hi-Fi Systems Overview
Connect you iPod or iPhone straight into one of our Hi-Fi systems and instantly have your music pumped into your room. We have great systems with enough volume to fill any room and the quality to match. We stock the best JVC systems for your audio needs.
Need help? Call Us At: 1-800-881-6577 or Contact Us
Instant saving $5.00$41.99
Instant saving $89.00$448.99
Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 Earset - Stereo - Black - Wireless - Bluetooth - 32.8 ft - Earbud - Binaur
Instant saving $19.01$99.00
Instant saving $106.01$531.00


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Spring Green Community Church is a Bible-based, non-denominational, evangelical church with a heart for missions both local and abroad.
Our church population is approximately 115 attendees. Our worship service is currently a blend of contemporary worship music and traditional Christian hymns.
Our church is very active in the community. We sponsor the local Food Pantry which serves approximately 100 families in the greater Spring Green area. We also minister to hurting people through the ongoing programs of DivorceCare and GriefShare. Our Benevolence ministry helps people as needed.
are very important to our church. We have Wednesday night Children's program during the school year in the summer, open to all children in the area. Our youth group for students in grades 7 through 12, meets on Wednesday nights. Our youth also participate in mission trips rotating between local, out of state in the US or overseas. In 2013 they went to Africa. Another trip will be planned soon stateside.
We currently have active growth groups for Bible study and fellowship. Growth groups meet at various times on various days throughout the week. The Helping Hands ministry provides meals for families within the congregation who are in need of extra help due to illness or other life situations. We celebrate life with many activities within the church pot-lucks throughout the year.
activities include a baptismal service at a nearby park. As part of the Spring Green Christmas in the Country weekend, we sponsor a cookie walk and luncheon during the day and the youth sponsor a soup supper in the evening.
Our church supports 8 missionaries both in the US and abroad.
Our church is governed by an Elder Board which is supported by many who oversee the various ministries. Our senior pastor is Kendall Harger.
We are known as the church in the middle of the field. Our building was built in 2003. There is fellowship hall/gymnasium, classrooms, food pantry area, office space, and a library with room for future expansion.
Our church is nestled in the beautiful driftless region of southwestern Wisconsin in the village of Spring Green near the Wisconsin River. Located 45 minutes west of Wisconsin's capital city of Madison, Spring Green, population 1400, is home to Frank Lloyd Wright's home of Taliesin, American Players Theatre, a nationally known classical theater and the House on the Rock, an eclectic collection of novelties. We serve a diverse, primarily rural farming community supplemented by small industries and a strong local artistic element creating an intriguing mix. www.springgreen.com


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Print-On Dividers, 5-Tab, Portrait
Avery Blank Templates Microsoft Word
It's easy to create professional dividers with the topics printed right on the tab using this template.
Compatible Products:
Reviewed by 4 customers
- Easy To Navigate
- Great Features
Best Uses
- Financial Information
- Organizing Data
This review is from AVERY Print-On Dividers, 5-Tab, Portrait:
Easy to follow instructions and learn then test sample. I wish the font would be a little closer to the edge of the tab instead of being partly covered by documents in the binder.
This review is from AVERY Print-On Dividers, 5-Tab, Portrait:
cool product, but absolutely worthless instructions and links. went to dividers, found my set (11511) read the instructions and then stuck. no download link - no right click download for template despite clear instructions to the contrary. might use the product again, but not happy about having to build my own template for this product.
Also why in the name of sanity would I need a nickname as a required field???? you don't even need my real name and I do not want a rash of unasked for advertisements.
This review is from AVERY Print-On Dividers, 5-Tab, Portrait:
I am impressed! I had a huge job to push out the door that required tabbed dividers. Using these tabbed dividers cut down the time I had spent printing individual labels and pasting them onto the blank tab divider.
And talk about fast delivery service...I had received my product in time to reach my deadline!
Thank you Avery for a wonderful product...you have made my job a lot easier! :-)
This review is from AVERY Print-On Dividers, 5-Tab, Portrait:
I require my students to create a drama notebook for class. We use the dividers to seperate the concepts/units that we cover in class. It is easy for them to label the units and they can also create a visual representation of the concept on the divider. This personalizes their notebooks and gives them the opportunity to illustrate their sections according to the dramatic concepts covered. They, as well as their teacher, love them!!


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Satele's gone! Huzzah!
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Satele's gone! Huzzah!
Best news all off-season.
There are two types of quarterbacks in the league: Those whom over time, the league figures out ... and those who figure out the league.
That made my day. Thank goodness. We need a good center, someone who we can pair with Luck for a long time
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
We need a huge sign on LOS similar to the Peyton and Freeney sign that said Thanks. The only difference, Satele's should say "Thanks for nothing"!
On a serious note, it's time to put Luck on Lucas. This will be his third season and I think that carrying the team over the last two years has earned him the honor.
Wait he isn't already on there? I thought he was. Wow that seems rather odd considering.
No, he is not yet on it. As of now, it is Vinatieri and Bethea on the south side of the building facing 1-70. On the north side main entrance facing the downtown skyline, it is Wayne and Mathis. These are the four players who are left from the 2006 championship season, which likely isn't a coincidence. The organization seems to make players "earn" getting their poster on the stadium. Luck has been the face of the franchise for two years, but the organization decided to put older vets on the posters instead. It's time to put Luck up there now and take Bethea down (will always appreciate his services). Luck is now transitioning into a veteran and he's carried the team for two years.
Crazy to think that Luck will already be in year 3, isn't it? Seems like just yesterday that we were going into his rookie year.
Luck probably requested not to be plastered up there, as low-key as he is.
There are two types of quarterbacks in the league: Those whom over time, the league figures out ... and those who figure out the league.
That's a possibility but that doesn't explain his likeness being shown elsewhere away from LOS then I found this and it might have some validity
Instead, it's about how much Luck can make with marketing deals. As Pasquarelli writes, "One of the stumbling blocks in negotiations between Indianapolis and the top overall choice in the draft ... is the proposed inclusion of marketing language that Luck and his representatives, at least so far, regard as strident. One source with knowledge of the talks even suggested that Luck would 'have to clear' marketing proposals with the club."
Peyton Manning, also a No. 1 draft pick for the Colts who went on to become a huge poster-boy for a massive amount of different products, apparently didn't have that kind of clause in his rookie contract.
So, if all this is true, it seems unfair for Indianapolis to try to limit Luck's potential to make money on the side, especially with the rookie cap in its second year. At the same time, some in the Colts organization (according to Pasquarelli) believe that Manning was overexposed, which could be why the franchise is trying to exert some control over this matter.
All of this just makes the Colts look stingy and, well, controlling over the man who's supposed to be the next savior of Indianapolis.
UPDATED (9:41 a.m. ET; June 23): Here is Irsay's response to Pasquarelli's report.
As much as I respect my friend Lenny Pasquarelli;the"One Source"is completely wrong/We're close on #12 n final details unrelated 2 marketing
Last edited by Basketball Fan; 03-06-2014 at 08:15 PM.
#Colts have also made exclusive rights tender to OLB Cam Johnson, qualifying offers to CB Josh Gordy, OG Joe Reitz.— Phillip B Wilson (@pwilson24) March 6, 2014
Roy Hibbert
Edit Signature
I like Tampa's new uniforms except the numbers, and I can't stand the Colts. I think Tampa's will look better in person.
We re-signed McAfee
5 yr deal
14 mil, 5 guar
Last edited by Suaveness; 03-07-2014 at 12:06 PM.
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
I'm happy about it. There's not many punters better than Pat. And from someone that's met him, he's a really cool guy. And he's great for the community.
