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Latest news
The IGA Academy cancels the course "Planning of shallow geothermal systems for heating & cooling" 4-7 December 2017 in Santiago, Chile
Unexpected low number of participants.
Geothermal Congress DGK in Munich
The German Geothermal Association and its co-organizer Bayern Innovative GmbH would like to invite you to the Geothermal Congress DGK on 12-14 September in the BMW Welt, Munich.
Happy Birthday to us!
Today, on 6th July 1988 in Auckland, New Zealand the IGA was born!
Prof Dr Horst Rueter departure as IGA Service Company Director
The Board of Directors announces Prof Dr Horst Rueter´s departure as Managing Director of the IGA Service GmbH, effective June 27, 2017.
Photo contest for IGA Calendar 2018
This year the International Geothermal Association would like to continue the nice tradition of the IGA Photo Contest. Once again, everyone is welcome to send their geothermal pictures to us!
Press Release: New IGA Executive Director Dr. Marit Brommer
On behalf of the IGA Board it is my pleasure to introduce our new Executive Director, Marit Brommer.
Coordinating Officer - International Research and Education - Vacancy
For the International Geothermal Centre (GZB), which is a scientific institute of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, the Bochum University of Applied Sciences has a vacancy starting as soon as possible for the position as an
Coordinating Officer - International Research and Education
Call of EoIs for project funding in Latin America
1st call for Expressions of Interest will be published on 15 Jan. 2017.
REN21 Steering Committee meeting in Paris & MEXIREC
A brief report on the meeting is presented and a REN21 press release on the MEXIREC.
Invitation to participate in the Energy Globe Award
Submit innovative showcase projects by 6 December 2016
Press release: COP22 - Renewable energy technologies ready to deliver
The REN Alliance confirmed readiness and cost effectiveness of renewables in Marrakesh.
Mexico: Kick-off Meeting of the GEMex Project
On 15-17 November 2016, the initial general meeting of the GEMex project was held in Morelia, capital city of the State of Michoacán, Mexico.
Call for project proposals
IRENA and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development invite the submission of project proposals. Deadline 15th Feb. 2017.
REN Alliance COP22 Side Event: Renewables Working Together: Rural, City, National, Regional and Island Approaches
Monday 14 November at 16:45 (UTC) in Observer Room 5(300). Marrakech, Morocco
Free Training courses for shallow geothermal applications and heat pump technology
The International Geothermal Centre (GZB) and the Bochum University of applied science offer serval training courses for shallow geothermal applications and heat pump technology in the period from Oct 15, 2016 till Nov 30, 2016.
Latin America Symposium by IGA and IEA Geothermal at the next GeoTHERM – expo and congress
A joint event is organised on 14-15 Feb. 2017
IGA Calendar 2017
We printed the IGA Calendar 2017 and thank you for sending us amazing geothermal images.
Globally-applicable reporting standard is now effective
A harmonized standard for reporting geothermal resources has become operational.
International IGA coffee break talks at the European Geothermal Congress in Strasbourg
The IGA offers a series of coffee break talks at the IGA booth at the upcoming EGC.
IGA Book launch "Geothermal Exploration - Global Strategies and Applications"
The book will be launched and released in Strasbourg on 22 Sept. 2016
Invitation to participate in the GeoWell Risk Assessment Survey
The International Research Institute of Stavanger (IRIS) is performing a survey within the framework of the GeoWell Project.
Invitation to the IGA Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The 2016 AGM will be held at the at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCCC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the afternoon of Monday, 31 October 2016.
Geothermal energy in New Zealand & the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
The online UN contribution informs on great achievements of the Tauhara North No. 2 Trust in New Zealand.
Results of the IGA Board of Directors Elections for 2016-2019
The new IGA Board of Directors (BoD) for the period 2016-2019 has been elected.
My favourite geothermal photo: Photo contest for IGA Calendar 2017
We wish to invite you to send us your favourite geothermal energy photo.
IRENA call for project proposals
The Global Geothermal Alliance of IRENA invites project proposals. Deadline is 31 August.
New World Bank publication: Greenhouse Gases from Geothermal Power Production
A report recently published by the World Bank ESMAP.
IGA International Geothermal Company and Expert Pool
Invitation to register and check the IGA International Geothermal Company and Expert Pool
IGA Bylaws Amendment - call for vote
A bylaws amendment with respect to regional branches is proposed to the membership.
Call for IGA Academy Lecturers
The IGA Academy is looking for a lecturer for a 3-day course to be held in France.
The IGA is now an Accredited Observer of the Green Climate Fund
The IGA is extending its vibrant network to partners and decision makers on global funding.
UNFC geothermal energy specifications open for public comment
The IGA and UNECE invite comments until 4 August 2016.
A Record Breaking Year for Renewable Energy
On 1 June 2016, REN21 published the Renewables Global Status Report 2016.
IGA Board election for the period 2016-2019 started
All IGA members are invited to vote for up to 30 candidates until 19 July 2016.
EU-Project start in the Alpes
In May a project was initiated on near-surface geothermal resources in the Alpes
Launch of IGA Geothermal Expert Pool in Reykjavik
The IGA launched the Geothermal Expert Pool in Reykjavik, Iceland today.
IESE sets sights on South America
New Zealand company International Earth Sciences (IESE) is looking to expand its operations in South America with a representative attending this week's Expomin 2016 conference in Santiago.
IGA Board in Reykjavik, Iceland
An entire week of geothermal energy activities in Iceland.
Invitation to apply as IGA Academy Lecturer
Fill in the form to become an IGA Academy Lecturer.
Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue
From 17-18 March the IGA attended the high-level event in Berlin, Germany.
Post-Doctoral Research Position in Chile
A vacancy is offered at the Andean Geothermal Center of Excellence (CEGA) in Chile.
For sale ! Geothermal energy source in South Africa.
A unique wonder of nature in beautiful surrounds.
IGA Poster Launch
The IGA recently launched a new IGA poster on "Geothermal Support Programs in the framework of International Development Cooperation".
GeoTHERM 2016
On 25 – 26th Feb. 2016 the IGA attended the GeoTHERM 2016 in Offenburg, Germany.
Klima Forum 2016
The IGA Executive Director Marietta Sander attended the 'KlimaForum2016' in Düsseldorf, Germany on Monday, 29 February.
2 PostDoc research positions available in Germany at the KIT
Submit your application by 30 April 2016.
Phase 2 of the IGA Secretariat in Bochum, Germany
The Climate- and Environmental Minister Johannes Remmel officially kick-started Phase 2 of the IGA in Bochum, Germany
Call for EoIs in Tanzania
Expressions of Interest (EoI) for 'Surface exploration and training in Luhoi in Rufiji and Kiejo-Mbaka geothermal areas in Tanzania' are invited by 16 Feb. 2016.
Amendment of the IGA Bylaws
IGA members are invited to vote on the amendment by Fr 18th March 2016
GEOTHERMICS issue on Taupo Volcanic Zone
The Special Issue was published in January 2016 and is now available.


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He was born June 22, 1950, in Heber Springs to the late John and Tippie Dillion Lacy.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandchildren, Dalton and Brooklyn Johnson; and brothers, Jay, Charles, Billy and Ronnie Lacy.
Survivors include his companion, Rose Hill of Wilburn; children, Donald Lacy of Ola, Billy and Angela Lacy and LaDonna and Jason Johnson, all of Plainview, and Bobby and Ivory Hill of Wilburn; brothers, Jerry Lacy of Perryville and Damon Lacy of Florida; sisters, Betty Abston of Heber Springs, Louise Haski of Greenwood, Carolyn Myers of Perryville and Emily Reeves of Fort Smith; and grandchildren, Meghan, Cody and Chloe Lacy, Destinee, Cameron and Austin Lacy, Cassandra, Tyler, Garrett and Laken Johnson, Dylan, Dalton and Savannah Hill.
Memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Plainview Free Will Baptist Church with Bro. Ronnie Garrett officiating. Visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. prior to service.
Arrangements by Cornwell Funeral Home in Danville and River Valley Cremations in Dardanelle.
Online guestbook and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.
Paid obituary

subset: commoncrawl


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Breast cancer survival rates rise in Northern Ireland
Breast cancer survival rates in Northern Ireland increased to nine out of 10 women, it has been revealed.
Improved quality of treatment was partly responsible, with more patients taking diagnostic tests and twice as many women having chemotherapy in 2006 compared to a decade earlier, the Queen's University Belfast study showed.
Over 3,000 patients were diagnosed with prostate, breast or colorectal cancer between 1996 and 2006.
Dr Anna Gavin, director of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, said: "We have excellent facilities at the cancer centre and cancer units and there is now a more joined-up approach to patient care with, for example, the centralisation of breast cancer services in each (health) trust area.
"Another important step forward is that we now have better communications between healthcare professionals and their patients. And alongside this, there is an increased use of multidisciplinary team meetings attended by a range of healthcare staff dealing with patients."
Survival rates for breast cancer patients diagnosed in 2006 improved from 2001 and 1996. The research said 94.3% were alive after one year and 90.6% after two years. In 1996, these figures were 91% and 84.5% respectively.
Dr Gavin added there had been increases in use of radiotherapy and the availability of reconstructive surgery after treatment.
There has been a doubling in the number of patients being treated for prostate cancer in Northern Ireland over the 10 years examined in the report. This is explained by the increased use of diagnostic tests.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said: "This research provides valuable information which is essential in helping us to track progress in identifying those areas where change is still needed. The research highlights the importance of the Cancer Registry at Queen's as a valuable public health tool, which has grown and developed over the last few years and plays a leading role in monitoring cancer care in Northern Ireland.
"It is particularly encouraging that this in-depth research will now be used in a global benchmarking programme which will look at reasons for differences in cancer survival rates across various countries and how to improve these rates and so save lives."


