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Plainview, Texas, mayor John Anderson took advantage of an ethanol plant construction groundbreaking ceremony to extol the benefits the facility will bring to the city, and also suggested to the top brass at White Energy Company that he'd be happy to host a similar ceremony for a biodiesel plant.
"We thank White Energy for locating this plant in Plainview," he said at a ceremony moved inside to provide some security against the tornado warnings that filled the airwaves on a mid-April day in the High Plains.
"The ethanol plant will have a $100 million impact on our community," the mayor said. "That's significant," to a town of 22,000 souls. The plant also will bring in 70 or more new jobs.
The Plainview facility represents a growing trend of energy companies building renewable fuel facilities out of the Corn Belt and closer to end users. Some 120 plants currently produce ethanol throughout the country.
That's good news for rural America, in the form of 153,000 jobs and a $5.7 billion boost to household incomes, Anderson said.
Grain producers also expect to reap benefits from the renewable fuels surge. Speakers at the Plainview ceremony noted thata ethanol production requires 36 million bushels of corn, grain sorghum, or other grain to meet demand of a 100-million gallon ethanol facility, the size of Plainview's plant.
Southwest grain producers welcome the influx of ethanol plants, although much of the raw material will come from out of state. In addition to boosting corn prices, grain sorghum producers also will benefit.
"We're feeling optimistic about the grain sorghum crop this year" said Tim Lust CEO, National Sorghum Producers.
"The moisture situation is looking good. Ethanol is driving demand and giving producers a reason to look at sorghum again, if they haven't in a while."
"We're seeing big acreage increases in South Texas and also in the Southeast. Though the seed supply is tighter than normal, there's still enough available for growers who are thinking about planting grain sorghum."
"We see value in dryland crops for ethanol," said John Neufeld, White Energy chief operating officer, noting that dryland crops fit into the system because they produce grain even under weather stress.
The industry needs the consistency, he said. White Energy recently bought a plant in Russell, Kansas that uses only grain sorghum. "Milo works well, and ethanol yield is equal to corn."
Neufeld said White Energy will also pursue development of cellulosic ethanol production.
"It's interesting, but we still have some logistics to work out with the raw materials. We take in a lot of cellulose with the grain we use, so our initial work will be with the cellulose we already have.
"A lot of people are working on the process. We can do it — the question is: can we do it efficiently?"
Kevin Kirkland, White Energy CEO, said the company will produce 250 million gallons of ethanol in the near future to become "one of the top players in the industry. E-85 is a major focus of the country's energy independence."
Texas will play an important role in meeting national goals. "Texas currently is the second largest consumer of gasoline," Kirkland said. That makes the state a good candidate for ethanol production.
"Texas provides us a site with close proximity to markets," Kirkendall said. "It also has lots of cattle and allows us to shave costs with distillers grain. We don't have to dry it and ship it, but can use it locally. We will put Texas on the map for ethanol."
White Energy is finishing another plant at Hereford, Texas.
"We should be operational there in the fourth quarter of 2007," Kirkendall said. "We hope to be operational in Plainview in the first quarter of 2008.
"When both plants are running, we should be among the top 10 ethanol producers in the United States. We expect to produce 500 to 700 million gallons of renewable fuels annually in seven to 10 years. We plan to be in the top five renewable fuels companies in the next five years."
Kirkendall said White Energy will acquire and build plants and expand into biodiesel.
"We will continue to market and locate next to cattle."


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Title: Wish (Novella)
Author: Kelly Hunter
Publisher: Kelly Hunter
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
All single mother Billie Temple wants for Christmas is to trade her hectic Sydney lifestyle for simple country living and a place to call home.
All widowed cattleman Adam Kincaid wants is for Billie and her son to go away.
I loved Kelly Hunter's The Man She Loves to Hate, so I was exciting to learn that she self-published a novella. I didn't even sample it before I plunked down my hard earned $1.50, either, which I never do when I am buying books for my Kindle. I love the ability to preview a story before I commit myself to buying it, but because I loved the author's Harlequin so much, I skipped the exploratory stage. I was going into this story with both guns locked and loaded! I was happy with the results.
Billie Temple has tried to make a happy life for her son Cal, and when she is given the opportunity to move away from Sydney to the country, she jumps at the chance. She doesn't like having Cal live above the bar she manages in the city, so when she is offered a chance to manage a bar in safer surroundings, it's like the answer to her prayers. Until she meets Adam Kincaid, the gruff rancher who owns the small house she's renting. Adam thought that Billie was a man, and he's not happy to learn that she's a woman, and that she's got a young boy in tow. It's not safe in country. There are snakes, storms, and frequent power outages. Too bad for Adam that Billie is every bit as stubborn as he is, and she refuses to be chased away from her new home.
