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AUSTIN — Soldiers and family members of 2nd Battalion, 381st Regiment, 479th Field Artillery Brigade, Division West, volunteered at the Capital of Texas Triathlon on May 27.
The annual event attracted more than 3,000 participants from all over the world.
The triathlon consisted of sprint and Olympic distance competitions, starting with a cool dip in Lady Bird Lake, followed by a bike ride through the streets of downtown Austin, past the Capitol and University of Texas campus, and ending with a fierce foot race that concluded with the cheers of screaming spectators.
"Dragon Strike" soldiers and family members volunteered in various locations throughout the race. Some helped quench the thirst of athletes as they crossed the finish line, while others helped athletes remove their wet suits as they transitioned from the swim to the cycling portion of the race.
Several other soldiers and family members assisted paratriathletes throughout the day.
In the USA Paratriathlon National Championship division of the race, athletes competed not just for the national championship, but also the opportunity to be part of the first-ever United States paratriathlon team that will compete in the Paralympic Games in 2016.
The crowd roared as Melissa Stockwell crossed the finish line, securing first place in the Paratriathlon Class II Category of the national championship.
Stockwell is an Iraq war veteran who lost her leg in 2004 while leading a convoy in Baghdad. She swam for the United States at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, is on the board of directors for the Wounded Warrior Project, and is the co-founder of the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club, a paratriathlon training program that works with athletes with disabilities.
Jamal Sarhani, a "Dragon Strike" family member, assisted paratriathlete Howie Sanborn, an Army Ranger who was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident. Despite the demands of the race, Sanborn took time to mentor Sarhani, a cadet in the University of Texas-San Antonio Army ROTC program, and aspiring Ranger.
"What an amazing opportunity it was to volunteer at this event," Sarhani said. "Howie helped me way more than I helped him. He taught me the importance of being positive in the midst of incredible hardship."


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Results 11 to 13 of 13
Jun 2, 2009, 05:26 PM #11Junior Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Posts
- 9
Impressions on Wrightsville...
I had a great time out there. We got there on Friday and checked the waves, on the way out we asked some guys how they were and they said it was rough and choppy. I saw it and was impressed with the waves and wished I could go out immediately. I got out on Saturday and had a great time stealing waves from you kids with my girlfriend and our rented NSPs. Supposedly it was a bad day but we would love to have "bad days" like you have here on Folly.
I think I know what the problem is though, there are like 25 guys for every 1 girl. I think I understand now why you boys are so uptight.
Jun 8, 2009, 04:44 PM #13

subset: commoncrawl


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First Call $0.19/min For the first 10 minutes
Simply choose a reader with a green call button and get started
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Motivation Guidance
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Psychics ClairvoyantsTO BE CHANGED
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Astrology HoroscopesTO BE CHANGED
Love RelationshipsTO BE CHANGED
Mind Body SpiritTO BE CHANGED
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A very good and quite a precise reading I look forward to see if things come to fruition in the future


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Spore Creepy & Cute (or C&C) is Spore's first Parts Expansion Pack, released on the 18th of November 2008. It adds content to the creature editor including paints, parts, and backgrounds. The full Spore game is not required, as it adds no new features to the gameplay, however it does require the Creature Creator and patch 1.02. It is available for Mac and PC.
It contains: Edit
- 60 creature parts
- 2 test drive backgrounds (one that looks like a "dreamland" and one that looks like an apocalyptic city after a massive war)
- 48 new paint scripts (12 base layers, 12 coat layers, 12 detail layers, and 12 complete styles)
- 24 new preview animations
Main article: Spore Creepy & Cute/Parts
System Requirements (PC) Edit
- Windows XP till 8
- 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium® 4 or equivalent
- 512 MB RAM (768 MB RAM for Vista/ 7)
- 128 MB Video Card, with support for Pixel Shader 2.0
- The latest version of DirectX 9.0c
- 150 MB free space plus additional temporary space during installation
- Requires SPORE or the full version of SPORE Creature Creator to play
Images Edit
Trivia Edit
- The new mouths make sounds that already are present in the original creature editor. For example, The Creepy mouths sound like the reptile mouths, the Cute omnivorous mouths sound like the herbivorous mammal mouths and the Cute Mammal mouths sound like Amphibian mouths.
- When you have this game and are playing Creature Stage, if you have unlocked the parts and go into the editor, you can change your creature's diet, because you can unlock all of the Creepy and Cute mouths, no matter what your base diet was. However, this will only happen if the saved game was saved before the expansion was downloaded.
- The mascots of Creepy and Cute are Skratcher and Skoog.
- The Exoskeleton Limbs patch was actually a teaser for Creepy & Cute.
- Many Creepy & Cute parts closely resemble core Spore parts, particularly the eyes, such as Soulless and Felizard, both with vertical slit pupils.
- The mouths are related to various animal mouths, such as Masticator is a hammerhead shark, Tuskloosa is a walrus, Bucky Buckerson is a rodent (that of squirrels in particular), and Macobbjaw is a dragon.
- Peppergrabber is somehow related to the hands the characters from the childrens' program Mr.Moon use.
- Starfoot and Sassyquatch are related somehow because they both have Level 5 sneak (e.g. Heeltoe and Homobriend, Skeletoes and Palmwalker)
- The Creepy Parts usually bear resemblance to a horror movie monster of some sort.
- Creepy and Cute eyes can be made larger or smaller than core Spore eyes. This is probably so you can add bigger eyes to make a creature look cuter, or smaller, beady eyes to make it look creepier.
- Macobbjaw is the only mouth that has a forked tongue.


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* Prices may differ from that shown
The Olympus FE-330 is a very good point and click camera for the price. It has a nice large display. Lots of easy to use functions including shake reduction, a reasonable video recorder and a very good macro function. The camera is light and small with a good zoom which retracts flat when the camera is turned off. I use this camera to take photos of small animals which aren't known for standing still and posing and this camera deals with their antics with very little blurring.
Now the bad points. The camera is a little slow, it takes time to power up and sometimes the auto focus takes a while. The optic zoom is brilliant but the digital zoom is worthless. The battery seems to run out very quickly and requires a long time to charge. Also the cameral doesn't come with even the most rudimentary case, when I bought the camera it was about £90 so I would have expected it to have a soft cover.
Despite the disadvantages of this camera I am very happy with its performance and the photos I have taken with it.


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At least someone in government is paying attention to D.C. United's stadium plight.
City council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) introduced a resolution Tuesday that states, among other things, the D.C. government "should take active steps to create strategies and solutions that keep D.C. United as a professional soccer team located within the District of Columbia."
It doesn't commit the city to anything, but as one of The Post city government reporters tells me, it could represent an interesting straw poll of D.C. politicos. Mayor Vincent Gray has already said no public money is available for a stadium project. United has been working with Events D.C., which manages RFK Stadium, for improved terms on the MLS club's lease. Buzzard Point in Southwest D.C. is the prime target for a new venue. The RFK campus hasn't been ruled out. Meantime, Baltimore remains very much on United's radar as a permanent home if a Washington stadium solution isn't reached in the near future.
Wells's resolution is available here.


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Fire investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire Tuesday night at the playground at Arcadia Park Elementary School in Dallas.
Dallas Fire-Rescue says the 911 call came in just before 8 p.m. reporting a grassfire in the 1300 block of North Justin Avenue.
When firefighters arrives they found the playground equipment engulfed in flames. The playground was destroyed.
The Dallas Independent School District says $50,000 work of fairly new playground equipment was destroyed.
The playground will have to be replaced, it was not covered by insurance.
"If somebody wants to help raise the money to fund a new playground, our students and staff would be very appreciative," said DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander.
Anyone interested in rebuilding the playground should call the school.
"50 grand - we can say it very fast, but to raise all that money, it is not easy," said parent Juan Benavides.
Dahlander said the charred equipment will be removed Thursday.
Parents who live nearby say they saw and smelled smoke last night but didn't know about the damage until daylight.
"It's really wrong on their part. They should have thought about the kids instead of acting bad and destroying something, the kids are the ones that get affected by it," said parent Jorge Castillo.
No one was injured in the fire and fire investigators are still looking for the cause.


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Miss. Baptists voting on personhood amendment today
Miss. Baptists are urged to vote for life-at-fertilization initiative
American Catholics prep for new Mass translation
English-speaking Roman Catholics will soon be hearing new phrases at Mass
80,000 Muslims pray on the street in Moscow
Muslim men pray shoulder-to-shoulder in the freezing rain in Moscow
"In God We Trust" up for House reaffirming vote as national motto
House to vote on reaffirming, promoting "In God We Trust"
Dooms Day broadcaster sorry for predictions
Religious broadcaster sorry for failed apocalypse predictions
Thomas Nelson, religious publisher, to be purchased by HarperCollins
HarperCollins buys out religious publisher
Crystal Cathedral board sells property to local University
Crystal Cathedral board backs sale to university
Congress considers military aid cuts to Egypt because of persecution
Cut is U.S. aid to Egypt touted over persecution
Category: General News
Phone Scammers Using Affordable Care Act to Gather Information
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) - A former Coeur d'Alene City councilwoman and her husband are among several recent victims of phone scammers trying to take advantage of confusion about changes under the Affordable Care Act.
The Coeur d'Alene Press reports ex-councilwoman Councilwoman Dixie Reid says a caller offering to send her husband a new Medicare card also wanted bank account numbers.
The Idaho Department of Insurance is warning residents to hang up on any suspicious calls.