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I am a quilter from India. I LOVE quilts and quilting. I recently discovered this website and enjoy looking and reading about everybody's projects. It gives me great joy!
Here is a quilt I made for my grand daughter. I need to complete the border and would love to have your suggestions for making the border. The most obvious choice is purple, but my teenage grand daughter now loves pink! So... help


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Though Pat Carroll's had a lot of acting jobs, game show appearances & cartoon voices, the role that I like her best is Jon's Grandma from Garfield.
Grandma first appeared in A Garfield Christmas (1987 CBS) as well as Garfield's Thanksgiving (1988 CBS). She has that crazy laugh, loves cats (even Garfield was fond of her) & loves to play a mean piano!
When A Garfield Christmas first came out, it didn't have my favorite scene. Years later, they added that scene in the special. I'm talking about the piano number! The family gathers around the piano as Doc Boy played & sang "O Christmas Tree" terribly (even Simon Cowell would groan). Then Grandma takes over, plays a jazz version of that Christmas carol & ends it by singing "Boop-boop-dee-boop"!
To this day, whenever I hear "O Christmas Tree" sung around the holidays or the playing of "Maryland My Maryland" during the Preakness Stakes, I always have to sing "Boop-boop-dee-doo" @ the end of that tune!


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10 Things to Know About Riverwood Healthcare Center
Here are 10 things to know about Riverwood Healthcare Center.
1. Michael Hagen currently serves as CEO of the hospital, but he has announced his plans to retire in June 2013.
2. Kent Dumonseau serves as CFO.
3. The hospital has 24 beds.
4. Riverwood Healthcare has about 200 employees.
5. In 2011, the hospital had 200 inpatient surgeries and 100 births, according to the American Hospital Directory.
6. Since 1955, the hospital has served Aitkin County and nearby communities in Northern Minnesota.
7. In 2010 and 2011, Riverwood Healthcare received a Joint Replacement Excellence Award from HealthGrades.
8. According to its most recent financial statistics, the hospital recorded $72.5 million in gross charges and a net income of $3.5 million.
9. In 2012, the hospital was listed as a "100 Great Community Hospital" by Becker's Hospital Review.
10. In June 2012, the hospital opened a new wing for support services to house 60 to 70 employees from multiple departments.
If you have additional information you'd like included on the hospital featured above, or would like to recommend a hospital to be profiled in the future, please contact Lindsey Dunn, editor in chief, Becker's Hospital Review at email@example.com.
More Articles on Hospital Profiles:10 Things to Know About Lodi Memorial Hospital
10 Things to Know About Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center
10 Things to Know About Good Shepherd Medical Center
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To receive the latest hospital and health system business and legal news and analysis from Becker's Hospital Review, sign-up for the free Becker's Hospital Review E-weekly by clicking here.


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Riding & Driving Instructor / Trainer.
Over 30 years experience in riding, jumping and single, pair and four-in-hand driving.
Pilesgrove, NJ
All Around, Beginner, Breaking, Driving, English Pleasure, Harness, Intermediate, Jumping, Lesson, Western Riding
If so, you can update this page by editing your company information.
Tiger, GA
Stokesdale, NC
Fairfax, CA


text: On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 3:49 PM, Denis Laxalde <email@example.com> wrote: > Skipper Seabold a écrit : >>>>> http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/ticket/1682 >>>> >>>> Fixed in master. Thanks for having a look, btw. >>>> Should this be backported for 0.11 as well? >>> >>> I think yes. This points out that the test coverage is incomplete here. > > Done. > >> I uncovered some more unusual behavior doing root finding on functions >> with complex numbers. Is this assumed to be supported? If so, I can >> file more bug reports. > > The nonlin module has tests with complex functions, so I guess it is > supposed to be supported. Other modules don't apparently. This is using broyden. Maybe it's my numpy? '1.8.0.dev-6a06466' I've since figured out there's a closed form solution to this function, but ... from scipy import optimize import numpy as np z = np.array([ 1.01839781-0.j, 0.29594979-0.9802577j, 0.29594979+0.9802577j, -1.47466178-0.j]) r = np.abs(z) func = lambda x : (r*np.exp(2j*np.pi*np.array(x))) - z # correct result optimize.broyden1(func, [0, -.203, .203, .5]) # raises an error optimize.broyden1(func, [0, -.203, .203, .5], line_search=None) <snip> TypeError: Cannot cast ufunc add output from dtype('complex128') to dtype('float64') with casting rule 'same_kind' Skipper


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22 Oct 2013
The comment period for the 2013 joint ED from the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is now over. Feedback from some quarters is notably more positive than the heavily criticised 2010 draft, on which a wide range of stakeholders declared a memorably vicious 'open season'. But the feedback to date is far from consistent.
The ED's proposals aim to address investors' concerns that companies' habit of keeping large operating lease liabilities off the balance sheet was masking their true obligations, asset values and leverage.
The boards have come up with the concept of 'right-of-use' to reflect the rights and obligations arising from leases but while many have commended the boards for progressing their thinking from the previous ED, some significant concerns remain.
The ED suggests that companies take a dual approach to the recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease, based on the level of consumption of the underlying asset. This will broadly be divided into leases of equipment (Type A) and leases of property (Type B). The type of lease recognised will govern what information is included in the financial statement, and where.
There has been some institutional opposition to the dual recognition model, with influential organisations such as the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) arguing that the right-of-use idea does not accurately reflect the pattern of consumption under a Type B lease, and is therefore not an appropriate accounting basis for such a transaction.
There has been market opposition to the proposals too, with a number of businesses registering displeasure because they fear the requirements will trigger significant and unnecessary changes to their business models.
Some take the view that these concerns are serious enough to justify the boards dropping their proposals altogether, and restricting change now to enhanced disclosures.
Others, PwC included, suggest that the boards finalise the project, but with the proposed criteria for distinguishing different types of lease being replaced with those in the current standard, IAS 17.
Peter Hogarth, lead technical partner at PwC in the UK, said: "in our view, this would address many of the ED's operational difficulties without sacrificing the boards' principal objectives on balance sheet recognition".
A source close to the investment community emphasised that the IASB needs to "pull the trigger" and start using the standard proposed, rather than "relentlessly tinkering" in an attempt to strike a perfect balance between preparers and users.