I liked this short, compelling romance about two people finding a second chance at love. Both Adam and Billie have had to deal with the death of their partners, and neither one of them is looking for another relationship. Billie has Cal to deal with, and Adam is still fighting the ghosts of his late wife and child. Second chances at finding happiness is one of my favorite romance tropes, and I thought this one was done well enough that my not so favorite romance trope – friends with benefits- didn't bother me all that much. I didn't totally buy into Billie going along with that, either, because she has been so cautious with her child-rearing. She has done everything in her power to keep Cal shielded from the more unpleasant and more unsavory aspects of life, so it didn't ring entirely true that she would risk so much by having no-strings attached sex with Adam. Even if he is as sexy as sin.
One thing that I did find occasionally distracting was the use of Australian slang. I mentioned on GoodReads that I had no idea what a chook was until I read Wish, and I don't commonly hear trucks being referred to as utes. There were several sentences that drew me up short, because the language sounded so strange to my American ears. Since I don't read many books that haven't already had a once over by US editors, I found this interesting, though sometimes it slowed my reading because I had to re-read a passage here and there to understand the odd to my ears language.
Wish is a short, sexy read, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Kelly Hunter's books. She's an auto-buy now, whether the book is self-pubbed or not. This was a fun experiment for me, because it proved again that novellas, which I have previously dismissed, can offer a compelling, well-developed reading experience.
Grade: B
Review copy purchased from Amazon


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Skip to Main Navigation. Each navigation link will open a list of sub navigation links.
Federal Work-Study is a need-based program that provides employment opportunities to eligible students to help meet the costs of their college education. To apply, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
If you are offered Federal Work-Study, you will be able to accept your award on WyoWeb, under the Student Financials Tab, Financial Aid Awards. You will then need to review and apply for Federal Work-Study positions through the Human Resources website.
Your pay rate will be based on an hourly wage determined by the department you are working for, but it will not be less than the federal minimum wage. Part time employees are paid bi-monthly on the 15th and the last working day of each month. On the 1st and 16th of the month, the department will process any hours you have worked during each pay period. Paychecks are either direct deposited into your bank account or mailed to the address you have on file with payroll. Please contact Human Resources for information about direct deposit or to change your mailing address.
If you are not awarded Federal Work-Study, but still wish to work on campus, check with Human Resources about non work-study job opportunities.


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NORMAN, Okla. — They have been waiting for a game like this for years, waiting for a non-conference opponent like Notre Dame to come to this football mecca on the plains and shine the spotlight on the Oklahoma Sooners.
Oh, the emotion ran as deep as an oil well.
But Notre Dame wasn't here to make history. They were here to win one game. And they did it by playing like a team that wasn't going to get caught up in the moment.
"It was just a matter of going in with a physical and mental toughness and a confidence,'' safety Zeke Motta said. "It wasn't really too showboaty, we didn't want to showboat too much, but we knew we're a team.''
This win was pure substance, not style.
Notre Dame didn't turn over the ball; they were called for just one, five-yard penalty and they physically broke the Sooners in the second half, winning in going away fashion, 30-13, in front of an Oklahoma Memorial Stadium-record crowd of 86,031.
The win moves the No. 5 Irish to 8-0, their longest win streak since 2006. Having already won at then 10th-ranked Michigan State, the upset of the eighth-ranked Sooners gives the Irish multiple road wins against ranked opponents for the first time since 1966.
Notre Dame is one of a remaining few undefeated teams with a legitimate shot at playing in the BCS National Championship.
Coach Brian Kelly said he had confidence in his team because of what he didn't hear this week.
"The whole week they didn't talk about Oklahoma,'' he said.
Everyone else did. The Irish, who were 11 1/2-point underdogs, entered the game second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 9.4 points per game, but they had not faced an experienced quarterback such as Landry Jones this season.
Oklahoma (5-2) was fifth in scoring offense, averaging 44.7 points, but the Sooners had not faced an athletic front seven such as the Irish's.
One team had to make a statement. The Irish did.
"Their front seven, they beat us,'' said Oklahoma fullback Trey Millard. "You can't win against a team like that with only 22 yards rushing.''