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Team Building Activities in Scottsdale, Arizona
Team Builders Plus offers a variety of leadership training programs and fun team building activities that are an ideal compliment to any corporate event or team meeting. Old Town Scottsdale is unique setting for a treasure hunt and the western skies are perfect for meditation during Team Samurai.
Set out to explore Old Town Scottsdale after a long day of meetings or kick off a week of seminars with a fun experience to loosen up the group. Equipped with hand-held GPS units and clues, teams will search the area for answers, take pictures and complete tasks at various clue points. ScavengerQuest is a great way to learn about the area if you have team members who are flying to Scottsdale for your meeting. We can end the course at a restaurant and before food is served, our skilled facilitator will lead our debrief and talk about how you worked together and strategized while all you thought you were doing was having fun.
If you can't get away from your resort, we offer many indoor team building activities. You Take the Cake is an ideal ice breaker activity or late evening program. Teams use sheet cakes, cup cakes, and a plethora of decorations and supplies to create cakes that are a metaphor for your conference or meeting.
Team Samurai offers a mix of team development and team building. Don't worry, this activity was designed for every physical level. We won't have anyone break any boards with their heads. Your group will learn about the elements of the martial arts and how they relate to communication, stress and focus. An optional meditation component is recommended to help promote the need for a work/life balance.
ScavengerQuest | Wheels for the World | Harmonia | You Take the Cake! | Mini Golf Charity Classic | Intergalactic Adventure | Taking Flight with DISC | SmileKits
ScavengerQuest | Wheels for the World | Harmonia | You Take the Cake! | Mini Golf Charity Classic | Intergalactic Adventure | Taking Flight with DISC | SmileKits