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The editorial board offers these summaries of our recommendations in 51 contested races in the March 4 primary. To read the full recommendation editorial, click on the candidate's name below.
Abbott has campaigned as the presumptive nominee, and it's not hard to see why. He's the only Republican in the race with anything resembling governing experience or, more important, enough money to run seriously. His background and service do make him the GOP's best choice for November, but we wish Abbott, 56, would listen carefully to one primary opponent, Lisa Fritsch, who speaks with precision and passion about recasting the GOP as a true opportunity party built from conservative values.
Opponents: Lisa Fritsch, Secede Kilgore, Miriam Martinez
Lieutenant governor
Three-term incumbent David Dewhurst is preoccupied by questions about his conservatism and consistency. Outgoing Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson offers a superior choice among three challengers to a fourth Dewhurst term. Patterson, 67, is plain-spoken, sometimes disarmingly blunt and unafraid to stray from safe GOP orthodoxy, as he did in 2012 in helping to broker a new state party position on immigration that included a guest-worker program. This newspaper has differed with Patterson on certain issues but never doubted the authenticity of his politics.
Opponents: David Dewhurst, Dan Patrick, Todd Staples
Attorney general
Texas Republicans face a difficult choice, with three very qualified candidates. The balance tips in Branch's favor because of his impressive work in the Legislature since 2003 and a demeanor that reflects conservative, but not overbearing, values. He has experience managing a large legal firm, which would be an asset in running what is, in effect, the state's law operation. Branch, 55, is a proven team builder who has long promoted legislation to improve the quality of higher education while reducing costs.
Opponents: Ken Paxton, Barry Smitherman
Hegar and Harvey Hilderbran bring relevant experience and thoughtful perspectives to the GOP primary to succeed Susan Combs. She has endorsed Hegar, and we agree in a close call. Each GOP contender for what is effectively the state's tax collector and accountant can tout different aspects of his legislative record. Hegar, 43, a legislator since 2003, has served on the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee and most recently chaired the Senate's Subcommittee on Fiscal Matters, charged with reviewing all state and local revenue issues.
Opponents: Harvey Hilderbran, Debra Medina, Raul Torres
Land commissioner
The Republican primary lacks a candidate of similar caliber to outgoing Jerry Patterson. The minimally experienced Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and nephew of the former president, is the better choice. The 37-year-old energy consultant no doubt benefits from his family's political dynasty but says his persuasiveness on the campaign trail is what will attract voters. Although his answers sometimes lack depth, he does have some solid ideas, like bringing in third-party auditors to ensure efficiency in the General Land Office.
Opponent: David Watts
Agricultural commissioner
Carnes, the Uvalde mayor, and Eric Opiela stand out in this crowded GOP field for grasping this office's wider issues. Carnes, 39, has more nuanced positions and is the superior choice. He understands the need to lead in educating agricultural producers and to embrace its consumer protection role. He also has greater support from agricultural groups, including the Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Vegetable Association and Texas Wildlife Association, and as a produce grower in southwest Texas, he has hands-on familiarity.
Opponents: Joe Cotten, Tommy Merritt, Sid Miller, Eric Opiela
Railroad commissioner
While all four candidates were more sharply critical of the EPA than we'd like in this GOP primary to succeed the outgoing Barry Smitherman, we tip toward Sitton. He offered the most directness and was respectful of the Railroad Commission's dual roles as regulator and industry advocate. Sitton, 39, wants a review of commission regulations and favors a state energy plan that sets goals without distorting free-market competition. Those are good ideas, and he would bring a big-picture perspective of energy and the commission.
Opponents: Becky Berger, Malachi Boyuls, Wayne Christian
Texas Supreme Court, chief justice
Not only has Hecht shown intellectual clarity in legal opinions, he has been a leader in improving court administration and in obtaining adequate funding for lawyers to represent indigent Texans. A conservative jurist, Hecht, 64, has served on the court since the late 1980s — the longest-serving member in the court's history — and was appointed chief justice last year after Wallace Jefferson's retirement. The lone blemish on his record is his continued appeal of a fine related to a discounted legal bill.
Opponent: Robert Talton
Texas Supreme Court, Place 6
Brown, a solid appointment last year, is far and away the better choice for Republican primary voters. He is well-regarded across the political spectrum as a thoughtful, diligent judge. When Gov. Rick Perry named him to fill a vacancy on the court, Brown, 43, brought broad experience, including years on a Houston-based appeals court and a state district court. Brown also tried jury trials as a lawyer in private practice and was a briefing attorney to Supreme Court justices of both parties.
Opponent: Joe Pool Jr.
Texas Supreme Court, Place 8
This is a close call because the challenger could bring a moderate perspective to a conservative-dominated court. However, Johnson, 69, gets our nod on experience and judicial restraint. While he briefly flirted with not seeking re-election, he said he's running to provide stability amid considerable turnover. We can't justify turning out a fair-minded incumbent for a challenger who failed to make a strong case.
Opponent: Sharon McCally
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3
The two Republicans running for this open seat are experienced and highly qualified. We lean toward Walther, 61, of San Angelo because of the depth of her bench experience and breadth of judicial coverage across small, often rural jurisdictions. She rose to national prominence while presiding over the 2008 case involving polygamist preacher Warren Jeffs, an exceedingly complicated proceeding that revealed and showcased her judicial skills.
Opponent: Bert Richardson
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4
A sameness to this court's judges gives it a pro-state tilt and limits its perspective on individual rights and liberties. That deficiency can be addressed with the addition of Wood, 50, a seasoned appellate lawyer from the defense bar. Warning against "government overreach" by the courts, she offers a passionate, energetic approach for correction, including a proposal to have more judges examine writs of habeas corpus.
Opponents: Richard Dean Davis, Kevin Patrick Yeary
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9
Judges and lawyers look to this court for clarity and consistency in shaping criminal law and procedures, and Newell, 42, has superior qualifications for that. He is in the appellate section of the Harris County DA's office and is board certified in criminal law and criminal appellate law. Educating practitioners, he said, can help "prevent mistakes before they happen."
Opponent: W.C. "Bud" Kirkendall
U.S. Senate
Cornyn is a principled lawmaker whose brand of Texas conservatism makes him the best choice. As deputy GOP Senate leader and a senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Cornyn, 62, also has long supported immigration reform, though he could be more of a problem solver. Unlike his challengers, he's committed to governing and has clear conservative fiscal stripes, including co-sponsoring a balanced budget amendment and opposing the Affordable Care Act.
Opponents: Curt Cleaver, Ken Cope, Chris Mapp, Reid Reasor, Steve Stockman, Dwayne Stovall, Linda Vega
U.S. House, 4th District
At 90, Ralph Hall is the oldest person to serve in the U.S. House. This newspaper applauds his service, but the time has come for new ideas and fresh energy. Voters have a clear, impressive alternative in Ratcliffe, 48, a former U.S. attorney and mayor of Heath. He shows his familiarity with governing in nuanced views and in grasping Congress' complex issues. He deserves a chance to serve there.
Opponents: Tony Arterburn, Lou Gigliotti, Ralph Hall, Brent Lawson, John Stacy
U.S. House, 6th District
We have had our disagreements with Barton, including his close relationship with energy interests as House Energy Committee chair. Still, Barton, 64, gets our recommendation over a primary challenger who simply isn't ready. Frank Kuchar relies on philosophical monologues and, oddly, labels Barton as too liberal, even with Barton's demonstrably conservative voting record, his desire to rein in federal spending and his bipartisan leadership on privacy issues.
Opponent: Frank C. Kuchar
U.S. House, 26th District
Burgess has demonstrated principled leadership representing this district. A fiscal conservative, Burgess, 63, also brings a background as a physician to his work as vice chair of committees reviewing the Obamacare implementation. While he continues to oppose the health law, he's a pragmatic and passionate watchdog and provides an informed eye for detail, such as his work on a bipartisan solution for Medicare physician reimbursement.
Opponents: Joel Krause, Divenchy Watrous
U.S. House, 32nd District
The tea party should have more productive ways to flex its political muscle than to go after Sessions, 58, whose conservative credentials are as bona fide as they get. He has served in Congress since 1996, and under his leadership of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the GOP has taken control of the House. We might not always agree with his individual stances, but at least he recognizes the reality of Capitol Hill politics and grasps the notion of give-and-take in negotiating with Democrats.
Opponent: Katrina Pierson
Texas Senate, District 2
Perhaps it says more about today's GOP than Deuell that he faces two challengers from the right. Voters would do well to stay with Deuell, 63, a thoughtful conservative and family doctor in Greenville whose background and experience offer real value in Austin. They allow him to approach problems with contextual solutions, even as he exhibits a consistent, passionate integrity. Deuell says he'd rather lose certain endorsements if the alternative is voting against his principles.
Opponents: Bob Hall, Mark Thompson
Texas Senate, District 16
Carona, well known as a Senate workhorse, stands in marked contrast to his well-funded but substance-free challenger. "It's easy to talk about problems," said Carona, 58. "It's a lot harder to develop solutions." Carona has led on issues from transportation to water to education. Don Huffines says he's "against all taxes," even as he builds personal wealth around special utility taxing districts. In his case, talking points aren't enough.
Opponent: Don Huffines
Texas House, District 64
It's easy to see why voters in this Denton County district have sent Crownover back to Austin repeatedly, and not by slim margins. Crownover, 66, is a seasoned legislator who for six terms has held a seat on the crucial Appropriations Committee, which is charged with writing the state budget. She is well-versed on budget and energy issues. The fiscal conservative has also pushed through legislation such as a bill requiring congenital heart-defect screening for Texas newborns.
Opponent: Read King
Texas House, District 66
There's little policy daylight between top contenders Callison, 50, and Matt Shaheen. They agree on closing transportation funding gaps and addressing water shortages that plague their cities. But Callison's political alignment, especially to former legislators Florence Shapiro and Brian McCall, indicates he would be a better leader, policymaker and solution-oriented coalition builder.
Opponents: Stacy Chen, Matt Shaheen
Texas House, District 102
This district deserves a straight shooter whose motives are easier to read than incumbent Stefani Carter's. Koop, 63, a former Dallas City Council member, is tested in the public arena, including chairing the Regional Transportation Council and executive board of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Carter too often says one thing but does another, and her association with donor Montgomery Bennett sparks doubt.
Opponents: Adryana Boyne, Sam Brown, Stefani Carter
Texas House, District 105
Harper-Brown, 65, a veteran state representative from Irving, offers a portfolio of ideas and experience that makes her the better choice. Now in her sixth term, she has emerged as one of the House's experts on transportation and ways to solve chronic underfunding of the highway system. If re-elected, she plans to resume her effort to shift growth in the existing motor vehicle sales tax to the highway fund and would try to give Texans a choice of paying a tax on motor fuels or on vehicle miles traveled.
Opponent: Rodney Anderson
Texas House, District 108
Three young candidates are impressive communicators and advocates, but only Meyer appears ready to step into Rep. Dan Branch's shoes. Except for some stumbles on transportation, Meyer, a 39-year-old attorney, displayed an expansive understanding of major issues. He seems eager to continue Branch's legacy as a champion for education and government transparency. Refreshingly, he is a conservative Republican who is open to a government role, albeit a limited one.
Opponents: Court Alley, Chart Westcott
Texas House, District 112
Button has proven a good fit for this suburban district that is in the heart of the North Texas telecommunications corridor. Button, 60, is a business-focused Republican who works at Texas Instruments. Her name appears on several pro-technology and business bills, including one that gives businesses tax breaks for research and development. Her 30-year-old opponent has some disturbingly unfocused ideas about economics and governing.
Opponent: Jared Patterson
Texas House, District 115
In his first term, Ratliff proved himself capable of important work as an emerging House leader. Ratliff, 52, landed heavyweight committee assignments on Appropriations and Public Education and put his shoulder behind the toughest issues, including school funding and infrastructure questions. Importantly for his district, he displays a deeper, more realistic grasp of the issues from the GOP's problem-solving wing, compared with his more ideologically driven opponent.
Opponent: Matt Rinaldi
State Board of Education, District 13
Hardy, a veteran incumbent, was a longtime Fort Worth teacher who's now an instruction specialist in the Weatherford schools. Count her among education board members who managed to convert meetings from ideological battlegrounds to businesslike policy sessions. Hardy, 65, has been concerned that many students will be ill-equipped after the Legislature dropped Algebra II as a graduation requirement, so she pushed for rigorous replacement courses. She also advocates using technology to tap educators' expertise in adopting new English standards.
Opponents: Eric Mahroum, Lady Theresa Thombs
Dallas County district attorney
Hawk, who could become the first female DA in county history, is a former top prosecutor who then won three terms as a district judge. That depth and breadth of experience give her a close edge in this race. Hawk, 43, a former deputy chief in the child abuse division, was named Prosecutor of the Year in 2002 by the Greater Dallas Crime Commission. As a judge, she founded the widely recognized ATLAS Mental Health Court, which provides intense supervision and judicial monitoring.
Opponent: Tom Nowak
Davis faces a tough road in November but is an easy choice in this primary. Well-versed on the issues, she supports the transportation ballot prop as critical to some of the needed funding and outlined how the Legislature should rewrite funding formulas for K-12 public education to meet constitutional requirements of adequacy and equity. Davis, 50, took responsibility for misrepresentations in her biography as a young single mother but insisted they don't undermine her record as a mother or potential state leader.
Opponent: Ray Madrigal
Agricultural commissioner
Do you favor smoke and name recognition or actual ranching policies? Unlike the ever-entertaining Richard "Kinky" Friedman, Fitzsimons exhibits a deeper knowledge of relevant issues. He wants to mandate recycling fracking wastewater, promote grass-fed beef and get locally produced fruits and vegetables into school lunch programs. Fitzsimons, 59, who raises bison and produces guajillo honey, said he's running because for five years, he's seen his well "water levels drop by as much as half." Of such issues are campaigns born.
Opponents: Richard "Kinky" Friedman, Jim Hogan
Railroad commissioner
Brown is a former Fort Bend Democratic Party chairman making his first run for statewide office, and he promises to bring regulatory and environmental balance to the commission. While not an oil and gas person, Brown, 38, has experience dealing with the Legislature and state regulatory agencies and appreciates Texas' need to develop sustainable energy sources. He says the commission should more aggressively determine whether wastewater injection wells are causing earthquakes and would consider a moratorium on wells until we know the answer.
Opponent: Dale Henry
U.S. Senate
An opposition party facing a formidable incumbent like Sen. John Cornyn can find a legitimate challenger or allow a free-for-all among weaker candidates. In this Democratic field, clearly the latter option, Alameel, 61, gets our tepid nod. The North Texas dentist has an American Dream narrative, from child picking strawberries to millionaire business owner, and he comes closest to articulating a vision: rebuild our manufacturing base, get out of Afghanistan and bring those jobs home, promote alternative energy and expand access to pre-K.
Opponents: Michael "Fjet" Fjetland, Harry Kim, Kesha Rogers, Maxie Marie Scherr
U.S. House, 30th District
Johnson, a two-decade incumbent, is largely ineffectual, evidenced by her inability or reluctance to break a logjam regarding affordable housing near the VA Hospital in her southern Dallas County district. Until the Democrats recruit strong, motivated candidates, this district and North Texas in general will be shortchanged. Still, we have to choose Johnson, 78, over her opponent, who displays a poor grasp of issues important to the district. Johnson's seniority, committee assignments and experience at least would give constituents some voice in Washington.
Opponent: Barbara Mallory Caraway
U.S. House, 33rd District
After winning a new seat in 2012, Veasey, 43, an up-and-comer from Fort Worth, vowed to reach out to Hispanic and Dallas constituents and focus on immigration, job creation and education. He has followed through: He set up a district office in north Oak Cliff, staffed all offices with bilingual speakers and became a regular at venues such as the Latino Cultural Center in Dallas. He also started monthly "Congress on Your Corner" events, organized job fairs and advocated for comprehensive immigration reform.
Opponent: Tom Sanchez
Texas House, District 105
Motley, a 43-year-old from Irving, impressed this newspaper in questionnaire answers and her interview with thoughtful, direct responses in a style that suggests she is adept at navigating complicated issues. She favors enacting the equal pay legislation that Gov. Rick Perry vetoed last year and supports expanding a code to prohibit employers from denying employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A disability rights lawyer, Motley says "problem-solving is one of the primary things I do" and seems capable of building coalitions in the GOP-led Legislature.
Opponents: Terry Meza, Bernice Montgomery
Texas House, District 109
Giddings needs to turn her backbench role to one that delivers tangible results for her constituents. Her coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee should allow her to wield more power than she displays. Voters should hope she can continue the work she has started, particularly on criminal justice reform. Giddings, 71, of DeSoto has drawn unflattering attention with her no-bid concessions contract at Love Field and accepting donations from payday lenders, but she's visible, which is more than her opponent can claim.
Opponent: Genevieve Gregory
Texas House, District 110
This newspaper initially recommended local activist Sandra Crenshaw over the incumbent citing her energy and courage on behalf of southern Dallas residents but the Dallas County Democratic Party subsequently ruled her ineligible because she failed to meet residency requirements. Her name will remain on the ballot, and if she were to win, the county party's executive committee would choose the nominee. Only one candidate remains eligible, making this an uncontested race, and The Dallas Morning News doesn't recommend in uncontested races.
Candidate: Toni Rose
State Board of Education, District 13
Beltran appears to be a worthy successor to outgoing member Mavis Knight's legacy of smart, robust leadership. Well-spoken and unflappable, Beltran, 35, has experience in educational policy and familiarity with classroom issues, as a former teacher. She also is conversant in complicated policy matters, such as the controversial CSCOPE program. Now director of a leadership program for the Dallas nonprofit Teaching Trust, she has the backing of some of Dallas' strongest reform advocates and the endorsement of heavyweight Democratic state Rep. Rafael Anchia.
Opponents: Andrea Hilburn, A. Denise Russell
44th Civil District Court
Even before recent allegations, state District Judge Carlos Cortez had enough baggage to cast serious doubt on his fitness. Dallas County Democrats have a smart, capable replacement in Goldstein, who offers a dramatic step up in judicial temperament from the troubled two-term incumbent. Goldstein, 52, wants this election to be about her credentials as much as her opponent's troubles. Calm and well-spoken, she has won the backing of top Democrats to make the big jump from municipal court judge to the district courts.
Opponent: Carlos Cortez
101st Civil District Court
Lowy has done much good in nearly two terms. He has led on management and technological issues. He has proved himself fair and hardworking. Our suggestion now is that he follow through on his pledge to improve his temperament, and Dallas County Democrats should give him that chance, as he's a clear choice in their primary. Lowy, 63, allows that he can get crabby with lawyers, and judicial evaluation polls since 2009 indicate that lawyers have noticed. Otherwise, he has been an excellent judge.
Opponent: Staci Williams
204th Criminal District Court
Voters have two exceptional choices but would do better to keep Levario, 52. Once a close ally of District Attorney Craig Watkins, she dismissed his mortgage fraud indictment against an H.L. Hunt heir, insisted the DA testify about it and held him in contempt when he refused. She has proved herself as a judge since 2006; her opponent, a top Watkins assistant, probably could do the same. But it's important to have a courageous, plain-spoken judge not afraid to stand up to a dominating DA.
Opponent: Tammy Kemp
255th Family District Court
A career steeped in family law and two solid terms give Hockett the edge. Her background includes experience as a Child Protective Services caseworker, an assistant district attorney assigned to CPS cases and 12 years in private practice specializing in divorce and custody cases. She is board-certified in family law. Hockett, 52, says she sees her job as "part caseworker, part judge and part lawyer," a commendable philosophy rooted in the fact that more than half of those in her court have no attorney.
Opponent: Kim Cooks
265th Criminal District Court
A seasoned prosecutor with 15 years of experience, Bennett has tried more than 100 felony cases, far more than her opponents. She also has demonstrated management leadership as chief felony prosecutor in another criminal court. Bennett, 43, is clear and direct about wanting to further improve court efficiency by requiring defense attorneys and prosecutors to be ready for trial sooner. However, we would urge Bennett, a career prosecutor, to be open to diversion and other alternatives to help cut recidivism rates, as well.
Opponents: William R. Barr, Anthony Eiland
282nd Criminal District Court
Chatham doesn't do everything by the book, which may be why he's not a favorite among county prosecutors. He will try to make a direct connection with probationers, urging them to see him if they have trouble living up to a sentencing deal. A former public defender, Chatham, 44, says he wants to help offenders succeed. Yet despite his unorthodoxies, county metrics on his reflect an efficient operation, ranking seventh among 17 felony courts in cost per disposition, an improvement over past fiscal years.
Opponent: Amber Givens
283rd Criminal District Court
The easiest and fastest way to clear a docket is to keep the line moving, even if the line heads directly to prison. Magnis, 56, says he'd rather step down than run his court that way, a stand that, within reason, this newspaper salutes. He argues that his cost per disposition ranks below the county average, but his opponent has a point that instituting a docket call would help. Magnis, chosen by peers as presiding judge, would do well to consider ways to lead its implementation.
Opponent: Justin Lord
291st Criminal District Court
Depth of experience is a key issue, and Anderson, 46, has the best mix. She has practiced criminal law for 20 years and handled more than 10,000 criminal cases, including at least 250 jury trials. She is board-certified and has served as president of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. We also place a high value on management experience, and Anderson has run her own law office since 2011; before that, she was a felony supervisor in the county public defender's office.
Opponent: Stephanie Mitchell
292nd Criminal District Court
State District Judge Larry Mitchell runs the county's most inefficient court; he's on probation with the State Bar of Texas for questionable performance as an attorney. He sees no reason to do things differently. County Democrats have a superior alternative in the calm, soft-spoken Birmingham, 36, a chief felony prosecutor for seven years. He has managed a felony court docket while building a strong reputation for ethics and even-handedness. Internal statistics show that his courts have consistently ranked among the top five in efficiency.
Opponent: Larry Mitchell
301st Family District Court
As an associate judge in the 303rd District Court, Brown, 54, has 18 years of experience hearing family court cases. Her opponents fall short of that bench experience. She best typifies the balance of work ethic, temperament and a patient, calm approach to complicated cases that often involve bickering family members, divorce petitioners and hordes of lawyers arguing on behalf of children, parents and Child Protective Services, among others. Not everyone is suited to manage such situations, which is why experience is key.
Opponents: Craig Bonham, David Hanschen, Lawrence Praeger, George White
304th Juvenile District Court
This primary pits a veteran of state and local benches against an ambitious newcomer who falls short of preparation or judicial temperament. We'll take crusty over half-baked. Mazur, 62, is running for a third term and has been involved in the creation of diversionary programs for juvenile boys and girls, along with other approaches for addressing delinquency. His opponent, a former assistant district attorney, shows promise and drive but needs to work on getting her facts straight and on her own temperament issues.
Opponent: Andrea Martin
330th Family District Court
While every new judge has a learning curve, Andrea Plumlee has not distinguished herself. In the Dallas Bar's evaluation poll, fewer than half of respondents found her prepared for trial; more troubling, fewer than 40 percent judged her impartial or demonstrating an adequate knowledge of the law. By contrast, Grubbs, 69, is board-certified in family law and was an associate judge in the 330th Family District Court from 2003 to 2011. In that role, he drew far stronger marks than Plumlee.
Opponent: Andrea Plumlee
363rd Criminal District Court
Holmes says she went through a "very liberal" phase when she thought she could "fix everybody" and get them clean and sober through her felony DWI program. Now seeking a third term, Holmes, 58, says she's shifted somewhat to better distinguish between addicts who need treatment and criminals who abuse substances. That instinct and experience are assets the court needs. Holmes helped root out a scandal last year when she discovered widespread failures of probation officers, leading to changes at the county probation office.
Opponent: Nigel Redmond


