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The Permanent Way
Theatre Royal, York, now touring
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Happy Days
Arts Theatre, London WC2
The Permanent Way. Not the Third Way. David Hare and Max Stafford-Clark have joined forces, as writer and director, to stage a lament for the railways. But their real subject is much larger. This absorbing, provocative documentary is an indictment of Blair's Britain.
Why did a Labour Party, vociferous in opposition to what was clearly a botched privatisation proposal, do nothing to reverse it when they came to power? Why have we put up with a culture that values management facility over engineering skills? How have we come to accept Richard Branson breezily proclaiming a more 'customer-oriented' service, while trains drop out, run late, or skid off the rails without explanation? Why did everyone simply shrug when, on the way back from rail-friendly York, my train shuddered to a sudden halt?
The Permanent Way doesn't offer solutions to these questions, any more than it claims to be impartial: it's a series of protests and demands, not a programme for change. It draws on a deep well of feeling and assumptions: for the British, the railways are like cricket - something 'we' invented, extolled, exported, and then ceased to be any good at.
Nostalgia and gathering disappointment are cleverly evoked in William Dudley's design. It begins in sunshine, with a British Railways poster (c.1920) showing a sleepy, custard-coloured landscape which suddenly zips into life as a bottle-green train appears in its depths, steaming towards the spectators. It moves through a video of stations and those old louvred noticeboards that flap over to show destinations. For most of the scenes involving the recent past, the stage is blank and grey. It's a revealing arena, in which documentary reportage - the most important new theatrical form - is animated with complete conviction.
Stafford-Clark is a master at reportage - one of the few proponents of non-fiction theatre, alongside directors at the Tricycle and the Arcola. But this marks a welcome return to full-on engagement with public affairs for Hare who, after his state-of-the-nation dramas for the National, went on a feminist, the-personal-is-political loop before producing his bold Middle Eastern monologue, Via Dolorosa.
The playwright and his cast have interviewed scores of people whose lives have been touched by the state of the railways in the 10 years since privatisation. The verbatim accounts of some 40 characters - passengers, engineers, trades union officials, Treasury mandarins - have been brought together by the dramatist; their words are delivered by nine dexterous multitasking actors with (apart from one artsy mime at the beginning) an exceptional transparency.
There's the civil servant who agrees that he was committed to pushing through 'a folly' and the rail executive who describes the Balkanisation of the railways as 'complete disaster'. Then there are those whose lives have been wrecked by the four fatal crashes of these years. A woman whose son was killed in the Southall crash explains that he'd been training to be a solicitor: in the office, 'they couldn't believe how clever he was, coming from Essex', and that, as a campaigner, she's taken on some of his legal precision. She found out about his death when the Met closed their casualty bureau and put his name up on Ceefax.
From these statements - far more memorable for being embodied rather than simply read - some specific, resonant points arise. These alone would make The Permanent Way worth seeing. Advanced Train Protection systems haven't been enforced. The notion of corporate manslaughter has been dodged. Transport police, expert in dealing with crashes, have been prevented from investigating accidents.
Of course, even taken together, these facts don't amount to an argument: they don't identify a cause or a culprit - and of course, accidents occurred before privatisation. Which isn't to say there's no blame. It lies in a culture of inertia and non-accountability.
The writer Nina Bawden, whose husband was killed in the Potter's Bar crash and who was herself badly injured, puts it most succinctly: 'I never believed in corruption before. I'm not talking about greased palms, or bribes. I'm talking about the idea of corruption, it being in everyone's interests - the politicians, Railtrack, Jarvis - to do nothing'.
There are as many different Medeas as there are Hamlets. Two years ago, Deborah Warner directed Fiona Shaw as a twitching neurasthenic; a year earlier in Liz Lochead's Scots version of the play, Maureen Beattie was a sardonic, salty feminist. Now Tanya Moodie revisits the idea of this wronged and child-killing mother as a kind of sorceress.
Femi Elufowoju's production draws on the traditions of Yoruba theatre, and stirringly creates a harsh, hot, reverberating world. Ruari Murchison's gold and pewter design shows a landscape baked hard and dry, a barracks of a palace, fit for a slaughter-house, a tall glistening arch. Indigo and aquamarine robes glow. Creon appears in purple and gold, his tall, conical hat painted with skulls.
The action is encased in a beautiful cage of sound that seems to come from another sphere: tiny pinging bells accompany an elegiac description; ripples of deeper notes darken the account of Medea's murders; she seems to be able to provoke thunder as she reaches upwards. You can believe that here rivers might flow backwards, and that life may do the same: Creon's murdered princess appears in a long sand-coloured veil to take part in the account of her own death.
Even though the Greek reticence about showing violence on stage is fractured - so that you see Medea's little son advancing towards her dagger - the murderous action moves like a ritual, with languorous deliberation. Moodie never ceases to be majestic: her mellow voice never cracks, and her serpentine movements are - something rare now on stage - on a grand scale. When she winds her arms in the air and talks of dragons, you can almost see the beasts. But when Alistair Elliot's vivid translation talks of 'raking the anger through her heart', you have to take her ire on trust: what you see is implacable determination.
Half-buried in earth and sinking fast, the heroine of Happy Days might seem to have as much cause for violent revenge as Medea. But Winnie takes the Bridget Jones option, trying to ward off despair with lots of ritual counting, lipstick-application and arranging of her bits and bobs. When someone comes to write a PhD on the importance of the handbag on the English stage, Samuel Beckett's play will have a huge entry.
Peter Hall, directing at the theatre where 48 years ago he directed the British premiere of Waiting for Godot, has pulled off a couple of coups. The casting of Felicity Kendal is a revelation. She's a dainty, plucky, Irish Winnie, who suggests the character's forlornness by doing full-out manic skittering: it's amazing how many pouts and moues and grimaces can be created by one very anxious mouth. Instead of the usual mound of soil - that creeps in the course of the play from breast to chin height - Lucy Hall's arresting design traps our heroine inside a huge earthy spiral, like a slowly coiling bedspring.
Three to see
After Miss Julie
Donmar, London WC2
Patrick Marber reimagines Strindberg.
Mourning Becomes Electra
Lyttelton, London SE1
With Helen Mirren and Eve Best.
Dean Clough, Halifax
Blake Morrison's new version for Northern Broadsides.