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Portrait of Britain: AD 1000
Ann Williams describes the state of the island at a time when Anglo-Saxon culture was reaching its peak, while also politically challenged by the Vikings.
'The King went into Cumberland and ravaged very nearly all of it; and his ships went out round Chester and should have come to meet him, but they could not. Then they ravaged the Isle of Man. And the enemy fleet had gone to Richard's kingdom that summer.'
Brief though it is, this entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for the year 1000 is an epitome of the political history of Britain at the time. The king in question was Æthelred II, misnamed 'the Unready' (r. 978-1016), and seen here in a decidedly 'ready' mood. He was not indulging in mindless destruction for the sake of it, but furthering a process begun by his forebears: forging of a united kingdom of the English. A century earlier, his great-great-grandfather, Alfred, had defended the kingdom of Wessex from Viking assault and won the loyalty of all the English people 'except those who were under the power of the Danes'. Alfred's heirs, his son Edward, king of the West Saxons, and his daughter Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, overran the southern Danish settlements and absorbed them into a 'greater Wessex'. Edward's son, Æthelstan, conquered the Viking kingdom of York, and became the first 'king of the English' and Æthel-stan's brothers, Edmund and Eadred, consolidated his work. Edmund's sons, Eadwig and Edgar, ruled over an English kingdom which stretched northwards from the Channel to the Tweed in the north east and to Stain-more in the north-west. This kingdom was the inheritance of Æthelred, Edgar's younger son, who received it after the murder of his half-brother Edward the Martyr at Corfe in Dorset in 978.
The making of England was the achievement of the West Saxon kings. To the west lay the kingdoms of Wales, of which Gwynedd in the north and Dyfed in the south were the most powerful. Northward lay the lands of the Scots, a kingdom as recently-created as that of the English; it was ruled by the line of Kenneth MacAlpin (r. 840-58), who occupies a place in the history of Scotland comparable to that of Alfred in England. In fact Kenneth was not the first to rule both Picts and Scots, but it was his dynasty which destroyed the last Pictish kings, and imposed Gaelic customs and the Gaelic language throughout the kingdom of Alba. This united realm stretched northwards from the Clyde-Forth axis as far as the borders of Caithness, which was dominated by the Norse Earls of Orkney. South of the Clyde-Forth line lay the debatable lands. In the east, the region between the Forth and the Tweed had formed part of the old English kingdom of Northumbria; to the west, the British kingdom of Strathclyde extended southwards to include Cumbria (modern Cumberland, Westmorland and much of Lancashire).
In these regions the ambitions of the English and Scottish kings met and clashed. By the year 1000, the kingdom of Strathclyde was virtually an adjunct of the Scottish kingship, while Æthelred's father, Edgar, had ceded much of the disputed territory in the east to Kenneth II (r. 971-95). These set-backs did not prevent the English rulers from presenting themselves as 'overlords' of both the Scottish and the Welsh kings, though this ambition was rarely recognised. The borders of English and Scots remained unstable and hostilities continued. The picture was complicated by the presence of Norse rulers in Man and the Western Isles, often loosely allied to the kings of Viking Dublin; Cumbria too had its share of Viking settlers. The early years of Æthelred's reign had seen a resurgence of Viking activity in the Irish Sea, and it was in response to this threat that the King attacked Cumbria and Man in the year 1000.
The dangers to Æthelred's kingdom did not lie only in the north. The land described in the Chronicle as 'Richard's kingdom' was Normandy, then ruled by Richard II (r. 996-1026). The 'enemy fleet', however, was not that of the Normans, but a Danish raiding-force which had been operating in England for the previous three years; it was to return in 1001. The willingness of the Normans to give aid and comfort to their Danish and Norwegian cousins had already provoked a reaction from the English; in 990 it took the despatch of a papal legate to establish 'a most firm peace' between Æthelred and Duke Richard's father, Richard I (r. 942-996). It was probably as part of a similar agreement in 1002 that Æthelred took the Duke's sister Emma as his second wife, but even this did not break the link between the Danes and Normandy.
The raids of Æthelred's time constitute part of the 'Second Viking Age' in Britain. Like England and Scotland, the kingdoms of Scandinavia were still in the process of formation. The kings of Denmark were the most successful; indeed the line of Denmark's founder, Harald Blue-tooth (958-87), temporarily ousted the West Saxons from England between 1016 and 1042. The competing kings of the north needed money and treasure to pursue their ambitions, and this was what England in particular had to offer, as the discovery of 60,000 English pennies of the period in Scandinavian coin-hoards vividly demonstrates. The English kings were unique at this time among the rulers of Britain in minting their own coins, the only ones which were legal tender within England. The quality of successive mintages, regularly changed from 975 onwards, gives eloquent testimony to the administrative competence of the West Saxon rulers. The composition of the coins themselves indicates the importance of English commerce, for the silver is not native to Britain but imported, largely from Germany. What the English exported in return we do not know, but wool and woollen cloth were probably as important then as later.
The contrast between England and the British kingdoms extends to the related area of urban institutions. Successful towns depend upon a number of pre-existing factors: a relatively stable political environment; a settled population, living by commerce and manufacture as well as agriculture; a well-farmed hinterland to ensure regular supplies of food and raw materials; a network of trading contacts, whether local, national, international or all three; and a supply of coined money of an established standard. Neither the Scots nor the Welsh kings issued coins, though some from elsewhere are occasionally found in treasure-hoards of both regions, and this lack of a native coinage goes some way to explain the almost total absence of urban centres in Wales and Scotland. One of the few exceptions, Swansea in South Wales, shows its origins in its Old Norse name; like the towns of Ireland, it was a Viking foundation.
Even in England, the balance between urban and rural populations in the year 1000 (and for some time to come) was almost exactly the reverse of what it is today. About ninety per cent of the population lived and worked in the countryside, with only about ten per cent based permanently in towns. But throughout the tenth century and into the eleventh, English towns were growing in size and importance, and most of those which would be significant in later years were already in existence by the time of the Domesday survey in 1086. The earliest trading-centres were the emporia of the eighth and ninth centuries, mostly founded by or near deserted Romano-British sites, like Hamwic (Southampton), Eoforwic (York) and Lundenwic (London). Most lay in the south and east, indicating their connection with the southern trade-routes to northern Frankia, the Rhineland and Italy, and (in the west) to Brittany, south west Frankia and Spain. The trade of these years was mainly in luxury goods, silk, spices and precious metals. The emporia, being undefended, were badly mauled by the Vikings, and by 900 the survivors had either been fortified, or (as at London) had moved within the refurbished walls of the nearby Roman towns.
Alfred and his successors built a number of fortifications against the Vikings, some of which were, or became, towns; hence the modern word 'borough', derived from Old English burh, 'a fortified, or defensible place'. As the West Saxon kings gradually conquered the Midlands and the north, they replaced any earlier administrative units with shires on the West Saxon model, each based upon, and named from a fortified borough (Worcestershire, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire), which acted as the administrative centre of its region. Tenth-century law-codes restricted the practice of minting to towns, where it could be overseen by royal officials; for the same reason, all trade except for minor local barter had to take place in urban markets. The tenth century also saw a shift in the focus of English trade, to take advantage of the route running from Viking Dublin in the west to Scandinavia and thence via the Viking settlements in central Russia and the Ukraine to Byzantium and the Islamic Empire.
Towns were also important for ecclesiastical organisation. Some of the earliest English bishoprics were founded in places which had been Roman towns; Canterbury, Rochester, London and York are the obvious examples. Moreover churches, whether monastic or secular, could be considerable centres of population, for to the communities themselves (whether monks, priests or nuns) we must add the dependents who worked the church's land and provided the daily labour for the running of the community. In the non-urbanised areas of Wales and Scotland, such ecclesiastical communities might fulfil some urban functions. In England some towns originated in ecclesiastical settlements. At Peterborough, for instance, a monastery existed as early as the seventh century, when it was known as Medeshamstede, 'the homestead in the meadow'. The continuous history of both church and town begins, however, with its re-foundation as a Benedictine abbey, allegedly in 966. The second abbot, Coenwulf (r. 992-1006), is said to have surrounded the monastery and its attendant dwellings with a wall, after which the place became known as Peterborough, 'the fortified place of [St] Peter'.
Though the pre-Conquest towns of England fulfilled true urban functions of manufacture and trade, they were not cut off from the surrounding countryside. The burgesses (burhwaru) had their town fields, presumably given over to arable and market gardens, and some rural estates included urban property; the abbot of Westminster, for instance, had four houses in Colchester as part of his manor of Feering, Essex. This not only furnished a town house for the lord of the estate but also (and more importantly) provided access to an urban market. Most communities probably aimed for basic self-sufficiency; neighbouring settlements might share local resources like woodland (for fuel and timber), pasture (for cattle and sheep) or marshland (wild-fowling, reeds for thatching, fishing). Some goods, however, had to be acquired by trade. One essential commodity was salt, whether produced by boiling from sea-water, or from the brine-springs particularly abundant in western England, exploited at Droitwich (Worcestershire) and at Nantwich and Middlewich (Cheshire).
It remains true that all the peoples of Britain at the first millennium lived in a predominantly rural society, and farming, whether arable or pastoral, was the main occupation. The climate was warmer and drier in 1000 than it is today, but subsistence farming was probably all most people could manage, and they were very dependent on the weather; a bad harvest, or an outbreak of disease among their animals could spell ruin. People too were at the mercy of infection, and plague was a recurrent scourge. One result was a high rate of infant mortality, though for those who survived childhood, life expectancy was not much less than it is now. The next period of danger was late adolescence, which claimed the lives of young women through problems associated with pregnancy, and of young men through fighting of various kinds; warfare was endemic throughout the Middle Ages, and in a society where most people (even slaves) bore arms, any disagreements were potentially fatal.
The population of Britain in the year 1000 cannot be estimated with any accuracy. England may have supported 2,500,000 people (the estimate is derived from the figures given in Domesday Book); Scotland's population was perhaps 500,000, and that of Wales probably less. The mountainous heartland of Wales seems to have been little inhabited and was more heavily wooded than it is today. Permanent settlements were confined to the coastal regions, at river-mouths, with access to the sea, or in the valleys, usually on the river-terraces away from the damp and ill-drained valley-floors. Scotland, too, was more heavily wooded than it is now, and with native deciduous, broad-leaved trees rather than conifers. As in Wales, the population was scattered in small and often isolated communities, with a concentration in the river valleys; most upland settlements were probably seasonal encampments for summer grazing. The best documented area of Scotland is Lothian in the south-east (a region formerly part of English Northumbria); here the primarily pastoral economy was accompanied by arable farming and characterised by larger, village settlements. Far to the north, in Orkney and Caithness, the Earls pursued an independent path, their society and customs deriving from Scandinavia, rather than from British roots. Their settlements were dominated by the need for access to the sea by means of a suitable harbour or beaching-ground. The inhabitants lived not merely by farming, but also by fishing and hunting; and of course by sea-borne raids on their neighbours.
As for England, the countryside of 1000 would look very strange to our eyes, not merely because of the much smaller population and the obvious changes which time has wrought. The very pattern of settlement would seem different. We are used to seeing, at least in the broad swathe of 'Middle England', a network of villages, each with its group of houses clustered around a church, lying among its fields and pastures. Even in urban areas, like the outer London suburbs, such 'villages' can still be discerned among the enveloping Victorian terraces and modern housing estates. But English villages are in fact fairly recent phenomena, which were only beginning to assume their later form in 1000. Many people still lived in dispersed settlements, hamlets and farmsteads rather than villages. These early settlements can be traced only by very careful excavation, for, apart from the major churches, most buildings were constructed of wood which, unlike stone or brick, leaves little trace on the ground. Timber houses do not last as long as those built in stone; and, which is perhaps more important, they are also easy to dismantle and re-erect elsewhere. Both factors enabled settlements to shift their sites with relative ease, though usually within stable boundaries which in many cases still define the modern parish.
The processes which produced the 'classic' villages of middle England were many and various, but one of the significant factors is the nature of land tenure. In all the regions of Britain, the norms of society reflected rural concerns, especially the possession and exploitation of land. Money and moveable wealth (treasure, for instance) were not negligible as sources of prosperity; indeed lavish display was very important in signalling status, both among the lay aristocracy and for the Church. But land was more vital still. Possession of land conferred and demonstrated status; it was used to assess liability to renders and services and, among the English, tax; and it enabled its possessors to dispense patronage and influence. In all the regions of Britain, a three-fold social structure can be discerned, encompassing nobles, free men and slaves. Gradations of wealth and status can usually be distinguished within the first two groups; the slaves, categorised as property, are set off from the others, even when there is little economic distinction as (for instance) between a slave-ploughman settled on a piece of land by his owner, and a dependent peasant holding land from his lord.
The West Saxon kings of the tenth century ruled in close association with the greater nobles, the most important of whom were often from junior branches of the ruling house itself. They provided the reservoir from which kings drew their local administrators: sheriffs, estate managers, tax-assessors and the like. This service, since it was royal service, gave the holders additional status; it also gave them plenty of opportunity to amass wealth, in cash and treasure as well as land, as demonstrated by the numerous complaints which surface about the rapacity and corruption of the royal officials. One of the rewards of royal service was land, and in particular land granted by a royal charter or landbook. Such a grant not only gave the beneficiary a perpetual right of free bequest (the closest thing to 'freehold' which existed at the time), but also freed the land granted from all royal service except for military service and the more important judicial rights. On such land, known as bookland, all the exempted dues and services could be diverted by the beneficiary for his own benefit; henceforward he (or she) and his heirs could take the lesser judicial fines in respect of men who dwelt on their bookland. Moreover the services which those men had once performed for the king were now due to the hall of the bookholder, and their lands were appurtenant to the place where that hall lay.
The importance of such tenures in the formation of nucleated villages lies in the ability of the landlord to reorganise the resources of the estate around his own hall; from the late tenth century, such lords might divert some of their ecclesiastical dues (tithe) to the churches which they built next to their halls. It is likely too that the most dependent peasants of the estate, the slaves, cottagers and those who had no land of their own but had to accept land from their lord in return for labour services, would be persuaded or compelled to dwell around the hall and church; and that the arable fields would be re-organised and centred on the same nucleus. The villages of midland England and similar settlements elsewhere in Britain are, it seems, intimately linked with manorialisation.
It was not the lay nobles alone who gained from the generosity of the West Saxon kings, but also the Church. The Scandinavian raids and settlements of the late ninth century had led to considerable disruption of the English Church. Many religious houses did not recover from the killing or dispersal of their communities. Even some episcopal sees, especially in the north and east of England, were temporarily abandoned and since it was the bishop's household which trained and educated new generations of priests, this adversely affected general standards of ecclesiastical competence. It seems, however, that standards had been falling before the main impact of the Vikings was felt. In the 890s, Pope Formosus complained that English bishops had failed to preach against 'the abominable rites of the pagans', though he admitted that this was being rectified, and King Alfred regarded the pagan incursions as God's punishment for a general decline in ecclesiastical discipline and learning.