The Irish surrendered their first rushing touchdown of the season with 9:10 remaining when Blake Bell busted over from the 1 to tie the score at 13-13.
The key play on that drive, was after Sooners quarterback Landry Jones drove Oklahoma to the Notre Dame 9-yard line, where they faced a fourth and 2. Coach Bob Stoops never flinched. He lined Jones up in Tim Tebow's Florida formation. Jones took the snap and slid to his left. The Irish defense came up. Jones dumped a pass to Millard for an eight-yard gain to the 1.
Now the game was tied and the moment had arrived for first-year starting quarterback Everett Golson to prove he can make the big play when the Irish need it. He delivered — big time.
Golson threw a 50-yard strike to freshman Chris Brown right down the middle of the field to the Oklahoma 15 and then finished the drive with a one-yard plunge on third and goal. The Irish were 5:05 away from going 8-0.
"He's growing up,'' Kelly said.
Star linebacker Manti Te'o sealed the win with a shoe-top interception of Jones with 4:27 left. His pick set up Kyle Brindza's 46-yard field goal that gave the Irish a 23-13 lead with 3:28 left.
"At this point every game is a signature game,'' said Te'o, who enhanced his Heisman Trophy chances.
Along with the interception, Te'o had 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, his first sack of the season and his fifth pick of the year, tops in the nation among linebackers and the best single season number by a linebacker in Notre Dame history.
Oklahoma, which saw its record here under Stoops slip to 79-5 (Kansas State won here 24-19 earlier this season), came out with Jones throwing, and he led them on an eight-play, 71-yard drive and a 3-0 lead.
But the Irish struck back with a 62-yard touchdown run by Cierre Wood that exposed Oklahoma as another defensively flawed Big 12 team. The scored remained at 7-3 well into the second quarter.
Slowly but surely Kelly began to give Golson a little more room and the Irish drove for a 30-yard field goal by Brindza and a 10-3 lead with 6:03 left in the half. Oklahoma rediscovered the forward pass and quickly moved to the Irish 4.
Stoops sent in Bell, whose style is similar to Cam Newton, and he ran it in for an apparent score. But the Sooners were called for holding and the points came off.
Notre Dame held when Clay Brennan dropped what looked like a sure touchdown. Oklahoma got another field goal and went to the locker room down 10-6.
The second half was all Notre Dame as it outscored Oklahoma, 20-7 and held it to 15 yards rushing. The Irish racked up 215 yards on the ground.
"They play a very vanilla defense,'' Oklahoma lineman Gabe Ikard said. "They're just really talented guys, really strong.''
Meet the 2012 Fighting Irish, the strong silent type.


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Altus and Apache teams take top honors at the 5th annual FFA Sporting Clays Championship
Two potential state record fish swimming in Lake Thunderbird
"Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine great read for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts
Survey gives high marks to state wildlife agency
In a time when good customer service seems to have gone the way of full-service gas stations or live telephone operators, one state agency is receiving high marks from its constituents, according to a recent regional research survey.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, the state agency responsible for managing Oklahoma's fish and wildlife resources, rated above the regional average in nine key public opinion categories including overall satisfaction and credibility as a source for fish and wildlife information. Oklahoma also scored above the regional average when it comes to percent of the population who consider themselves hunters and anglers. Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of those Oklahomans contacted in the statewide telephone survey considered themselves hunters, while almost half (44 percent) considered themselves anglers. More than half of respondents (55 percent) said they enjoy feeding birds or other wildlife on a regular basis.
The survey called "Public Opinion on Fish and Wildlife Management Issues," was conducted on behalf of the Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
According to the survey, 85 percent of Oklahomans reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their experience in contacting the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Also above the regional averages, 95 percent of respondents said they approved of fishing and 93 percent approved of hunting.
"This survey shows that hunting and fishing are an important part of our lives here in Oklahoma," said Greg Duffy, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Of course, we would love for more people to know our exact name, but the fact they know what we stand for and are pleased with the service we are providing - that is what is most important."
According to the survey only 29 percent of the respondents could list the correct name for the state agency responsible for managing Oklahoma's fish and wildlife resources – the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
For more information about the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) is an organization whose members are the state agencies with primary responsibility for management and protection of the fish and wildlife resources in 16 states. Member states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Quail season reaches half-way point
The half-way point of Oklahoma's quail season has many hunters anxious for a little rain and hoping for a return of cooler, damp days.
"I've heard from several hunters that crossed paths with good numbers of birds so far this season, but hunting is suffering from warm and windy weather conditions," said Mike Sams, upland game bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
According to Sams, many hunters will be watching the weather forecast for the second half of the season.