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Why Is The Latino Poverty Rate So High?
Read this post in Spanish at Libertad.org It has been reported recently that the poverty rate among Latinos has reached 28 percent. The number, based… Read More
Read this post in Spanish at Libertad.org It has been reported recently that the poverty rate among Latinos has reached 28 percent. The number, based… Read More
As Americans gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, one of the blessings for which many are grateful is the family members that surround the table. There are… Read More
The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP) has helped hundreds of D.C. schoolchildren leave underperforming public schools to attend schools of their parents' choice. As The… Read More
This past week, media outlets have been abuzz, heralding the news that poverty levels in the United States are higher than previously thought. But the… Read More
Last week's election brought both good news and bad news for America's schoolchildren. A variety of states voted on several education issues, including charter schools,… Read More
More than half of Americans (51 percent) believe the government spends too much on welfare, according to a new Rasmussen Report. They're right. Welfare spending… Read More
Hurricane Sandy dealt widespread destruction to multiple cities across the East Coast this week. The storm—cited as the largest in generations—took numerous lives and left… Read More
In his speech today at Cleveland State University, Representative Paul Ryan (R–WI) laid out a vision for reforming the nation's approach to poverty. "With few… Read More
Welfare spending is at a staggering, all-time high. A new government report confirms that the U.S. now spends roughly $1 trillion a year on what… Read More
Prior to Education Secretary Arne Duncan's speech at the National Press Club this past Tuesday, we issued five questions for the Secretary to answer. Here's… Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Some of the participants at the occasion, INSET: The executives being sworn into office
Latest statistics indicates that 400,000 children born every year worldwide are diagnosed with sickle cell disease, of this figure, 80 percent come Africa.
In view of the gloomy statistics, the Director of Emeritu Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centre, Dr Kweku Ohene- Frimpong, has appealed to the government to provide the institution with resources to start new-born screening as early as possible to help reduce sickle cell by 2016.
He recently made this known at the celebration of the World Sickle Cell Day at Cape Coast dubbed 'Empowering Individuals With Sickle Cell To live Life To The Full'.
Dr Ohene-Frimpong, vice president of the association said his consultation with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in 1993 led to the establishment of a clinic to screen people with sickle cell due to its alarming rate.
He added that the centre was then handed over to the Health Ministry (MoH) to help establish sickle cell clinics in the 10 regions of Ghana to enable more people to check their status.
'Plans have been put in place to consult a company in Ghana to help produce the hydro oxy urea drug, which is used in countries like Brazil, UK, America, among others, for the treatment of sickle cell diseases in the country since it is expensive to import it,' he added.
Dr Ohene-Frimpong appealed to the public to check their status before selecting their partners to avoid bearing children with the disease.
From Sarah Afful, Cape Coast
Email:[email protected]
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Let's try a crazy possibility for a moment. Let's assume it is true to see what happen.
We can talk, we can scream, we can sing and we can do so many things to express ourselves to the surroundings, but we do tend to disregard our own irradiation.
Just like a wire in which we circulate an electric current will create a magnetic field around that we can measure, the same way we, being electric creatures, generate a field around us at all times while we are alive.
Our thoughts are electric currents traveling throughout our brain. The signal received by the brain to recognize pain when we hit our hand against the wall is an electric current. The signals sent by the brain to the muscles in our body to move an arm, walk, etc. are electric currents, and so on.
As long as those electric currents are running through our body, back and forth to our brain, we are alive. When we die, there are no more electric currents in the body. It becomes, well…a dead body! (Duh!)
So we generate a field around us that we cannot see or measure at this time, yet it does exist, and maybe that's what some people claim to be able to see as the Aura…the shinning around a human being that reflects what's in that person's heart (feelings, intentions, etc.)
We can "perceive" that field, that irradiation from another person, and when that irradiation somehow synchronizes with ours we can feel a sort of "connection", and at the other hand, when that irradiation differs from ours then we can feel a sort of "rejection".
Now, since our thoughts, feelings and intentions are electric currents in our brains, and those thoughts, feelings and intentions alter our physical state (if we are mad our muscles tend to tense, and if we are happy our muscles tend to relax), then it'll be logic that the irradiation we emit should vary according to the state of our thoughts, feelings and intentions, most probably creating a sort of different wavelength in the spectrum of our iradiation. The thoughts, feelings and intentions in our brain are the generators of the irradiation and our whole body becomes a sort of "amplifier" of that irradiation, which is continually modified according to the state of our mind.
So, if we have this irradiation at all times, and if this irradiation varies depending on what's in our thoughts, feelings and intentions, then this irradiation should have a sort of "interaction" with the irradiation of another person when close to each other, just like the magnetic field of a wire influences the magnetic field of another wire when they are close to each other.
Seen from that perspective, and making comparisons with the interaction of the magnetic field projected by wires which have circulation of electric currents, we could then analyze the results of human interaction using analogies.
When two wires are set in the same position while having the same electric current, thus the same magnetic field, those magnetic fields add up to a higher intensity. If we go to an extreme and position the same way thousands of wires with the same current, we create a powerful magnetic field that can be used in an electric motor – Two people in the same mood and feelings tend to feed each other in the same direction. If we get together thousands of people in the same mood and feelings we can create a revolution! (Think of a charismatic leader).
When two wires are set in the opposite position while having the same electric current, thus the same magnetic field, those magnetic fields repel each other. If we have thousands of those wires set in different positions with the same electric current, we have a chaotic magnetic field. – Two people in the opposite mood and feelings tend to reject each other. Thousands of people in different moods and feelings create a grayish society of distrust. (Think of big cities with millions of inhabitants).
But going back to the basic concept, have you felt distrust for no reason when you first meet someone? Like when going to an office to get a signed document and even before talking to the person in charge, just by getting close to her desk you know you are not going to get anything with this person.
Or maybe feeling the opposite; trust without a logic reason when getting close to someone that you might have never seen before? Like for no reason feeling friendliness from someone standing at the bus stop; or the grocery store cashier that starts a conversation that you feel somehow happy to follow, even if you weren't in the mood of talking before.
Maybe "love" in part is a sort of synchronization of the irradiating fields between two people, creating an attraction that cannot be explained, and sometimes even defy logic (obviously logic in this case is reasoning based in a society in the material world and its requirements – "He is not of your same background, how can you fall in love with him?")
My favorite: When you call someone on the phone; you hear the ringing and wait for the person to answer, and when he/she does and just say "Hello", sometimes you immediately know if that person is mad, happy, sleepy, etc. There's no visual you can use to reach that idea and the sound of the voice is distorted by the electronic transformation of the sound into electric pulses and back to sound; so how can you know the mood the person is in? Has it happened to you? Maybe we can perceive the other's person's irradiation at distances.
Have you had a sudden feeling that something might have happened to a loved one, just to receive a phone call a couple of minutes later to inform you of a tragic event to that person? Or even just suddenly having a thought about that person for no reason, and then receiving the phone call to say hello, then learning in the conversation that the person just decided a moment ago: "I'm gonna call her!"?
Experts insist a crying baby gets calmed when hugged by his mother because he can hear her heart…something he knows very well after nine months. But why then there's people who seems to have a "natural" ability to "connect" with babies? (I mention babies because they cannot talk and don't have knowledge of how to communicate).
Seems to me we do have another way of communication and a way to "broadcast" ourselves by the irradiation of our personality (which is created by our thoughts, feelings and intentions). And logically we should be able to control our irradiation by controlling what we think, feel and do in our lives. In many doctrines a monk suppose to have a very shiny aura since his life is dedicated to service and compassion to others and harmony with nature.
I'm not an expert in the field, so cannot say this is the way it is, but after so many years roaming this planet observing people and their interactions, looks like a possibility. I do know that while at work usually I'm quiet and thinking this kind of weird thoughts, while other people around is thinking and talking about the latest music video or the party they are going next…I'm not a person they like to spend time with, even if I always smile and try to be kind to them. We definitely irradiate in different wavelengths!
What do you think? Do you believe we irradiate ourselves?


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Original Sin - Update #29, Henchmen and Companions
Update number 29 for Original Sin brings us the 'forgotten' update about Henchmen and companions, whilst being at $732K.
It also gives us an opportunity to add a bit more information about the "Design A Henchman" tier. Many people have asked us what happens to the henchmen they design if the "henchmen become companions" stretch goal is reached.
The way it is going to work is that the henchmen designed by backers will receive a background from the pool of available backgrounds. And they will have dialogues which correspond to those backgrounds. Additionally there will be companions that we will add to the game and these will be treated differently from the henchmen.
You may wonder why you would still want to hire henchmen if there are companions available. And the answer is that different henchmen will have different strengths and weaknesses as well as different abilities. It is very likely that while playing you might swap henchmen in and out depending on the challenges you are facing. For instance when dealing with fire creatures, fire spells actually heal them instead of damaging them. If you happen to have a companion that is specialized in fire spells, he will therefore be of little use. At such a moment it would be very handy to hire a henchman specialized in water spells.
Luckily you also have a homestead at The Shelter Plane At The End of Time where you can ask henchmen you encountered and hired, to wait for you.
You should also be aware that henchmen talk to each other so if you treat them badly, that might have repercussions in your dealing with other henchmen. Likewise, treat them well and you might find unexpected benefits.
And for the French there is a hands-on video available from Jeuxvideo.
Don't forget you can also donate at our fundraiser for Original Sin and get a copy of the game.
Information aboutOriginal Sin
SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released


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Southern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
July, 2006
Regional Report
National News - From NGA Editors
Grow a Fall Crop of Strawberries
Strawberry lovers take heart; for those who can?t get enough fresh strawberries and wish the June crop produced over a longer period, there may be a solution. A new cropping technique developed by...
New, Natural Weed Killer
Summertime means weeding time for most gardeners. While the old methods of hand pulling and hoeing are still the most effective, sometimes you?d just like to spray those weeds to get rid of them....
Unique Pine Tree
Evergreen trees fill many roles in the landscape. They block unsightly views, provide a dark backdrop to colorful flowering shrubs and perennials, and create habitat for birds and wildlife. It?s a...
Free Guide for Organic Gardeners
The number of organic farmers, as well as the number of acres devoted to organic growing methods, has increased steadily for the past 10 years. This increase creates a need for up-to-date growing...
In the Garden
Harvest Tips
We're finally tasting the treasures we've worked so hard to grow in the garden. However, some beginning gardeners don't know when to pick their delights, since they've always purchased them at the store. A basic change of perspective is needed. Now...
Read more »
Favorite or New Plant
Bearded Iris Now's the time to dig and divide bearded iris clumps if they're crowding each other or if they...
Clever Gardening Technique
Sandwich for Outdoor Drying Make a "sandwich" rack for drying fruit outdoors. Place a second rack on top of the fruit,...
Read more »
Regional Reminders
- Keep Tomatoes Watered
- Pamper Melons
- Paint Tree Trunks
- Cut Back Bloomers
- Water and Fertilize Regularly


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Consider your space.
A book shelf in your office is going to serve a much different function that one in your living room. The items you place on the shelves should be pratical as well as beautiful.
Color coordinate.
Group similiar books together by color. And, please don't judge a book by it's cover. Check underneath ugly book jackets, you might find a lovely surprise! Your favorite magazines could make a beautiful display as well. Use books as a pop of color in an otherwise monochromatic look, or switch it up.
Mix it up.
Mix up the location of the books on the shelves, some might have symmetry while others mix up horizontal or vertical stacks, some might be on the left others in the center. Play around with the arrangement and placement until it's visually interesting and balanced.
Layer for depth.
The point is to have a variety of height and thickness so put shorter pieces in front of taller ones. It's ok if you cover up some items in the back just try to keep a center focal point. Be mindful of not covering up too much of photographs or art pieces, but play around with it.
Stand alone pieces.
Use the large stand alone pieces to fill in open spots and break up the books.
Great options for this include: flowers in a vase, small statues, potted plants, vases, framed art
Small trinkets.
Collect small trinkets to place on top of stacked books or to use as book ends.
Some fun options include: mirrors, candles, picture frames, candlesticks, coral & shells, intricate boxes, metallic bowls, jewelry boxes, and lamps.


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HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Amy Bishop-Anderson, who shot six members of the University of Alabama faculty in 2010, killing three, was sentenced Monday to life without parole.
A jury found Bishop-Anderson guilty of one count of capital murder just hours after her trial began, WAFF-TV, Huntsville, reported.
The jury of eight men and six women, including two alternates, was sworn in after a brief selection process in an accelerated trial expected to last a day or two, Judge Alan Mann said.
The death penalty had been taken off the table in the case, and Mann sentenced her to life without parole.
Bishop-Anderson pleaded guilty to capital murder and attempted murder Sept. 11, but Alabama state law requires capital murder pleas to still go before a jury.
Bishop-Anderson, 47, is a Harvard-educated biologist and former University of Alabama faculty member who admitted going on a shooting rampage after she was denied tenure at the university.
District Attorney Rob Broussard asked the surviving victims present to stand so the jury could see them. Bishop was seated directly opposite former colleagues and survivors Debra Moriarty, Joseph Leahy and other members of victims' families but did not look at them, The Huntsville Times reported.