It was Alfred who began the process of regeneration, instituting a plan of reform continued by his children and grandchildren. It had two main aims: to educate the general population in the practice of the Christian faith; and to restore the ideals of Benedictine monasticism. The success of the first is shown in the rapid conversion of the Scandinavian settlers to Christianity; the second came to fruition with the Benedictine movement of the later tenth century. Most of the great abbeys which remained influential until the Reformation were founded or re-founded in the decades on either side of the year 1000. The same period saw the establishment of monastic chapters, a peculiarity of the English Church and its adherents. On the continent, episcopal churches were staffed by secular canons, as indeed were most English sees; monks appear only in those houses directly associated with the tenth-century reformers (Canterbury, Sherborne, Winchester and Worcester). It is largely to the documentation produced by the scriptoria of the reformed monasteries and the monastic scribes who staffed them that we owe our comparatively full knowledge not only of the late Old English Church but of English society in general.
The Church in Scotland was greatly influenced by that of the Irish, which is understandable in view of the role of St Columba and his community at Iona in the conversion of the Scottish people, a role emphasised by the fact that it was from this area that the line of Scots kings came. This Irish orientation did not affect doctrine, but it did produce local variations in day-to-day practice, which often appeared odd to continental observers. The diocesan structure was not as well-organised as in England, and a characteristically Irish form of monasticism appears in some areas. South-west Scotland, however, was closer to Wales. By the tenth century, most communities in Wales were probably houses of secular clergy rather than monks, and those which were monastic followed customs laid down by the earliest Welsh churchmen (like St David) rather than those of St Benedict. As in Scotland, some communities were episcopal sees, and though there seems to have been no hierarchical structure of authority, St David's enjoyed (or at least claimed) pre-eminence. Though the contrasts can be exaggerated, the Churches of England, Scotland and Wales each had its own characteristic customs. It was only in the twelfth century that a newly-resurgent papacy imposed a degree of ecclesiastical uniformity throughout all Britain.
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Vengeance: bigger and badder the second time around. ABC Studios has released Revenge: The Complete Second Season, a five-disc, 22-episode collection of the hit ABC melodrama/thriller's sophomore 2012-2013 season. Starring Madeleine Stowe, Emily VanCamp, Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Nick Wechsler, Josh Bowman, Barry Sloane, Connor Paolo, and Christa B. Allen, Revenge tickled a lot of viewers' fancies with its overripe, overheated take on Dumas' classic, The Count of Monte Cristo, when it debuted in the fall of 2011. Ratings slipped, however, for this second season, with more than a few viewers wondering if the producers and writers had "lost the plot," so to speak, by expanding the original swank, obsessive Revenge universe to make room for more devious characters, more explosive secrets, more convoluted plots, and more out-and-out lies. Perhaps...but it's still one of the more entertaining series on that soon-to-be-extinct dinosaur, network television, and I'm looking forward to season three starting up in two weeks. Quite a few extras this go-around, making these snappy widescreen transfers an easy recommendation for anyone looking for pulpy TV thrills.
A brief overview for the handful of newcomers who may stumble onto this review. Last year, juvie alumnus-turned-fabulously-wealthy-gate-crasher Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) arrived at the Hamptons and effortlessly insinuated herself into that exclusive enclave's creme de la creme: the Grayson family, who live in a spectacular mansion next door to Emily's multi-million dollar, drolly-monikered "little beach cottage." Emily purchased this cottage right out from underneath imperious neighbor Victoria Grayson's (Madeleine Stowe) nose for a reason: as a little girl, Emily used to live there with her father, David Clarke. David Clarke, in turn, used to work for Grayson Global, a multi-billion dollar Wall Street investment firm run by ice-cold manipulator Conrad Grayson (Henry Czerny), Victoria's husband. "Emily," whose real name is Amanda Clarke, won't be inviting David over for a swim on the beach for Father's Day, though; years ago, he was killed in prison, where he was serving a life sentence for terrorism, unjustly convicted of a plot that saw an airliner full of passengers blown out of the sky. How did Amanda Clarke, then, become "Emily Thorne?" Her father left little Amanda an "infinity" box with journals and other clues that not only stated his innocence, but also pointed the finger at those who framed him: the Graysons. Amanda's money also comes from her father, who was wise enough to invest in fey, genius hacker Nolan Ross' (Gabriel Mann) internet start-up--an investment that would eventually reap half a billion dollars and counting for Amanda. Only Nolan (at first) knows "Emily Thorne" is really Amanda; his loyalty and gratitude to David Clarke now impels him to aid Amanda in her mission: destroy all those who railroaded her innocent father into prison...and thus caused his early, tragic death.
To accomplish this pitiless destruction, Amanda must renounce and suppress her own feelings of love and morality--a step made easier, at least at first, considering that her all-too-brief idyllic childhood was transformed into one of notoriety, shame, anger, and then violence, as she was bounced from foster homes to juvie to prison...with a side journey to Japan, where Satoshi Takeda (Hiroyuki Sanada) trained his impulsive, unformed, aggressive ex-con/student into a hyper-efficient killing machine who is as devious and cunning as she is blankly remorseless. Of course, this "shutting off" is a difficult, if not impossible, task for the damaged-but-still-salvageable Amanda, who knew kindness and love from her adored father, as well as from childhood sweetheart, Jack Porter (Nick Wechsler), who doesn't recognize "Emily Thorne" as the grown-up Amanda when she arrives back in the Hamptons. Jack runs a waterfront bar along with his kid brother, Declan (Connor Paolo), that he inherited from his father. As much as Amanda might want to abandon her personal vendetta for love with Jack, she instead chooses to seduce well-meaning rich boy, Daniel Grayson (Josh Bowman), in an effort to get closer to Victoria and Conrad. This move is complicated by the arrival of the "real" Emily Thorne (Margarita Levieva), a fellow juvie graduate who previously aided Amanda in her switcheroo, now posing as "Amanda Clarke"...before promptly snagging Jack for herself. Further permutations and mutations of romantic, financial, and even criminal links between "Emily," the Porters, and the Graysons bubble to the surface during Emily's revenge take-downs, until Emily is faced with an even greater foe than the Graysons or even her own ethical conflicts: "The American Initiative," a shadowy cabal of almost unlimited resources and influence, who appear to be intimately connected with the Graysons...and perhaps with the frame-up job on David Clarke.
I'm not coming new to this second season of Revenge; after seeing the on-air promos back in 2011, I had a feeling that this series might fall along the lines of past nighttime soaps that I once held near and dear when I was a kid, particularly Dallas, Dynasty, and Falcon Crest, so I tuned into premiere night, and I've been a steady viewer ever since ("steady viewer" does not, however, translate into "fanatical re-capper who obsesses over every little plot detail and character to the point of ridiculousness"...so don't email if I spell someone's name wrong). That first season garnered solid ratings and even better reviews; however, the online chatter for Revenge's second season, precipitated perhaps, by falling Nielsen numbers, was that the show had lost its way somehow, that too many characters and too many busy-but-undeveloped subplots had diffused the central pull of Amanda's blood feud with the Graysons.
Perhaps...although I enjoyed this second season if for nothing else than this overreaching. Obviously when first watching the increasingly intricate and clever episodes that first season that saw Emily inch closer and closer to knocking off Victoria and Conrad Grayson, one wondered how the series was going to continue. How would the producers keep the central arc going--Emily's vendetta against the Graysons--without her actually winning. Because if she wins, the story's over. At first glance, it's tempting to say that Revenge couldn't sustain the interest of this first driving season because eventually, viewers are going to catch on that there are only so many times the seemingly indestructible Emily can get so close to vanquishing her enemies before someone or something blocks her. It's a constant tease that eventually breeds frustration and then, ennui. Either she scores against the Graysons, or new villains will need to be introduced, to broaden--and inevitably, dilute--her original mission (something the writers apparently already are aware of here; Emily herself states she needs to get back to basics at one point, lamenting getting sidetracked with off-target tangents). Still...it's worth remembering that the granddaddy of all back-stabbing, outrageously plotted melodrama soaps, Dallas, aired for 14 years replaying basically the same three or four plot threads--good guy Bobby versus evil genius J.R.; manipulative devil J.R. versus weakling Cliff; uncontrollable libertine J.R. versus alcoholic wife Sue Ellen, and so on--with plenty of people tuning in. Of course, the mechanics, both financial and artistic, of prime time television are vastly different today, so who knows if Revenge can continue to sustain a loyal audience?
To blame any perceived fuzziness of Revenge's sophomore session on going "bigger" in terms of more characters and more subplots is really beside the point; after all: where was it to go after already being "big" in the sense of campy overripeness (not meant in the pejorative sense at all)? Revenge's canvas, directly inspired by the epic-sized revenge melodrama to end all revenge melodramas, The Count of Monte Cristo, already embraced a sense of opulent overindulgence not just in production values but in the very thematics of its construction. No matter how glossily produced (it's one of the best-looking shows on television), no matter how faux-meaningful in its silly voiceover bumpers, and no matter how seriously (or more appropriately, too seriously) some of the performers take their roles, Revenge, at its core, has always been inflated pulp. Entertaining, yes. Exciting and suspense, at times, sure. Slickly conceived and packaged, always. But pulp, nonetheless. And as such, entirely entitled to go even more overboard in an effort to stimulate the quickly-sated viewer. What was Revenge to do this second time out? Jettison all dramatic tangents it had alluded to, scale back, retool, and go "smaller" in scope? How would that have been perceived? Just like the Bond movies used to do (before they became hilariously self-serious under cramped, wizened Daniel Craig's humorless reign), Revenge needs to keep getting "bigger," or else it will die sooner than it's already fated to do. Interest in this kind of storyline is only going to continue for so long before people zone out from exasperation or boredom, so the producers might as well try and climb higher each time out (recent reports that original creator and showrunner Mike Kelley is gone and that the show will be "getting back to its roots" sound frankly ominous to me).
So...outside the odious implications of its politics (more on that later), I didn't mind at all that Revenge expanded "The Initiative" angle here. Or that a third love interest was given to predator Amanda (it's quite fun to see a confident, aggressive female character unapologetically enjoy sex the same way men have in countless movies and TV programs--as a stress reliever: "I needed someone. You walked through the door...don't let it go to your head."). Or that many new characters were introed to further expand Revenge's vision of a new technology-obsessed world still absolutely ruled by the most ancient of passions: sex, money, power, and love. The more self-inflated, outrageous coincidences and soap opera histrionics here, coupled with the latest fashions and pretty pictures, the better.
All of which helps you forget some of Revenge's missteps this time out. You can quibble about wrong-headed elements held over from the first season, such as the majority of scenes constructed in 2 minutes-or-less time frames to keep the text message-addled kids out there engaged, or those cornball "song montages" at the end of episodes (like something out of a bad McLeod's Daughters marathon), or those stupid f*cking "Free to Be You and Me Meets Rod McKuen" voice over generalities from Amanda patiently explaining, in Hallmark greeting card complexity, what I already know about the show's karmic M.O. (if the episodes do their job, you don't need to literally reiterate what you've already shown the viewer...unless you don't trust them enough to get your messages in the first place). But some new developments muddy the waters. Spoilers Thankfully, Declan, the most useless, superfluous character on the show, was killed off, but not before we had to suffer through quite a bit of screen time with his "boring icks." In fact, someone please ditch the whole blue-collar edge of town in Revenge altogether. It reminds me of what they did in the first season of Dynasty: contrast the rich-but-simple folks in the oil business, like Dale Robertson, with the really super rich a-holes like John Forsythe--it didn't work there, just like it doesn't work here (I don't care about The Stowaway, okay?). And finally, I know it's a small point, but seriously...someone as bright and clever and calculating as Amanda keeps hiding her most prized possession the "infinity" box and most incriminating information on her laptop...in one of the most obvious hiding places in history: under her stairs? How many times is it going to get stolen there?
Solid additions this season, such as Barry Sloane's Bondian Aiden Mathis (a good foil/lover for Amanda), and the expanded role of "The Initiative" as Amanda's more pressing villain, are balanced by miscalculations, like Amanda's foster brother (who's mercifully off within an episode or two), or most disappointingly, the appearance of Amanda's mother, played with shocking indifference by the usually superlative Jennifer Jason Leigh (this whole subplot is wrong from minute one, particularly when we discover she's been married to the "white haired man"--a ridiculously contrived coincidence even for Revenge). I enjoyed seeing the more developed relationship between Amanda and Aiden and their (duplicitous) mentor, Takeda...but then the producers go and show their asses by having Takeda lament the purpose of "The Initiative," ruefully stating "they" do what "they" have "always" done: "create fear, chaos, profit." This message from a show that's positively pornographic in its wallowing in wealth and opulence? Mr. Miyagi may moan about "profit" being synonymous with "fear" and "chaos," but he does so comfortably adorned in a $2,000 sports coat. You can find hypocrisy in this surface juxtaposition of the show's top-of-the-line production values, but even more telling is the unspoken, dirty little secret behind Amanda's stunning success rate as a remorseless agent of destruction: her bottomless bank account. Nothing amuses me more than extremely well-paid Hollywood producers and writers, working for a multi-million dollar company like ABC--which in turned is owned by an even bigger multi-billion dollar conglomerate like
Not to mention the show's subliminal politics. The scurrilous suggestion that Wall Street bankers and not religious fanatics are behind terrorist attacks on America is frankly to be expected from a show that has a character make a point of mentioning "HuffPo" as the "news" source in particular that he wants alerted to his engagement announcement (apparently, nobody caught the irony of having "independent" gubernatorial candidate Conrad Grayson, shamelessly manipulating a tragedy for his own personal gain, paraphrase the President's former right-hand man, Rahm Emanuel: "You don't get to where we are by ignoring opportunity."). Still, anyone savvy to today's entertainment field will expect these inevitable indoctrination "Easter eggs" hidden in plain sight throughout the average night's prime-time programming--particularly over at aggressively liberal ABC/Disney (Walt's cryogenically frozen head is spinning in its chamber). And as such, forewarned and forearmed, you can laugh at their ridiculously obvious attempts to "re-educate" and move on to the show's more universal pleasures, such as the high camp comedy of Stowe and Czerny trading acid-tongued barbs at each other (Stowe's, "Take you pick!" to Czerny's stunned inquiry as to why she slapped him is good, but even better is Czerny's fatuous, sneering, "May she rest in peace," when referring to the not-so-late Stowe). The increase in characters and subplots means there's always something going on, usually quite clever in execution, while enjoying the sight (there's not a wrong angle on her, and she wears clothes like Crawford and Turner and Gardner did: perfectly) and skilled thesping of VanCamp is enough to get you over most any of the bumps that pop up here (she has that certain old time Hollywood allure and calm assuredness that should spell a big career if she can capitalize on Revenge's minor notoriety). The only way season three can screw up these first two seasons' set-up, is to feature less of VanCamp doing what she does best: a ladylike, demure smile, a turn of the head and a vampy grin for an unseen audience, and then zap! Another one bites the dust on her hit list. Keep doing that, plausible or not, and Revenge should last a few more seasons.
The DVD:
The Video:
The Audio:
The Extras:
Final Thoughts:
Paul Mavis is an internationally published movie and television historian, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, and the author of The Espionage Filmography.