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Is it too much to ask to see some actual cooking tonight?
Is it too much to ask to see some actual cooking tonight?
It was me. I let the dogs out.
I can't believe that guy asked Ramsay to call the orders slower. And he's DOING it!!!
Every season the contestants are worse than the lunatics from the previous season. I would not have thought that was possible, but somehow they manage to do this. Unbelievable.
At this point I really can't see any of these fools being a head chef anywhere.
Next season they'll probably be acting like apes, throwing their crap at eachother and jumping around on the stoves during service.
Can y'all say together: Jumped the shark (about 6 seasons ago)
- The Dean Martin Show -
Petula Clark: You know they say you can't buy happiness.
Dean Martin: No but you can pour it..
I watched it. While I agree that Danielle deserved to go home, I do feel that Ramsey was suspiciously easy on the cute made too much risotto girl.
I also would probably have insisted that he let me go get my running shoes rather than try to do a 3 k in clogs. He had less fit men to choose from but he decided to give the men an advantage by choosing a lean one against the squeaky voiced butcher.
That was a great message! And I've had a terrible day, so thank you.I love random acts of kindness.Really, realy appreciated.Scott- RIP SDL<3
That 3K "race" was the meanest-spirited event I've ever seen on HK, and that bar was already pretty low. Deliberately choosing a woman who clearly isn't in a condition to run a distance (especially in long pants and jacket and inappropriate shoes) - like we needed more proof that douche is an ignorant bully. Not funny, not entertaining. Oh, and I don't need to see your pasty-ass British legs on display, Gord.
All my life, I have felt destiny tugging at my sleeve.~ Thursday Next
I don't want to "go with the flow". The flow just washes you down the drain. I want to fight the flow.- Henry Rollins
All this spiritual talk is great and everything...but at the end of the day, there's nothing like a pair of skinny jeans. - Jillian Michaels
What relevance did that "event" have to COOKING??
OMG what a nasty meanspirited mess that was.
And yes Gordon runs numerous long distance events and trains constantly. (He must train in England where there's not enough sunlight to get a decent tan as well as indoors) He spoke about his extensive long distance training schedule and the number of races he's run on Jimmy Kimmel recently. I was impressed at the time with his dedication to fitness. (He also said he is now eating very little of the kinds of rich high-calorie foods he cooks in his restaurants and eats mostly a grain-based and veggie-based diet with very little meat)
Now I am angry at how he treated other people who have not had the training and experience he's had.
The D-word certainly fits here.
As I think about it he COULD have had a segment in which he instructed the contestants in the benefits of being healthy themselves (since so many are dangerously overweight) which would have helped them and numerous viewers. Instead he chose to ridicule them and to put them in jeopardy which says a lot about who he really is as a person.
Last edited by Orion Nebula; 03-27-2013 at 02:19 PM.


