text:
Easy and delicious chocolate mint cookies!
PB&J&J (Peanut Butter & Jelly & Jalapeno)
Brown Butter- Toffee Pecan Blondies
Sinfully rich Belgium Chocolate Cake with a luxurious chocolate mousse filling!
Apple Cinnamon Baked Cake Doughnuts--You can't go wrong with the perfect combination of apples and cinnamon!
Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pudding Pops
Watercress Citrus Salad with Olive-Caper Vinaigrette
Gluten-Free Banana Buckwheat Cake with Peanut Butter Penuche Frosting
Cream Cheese Crab Muffins. A savoury treat to share with friends. Crisp and creamy in just one bite.
Pork and chorizo filled Filipino empanada with extra crisp and flaky pastry.
Indian Green Chutney...a transcendent dipping sauce made with cilantro and mint
French toast made with homemade English muffins - reminiscent of a funnel cake.
An over the top black truffled offering from Burger King in Hong Kong.
Divine cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting
Creamy Hungarian mushroom cream soup, finished with sour cream and a splash of vinegar.
Personalised your cheese platter with homemade crackers - try polenta, parmesan & thyme crackers.
Lemon curd
Peanut and Sesame Chutney Powder - A staple of Southern Indian kitchen. Vegan.
Apple and persimmon tarte tatin
Triple Chocolate Protein Cake Bars. Decadent and healthy at the same time! Perfect for a pre or post workout snack.
Tri Color Chipotle Bacon Potato Salad. A smoky, slighty spicy, colorful side dish perfect for the summer grilling season.
Pumpkin burgers with hazelnuts and gorgonzola cream
Pandan sago with Jackfruit in coconut milk syrup
Macarons filled with a Raspberry and White Chocolate ganache.
chocolate ice cream
Super nutritious Chickpea Salad!
How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
Peashoots, Carrot-Greens, Almond Pesto. Not your authentic Italian pesto but improvised by the home-cook using leftovers/discards
Affogato al Caffè: super easy to make and perfect for summer days
Raspberry jam in salad dressing? Yes, it works, and it's amazing!
Black Chokeberry Soda, a simple Berry Parfait & Penne with Dandelion Pesto. Three simple, delicious summer recipes!
Frank's Alpine Apple Tarte: a rainy day in a cozy mountain chalet high up in the Swiss Alps, a bowl of crisp apples and a husband who loves to bake ...
Buttery Popcorn Ice Cream - Make it a sundae with caramel sauce and cracker jack!
Potatoes cooked with caramelized onions and mushrooms
Piñata cupcakes: easy idea that makes a happy birthday
Salted Coffee Caramel Sauce
Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub
sweet potato & red curry soup
Bohemian pancakes recipe: layers of whipped cream and plum jam between pancakes softened with sour cream
Classic BBQ Sauce-- Great for grilling! Use this for your Memorial Day BBQ
Spinach soup with a bit of lemon: easy, healthy and perfect to warm up your spring.
Ginger Parsnip Soup
Lemon Farro with Fresh Herbs. A deceptively simple dish that tastes out of this world.
What to do with purple asparagus? Make a quick weeknight meal with tomatoes, eggs, cheese and cilantro.
Neapolitan Porter Float


text: The majestic saguaro cactus is found only in the Sonoran Desert. The Tohono O'odham people of Southern Arizona, likely descendants of the Hohokam, believe the saguaro is a sacred plant that must be treated with respect. A mature saguaro stands 20 to 30 feet tall and takes 75 years to reach such stature. Read More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Havelock, North Carolina's Corey Robinson is the latest in a string of commitments for South Carolina, announcing his decision during a press conference at his school.
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text:
Jarome Iginla could work with the Kings
November, 18, 2010
By E.J. Hradek
It's time to open the mailbag for another game of question and answer. Remember, all guests of the Thursday mailbag stay at the luxurious Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Well, not really. I caught a few minutes of the "Price Is Right" this morning and I just felt like saying that.
You can get in on the action and send me questions by clicking here or on Twitter.
From Raffy in Manhattan Beach, CA: Are the rumors of a big trade between the Kings and Flames involving Jarome Iginla true? I'd love to see him in Los Angeles.


text:
Steve Chiotakis: It's a huge entertainment merger that's been proposed and now British regulators are giving it a green light. Marketplace's European Correspondent Stephen Beard has more on the link-up of concert promoter Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
Stephen Beard: Live Nation is the world's biggest producer of live concerts. It stages 22,000 of them a year in 33 countries. Ticketmaster is the biggest ticket agency. Together, the two companies would be a major force in live music.
At first, that worried the U.K. Competition Commission. It feared that Live Nation would funnel all its ticket sales through Ticketmaster, and that would lead to higher prices. But now, on reflection, the commission has changed its mind. It says the deal will not lessen competition.
Quite right too, says Greg Parmley, editor of IQ Magazine:
Greg Parmley: Any concert promoters are looking to sell their tickets as quickly and as effectively as possible. There are a lot of other ticketing agencies out there, a lot of different ways to sell tickets. For Live Nation just to sell their tickets through Ticketmaster, I don't think it's going to happen at all.
Today's go ahead means the merger faces no obstacles in Britain. But in the U.S., the Justice Department has yet to deliver its verdict.
In London, this is Stephen Beard for Marketplace.