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2009 - 3
A major step forward (or perhaps backward) today (Ausgust 16) was the disposal of some of my early and now non-flying models. Going to various keen local aeromodellers were my Ips Pfalz EIII, the 48" Fokker EIII, and the FE8 pusher. All are Peter Rake designs and their disposal is a downside to town-house living. Part of my problem is that I'm not crashing stuff these days. Maybe my rather conservative flying habits and concentration on stability and accuracy esp. when landing, is paying off My main interest is building scale models - I love the creative part and to fly something afterward is 'icing on the cake' really. Another possibility isthat since most of my models are prototype build for Peter Rake, or my own painful efforts at scale design and building, I want to preserve them for as long as possible and so take more care than one might normally - in any event, I finish up with far too many models for my small storage space!
More will have to go with some 'biggies' in the wings.....
Last edited by Pat Lynch; Aug 16, 2009 at 01:17 AM.
Hi Pat,
I wanted to say you build some beautiful Airplanes!! I have been at it for many years too. It is the best part of my life, and making new friends that like to build, have a Great New Year !!
Joe Pierson
Kerman Ca.


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I don't know why yours takes so long. Is the cellphone the very first phone you have configured in your GV? It almost sounds like it might be trying to ring another phone first (GV can try them in turn).
Hmmm. I had a google voice number several years ago when I first heard about it. At that time you had to apply and wait. I never used it and a while back google notified me it would be canceled. It might still be lurking somewhere though. Could that be involved somehow? It was a completely different google voice number than the new one I just set up. I have 3 different gmail accounts so I think I'll search them all to see if that old google voice number is still out there somewhere.


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Written & Directed by Anthony Hickox
Mark...Zach Galligan
Sarah...Deborah Foreman
A group of over-privileged and under-disciplined stock characters attend a private midnight showing of the mysterious new waxwork that has just opened in the neighborhood. Once inside, they find that it is actually a museum of the macabre, with exhibits showcasing scenes of vampires, werewolves, living mummies, etc. One by one, these spoiled and obnoxious shits stumble blindly into the exhibits and find themselves transported to a different world where the scenes are all too real, and they are--surprise, surprise--mere fodder.
The acting is lackluster, the creature effects cheesy, the set-pieces are elaborately over-the-top and cheap like a soap opera's idea of a period piece, and the pseudo-cool 1980s dialogue and attitude is painfully dated. One might say that the saving grace here is the tongue-in-cheek manner in which the film presents itself--we can't take it too seriously because it doesn't take itself seriously--but that is a half-truth at best.
Strangely, the scenes that take place in the "real" world are hokey and jokey, with a self-effacing sense of humor that leads you to believe this is some sort of dark satire. But when the characters enter into the exhibit worlds, suddenly the tone changes and we're supposed to believe that we're watching a real horror movie--an illusion I just couldn't buy into.
The trio of waxwork employees were suitably creepy, and there were a couple of highlights throughout the film--a gross dinner scene involving 'steak tartar' (yeah right) and an all-too-brief Night of the Living Dead-inspired scene--but overall, I'd rather pay to see Madame Tussauds.
She's got Lady Gaga, after all. Talk about scary!
Rated R
95 Minutes
United States
"They'll make a movie about anything nowadays."


text: Techradar news Oculus is working on a new, tetherless VR headset Oculus and Facebook are ready to bridge the gap between powerful tethered VR systems like the Oculus Rift and mobile headsets like Samsung Gear VR. The prototype of the product, shown off by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg at Oculus's Connect Developer Conference, is the firm's first stab at doing just that. The product, only referred to on-stage as the... #oculus #zuckerberg #headset Tweet Source: www.techradar.com Read More


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SBA Extends Oil Spill Loans to More States
In addition to Louisiana, the SBA said it is making economic injury loans available to small businesses near the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida impacted by the Deepwater BP oil spill.
The loans cover several counties in each of the states. The agency's Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available up to $2 million at an interest rate of 4% with terms up to 30 years. The SBA has encouraged credit unions and other 7(a) lenders and certified development companies to consider on a case-by-case basis deferment relief for borrowers with 7(a) loans and 504 loans.
The SBA said within the next few days, it will announce the location of several business recovery centers staffed with the agency's customer service representatives to help small business owners fill out applications and answer their questions.