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In the Saudi Kingdom, two "terrorists" blew themselves up as security forces hunted for Islamists in the holy city of Mecca, security sources said Thursday.
"Two terrorists blew themselves up Thursday afternoon as they were being chased by security forces in the al-Sharaeh district of Mecca," a security official said.
"The incident happened as security forces hunted for wanted militants," he added.
On Wednesday, the Saudi security authorities said that they apprehended four Saudi and one Nigerian who were members of the "terrorist" cell that was planning an attack against pilgrims in Mecca. An Interior Ministry official said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that a big cache of arms and explosives was also confiscated.
Earlier in Thursday, eight Saudi policemen were wounded and one gunman was killed in a major shootout between security forces and suspected militants in Al-Suwaidi Quarter of Riyadh, an Interior Ministry official said on Thursday.
An unspecified number of "militants" escaped, the report said.
"The security forces reacted to what had been necessary under such circumstances. This has led to the death of one terrorist and caused minor injuries to eight security men." an official source said. (Albawaba.com)
[1] http://www.albawaba.com


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At Gemvara, we believe that the rose gold multistone july birthstone knot jewelry you wear should be precious because it's personal. Every beautiful Gemvara design is made just for you, in your choice of gems and precious metals. Your child's birthstone in rose gold. Your favorite gem in sterling silver. Add your own meaning to every design, creating beautiful memories and brilliant reminders. It's jewelry for all life's occasions, from an engagement or anniversary to your own personal milestones and celebrations. Celebrate her birthday with a brilliant gift of jewelry that will always remind her of you. Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to craft your rose gold multistone july birthstone knot jewelry with meticulous attention to detail. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. Our wide selection of rose gold multistone july birthstone knot jewelry by Jeet Palavwala, Jessica Behzad, Carl Ansley, and other talented designers means you can find jewelry that's just your style. Skilled American craftspeople set every gem in our multistone styles by hand. Ties of love, family and friendship connect us to the people who make life worth living. Celebrate those bonds with a beautiful piece of Gemvara Love Knot jewelry. July's birthstone is ruby, the boldest of gems with a classic color that plays off every other color in your wardrobe beautifully. Rose gold adds a touch of sweetness to traditional gold. Gemvara offers a choice of 14k rose gold, the most popular variation or 18k rose gold, which has a higher gold content. Clean your rose gold multistone july birthstone knot jewelry with mild dish soap: use a soft brush where dust collects. Gemvara's fine quality rose gold multistone july birthstone knot jewelry is designed to be passed down for generations to come, crafted by hand in the United States.
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Browns Down Cincinnati 23-20 - Match Report
Peyton Hillis scampered through the Cincinnati defense for 102 yards as Cleveland handed the Bengals a 23-20 defeat on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Cleveland was the ATS victor, as they covered the 1.5-point spread as an underdog. Over-Under bettors who played OVER the total of 36.5 were rewarded at the payout window.
Seneca Wallace completed 18 of 30 pass attempts for 184 yards and 1 TD for the Browns in the win. He was picked off 1 time by the Bengals defense.
Cedric Benson rushed for 60 yards for Cincinnati, while Bernard Scott added 7 yards. Carson Palmer threw for 371 yards for the Bengals, while receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco had 222 and 59 yards respectively.
Cleveland led the time of possession tally, as the game finished as a 30:46/29:14 split in that important category.
Cleveland heads into a Week 5 battle against the Falcons. Cincinnati, meanwhile, will have their next action against Tampa Bay.


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Tanzania Introduction to Service-Learning: Two-Week Volunteer Vacation Programs
PROGRAM UPDATE: After 20 years of service in East Africa, GSC has concluded our work there and will be taking the best practices learned to our programs in Cuba. We are now offering a Conversational English Training Program in Cuba, with Sustainable Agriculture and Public Health programs to likely follow later in 2016. If you would like to learn more about our Cuba program, follow the link here.
We've decided to leave our Tanzania web pages up so visitors to our site can get an idea of the kind of work that we have done. Information can be found below on best practices lessons learned from our Tanzania program that will be carried over to our Cuba program.
In Tanzania, GSC's Introduction to Service Learning Program is offered for the following Tanzania volunteer programs:
All GSC Tanzania volunteer programs begin in Arusha, where a GSC representative will greet you upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International airport. You and your fellow volunteers will then participate in one week of cultural orientation and theoretical training followed by the next week of activities specific to your program. Participants are housed in a hostel near the GSC office and training center the first three nights and are then welcomed into their homestay on Wednesday afternoon. *Note: The two-week Sustainable Agriculture Program is primarily an introductory educational experience and may not include substantial training of local farmers.
It is important to note that the Introduction to Service-Learning Programs are designed to be primarily an educational experience for the participants and therefore include less substantial community training than our longer GSC volunteer overseas experiences. For more comprehensive international volunteer service and community training opportunities, GSC suggests our 3 - 8 week Short-term Volunteer Abroad Assignments or our 9 week to 6-month Long-term Volunteer Abroad Assignments and International Internship Programs.


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by Lincoln Kirstein and Muriel Stuart
This book is a classic. Although first copyrighted in 1952, it certainly isn't dated, considering that its subjects are the technique and terminology of ballet, which themselves have remained unchanged since ballet began, in 17th century France. What's new is this paperback printing. It's not that Back Stage West suggests you carry a copy of this book with you to auditions—although now that we think about it, why not stash a copy in a dance bag? It's the price of this product that now makes it so tempting.
The book begins with a brief history of ballet. It then offers rules of basic anatomic positioning, called "placement," and then it heads for the classroom. The exercises are set out in the order they are given in nearly every ballet school around the world. They start with exercises at the barre—called "bar" here, perhaps to indicate the book's lack of pretension. They then progress to exercises away from the barre, known as "center work." Explained succinctly in words, shown clearly in line drawings—and who wouldn't like to have the pristine technique of these figures?—the science of ballet is set forth as best as possible without a teacher standing over you with a cane.
The Russians say upper-body movement, known as port de bras, cannot be explained and must be demonstrated to be taught. This book begs to differ, clearly showing the gateway positions essential to clean dancing. The style is indeed clean and classic—no ultra-high extensions of today's ballerinas marring hiplines, no hyperextension of knees and feet.
Will this book teach a non-dancer to become a ballet dancer? Absolutely not.
But, as a how-to treatise for actors, a basic textbook for dancers, and a refresher for teachers, this book is a valuable manual for an art that needs all the codification, unification, and precision it can get to keep it alive for another three centuries.
—Dany Margolies
Alfred A. Knopf, 2004, $22.95.
by Jennifer Fisher
What is it about ballet's Christmastime chestnut? It sends ballet teachers into frenzied multitasking, stage mothers into whirlwinds of hand-stitching, fathers into paroxysms of gleeful pride, youngsters into dreams of professional careers in toe shoes—and general audiences into the firm belief that this is the one and only great ballet in the world.
Jennifer Fisher's book evolved from her Ph.D. thesis on "The Nutcracker as a Ritual." She writes that she thought of calling the book Everything I Know About Life I Learned From "The Nutcracker." Despite the decision to jettison the title, she certainly kept large portions of that philosophy in the book's lessons. The parallels to theatre, film, and TV can be drawn easily. In acting, as in the metaphor that is the tradition of this ballet, those who make art find themselves struggling to grow into "better" roles, advancing up a hierarchy of perceived levels of competence, convincing audiences that there is no "low culture" and "high culture" but only poorly crafted and well-crafted work.
The Nutcracker began life in Russia in 1892, not as a Yuletide presentation but as a ballet story to be told year-round. Then, she writes, it immigrated to America in a time of mass immigration. And when it reached iconic status, it began undergoing makeovers. Like Pride and Prejudice's transmogrification into Bridget Jones's Diary, like Taming of the Shrew's maceration into Kiss Me, Kate, this ballet has been given treatments ranging from Harlem Nutcracker to The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band's Dance-Along Nutcracker. It's a process America loves.
The book is a delectable study of our cultural identities, of the way art can evolve, of the sociology of stage productions. But, for those of us who love the ballet—from the inside-out and the outside-in—it's another way to plunge ourselves into its inexplicable magic.
—Dany Margolies
Yale University Press, 2004, $16.