text:
Matts chat.
Q: Do you think acting like a psycho lost you the game?
M: I dont think so. It is possible but I dont think so. That was really a strategy to distract peoples attention and to dismiss me as a threat. Its possible that I played that card a little too long and people started to be frightened of me, but Im not sure that holds much water. But it did help me get ahead in some critical phases in the tame,
Q: Why did you take the jacket as you luxury item?
M: I took the jacket as my luxury item because I thought it might serve as a pillow or at least help me sleep at night which I felt could be an issue from what I read on various survivor websites there were sleeping challenges in the jungle, It did in fact prove to be very useful.
Q: Did it take you long to get your weight back?
M: It took me about six weeks to put the weight back on. There was a lot of fast food and a lot of weight training that was required.
Q: How did you feel knowing only Butch voted for you?
M: it bums me out a bit but it doesnt really surprise me. I dont think that the members on the jury gave me a lot of credit for my strategy and how far it got me, I also dont think that they really acknowledge the journey and evolution my character underwent in the game.
Q: Did any of you survivors get attacked by anything while out in the Amazon?
M: Well we got attacked by insects on a daily basis. WE did encounter some toothy piranha which bit Butchs finger but there werent any close calls with Anaconda, jaguars or crocodiles although we knew that they were always lurking in the neighborhood.
Q: What was your favorite moment on Survivor?
M: I think one of my favorite moments on survivor was one morning during a rainstorm when Christy and I enjoyed a bottle of wine and talked about ourselves and shared stories. It was just a great opportunity to get to know her as a person and its a real pleasant memory.
Q: Was it difficult to maintain a secrecy and not share the news with your family and friends about finishing in the top 2?
M: It really wasnt difficult to maintain secrecy about my finish in the top two although there was an article that came out about CBS betting that named me and Jenna as the final 2 and that did raise suspicion.
Q: What was the first thing you ate when you got back home?
M: The first thing I ate when I got back was a Big bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken! It was a dream come true!
Q: Did the cameramen/women ever get in the way?
M: Thats a great question! When Butch and I were fishing there was always a cameraman or crew within the vicinity and oftentimes theyd board our boat and they would make a lot of noise and movement and make it very difficult to fish!
Q: Were you surprised that Christy did not vote for you?
M: I was surprised that she didnt vote for me but I also knew she could be unpredictable which is the reason she was ousted from the game earlier, so I was surprised but in hindsight I should have anticipated that she would be somewhat of a wildcard.
Q: Do you really spend weekends studying Swedish?
M: I dont spend entire weekends studying Swedish but I do enjoy foreign language study and Ive been known to study Swedish or another language for hours for fun believe it or not!
Q: Tell me what was your reaction after the food auction when Jenna and Heidi made those rude remarks about Christy buying her letter?
M: I at that juncture in the game thought that Jenna and Heidi were being rather mean to Christy, My feeling was that Christy had waited to big on the letter and it was the only item shes been on and she really deserved it more than Heidi or Jenna although I understand that all three really wanted to hear from all their loved ones.
Q: If you had to do it again, what would you do different?
M: I would probably have made an effort to be even more outgoing and gregarious during the initial phase of the game, I wouldve made more of an effort to build strategic relationships from day one but also spent time to better understand the individual strengths and weaknesses of each contestants so I could partner with someone I could trust and who could take me further in the game.
Q: What was the most uncomfortable thing about the adventure (physical or otherwise)?
M: The most uncomfo0rtable thing about the adventure was really the psychological dynamics of the game. I found it very uncomfortable knowing that others were plotting against me or planning to deceive me and it was very difficult to face that possibility every day. It was difficult to identify and determine who was to be trusted and who not. The uncertainty could make for very uncomfortable situations
Q: Did you feel that Jennas statement about you not needing the money was an unfair statement?
M: I think that Jennas statement was unfair. In fact I rent an apartment and drive a used car. I feel that I could use the money just as much as she could.
Q: Are you and Jenna dating?
M: Jenna and I arent dating, we are merely very good friends.
Q: Do you consider any of the other cast mates friends, and if so why?
M: I consider Butch, Ryan and Dan among others to be good friends of mine. People whom I intend to maintain contact with for many years to come. Butch in particular, always struck me as very genuine with a great sense of integrity. I really enjoyed the time I spent with him in the Amazon. He was one of the few people whom I could really trust and a great fishing partner.
Q: I thought Butch was pretty loyal to you Matt, what do you think?
M: Butch was extremely loyal to me and the one regret that I have in the game is that we couldnt go further together. The group decision to oust butch and put him in the 4th spot was very very difficult for me.
Q: Did you know that there would be letters up for auction or did you think that it was only food?
M: I had no clue that there would be letters up for auction. At the time I was really only interested in food anyways.
Q: Are women approaching you more now?
M: Yes, in fact during the party last night I was approached by dozens and dozens of women. IT seems I have a very loyal following among female Survivor fans.
Q: What was the toughest challenge and why?
M: The maze challenge which Jenna won. That challenge was difficult because I didnt spend enough time studying the sign that indicated which direction we should go in to find a particular key. I actually confused two of the symbols and in the end lost to Jenna because I simply couldnt find the last key.
Q: When Jenna won immunity in the maze, did your strategies change?
M: Yes when she won immunity in the maze I had to adapt to the new situation. A situation which she controlled. I had to abandon my alliance with Butch and Rob and create an alliance with Jenna an alliance which eventually would take me to the final two.
Q: What did you miss most from home and why?
M: I really missed my journals and writing implements because I love to write and I found it frustrating that I couldnt record everything that I thought and experienced while I was in the Amazon.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be the next Survivor?
M: I would suggest that they watch a season of Survivor so that they get a good idea of how demanding the physical and mental aspects of the game really are. I would also suggest that they spend time on some of these Survivor groupie websites such as Survivor Sucks to get an analysis of the successes and failures of past contestants as this information can be invaluable
Q: Did you feel like giving Alex a cup of shut the hell up at the reunion show?
M: I did, I found that his outburst really showed a lack of class. I felt that it was really unnecessary and it was kind of a cheap shot. In my opinion he was just being a sore loser.
Q: What are your plans for your car, are you really gonna let Rob use it?
M: Robs not getting his grimy little hands anywhere near my new car! Im not sure what Im going to do wit the new car I need to think about that.
Q: You seem to have a great relationship with your mom, what did she think of your second place finish?
M: My mother is very proud of me. She knows that I did the best that I could do and she feels that I have played the game with a lot of integrity and that people have a lo t of respect for me for having gone so far in the game even though I never watched an episode of survivor./
Q: There was a lot of talk that Butch didnt do much out there to help with everyday survival, was that true or just the way he was portrayed?
M: Butch actually did a huge amount of work at camp. He was tireless in collecting and stacking wood, collection, boiling and filtering water as well as fishing. I think that he had the best work ethics of anyone from Survivor 6: The Amazon.
Q: How bossy was Roger?
M: Roger could be very bossy as well as opinionated but I respected him cuz he worked hard and tried to play the game honestly. He was very upfront in most cases with how he felt about things and people.
Q: Did swallowing that worm whole end up making you sick?
M: Nope not at all, it went down smooth.
Q: Were you portrayed the same way you are in real life?
M: Nope., I think my editing was very creative. Im actually a very warm, gregarious person wit ha great sense of humor. I think that I was portrayed in such a way as to maximize the entertainment value of the show, which I completely understand. In fact, I found the machete sharpening incident to be absolutely hilarious.
Q: What was your single best memory of the Amazon?
M: My single best memory of the Amazon was the plan trip which we took and which allowed us to really see areas of the Amazon jungle that were inaccessible to us before.
Q: What do those manioc patties taste like?
M: Those manioc patties had absolutely no flavor
Q: How long did it take for you to get used to having guys sticking cameras in your faces 24/7?
M: It took a few days for us to get used to the cameras. After awhile you almost forgot they were there.
Q: Did you think that Jeff would withhold your mom from you after you gave up your reward to let the other contestants see their family members? Or were you hoping he would do what he did and still let you see her?[/b]
M: I didnt expect that he would let me see my mom after I gave up my reward for my tribe mates, I was very surprised to see her later on.
Q: What will you do with your $100,000?
M: Deposit the check in the bank and consider some desert trecks in Sudan and Ethiopia in the future.
Q: Are you dating?
M: I am dating someone in DC, shes a great girl. Although we dont see much of one another since were both so busy.
Q: How has being on survivor changed your outlook on life?
M: It has affirmed some of my beliefs that if you work hard and keep your mouth shut you will be recognized and rewarded. It also revealed that Im also perceived as a very intense person which can often intimidate others. Thats a character trait that can often intimidate others.
Q: How did you feel at first hearing that the tribes were men against women?
M: I was worried because Id hoped to use my charm and charisma to build strategic relationships with the women. When I found out that we would begin as an all male tribe, I felt like I really needed to scramble and devise a new strategy.
Q: What is your opinion of Heidi and all the comments she made?
M: Heidi had a difficult time in the Amazon. She was very sick at times and I think that she made some statements that she shouldnt have. I would also chalk up some of those statements on immaturity on her part. I think that the audience reaction to her statements has helped her to understand more about how she is perceived by others.
Q: Any embarrassing moments for you in the Amazon?
M: Hmm..there arent any embarrassing moments that come immediately to mind although Im sure I will think of some in due course.
Q: Who was the hottest Survivor?
M: I think Shawna was the hottest Survivor. She has a vibrant personality and a natural beauty that made her really stand out. Shes also a very generous, genuine individual.
Q: Did you fully recover from your drastic weight loss?
M: I have completely recovered from my drastic weight loss. It took me nearly six weeks but Im back to normal now.
Q: What surprised you when you were watching the season of Survivor? Were you surprised by everything Rob was saying about you to the camera?
M: I was somewhat surprised but Robs confessionals but during the course of the game I knew there was a level of manipulation which went both ways. I found many of his comments to be quite funny. He provided a lot of comic relief for us both during and after the game.
Q: Would you do this experience again?
M: I dont think that I would do this experience again. For me, it was a one-shot deal. My goal was to get selected and compete in a game that I initially knew very little about but over time I really began to understand and eventually build a strategy that would bring me to the final two. I dont have an interest in repeating the experience.
Q: Are you and Rob still friends?
M: Yes Rob and I are still friends. He proved to be a great gamer and during Survivor: Amazon I learned quite a lot from him.
Q: How hard was it to wait for the outcome of the show?
M: It wasnt really a big deal. I was not confident that I was going to win the final Tribal Council so I was no necessarily looking forward to the outcome.
Q: You seem like the type of person who enjoys challenges in life. Any challenges youd like to attempt in the future?
I'm always looking for new challenges, Im toying with the idea of writing screenplays and potentially getting involved in the entertainment industry a dream Ive had for some time.
Q: How much contact did you have with the others after you got home from the Amazon?
M: We werent allowed to contact other members other contestants until after the finale.
Q: How are you enjoying the spotlight so far? Do you think you could get used to being the center of attention?
M: Its actually a lot of fun. Ive met a lot of supportive people. Ive met many people who believe I shouldve won the final Tribal council and I think Ive really gained their respect which means a lot more to me than winning the money.
Q: Did you get to see any of those sloths or strange animals that they kept showing the viewers?
M: I never really saw a sloth although I did see a crocodile or two.
Q: Where the heck did that Colin Powell comment come from?
M: I have a list of Colin Powells top ten ways to succeed in life taped to my desk at home and one idea that he mentions is versatility and adaptability and in the game of survivor the ability to be versatile and adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of the game is critical.
Final comment:
Id like to say that Im grateful for your support. Survivor is a great game and I hope that it continues to be popular well into the future.


text: I could have sworn that there was a thread regarding this, but a search yielded no results... I just got my replacement TB and I noticed that vibrate is extremely loud. It's sounds like a rattle. Has anyone else replaced their phone and gotten one of these rattling vibrators, haha? It's pretty damn annoying, I'm wondering if I should get this one replaced. I'm outside of my 14-day return period.


text:
My Nonprofit Reviews
148 profile views
1 reviews
Review for Proyecto Itzaes, Palo Alto, CA, USA
It has been a rewarding pleasure to help Proyecto Itzaes. They do great job in allowing the kids of the small towns to have access to education that they wouldn´t have otherwise. Any help and funding would be greatly increase it´s huge benefits to the kids.
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
Role: Volunteer


text:
If Americans were looking for a reason to add a national holiday, they may someday consider August 21, the day that the Soviet people may have won our independence from fear and given us the greatest reason for hope that most of us have had in our lifetimes.
There has never been a greater opportunity to structure global cooperation than now. But with the opportunity comes great obstacles. After the euphoria subsides, there still remains an economy beyond simple stagnancy that requires a major rewiring of Soviet society and psychology.
It is a society that will not prosper with large amounts of financial aid thrown into it, at least not until the structure which receives that aid is changed substantially. The Soviet economy has been built on a road to nowhere. The end of the road has been reached, and there cannot be either a continuation of the road or an alteration in the direction of the road. In order to get anywhere, an entire new road system must be built, and this requires an entirely different system of thinking.


text:
Here come hypervisors you can trust
Virtualisation has always bothered me. This is perhaps an odd statement to make; after all, I am personally responsible for virtualising thousands of servers. But the truth of it lies in the special status the IT community has ascribed to hypervisors. When we nerds talk about virtualisation, especially with relation to servers, we don't talk about loading an operating system onto a server, we load a hypervisor. It's a dangerous distinction and one that often leads systems administrators up a dark path of forgetting that a hypervisor is just as much of a security risk as any other operating system. Indeed, hypervisors should be considered a bigger security risk than the traditional baremetal operating system for the simple reason that we have become reliant upon them to host dozens, or even hundreds, of virtual machines per physical server. Yet by and large, we tend to neglect the hypervisor, trusting it to just work.