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Danish rock duo the Raveonettes just released their fifth full-length album, "Raven in the Grave," last month.
Bassist Sharin Foo and guitarist Sune Rose Wagner are still sharing vocal duties, still writing dark and imposing songs, and still touring feverishly.
Yet despite all appearances, things are not exactly business as usual for the international garage act.
Not only is the bicoastal pair adjusting to Foo's new role as a mother, "Raven" breaks the band's careerlong habit of juxtaposing upbeat, fuzzed-out pop tunes with dark, serious lyrics.
"It's funny," said Foo from a Los Angeles preschool recently as she waited for her daughter, "but in a lot of ways, this is our most Scandinavian record. Sonically, our records have been really upbeat and bright, while the lyrics really have not. We've just gravitated toward that tension and whatever it created. Whereas, on this one, the theme and the music are much more aligned. I feel like the surf beats, the palm trees, and the sunshine have always been present, but on this one, not very much. It's very wintery and gray. But it's also anything but hopeless. There's really a lot of energy in it."
Despite the sonic shift, songs such as "Ignite" and "Forget That You're Young" are infused with enough of the duo's trademark two-part-harmonies and distorted twang that most fans shouldn't mind the darker musical palette. And the album is once again a comprehensive experience from start to finish ---- a feat made even more impressive by the distance between the homes and off-duty lives of the band's primary participants.
"I live in L.A. and Sune lives in New York," Foo said. "It's just how it worked out for us. But when writing, we'll get together for a week to start, go over initial ideas, have a dialogue about production, sound, inspirations, and try to lay it out. We'll try to agree on the direction of a record and go over all the fragments of ideas we have. After that, we tend to issue files back and forth via YouSendIt or whatever. Then we'll get together to record ---- sometimes at home, sometimes at the studio ---- and we'll finish it somewhere else. But we always seem to figure it all out."
Recently, Foo has also figured out how to add taking care of her 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Molly, into her incredibly busy schedule. The bassist and her husband, musician Greg Edwards of the band Autolux, have enrolled her in preschool, but Foo also brings her along for the ride on many occasions.
"Molly's actually gone on tours with me since she was 4 months old," she said. "She's been on the road quite a lot, and I'm trying to keep her away from it now because she's in preschool. But she's definitely a world traveler. She's been across the Atlantic 10 or 11 times."
During Foo's pregnancy, her doctor ordered her to take a break from work activities, even though, at the time, the band was in the thick of promoting an album and preparing for a big summer tour. Plans to scrap it all were dashed when Foo's sister, Louise, was brought in. Lead singer and musician in the band Giana Factory, Louise filled in for her sibling on all of the dates and the band hardly missed a beat.
"It was a bizarre situation," Foo said. "It was one of those experiences that initially seemed completely overwhelming. I was ordered on bed rest to where I wasn't even allowed to get up and walk around. We had all of these shows scheduled and we were wondering if we were going to just cancel things right then. But we decided that Louise could do it. And she's really the only one I felt comfortable with anyway. It ended up working out. I mean, what a great summer job."
That job once again belongs to the rightful owner as the Raveonettes head for dates across Europe and Canada after the end of their U.S. run.
And while Foo cherishes her role as a mother, she is enjoying the old comforts of being back on the road playing songs from a brand-new album.
"It's going well. We've had a nice short break between the two legs of the U.S. tour," she said. "We're recovering and getting ready for the next run. I can't complain. Things are good."
The Raveonettes, with Tamaryn
When: 9 p.m. May 7
Where: Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach
Tickets: $18-$20
Info: 858-481-8140


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In a great moment of life imitating art, Nike released a viral video late last night featuring a room full of "Air Mags" — real-life versions of the high-tops from Back To The Future II. CEO of Nike Tinker Hatfield revealed the shoes last night, dramatically removing them from Doc Brown's iconic yellow plutonium case. This coincided with three new the launch of nikemag.ebay.com, where the sneakers are being sold for $8,200 a pair.
The eBay channel features three new videos, including a funny ad featuring Bill Hader and, of course, Christopher Lloyd as Doc. Oh, and one more thing, they actually, um… don't have power laces. Apparently, that technology won't be available for us until 2015.
Despite the hype, this is not Nike's first attempt at making special-edition Back To The Future shoes. There have been about six other pairs modeled after Marty McFly's kicks. Although each one has resembled the shoe in color scheme and design, none has ever gone as far into detail as this latest pair.
Now if we could only get Mattel to build a hoverboard.


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So who deserves a helmet sticker for a job well done?
J.R. Tavai, OLB, USC: A lot of Trojans deserve note, including QB Cody Kessler, WR Nelson Agholor and the O-line, but Tavai came off the bench for an injured Morgan Breslin and recorded 10 tackles, 3.5 of which came for a loss. He also had half a sack and a QB hurry.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: Mariota came up big in the Ducks' 45-24 win over Washington, completing 24 of 31 passes for 366 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed 13 times for 88 yards and a score.
Nate Orchard, LB, Utah: Orchard had two sacks and two forced fumbles in the Utes 27-21 shocker over No. 5 Stanford. He finished with five tackles.
Ty Montgomery, WR/KR, Stanford: Montgomery caught eight passes for 131 yards to lead Stanford. Oh, and he also had another 100-yard kickoff return for a TD.
Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA: Hundley completed 31 of 41 passes for a career-best 410 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Bruins' 37-10 win over California.
Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State: Mannion completed 34 of 51 passes for a school-record 493 yards with four touchdowns and an interception in the Beavers' 52-24 win at Washington State.
Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State: Reynolds had six tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles against the Cougars.
Carl Bradford, OLB, Arizona State: Bradford had 1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss and a forced fumble to go along with his four total tackles in the Sun Devils' 54-13 win over Colorado.