That puts Pat's salary at 1.8 mil per year, and the guarantee at 1 mil per. 2.8 cap number for each of the next 5 years seems like a lot. Unless they are gonna bite the bullet and put his guarantee on the first season so his cap number THIS year is 6.8 million. They might actually do that so they can have more flexibility when it's time to pay Andrew.
BREAKING: The Saints are officially releasing WR Lance Moore today. (via @AdamSchefter) pic.twitter.com/z9jB4i7FGx— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 7, 2014
Bill Barnwell's take on the Colts' (and the other 31 teams) free agency blueprint:
Indianapolis Colts
Estimated Cap Space: $42,501,028
Likely Cuts: none
Should Re-sign: S Antoine Bethea, RB Donald Brown, CB Vontae Davis, K Adam Vinatieri
Ah, our old friends in Indianapolis. Theyve already been active; they re-signed punter Pat McAfee this morning, added DQwell Jackson after his release from the Browns earlier this week, and no more than 60 seconds after I typed Samson Sateles name as a likely cut, the news came across the wire (well, Twitter) that the Colts were actually doing so. Given their record, lack of draft picks, and large amounts of cap space, theyre expected to be among free agencys biggest spenders for the second consecutive season.
Ive compared the Colts with Andrew Luck to the Cavaliers with LeBron James a few times, and that still holds. LeBron was so valuable that the Cavs could bring in spare parts like Mo Williams, Boobie Gibson, and late-period Shaquille ONeal and still make serious playoff runs, just because James was capable of carrying the team that far on his own. Their success didnt make those acquisitions good moves, and when James left, the team fell apart.5 Likewise, Indy gave a lot of middling players serious money last year in a depressed market, and because it had Luck in a collapsing division, it didnt matter.
The Colts will probably make similar sorts of moves this offseason, paying a premium for replacement-level talent, with the only good news being that rest of the league will likely join them this time around. Rumors are linking them to Eric Decker, and while Decker would undoubtedly produce big numbers with Luck at the helm, there are better ways for Indianapolis to spend its money.6 Just for a moment, though, lets imagine what a dream Colts offseason might look like:
Ideal Free-Agent Blueprint: WR Julian Edelman, OL Evan Dietrich-Smith, DL Arthur Jones, DL Red Bryant, LB Michael Johnson, CB Aqib Talib
Oh, the Patriots want to blow you out in the playoffs? Youll show them. The Colts need top-line talent, and here, they get a bunch of it. Edelman is the slot receiver who represents a perfect contrast with the deep speed of T.Y. Hilton and the tough possession-based approach of Reggie Wayne. Talib and Davis would be an upper-echelon pair of starting cornerbacks, and with the path to the Super Bowl running through Indy, the Colts would be deep at corner with Greg Toler and Darius Butler in part-time roles. Jones and Bryant would be massive upgrades on the defensive line, where Indy is stuck playing veterans like Cory Burr Redding and various cast-offs. And while Johnson isnt a dominant pass-rusher, hes a freak athlete who can make teams pay if they focus too closely on Robert Mathis, and his presence would allow 2013 first-rounder Bjoern Werner more time to develop. If the Colts really want to win now, that would be a truly transformative offseason.
For someone who won executive of the year two seasons ago, I'm not terribly confident in Ryan Grigson.
Why so SERIOUS
There really isn't a better option than Bethea right now. I'm not a fan of him either anymore but we may have to bite the bullet and keep him around a couple more years until we get a better player.
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
Vinatieri's a FA too, that's a curious one to watch. I'd welcome him back but tying up 6 mil or so in cap hits on kickers doesn't seem too smart.
Didn't I once read that McAfee practices field goals could he eventually be more than an insurance policy?
Ever notice how friendly folks are at a shootin' range??.
Yeah, I don't want to overpay, but I was really hoping that he'd finish his career here. He was on the Pats for 10 years and has now played 8 with the Colts. I was really hoping that his tenure here would match the length of that in NE when all is said and done. He'll obviously be most remembered as a Pat when he retires because of the multiple Super Bowls, but he's been pretty big for the Colts too. No one will ever forget those kicks in the Baltimore playoff game in the championship season.
I want Eugene Monroe but thats not very likely, If we cant resign Vontae I would like Verner, if we can somehow get Jarius Byrd I would be estatic but also doubt that it will happen and I would rather have James Jones over Decker
Matt Cassel, Vikings reach new deal
Source: Vikings To Re-Sign Matt Cassel
Ben Goessling discusses the reports that the Vikings will re-sign Matt Cassel to a two-year deal.
NFL Teams Getting Ready For Free Agency
Quarterback Matt Cassel will return to Minnesota next season, signing a two-year deal with the Vikings on Friday, a league source confirmed to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
More From ESPN.com
GoesslingWith Matt Cassel re-signed, the Vikings have their QB bridge, allowing them to be more selective in their search for a QB of the future, writes Ben Goessling. Blog
The deal is worth $10 million, according to CBSSports.com.
Originally signed by the Vikings to back up Christian Ponder last March, Cassel took over the Vikings' starting job in September, filling in for an injured Ponder in a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in London.
He went on to start six games for the Vikings, emerging from their quarterback carousel as the starter at the end of the season once Ponder and Josh Freeman had fizzled. Cassel threw for 1,807 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in nine games total. He passed for 382 yards in a Dec. 15 win against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Matt Cassel
AP Photo/Jim Mone
Matt Cassel led the Vikings in passing yards last season despite starting three less games than Christian Ponder.
Cassel had signed a two-year contract with the Vikings, but it included a clause that let him void his 2014 deal within five days of the Super Bowl. Cassel opted out of his contract on Feb. 7, though the Vikings had stayed in contact with his agent and maintained they wanted to bring the 31-year-old quarterback back on a new deal.
Cassel wound up leading the Vikings in passing yards and touchdowns, despite starting three fewer games than Ponder and losing his job for nearly two months in a bizarre season that saw Minnesota use three different starters in as many weeks in October.
Cassel's new deal with the Vikings was earlier reported by NFL Network.


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Josef wrote:
Today attempted to watch Valkyrie, dramatization of the Claus von Stauffenberg plot to assassinate Hitler towards the end of WW2. Gave up after 10 minutes of Tom Cruise's pathetic Americanisation of Stauffenberg.
Resorted to watching Taken. Not bad. Curious American take on Europe and European culture, but that is to be expected.
Dixie wrote:New Moon.
bomb wrote:
my friends n i all want to see that un theater
is that good?
bomb wrote:how about SHERLOCK HOLMES?
did anyone see that recently?
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ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. - The lawyer for the woman who accused Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston of rape called on Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to conduct an independent investigation into the incident and the Tallahassee Police Department.
At a Friday morning news conference in Zephyrhills, attorney Patricia Carroll ripped into state and police investigators, saying their work was an investigation "into a rape victim, not into a rape suspect."
Bondi has spoken with Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey about a possible formal request from Carroll to look into criminal allegations against TPD, according to a spokeswoman from Bondi's office. No formal request, however, has been received.
Authorities said allegations about elected officials, such as a state attorney, would be directed to the Florida Gov. Rick Scott's office.
During the news conference, Carroll also accused the state of altering medical records released to the media by omitting information about her client's injuries, including the term "sexual assault."
Carroll added that her client had symptoms similar to someone drugged with a so-called rape drug, saying she had memory loss, a strong headache and vomiting.
Carroll said she believes her client was drugged at bar with a shot of alcohol.
"We need to verify she was drugged because that's the only explanation for what happened that day," Carroll said she told Tallahassee police.
But, she said, her client's blood was never tested for rape drugs.
Carroll said two eyewitnesses who corroborated Winston's claim that he had a consensual sexual encounter with her client were football teammates, one of whom is his roommate.
"Their statements are patently false, soup to nuts," said Carroll, adding that they are "biased."
On Dec. 5, Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs announced there was not enough evidence to win a conviction against the Heisman Trophy candidate, mostly because there were too many gaps in his accuser's story.