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This Forum has been archivedVisit the new Forums
Forums: Index ⇒ WoWWiki policy → The Ruby Sanctum map and the DNP policy
Isn't this DNP by virtue of being datamined? -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 02:52, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Please re-read the DNP policy. The Ruby Sanctum has been announced. --Pcj (T•C) 02:55, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
I would take that as "Ruby Sanctum" being allowed, but the map image not being allowed until someone enters the instance on the PTR. I take it that has happened?--SWM2448 03:07, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Looking deeper into it does bring up a few questions though, is datamining inherently exploiting? I can definitely see that from the Blizzard Terms of Use, section 2, subsection C. However that would make it always against policy to get the loading screen images as we have been, not just in "pre-release" mode. That would also mean WoW Model Viewer images would be out as well. I guess my point is as it is currently written the Exploits part of that policy is against the "Datamined" part of that policy. Though lots of database sites "datamine" WoW all the time and get away with it so maybe the exploit section is rather the weaker link. --Pcj (T•C) 03:28, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Yeah, the line must be drawn there. That far, and no further. I think that the announcement at least makes it more amicable to Blizzard's standpoint than the scooping of other fansites which are more inclined to get the latest story. WoWWiki is more an encyclopedia than a newspaper. --Pcj (T•C) 03:53, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- The stance that seems to have been taken in the past is that only information that is legitimately available to players is OK to post. This means that anything that is available on the PTR is fine, as is anything that Blizzard has shown us directly, but data that is merely included on the PTR but not accessible is not. Look at how often we removed ICC boss screenshots based solely on the model being datamined out of the PTR. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 04:04, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- The difference between model viewer images and maps is that we can see the maps with official tools while the model viewer imagery is not so accessible. Thus, maps are ok, unseen models are not.
- quick instructions: download the "User Interface Customization tool" zip, extract it to your PTR directory, run "AddOn Kit.exe", choose the "Art" option, wait entirely too long, go to "Blizzard Interface Art (enUS)/WorldMap/TheRubySanctum" and play with the blps. This is (more or less) what I do to get most of our interface art. --k_d3 04:14, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- I'm not behind shutting down model viewer images altogether; just model viewer images for content that isn't available. The Ruby Sanctum, while it has been announced, is not yet available. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 04:15, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Well, obviously this is still an issue of much debate. Technically, yes, any datamining is against the ToU and WoW Model Viewer falls into that, but: (1) Blizzard doesn't seem to be enforcing that much, especially considering machinima and other database fansites, and (2) datamined content of stuff that has been announced is not currently against WoWWiki policy. Maybe some sort of requirement that all datamined content must be clearly labeled as such? --Pcj (T•C) 04:36, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
So I'd like to refine datamining as it pertains to the DNP policy as "getting access to stuff not accessible via the official unmodified clients or officially provided tools" (italics indicating the addition). Thoughts? --k_d3 04:51, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Well, that's OK for a definition of datamining, but do you mean to block datamining or allow it? I think that's more what the discussion is about.
--Pcj (T•C) 04:56, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Allow interface data/the instance map (as it's not datamining as far as Blizz is concerned), but prohibit model viewer screencaps/other stuff obtained via datamining (read: not extracted with the official toolkit). At least until it's been actually seen on the clients. As soon as we can take screen caps from a client (without exploits!) it's fair game as it's always been.
- The only change I'm proposing is explicitly allowing interface art extracted via the tool. --k_d3 05:01, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- I tried to get clarity before, but it did not work out. Dark T Zeratul was correct about how things have been enforced in the past (a way which I thought was the moral high road), but that can change if the change is not forbidden by Blizzard. If we can get away with something that many other fansites are doing and still seem reputable in Blizzard Entertainment's eyes, then I am fine with it. Blizzard provides the tool. Is it exploiting the tool?--SWM2448 05:14, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- My stance is unchanged from what it's always been, just that I'm being explicit about allowing AddonKit-provided stuff rather than implicitly allowing it as we have in the past.
- From what discussions I've had with Blizz-folk, the line we've been drawing on DNP content (since the Burning Crusade DMCA takedown, that is) is fine. No formal confirmation from Blizz Legal or the like, just a general "We've seen it. Don't worry" comment or three. So I'm not all that concerned.
- I think the way KD3 phrased it after the outdent is good. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 06:48, March 11, 2010 (UTC)
- As a followup, because it's come up again, I'd like to get some clarity on this: with the exception of what KD3 pointed out above, are we changing the way in which we enforce this policy? Either way, I think it needs to be rewritten to be more explicit. Currently, the relevant paragraph is as follows:
- While datamined images of live or PTR content are permissible, "true" in-game screenshots are preferred and will always be given preference over datamined content. Content arrived at by an exploit (other than datamining) is not allowed to be posted on WoWWiki. Datamined content from the current versions - live or PTR - of the game (i.e., not announced upcoming content) which could otherwise only be obtained by other exploits is similarly not allowed. For example, datamined images of GM Island may not be posted.
- As it stands, it could go either way. Based on the line "datamined images of live or PTR content are permissible," One could make the argument that any and all data that appears in a PTR patch, legitimately accessible or not, is fair game so long as it has been announced. However, based on the line "Datamined content from the current versions - live or PTR - of the game (i.e., not announced upcoming content) which could otherwise only be obtained by other exploits is similarly not allowed" one could make the argument that only those things were are legitimately accessible are allowed. The latter, of course, being how the policy has been enforced in the past. Personally, I am in favor of keeping it this way. This Wiki's goal is not to be first with the information, it's to be correct, and I think we've all seen examples of people being over-zealous in updating PTR information only for it to get changed, often multiple times (this is especially irritating when heavily-linked articles have to get moved because their names changed before going live). I also prefer to lean towards the maxim of "better safe than sorry," especially as we've been sent a C&D notice from Blizzard in the past as a result of posting unreleased content. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 00:36, March 26, 2010 (UTC)
- DTZ has the point, we tend to the have most correct informations, not the first to have it (every one knows MMO or WoR for this).
- We should keep allowing datamined informations, announced or not, only if they are accessible Live or PTR.
- We might also re-work the DNP policy paragraph so people can understand easily our point of view. The current one is somehow too "technical" to my eye.
- Loremaster A'noob, Arch Druid of the Noobhoof Clan (talk/contribz) 12:14, April 6, 2010 (UTC)
- We now have an issue with the Zalazane's Fall achievement. It's been argued that you can use a script call to link it in-game, therefore it should be allowed. However, this is a script call that is only known to exist because it has been datamined. In theory, one could use scripts to call up any of the audio files contained in the database too. I'm going to echo A'noob and reiterate that A) we need a very solid decision on this, and B) the DNP policy needs to be rewritten to be more explicitly clear on what is and is not allowed. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 18:19, April 6, 2010 (UTC)
- I have an issue with the use of "unannounced content" vs. "unreleased content," as the two can mean different things. Halion the Twilight Destroyer is announced content, but is not released content. Currently, the policy suggests that datamined images of him are OK (the Images page almost explicitly so). -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 00:35, April 7, 2010 (UTC)
- "Content arrived at by an exploit is not allowed to be posted on WoWWiki." Datamining is an exploit. --Pcj (T•C) 00:46, April 7, 2010 (UTC)
- New formulation is clearer to me: we allow only live or ptr-accessible content to be published.
- Loremaster A'noob, Arch Druid of the Noobhoof Clan (talk/contribz) 07:20, April 7, 2010 (UTC)


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Studies of Trees by Henry W. Waugh (Am.)
Directory: Fine Art: Drawings: Pencil: Pre 1900: Item # 1127506
Please refer to our stock # 4383 when inquiring.
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524 North Washington Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Guest Book
byHenry W. Waugh (American, 1835-1865)
Pencil on paper from Waugh's sketchbook: Landscapes of 1857
Sight size: 3" x 5.25" and 5" x 3.5"
Frame:12.5" x 15.5 and 12.5" x 15"
Nephew of the panoramist, Samuel B. Waugh, Henry Waugh arrived in Indianapolis at age 18 or 20 as a member of a theatrical troupe. During the winter of 1853 he assisted Jacob Cox of Indianapolis in painting a 30 scene temperance panorama. While in Indianapolis Waugh also did scene and banner painting and exhibited some landscapes. In order to earn money for study abroad he became a circus clown, under the name "Dilly Fay". Eventually he went to Rome for six years, but he died of consumption in England on his way home. Waugh exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy in 1862 Sources: Falk, Peter, ed. Who Was Who in American Art 1564-1975 Groce & Wallace, Dictionary of Artists in America, 1564-1860