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Father: William E. Potter b: 3 Jun 1839 in Floyd,Oneida,New York
Mother: Achsah Jane Potter b: 11 May 1842 in Orleans township, New York
Marriage 1 David Haselton
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ATV users should be allowed to ride
I would like to take the time to respond to Ron Berg's letter in the Jan. 30 Juneau Empire.
Forest Service goes in wrong direction with Tongass plan
I live on Icy Strait. I know how precious the Tongass can be.
A capital move of a different sort
I strongly support changing the capital - that is, its name. Instead of "Juneau," we should change it to "Fish Camp" because this area was originally a fish camp for the indigenous Tlingit Indians.
Letter included outdated information
I know I speak for many Juneau citizens in thanking our city leaders for removing an unnecessary and potentially toxic waste product from our wonderful, sparkling clean Alaska mountain water. Thanks so much.
Rebuttal is not the same as harassment
This letter is in response to Alfredo Velazquez' letter in Friday's Juneau Empire. Velazquez should re-read Erik Lie-Nielsen's letter (Jan. 28), which was respectful and complimentary to Kelsey Stark (Jan. 24).
Legislative lawyer wrong on regent
I think the opinion by legislative attorney Jean Mischel is incorrect ("Lawyer: Governor may remove university regent," Sunday's Juneau Empire).
It was wise to separate church from state
Mr. Velazquez' letter of Feb. 2 was just another attempt by the "Christian Right" to make America a wholly Christian country by saying that this is what our founding fathers had in mind.
Wrong message sent to capital movers
According to the Juneau Empire's front-page story about the Alaska Committee (Jan. 26), our mayor and former mayor are unhappy with the volunteer group that has been successful in promoting Juneau as Alaska's capital.
U.S. is a Christian nation, part II
I am writing in response to the letter dated Feb. 5, "You Proved your own point wrong," by Casey Loofbourrow. Excuse me, but Loofbourrow, and not Alfredo Velazquez (Feb. 2), is wrong.
Photo: Good day to be a gull
A flock of seagulls takes flight Tuesday at Eagle Beach as the Chilkat Mountains tower in the background.
Robin Taylor out as ferry system head
Controversial ferry system head Robin Taylor is out, Gov. Sarah Palin's office revealed Tuesday.
When kitchens open, campuses may close
When Juneau-Douglas High School junior Peter Nave becomes a senior next year, he hopes he'll have the freedom that students have now.
UA regents to request budget increases
The president of the University of Alaska is requesting nearly $352 million from the Legislature to cover increases in contributions to the state retirement system and the expansion of academic programs, he said Wednesday.
Around Town
Around Town is a listing of local nonprofit events.
Police & Fire
Reports from Juneau police, fire officials and state troopers:
State lays down law on carbon monoxide alarms
You can't see it. You can't smell it. But potentially fatal carbon monoxide may be seeping out of the appliances that keep many Juneau residents warm.
Police & Fire
Reports from Juneau police, fire officials and state troopers:
Popular trailhead not included in land sale
A popular Juneau trailhead was one of 242 parcels and 27,000 acres to be removed from the U.S. Forest Service's proposed for-sale list to help pay for rural schools and roads.
Photo: HIV awareness
Dolly England walks Wednesday in front of the Capitol while wearing a sandwich board in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
New wing at Bartlett complete
The completion of a new $25.2 million wing at Bartlett Regional Hospital means more medical services in town and fewer people who will have to leave town for medical care.
Around Town
Around Town is a listing of local nonprofit events.
Business Digest
Sealaska announces new venture officer, New board member joins travel group, Timber corporation names new director & Networking event slated next week
Officials fear for Romeo
Romeo, Juneau's favorite lone wolf, has been having close encounters with people and their dogs, causing game experts to worry about his well-being - not to mention that of the pets.
Perkins and Foster to wed
Shelley Perkins and Michael Foster are engaged to be married in an August wedding in Garden Grove, Calif.
Photos: Arts For Kids celebration
Arts for Kids, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing art to Juneau elementary schools, hosted the third annual Community Arts Celebration Feb. 3 in the Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School commons.
Neighbors Digest
Community Schools still has class openings for the spring, The Learning Connection hosts iPod drawing, free classes, AARP sponsors two two-day workshops at Centennial Hall. Glacier Swim Club begins annual Aqualaps fundraiser, High school preparation event to be held Sunday, 'Lips, Fingers and Chords' recital takes place Feb. 16-17
Photo: Riverbend's crazy hair
From left, third-grader James Rumph, Student Council Advisor Nancy Hakari and first-grader Brennan Rumph pose on Friday with their "crazy hair" in celebration of Crazy Hair Day at Riverbend Elementary School.
The shalom of God takes root in all of us
To be human is to be in relationship. The powerful sense of shalom, the well-being and wholeness that we experience grows out of an appreciation of our connectedness and interconnectedness with our creator...
Ivanowicz and Mickelson to wed
Katrina Elizabeth Ivanowicz and Norman Steven Mickelson, both of Juneau, are engaged to marry in July 2007 in Ohio.
John McKelvey
Former Juneau resident John McKelvey died Jan. 31, 2007, at Letterkenny Hospital in Ireland after a short illness. He was 80.
Thomas Smalley Jr.
Lifelong resident Thomas Elbert Smalley Jr. died Feb. 4, 2007, in Juneau. He was 31.
My turn: Where does SEACC's money come from?
For those of us trying to make a living in the real world on working people's wages, democracy and justice seem accessible to only to those who have money.
Alaska editorial: We need measures to protect tourism
It would be economically terrifying if Ketchikan lost its tourism industry.
Outside editorial: Super Bowl suspicions
We forgot what the five stages of grief are, but denial is probably the one that best describes the mood around here. The drubbing the Chicago Bears took is just beginning to sink in. Instead of receiving champagne and adulation, the Bears trudged off the soaked Miami field and into the glum certainty of a super loss.
Outside editorial: On your mark, Rudy, set, go
Rudy Giuliani is not yet in it to win it, but he's getting there. And that's good.
Building a bridge to progress
Improving Juneau is a goal shared by many in this community.
Mount Edgecumbe upsets Wrangell in Class 3A girls series
The Mount Edgecumbe High School girls basketball team handed visiting Wrangell its first loss of the season on Saturday in Class 3A, winning 43-39.
Sports in Juneau
Sports in Juneau is a service provided by the Juneau Empire to provide information on upcoming sports and outdoors events in Juneau.
Juneau teams win tournaments in Yukon Territory
Two of the Juneau Douglas Ice Associations' travel teams captured tournaments in Yukon Territory.
Alaska Sportswriters Prep Basketball Poll
Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network Prep Basketball Poll
Sports brief: Powers wins Southeast Masters tournament
Kathy Powers captured the fourth annual Allyn Hayes Southeast Masters Tournament on Jan. 28 at the Juneau Bowling Center.
Snowsports corner: Better balance, better gliding
The joy of classic skiing comes from its rhythmic, gliding, flowing motion.
Sports brief: Zabel rolls first perfect game of the season
Bob Zabel of Juneau rolled the first perfect 300 game of the season on Jan. 28 at the Juneau Bowling Center.
Sports in Juneau
Sports in Juneau is a service provided by the Juneau Empire to provide information on upcoming sports and outdoors events in Juneau.
Photos: A little extra practice
Juneau-Douglas High School basketball players Dominique Brinson and Kayla Harrison, shoot during exhibition games against the Kenai Central Kardinals on Wednesday at the JDHS gym.
JAHA Roundup: Fabrello fabulous as the Ice Dogs top the Island Pub
Dan Fabrello's second goal with 46 seconds left in the game boosted the Ice Dogs to a 3-2 win over the Island Pub on Sunday at Treadwell Arena in Juneau Adult Hockey Association Tier B action.
Lawmakers push ahead with vote on same-sex benefits
Some Alaska lawmakers on Wednesday decided to push forward with a $1.2 million election that would ask voters if they would support a constitutional amendment next year to overturn court-ordered benefits for the partners of gay public employees.
Sanctuary bears face increased threat of hunting
For decades, Larry Aumiller led small groups of people into the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary to watch as the largest congregation of brown bears in the world feast on salmon in the summer.
Northwest Digest
State Medicaid report recommends reform, Alaskans fear coal project could affect subsistence habitat, Three accused in large check-fraud ring & House subcommittee approves meth bill
Lawmakers demand tax answers from BP
Democratic critics of the controversial petroleum profits tax approved last year by the Alaska Legislature are calling upon BP to say whether it will ask the state to pick up the cost for repairs to its deteriorated North Slope oil pipelines.
Men suing priest for back child support
A Jesuit priest who impregnated two woman decades ago while working in rural Alaska is being sued by his two grown sons for child support and damages.
BP looks into watchdog's allegations
BP is looking into allegations by a longtime oil industry watchdog, including a claim that a company employee substituted water for more expensive chemical agents used to prevent corrosion in its Prudhoe Bay pipelines.
This Day in History
In Alaska, the nation and the world
This Day in History
In Alaska, the nation and the world
Cruise ship companies form new Alaska association
Major cruise ship companies that operate in Alaska have formed a new association aimed at improving relations with Alaskans.
Northwest Digest
Electric company to drill 2 test holes & B.C. mining minister resigns over e-mail
Legislators begin push to restore longevity bonus
Lawmakers began hearings Wednesday to discuss restoring the state's longevity bonus, a system that made cash payments to Alaska senior citizens.
Missile interceptor field being built at Fort Greely
The military is adding a third missile interceptor field to Fort Greely as part of an expansion of the nation's anti-ballistic missile program.
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Jesus told his disciples they would be His witnesses "to Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
This verse describes the historic progression of the gospel; it also serves as a helpful model for churches. We are called to proclaim the gospel not only in our local city (our Jerusalem), but also to different people groups (our Samaria), and different places (the ends of the earth.)
City of Refuge sponsors short-term mission projects including an annual trip to the Dominican Republic. These trips encourage churches in other countries and also give our members exposure to global missions. We desire to become a church that sends many into long-term assignments to bring the gospel to the unreached people groups of the world.
If you are planning participating in short term or long term missions assignment we invite you apply for support. Please fill out the form that can be found here. This forms should be submitted to Brandon Fremion.
For additional information about global missions at City of Refuge, please contact the Serve Pastor, Brandon Fremion.
To hear testimonies from short term missionaries, attend our Global Missions Sharing and Reflections.


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ENEGI Oil's plan to use unmanned buoys to offer a low-cost way of developing marginal North Sea fields is in line for a significant boost from Wood Group.
The oil services giant has agreed to form a joint venture with Enegi to provide buoys that the partners believe could transform the economics of many so-called stranded and marginal fields.
Aberdeen-based Wood Group will provide engineering services at its own expense to get the buoys developed by Enegi and a floating tower ready for use on a field.
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It has also agreed to provide working capital and up to £5 million engineering services, with payment for them deferred, towards the venture's work on selected small fields Enegi hopes to bring into production using the buoys.
The arrangements are defined in a Memorandum of Understanding between the firms.
Led by former Scottish squash international Alan Minty, Manchester-based Enegi will try to complete definitive agreements with Wood Group while work continues on the buoy programme.
Coming three years after the companies signed a strategic partnership to commercialise the buoy technology, the memorandum looks like a notable development.
Dave Stewart, managing director of the Wood Group PSN business, which has a big North Sea presence, said:
"This is an exciting new development for Wood Group PSN, aimed at maximising recovery of marginal field reserves in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf, reducing running costs for operators and making previously sub-economic fields financially viable."
The buoys under development would sell for £60m to £80m. They are designed to sit just below the surface of the water, with an access tower protruding, and be attached to wells on the seabed. They include oil and gas separation and storage facilities.
Backers say they could be used to develop fields that are too small, or too distant from infrastructure like pipelines, to be developed using conventional technology.
Enegi Oil and Antrim Energy plan to use a floating tower on the Fyne field.


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As male domination goes, angling is hard to beat: 98 per cent of the four million people who went fishing last year were men. There are a few famous female enthusiasts including actor Diana Rigg, chef and businesswoman Prue Leith and former ITN newsreader Fiona Armstrong. But only 2 per cent of those who bought a fishing licence last year were women, and angling was a lowly 28th in a list of the most popular recreations among women in the government's last General Household Survey.
The Environment Agency, in a move intended to banish the sport's image as a male preserve, seeks - by 2015 - to double the number of women who fish.
'There are benefits to fishing, including health, and we want more people, particularly women, to share in those,' said Dafydd Evans, the agency's head of fisheries.
It has decided to try to boost female participation after conducting research showing that 5 per cent of women are interested in trying angling, but few ever do so. After consulting women who already fish about how to realise this potential, the agency is considering moves such as increasing the tiny number of female coaches, changing the 'laddish' atmosphere at watersides, mounting advertising campaigns, building more ladies' toilets and introducing girls to the sport when still at school.
'The strongest feeling we've had from women anglers so far is that, as most coaches are men, they need to modify their behaviour to encourage women, try to create the sort of welcome, supportive atmosphere that women would feel comfortable in, and be aware that you can't get on as if it's a bunch of lads,' said another agency official. Its 'Angling In 2015' strategy document, due to be published next spring, will spell out its plans in detail.
The Salmon and Trout Association already has 1,400 women among its 15,000 members. It has just recruited a former army major, Terry Atkinson, as a development manager to increase the number of anglers, especially women and people from ethnic minorities.
'We must get fishing into the media that women already read,' said Atkinson. 'And we need women instructors, and need to be much more inclusive in this sport.'
Veronica Kruger, a consultant to the association, got hooked on fishing 27 years ago on her honeymoon when her husband John insisted they spend their days fishing from a boat around South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. 'I can't think of a more spiritually reviving experience than sitting on a riverbank quietly watching the wildlife while you breathe the scent of the country,' she said.
Lesley Crawford, who teaches fishing in Caithness in the Highlands, said: 'Other women go for spas - fishing is my hydrotherapy. It's a great escape from family and maybe work commitments, so women appreciate it a lot more when they go out.'
Helen Donohoe, head of policy at the Women's Sport Foundation, said women faced quite a few practical barriers to getting involved in fishing: the time it takes to go on an angling trip; having to juggle family commitments; needing a car; and feeling vulnerable as a lone woman in a secluded place.
Fishing will need to change dramatically if the agency's initiative is to succeed, said Donohoe. 'Angling is recognised as being so male-dominated that females may feel intimidated in the fishing environment. It's not associated with a young, modern lifestyle, isn't an aspiration sport for young people and isn't very fashionable.'
Prue Leith, who fishes regularly for trout and salmon in rivers throughout Britain, says: 'The activity is good because it's just enough to be interesting and not enough to be exhausting. Being out in the fresh air is good for the appetite. And it's never boring.
'There's also a wonderful camaraderie and you can sink into a comfortable ritual, knowing you'll always talk about the same sort of things. I couldn't do without it.'
Fiona Armstrong likes the fact that fishing is such a gentle pastime, can provide a dinner and also 'the social side - fishing people are such good company. There's nothing quite like being out in the open air and then, when you get a fish, you have to think how you're going to cook it. There's nothing quite like it for relaxing'.