text:
Mobile marketing is a broad term that can mean many things. Different businesses have different ideas of how to implement mobile marketing. The essential definition of mobile marketing is simply marketing to users on cell phones or other mobile devices. These tips can let you see how you can make mobile marketing work for you.
Use your standard website to your advantage. Advertise on your site to easily create more traffic for your apps or mobile site. When readers view your traditional website, make it clear that you have a mobile app that they can use from anywhere. Mobile marketing should be developed one step after another for best results. This should be something you do as well. If you started off by texting, move to videos and then to interactive games. Always take advantage of the technology you can use, and if it is beyond your expertise, hire someone who does understand how each type of technology works. Use all that you have.
Creating any mobile app that includes a great deal of helpful information that pertains to your niche can be a great strategy for mobile marketing. Some of the most popular apps provide useful tips and helpful information. You can profit by selling a popular app. You can also include relevant links to your products and services from within the application.
You should put your mobile marketing business in with similar media available to you on the web. Give your customers the options to add your mobile marketing page directly from your web page and do not forget to integrate extremely interesting material. People enjoy interacting and are more likely to buy products at sites that engage their senses.
Use of social media is essential for mobile marketing, because social media rules mobile technology. Encourage people to share your deals and offers by giving them a discount or a coupon code when they do. This is a great way to generate buzz about your product. Try using dedicated short code. It is more of an expense, but it gives you better brand protection. This will also improve your legal coverage if needed.
Make sure the mobile marketing campaign can work on many different phones and operating systems. You must take into consideration many mobile devices when you are creating a mobile marketing campaign. Scripting, in particular, can vary considerably between devices, and your marketing campaign has to address that variance.
Multimedia Messaging Service can be used to distribute coupons and promotions to new and existing customers. Send coupons that contain promotional codes. Tracking codes can link individual coupons to the proper deals on a mobile-friendly website. Both coupons and promotional codes are wonderful ways to reward your customers and attract new customers.
Focus first on building a customer base and securing their numbers for your database. Cell phone numbers are not the only thing you will want to add to your list. It is advisable to attain permission from involved parties before you incorporate such tactics. You can use a form from the internet or they can text you a code.
Keep it simple, informative, and brief. Make sure you don't have too many links to click on. The keypad on most mobile devices is very small, which makes extensive typing a chore. Keep your campaign to the point. Don't go into the mobile marketing field without clear objectives. You'll need to figure out what exactly you wish to achieve and how you can get that outcome. Are you trying to increase sales through your existing sales base, or are you trying just to keep them involved and retain them for the long term?
QR codes are a smart way to provide interactive content to your customers. Your customers can use your QR codes to instantly access special promotions and discounts. It is easy for smartphone users to use QR codes. With QR codes you are able to reach your customers quickly and easily with relevant information.
If you are looking for innovative ways to improve your bottom line, mobile marketing is the way to go. There are many more people that are using their phones to download apps or use social networking sites. Use social networking sites to boost your mobile marketing. You need to bring your marketing to where the customers are.
Make sure any directions on your site are smartphone ready. Lots of people are using their mobile devices for GPS these days. Try to make it as easy as possible for your customers to find you. Include a map to your location, and make it easy to read. Create a link to take users directly to Google Maps to get directions.
Start with a campaign technique known as picture-to-screen. Picture to screen campaigns will allow your customers to snap pics with their phones. The pictures are sent to a short code and instantly posted to a screen. These photographs can be put on a television or digital billboard.
A key tip to having an effective mobile marketing campaign is to conduct a usability test first, before going live. If you send messages that don't work, it will be counterproductive to your campaign. Also, send it to coworkers first and see what their impression of it is before going live.
Do not send pointless messages to your customers. Make sure you are giving your customers relevant and interesting content. Mobile marketing has been known to fail when businesses become too casual with their text messages. They want useful, relevant messages, not lighthearted banter as if you were their goofy friend.
Instead of sharing dedicated short codes, buy them. Although it is somewhat expensive at approximately $2,000, you can link it to your brand. If you keep using the same short code, it will eventually be linked to your company. This added expense is well worth the legal protection it offers. You can get into trouble if your code sharing company does not follow rules.
As discussed earlier, mobile marketing strategy can differ greatly from one business to another. It entails many different principles and can be adjusted to accommodate practically any objective that centers on a mobile device – this is the essence of mobile marketing. If you use the guidelines from this article to formulate your own mobile marketing strategy, you will be better prepared for business success.


text:
Retired Professor to Share American West with Norwegian StudentsOGDEN, Utah – After 35 years teaching American History at Weber State University, professor Jim Dolph is heading to Europe to spend a year sharing his expertise with a Norwegian audience.
Dolph, who retired this spring, is participating in the Fulbright American Roving Scholars exchange program, sponsored by the U.S.-Norway Fulbright Foundation and Norway's Royal Ministry of Education. As a roving scholar, he will teach Norwegian junior high students across the country about American history and culture. He estimates he'll teach at as many as 150 schools during his visit.
His presentations will focus on four basic lectures: The American Cowboy, the Klondike Gold Rush, Life in Utah, and Early Scandinavian Pioneers in America. In an effort to bring the material to life, Dolph dresses like a cowboy and uses visual props that students can actually experience firsthand.
"I take a lasso and a replica of a head of a steer, and the students can practice using a lariat," Dolph said.
His lectures delve into the history of the Stetson hat and other clothing of the period.
"I try to compare and contrast the romanticized version of events with the reality of the time period," said Dolph.
Dolph developed his love of history as a child sitting on the lap of his great aunt, who regaled him with stories of her struggles as a pioneer living in a sod house on the prairie. One of her pioneer neighbors, Ole Edvart Rolvaag, went on to write "Giants in the Earth," which chronicled the trials and tribulations of early Scandinavian settlers in the Dakotas.
For Dolph, teaching American history in his ancestors' homeland will bring the story and the experiences full circle.
For more than 50 years the U.S.-Norway Fulbright Foundation for Education Exchange, based in Oslo, Norway, has promoted educational opportunities between the two countries. The Fulbright American Roving Scholars program has proved to be very popular. In addition to teaching school children directly, the "rovers" give seminars in American studies for Norwegian teachers in the lower and upper secondary schools. For more information, visit the foundation's Web site at www.fulbright.no/default.htm.
- Contact:
James "Jim" Dolph, emeritus History professor
801-479-9284 · email@example.com
- John Kowalewski, director of Media Relations
801-626-7212 · firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Sam's Bagels & More
500 W. Cold Spring La. (Schenley Rd.) Send to Phone
410-243-1774 | Make Restaurant Reservations
OpenBreakfast & Lunch daily
- Dress code: Casual
- Heart-healthy dishes
- Kid-friendly
- No Credit Cards
* Click here for rating key
THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Sam's Bagels & More Restaurant Review: THIS ESTABLISHMENT IS CLOSED In the local bagel wars, Sam's has its champions, those who say that these, in all their guises, from cranberry-studded to onion-topped, are best. You be the judge. They come plain, or with a variety of flavored cream-cheese shmears. Breakfast brings the addition of scrambled eggs while lunch offers simple stuffings like tuna and chicken salad. Sam's Bagels & More is not as slick or snazzy as the competition, and the menu is compact; the bagels are the stars, baked fresh every day.
Discover the best female chefs, top pizzerias and stellar seafood restaurants with GAYOT's Top 10 lists of the best restaurants in America.