The accuser didn't identify Winston until about a month after the alleged assault.
Carroll said her client, a FSU student, is trying to get through final exams, arranged through special accommodations made by the university.
"She's not doing well, but she's a strong girl," said Carroll adding that her client leaving school has taken a toll on her. "She left for safety reasons."
Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The standings are still clear.
Right now, four teams are battling for the playoff spot.
The Bucks just fell out of the playoff hunt because of a loss.
The four teams that are still in it are the Detroit Pistons (37-40), Indiana Pacers (33-44), Charlotte Bobcats (34-43), and the New Jersey Nets (32-45).
The Pistons' playoff spot is secure. For the Pacers to make the eighth seed, the Pistons have to lose every game while the Pacers have to win every game.
It will be tough, but anything is possible, right? If they don't make it, hope is on the way for next year.
But is hope on the way this year?
The game the Pacers played in showed that they have heart. They have the determination for the playoffs. They want it badly. Can they do it? Can they actually make it? They haven't made it since the 2005-2006 season. Is the 2008-2009 season the one?
It is unlikely the Pacers will make the playoffs this year, but the Pacers are trying as hard as they can anyways. They can beat the Bobcats for the playoffs. Don't need to worry about that. Right now, it is a battle between the Pistons and Pacers for the playoffs.
Danny Granger brought it on towards the Thunder with his 24 points. Troy Murphy slithered along with his 22 as the Pacers steam-rolled the Thunder by 18 points! Their slim playoff hopes are still alive.
With five suspense games to play, the Pacers are trailing four games behind the Pistons and Bulls, who are both, by the way, tied for the seventh place with a 37-40 record.
"As a collective unit, we didn't want to finish the season on a sour note - regardless of whether we're going to make the playoffs or we're not,'' Granger said. "We've still got to play every game.''
Again, the Pacers shot 50 percent or better. That was the seventh straight game they have done that! With that help, they literally outscored the Thunder by a score of 33-19 in the last quarter.
Four other Pacer players put on numbers, too. Roy Hibbert lead the pack of four with his 17 points. Jarrett Jack followed along with 14 and Brandon Rush went on with 13 points. Acquired from the Raptors, T.J. Ford piled on his points by putting on 12.
"We're not going to make the playoffs,'' Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said. "We could win every game and not make the playoffs. We're too far behind.''
But don't forget, Jim O'Brien: If the Pistons or Bulls lose every game, and the Pacers win every game, look what happens. Don't be so....negative.
And the Pacers, like I said, certainly aren't giving up at all! They have been averaging 110.4 points in their last seven games. Those points are higher than their average. The Pacers have also been 5-2 in the last seven games, also.
"We've just been putting it together lately,'' Granger said. "We've been hitting on all cylinders on the offensive end.''
And with that saying, the Pacers can make the playoffs.
Hope is surely on the way, I guarantee. If they don't make it this year, which it looks like they will, they surely will make it next year. This was probably a rebuilding year for the Pacers. I can see Indy making it next year. If the Pacers just won at least three or four games that they should have won this year, they were in the playoffs.
The luck was bad in those games.
But look where the Pacers have made it so far. They were just one team away from the playoffs. I believed in them the whole year.
If they bring their passion, their pride, they are the Pacers.


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Ellsbury enjoys first multi-hit night since May 4
CHICAGO -- When things are going well for Jacoby Ellsbury, a two-hit, two-walk night is hardly news. But the fact that such a performance on Wednesday drew a crowd around his locker is an indication that the center fielder has been in a pretty good slump.
Perhaps Boston's center fielder is ready to snap out of it.
After reaching base twice on Tuesday, Ellsbury went 2-for-3 with two walks in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the White Sox.
"I feel like I've been having some pretty good ABs," Ellsbury said. "Fortunately tonight, found some grass in the outfield. I've had quite a few of those same swings on balls, just haven't gotten out there. It's just sticking with the plan. You talk about that, but having a good approach, if you have a good approach, good plan, it's a matter of time before good things happen."
It was his first multi-hit game since May 4.
"Well, it feels good," Ellsbury said. "It's the same approach that I've had, same game plan. Everything's pretty much the same. It's just nice to get on base and create havoc and score a run tonight."
For the season, Ellsbury is hitting .249. But Ellsbury is a veteran and knows that all players have peaks and valleys throughout the course of a season.
"I think all of us in this room have played the game long enough," Ellsbury said. "You've just got to stick with the plan, stick with the approach. If you have a good one, stay with it. That's the mentality I'm going to continue to have -- stick with the plan and good things will happen."
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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GOP candidates in 1st District meet in forum
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The Republican hopefuls for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District are scheduled to meet in a candidates' forum.
The event is slated for Saturday in North Charleston and is sponsored by the FreedomWorks organization. The group describes itself as working to advance individual liberty and constitutionally limited government.
Sixteen Republicans are running for the seat that was left vacant when Gov. Nikki Haley appointed former Rep. Tim Scott to the U.S. Senate. The group includes former Gov. Mark Sanford and Teddy Turner, the son of media magnate Ted Turner.
Two Democrats, including Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the sister of comedian Stephen Colbert, are also seeking the seat in the district along the state's south coast.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Men, I hope: otherwise it's just potentially a variant on The Stepford Wives.
And if the men are enslaved then you can have some fun describing what the liberated women get up to...
Time Enough at Last
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As some of you may already know, I've recently finished my magnum opus, The Aquamarine God (think Toltecs and mayhem). I'm taking a little breather to pen a couple of short stories: Attack of the Onion People, and Lepers In Heat.
Attack of the Onion People is a cautionary tale about a gentle florist who takes his experiments in hybridization a little too far, and then something goes horribly wrong...
Lepers In Heat is basically a story of forbidden love that takes place amidst the swamps and bayous of Louisiana; sort of a Papillon and Father Damien meet Blaze Starr triangle of passion, deception, and disease.
Wish me luck!
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Currently working on 2 Short Stories, one about an apocalpse and Daffy duck, the other about book burning in the digital age.
Editing: The Song of Insects (still) and a short story collection
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I finished reading "Merle's Door" which is an absolutely fantastic book about the relationship between a man and a dog and more particularly about what we can learn (or conjecture) by letting a dog roam free. Being a dog person myself, I've never thought about some of the issues that this book brings up.
I'm also going to start reading some of those older "classics" that I've wanted to but never had the chance. On the list is "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscare Wilde and James Joyce's "Ulyssus". I'm glad these things are freely available as eBooks.
It's about the umbrella
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I am currently 4000 words into book two of The Legend of Reason Series. It's a Fantasy novel and follows my first, Mighty Hammer Down.
It's about the umbrella
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This is a great place to promote your writing.. Use your website in your signature and/or promote your books.. How about using your book cover for your avatar? It's a great way to offer gentle reminders to check out your work If you need help converting to the various formats, just ask and one or more of the more experienced members will probably chime in to help.
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Thanks Dreams. I updated my signature. Will get something for a profile pic too.
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Now, how about those of us who don't have Kindles? Do you plan on having other formats available for the rest of us?
**hint, hint, heavy hint**I know everyone likes to put out the pdf but it really isn't a "nice" format to go on our readers (IMO).
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Tales of the Ragoon
Sam's Winnings
Excerpt #1
"I'll bet my sister," said Jack with a grin. The other kids had various reactions.
George gave a wicked laugh, and the large young senior flexed his huge biceps.
Theresa shook her dark brown hair, and the slim junior exclaimed, "No way!"
Lester's blue eyes widened as the junior exclaimed, "Dude!"
Ashley, Jack's blond sister, smacked him on the arm and said angrily, "You jerk!"