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Southern Qld chills down as big cold moves north
Temperatures have plummeted across southern Queensland, with Toowoomba, Roma and across the Darling Downs and the Granite Belt recording below zero numbers.
There are widespread frosts across the state's south this morning.
Applethorpe on the Granite Belt recorded minus-two degrees Celsius.
Weather bureau spokesman Gavin Holcombe says the cold front that has delivered snow and hail to New South Wales and Victoria is moving north.
"The high will virtually get into north-east New South Wales late tomorrow, so by tomorrow morning we'll have light winds, clear skies and dry air, so ideal set-ups [to] get very cold temperatures at the surface overnight," he said.
Mr Holcombe says it will be worse tomorrow.
"Temperatures are still below average, although they're slightly up on yesterday morning, so it's cold out there," he said.
"We do expect it still to be cooler tomorrow morning - the high will come right over us by tomorrow morning and as a result we should lose that wind.
"Here in the [Brisbane] city we should feel cooler conditions tomorrow morning."
On the Gold Coast, Mr Holcombe says Coolangatta's minimum was just 2.4 degrees Celsius shortly after 5am AEST.
But he says it is not a record.
"Coolangatta's lowest recorded minimum is 1.5 degrees [Celsius], recorded 11 years ago," he said.
Topics: phenomena, weather, brisbane-4000, australia, qld, applethorpe-4378, coolangatta-4225, southport-4215, toowoomba-4350
First posted


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Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013 | 3:55 p.m.
Grand applause for Steve Wynn and his Wynn Las Vegas staff recognized today by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine as the top Nevada resort on its 2014 Gold List. Additionally, Steve's hotel was included in the prestigious Platinum Circle awarded only to those on the Gold List for five consecutive years.
'Rock of Ages'
The Las Vegas cast of the Broadway musical "Rock of Ages" celebrates its first anniversary at the Venetian tonight, with an after-party at Insert Coin(s) downtown. Proof to "Don't Stop Believin'."
Mark Shunock, who plays the show's narrator and hosts the monthly fundraiser "Mondays Dark" at Body English in the Hard Rock Hotel, told me: "Ticket sales are solid and strong and keep growing every week. We have had some fans return as many as five times to see the show."
Mark changed the format of "Mondays Dark" this week in the second fundraiser (the first last month was for Opportunity Village). The talk show set and couch format is gone, but the number of volunteer entertainers for Monday's Aid for AIDS of Nevada fundraiser was doubled for performances.
Mark also has created a unique element to add to the next 10 charity shows in his bid to raise $120,000 over 12 months: Strip and VIP rival competitors will read excerpts from the play "Love Letters."
Las Vegas Weekly
Our colleagues at Las Vegas Weekly celebrate their 15th anniversary tonight at the Tropicana. Editor at Large John Katsilometes and I are hosting a party, with roving mics at the Havana Room, to benefit the Foundation to Assist Young Musicians.
Among the Strip stars lined up to join our publisher Brian Greenspun, Las Vegas Weekly Publisher Travis Keys and Editor Sarah Feldberg for the night of comedy, music and surprises: Stratosphere headliners Claire Sinclair and Frankie Moreno; singers Felice Garcia ("Million Dollar Quartet" at Harrah's) and Pia Zadora; "Jersey Boys" at the Paris star Graham Fenton; singer-actor Joey Fatone; Smith Center headliner Clint Holmes and his wife, Kelly Clinton Holmes; Chippendales at the Rio dancers Jaymes Vaughan, James Davis, Ryan Stuart and Gavin McHale; and more.
MGM Grand
And today marks the 20th anniversary of MGM Grand, and return guests over the years to the giant green building have checked in to celebrate. There are no official parties or events because in Las Vegas, we never look back; we always look forward. When MGM Grand opened 20 years ago, it was a busy time, as Luxor and Treasure Island had opened mere months earlier in October 1993.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world's premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
Follow Sun A&E Senior Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
In the spirit of Venice, The Venetian is a little piece of romantic Italy right here in Las Vegas. The Venetian is an "all-suite" hotel, with rooms accented with plush linens and Italian marble. The 4,027 suites are divided into two towers: The 36-story Venetian Tower that offers guests a taste of luxurious Las Vegas and the Venezia suites, which guarantee 12 floors of high-end elegance. The top five floors are the hotel's highest level of luxury with its private access, concierge lounge, upgraded features and even a dedicated staff.
Entertainment at the Venetian includes shows such as Tim and Faith - Soul2Soul, featuring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and Rock of Ages.
The flagship of Venetian nightlife is TAO, an ultra-hip nightclub located inside of TAO Asian Bistro. V Bar is The Venetian's super smooth ultra lounge, made by the owners of New York City's club Lotus and Los Angeles' super swank Sunset Room.
The Venetian features 19 restaurants including Thomas Keller's award-winning French restaurant Bouchon, Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante, Aquaknox for fresh seafood and the 42,000 square foot TAO Asian Bistro. There's also the food court inside the Canal Shoppes for those looking for a quick bite.
Guests can float along The Grand Canal Shops in an authentic Italian gondola ride and pass stores like Burberry and Kenneth Cole along the way. And if you haven't caught a real celeb, on the street in Vegas, you can head over to Madame Tussauds to check out a wax version.
With world-class dining, shopping, spas, golf and entertainment, there's no shortage of things to do at Wynn. The resort's aquatic acrobatic show, "Le Reve—The Dream," a creation by Cirque Du Soleil veteran Franco Dragone and Steve Wynn, will leave guests wanting more with its breathtaking performances that conjure an imaginary world. The Wynn Esplanade offers a unique shopping experience with stores including Chanel, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta and many more. Tryst is its signature nightclub, offering a secluded lagoon inside the club and spacious dance floor. Blush, the Wynn's ultra lounge, draws swanky party-goers. Tryst, Wynn's signature nightclub, is situated along a private lagoon under a 90-foot waterfall and plays host to some of the world's most renown DJs.


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Thundercats (TV 2011)
Go back to Thundercats main page
Larry Kenney, who was the voice of Lion-O in the original series, plays Lion-O's father Claudus in this series. He was the only cast member from the original series to do voice work for the remake.
Jim Meskimen, the character designer of the original series, currently does voice work in this series.
In this series, Snarf is not a talking cat. The decision to change Snarf's character was presumably out of respect for the late Bob McFadden, who voiced the character in the original series.
In episode "Legacy" Mon*Star from "Silverhawks" (another classic 80's cartoon)has a quick cameo on a video screen.
In episode 5, Panthro tells Lion-O that he is stepping on his Samoflange. This is a reference to an infamous blooper recording from the original series.
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Aged maple/ebony. The maple used in this bridge is from excellent Canadian maple. The tone quality from this bridge is deep and full, yet bright. The bridge is shaped much like the Snuffy Smith configuration.
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Lancelot of the Pines (Louisiana Knights Book 1)
Today's Free Kindle eBook: Lancelot of the Pines (Louisiana Knights Book 1)
SALE! June 7-11: Get All 3 Louisiana Knights Books For Under $5!Book 1: LANCELOT OF THE PINES – FREEBook 2: GALAHAD IN JEANS – 99¢Book 3: TRISTAN ON A HARLEY – Just Released! – $3.99Find them and 12 more FREE and 99¢ romances from Steel Magnolia Press right here on Amazon at smarturl.it/smp99free_____________Bullets, betrayal and forbidden love–Meet Deputy Lance Benedict, the first of the Louisiana Knights…CHIVALRY LIVES IN THE SULTRY SOUTH!Mandy wants only to be left alone; she knows nothing about the disappearance of her much older husband, and less about the thug who tried to abduct her. Forced to hide out in a backwater town, the last thing she needs is an overbearing deputy's protection. Lance, saddled with the protective instinct that goes with the name of Arthur's most trusted knight, is stunned by his reaction to Mandy's courage and beauty. But is he putting his life on the line for an innocent in danger–or for a Black Widow?_____________All books in the Louisiana Knights series are standalones. No cliffhangers!
To get the freebie please click on this link:
Lancelot of the Pines (Louisiana Knights Book 1)
The linked site is not operated or owned by FreebieSelect!


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The Fifth Element
In the 23rd century, a New York City cabbie, Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), finds the fate of the world in his hands when Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) falls into his cab. As the embodiment of the fifth element, Leeloo needs to combine with the other four to keep the approaching Great Evil from destroying the world. Together with Father Vito Cornelius (Ian Holm) and zany broadcaster Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker), Dallas must race against time and the wicked industrialist Zorg (Gary Oldman) to save humanity.
Release Date: May 09, 1997
Genre: Science fiction
Writer: Robert Mark Kamen
Director: Luc Besson
Producer: Patrice Ledoux, Iain Smith
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Luke Perry, Bruce Willis, Chris Tucker, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Brion James, Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Mathieu Kassovitz, Lee Evans, John Neville, John Bluthal, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tricky , Maiwenn Le Besco
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I say thumbs up only for its visual/entertainment value. It looked good and it was fun, but I think it was only fun because of the people I saw it with. Do not expect a masterpiece, it is corny but never tries to be anything else.April 6th, 2013 · Details
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The nudity may be brief but it endures the entire film and I wouldn't want teenagers, or anyone for that matter, looking at that garbage for over an hour. The concept of the film is just weird and it's not worth your time.August 15th, 2012 · Details
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The device command line option specifies the frame buffer device which the server should use for the display, or screen.
If the command line does not show this option, the server uses the default, /dev/fb. Multiple (more than one) occurrences of the -dev option on the command line indicate multiple displays on the same server.