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Posts by Ermes
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ThinkForex In Brokers May 04 2013 at 07:38
Sorry, I've posted the same account twice. ThinkForex (Live 2) ---> (same) Receiver http://www.myfxbook.com/files/Ermes/ThinkFx2_0A_0n.png Omitted: even the demo account (Alpari NZ) is a RECEIVER. Therefore be ruled out technical problems. In the past also thinkforex was regular. No "Errors!" When I started winning began tricks! This is not the only session in which I find myself with losers positions added from broker. Everyone is warned. Now, I'm going to withdraw... Stay tuned. I also produced a video that demonstrates this SCAM! Maybe I will make public all of my accoun...
ThinkForex In Brokers May 03 2013 at 16:25
Stay AWAY from this broker!!! Adding losing position never opens... Now I'm not able to login on their portal and withdraw Alpari NZ (demo) ----> Sender http://www.myfxbook.com/files/Ermes/AlpNZ.png HotForex (live) ---> Receiver http://www.myfxbook.com/files/Ermes/HotFx.png ThinkForex (Live 1) ---> (same) Receiver http://www.myfxbook.com/files/Ermes/ThinkFx.png ThinkForex (Live 2) ---> (same) Receiver http://www.myfxbook.com/files/Ermes/ThinkFx.png
Powerful & Accurate EA v1.2 - EURUSD - 7.5 Years - Normal Risk - Updated_07/11/2012 In Strategies Dec 07 2012 at 16:22
Powerful & Accurate EA 1.2 - Normal Risk In Trading Systems Dec 05 2012 at 16:40
Looking for managers - large accounts In Experienced Traders Jun 18 2011 at 17:09
[quote]klam2404 posted: [quote]winsor posted: [quote]top1trader posted: i can manage from 10k become 30k in less a month. i trade gold, silver and oil. only use internal data from New York Merchant Exchange. i subscribe signal from insider. anyone interested can join me. [/quote] If you can turn $10K into $30K in less than a month, why don't you go to the bank and borrow the money. The interest is only 5%, and you can triple your investment. Why are you offering your service here? [/quote] This is He Only"Can manage from 10k become 30k" Not "Should manage fro...
Forex Growth Bot In Trading Systems Jun 15 2011 at 07:09
[quote]fxgrowthbot posted: Hi Ermes, I apologize for my haste.. i retract what i said. I didn't mean it the way I said it. As there's many people out there who go on and say insulting statements with no base. I understand what you are saying, we did increase the risk on the lots, users do NOT need to elevate risk like we did ( in the beginning ).. as the account hit gains of 40% we lowered risk to normal and tried to stick with .05 lots per 1,000. So from there on out we used normal risk and still made good gains. Yes it would have blown an account with .05 at $250, normally at $...
Forex Growth Bot In Trading Systems Jun 14 2011 at 22:27
Scam? Where I wrote this? Backtest match? 11.04.2010 13:00 - 11.09.2010 10:00 +342.8 pips (+68.30%) 4 days 11.18.2010 15:15 - 12.01.2010 08:15 +529.6 pips (+105.53%) 12 days Once trade at times! Nothing pyramid. The EA has trades 0.05L with $250 equity (20% stake), where you total bank roll is 500 pips! Who would want to follow this money managment example, applying the same risk and starting in May 27, 2011 would have been: 05.27.2011 03:45 - 05.27.2011 09:00 -56.6 -67.92 5h 15m 05.27.2011 04:00 - 05.27.2011 09:00 -56.0 -67.20 5h 0m 05.26.2011 15:00 - 05.26.2011 16:45 -27.3 -32.76 1h 45m...
FaHaD al Marzoq - EURUSD - TesT 2 In Trading Systems Jun 14 2011 at 06:28
WallStreet In Trading Systems Jun 13 2011 at 16:20
Einstein 1 In Trading Systems Jun 13 2011 at 15:42
[quote]forexma posted: [quote]Ermes posted: Why scam? I'm the broker Broker Name: Other (MT4) Broker Headquarters: Island of Neverland Regulated By: Myself Timezone: Depends when I wake up Leverage: 1:9000 Fixed spreads: YES, -10 pips on all pairs Accept US traders?: YES, anyone is welcomed Support languages: Sign language / Smoke signals Deposit/Withdrawal methods: Only cash [/quote] That was really good. M'hai fatto ridere tantissimo. [/quote] A volte esagero, ma grazie. (maybe I really exaggerated)


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Below Deck returns to Bravo tonight with a new episode of its second season. On tonight's episode called, "Mojitos Mo' Problems" Kate is annoyed by the new charter guests and their ongoing demands for special attention.
On the last episode, Kate grew increasingly unhappy with Kat's bad attitude and constant complaining, but was Kat acting out because she feared Kate and Ben were getting just a little too close? Andrew hoped to make amends for his mistakes by giving the female guests a special performance on the skydeck. As the crew enjoyed a boozy night out at a beach bar, they probe for details about Kat and Amy's tensed history until a frightening accident brought the night to a sudden halt. Did you watch the last episode? We recapped it all right here for you.
On tonight's episode Kate is annoyed by the new charter guests and their ongoing demands for special attention. Andrew makes a stunning admission to Captain Lee that affects the entire crew. Kelley and Jennice wrestle with their feelings for one another.
Tonight's episode is going to be filled with the usual Below Deck drama and you won't want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our live coverage of the show tonight at 9 PM EST! While you wait for our recap hit the comments and let us know how excited you are about this new episode of Below Deck.
Tonight's episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates
Tonight's episode of Below Deck begins with Andrew trying to get the deck ready, he's stressed because he knows that everyone thinks he is slacking at work. Meanwhile, down under Kat and Ben go over the bios of their next group of customers. Kat is frazzled when she realizes one of their guests' drink of choice is mojitos, which are complicated to make and the guests never seem to like them.
There is only two hours to go before their guests arrive. Andrew is having a meltdown trying to get the deck ready, he argues with Kelley about how to set it up. He heads downstairs and calls his Mom and complains that he is having serious anxiety from the boat. She gives him a peptalk and tells him to keep his eye son the future. He heads up to talk to Captain Lee and confesses that he "embellished his resume because he wanted to have this adventure." He tells him that he wants to stay on board, Captain Lee says that if he keeps him he is going to start out less than low and everyone is his boss. He orders Andrew to go tell her crew members the truth about lying on his resume.
Captain Lee calls a meeting and all of the crew members join him on deck. Andrew confesses to them that he always wanted to work on a yacht, so he lied on his resume and said that he had experience working on a boat before. Eddie is annoyed that Andrew lied and made him look like a fool, he tells Andrew to go back to work. The crew is not happy, and think that Captain Lee should just fire him, because he has put the entire boat in danger.
Eddie heads down below and tells Kat about Andrew lying on his resume. Kat is furious, she says that she has "lost all respect for him." She announces that if she has to work for him, she will push him overboard. Meanwhile, all of their guests arrive, and the stewardesses give them a tour of the boat. Before they even take off the guests start acting high maintenance, and begin requesting specialty cocktails with "essences of lavender."
They set sail, in the middle of a thunderstorm, and all of the guests proceed to stay below deck in their suite ordering drinks. A couple of the guys head to the captain's headquarters to watch Lee drive. They drop anchor and the diver instructor arrives to take them down in the ocean. Meanwhile the women head up on deck to sit in the rain and continue ordering drinks while the stewardesses try to make drinks at the bar in the rain.
Their guests all head out on a boat to the mainland to party on the beach at the bar, and the crew heads below to eat dinner. Andrew feels like an outcast because no one is talking to him. He finally says, "so I guess the bitch work all falls on me." The deckhands curse him out for degrading women that work on the boat by using the term "bitch."
The next day the stewardesses serve their guests breakfast. The guests gossip about Kate because they think it is strange that she never smiles. When she brings them out their drinks, they start hounding her to smile more often. Kate is annoyed because she feels like their "circus clown." It isn't her job to smile for them, she's supposed to serve them, not do tricks.
The women head to the kitchen to chat with the chef Ben, he gives them cooking lessons and teaches them how to prepare conk. All the women fawn over Ben, while he feeds them one by one. Meanwhile the stewardesses are making the guests' bed and gossiping about Kate, they think that she has been really down today.
It's the final day of the charter. Andrew is up at 6:00 AM to try and clean the deck, the guests had a wild party the night before trying to relive their glory years. Andrew scrubs the deck and picks up all of the cigars, poker chips, and empty glasses and bottles. Captain Lee picks up the anchor, and they head back to land. Kelley vents to Eddie that he thinks they need to fire Andrew, Kelley threatens to leave the boat if they don't get rid of Andrew.
The charter is over, but the guests are in denial and won't leave the yacht, they're still ordering drinks from Kate. They finally exit the boat and Captain Lee calls a meeting.


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21 poppy growers detained in Farah
21 poppy growers detained in Farah
FARAH CITY (PAN): Counternarcotics police in southwestern province of Farah on Monday arrested 21 growers on charges of cultivating poppies, officials said.
However, farmers and local officials said the main cause behind the increase in poppy cultivation in Farah was the government's apathy.
The growers were arrested during a 10-day operation conducted in Khak-i-Safid, Pushtrod and Bala Baluk districts, Lal Mohammad Azizi, the counternarcotics department head, told Pajhwok Afghan News.
According to the local officials, poppy cultivation has increased by 20 percent in the province, where farmers cultivated 14,000 hectares of land in 2011.
Azizi added most of the areas where farmers grew poppies were controlled by the Taliban fighters and the Ministry of Counternarcotics could not launch any eradication campaign there. He said it was policy of the counternarcotics ministry to implement development schemes in districts with good security.
However, local officials and farmers blamed the government for neglecting the farmers. "Should I cultivate wheat in my fields, it cannot meet my expenses. I have spent so much on installing water pumps; growing poppies brings me greater income than wheat," said Mohammad Anwar, a farmer. He complained they faced a water shortage, improved seeds and fertilisers.
Syed Ahmad, a civil society leader, blamed the government for failing to help the farmers. He believed poverty and a dearth of financial resources had forced the people to cultivate poppies.
Although the Farahrod River flows through the province, farmers could not benefit from it due to the absence of water storage facilities. Instead the water flowed into Iran, unharnessed, he said.
Bakwa district chief, Mohammad Ismail said the main problem behind the increase in cultivation of poppies was the government did not pay any heed to growers' problems, including a shortage of irrigation water.
"Growers should dig up 40 to 50 metres deep wells to irrigate their farmland, something too much expensive for them. To meet their demands, they should find money, which they earn from poppy cultivation," he said.
The farmers did not want to grow poppies if the government provided them aid, provincial council secretary Shahla Abu Bakar said. She said although council members had asked the government to help farmers, no steps had been taken so far.
Related Article
Download "Pajhwok" mobile App, on your smartphone to read and access latest news, features, interviews, videos and photos about Afghanistan.


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About Us
2014 is shaping up to be a great year! Thanks to all who have donated, volunteered, and adopted.
Adoption Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm
To adopt from GHHS, you must meet the qualifications and guidelines listed below:
Adoption fee for dogs and cats:
7 years and under: $100
Over 7 years: $50
All adoptable animals have been fully vaccinated, spayed or neutured, and microchipped.
The Greater Huntsville Humane Society (GHHS) is dedicated to furthering the humane care and treatment of animals and providing adoption services.
GHHS, established more than 40 years ago is a 501(c)3, No-Kill Shelter. Operationally GHHS is run by volunteers, staff, and a governing Board of Directors. GHHS is financially supported by private generous donors, grants, and local and national corporate sponsorships.
GHHS's main goal is to find homes for over 400 pets or more each year and remain committed to furthering the humane treatment, education and respect for animals.
We are located at 2812 Johnson Road, and are open to the public Monday- Saturday from 10 am - 5 pm. Adoptions end at 4 pm. Closed Sunday.
The GHHS thrift shop is located behind the shelter and is open 9:30 am until 4:30 pm, Monday - Saturday. All profits go towards our shelter pets!
How can you help?
Volunteer, adopt, donate, foster, shop at our thrift shop and spread the word about rescuing a shelter pet!
All donations to the shelter and thift store are tax-deductable.
To volunteer, go to www.ghhs.org/information. You must be at least 16 years of age to volunteer, and you must be 19 or older to work with the shelter dogs. We always need enthusiastic volunteers to make what we do possible!


text: [JURIST] More than 200 foreign nationals currently being detained in US immigration facilities could be released under a recent Supreme Court ruling [JURIST Gazette report] according to figures released Monday by Cheryl Little [official profile], executive director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center [advocacy website]. Last month in Clark v. Martinez [PDF text], the high court held that illegal immigrants could only be held subject to a detention order and not be held simply because they could not be returned to their home countries. The US Department of Homeland Security [department website] estimated that about 920 detainees around the country have been affected by the ruling, but hasn't released the location or names of those detainees. The Miami Herald has local coverage.