text:
LED Pricing Expected to Come Down
December 5, 2011 - 9:27pm
Global competition will continue improvements in cost per lumen for solid-state lighting, say experts.
Lighting Science Group's 60W A19 equivalent under $15 represents an important milestone in pricing.
Experts anticipate the price of LEDs will come down in the near future, thanks to better technology and increased competition, which they hope will pave the way for more widespread consumer adoption. Terry McGowan, Director of Engineering and Technology for the American Lighting Assn. (ALA), says the competition for these products is substantial. "Traditional light bulbs have had only four or five global manufacturers, but for LEDs, that number is in the dozens," McGowan says. "Competition is fierce with everyone vying for market share and that has a tendency to cut prices." Julian Carey, Director of Marketing at Intematix, an LED component supplier, agrees that competition is a major factor, even beyond lighting. "There's so much more competition with how much equipment and facilities are being built, particularly in South Korea and China, and it's being driven by the display industry and flat panel TVs," Carey says. "That's driven a lot of capacity that's now influencing lighting, and in as soon as two years, we should have pretty compelling value propositions for consumers on LED products." All of this focus on LEDs has also led to some major improvements in LED technology, which has also affected cost. "The trends in cost-per-lumen direction are extremely favorable for consumers, because there are a couple major things going on," Carey says. "We have an incredible technology road map that keeps advancing ... and with improved efficiency, you're automatically reducing cost per lumen." All in all, cost is still an issue at the moment, but the future looks promising. "Prices are on trend to go down as the market builds," McGowan says. "I don't see cost as a long-term barrier for LEDs, but it is always on the table. Right now, the consumer is saying it's too expensive, and I do think we'll face that for several years to come."
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4-Piece Shell Pack:
- Snare 14" x 5"
- Tom 12" x 8"
- Floor Tom 14" x 14"
- Bass Drum 18" x 14"
The Gretsch Catalina Jazz set is designed for the player who is looking for a versatile 4-piece set with quality features. Featuring Mahogany shells and 30-degree bearing edges, this set projects a warm, round, classic tone. The traditional Be Bop sizes with 18" bass drum makes it a fine gigging jazz kit but the Club Jazz can also play comfortably in other music styles, especially if you need to lay into a kit in a smaller live venue. Plus its distinctive retro looks are sure to capture attention. Whether you're looking for a classic jazz kit or small kit for gigs/rehearsals, the Catalina Club Jazz kit projects a retro sound, vibe and spirit that will keep you deeply grooving.
The mounting hardware includes round "gas cap" bass drum mount plate, ultra low profile GTS mounting system, reduced-mass tom mount brackets and new single and double tom holders. Both tom holders include a post hole for a 7/8" cymbal tube post (not included). The ball/socket 12.7mm L-arms provide positioning freedom and a secure hold for stability. Gretsch T-Wing screws and bolts are included on all fittings for drummer-friendly feel. To complete the balanced design aesthetic, a new black/silver Catalina Club round badge is included on all drums.
Proven and time-tested Catalina Club drum specifications represent a commitment to the continued "Great Gretsch Sound™." Mahogany shells include 30-degree bearing edges and natural shell interiors. Bass drums include telescopic bass drum spurs and matching wood bass drum hoops. Toms/snare feature 1.6mm triple flanged hoops. All drums are fitted with Remo drum heads, including coated batters and clear resonant on toms/snare and clear bass drum batter head with muffle ring. The white Gretsch bass drum logo head includes muffle ring.
- Shell: Mahogany
- 30-degree bearing edges that project a classic warm and round tonality
- Tom | Snare Hoops: 1.6mm triple flanged
- Bass Drum Hoops: Maple with matching lacquer or inlay
- Fully adjustable tom holders with GTS suspension systems are standard on all mounted toms
- Features:
- Chrome Hardware;
- Gretsch low-profile GTS tom suspension system;
- Gretsch low-profile tom and FT leg brackets;
- Gretsch single with cymbal mount and 12.7mm L-Arms;
- Gretsch "T-Wing Nut/Bolt";
- Gretsch bass drum mount plate with "G" memory lock;
- NEW Remo drum heads
- Tom Heads:
- Batter - Coated UT Ambassador
- Resonant - Clear UT Ambassador
- Bass Drum:
- Batter - Clear UT Ambassador with muffle ring;
- Resonant - Coated white Gretsch head with muffle ring
XSPRO Deluxe Padded Jazz Drum Bag Set
These drum bags provide excellent protection and rugged durability at an affordable price. They come with heavy duty zippers that are placed in the middle of the bag, which reduced the wear and tear on the zipper. This also significantly increases the life of the bag. Our bags come with a 600 Denier DuraGuard nylon exterior and over 1/2" of high-density padding which is more than enough for even the most expensive drums. These quality bags are fully lined and have padded handles and shoulder straps.
How Bags are Fitted
Drum sizes refer to the shell size without the hardware. This gig bag set is measured to fit standard sized drums with plenty of room for rims and hardware. These gig bags will fit the Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz drum kits.
Drum Dimensions:
- Bass - 14" x 18" (Depth x Diameter)
- Snare - 5" x 14" (Depth x Diameter)
- Tom - 8" x 12" (Depth x Diameter)
- Floor Tom - 14" x 14"(Depth x Diameter)
Rugged double braced stands and chain drive pedals. This kit includes the snare stand, hi-hat stand, bass drum pedal, and straight cymbal stand, and boom cymbal stand.
- Double braced snare stand
- Double braced hi-hat stand with tension adjustment
- Double braced cymbal stand
- Double braced boom cymbal stand
- Chain drive bass drum pedal
Returns Policy
If you are not satisfied with a product, you may return it for a refund, store credit, or you may want to exchange it for another product. Returned products will be refunded the sale price indicated on your sales receipt minus shipping costs and any restocking fees (if applicable). If your purchase qualified for Sigler Music's Free Shipping Promotion, the actual shipping cost will be subtracted from your final refund/credit. Please note, if you decide to return an instrument but keep the bundled accessories, your refund will be reduced by the regular advertised price of the non-returned items.
To receive an RMA (Returned Merchandise Authorization), you MUST call a Sigler Music team member within 30 days of the purchase date at 1-800-281-6607.
- Products must be returned in the manufacturer's original package and internal packaging. Accessories, software and manuals MUST be included. Incomplete returns may be refused or subject to a re-stocking fee. (minimum 25% of the purchase price)
- Pack your return securely and insure it. Put the RMA number on the shipping label. Packages without a valid RMA number posted will be refused and returned.
- Returned product should be in "new" condition. Returned product that shows wear or abuse will either be refused or subject to a restocking fee. (minimum 25%)
- Please do not write on the original manufacturer's box.
- Returns should be received within 14 days of the date the RMA was issued. Allow 10 days for refund to be administered after we have received the return.
Non-Returnable Items - We do our very best to help customers when they request to return an item. Customer service is our first and foremost concern. However, there are a few items that are non-returnable. These items include:
International Shipments/ Special Ordered Items/ Custom Built Items/ Items shipped via FedEx Oversize 3/ Warehouse Clearance items/ Electronic Drum Sets/ Cymbals/ Used Items / Headphones/ Microphones/ Earphones/ Opened Instrument Strings
We offer FREE Ground shipping for orders of $50 or more. Free Shipping in USA applies for Continental United States only. The Free shipping promotion does not include Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, APO's or any international address. If you reside outside the US, or in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico you can use the Shipping Calculator.
We ship all international guitar pickup orders via USPS. If you need your guitar pickups by a certain date, and you live outside the US please contact us for a Fedex shipping quote. Most larger international packages ship via Fedex, but we can ship items via USPS, if requested. If you would like your package shipped with a certain carrier, please contact us for a specific shipping quote.
Most items have a fixed shipping amount posted in the listing. No brokerage for international express shipments. If the listing says "Buyer pays shipping", we will calculate the shipping charge based on quoted rates to your ZIP code. For expedited shipping or a shipping quote, please e-mail us by clicking 'Ask a question' at the bottom of this listing.
Most packages are shipped within 1 business day.
See the specific item description for details. PLEASE NOTE: International buyers are responsible for any customs/brokerage/duties/fees and/or taxes charged by your country or the shipping company. Free shipping offer does not apply to orders delivered outside of the continental USA.
Tracking numbers will be uploaded into eBay as soon as they are available, almost always within 24 hours of cleared payment. If your item was shipped FedEx, it can take up to 1-6 business days for delivery to your address. USPS Priority Mail generally takes 3-5 business days but it is not guaranteed. International orders usually take 7-10 business days to arrive in your country, and then it is up to your local Post Office or delivery company to deliver the item. Your item will most likely be shipping from our warehouse in Arkansas, though some items are drop shipped directly from the manufacturer.


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Album Rating: 4.5^^ I'd agree. Everything is Fire has that edge.
I made a medley of all the songs from their first album and turned into a 30 minute song and its really pretty rad. If anyone wants to listen to it you can go here:
Sorry to plug it in the thread, but I made a list and no one replied to it, and I just wanna hear what people think
Album Rating: 4.5Idk, there's still some songs on Destroyers I'm completely obsessed with though, like Burning Skies, Cold Becoming, and Omens.
So far Confronting Entropy is my most played track
those r prob all the best songs on destroyers. sometimes that album just gets so bland and iffy, but the great cuts def bring it up
Album Rating: 4.0the imperious weak is some intense shit
Album Rating: 4.5But Clutching Revulsion is nothing short of amaaaazing
Album Rating: 4.5@Nexus: agreeed
Album Rating: 4.5I didn't neg, I only give feedback.
Album Rating: 4.5fair enough. twas good feedback.
I'd edge this over EiF and its definitely better than Destroyers.
nah not better than eif
Album Rating: 4.0This is prob a 3 actually.
its closer to a 3.5, destroyers is a 3
Album Rating: 4.0lolz
Album Rating: 4.0Or I could just be lying.
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound OffThis won't beat Gorguts for me this year, but it's right behind it. Might be the best Ulcerate album though. Don't know if I'm willing to put it completely ahead of Everything is Fire yet.
Digging: Swallow the Sun - The Morning Never Came
Album Rating: 4.0My fave user is here :D
guts is better agreed
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


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WASHINGTON - This could be the Supreme Court term, one court watcher joked recently, that Justice John Paul Stevens remembers he is a Republican.
A 1975 appointee of President Gerald Ford, Stevens is regarded as the anchor of the court's liberal wing. But he has joined with his more conservative colleagues in three high-profile cases that defied predictions they would showcase deep ideological divisions on the court.
Last term was marked by an unusually high number of 5-4 decisions, and many experts believed this term's notable cases would produce similar outcomes.
But the biggest cases decided so far - upholding lethal injection procedures, photo identification requirements for voters and Texas' treatment of a Mexican on death row - have had six or seven justices, including Stevens, in agreement on the outcome.
Just one case has been decided by a 5-4 vote. Two others split 4-4 with a justice not participating. Another was 5-3.
Taking stock of the court with half its decisions still to come is a bit like wrapping up a sporting event at halftime. So far, however, Stevens' voting pattern and the lack of 5-4 decisions stand out.
With roughly three dozen cases left to decide - including the rights of foreigners detained at Guantanamo, Washington's handgun ban and the death penalty for raping a child - the court has plenty of time to revert to its recent pattern of ideological division and Stevens could end up breaking with the conservatives frequently.
Still, at this point last year, disputes involving abortion and global warming had been resolved in 5-4 divisions with the conservatives in the majority in the former and the liberal justices holding sway in the latter.
University of Oklahoma law professor and former Stevens clerk Joseph Thai said he has begun to wonder whether his former boss is "tacking back a little bit toward the center."
Stevens wrote the lead opinion in the voter ID case, rejecting a constitutional challenge to a photo ID law in Indiana because there was lack of evidence to support the claim that voters were being unfairly denied a ballot. On the other side, there was scant evidence of the sort of voter fraud the sponsors of the law said it was designed to prevent.
And, while Stevens acknowledged that there was a Republican partisan motivation behind the law, it did not single out any group for harsher treatment.
Thai said it is more likely that Stevens is simply showing that he remains the somewhat unpredictable justice he has been in more than 32 years on the court.
Stevens' position in the lethal injection case illustrates Thai's point. He voted against the Kentucky death row inmates who challenged the state's execution procedures.
But Stevens did not join Chief Justice John Roberts' opinion. Instead, he wrote separately to declare that he now views the death penalty as unconstitutional and said the court should squarely confront the issue.
The lethal injection case was similar to the challenge to voter identification requirements that the court also turned down last month in that neither case produced a majority opinion of the court.
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CHIOTAKIS: It's part of the Republican plan to reduce the federal deficit -- privatizing part of the nation's passenger rail system. At a House Transportation hearing yesterday, we learned about the GOP plan to sell investors the busy Amtrak line between Boston and Washington.
From Washington, Marketplace's John Dimsdale reports.
JOHN DIMSDALE: House Republicans want to sell Amtrak's train stations and tracks o the Northeast Corridor to companies that would build a high speed rail service. One investor, Ignacio Jayanti of Corsair Capital, says he knows businesses that are willing to raise as much as $60 billion for high speed rail over the next ten years.
IGNACIO JAYANTI: This, I emphasize is $50- to $60 billion of private sector investment with no federal subsidies to maintain the infrastructure.
But Amtrak's defenders, like New Jersey's Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg, say riders on the rail would pay a lot more under the Republican plan.
FRANK LAUTENBERG: Investors expect a return. They're gonna want to price the product at a sufficiently high price to get that return. So we have to be careful about that.
Amtrak has its own plans for high speed rail service but it will take thirty years and cost $117 billion.
In Washington, I'm John Dimsdale for Marketplace.