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[ syll. pis-ci-na, pi-sc-ina ] The baby girl name Piscina is pronounced as PiySCHIYNAH †. Piscina is of Italian origin. Piscina's meaning is 'water'.
A form of Piscina is the name Pycina.
See also the related categories, water (sea) and italian.
Piscina is seldom used as a baby name for girls. It is not in the top 1000 names.
Baby names that sound like Piscina include Pacencia, Paciana, Paciencia (Spanish), Pacincia, Packuna, Pacouna, Pacyncia, Pakoona, Pakouna, Palloma (Hungarian and Spanish), Pamena, Pamina (German), Pamona, Patiencia, Patientia, Pazienza, Pegmea, Pegmeah, Pegmia, and Pegmiah.
† approx English pronunciation for Piscina: P as in "pea (P.IY)" ; IY as in "eat (IY.T)" ; S as in "see (S.IY)" ; CH as in "cheese (CH.IY.Z)" ; N as in "knee (N.IY)" ; AH as in "mud (M.AH.D)"


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My axiom as a land use volunteer for 20 plus years is to treat others with respect and courtesy. This approach is rooted in balancing property owner and developer interests with a fair perspective on our common interests as a community. This means giving applicants a clear and transparent path for obtaining permits, a fair assessment of their request and a timely decision.
As chair of the Weston Conservation Commission, I worked with my fellow commissioners and the other land use boards to improve the responsiveness to applicant questions and permit requests as well as citizen concerns about possible code or permit violations. We also put in place on Conservation applications a streamlined approval process for projects that involve minimal impact to wetlands and water courses.
These initiatives to assure good customer service in the land office are important activities that I pledge to continue with your support and vote for me to serve on the Planning & Zoning Commission.


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HLN host Nancy Grace angrily defended media coverage of the Casey Anthony case on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" Monday.
Morgan questioned whether Anthony should be vilified or allowed to lead her life in peace given that she was acquitted.
"That's why she killed her child. That's why she got the tattoo, the Sweet Life. That's why she partied on a stripper pole in a mini skirt and a pushup bra, while Caylee was missing, i.e. rotting," Grace responded.
Grace also defended the public's right to comment on Anthony's verdict and lifestyle as freedom of speech, making a slight towards the British for not having a bill of rights.
Morgan, who is British, was unmoved by the jab, and acknowledged that while the British do not have a bill of rights, they also do not have "trial by television." He criticized media coverage in high profile cases where "the results normally go the wrong way to public opinion," particularly in the case of Casey Anthony where "most people were directed to believe that this woman killed her child."
Grace countered that her viewers could make up their own minds. She referenced America's forefathers to further defend widespread coverage of the case. She said they wanted "every courtroom in America to be big enough for the entire community to hear the trial."WATCH:


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Randy Edsall's 2014 Maryland Terrapins will be taking the field Friday night for the first time this year in the annual Red-White spring game.
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The Muslim Brotherhood is "a very heterogeneous group, largely secular."
There's apparently a long list of things that DNI Clapper lied to Congress about, but as Ryan Mauro at the Clarion Project reveals, Brotherhood contacts are also on the list.
The story of the deception began when the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified to Congress on February 10, 2011 saying that the Muslim Brotherhood is "a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has described Al-Qaeda as a perversion of Islam."
In the same hearing, Clapper was asked by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) about the administration's relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood. He answered, "There have been outreaches to the Muslim community in general, but I guess we're not aware of any direct outreach to these particular organizations. That is, if you're speaking domestically."
Was Clapper telling the truth?
Just four months later, on June 12, 2012, a 90-minute "Roundtable Discussion" took place at National Intelligence's headquarters in McLean, Virginia. At the meeting, Clapper met in person with a representative of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). Also present were National Counter-Terrorism Center Director Matthew Olson and Alexander Joel, ODNI Civil Liberties Protection Officer.
So that would be a firm "no". And it's not like ODNI wasn't aware of the issues.
Declassified emails obtained by the Clarion Project show that staff inside the ODNI expressed concern about ISNA, even suggesting interagency intelligence-gathering on the organization. The author(s) of the internal emails also wanted intelligence gathering on the Council on American-Islamic Relations, another group labeled by the Justice Department as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial. Like ISNA, the Justice Department listed CAIR as a U.S. Muslim Brotherhood entity.
The heavily redacted ODNI emails, written sometime between January 2009 and August 2012, read:
"I'm also interested if our team could work with the FBI and DHS on any Muslim Brotherhood collection and analysis opportunities such as looking at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) ongoing relationships with MB int'l leadership and enterprises."
On June 10, 2010 an email was written by someone within the ODNI's National Counter-Terrorism Center referencing internal discussions about engagement with Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups. It reads, "We have a large MB [Muslim Brotherhood] presence on the West Coast, and there has been some discussion here about engagement—both state and federal—with folks who are also MB members."
This wasn't a case where a Federal agency was clueless. Clapper and co. knew exactly what they were getting into and lied about it.


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The blue sky surrounded the shining sun, which was beating down on our sweaty arms and heads as we played three on three basketball on the Lincoln Elementary School blacktop. The score was 34-36 and we(me, Parth, and his younger brother) were playing three rising sixth graders.
The game was proceeding into the last 45 seconds of the fourth five minute quarter. The fifth graders had just scored off a fast break due to an off balance crossover by me to break the tie, and we were more than slightly tense. We did not want a repeat of the 2016 NBA finals Game 7, so that play we tried our hardest to pull off a pick and roll.
"Parth, give me a screen!" He rushed towards me and blocked off the two defenders attempting to double team me when I was at the wing, alone. I gratefully rolled toward the basket only to have the opposing center player dutifully block me off. I forgot that Parth's brother existed and tried to fade away from the elbow of the key. The center, then a couple of inches taller than me smirked, and effortlessly swatted the ball out of the air and into his teammate's hands like it was a mosquito bothering him.
I felt crushed. Now I remember that I could have passed to Parth's brother at the wing. Some point guard I am, taking fadeaways over people two inches taller than me when there's an open teammate who happens to be a three point sniper right behind me, I thought. My teammates pretended not to notice my faux pas as we hurried to the other goal to stop their second straight fastbreak. The center player received and executed a neat alley oop layup in my face.
In our neighborhood,I was known as the best defender around, and now I was getting pummeled by some kids. It was safe to say that I was more than humiliated. We were down by four points with the clock showing but thirty seconds to go. So far these few plays, all I had done was screwed up. I had let a kid score over me, I had hogged the ball, and most importantly, I had been shot blocked. As Parth, our center, took it out, I caught the pass and dribbled the ball dolefully to the other half of the court.
"DUDE! HUSTLE!" came a cry from somewhere. Astonished, I look around and found Parth's brother motioning for me to drive to the basket. "WE HAVE 18 SECONDS LEFT!" I snapped out of my brooding, drove the ball into the key, and, without thinking, lobbed a pass to our forward as he slid in behind the wing, his hands poised, ready to take a three pointer. Without hesitation he straightened his arms and flicked the ball toward the basket. It rolled across the sky in a wide arc and we all stared up at it until it bounced around inside the rim and slid in.
The shooter held the follow through for a second more, then congratulated me on my assist. The rising sixth graders took in the ball quickly to secure their one point lead. I found myself in front of their guard as he was trying to find an open teammate, and by an incredible stroke of luck, I extended my left arm and managed to perform a steal. I brought the ball back to triple-threat by dribbling it against the ground a couple times and quickly shuffled in front of the kid who now found himself trying to guard me.
The spark of hope in me that we would somehow win was fading as the clock dwindled to nine seconds. We are down by one, and I am not known as the most clutch player ever, but anyway… I thought. I pulled up for a jump shot from inside the arc… … and ended up tripping on my shoelaces. How they got untied is another story. The ball crashed to the ground and rolled out of bounds. While I face-palmed, the kid who I stole the ball from on our fastbreak sarcastically clapped. The clock stopped with six seconds left.
Dejectedly, I sulked as they prepared to inbound it. Then, I realized they were inbounding it. I leaped between their forward and their guard just as the forward released the ball. I grabbed it and passed to Parth and sprinted to the left post and received a pass from him. Time seemed to slow down.
I bent my legs and pulled my arms back, and exploded into a perfect step back jump shot with two seconds left. The opposing center leaped towards me and extended his long, sweaty, arm toward me, but, I had released the shot a moment earlier and he ended up slapping my follow through hand. He crashed to the ground, as my game-winning shot banked its way in. I looked around, and smiled, clapped my hands together once, and, quoting Han Solo, I panted, "Sometimes, I amaze even myself." One of the kids on the other team muttered something about "noobs get all the luck." Personally, I was happy to ignore that as they took it out once again and missed the following full court.