Thoroughly stunned, thirteen year old Sam just stared across the wooden kitchen table at Jack, the halfback on the varsity football team at the local high school. His eyes widened as he glanced up at fifteen year old Ashley, the girl of his dreams. The girl was wearing a pair of small denim shorts and halter top that didn't quite cover her bra. She scowled back at Sam.
"Hey, she's my property according to the Ragoon," Jack protested while still grinning. "They haven't made any restrictions on betting your sister in a poker game, at least none that I am aware of. And she's gotta be worth at least a hundred dollars." He ignored Ashley's next shoulder punch.
Excerpt #2
"Well, dude, is it a bet?" asked Jack, his eyes gleaming. He knew very well that the younger boy was in puppy love with Ashley. He was positive that Sam would be unable to resist the temptation.
Sam gulped. He knew in his heart that this was not right. You don't gamble for people. His parents would be appalled if they could see him right now. But Jack was right. Sam could not resist the temptation. Just the thought of owning Ashley made his head swim. Besides he knew that Jack and the other boys would never actually let him win.
"All right," he answered in a squeaky voice. "I accept your bet. What have you got?"
"Four sixes," replied Jack. He smiled confidently as he threw his cards down. Ashley breathed a sigh of relief.
Sam stared at the cards on the table. He looked at his hand, and he gulped again.
"So whatcha got, Sammo," asked George. He suspected that Sam was trying to run a bluff.
Sam laid his cards on the table. "I've got a straight flush, jack high," he whispered. The others looked with astonished faces at Sam's cards.
"Oh, no!" wailed Theresa.
"Damn!" said George.
"Shit!" said Lester.
White faced, Jack and Ashley stared at the cards and then turned to stare at each other.
"Jack," pleaded Ashley.
Jack looked at Sam and cleared his throat. "Hey, Sam," he began. "You know that I was just kidding, right?"
Theresa and the other two older boys echoed Jack's statement.
"Yeah, he was kidding!"
"That's right, Sam."
"Got it, Sammo?" said George with a menacing frown.
"Yeah, I know," muttered Sam. "It was just a joke. Can I leave now?" He got up and started for the door.
"Take your money, Sam," ordered Jack.
There was silence as Sam returned to the table, retrieved the pot and left.
Excerpt #3
Meanwhile, Jack was actually struggling with the lizard that was guarding him so that he could get to his sister. It was futile, of course, and in the end he was dragged into the principal's office wearing chains.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" asked the Ragoon.
For five minutes, Jack ranted at the top of his voice. Jane asked that the outgoing audio be muted to spare the classrooms from hearing the curse words that Jack was spewing at the Ragoon.
Eventually Jack ran out of invective, or maybe he just got tired.
Once he was silent, the Ragoon asked him, "Why in The Spirit's name would you bet your sister in a poker game to win a mere hundred dollars? Your financial statement shows that you have forty thousand dollars in a college fund."
"It was a joke!" snapped Jack.
"A joke?" answered Jane icily. Her calm demeanor had changed. Her eyes were flashing as she stood up, leaned across the table, and slapped Jack's head so hard that he recoiled in astonishment.
"You gambled your sister away for a hundred dollars, Judas," she yelled.
Damn, the crazy woman doesn't even know my name, Jack thought as he leaned back and rubbed his reddening cheek.
Excerpt #4
"These are the transfer of ownership papers," she explained. The faces of both kids paled. "Ashley, usually your brother would have signed the paperwork, but in this case the district supervisor will sign for him. Do you see the places that are checked?"
"Yes," answered Ashley faintly.
"Then please print your name on those lines. At the bottom of the page, there is a place for your signature. Your signature is not absolutely necessary, but the judgment board will probably take your cooperation into consideration if you sign the form."
"I'm not signing anything," stated Sam belligerently. The lizard stirred and was about to speak, just as Ashley turned to Sam.
"Please, Sam," she said in a choked voice. "Just sign the papers. Please." Ashley turned back to the papers. Jane handed her a pen. Carefully, her hand shaking, Ashley printed her name on the three checked lines, and then she signed her name at the bottom of the form. She pushed the papers toward Sam.
Numbly, Sam printed his name and signed the form. Jane took the papers, and she laid them in front of the district supervisor. The lizard reached down and lifted a briefcase onto the table. It opened the briefcase, and it took out a large round flat metal container that looked like an oversized tobacco tin. It opened the tin and it pressed it's hand against the solid matter inside the tin. Then it lifted it's hand and pressed it against the paper form that Ashley and Sam had just signed. When it lifted it's hand again, there was a faint but noticeable impression on the page.
Jane sighed, and then she said to Ashley, "Ashley Thurber, you are now the legal property of Sam Wilson. Do you understand this?"
"Yes," answered Ashley faintly.
Excerpt #5
Sam was relieved when Ashley was returned to their room. She seemed fine now. There was no sign of the sadness or panic that she had exhibited earlier. To their surprise, the lights did not dim until ten o'clock. They lay down on their mattress. They were laying on the backs and talking softly when Ashley finally nerved herself to bring up the subject.
"Sam, if it's okay with you, could you give me a little time to get used to things before we... before we...you know...do it?"
"Do what?" asked Sam innocently.
"You know, do It," replied Ashley somewhat exasperated as she emphasized 'It'. Now that she had gotten the nerve to broach the subject, she thought that the least Sam could do was to understand without her having to use a graphic word.
Still puzzled, Sam turned to look at her, and then it dawned on him what she meant by 'It'.
His mouth dropped open in astonishment, and then he exclaimed, "Are you crazy? Do you know what my Dad would do to me if I did it with you? And my Mom would kill me!"
It was Ashley's turn to be surprised. "You mean that you haven't been thinking about it? I mean we are going to be sleeping together. And technically, you own me."
"No, I haven't thought about it," replied Sam. Well, not much, he thought to himself guiltily. "And I don't own you. I don't care what those reptiles say."
Excerpt #6
It spoke. "Sam Wilson and Ashley Thurber, this hearing is to decide the final disposition of your case. Sam Wilson, we are undecided about your ability to control Ashley Thurber. We are considering removing her from your possession and making her the property of the Ragoon. Do you have an opinion about this?"
Sam's temper flared. "You can't just take her away from me and keep her for yourselves. Ashley is mine. Your rules say so."
"Technically you are correct. However, if we decide that you are unable to control this girl, we can remove her from your possession. It would be better for her and for you. Can you convince us that you can control the girl?"
Sam was really steamed now. But he knew that Ashley wanted him to do whatever it took to get them out of the clutches of the Ragoon. He tried to calm down and think of something to say.
"You know that we don't like to undress in front of anyone. We like our privacy. We sure don't like to undress in front of a crowd. It's embarrassing to us. It's humiliating to us."
The aliens looked at each other. One gave the equivalent of a shrug. The District Supervisor turned back to Sam.
"We are aware of this," it said.
Sam took a deep breath. Okay, Ash, he thought to himself, here goes.
"Ashley, take off your clothes," the boy commanded in a firm voice.
Ashley didn't hesitate. Even as she trembled, she crossed her arms and pulled the pillow case blouse over her head. Then she untied the string holding the two straps of her skirt together, and she let it drop to the floor. She stepped out of the circle of the skirt and toward Sam. Without looking at her, Sam stretched out his right arm and curled it around Ashley's waist. He pulled the bared and blushing girl tightly against him.
"You see?" he said to the aliens. "She will do whatever I tell her to do, even if it embarrasses and humiliates her."
The District Supervisor looked at the other two lizards, and then it glanced from the boy to the girl and then back to the boy.
"Very well," it said. "You have demonstrated your control over the girl. You may keep her. Tomorrow, the two of you will be returned to your hometown."
Staring at the aliens, Sam ordered, "Put your clothes on, Ashley."
The teenager hastily complied. She and Sam were led away.
The District Supervisor turned to Jane. "That was unexpected," it said.