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Concrete Modular Homes plans – Free Printable Scrapbook Pages
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Insulated Concrete Forms or ICF construction is compatible with virtually all home designs leading to the emerging popularity of building homes with ICFs. Of course
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Wide Hay Barns (32' & 48'), MWPS-73113 Plans show 14' and 17' clearance under sidewall girder and has two building options. Capacity can be either 320-495 tons or 270
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Building Systems Concrete Home > Building Systems. Whether they think of it as "building green" or "sustainability," today's consumers
Building concrete masonry homes – Scribd
U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research. Building Concrete Masonry Homes: Design and Construction Issues


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|The Unadulterated Truth About Olive Oil
Add extra virgin olive oil to the list of foods that might not be what they claim to be.
Now that the tomatoes in our garden are starting to ripen, I wanted to make sure I had everything I need to make bruschetta — toasted bread topped with tomatoes that have been tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and basil. But as I set out to research new extra virgin olive oils to try this summer (some people try different wines, I experiment with olive oil and balsamic vinegar), I came across Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by New Yorker writer Tom Mueller.
Mueller, who lives in Italy in a stone medieval farmhouse surrounded by olive groves with his family, found that bottles labeled "extra virgin olive oil" aren't as virgin as they claim — extra-virgin olive oil means the oil was made from crushed olives, with nothing else added or other processes involved. What he found out about the way resellers add lower-grade oils and artificial coloring to create so-called extra virgin olive oil is enough to give any bread-dipping olive oil lover pause.
It was also enough to turn Mueller into an olive oil activist. He's launched the "Truth in Olive Oil" movement to bring attention to the fact that some olive oil isn't even made from olives at all.
Here's what I learned. Olive oil is one of the most frequently adulterated food products in the European Union, particularly in Italy, the world's leading importer exporter and consumer of olive oil. Oil produced in other countries is passed through Italy, just so distributors can slap a label that says "Made in Italy" with a picture of an Italian flag, a painting of Mount Vesuvius or a donkey pulling a cart overflowing with olives, he says.
truthinoilHe also told me that most of the olive oil found on the shelves of grocery stores is little better than lampante —or lamp oil, which means that it should only be legally sold as fuel for burning, not eating. Yuk. Since producing the pure stuff takes time, skill and money — harvesting the ancient olive trees found throughout the Mediterranean is physically demanding and cold-pressing the olives requires the right equipment — olive oil fraud is rampant.
"By and large, what's out there is crappy, low-grade stuff," Mueller said in an interview from his home outside Genoa. "You can take rotting olives sitting on the ground for months and you can make an oil out of it. You process it to remove the smell and the rotten taste. And you remove the antioxidants, removing all the health benefits."
And because there is no real enforcement of laws abroad or in the U.S. about what can be labeled as extra virgin olive oil, there's nothing stopping unscrupulous suppliers from labeling whatever they want — colored cheap soybean oil or canola oil — as olive oil. "No one is checking and so you can get away with it all around the world," he found. "There's all this horrible, awful stuff and they all wear the same label: extra virgin, cold pressed, made in Italy."
The good news is that there are olive oil makers, notably in California, who are making the pure stuff and trying to raise awareness about what a good olive oil really is. They are passionate about the products they deliver because they are "true believers" in olive oil, he says.
Tom MuellerMueller has also started building a list of top producers and great olive oil stores by country on his website, which he's constantly updating. He's already put together pointers to suppliers and brands in North America, Italy, Spain and Greece and is working on France and Austria. Some of his favorites in the U.S.: California Olive Ranch, Berkeley Olive Grove 1913 and Pacific Sun Olive Oil. They are widely available.
Where to begin? "People need to rethink what olive oil is," Mueller said. "It's fresh squeezed fruit juice. Olives are fruit. Olive oil is not liquid, industrial fat. Right now, you find it in the supermarket aisle with other liquid fats like peanut and canola oil. But guess what? It should be sold with the cheese. It's a fresh fruit juice, and it should be consumed in the year the olives were harvested."
He are a few useful pointers for choosing olive oil:
• Taste before you buy. Go to specialty olive oil stores where the staff can tell you how, where and by whom the oils were made. Or better yet, get the freshest oil by going to an actual olive mill if possible. Sound expensive? It's not really when you consider that many folks pay $15 for a bottle of wine, he says. "It's a false economy to buy less-than-great olive oil that won't give you the health benefits that can help you live a longer life," Mueller notes. "A good olive oil is good for you and lasts longer than one night, which is how long that bottle of wine is around. It's a great investment in food and in your health."
• Buy olive oil in dark glass or metal containers. Heat, light and oxygen are the enemies of olive oil, speeding spoilage. Avoid clear plastic and glass. Mueller says a dark glass or metal container works best. Olive oil is also best when it's young. It's a fresh fruit juice, after all, that doesn't improve with age. So buy what you think you will use in a relatively short period of time (say a month). Otherwise, your oil may go rancid. Store it in a cool, dark place (a.k.a. not on the counter next to the stove.)
• Go for freshness. See if the oil is marked with the date of harvest and then try to buy oils from this year's harvest, Mueller says. The reason: best buy dates may not be an accurate indicator of freshness. Best buy dates are usually two years after an oil is bottled. But some suppliers might store their olive oils for years before bottling them so the best buy date might not reflect the harvest date.
• View the labels with caution. Remember that labels touting "packed in Italy" or "bottled in Italy" doesn't mean that the oil was made in Italy or made from Italian olives. "Generally speaking, avoid oils whose precise point of production — a specific mill — is not specified on the label," Mueller says. There are quality certification seals you can look for — the Protected Designation of Origin, or "DOP" in Italian. For California oils, there's the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) seal.
• Experiment. There are 700 varieties — or cultivars — of olives, each producing oils with their own unique flavor. Try a few.
By now you may be wondering if this is too much fuss about olive oil. Mueller has an answer for that: "When I talk to people about how I've done this work on olive oil, they've said, 'Olive oil, that's nice.' It's kind of a first-world problem. If it just stopped at olive oil, I would agree," he says. "But the more I look into it, the more I see and now I'm thinking about a book about all these food frauds and the great people doing the good stuff. There are questions that need to be asked about a thousand foods." Thanks to Mueller, the questions about olive oil have been answered.
Next Arcticle: How Olive Oil Is Produced":
There is something surprisingly modest about olive trees, given their noble history and legendary reputation, going back far before biblical times. For an American, the first time you meet the tree in person, you may well be shocked by the extraordinary ordinariness of it. Its shape and proportions ... click here
All About Swimming Pools:
All About Olive Oil: www.allaboutoliveoil.com All About Wine: www.allabout-wine.com
The Pool Filter: www.thepoolfilter.com
All About Savon d'alep: www.olive-savon-alep.com
Lebanon Gold: www.lebgold.com
Morocco Lotto:


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Three blown glass works created by Montpelier native Marvin Thorp were selected for inclusion in The Best of 2009 Art Show in Columbus, Ohio.
The annual competition is sponsored by the Ohio Designer Craftsman art organization based in Columbus, which has more than 2,100 members nationwide.
Each participant is allowed three entries for acceptance in the show. This year 131 artists entered 332 pieces to be judged, and 110 pieces representing 79 artists were selected for display in the show.
The Best of 2009 exhibit will be displayed at four different venues—the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus through June 26; the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth July 4 through Aug. 26; the Mansfield Art Center Sept. 13 through Oct. 25 and the Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster Nov. 12 through Dec. 19.
The exhibit may also be viewed online at www.ohiocraft.org.
Thorp lives in Fayette. He recently retired from Central Local Schools/Fairview after serving 30 years as an art teacher.