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For the uninitiated, Glenn Gould was an acclaimed Canadian pianist — a very eccentric Canadian pianist who wore a coat, muffler and gloves in any weather, and who had a tendency to hum along when he played. He grew increasingly disatisfied with performing in concert halls — for reasons that changed depending on his mood or perhaps depending on who he was talking to — and one day just abruptly stopped, deciding to devote himself exclusively to recording. His behavior was at all times on the quirky side, so it was apt that when Canadian filmmaker François Girard (The Red Violin) decided to make a film about Gould, he made an equally quirky one. That was Thirty Two Short Fulms About Glenn Gould (1993), which is exactly what it says it is (assuming you accept the end credits as a short film). The 32 little movies — mirroring Bach's 32 Goldberg Variations — are an odd set of films. Some are documentary in nature. Some are reconstructions or imaginings of events in Gould's life (with Colm Feore playing Gould). And others are harder to describe like Norman McLaren's animated sequence. Taken as a whole, they manage to create a mosaic picture of the artist and his life — a biopic of sorts that deliberately avoids amy real attempt at demystifying Gould. In fact, it raises as many questions — especially in the engaging section, "Questions with No Answers" — as it answers. That's perhaps as it should be. It doesn't always work, but the attempt is sufficiently refreshing, making it worthwhile.
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
Movie Information
|Quirky Biopic
|François Girard
|Colm Feore, Derek Keurvorst, Katya Ladan, David Hughes, Don McKellar


text: Wine farm brides and grooms, rejoice! This October on SBB, our theme is Vineyard Weddings, so we'll be looking back at some of our favourites from SA's wealth of wine farm venues, as well as rounding up lots of little details and lovelies that you can include to bring your location to life (or just bring a bit of the vineyard into whichever venue you choose!). When I think about wine (which is a lot), I also think about cheese – the two go together like love and marriage. So an obvious option for a vineyard wedding cake is to go for a cheese wheel tower instead of (or as well as) a traditional sweet cake. It may no longer be a new idea, but it's always a crowd-pleaser! Because cheese, duh. And sure, you could just plonk a bunch of cheese on a tray or pile a few rounds up and call it a cake, but it's much more fun to create something pretty with just as much panache as a classic cake. Depending on how you style your cake, it can fit in perfectly with a rustic wedding, a contemporary one – even a romantic or glamorous one! And the best part is that you (or a friend or family member) can do it yourselves, following our handy tips. And, of course, we've rounded up lots more gorgeous cheese wedding cakes (many from our own SBB weddings) to inspire you!Read More


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Homelessness falls nearly 12% for veterans
Washington Post / December 14, 2011
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The number of homeless veterans in the United States declined by nearly 12 percent between January 2010 and January 2011, according to figures released yesterday by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan called the decline "nothing short of extraordinary,'' given the economic conditions in the country.
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About Evaluation
The mission of the Evaluation Section (EVS) is to enable UNESCO to meet its mandate by providing credible and evidence-based information to feed into decision-making processes on managing for results.
Delivering on this mission rests on the achievement of more specific, intermediate results:
- Enhanced accountability
- Greater effectiveness and efficiency of programmes
- Enhanced strategic policy development
- Contribution to results-driven UNESCO.
The day-to-day work of EVS focuses on the following set of actions:
- Develop a positive evaluation culture
- Improve the quality of evaluations
- Enhance evaluation capacity
- Improve management of evaluations
- Contribute to strategic management
- Extend evaluation coverage to all significant activities
- Secure funding for evaluations
- Improve follow-up to evaluation recommendations.
EVS performs its functions in accordance with the norms and standards developed by the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). These norms and standards call for independence, transparency and impartiality.Back to top


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Terrific Theme
This is the theme for my sites. It does all that I need it to do. It is completely compatible with WooCommerce 2.0.11 which so many other themes are not even though they claim they are. (I tried 5 others and had to abandon them.) What a flexible and eye-catching theme. Here are the things I like about it.
- The flexibility for Home page layout is terrific
- There are many template layout options
- It is responsive.
- It has a built in slider.
I stumbled across this theme when looking for a four widget footer because I was having problems with another theme. I am so glad I found it.
- The topic 'Terrific Theme' is closed to new replies.


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Cordarrelle Patterson Articles
Numbers and statistics are unquestionably a huge part of the game. Any game, for that matter. Some fall on the sabermetric side of things, while others like to keep it simple and use the ol' eyeball test. In the football world, that means...
Corby Yarbrough
3 years ago
Millions of dollars were made at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where the top prospects in the 2013 NFL Draft ran, jumped, lifted and interviewed in the most important job interview of their lives. These are the 10 biggest money-makers...
Nathan Rush
4 years ago
The Week 8 shedule in the SEC his highlighted by South Carolina's trip to Gainesville to battle Florida, but the Texas A&M-LSU showdown in College Station will be fun to watch as well. Can the Tigers' defense slow down Johnny Manziel? Stay...
Mitch Light
5 years ago


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Street Cry has his first outing of the year on Thursday, March 1st but another leading Godolphin contender for the American Triple Crown races, Express Tour, needs more time and will have his seasonal debut delayed until the UAE Derby at Nad al Sheba on March 24th. Street Cry, who finished a close third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on his final start last year, runs in the $ 250,000 UAE Two Thousand Guineas over a mile on dirt on Thursday at Nad Al Sheba.Frankie Dettori rides him for the first time in a race. The top-class 3-year-old Machiavellian colt was a most consistent performer as a 2-year-old and he has continued to go forward.Street Cry is one of Godolphin's main hopes for America's Triple Crown races, the first of which is the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 5.He started his racing career in California, finishing second at Hollywood Park and then winning at Del Mar by seven lengths. Street Cry stepped up in class on his next outing, being narrowly beaten by Flame Thrower in the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity in September. He ran another fine race when again second to Flame Thrower, beaten a neck, in the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita over a mile in October. Street Cry put up a tremendous performance in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile over a mile and half a furlong in November, staying on well in the straight after being held up. He reversed previous form with Flame Thrower. There are three other Godolphin runners in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas -- Noverre (John Carroll), Dubai World (Richard Hills) and Lajeef (Daragh O'Donohoe). Noverre did well in his first season racing last year, winning four events including the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, England, in September.
Dubai World has finished in the frame in all three of his races which were in California last year, improving as he stepped up in distance. Lajeef, the half-brother to 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor Gilded Time, was most consistent last year, finishing second in all four starts in maidens and he made a winning start to this year when successful in a six-furlong maiden on dirt at Nad Al Sheba on February 15.