Jane looked at the door that had closed behind the two teenagers. "Humans can be like that," she murmured.
Back in their room, Sam faced Ashley with downcast eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ash," he moaned. "I couldn't think of anything else."
Ashley slid two of her fingers under his chin and lifted it. Reluctantly, he met her gaze. To his surprise, she was smiling. She snaked one hand around his waist. She kissed him lightly on his lips.
"You were perfect," she said. "I loved the way you played Conan."
Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Then he laughed too. "Yeah, it just came to me. What would Arnold do?" They laughed together. Ashley laid down and their bed and stared at the ceiling.
"I think that you did it, Sam," she said softly. "I think that they just might let us go."
Excerpt #7
Then Ashley noticed that Sam's mother was looking at her over Sam's shoulder. Gently the woman moved Sam away and into the arms of his father. She approached Ashley.
"Hello," she said with a tentative smile. "I'm Marisa Wilson, Sam's mother. You must be Ashley."
Mrs. Wilson's friendly greeting only added to Ashley's feeling of guilt.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry that you have to let me stay at your house." Her eyes moistened.
Marisa listened in astonishment to the girls apology. Then her eyes narrowed. She stepped forward quickly and took the teenagers face between her hands. She lifted the girls face so that Ashley had to look at Marisa's eyes.
"You listen to me, young lady," said Marisa fiercely. "This is definitely not your fault."
"Well, it's my brother, Jack's fault," responded Ashley. "And he's my brother, so it's kind of my fault too."
"It is not your fault, Ashley," repeated Marisa. "It is not Sam's fault. And it's not your brother's fault. This is the fault of the Ragoon. No one asked them to come here. No one asked them to impose their rules on us. This is the Ragoon's fault."
"That's right," agreed Jane suddenly. "This is the Ragoon's fault." She gave an unfriendly glance at the bored lizard waiting impatiently in the van.
Mr. Wilson was listening. He stepped forward and said. "Yes, ma'am, you are right."
Then he looked at Ashley, "Welcome to our home, young lady," he said to her and he held out his hand. "I'm Larry." Ashley gave him a grateful smile and shook his hand.
Mr. Wilson looked back at Jane. "I guess we are all set here. Come back when you are alone and we'll have some Yankee pot pie." Both Marisa and Jane looked startled.
Marisa bit her lip. It was not easy in these times to balance one's love of country with one's family. They did not know this woman, and she worked for the Ragoon. Could she be trusted? Marisa gathered her courage. "Yes," she agreed. "Come and I will make some doodles to go with it." She held her breath.
Jane's eyes met the man's and then the woman's. "Someday," she said softly. "Someday I will, and what ever you make will be just dandy." The three human adults smiled. It felt good to defy the Ragoon, no matter how small the defiance.
Excerpt #9
She thought about her mother and sister. Only three more months until she could see them. She had to hold on for their sakes. She couldn't give in to her despair. What was her mother thinking? It was so cruel of the Ragoon to send her back to Oakdale and to not tell her mother.
It was more comfortable in Sam's bed. It was wider, and they had covers. And she had clothes again. Mrs. Wilson was not that much taller than Ashley was. Mrs. Wilson had taken Ashley to her closet and they had rummaged through Marisa's clothes until they found several dresses that she could wear. Mrs. Wilson assured her that she would sew and hem the dresses until they fit Ashley well. And right now, she was wearing one of Mr. Wilson's old sweat shirts. It was bulky, just the way she like them, and it fell down almost to her knees.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had been very kind to her. They had welcomed her with open arms and they had made her feel as secure as they could. Sam's sister, Leslie, was more reserved. She wasn't sure yet that she liked this strange girl who had caused her brother so much trouble.
Ashley wondered if the other kids had been released yet. Were they home with their parents? Did they blame her too? She wondered if she would see them around town and she wondered what they would say to each other. She knew that they too would be doing community service during the summer. Like Ashley, they were doomed to repeat a grade in high school. She imagined that would be especially rough on George. He should have graduated by now. Now he was stuck in high school for another year.
It was nice and toasty in this bed. She and Sam were lying on their sides as they usually did. And even though there was plenty of space in the bed, she was pressed up to Sam's back. She smiled to herself as she remembered Sam's embarrassment when he pulled out his pajamas. They were super hero pajamas. Hastily, he had shoved them back into the drawer, and then he announced that he was sleeping in his briefs from now on. She was drowsy. She fell asleep.
Last edited by morriss003; 03-16-2009 at 07:10 PM.
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@ Morris003: Interesting! Is this a novel you're working on?
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I'm Joanna Powell Colbert, and this is Gaian Soul, a sanctuary for everyday mystics to gather together.
Here, we forge a deep connection to our own place on this planet. Perhaps you've been drawn here because you seek a more meaningful life, or because you want to develop a richer bond with nature through earth-centered spiritual practices. You may be in search of a more regular communion with the Sacred Feminine or a devotional, spiritual path through expression of your own creativity. Perhaps you seek all of these things.
Whatever your personal quest for wisdom or how you choose to apply it, my place here is to inspire you, to share the information with you that I have gathered throughout my life, and to activate you in your personal transformation and in finding the clarity you seek.
Together, we share in a rich tradition of creatives and mystics whose connection to the earth has enriched our collective experience and served to manifest dreams of a deeper existence.
Your stories, and your gifts, are vital to mending the web of life on this planet.
In all that I do – including e-courses, retreats, consultations, artwork, and my tarot decks, the Gaian Tarot and the Pentimento Tarot – I balance starry-eyed spiritual mysticism with everyday, shoe-leather practicality, supporting you in opening your mind to the potential of the universe while grounding you in concrete, daily practices that will better establish your connection to the earth.
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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotelMotel in Clute with free breakfast and outdoor pool
Popular property highlights
Situated in Clute, this motel is 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from Sea Center Texas and 2.6 mi (4.3 km) from Lake Jackson Historical Museum. Brazosport Museum of Natural Science and Wilderness Golf Course are also within 6 mi (10 km).
Property Features
Along with an outdoor pool, this motel has a bar/lounge and a seasonal outdoor pool. Free continental breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include meeting rooms, dry cleaning, and laundry facilities.
Room Amenities
All 97 rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves, plus free WiFi and TVs with cable channels. Other amenities available to guests include coffee makers, free local calls, and hair dryers.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Super 8 Lake Jackson / Clute
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access.
Event facilities measuring 3000 square feet (279 square meters) include a meeting room. This Clute motel also offers an outdoor pool, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and laundry facilities. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Free breakfast
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Total number of rooms - 97
- 24-hour front desk
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Number of floors - 2
- Bar/lounge
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- One meeting room
- Meeting rooms 2
- RV, bus, truck parking
- Free self parking
- Conference space size (feet) - 3000
- Conference space size (meters) - 279
- Free RV, bus, truck parking
- Number of buildings/towers - 3
- Outdoor pool
- Outdoor seasonal pool
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, RV, bus, truck parking, Free RV, bus, truck parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Access via exterior corridors
- Air conditioning
- Free local calls
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave
- Hair dryer
- Television
- Cable TV service
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Free WiFi
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Cribs/infant beds (surcharge)
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary continental breakfast each morning.
Onsite venue - This bar specializes in American cuisine and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the motel include an outdoor pool.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Scuba diving nearby
- Golfing nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10 per night.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available for USD 10 per night.
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 20 per pet, per night
- Smoking rooms only
- Pet-friendly rooms can be requested by contacting the property at the number on the booking confirmation
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Pet fee: USD 20 per pet, per night
- Crib (infant bed) fee: USD 10 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 10 per night
Hotel Name
- SUPER 8 Motel LAKE JACKSON CLUTE
- Super 8 Lake Jackson Clute Motel
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. This property allows pets in smoking rooms only (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section). Guests can request one of these rooms by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.