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On December 15, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote on regulations requiring telephone companies to lease, or "unbundle," parts of their networks to competitors. If this triggers a sense of déjà vu, it should. The FCC has adopted rules on this subject three times since 1996-and all three times the rules have been struck down by the courts as overreaching.
On this fourth try, the FCC needs to get it right. This means limiting mandatory unbundling rules to markets where competition otherwise could not feasibly exist. Importantly, any such determination should take into account competition from new communications services, such as wireless and Internet telephony. The result would benefit consumers, as well as avoid an embarrassing fourth defeat for the FCC in court.
The rules under consideration stem from the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which required telephone companies to provide competitors with access to parts of their networks, such as switches and lines, at rates set by regulators. Exactly which parts were left to the FCC to decide. Under the chairmanship of Clinton-appointee Reed Hundt, the FCC drew up an extremely comprehensive list of such "unbundled network elements," or UNEs.
In 1999, however, the Supreme Court knocked down these rules as too far-reaching. The FCC then issued marginally revised rules. Once again the issue went to court, and once again, in 2002, the rules were struck down.
In 2003, the FCC issued a third set of rules, which eased requirements for advanced broadband services but kept other UNE requirements largely in place. These rules were adopted over the dissenting vote of Chairman Michael Powell, a Bush appointee. Predictably enough, this third set of rules was struck down, although they remain largely in effect under the FCC's transition plan.
The FCC's upcoming rulemaking-the agency's fourth bite at this particular apple-comes in response to this latest court ruling. Many, including some telephone companies who benefit from these regulations, have urged the Commission to tweak the rules marginally once again and keep them largely in place. If the rules were significantly scaled back, these companies argue, their costs would rise significantly, threatening their businesses.
The FCC should reject these arguments for several reasons. First, the Commission's goal should be a competitive marketplace, not the protection of individual competitors. There is simply no reason to subsidize favored companies in this market. Despite the image of telecom challengers as plucky start-ups, the field lobbying in favor of the thrice-rejected rules also includes some of the largest communications firms in the nation, such as MCI and AT&T.
But don't the rules help preserve competition and thus keep consumers' costs down? Not necessarily. In fact, the UNE rules can undercut real competition by encouraging potential challengers to lease existing telecommunications assets rather than construct their own facilities. The result is a Potemkin sort of competition among firms all using the same network, rather than real competition among independent providers each bringing network capacity to the table. Moreover, the sharing rules discourage incumbent telephone companies from investing in their existing networks, since they must share the benefit of any upgrades with their rivals.
In any case, the Commission's authority to impose broad access regulations is severely-and rightly-limited by the Telecommunications Act, as interpreted in the three court cases so far on unbundling. The cases turned on the language of the Telecommunications Act, which limits forced unbundling rules to situations in which access to the incumbent telephone company's network is "necessary" and the failure to have such access would "impair" a competitor's ability to offer services. According to these decisions, this language sets a high bar for the rules.
Thus, for legal and policy reasons, the Commission should substantially pare back these regulations so that forced access is required only where regulatory intervention is required for competition to survive. In other words, cases where the incumbent telephone company still holds-and will likely continue to hold-a "natural monopoly" on service.
Importantly, forced access should not be required just because a particular market does not have a competitor. The test should be whether a market is the kind that can support competition, not whether there is actually competition at any particular moment. This may sound odd, but it makes economic sense. Even if no competitors have yet entered a market, the potential for competition can still protect consumers. Conversely, FCC rules that mandate access to existing networks in such markets can themselves actually discourage such entry from happening.
At the same time, the FCC should not limit its analysis to any particular type of service or technology. Many of the strongest challenges to incumbents are not traditional, wireline-based telephone companies. Rather, the fastest growing options for consumers are coming from cable companies offering broadband services, Internet-based telephone services (which need not use telephone lines at all), and wireless phones. The FCC, in determining whether markets are subject to competition, should consider all such "intermodal" forms of competition.
The end result would be for most, if not all, elements to be freed from regulation, including switches and most lines in urban centers. Depending upon how intermodal competition is assessed, even the rules on local telephone loops to individual residences could be lifted.
The battle over these telecommunications competition rules has now gone on for eight years, moving from the FCC to the courts and back again three times. It is time for the FCC to end this regulatory soap opera by issuing narrow rules that can pass economic and legal muster. For the UNE rules, the fourth time can and should be the charm.
James L. Gattuso is Research Fellow in Regulatory Policy in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation.


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Idaho LINE Commission 2.0 Meeting – September 26, 2013
The second meeting of the governor's commission on Leadership in Nuclear Energy 2.0 took place September 26, 2013. Despite the commission's stated position that it is premature for Idaho or other any state to consider "interim" spent fuel storage, representatives from Battelle cannot stop pushing the plan. The presentations in this meeting should worry us all.
July 19, 2013 – The LINE Commission 2.0 has released the agenda for their meeting on July 24. You can view the agenda (.pdf) by using the following link: http://snakeriveralliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/7-24-13-Agenda-FINAL-2-copy.pdf
Shipments of radioactive commercial nuclear waste have been banned from Idaho since 1995. The ban came after years of negotiations with the federal government and decades of broken promises that nuclear waste would not remain a threat to Idaho's drinking water. But as we first described in the December 2011 Above Ground, some in Idaho have been trying to reverse the ban on commercial spent fuel – before the rest of us even know it. Those efforts must stop.
On February 1, Governor Butch Otter established the Leadership in Nuclear Energy (LINE) Commission "to provide recommendations to the governor on how the INL can continue playing an important role in economic growth and energy security." Mr. Otter has since clarified that that means "MORE JOBS."
Some commission members have mused that the ban on commercial waste coming to Idaho might have to be renegotiated. Battelle is the private corporation hired to run the non-cleanup part of INL. Its CEO reportedly said the same thing at the commission's first meeting. According to its own records, Battelle approached Mr. Otter in 2010 with a whole list of "opportunities" the state might gain if it agreed to take 3,000 metric tons of power reactor waste and delay crucial cleanup projects. A challenge from former Governor Cecil Andrus, who initiated Idaho's ban on commercial nuclear waste, has now led Mr. Otter and former Governor Phil Batt to strongly – and publicly – affirm their support of the 1995 agreement.
At the Commission's first public meeting in Boise on June 29, 2012, Liz Woodruff, Executive Director of the Snake River Alliance, gave a presentation to the Commission titled "Idaho: A Non-Consent State."
1969 – Robert Erkins, Buhl trout farmer, forwards concerns to Governor Don Samuelson about nuclear waste above the aquifer. Mr. Samuelson tries to get answers; Senator Frank Church musters federal resources.
1973 – Governor Cecil Andrus and Mr. Church ask the Atomic Energy Commission for assurances that Idaho was not being considered as an interim storage site for high-level waste. AEC promises to remove plutonium-contaminated waste from above the Snake River Aquifer by end of decade.
1974 – Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission declines to endorse commercial spent fuel storage in Idaho. Senator James McClure demands investigation of current storage.
1988 – State of Idaho bans plutonium-contaminated waste shipments from Rocky Flats Plant, Colorado.
1991 – State of Idaho sues and unsuccessfully seeks injunction against Ft. St. Vrain commercial spent fuel shipment. Protesters meet truck and Stop the Shipments movement begins to bear witness to any shipment coming in.
1992 – State of Idaho tries to stop Ft. St. Vrain commercial spent fuel shipments in federal Court of Appeals and US Supreme Court. Idaho State Legislature passes bill to ensure INL must obey Clean Air Act for spent fuel storage.
1993 – Federal District Court grants State of Idaho's request for an injunction stopping spent fuel shipments.
1995 – State of Idaho, US Department of Energy, and US Navy sign agreement that reaffirms cleanup commitments and regulates what waste can and cannot come to Idaho (and under what circumstances) and what waste must leave (most by dates certain).
1996 – Statewide referendum pitted "Stop the Shipments," which opposed the agreement as being too weak, against "Get the Waste Out," which supported it. Forty percent voted to stop the shipments. The other 60 percent voted to get the waste out. Every Idaho voter expressed concern about nuclear waste in our state.


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Pop Culture
Hollywood Now: Chris Pine, Rachel Weisz & Ari Graynor, Plus So Many Babies!By Gerri Miller
New flicks with celebs in interfaith relationships and from interfaith backgrounds, plus their baby news!Go To Pop Culture
Early in our interfaith marriage, before the advent of children, we were asked by friends, "What are your kids going to be?" My response was immediate--a knee-jerk reaction--"They'll be Jewish, naturally." My husband was surprised by my "snap" decision, but I had been pondering this issue for months.
Why would I decide to raise our not-yet-conceived children as Jews? The answer to this question is suitably complex and necessarily personal.
I am not Jewish. I was raised in a Protestant home. Our family church was a sect of Methodism known as Free Methodist. I am not a theologian, but my interpretation of the message of the New Testament--in very simple terms--is that each of us has a spark of divinity and that by working together in positive ways we can "see" the face of god. I do not believe in the divinity of Jesus--or rather, I should say that I believe in the possibility that divinity dwells in each of us. This belief is part of my own personal spiritual evolution.
My husband was raised in a nominally Conservative Jewish home and describes his Hebrew school education in disparaging terms. His post-Bar Mitzvah, pre-marriage visits to a synagogue can be counted on one hand.
Soon after we were married we heard of a very special Reform congregation near our home in Brooklyn which was holding High Holiday services. I was curious to attend, and what we discovered was an egalitarian, socially active spiritual home that encouraged lively debate on the weekly Torah portion. I had heard Reform Judaism dismissed as "Judaism Lite," but soon came to understand that this characterization was unfair and erroneous.
The Statement of Principals for Reform Judaism adopted at the 1999 Pittsburgh Convention reflect, in part, the reality of the Eternal, the sanctity of human life, the importance of mitzvot (sacred obligations) and the concept that, "although God created us as finite beings, the spirit within us is eternal." I found that this dovetailed nicely with the lessons of my own religious heritage and provided a certain "comfort level" when I made the decision to raise our children as Jews.
My great respect for Judaism as a faith and as a culture also played a part in the decision to give our children a Jewish identity. I feel that I would be giving them a great gift by allowing them access to a religious education based in Torah. In our home we celebrate the holidays, we light candles on Shabbat and set the day aside as a break from more worldly activities. We practice tikkun olam, or the commandment to repair the world, when we find the opportunity and pass on the importance of acts of loving kindness to our children. In this way I have been able to create a Jewish home that honors my own religious heritage of faith and works; faith in an Eternal spirit that guides the good (God) in all of us to work for justice, peace and a healing of the world. The Methodist tradition has been, from the start, one of social responsibility and egalitarian worship combined with a heavy dose of service to the community.
I feel that conversion is a blessing, a gift, and should not be accepted before the time is right. Thus far the time has not been right for me, but my growing love of Judaism encourages me to give my children the benefits of a Jewish upbringing. I don't want to put our children's Jewish education on hold while I work out my own path to Judaism.
In our family the role of spiritual educator is divided between my husband and myself, but many of the duties fall to me. There is a school of thought that only a Jewish "mama" can raise a Jewish child--obviously, I disagree. Not all great voice teachers are, themselves, great singers. One of the best ways to teach a subject is to learn along with your student; as I study Hebrew and Yiddish, learn Jewish songs and blessings, and round out my own Jewish education with Torah study, I pass all this on to my children with passion and excitement.
I am very aware of my inadequacy as a teacher of Jewish culture, so I seek out resources to help educate my children in a Jewish way: I utilize the Hebrew school of our temple, the Internet, books and magazines. One of my favorite resources has been the music of Tanja Solnik--her two CD's of Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino music rotate as our "goodnight" music during the bedtime hour, and I often overhear my son and daughter singing little snatches of their favorite Yiddish songs.
We work on learning the alef bet, Hebrew alphabet, and as my children grow we'll learn and perfect our Hebrew together. My children will always have the option of undergoing a Jewish conversion ceremony in the future if they choose--perhaps they'll want to incorporate it as part of another life cycle event--but for the time being they are Jewish in my eyes, my husband's eyes, and in the eyes of our congregation.
I do not believe that the only path for an interfaith family is to adopt one religion. I have seen examples of families that merge two religions and impart to their children a sense of respect for both family faiths. For our family I feel a Jewish path is best. Sadly, I have seen families commit to a single religion--only to fall away from it through disinterest or because one parent eventually begins to regret the loss of his own traditions.
I have strong, positive memories of my own childhood Christmas celebrations, and I work each year to find a way to re-live these memories while maintaining a Jewish home. One route we've explored is to use the Christmas season as a time to teach our children about people who have used peaceful means to achieve their goals. We contrast this with Hanukkah, a holiday that stresses the importance of fighting to retain religious rights.
Our Jewish home is not a "typical" Jewish home, but I suspect that our practices reflect a growing movement in the Jewish community. The controversial "Who is a Jew?" question poses the query, "What is a Jewish home?" To find my own answer to this I must trust my intelligence and my education and I constantly reevaluate my own place in Judaism.
To many, an interfaith family such as ours spells the end of Judaism; I disagree. Throughout history there has been a strong vein of diversity and disagreement within the Jewish community surrounding the different ways of fulfilling the commandments of the Torah. What many see as the challenge of intermarriage I see as an opportunity. I feel that, handled appropriately, interfaith families can enrich and enliven the Jewish community as a whole.
Our children will grow up knowing what goes on in our home is part of OUR normal Jewish life.
Helpful resources I've used
Raising Your Jewish/Christian Child: How Interfaith Parents Can Give Children the Best of Both Their Heritages by Lee F. Gruzen, et al. (March 1990).
The Intermarriage Handbook : A Guide for Jews & Christians by Judy Petsonk, et al. (January 1991).
Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin (William Morrow & Company, Inc. 1991).
Music Resources
Tanja Solnik, From Generation to Generation: A Legacy of Lullabies: Traditional Jewish Lullabies sung in Ladino, Yiddish and Hebrew, DreamSong Recordings, 615-383-8141, click here.
Tanja Solnik, Lullabies and Love Songs: Jewish Lullabies and Love Songs sung in Ladino, Yiddish and Hebrew , DreamSong Recordings, 615-383-8141, click here.
Other Useful Websites
Beliefnet: www.beliefnet.com
UAHC Homepage: www.uahc.org
Jewish Music.com: www.jewishmusic.com
Interfaith Working Group Online: www.iwgonline.org
Dovetail Publishing: www.mich.com/~dovetail
JewishFamily.com: www.JewishFamily.com