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Denver Broncos: What You Need to Know Heading into Week 10November 5, 2013
The Denver Broncos had a bye in Week 9, and this week they travel to play the San Diego Chargers. The players had a chance to get healthy over the bye week, but now they will be returning to the football field without head coach John Fox.
During the bye week, Fox traveled to Charlotte, NC where he has an offseason home. The team revealed via a press release that Fox actually had a preoperative appointment with his doctors as an aortic heart valve replacement was planned for after the season. They told Fox to seek medical attention immediately if he felt any discomfort.
"On Saturday, Coach Fox began feeling light-headed while golfing with friends. He was taken to a hospital, where testing revealed he needed to have this procedure as soon as possible." the team said in their release.
On Monday, Fox had surgery and he's now on the road to recovery. Vice President of Football Operations John Elway discussed this situation with the media on Monday.
"To start out, John had surgery this morning and actually is in recovery right now. We're waiting to hear on the results, but [his wife] Robin Fox has kept us updated throughout the surgery and everything has been positive up to this point and time. When we hear back how everything went then we'll relay that. But again, our main concern here is the well-being of John Fox and getting him healthy. That's our main process right now. Our hearts go out to Robin, his family, his kids, as well as John and we're hoping for a speedy recovery." Elway said.
A conference call was held on Monday for the Denver media with Dr. Eric Skipper, Medical Director of Cardiac Surgery at Carolinas HealthCare System's Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte.
Skipper was not part of the team that operated on Fox, but he provided insight into what the recovery process could be like for the Broncos head coach. "Every patient is different. Most patients are in the hospital 5-7 days, but exactly when someone returns to work varies quite a bit between patient to patient—from a matter of a few weeks to 8-10 weeks."
The Broncos were non-committal when discussing the possibility of Fox making any coaching decisions for the team during his recovery process. "We're going to wait and see, and see what the doctor says. Now that he's out and in recovery, we'll have a better idea of what to expect as far as recovery time and also what he's available to do." Elway said.
On Monday, it was announced that defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio would take over as the interim head coach while Fox is out. Del Rio has nearly a decade of coaching experience as he was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine years before joining the Broncos' staff in 2012.
Del Rio is focused on the task at hand. "I've got to be my own things, but Coach and I share a lot of similar beliefs. I've worked with him a long time. I understand his philosophies and so there aren't many [decisions] that are very different."
Without Fox on the sidelines, the team will have to turn to veteran leaders to step up even more. Team captain David Bruton commented on the role of the team leaders moving forward without Fox. "As leaders we know that we have huge responsibility with the team and we have to keep the guys in line. Our team is very mature, our guys know that we're on a mission and just as leaders we're going to keep pushing that along. Whatever Jack needs help with or any of the other coaches, we'll definitely be ready to step to the front and take charge."
Elway has reached out to Indianapolis Colts' general manager Ryan Grigson to discuss how their team handled the medical issues and absence of head coach Chuck Pagano last year.
I asked Del Rio if he had reached out to anyone in the coaching circle for advice.
#Broncos JDR "I hope to talk to Bruce (Arians) and pick his brain about how he handled things last year for the #Colts"— Cecil Lammey (@cecillammey) November 4, 2013
The team has faced a ton of adversity this season, and Elway feels that will make them tougher. "For us to get where we want to go, we're going to have a bunch more bumps too. I think you learn from each bump. It makes you tougher—it makes us tougher as an organization. It makes us tough as a team and all that can do is help us because we're going to have whether it be outside the lines or inside the lines, there is going to be plenty more adversity as we go ahead and all it does is teach us how to be resilient about it and learn from it and get tougher from it."
This week the Broncos play their second division game of the year. The Chargers have a resurgent offense under the guidance of first-year head coach Mike McCoy.
Denver has familiarity with McCoy as he was the Broncos offensive coordinator from 2010 to 2012.
In the locker room after practice on Monday, I asked cornerback Chris Harris if that knowledge of McCoy's offense gave the Broncos a competitive advantage. "It's really not too different compared to what they've ran in the past. They've adapted to what [Philip] Rivers likes. They're using [Danny] Woodhead like he was used with the Patriots. Eddie's [Royal] having a solid season this year, it will be my job to eliminate that."
After the game against the Chargers, the Broncos are home against the Chiefs, travel to play the Patriots, then travel to play the Chiefs again. This next group of games will be incredibly important for division standings and playoff seeding.
The Broncos have an incredibly important four weeks ahead of them.
Division Standings
|Kansas City Chiefs
|Denver Broncos
|San Diego Chargers
|Oakland Raiders
The Chiefs remain at the top of the AFC West with 9-0 record. That record matches what they had in 2003 as the best start in team history.
Their defense scored two touchdowns in Week 9 to help seal the victory over the Bills. They have held each opponent to 17 points or less so far this year. This is the first time a team has done that since the 1977 Atlanta Falcons.
The Chiefs have a bye week in Week 10, and they will get more time to prepare for the huge showdown against the Broncos in Week 11.
The Chargers lost to Washington in overtime 30-24 in Week 9. Some feel the play-calling from McCoy might have cost them the game.
They now have a 4-4 record and are looking to knock off the Broncos this week.
The Raiders were flat out humiliated against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. Nick Foles threw seven touchdowns against the Raiders secondary in what was arguably the best performance by a quarterback in NFL history. The Eagles won easily, 49-20, over the Raiders.
Terrelle Pryor left the game early due to a knee injury. The injury is considered minor, and Pryor is listed as day-to-day.
The team also lost starting running back Darren McFadden to a hamstring injury. This type of injury is known to linger, so there is no clear timetable for McFadden's return.
This week, the Raiders get to travel to New York to play the Giants. We'll see if they can avoid getting humiliated by an NFC East opponent this week.
I asked Harris if he thought the AFC West was the best division in football. "Right now it is. With the way K.C. is playing, I don't see any other division dominating like that."
Injury Report
The Broncos should be healthier this week after the bye. On Monday, some of their veteran players were rested and did not participate in practice.
Tight end Julius Thomas was on the field, but he was only lightly jogging on the sidelines during the media portion of practice. Watching Thomas closely, I saw him running cleanly. He was not favoring the ankle that he injured against Washington.
His primary backup, Joel Dreessen, did not practice either for undisclosed reasons. Both should be available for the Chargers game.
Strong safety Duke Ihenacho attended practice but did not participate. Like Julius Thomas, Ihenacho was working out lightly on the side with trainers.
The Broncos are still playing without veteran cornerback Champ Bailey as he continues to recover from his troublesome foot injury.
Peyton Manning was out at practice on Monday and his passes looked good. Against Washington in Week 8, he struggled to throw deep, but his long passes looked much better on Monday.
It was only 36 degrees during the media portion of practice, but Manning's arm looked sharp. He was throwing with proper velocity during drills, and his accuracy on deep passes was spot on.
It's 36 degrees at practice right now, Peyton Manning's arm looks fine, good zip in drills #Broncos— Cecil Lammey (@cecillammey) November 4, 2013
Starting running back Knowshon Moreno was one of the veterans who got some extra rest on Monday. Moreno was on the practice field, but he did not have a helmet on. Instead, Moreno was helping out with drills and encouraging his fellow running backs.
What Must Improve
Like I highlighted last week, the Broncos need to improve their consistency on offense.
They can score points in bunches, but relying on a fourth-quarter spree like the 31 points they had in the final quarter against Washington is foolhardy.
One way the Broncos could achieve better consistency is to use the ground game a bit more in the second half of the season.
Manning is on pace for a career high in yardage and touchdowns, but he is not on pace to break his single-season record for passing attempts. He had a career-high 680 attempts in 2010, but a majority of those came in the first half of the season.
The Broncos could perhaps put Manning on a "pitch count" to keep his arm fresh for the playoff run. As noted earlier in this report, the weather has turned in Colorado, and it's starting to get cold. The Broncos may want to use more of the ground game in cold weather games.
I interviewed Mike Klis, from the Denver Post, on my ESPN radio show, Ridin Shotgun, this past Saturday, and he told me the team may have found their rotation at the running back position.
Against Washington, Moreno played 38 snaps, Montee Ball played 30 snaps and C.J. Anderson played 10 snaps.
Like Manning, the Broncos may want to keep Moreno fresh for the playoff run. He runs hard and has little regard for his body when the ball is in his hands. Moreno has a long injury history, and this team needs to do what they can to keep him fresh.
Ball looked better than some expected in the game against Washington. He scored the first touchdown of his pro career and was more decisive when he was carrying the rock.
The Broncos want to see more from Ball, and they could continue giving him a larger role so long as he continues to hang onto the football.
Anderson ran with great burst and energy against Washington. His emergence could leave Ronnie Hillman on the inactive list for game day. Anderson has more power than Ball, and the team could ask him to grind out some tough yards late in games.
Turnovers continue to be a problem for this team. Manning threw three interceptions against Washington, and he also lost another fumble. This brings his season total up to six interceptions and six fumbles.
Everyone on this team needs to take better care of the football.
Defensively, the Broncos need to do a better job in coverage. Their pass defense has slightly improved over the last two weeks as they are no longer the worst in the league.
The Broncos have the 30th-ranked pass defense so far this year, allowing an average of 299.1 yards passing per game.
One big reason why they've improved in coverage is the return of Von Miller. With a better pass rush, opponents have less time to throw. Hurrying that process means opposing quarterbacks can't just pick the defense apart.
Denver faces a very strong passing game in Week 10. Philip Rivers has been resurgent this year under the guidance of McCoy. The Chargers have the fourth-ranked passing offense in the league, and they average 300.0 yards passing per game.
The Broncos' pass rush has to frustrate Rivers on Sunday, or he will pick them apart.
The second half of the season is going to be huge for the Broncos. They have five division games left this year with all having great importance.
Their record over the next month will help determine whether or not they can win the AFC West. It may also determine whether or not they get home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Playing without Fox is going to be an adjustment. His positive energy is infectious, and that will be missed on the sidelines and in the locker room.
Del Rio has the experience and understands the great responsibility in leading this potential Super Bowl team. With Fox's recovery time unclear, we could see Del Rio as the interim head coach for the rest of the regular season.
Denver is healthier coming out of the bye, and they can't afford too many more injuries. Keeping Manning upright and healthy is priority No. 1 for this team.
That could be achieved by more emphasis on the ground game. The weather change may also force the Broncos to be less pass-happy than they normally are.
Denver needs to take care of the rock and continue to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
All the pieces are there for this team to make a Super Bowl run. As Fox says, "When you expect a lot, you get a lot." The Broncos have incredibly high expectations for the second half of the year and the postseason.
All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record information provided via email from the Denver Broncos.