text:
A Case Management Intervention to Prevent ER Visits in HIV-infected Persons
This study has been terminated.
(Intervention was taken up as a standard of care.)
University of California, San Francisco
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
University of California, San Francisco
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: September 13, 2005
Last updated: January 21, 2014
Last verified: January 2014
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
Case management has become an integral part of HIV care. There is little science however demonstrating its effectiveness. This is a randomized, controlled trial of a phone call intervention after an ER visit to see if this can reduce further ER visits, hospitalizations, deaths, and cost.
|Behavioral: Case manager phone call after an ER visit
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Prevention
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: HIV/AIDSU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by University of California, San Francisco:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Death, hospitalizations, ER visits, LOS [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Cost [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
|Study Start Date:
|April 2004
|Study Completion Date:
|January 2013
|Primary Completion Date:
|January 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Intervention
Phone call after an ER visit.
|Behavioral: Case manager phone call after an ER visit
No Intervention: Control
No phone call after an ER visit.
Detailed Description:
One year retrospective look at outcome measures followed by a one year trial of a phone call after each ER visit in half of the group. Outcomes measured are cost, ER visits, hospitalizations, death, length of stay. Adults only, English or Spanish, questionnaire on depression, appointments, drug use with referral to case management services, drug rehab services, or followup appointments. Time for intervention is recorded to estimate cost.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patient in our clinic as of 4-1-04
Exclusion Criteria:
- <18 years old
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00187590
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00187590
|United States, California
|University Medical Center
|Fresno, California, United States, 93702
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of California, San Francisco
|Principal Investigator:
|Roger B Mortimer, MD
|UCSF-Fresno Medical Eduction Program
More Information
Keywords provided by University of California, San Francisco:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|University of California, San Francisco
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00187590 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 13, 2005
|Last Updated:
|January 21, 2014
Keywords provided by University of California, San Francisco:
case management
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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A WINCHESTER man is set to take on one of the toughest challenges in Hampshire to raise money for charity despite having been diagnosed with cancer.
Derek Weaver, of Alresford Road, will spend 24 hours walking 106 kilometres around the Isle of Wight, on August 23, even though he was told he had prostate cancer in July.
His illness came to light a short while after the 66-year-old underwent a routine blood test earlier in the year.
Now, in a bid to raise £2,000 for Cancer Research UK by taking part in the Isle of Wight Challenge, Mr Weaver has put his own treatment on hold.
He found out about the disease after he registered for the challenge because of his love of walking and will stride the Isle together with his 31-year-old son John.
"I just decided to do it for the challenge," Mr Weaver said. "I do quite a bit of walking anyway and like to keep fit but ultimately it was the challenge that made me want to do it. I like to have something on the horizon."
Mr Weaver, who lives with his wife Janet, also 66, said he's confident the cancer won't stop him in his tracks and his doctors have said they're happy for him to begin his treatment in September.
Mr Weaver, who is also father to 34-year-old Kerry, said: "I probably will be affected a little bit because the illness is making me quite tired."
"Somehow it wasn't a surprise because I'd gone through a series of tests," he added. "There wasn't an 'oh my God' moment of realisation because the tests found this and the idea had already built up over the last six months.
"I've never done anything this big before. In training I've got up to 55 km which took me 12 hours so hopefully I'll do it."
To donate to Mr Weaver's cause visit justgiving.com/Derek-Weaver.


text:
Serpentine Pully kits have been around for years, and the explosion felt in the aftermarket industry has certainly made an impact on the market, leaving consumers puzzled as to which products they can trust to get the job done on their dream builds. Look no further than industry leader March Performance as they have become the go-to manufacturer for quality serpentine kits. The company, based out of Florida, has 25 years of experience in automotive performance products, and they can help you get the right parts the first time. With a vast selection and applications to choose from, they emphasize that making the best product choices will be up to a builder's individual preference and style when it comes time to pick a system's components. Rest assured that whatever your needs might be, this is one company that has it all.
This month, we dressed up our 5.3 truck motor with a reliable serpentine kit. After talking to March Performance, they put us on the right track as they suggested their Pro track LS-1, LS-2, LS-7 performance serpentine kit. This kit features an Alternator, A/C, and Canister Style Power Steering. Consumers love this kit because of the styling, price point, and its reliability; or in our case, because it was one of the latest pulley kits out on the LS market!
With a knowledgeable tech staff that is available to help you with any questions you may have before, during, and after installation, March Performance goes the extra mile in customer service. We took advantage of their tech support and called them to get a belt size once we finished the install; a process that only took us a few hours once we actually got started. Now follow along as we bolt on this March Performance serpentine kit!
1. The March Pro track kit comes complete with everything that you will need.
2. Talk about smoke and mirrors! This 5.3 looks like an LS1. Regardless, our truck motor was ready to be put on the right track.
3. The high output alternator was ready to be assembled and receive the fan and pulleys.
4. This alternator looked like a million bucks with the new pulley.
5. To get ahead, we added the cover to our air conditioning compressor.
6. With the cover on the compressor, it was smooth sailing as the compressor itself was ready to be installed.
7. The kit came with a brand new water pump that assured the engine would run at cool and regular temperatures.
8. To quicken the assembly, we installed the water pump pulley on the pump.
9. With the pulley and cover attached, the water pump was ready to be installed.
10. The alternator bracket and water pump were assembled at the same time.
11. We started of by lightly tightening the water pump as the other side will also be receiving bolts.
12. The alternator and spacer bolted to the head.
13. We bolted the idler pulley to the alternator bracket.
14. The idler pulley was dressed up, as it received a billet cover.
15. On the passenger side of the water pump, the OEM style tension bracket was bolted on. Once this is attached, it allows you to torque down the water pump to avoid any leaks.
16. This OEM style tension set up helps to give your car the custom look with all the reliability of a modern car.
17. The AC bracket was bolted onto the chrome plated Sanden compressor.
18. Putting the spacer and bolts through the AC pump made it easier to install.
19. The AC spacer will align the pulleys.
20. To make sure that the torque from the engine didn't cause belt slippage, we also added this bracket to the AC pump.
21. This bracket was adjustable and needed to be dialed in before doing a final bolt down.
22. The L bracket kept the compressor from moving as it bolted the compressor down to the head on the engine.
23. After tapping out our engine block, we were able to bolt down the power steering base.
24. March Performance made it easy with their power steering pump, as they made the pulley a two-part set up.
25. With the base of the pulley press fitted on directly from March, all you need to do is tighten down these three bolts that keep the pulley in place.
26. When installing this kit, you will need to use a stock-style harmonic balancer from a 2001 LS1 Camaro. This will give you the offset that you need for the pulleys to line up.
27. The last pulley went on with ease and all that was left for us to do was run off to our local auto parts store and buy our 5-groove belt.


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Yet another game we start JJ instead of Curry and yet another time the oposing team is not allowed to get out to a huge lead at the begining of the game. I hope the puts to rest any thoughts that Rick may have had of ever starting Curry again.
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Yet another game we start JJ instead of Curry and yet another time the oposing team is not allowed to get out to a huge lead at the begining of the game. I hope the puts to rest any thoughts that Rick may have had of ever starting Curry again.
Do you really think it is because Curry is not in the lineup. I could list 10 factors involved in the "faster starts" and Curry not starting would not make my list.
P.S. Ragnar, I thought AJ had a horrible game tonight
I think it helps to have JJ in instead. JJ draws the defense a little when he's not hitting, and much more when he IS hitting, like in the first half tonight.
He also keeps his man in front of him better than Curry.
JJ does need to work on his passing, it isn't very good.
I think the pros I mentioned vs that one con is worth starting him until Jackson is back.