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After spending days in the Intensive Care Unit at Boston Children's Hospital, the Bay Area family of an 11-year-old boy injured in the Boston Marathon bombing had some good news to cheer about Thursday.
Aaron Hern, 11, is doing much better medically, and he had a special visitor surprise him in his hospital room.
First Lady Michelle Obama was at Aaron's bedside Thursday afternoon, to the thrill of his family.
Obama accompanied her husband to Boston to take part in a church service Thursday morning. The couple then split up in the afternoon and paid visits to several hospitals in the city. The First Lady visited Boston Children's Hospital where she met with the Herns.
Aaron's doctors said he is doing much better, three days after twin explosions ripped through the street near the Boston Marathon finish line. Surgeons were able to close the largest shrapnel wound on his leg during a second operation on Wednesday, according to the family.
His mother's Facebook post said this was a "huge step forward."
Aaron's mother's posted the following post to Facebook:
"Hi everyone! Busy and exciting morning. Aaron is almost completely "unhooked" from everything. Off oxygen, catheter, neck brace, etc. all that's left is pain medicine and fluids. Huge step forward. He may be out of the ICU as early as tomorrow. Physical therapy folks came in and started talking about what we have to do there. For now he will start out slow with just sitting up and turning in bed. Still not sure exactly how long we'll be here but sounding shorter than longer!"
The Herns said the 11-year-old boy might even be able to leave the ICU on Friday.
Aaron (pictured below) was with his father, Alan, his sister, Abby, and two family friends cheering on his mother , Katherine, as she finished the marathon when the boy was hit by shrapnel from the second bomb during Monday's twin blasts.
His father said he was just 6 feet away from the device.
Doctors at Boston Children's Hospital have said Aaron likely would be in the hospital for seven to 10 days.
Aaron turns 12 on May 1 and his family hopes to be back home in the Bay Area by then.
The Hern family is well known in Martinez.
Patriarch Alan Hern is the football coach at Alhambra High School. His wife Katherine Hern is a member of the Kiwanis club and active fundraiser in the community.
Aaron's classmates at Martinez Junior High School spent time this week making get-well cards, and the school is collecting money to help the family pay for an unplanned extended stay in Boston while Aaron recovers.
Community members in Martinez are also helping in any way they can.
Roxanne Cole, the owner of restaurant and wine bar Roxx on Main, welcomed diners to the business for a fundraiser for the family during the lunch and dinner hours on Tuesday.
Employees at the restaurant worked for free on Tuesday, and other local businesses, including Chairs for Affairs, donated supplies, Cole said.
"If you know anything about Martinez, we're a very tight-knit community, and I wanted to do something to help," she said.
Cole said the event netted $4,500, with all proceeds going to help cover the family's transportation and housing expenses.
Cole said she would continue to hold the same fundraiser each Tuesday until the Hern family returns home.
The public will have more chances to dine and donate to the Herns at a fundraiser at Mountain Mike's Pizza at 1160 Arnold Drive in Martinez today from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The fundraiser will continue every day through Sunday.
Sunday through Wednesday, customers at Kinder's Meats and BBQ throughout Contra Costa County can donate 15 percent of each purchase to the Hern family.


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Bullish Calls on Burlington Stores, Express and Pacific Crest on Chips
Bullish calls on Burlington Stores (BURL) and Express (EXPR) and Pacific Crest Securities is talking about Intel (INTC), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Nvidia (NVDA). Goldman Sachs is upgading shares of Burlington Stores to BUY from NEUTRAL. Goldman says Burlington's strategic transformation is underappreciated. Janney Capital Markets is upgrading shares of Express to BUY and putting a $20 a share target price on the stock. Janney says tere is an increased likelihood the apparel retailer could be taken private by Sycamore Partners. Pacific Crest Securities says after a recent trip to Asia that all chip makers are not equal. Intel is best positioned to do well from the continuing coporate computer demand. Meanwhile, AMD and Nvidia may have a more challenging time in the current environment because people are not buying as many personal computers. Ruben Ramirez reports from Wall Street.


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You can import information from an export file that you created with
In the list of files, double-click the filename.
Export files have an IIF extension.
Accountants' changes to accountant review copies are in files with an
AIF extension.
Note: When you import price lists, your fixed percentage price levels
are included in the import process. However, you cannot import per item price


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On December 23 and 24th.
The Party starts 8am on Cat Island.There will be a Yachting Trip from Cat Cay, a lunch on board.
Then Dinner at the Exclusive Yacht Club, and then the All Pet Angel Fly In Movie Party Saturday Night.
On Sunday a Big Breakfast Buffet at the Fanciest Found Cat Hotel. and for lunch Nugget And The Porch Angels, and Smokies Smokehouese and The Found Cat Angels Siunset Grill will set up a Huge Buffet.
At 6 Pm the Pets with Furr Ever Homes will fly back to thier Guardians to spend Pet Mas Eve Together.The Strays and Pets waiting for adoption will Party Hardy.
There will be Romantic Dinners for the Pet Couples at some Fantastic 5 Star Restaurants.
Come One, Come All,
Fun on Cat Island can be yours, and the Price Is Right.


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Wessi, the West Country Messi, will turn out for the Republic of Ireland who are in a tricky group. He managed eight assists in a struggling Norwich team last year and is always a live wire in the heart of the Irish midfield. Fancy Wessi to out assist Europe's big boys. Maybe not.
Wes Hoolahan Top Assists Euro 2016 - 1pt @ 125/1
The favourite to be Albania's top goal scorer for the tournament is, well, no one. That's right, no one. No Albania goal scorer is the favourite, followed by Bekim Balaj and Shkelzen Gashi who aren't exactly names you hear regularly. Might actually be worth backing!
No Albania Goalscorer 13/2 - 1pt @ 13/2
After spells at Bolton, Chelsea, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Monaco, Tottenham, Fulham, Stoke and Bolton to name a few, the 37 year old now plays for Molde in the Norwegian league. He somehow got himself on the plane to France and Iceland have a real chance of getting out of their group, making this shout a bizarre but potentially worthwhile. If he gets near the pitch.
Eidur Gudjohnson top Iceland goal scorer 14-1 - 1pt @ 14/1
We all get a bit teary eyed when we see the three lions go roaring into a big competition, full of hope and expectation, but is this new look team set to disappoint like their predecessors? Russia and Wales are capable of beating us without conceding, along with Slovakian side who could park the bus fighting for 3rd. If the pessimist is strong in you, put your money where your mouth is.
England lowest scoring team in the competition 150-1 - 1pt @ 150/1
Your defence is terrified, Will Grigg's on fire. Internet sensation Will Grigg finds himself in Northern Ireland squad for the Euros. Somehow we don't think the Pique's and Boateng's of this world are particular terrified, but stick £1 on Will Grigg to be the player of the tournament and your wallet might end up on fire. You just never know, do you?
Will Grigg's on fire 1000-1 - 1pt @ 1000/1


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I was installing my water-cooling system yesterday when I got a big leak from the CPU block. It spills on my motherboard, graphics card, and PSU. I let it dry for about 24 hours then I tried to turn it on today. the motherboard LED is on when I plug in the power. Then when I turn it on it turns on for maybe 1-2 seconds then makes a click noise and turns off. The fans and etc turn on for that split second as well. Is the motherboard dead? I used distilled water
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|Tony Musante
|Sam Dalmas
|Suzy Kendall
|Eva Renzi
|Monica Ranieri
|Enrico Maria Salerno
|Inspector Morosini
|Mario Adorf
|Berto Consalvi
|Umberto Rano
|Alberto Ranieri
|Giuseppe Castellano
|Raf Valenti
|Professor Carlo Dover
An American writer, Sam Dalmas, is living in Rome with his girlfriend, Julia . While visiting an art gallery, Sam witnesses an unsuccessful murder attempt by a mysterious figure. As the assailant is believed to be an infamous serial killer, Sam quickly becomes a key witness in the ongoing police investigation. After he begins searching for clues that may help him identify the killer, Sam discovers that he may be the next intended victim.