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LA Times
Article Rebuttal Replies
Listed below are some repies that Garrick has received from his rebuttal to the TJ Simers article. Actual names are not listed without permission. The best one is the last one.
Nicely put Garrick! I love it. I go to LA for work 2 times a month for 3-4 days each time and there are certainly places that are attractive, Pasadena being on of them. However, taking everything into account, I truly believe it is a hell hole and wouldn't live there if you paid me $1,000,000 a year. My favorite part of the trip is coming home. There is no place like Nebraska!
Mike - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mr.Baxter, Thank you for
sending that idiot a letter. I read the same column yesterday. You
were more gracious than I was going to be. I've emailed alot of these
reporters lately on their horrible biased opinions. Like you said,
there are alot of NU fans around the country. And I get really p-----
off when I read the garbage that comes out of these people's mouths.
I'm Nebr. born and bred living in Texas now. And I try to go to their
games when they come down here and watch them on tv when I can. I
wish I was going with you guys to Calif. I love my Huskers. If you
go to this guy's newspaper office, show him what class is all about.
Something he knows nothing about. Thanks again for the letter. GO
Betty - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I caught your rebuttal and laughed. You make us all proud. I lived in Portland for 10 years. Great city...I'm trying to move back, but the economy will not allow my escape from California. I too, will be at the Rose Bowl. Lets hope the Huskers (no matter how they got there) take care of business.
Thanks for addressing the irresponsible journalist in a very tasteful manner.
DC Livermore, CA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I am a Wisconsin AND a Nebraska fan. I have lived my entire 30 years in the Madison, WI area, graduated from Wisconsin, and bleed Badger red, but my father raised me as a 'Husker too. He went to school w/ Dr. Tom so I have followed the Big Red religiously and have gone to many a bowl game. I was at the Orange Bowl for the failed two point conversion, but I was also there to see Schlesinger score his second TD running right past a worn out Warren Sapp.
I have been to many different bowl games as I'm sure you have too, but you will NEVER encounter a greater feeling than being in the Rose Bowl. It is awesome.
I was a student at Wisconsin in 1993 when the Badgers traveled west to take on the home town UCLA Bruins. Wisconsin fans and Nebraska fans are very similar - they are rabid. We painted LA red and we even dried up a few bars (UW fans are known to enjoy a beverage or ten) to the point that they actually ran out of beer! Despite 70,000 Badgers in LA we too were greeted with the hick-type statements. The funny thing was by the time we left (with a victory and a couple more in the next few years too!) every LA person was floored by how "down to earth" and "genuine" all of us were. The only words we heard when we left were, "We hope you are back here EVERY year."
Well, I'm sure the 'Husker fans will represent Nebraska just as well and I'm guessing by the time Jan. 4 rolls around all of the California folk will be saying, "I hope you all come back every four years!" Don't worry about the non-championship game years for the Rose Bowl - the Badger fans will make sure that LA is painted red!
Go Big Red!!! AJ M Madison, WI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Garrick: Keep in mind that Mr. Simers has deep Colorado roots. It has become very nouveau fashionable for media types around here to demonstrate how clever they are by dredging up every Arkansas/Texas/Tennessee etc. hick reference, and apply them to Nebraskans. Mr. Simers was evidently too "hip" for Colorado as well, as he left this state for the much more cosmo California.
Jay S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hi Mr. Baxter - I recently read the column you rebutted on the Huskerpedia website which I visit often. Thank you SOOOOO much for putting that writer in his place. I cannot, repeat cannot, believe the impression people on the West (Left) Coast have of we Nebraskans. I am extremely proud to be from this part of the country where values are valued and people are real, not plastic. I was born and raised in Iowa, lived in Texas four 4 years while my husband attended school, and we moved to Nebraska in 1974. I have loved it here ever since. I jumped on the Big Red bandwagon in 1980 when my husband found time between games to explain the game to me (my dad and brothers never took the time, but then again, I did grow up in Iowa!). I also have two sons who are huge Husker fans and they think it is so cool that mom can talk football with them. As you can see, living in a house with a husband and two sons, I had to learn football to survive and participate in the conversation at the dinner table. For a few years I felt I was living with foreigners during the football season because I didn't understand the language! For Christmas my husband and I purchased four tickets to the Rose Bowl and gave two to our son and his wife in Phoenix and two to our son and his wife in Omaha. They will be in Pasadena rooting on the Big Red, and not acting like hicks, either. I may even give them some money to spend on Rodeo Drive!!
Again, many thanks for
your rebuttal of our beloved state and its people. We are the salt
of the earth and very proud of it. PS - We live in Fremont and I noticed
you mentioned it in your article. We love this city and it proximity
to Omaha and Lincoln - so we can get a little culture when we are
not fighting off the Indians and the locusts! Hugs and holiday wishes
to you and yours and GO BIG RED. Sincerely -
Janet W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nice rebuttal my good friend. You have to call a spade a spade when you see it and this guy obviously practices flash-and-dash "journalism". I always laugh at these types because they perpetuate the myth that we are all farmers and all live in Nebraska in sod huts. In fact, we are everywhere and we are everyone. Our blessing is that we carry the Nebraska "goodness" with us whether we live in Nebraska or in Oregon (or Texas or Arizona or California...).
Cheers to "the good life" of Nebraska.
Go Big Red!
James W Austin, Texas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You were too nice to this idiot! If you do pay him a visit, give him a shot for me as well!
Mick R Omaha - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Perhaps these rebuttals should be forwarded to his editor or newspaper owner? Just a thought.
For the record, I am a Papillion NE high school graduate and Air Force Academy graduate and have never considered myself a hick while traveling the world on USAF business. Also one of the editors from the Portland Oregonian happens to have many family members still in Beatrice. And my nephew from Grand Island plays on the Academy football team with aspirations of serving our nation too.
Myopic and superiority complex sum up Mr. Simers uninformed opinion.
GO HUSKERS!! Dan P. Colonel, USAF NORAD - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THANK YOU for writing
to that IDIOT!!! We've had enough grief lately without having to read
that crap. With his article on Huskerpedia, I have a feeling his email
is about to be overloaded. Go Big Red!
Beth FTransplanted Husker in Atlanta, GA Proud Member of Georgians for Nebraska - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dear Garrick: OUTSTANDING
rebuttal to that idiot T.J.Simers! For whatever its worth..... I'm
of African -American descent who grew up in Chicago, went to college
in St. Louis before going to medical school at the University of Nebraska.
I wasn't sure of what to expect when I first decided to go to Nebraska
as I was a "big city" type of guy. It didn't take me long
to find how wonderful Nebraska was (and is)! My fondest memories are
when I was a med student in the smaller communities such as David
City. I was able to spend time with people to chat and share in their
lives. In fact to this day I maintain contact with the friends that
I met in David City and remain able to sprinkle a bit of Czech into
conversations. Nebraska is also where I met my wife....a lovely Fremont
girl!!!!! My wife and I always laugh because when we meet people they
believe that I'm the Nebraska native! Presently we live in Columbia,
Missouri and not sure where life will take us, but we will always
have Nebraska in our hearts!!! Best wishes to you and your family
this holiday season! Last but not least: GO BIG RED!
Joseph M - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dear Mr. Simers: I am writing to you in regards to your column, "Putting Out Red Carpet forCornhusker Folks.
Are you an idiot? Did you really intend to insult approximately 60,000 people who will be bringing much needed revenue into your downtrodden city? Have you ever been to Nebraska? Do you realize that the music program at the University is one of the best in the country? And no, it doesn't emphasize country music. And that is just mentioning one such program (I think another one is journalism, but you wouldn't know about that). Ever heard of that really rich guy who lives in Omaha? Do you think he is a hick? Do you think he drives a Winnebago?
You claim to be a sports writer. So did you know that Nebraska has a nation-leading 59 First-Team Academic All-American selections? Next on the list: Notre Dame, 42; Ohio State, 32; Dayton, 30; Texas, 25; Penn State, 25. Seems those west coast teams which must be full of intelligent, non-hickish players didn't make it to the top of that list. In fact, not a single player from the LA area was included on the team this year. Only one west coast player made it and he is from my now-home state, Oregon. This hick from Nebraska lived in your 'fair' city for over 6 years and could not wait to get out. Hicks from Nebraska generally choose to avoid living through riots, drive-by shootings, car jackings and other intelligent outings that you seem to enjoy there. Additionally, this hick has some higher education including a Juris Doctor (cum laude at that!) from one of your very fine local schools. I also hold a degree in business and a certificate in agriculture. Dean's list? Been there. Study abroad? Been there. Opera? Been there (in Nebraska at that!). Does that make me a hick?
I take great offense at your prejudice. Were your comments based on any informed information? I work hard to base my comments, particularly those that will be disseminated to someone I am insulting, on facts and not unfounded prejudice. It doesn't seem that you can say the same thing, since most of the folks that I know from Nebraska are intelligent, witty, caring and generous. I cannot say the same for 75% of the people I met while living in LA. Of that meager 25%, there were only two that were originally from the LA area - the rest were from the Midwest. Imagine that!
I personally have family members in law, teaching, computer science, entertainment just to name a few fields. And I have never owned a Winnebago, nor do I know anyone who has. And, quite frankly, the women from Nebraska are damn good looking, albeit in a more natural way than those in the LA area with their plastic breasts, skin cancer, and liposuction. We are intelligent enough to realize that you do not need to spend thousands to 'win yourself' a man or a job.
Mr. Simers - There are Husker fans all over the nation including an approximate 40,000 on the west coast. They work in all types of jobs - stockbrokers, entertainers, lawyers, doctors, dentists, college professors, CEOs, and computer wizards - I know because I know at least one person who fits into each of those categories. Now, do you really think we are all hicks?
M. Greco
Portland, Oregon
President, Oregonians for Nebraska
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