I would definatly put it in the top 10 in fact I would put it in the top 3. You dont seem to put any weight to the impact it makes on the rest of the team. When Curry starts Jermaine has to do more because they will double off of Curry a lot more than off of JJ. Also Curry can not guard his man. Not that JJ is a great defender but he clearly does a better job than Curry. So since JJ's man is not blowing by him on every play like he is if Curry is in there Jermaine does not have to come over to help out as much.Originally Posted by Unclebuck
I was not going to say anything.Originally Posted by Unclebuck
Curry is gone when Jackson comes back right?
You're so kind.
As far as Curry v. JJ, I understand all the arguments that you are making, but I don't see much difference in the effect on the team.
I'll be glad in 6 more games when Jax will start, and this debate will end.
I think Curry was a good pickup for the team. I dont mind him playing arround 8 to 10 minutes a game. I just dont want to see him start ever again in my life.
I would much rather keep him than Edwards. At least Curry was an NBA player something Edwards will never be qualified to say.
Of course I would rather see Holcomb on the team than either one of them.
Ok lets try a hypothetical for you.
Can you see a difference between if AJ started or Tinsley started?
P.S. I will also be glad to have Jack back and there will be no chance that Curry will ever start again.
Yes, oh yes a huge difference. Ragnar you know I'm on board with Tinsley, I was defending him a couple of weeks ago (when others were ripping him)for getting a few technicals.
I am just trying to make sure you know that there is a difference in games between who starts.
I really think JJ is an underrated defender. On top of that he spreads the floor and that can not be over looked.
How can anyone not see the difference of not having Curry out there? The plus/minus numbers (both for this year and past years) back up the fact that he hurts the team far more than any other player. In the three blowout losses, the team with Curry on the bench got outscored by 16 pts/48 min while the team with Curry in got outscored by 32 pts/48 min. Curry as a starter has always been responsible for his teams having slow starts (it happened all the time in Detroit). There's absolutely no reason to defend him (in more ways than one).
I do have to agree that having JJ in the lineup makes our team look much better. And they seem to be playing better. Especially defensively
Don't ask Marvin Harrison what he did during the bye week. "Batman never told where the Bat Cave is," he explained.
Of course I'm part of the James Jones bandwagon, so obviously I like him starting.
He can shoot, although like other have said, he needs to shoot more. Also he's a very long defender, but the one problem is that he's not the quickest guy in the world. Nothing against Curry, but he's just out of shape.
I think a bigger factor is that we are not playing the Mavs, Spurs or Suns on a road trip.
Neither player should be starting...unfortunately one of them pretty much has to start.
It's either that or start Fred.
Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.
"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thats teamwork."
-John Wooden
The second biggest factor is that the coaches actually drew up a game plan for Phoenix. Listen to the quotes on Pacers.com, Jeff admits they weren't prepared the first game and were totally lost out there.
The biggest factor is obvious. Mark Boyle even talked about it in the post game. The change between this game and the last was Scot. He alone is worth a 53-point swing. We're 7-0 when he plays. As Scot himself said, you can't argue with those numbers.
Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!
But yeah, I prefer JJ starting at 3.


text:
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text:
Wells' departure complicates roster decisions
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Vernon Wells' departure has given the Angels some much-desired payroll flexibility, but it has also clouded their bench situation.
With Wells joining the Yankees, the Angels no longer have that everyday-type player in reserve -- a luxury most American League clubs are not afforded -- and manager Mike Scioscia may go down to the wire with his final roster decisions.
But Scioscia doesn't believe the Angels' bench necessarily took a step back with Wells no longer an option.
"For an everyday player on the bench, usually it's a tougher task when you are not used to that role," he said. "Last year, we saw that with Vernon. I think Vernon is a guy that needs to get out there and get his at bats and learn from some things that aren't working. He needs that playing time."
In addition to their starting nine, the Angels have 10 position players left in camp. All have at least an outside chance to make the roster, and most of them started against the D-backs on Tuesday night.
Here's where they each stand with six days left before Opening Day ...
Backup catcher: Chris Snyder, Hank Conger and John Hester remain. Making Snyder the backup catcher would be the Angels' best chance of preserving their depth at the position. Snyder, acquired on March 18, can opt out of his contract if not on the Opening Day roster. Conger, who has been inconsistent with his throwing all spring, has options left. But Conger is the most talented of the trio.
Backup infielder: Andrew Romine -- already on the 40-man roster and home-grown -- came into camp looking like the heavy favorite and hasn't done anything to dispel that. Brendan Harris, Luis Jimenez, Efren Navarro and Luis Rodriguez are the others, and now that Wells is gone, they still have a chance.
Backup outfielder: Only Kole Calhoun and J.B. Shuck, both of whom play all three outfield spots and bat left-handed, remain. Calhoun is home-grown and on the 40-man. But he's 8-for-40 this spring. Shuck is 15-for-42.
Fourth bench spot: This is where it gets tricky. With the other three spots, the Angels will have a catcher, a versatile infielder and a left-handed-hitting outfielder. The fourth spot will depend on Scioscia's preference.
If it's a defensive first baseman, since either Albert Pujols or Mark Trumbo figure to be the designated hitter most nights, then Navarro could win a spot. If it's a right-handed-hitter, then Jimenez has an upper-hand. If it's an extra infielder, giving Scioscia the freedom to use Romine as a pinch-runner, Rodriguez and Harris could get extended looks.
The Angels currently have four spots open on the 40-man roster and general manager Jerry Dipoto said the team will fill out its bench in-house.
But Scioscia isn't tipping his hand.
"There are two ways to look at it, micro and macro," Scioscia said. "You are looking at moves within the game and you are looking at at-bats within a season you are going to need. There are a lot of things to look at. It gives you different lineups. We're going to look at it very closely as we get down to the wire."
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Gonzo and "The Show", and follow him on Twitter @Alden_Gonzalez. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Click on the headline (link) for the full text.
Many more articles are available through the Energy Bulletin homepage.
Why our food is making us fat
Jacques Peretti, Guardian
We are, on average, 3st heavier than we were in the 60s. And not because we're eating more or exercising less – we just unwittingly became sugar addicts
… Why are we so fat? We have not become greedier as a race. We are not, contrary to popular wisdom, less active – a 12-year study, which began in 2000 at Plymouth hospital, measured children's physical activity and found it the same as 50 years ago. But something has changed: and that something is very simple. It's the food we eat. More specifically, the sheer amount of sugar in that food, sugar we're often unaware of.
The story begins in 1971. Richard Nixon was facing re-election. The Vietnam war was threatening his popularity at home, but just as big an issue with voters was the soaring cost of food. If Nixon was to survive, he needed food prices to go down, and that required getting a very powerful lobby on board – the farmers. Nixon appointed Earl Butz, an academic from the farming heartland of Indiana, to broker a compromise. Butz, an agriculture expert, had a radical plan that would transform the food we eat, and in doing so, the shape of the human race.
Butz pushed farmers into a new, industrial scale of production, and into farming one crop in particular: corn. US cattle were fattened by the immense increases in corn production. Burgers became bigger. Fries, fried in corn oil, became fattier. Corn became the engine for the massive surge in the quantities of cheaper food being supplied to American supermarkets: everything from cereals, to biscuits and flour found new uses for corn.
… By the mid-70s, there was a surplus of corn. Butz flew to Japan to look into a scientific innovation that would change everything: the mass development of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), or glucose-fructose syrup as it's often referred to in the UK, a highly sweet, gloppy syrup, produced from surplus corn, that was also incredibly cheap. HFCS had been discovered in the 50s, but it was only in the 70s that a process had been found to harness it for mass production. HFCS was soon pumped into every conceivable food: pizzas, coleslaw, meat. It provided that "just baked" sheen on bread and cakes, made everything sweeter, and extended shelf life from days to years. A silent revolution of the amount of sugar that was going into our bodies was taking place.