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Maynard accuses Rahall of fighting in the 'war on coal' – Obama to stump for endangered Virginia Democrat – Fiorina hospitalized overnight
'THE WAR ON COAL' – House Natural Resources Chairman Nick Rahall and his GOP challenger, Spike Maynard, went toe-to-toe last night in Beckley, W. Va., in what quickly turned into an energy slugfest as both men lobbed their own coal-related accusations at each other during the hour-long debate.
Maynard sought to paint the 17-term West Virginia lawmaker as a foot soldier in what he said are Democrats' efforts to kill the coal industry. "The generals in the war on coal today are Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi and the folks at the EPA," he said. "My opponent supports Speaker Pelosi. He voted for her. He votes with her 98 percent of the time."
Story Continued Below
Rahall's response: "I have voted against my party on cap and trade. I have voted against my party on a number of other issues. So guilt by association doesn't work in my particular case."
BLANKENSHIP'S BUDDY – Rahall also went on the offensive, criticizing his challenger for his close ties to Massey Energy's Don Blankenship. Massey is at the center of an ongoing criminal and civil investigation into an April explosion at the co.'s Upper Big Branch mine. Maynard, a former state Supreme Court chief justice, has deep ties to Blankenship and reportedly vacationed with him on the French Riviera while Massey had appeals pending before the court.
Maynard's response: Massey employs 8,000 people in southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky and provides health care to more than three times that number.
The recaps are a bit spotty, but the AP has got the best: http://bit.ly/bkt7Fj. You can also check WSAZ: http://bit.ly/ai31Lp. And the Beckley Register-Herald: http://bit.ly/9N9fpO
Happy Wednesday and welcome to Morning Energy, where we really wish our apartment's super hadn't jumped the gun and switched the building from AC to heat. You should know the drill by now, but just in case: Send tips, comments and whatever else is on your mind to Josh Voorhees at email@example.com
SPENDING THE NIGHT – California Republican Senate nominee Carly Fiorina remained in the hospital overnight but plans to be back on the campaign trail later in the week. She was admitted yesterday morning to receive antibiotic treatment for an infection related to post-breast-cancer reconstructive surgery. The illness forced her to cancel campaign events at a crucial time in her tough contest against EPW Chairwoman Barbara Boxer. http://politi.co/cIcM86
CAMPAIGN IMPACT – John Pitney Jr., a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, tells the WSJ that the incident creates problems for both campaigns. The hospitalization could worry undecided voters who may be concerned about Fiorina's overall health. Meanwhile, Boxer may have to ease up on her attacks to prevent looking like she is kicking someone who is down. http://bit.ly/ammGdu
** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: The United States is the world's leading producer of natural gas. In fact, about 98% of the natural gas used in America comes from right under our feet. http://bit.ly/bSlzXu **
OBAMA TO THE RESCUE – The president will travel to Charlottesville on Friday to campaign for Virginia Rep. Tom Perriello, who is scrambling to make up ground on his GOP challenger, Robert Hurt. According to a poll taken earlier this month, Hurt's holding onto a six-point lead over the freshman lawmaker. http://politi.co/cfKY7g
The president's visit is the latest in an all-hands-on-deck effort among progressives to protect Perriello, who has taken heat in his conservative district for voting in favor of major Democratic legislation (like Waxman-Markey). Earlier this week, the Sierra Club launched a six-figure ad buy defending the Democratic incumbent and blasting his challenger. (While the ad hypes "clean energy" it steers clear of mentioning cap and trade).
FROM THE ARCHIVES – Perriello, in an interview with POLITICO in the summer of 2009, on voting for Waxman-Markey: "There's got to be something more important than getting reelected. If I lose my seat, and that's the worst that happens, I could live with that." http://politi.co/ct7LGj
FROM THE FRONT PAGES – Both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have front-pagers this morning on how lawmakers and lobbyists are prepping for a Republican takeover of the House. Both have a few energy and environmental nuggets for ME readers:
LOBBYISTS LINING UP – The Times looks at how lobby shops have been working behind the scenes for months to prepare for the possible power shift in the lower chamber. The ME angle: The Natural Resources Committee.
"The possible shift in power has also generated excitement among energy-sector lobbyists, who welcome the likely rise of Representative Doc Hastings. … Hastings has long been popular with the oil and gas interests. He got $10,000 from the industries in the last election cycle. But this time around, he has collected $70,000, making him one of the top recipients of money from those industries." Energy lobbyists are hoping that Hastings will use the gavel to take a more aggressive stand against the environmental and safety regulations that Obama has tried to impose on the industry. http://nyti.ms/bHz4Uv
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION – The Journal, meanwhile, looks at how GOP lawmakers are trying to prove their conservative bona fides to boost their chances of picking up a coveted chairman's gavel next Congress. The ME angle: The Energy and Commerce Committee.
"Colleagues say [Joe] Barton hurt his chances when… he gave an apology to company executives that threw Republicans on the defensive. … [Fred] Upton also wants the post. His potential liability is his reputation as centrist in an increasingly conservative party. … Of late, he has stuck with his party, voting against the Obama administration's signature initiatives—the economic-stimulus bill, the health-care overhaul and the climate bill. He has been raising funds and campaigning widely for fellow Republicans this fall, and going on the attack against the administration's regulatory agenda." http://bit.ly/bOn6gC
COVERAGE FLASHBACK – POLITICO told you last week that top House Republicans are prepared to give the gavel to Upton if the chamber flips, but GOP leadership is looking to keep one hand on the reins by helping to hire his staff director. http://politi.co/aDAzuz .
--BP spill fund chief Kenneth Feinberg will give the keynote at a legal reform summit hosted by the U.S. Chamber. 12:15 p.m.
--API's Howard Feldman and Khary Cauthen will brief reporters at 2 p.m. on the potential impact of a variety of EPA actions, ranging from greenhouse gas rules to the approval of higher levels of ethanol in gasoline.
--The Atlantic's "Green Intelligence" forum continues today. Highlights: W.H. domestic policy council director Melody Barnes speaks at 9:05 a.m.; Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) gives a keynote at 11:45 a.m.; and W.H. science adviser John Holdren gives his own keynote at 2 p.m. Ronald Reagan Building. Or you can live-stream it here: http://bit.ly/cAyiCB
--Interior chief Ken Salazar continues his solar-binge in California, where he'll speak at the groundbreaking of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.
--Sen. Dianne Feinstein is also in California, where she'll speak at the unveiling of a Tesla Motors factory in Fremont at 6 p.m. EDT.
--Constellation Energy holds its second annual "Public Sector Executive Energy" symposium. Participants include EPA's Blaine Collison. Starts at 8 a.m. at the U.S. Navy Memorial.
--The wind energy industry holds a policy briefing featuring FERC commissioner Cheryl LaFleur. 11:30 a.m. in the Capitol (SVC 209).
TAKING A TIMEOUT – Gov. Ed Rendell (D) yesterday carried out his promise to use an executive order to effectively ban further natural gas development on state forest lands. The Democrat said the moratorium was necessarily to deal with unchecked industrialization of Pennsylvania's public lands. The state's lower chamber passed the ban earlier this year but the state Senate failed to follow suit.
API's response: "Holding hostage important natural gas development and the creation of new jobs and revenues over a political impasse is not sound energy policy. The Keystone state continues to struggle with high unemployment and budget deficits, and natural gas is part of the solution to the state's economic problems."
STAYING PUT – Speculation abounds about which Obama administration officials will jump ship after the midterm elections, but FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff tells Morning Energy he's staying put. "I'm sticking around," he said. "I'm enjoying my job." Wellinghoff is among the candidates rumored to be in the running for Energy secretary if Steven Chu steps down after the elections.
KIDS, MERCURY AND ACID GASES – Jason Grumet, president of the Bipartisan Policy Center, is always one for a good sound bite. Here he is yesterday at a Washington panel discussion hosted by The Atlantic magazine talking about EPA's upcoming air toxics regulation for industrial boilers and other major stationary sources. Grumet doesn't think Congress will meddle with these EPA rules, which will have some side benefits in terms of reducing greenhouse gases.
"This is the wheelhouse, right? This is not what's happening through a global tragedy of the commons. This is kids and mercury and acid gases. Now, there's a little bit of debate within the scientific community about the health effects of acid gases. But they're called 'acid gases.' What's the chance that any majority of Congress is going to preempt EPA's ability to protect kids from acid gases? Slim."
CLIMATE CORNER – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change chairman Rajendra Pachauri thinks the U.S. can make progress on global warming despite the collapse of climate legislation. There's a lot already happening in the U.S. on the climate front on the state and federal level, he told reporters yesterday. "So while of course legislation would make things that much more effective, I don't think one needs to wait for that."
WSJ: Conservation efforts have managed to save a few species from extinction but the gains have failed to stem the long-term decline in biodiversity. http://bit.ly/bSWDbc
Beckley Register-Herald: Massey's Don Blankenship could walk away with about $10 million should sale of the company leave him without a job. http://bit.ly/brFYwc
SF Chron: Global warming could be a threat to California state parks. http://bit.ly/aLzFTl
WaPo: Gilbert Grosvenor steps down as chairman of the National Geographic Society. http://wapo.st/aXOlDN
** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: One solution for more abundant domestic energy is staring us in the face. Natural gas is the natural choice—now and in the future. We know we need to use cleaner, American energy. And, we have it. Today, the U.S. has more natural gas than Saudi Arabia has oil, giving us generations of this clean, domestic energy source. Natural gas supports 2.8 million American jobs, most states are now home to more than 10,000 natural gas jobs. As Congress and the Administration look for ways toward a cleaner tomorrow, the answer is right here: natural gas. Learn more at www.anga.us And, follow us on Twitter @angaus. **
** A message from Chevron: This is a story about DOERS, butterflies, and buckwheat. In '75, the endangered El Segundo Blue butterfly was found near a Chevron refinery. We protected the habitat and planted the only thing they eat—buckwheat. We're still planting and keeping an eye on our littlest neighbor. Watch the video: http://politi.co/2yQ8q7z **


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Area residents are running into 2014 in support of several charities with 5K events in the books for January.
THE SUPERHERO RESOLUTION 5K is planned for 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Savannah Rapids Park.
"We started this two years ago as our major class fundraiser," said Lauren Matthews, volunteer coordinator for the Georgia Regents University Physician Assistant Class of 2015 of the third Superhero Resolution 5K.
The event raises money for the Christ Church Health Clinic held on first Saturdays at the Mercy Center and third Saturdays at Christ Church. The clinic was established by members of the 2005 physician assistant class. It provides services such as "complete physical exams, blood glucose monitoring, cholesterol screenings, blood pressure assessments, patient education and flu vaccinations," according to a sponsor letter.
Matthews said proceeds will buy supplies needed to operate the clinic.
Runners are encouraged to dress as their favorite superhero. Prizes will be given to the top three finishers and for the best costume.
To register, visit active.com/martinez-ga/running/distance-running/superhero-
THE SECOND ANNUAL Red Nose Run 5K and Family Fun Run will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at James Brown Arena.
"It's going to be fun. We will have clowns from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus," said Katie Cason, the marketing director for Global Spectrum, which operates James Brown Arena.
Other Southeastern cities will have similar events preceding the circus's performance. The circus will be in Augusta on Feb. 6-9.
Cason said they expect about 200 runners to participate in the event, which benefits Ronald McDonald House. For more information, visit augustaentertainmentcomplex.com/calendar/detail.php?id=710.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL Dog Gone Cold 5K will be Saturday, Jan. 25, at Julian Smith Barbecue Pit on Milledge Road. The one-mile fun run will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the 5K following at 10.
The event benefits Hopeful Hounds, a nonprofit organization that promotes pet adoption and raises funds for animal shelters and animal rescue groups. Learn more at hopefulhounds.org.
MORE RUNS AHEAD: Visit active.com to find more local events in January and beyond, including:
• 2nd Annual New Year's Day Run, 5K or 10K: Runners will tackle the terrain of the USC Aiken Pacer Path, by the Convocation Center on University Parkway in Aiken, to raise money to help feed children in Honduras. Both races begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1. For more information, find the event on Facebook or call (803) 270-4820.