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Quote of the Day
"There's no agreement because neither needs an agreement. It's not a fight they need to have. They fight because they can. There's something not quite right about this."-- Hockey HOFer Ken Dryden, on the labor stalemate between the NHL and the NHLPA. (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/14)
Top Stories
On Lockout's Edge
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday received a "unanimous vote from owners ... in support of a league-imposed lockout should no deal be reached by midnight ET Saturday," according to Katie Strang of ESPN N.Y. There are "no further meetings scheduled in advance of Saturday." In a "sign of solidarity, 283 players attended Thursday's meeting." Bettman said that a lockout "would impact the league's revenue and alter the dynamics of the business." He said, "Even a brief lockout will cost more in terms of lost salary wages than what we're proposing to do to make a deal that we think we need to make" ( ESPNNY.com, 9/13 ). The CP's Chris Johnston noted Thursday during a two-hour BOG meeting, Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly "gave ...
Ace In The Hole
Could Fehr show his "ultimate trump card" and revisit salary cap to bring it back in play?
Seeing Red
Red Sox ownership strongly shoots down sale rumors. Werner says flatly: "We're not selling."
Nice Way To Start The Season
The Packers' 23-10 win over the Bears earns NFL Network a record 6.3 overnight.
Hook, Line And Stewart
Bass Pro Shops is expected to sponsor of Tony Stewart's Sprint Cup ride in '13.
On The Agenda
Farmers Field gets major boost with Planning Commission approval; next up is City Council.
Saving The Best For Last
IndyCar hopes championship duel drums up interest in the racing circuit.
Film Noir
Maloof Money Cup to be shown in more than 600 movie theaters for first time, but not on U.S. TV.
Hayward Bound
From paddleboarding to swim meets, Wally Hayward has it all planned this weekend.


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Last week the Sheridan City Council approved the purchase of a little over four acres of property that will be used to expand the current City Service Center on KROE Lane.
The property was purchased for $395,000 using $245,000 from the Water and Sewer reserve fund and $150,000 from the Solid Waste Reserve fund which prompts this week's poll question: "Should the water, sewer, and solid waste reserve funds be raided for property acquisitions?"
What do you think?
To cast your vote, log on to sheridanmedia.com, click on the poll question banner on the home page and feel free to leave appropriate comments. Then, be sure to tune in to Public Pulse at 9:10 a.m. Friday on Newstalk 930, KROE, to hear the results and discussion on the Jackson Electric Open line.


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Brand new; still in original box! Purchased at the end of last season but I sold the boat before installing. Clamp/Mount Size:2 3/8 - will fit 2007 LSV tower (would assume others).
URL: http://www.bulletlines.com/double-wa...ack-p/1555.htm
Will sell for $115 ($100 + $15 shipping) - that's $150 off their regular price and $50 off of their "Deal of the Day" price!
PM if interested.


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As a younger player, one of the biggest knocks on Adam Jones was his poor plate discipline. Jones chased a lot of pitches out of the strike zone, which led to a bunch of strikeouts and not many walks. Working on that looked like one of the keys for Jones to get his production more in line with what his tools suggested he could accomplish. In 2009, it looked like some progress was being made, as Jones walked in a career high 6.9 percent of his plate appearances (even though league average was 8.9 percent) and struck out in a career low 17.9 percent of them (league average is 18 percent). That helped make him a slightly above average hitter with his .277/.335/.457 line.
In 2010, Jones hit about as well overall (.284/.325/.442 - but you need to remember that offense was down across the board in baseball), but regressed in the walk and strikeout areas, to 3.7 percent and 19.2 percent, respectively. In fact, his strikeout-to-walk ratio was the worst in the majors - and by a fair bit.
This year, Jones has really broken out, hitting a well above average .293/.332/.489, which had made him the Orioles' top batter. One would think that one of the factors behind such a substantial improvement would be better plate discipline. Is that the case? In a word, nope.
Jones still strikes out at around the league average rate (though more because his at-bats end quickly because of his contact skills - he whiffs a fair bit), but doesn't walk. His 4.6 percent walk rate is better than 2010, but that's small comfort when he's closer to Vlad Guerrero in that area than even Jeff Francoeur (of "if OBP is so important, why don't they put it on the scoreboard?" fame). That number isn't surprising given that Jones swings at the ball - a lot. Only Guerrero and Yuniesky Betancourt take their hacks more often than Jones (and he's neck-and-neck with Betancourt, so he could easily be No. 2 any day now), who swings at almost 57 percent of pitches thrown his way.
So what's wrong with swinging if you get a good pitch to hit? Not much in general, but Jones is swinging at junk, too. Only Guerrero has gone after pitches out of the strike zone more often than Jones this year.
This is pretty amazing stuff. Jones is one of the least disciplined hitters in baseball, and yet he's now hitting about as well as the likes of Ryan Howard, Victor Martinez and Andre Ethier. How's he doing it? By doing damage when he actually puts the bat on the ball.
Jones has hit a career-high 21 home runs already, and that's in only about 500 plate appearances. This isn't necessarily a new influx of power though - Jones has hit a handful of shorter (350- to 380-foot) homers right down the left-field line. He's still showing the solid pop to center that he added to his game in 2010, but it's not unreasonable to think he's more a 20-25 homer guy at the moment than the 28-30 he's on pace for - especially given that Jones is one of the more groundball-prone hitters around.
The grounders do help with the average, though (they fall in for hits more often flyballs do). As do his bunting skills (he gets a hit about half the time he lays one down, which is pretty good). Between the home runs and the extra hits on balls in play (Jones' career - and 2011 - BABIP of .321 is solidly above average), he's able to keep his batting average high enough to maintain a decent on-base percentage without the benefit of many free passes.
I see, with some obvious blurring, two main factors that lead to four different paths:
1) More walks, great hitter: Jones continues to hit for this kind of power with his higher BABIPs, while also refining his game on the plate discipline side. That's the kind of guy who can hit .300/.375/.500 and be a star; the kind worthy of, say, a $25 million-a-year contract if he were a free agent now.
2) More walks, not-so-great hitter: He trades some slugging percentage for some OBP, and ends up being pretty much as valuable as he is now - a very good player (the kind worthy of, say, $18 million a year). This is where I was hoping he'd start going after 2009, since his raw talent leaves open the chance to jump to the above.
3) No walks, great hitter: Guerrero has not only imparted his proclivities for hacking (even more) on Jones, but also some of his amazingly rare ability to be a plus hitter anyway, and therefore Jones will continue to be a very good player (same $18 million yearly contract).
4) No walks, not-so-great hitter: The 2011 power surge is at least partially aided by a few cheapies, his plate discipline doesn't improve and he goes back to being an average to slightly above player (the kind worthy of, say, a $9 million a year).
I guess we'll have to wait and see how things play out.
Daniel Moroz blogs about the Orioles for Camden Crazies and joins MASNsports.com as part of our season-long initiative to welcome guest bloggers to our site. All opinions expressed are those of the guest bloggers, who are not employed by MASNsports.com but are just as passionate about their baseball as our roster of writers.


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HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The neighborhood surrounding a gas main break in Harrison Township near South River Road and Jefferson Avenue is on alert.
Neighbors who live on South River have been told to stay in their homes.
Students at nearby Lobbestael Elementary, L'Anse Creuse High School and L'Anse Creuse Middle School Central are being held.
Students can be released if a parent is picking them up as South River Road is closed in both directions.
Officials say the problem may continue for several hours.
The only information immediately available from Consumers Energy was that it was a 6-inch main.
The Macomb County Sheriff's Office is on the scene.
Stay with Local 4 News and ClickOnDetroit.com for updates.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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USAID grants $1 million to UNICEF for education services in Iraq
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a one million dollar, one-year grant to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to provide support for basic education in Iraq.
UNICEF will promote a Back-to-School campaign aimed at the over 25 percent of children currently not attending primary school, most of whom are female. The grant will also assist UNICEF in developing an education management system to improve education planning and management countrywide.
As security permits, UNICEF will conduct rapid assessments to determine the availability of school materials. It will also work to set up temporary schools where none presently are functioning, train teachers, and establish accelerated learning programs throughout the country.
UNICEF has been active in Iraq for over 50 years, working in the fields of primary and secondary education as well as education planning and management. The US government has made reactivation and reform of the Iraqi primary education system a key priority in its reconstruction planning. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
Top Headlines
- USAID grants UNICEF $12.6 million for Iraqi education scheme
- USAID grants UNICEF $8 million for health, water and sanitation services in Iraq
- UNICEF campaign aims to raise funds in order to get Iraqi children back to schools
- USAID grants Jordan another $50 million
- USAID grants Jordan another $50 million