… Moreover, there was something else going on. The more sugar we ate, the more we wanted, and the hungrier we became. At New York University, Professor Anthony Sclafani, a nutritionist studying appetite and weight gain, noticed something strange about his lab rats. When they ate rat food, they put on weight normally. But when they ate processed food from a supermarket, they ballooned in a matter of days. Their appetite for sugary foods was insatiable: they just carried on eating.
According to Professor Jean-Marc Schwarz of San Francisco hospital, who is currently studying the precise way in which the major organs of the body metabolise sugar, this momentum creates "a tsunami" of sugar. The effect this has on different organs in the body is only now being understood by scientists.
(11 June 2012)
Greece's 'potato movement' grows in power
John Psaropoulos, Al Jazeera
A growing group of grassroots activists are cutting out agricultural middlemen and connecting farmers and shoppers.
Athens, Greece – When an economy shrinks, prices are meant to go down in response to falling demand. This has not happened in Greece – at least not yet. While the Greek economy shrank by an average of five per cent a year between 2009 and 2011, consumer prices rose by an average 3.7 per cent a year. The combination of falling revenues and rising prices has led to an explosive political mix.
It is not politicians but grassroots activism that has come to address this issue. In April, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) reported a 24.6 per cent drop in potato prices from March 2011 – the largest ever one-year drop in any commodity. The reason for this historic deflation was what has come to be known as the potato movement – and it is having an empowering effect on Greeks, not only as consumers, but also as citizens and voters.
The seminal event of the movement was a free distribution of more than ten tons of spuds in the centre of Greece's northern metropolis, Thessaloniki, on February 5. It was organised by a group of farmers from the village of Nevrokopi, Greece's potato-growing capital.
The farmers were protesting against imports of Egyptian potatoes – while they had barns full of the Greek product – after a meeting between the agriculture minister and potato importers days earlier failed to yield any concessions.
… The entire greater Thessaloniki area now holds regular sales of cheap produce, and the movement has spread south to the capital, Athens, and beyond.
The potato movement is changing the food market. "Competition has increased," Kamenidis told Al Jazeera. "The stores that once sold for 75 cents are selling for 45 cents, and I heard prices as low as 19 cents." And the effect has not been limited to potatoes. Other basic durable goods such as olive oil, flour, rice, and honey have also gone on sale directly from producers, undercutting market prices by half.
… Arnaoutoglou was vindicated. She and the growers she coordinates sold their potatoes at the cost price of 25 cents a kilo, and have cash in hand to sow next year's crop. Those who held out for a higher price are stuck with potatoes they may have to sell over the border to Bulgarian middlemen for 10 cents a kilo, or with cheques and IOUs from Greek middlemen that haven't been honoured in two years. She now plans to sell abroad via a website.
Perhaps the ability to foster a can-do spirit and generalise it is the potato movement's most lasting – and subtle – contribution to Greek culture. It has already begun to transform civic attitudes in Katerini. "It takes me an hour to walk a kilometre from my house to the centre of town, because people stop me and the other volunteers and beg us to take over the local government," Tsolakidis told Al Jazeera. "This happens every day. They see this movement as something very hopeful."
The group's organisational power and economic potential give it a possibly subversive political appeal. "We can mobilise more people than anyone else," Tsolakidis told Al Jazeera. "We receive about 5,500 orders for each sale of produce, representing about 45,000 people, or 55 per cent of the population of our town … Political gatherings are lucky if they get 50 people."
(11 June 2012)
Australia's two biggest supermarket chains are reshaping the nation's agriculture
Melissa Fyfe and Royce Millar, Sydney Morning Herald
Does the food business stack up?
Australia's two biggest supermarket chains are reshaping the nation's agriculture, diet and understanding of what fresh food is.
IN THE middle of the night, while Melbourne sleeps, they arrive. Every night the big trucks come, some from the fringes of the city, others from Queensland, some from South Australia. As the early-morning hours tick on, they unload bananas, mangoes, packs of herbs.
By 8am at Woolworths' distribution centre in Mulgrave, this nationwide logistical feat is over and another begins. Within 24 hours, most of these fruits and vegetables are repacked and trucked to 189 stores around the state.
It wasn't always like this. Once, buyers from Coles and Woolworths-Safeway joined the early-morning haggle at Footscray's wholesale fruit and vegetable market. In the past decade, after multimillion-dollar investments, the supermarket giants have turned their supply chains inside out.
(4 June 2012)
The system is apparently moving in the wrong direction at the moment! Any disruption to fuel supplies will have very large impacts. -ML
Food, Farmers and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement
Andrea Brower, Scoop (New Zealand)
I write this as an American living in Aotearoa who is deeply concerned by the 'trade' deal being negotiated between our countries (or more correctly, between our countries corporations and their political cronies). On America's side, Monsanto, Big Pharma, and Wall Street are attempting to manipulate New Zealand's laws to eliminate anything that might get in the way of their expansion and bottom-line. On New Zealand's side, Fonterra hopes for access to the US market. So they are endeavoring to devise a plan amongst themselves (and the elite of several other countries) to maximize their interests (profit, power, market consolidation) — a plan brilliantly named with the most amiable of words, the 'Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement'(hereafter referred to simply as the TPP).
I say 'devise a plan amongst themselves' without sounding like too much of a conspiracy theorist because there is really no other way to describe closed-door talks that include 600 corporate advisors and exclude journalists, civil society, and Members of US Congress / New Zealand Parliament. Participating countries have agreed that no background documents will be released until four years after the agreement comes into force, and since the US took control of the negotiations, the only pretense of transparency (a daylong 'stakeholder' programme) has been removed. Not only is the unprecedented secrecy surrounding the TPP fundamentally anti-democratic, but the agreement itself is attempting to establish corporations rights to skirt domestic courts and laws and sue governments directly (demanding taxpayer compensation for any domestic law they believe will diminish their 'expected future profits').
There is a lot to loose in the TPP — control over land and resources, the tino rangatiratanga of Maori, affordable medicine, intellectual and cultural heritage, internet freedom, the ability to regulate the financial sector, tobacco laws… (check out tppwatch.org and citizen.org). But lets start in this article with food and agriculture, since Fonterra's bottom-line is the only justification I've heard for the deal on New Zealand's side. There are three main points to be made about ag and the TPP: it's bad for farmers and local food security, especially in less industrialized countries; it's bad for New Zealand ag and food safety; and it's not even good for Fonterra.
(3 June 2012)


text:
Frequently Asked Questions: NSR Australia – National Scouting Report How did Football NSW get my son's/daughter's details?
Contact details were retrieved from the My Football Club database where all players are required to register in order to play football in NSW.
How has my son/daughter been identified?
All boys and girls invited to a particular trial are randomly selected based on:
• Age
• Address
• Level of football played in 2013
Who are NSR?
NSR Australia is an agency that provides student-athletes with the opportunity to play football in the USA whilst studying for the degree of their choice. Some student-athletes may be offered part or full scholarships by some educational institutions, however a scholarship is not guaranteed.
How did Football NSW become involved with NSR?
NSR are associated with a number of state football bodies around the country, with NSW being the last on the list to partner with NSR. Football NSW initially wanted to gauge how the program operated, what was needed and to see if it would genuinely have the opportunity to positively impact a player's football experience.
Some facts about NSR's recruitment:
• 283 players travelled to the USA in August 2013 which is up from a total 187 players in 2011.
• 84% of Australian soccer athletes who play regularly in college remain in the USA for 3 or more academic years
• 79% of Australian soccer athletes who do not play regularly in college remain in the USA for average 13 months
For further information about the process or NSR, please contact their Head Office on 03 9773 1333 or phone David Plowright at Football NSW on 02 8814 4430