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Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook
Select your stay dates to check availability at Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook
Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook
About the Hotel
Property Location
Located in South Setauket, Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook is close to Stony Brook University and Smithaven Mall. This hotel is within the vicinity of Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages and Avalon Park and Preserve.
Make yourself at home in one of the 143 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Satellite programming and iPod docking stations are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include desks and complimentary newspapers, as well as phones with free local calls.
Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities
Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities including an indoor pool and a fitness center. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access, gift shops/newsstands, and barbecue grills.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is included.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided at no charge.
Hotel Facilities
- Laundry facilities
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Free airport transportation
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- 24-hour business center
- Fitness facilities
- Smoke-free property
- Number of floors - 6
- Free breakfast
- 24-hour front desk
- Free WiFi
- Multilingual staff
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Total number of rooms - 143
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Indoor pool
Room Facilities
- Private bathroom
- Free cribs/infant beds
- iPod docking station
- Desk
- Free WiFi
- Satellite TV service
- Free newspaper
- Iron/ironing board
- Hair dryer
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave
- Pay movies
- Air conditioning
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Premium TV channels
- Phone
- Daily housekeeping
- Refrigerator
- Free local calls
Hotel Policy
Know Before You Go
- The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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A group of John Tyler High School students have spent more than a month researching the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy as the world remembers the president who was assassinated almost 50 years ago.
Quantalane Henry's sociology class embarked on a project in late September in which they examined different facets of JFK's life.
With five groups of students, the following topics were covered: Kennedy as a man, husband and father; as a supporter and promoter of civil rights; and his life and legacy.
In addition, one group researched the conspiracy theories about JFK's assassination while another group researched the lone gunman assassination theory. The students presented their research in class. Some of the students, along with others from journalism classes, visited The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. And all of them will complete posters or display boards this week to show off what they have learned.
Ms. Henry said her goal was for the students to realize that there are many layers to Kennedy. Although he came from a privileged background, he was committed to service and a champion for civil rights.
Seniors Karla Garcia, 17, and Victoria Morgan, 17, researched Kennedy's life as a man, husband and father.
Ms. Morgan said it was interesting to consider Kennedy as a person and not as president.
Ms. Morgan said JFK's father, Joseph P. Kennedy, was very interested in his children's lives and made sure they participated in a variety of athletic and academic activities.
As a boy, Kennedy was not the best student, but his father wrote to him once telling him in essence that the only reason he was bugging him about his studies was because he knew he was fully capable of doing the work.
Seniors Natan Rosales, 18, and David Felix Tallios, 19, along with junior Briahna Jones, 16, researched the conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's assassination.
Rosales said they selected the topic because it seemed interesting. He wanted to learn more about the existing theories, which ones seemed logical and which ones did not. The students ended up focusing on five theories. Rosales said the research taught him something about the president.
"It shows me that he made lots of people mad and to him it didn't matter who he made mad as long as he did the right thing," he said. "It makes me respect him more as a president."
Junior Chris Dixson, 17, and senior Kayla Webb, 18, researched Kennedy's life and legacy as president.
Some of the facts they learned include that he was the youngest man elected president of the U.S. and the first and only Catholic.
Dixson said he always considered Kennedy one of the more inspiring and poetic presidents.
"His quotes are deep," he said reciting as an example the often stated, "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country."
Juniors Daisy Vergara, 16, Jaylon Reese, 17, and Kendall Williams, 16, researched JFK's work with civil rights.
Their research showed them that Kennedy established the president's committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and some people believed Kennedy's civil rights work was solely politically motivated. Regardless, the students believe he had an impact.
"I believe that he actually helped the U.S. during his presidency," Williams said.
They also mentioned some of his suspected moral failings, but even those do not take away from the positive things he accomplished, they said.
"He did do stuff that was wrong, but he still knew what to do that was right," Reese said.
The students' projects will be on display in the John Tyler library starting Wednesday.


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Ranchers are the welfare mothers of the Western economy. Everybody picks on them.
They're easy to pick on. Ranching is an anachronism. In Arizona, it's not economically viable. Raising cattle here makes about as much sense as growing palm trees in Alaska. The Arizona Cattlemen's Association is unable to say how much of the nation's beef is produced by Arizona, but no more than 5 percent of U.S. beef comes from west of the Rocky Mountains.
So why do people still ranch here?
Because they like it. And because they always have.
How do they survive?
Government assistance.
Why do they receive such assistance?
Because they like it. And because they always have.
But a change might be on the way.
State Trust Land is supposed to be used to make a profit, which goes to schools. Last April, the state auditor general declared that the State Land Department was failing in its duty to put the leases on grazing rights out for competitive bid. When a 10-year lease expired, ranchers were simply allowed to renew it.
In July, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Dann reached the same conclusion.
Jean Schwennesen is one who stands to lose if grazing policy is reformed. She and her husband, Eric, own the Double Check Ranch near Winkelman. She's only been in the cattle business for two years. "But my husband and I have lived on ranches most of the time. I grew up on a small farm. We both have degrees in agriculture. We managed a ranch in Nevada."
When I suggest that ranching isn't viable here, Schwennesen surprises me by agreeing.
"There's no denying it. There's an old saying that the only way to get a ranch is by the womb, the tomb or the altar, because they're so expensive. The asset that you have is quite valuable, and returns very little. I read somewhere that the average ranch only returns 2 percent on your investment. So there aren't many people foolish enough to do that."
Why are returns so poor?
"Partly because cattle prices fluctuate greatly, and the expense of running a place is great. Year in, year out, you probably gross about $300 for every cow you have on the place. Which is why it's impolite to ask how many cows a person has on their place."
So how many does she have on her place?
"A hundred. About 250 head is considered an economic unit."
Of her 10,000 acres, she owns about 10 percent. About 1 percent of the land her cattle graze is owned by the federal Bureau of Land Management, and the rest is State Trust Land.
There are 9.4 million acres of State Trust Land in Arizona. Most of it, 8.5 million acres, is grazed. Grazing leases bring in a total of nearly $2.15 million yearly. BLM controls 16 million acres in the state, of which 11.6 million are grazed. The Forest Service has 11.25 million acres and leases 10.2 million acres for grazing, bringing in about $1.2 million annually.
Schwennesen says that many ranches survive only because they have been in the rancher's family for a long time, and so no payments have to be made on the property. "But this is why a lot of ranches are becoming developed [for other uses]--the asset is very valuable, so when one generation dies, and there's not much income being generated, the estate taxes can mean that the ranch has to be sold. A lot of ranchers live off bank loans."
Although she professes to be "full of hope and optimism," Schwennesen believes that to survive she'll have to do more than let cattle eat the scenery. "We intend to be in the resource business," she says. "The cattle will make the payments on this ranch, but there's virtually nothing left to live on or make improvements. So we're going to be doing a bed-and-breakfast kind of thing. We're going to be making a living off of the open spaces the cattle do provide."
She says Double Check Ranch will take on a partner to develop a pasture poultry operation. The Schwennesens run a little packing house on the ranch, direct-selling meat to consumers and selling some to organic-food stores.
"So that's how we're surviving," she says. "Ranchers who're not willing to be creative are an anachronism and can't stay forever."
There's a whole mythology attached to ranching. Think of Louis L'Amour. Zane Grey. The Marlboro Man ads. The heroic outdoorsman taming the land, controlling the forces of nature to make his living. John Wayne. Randolph Scott. The High Chaparral . . .
The way it was. Or, rather, the way it never was.
Going back to the days of the Old West, to the likes of John Slaughter, ranching has been about exploitation. The cowboys employed by the ranchers led lives of bleakness and squalor. Ranchers attained, and retain to this day, undue political influence because they were the major landholders outside the cities, and therefore the major employers in rural areas. In these areas, it was ranchers who opened the gates for large-scale capitalism. The first people to live in an area would be trappers. Then miners. Then farmers. And then there would be ranchers, who brought railroads to rural districts so that cattle could be transported. Once upon a time, ranchers ruled the West.
Not anymore, according to Tucson-based author Greg McNamee, who writes frequently about resource issues. "They now don't have a lot of say, and they hate it," he tells me. "The influential people now are big business and Glendale car dealers."
There are environmentalists who see ranchers as an enemy to be fought and defeated, and in the past decade ranchers have found their property vandalized in acts of "ecotage." McNamee, however, isn't without sympathy for the ranchers' case. "They couldn't survive without subsidy. But pretty much the entire West would collapse if it wasn't for subsidy. And you can go further than that and realize that the country itself depends on subsidy."
So, even though some ranchers may be indulging an expensive hobby, is there any reason they should be denied subsidy when other businesses receive it?
Yes, according to environmentalists, who believe grazing is so damaging to the land that they applied to the State Land Department for grazing leases for the purposes of "unranching"--fencing off the land to keep cows away and let the land recover. The Land Department responded by saying that you can't have a grazing lease if you're not going to graze. The department refused offers from environmentalists of double what the ranchers were paying for the leases.
Then the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest brought a lawsuit on behalf of Arizona's schoolchildren. As State Trust Land is supposed to be used to make the highest possible profit, which benefits schools, it was argued that the department was failing in its duty. And that's how Judge Dann saw it.
The outcome of his ruling is not clear. "It's in the hands of the Legislature," says State Land Commissioner Dennis Wells. "They're working on a piece of legislation to address the court order." The legislation, which is sponsored by Gail Griffin, co-chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, dictates that grazing leases must be advertised, and defines subleases. This is pretty much what Judge Dann ordered.
Bob Yount, director of the Land Department's Natural Resources Division, plays down the threat to the ranchers' livelihood.
"They have had the leases for a long period of time. They are 10-year leases, and they do expire, and they have been renewed, and the ranchers have had control of the land," Yount says. "The judge has said we need to increase the amount of competition we get on our grazing leases. We have to advertise them, and if there's a conflict, we have to have a bidding process. We have to do that so the trust gets more money. We're still talking about using the land for grazing. If someone wants to use it for something else, nongrazing, it would have to be reclassified to a commercial lease, because 'commercial' includes all other uses."
Yount says people are free to apply for reclassification of grazing lands for other uses.
Tim Hogan, the attorney who handled the lawsuit for the Center for Law in the Public Interest, sees it differently.
"The judge decided that the existing system is illegal, and that the state is failing its trust. It's a giveaway of trust land," Hogan says. "Our concern is appropriate use of public trust land, and, in some cases, conservation of the land.
"The situation right now is that there's been an appeal, and that'll drag on for a while. They're trying to fix a bill at the Legislature that will convince the court that they've solved the problem."
If Hogan seems skeptical about the Legislature's ability to address the problem, it's because he's got plenty of experience dealing with lawmakers. He also brought the lawsuit that resulted in the state Supreme Court ruling that Arizona's system of capital school finance is unconstitutional. Twice, the Legislature has claimed to have fixed the school capital finance inequities. Each time, Hogan thought otherwise, and the courts, upon reviewing the legislation, have agreed with him.
Jean Schwennesen has a different concern. "If we didn't have those grazing rights, we couldn't survive."
Although it's difficult not to sympathize with the ranchers, at first it seems just as difficult to defend their position on logical rather than sentimental grounds. Schwennesen affectionately describes her place as "a rural slum."
"We live on a cactus-infested rock pile--but it's our cactus-infested rock pile," she says.
Her commitment to the place is impressive; she and her husband, Eric, live seven miles from the nearest phone, with a lifestyle that makes slum living seem luxurious. Asked why they do it, she says, "Because we like it."
If people are willing to endure such hardship, it may seem churlish to deny them assistance. But is this really more than subsidized camping? If a person's chosen way of life is anachronistic--and, in practical terms, hardly indispensable to society as a whole--should his way of life be given government support just because he likes it?
The societal value of the lifestyle is not obvious when I talk to Jean Schwennesen on the phone. But, when I visit her ranch, one thing becomes very clear . . .
If ranching is to escape being consigned to history, it will be because of people like Jean and Eric Schwennesen.
Typically, when defending themselves against criticism by environmentalists, ranchers use economic arguments--that cows produce protein and mineral-rich foods, bone charcoal for high-grade steel, coverings for baseballs and footballs, hair for yarn and felt, gelatin, fat for soaps and lubricants, hoof material for glues, blood for cancer research, glands for insulin, ACTH and Adrenalin.
But, in an era of increased environmental consciousness, are these things--which can be obtained from sources other than cows--enough to justify the damage that grazing does to the land?
There are environmentalists who don't believe it does any damage at all. Diana Hadley is one of them. The Tucson-based writer, who is working on a book about the history of ranching in Arizona and New Mexico, says, "Grazing doesn't necessarily cause any damage if it's done in the right way. Grasslands are meant to be grazed."
In the 1880s, a huge cattle boom coincided with a major drought. According to Hadley, that's when the ecological damage was done. But, with the exception of a drought in the 1950s, pastures in Arizona have been improving throughout this century.
"It's not grazing that causes damage, but overgrazing," says Hadley.
Opponents of ranching often talk of "a near desert being turned into a real desert." But much of the damage to the southern Arizona land came from an earthquake in 1887, which caused springs to dry up.
Ironically, it was cattle growers themselves who, in the late 19th century, asked the government to control access to public lands for grazing.
To get to the Double Check Ranch from Phoenix, you take the highway to Florence and keep going. After 13 miles, you turn onto a dirt road and drive carefully through some of the bleakest country imaginable. The farther you go, the spookier it gets; the sun bounces off the dirt, and there's no sign of life anywhere. At last you come to a gate. There's an old computer lying on the ground, with the name "Schwennesen" inscribed on it.
You open the gate and drive through. Then you stop and get out of your car to close the gate again. A bunch of mean-looking steers give you the eye. You drive a little farther, and see a trailer and a small camper. A couple of dogs look at you and bark, but they're friendly.
So are their owners.
I'd wondered what people would be like after two years out here, with little contact with other human beings. I'd imagined a couple of snaggle-toothed, tobacco-chewing, banjo-strumming misanthropes who'd point a shotgun at any visitors.
Eric Schwennesen is an amiable, witty man in his 40s. He's brown-skinned, tightly muscled and wears a cowboy hat pulled low, closer to his large mustache than the hair on his head. Jean is around the same age, slightly built but strong. He's laconic, she talks fast and enthusiastically. They're soon to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
One of their dogs is blind, a genetic condition. It went blind gradually, and Jean and Eric didn't realize it was totally blind until they were walking toward an area where a fence had been--and the dog ducked to get under the fence, not seeing that it was gone.
It's easy to see why they didn't know before. I'd never have known if they hadn't told me. The dog obviously works from memory, scent and sound. But Jean tells me to be careful to let it know when it's about to bump into me; she says it won't bite, but it could get scared.
The other dog, a Scottish border collie, is manic the whole time I'm there. When Jean and Eric show me where the cows are kept, the dog jumps in the cows' water tank. I point to a broken gate and ask what happened to it.
"One of the cows," Jean says. "First, she jumped out of the truck, and it took days to get her to go back in there. Then she broke through the gate . . ."
Where is she now?
"She went for hamburger. McDonald's deserves her."
It's going to be a long time before the Schwennesens achieve their goals for the land. They plan to build a house--doing it themselves--and they have a sketch of it on a wall of their camper. But that's far down the line. Right now, they're living in the most basic circumstances and trying to work with the land.
The Schwennesens have nothing to do with John Slaughter or any other ranching stereotypes. They're more in the tradition of intellectual American farmers, like Gary Snyder or Wendell Berry. Jean even quotes Berry. We're talking about ecologists who want a green world devoid of people, and she tells me some environmentalists refuse to go and talk to ranchers because they're afraid they'll like them. "It's like Wendell Berry said, we've become excellent at taking one neat solution and dividing it into two problems."
Jean and Eric are environmentalists. They have a real relationship with the land. During my visit, they hardly talk about cattle. Instead, they take me on a walk around their land and show me what they're doing to rejuvenate the ground.
To many environmentalists, it's heresy to suggest that you can take from the land and give to it at the same time. A decade ago, in The American Naturalist, Dr. Joy Belsky wrote, "No convincing evidence supports the theory that herbivory benefits grazed plants." This is still pretty much the prevailing wisdom, in spite of such hard evidence to the contrary as the mine tailings at Globe-Miami, which, after all other methods of rejuvenation had failed, began to grow grass when cows were let loose on them.
Grass has billions of tiny roots, and provides a reservoir for water and material for organic soil. Range scientists believe that the deepest soils on Earth developed under grass--grass that was grazed by animals.
The Schwennesens understand this. As we walk around the land, they claim that it's now twice as rich as it was when they arrived. They know the names of the different plants and flowers we find, and at one point they stop to discuss what a strange one might be. I step on some cholla cactus, and yell. Eric pulls it out of my foot. I'm wearing sandals, but he demonstrates that the soft needles will go through a thick boot.
They show me rock dams they've built in washes, to keep topsoil from being washed away in heavy rain. "This only takes a few minutes to do," Eric tells me. "But it makes a big difference."
Then why isn't it done by more people?
He grins. "It looks too much like work. It's not romantic."
They like to stay on their land. Jean aims to go into town just twice a month, though she usually ends up having to go more often. Eric hardly goes at all these days. "I won't let him," says Jean.
"I go into town and come back in such a bad mood, she won't let me go anymore," he says, laughing.
We sit in their camper and eat roast beef sandwiches. The meat is excellent, soft and tender. It should be--until very recently, it was walking around the ranch.
"That's the great thing about this," says Eric. "You get mad at a cow, it's dinner. You can eat your enemy." He looks at me sympathetically. "I guess you can't do that to an editor."
The Schwennesens are not typical. There are ranches that are simply hobbyhorses for rich people. The largest ranch in the state of Arizona--the Big Boquillos--is owned not by an individual, but by the Navajo tribe.
As time goes on and ranchers feel the financial pinch, many feel forced to "40-acre" their land, selling it off for residential purposes.
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But Jean and Eric Schwennesen are not alone. Karen Riggs and her husband, Clay, own the Cimarron ranch in Cochise County. They've been in the business for 11 years, but the ranch has been in Clay's family for 130. Clay works on the ranch full-time, but Karen also works as a civil engineer, "through need rather than desire. What we've done with my salary is expand our ranching, so that we now have more land and more cattle than we did 11 years ago. We have about 300."
What about the claims of some environmentalists that ranching is bad for the land?
"I think in some cases it is. Depending on how it's managed, it can be devastating. I think some of the sound bites you hear are overly generalized and overly simplified. Let's face it, having a good enemy really helps fund raising--on both sides. But I think you'll find more environmentalists and ranchers getting together these days, actually trying to look past the stereotypes. We have some things in common. Neither of us wants to see 10-acre ranchettes covering the landscape."
Contact Barry Graham at his online address: firstname.lastname@example.com


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