"As everyone knows, it has been dry and warm most of the season which makes it more difficult for the dogs to find coveys. The good news is that the birds are out there. If we could get some cool, wet weather it would dramatically improve hunting conditions," said Sams. "As long as this current weather pattern holds hunters should bring plenty of water for themselves and their dogs and may want to focus on hunting a little earlier in the morning when it is cooler and while there may be a little dew on the ground."
Surveys conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation in October showed a statewide quail population increase of 32 percent over the previous 15-year average.
"Even with poor weather conditions, I've heard hunters are finding good numbers of birds. The problem is many of those coveys are running ahead of the dogs or flushing wild. Then, once a covey flushes it can be hard to find single birds," said Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor. "All that being said, if we get some cool, wet weather the second half of the season could be good."
Oklahoma's statewide quail season runs through Feb.15. For more information about quail hunting log onto wildlifedepartment.com or pick up a copy of the "2005-06 Oklahoma Hunting Guide."
Attracting birds, contributing to science
The Wildlife Department is seeking backyard birders to participate in the 18th annual Winter Bird Survey. Choose any two days between Jan. 12 and Jan. 15 to watch and record the feathered guests dining in your backyard. This bird count helps the state's biologists track population trends of winter birds feeding in Oklahoma yards. Download a survey form and submit your results on-line at wildlifedepartment.com.
Of course, to be a part of the survey, you need birds. Attracting them to your yard is relatively simple, according to Jenny Thom, a Wildlife Department information specialist. Think of the three basic needs for wildlife and you can have birds in your yard.
"All you really need is food, water and a little cover," Thom said.
Different birds prefer different types of seed, but not all seed is created equal. A good all-around seed is black-oil sunflower seed. Its high protein content provides important fuel for birds during the winter months. It's also a good choice because all the Oklahoma songbird species will eat black-oil sunflower seed.
There are many seed mixes available, but Thom advises checking the ingredients before purchasing one.
"You want the primary seeds to be black-oil sunflower and millet. Watch out for filler ingredients like buckwheat, milo and other grains. They take up space, but don't provide nutrients for the birds and will be pecked right over," Thom said.
To gather woodpeckers, you might want to hang suet. Suet provides lots of energy and attracts birds that don't primarily eat seeds. Suet cakes are made of animal fat and often mixed with seeds, peanut butter, grains or honey. You can make your own or buy them ready made.
Thom also recommends hanging multiple feeders in your yard. Seed feeders range in shape from platforms to tubes to house-shaped feeders to homemade pop-bottle feeders. Any type will work. The key is to place them at varying heights and locations around your yard. This will attract more birds at one time.
When possible, keep feeders within 10 to 20 feet of bushes and shrubs. The birds will dine more comfortably if they know cover is near by. The birds prefer a quick escape route from any possible predators lurking in the shadows. Anything from a soaring hawk to a stalking cat to a curious human can make a bird nervous.
An often overlooked, but very important need according to Thom is water.
A bird stays warm during the winter because of its feathers. Dirty feathers don't insulate properly, so birds bathe and preen their feathers often during the winter.
Birds don't need very deep water. Thom said to think ankle-deep for humans and you're doing great. There is one problem with shallow water, however. It's likely to freeze.
"Freezing water can crack your bird bath," Thom said. "Not only is that frustrating for you, but you're left with a bird bath that no longer holds water – and that's no good."
Because water is so important, she highly recommends purchasing a deicer or heated bird bath. They range from $20.00 to $60.00 and can be purchased at commercial feed and farm stores or stores that specialize in gardens and ponds as well specialty bird stores.
An alternative is to fill a heavy-duty plastic plant saucer with water. It shouldn't crack if the water freezes, and even if it does, you're not out very much money, she said.
"The weather is pretty mild right now, but we'll see another freeze before winter is over," Thom said. "If you set out water on cold days, especially when creeks and streams are iced over, you'll be absolutely amazed by the number of visitors you get."
For information about the Winter Bird Survey log onto wildlifedepartment.com.
Commission hears of pioneering new license sales system
At its January meeting the Wildlife Conservation Commission heard about the ground-breaking new way hunting and fishing licenses are now being sold across the state.
The innovative Internet point of sale system has proven to be a genuine win-win opportunity for vendors, sportsmen, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Previously, books of hunting and fishing licenses were printed by the Wildlife Department, and mailed to approximately 900 license dealers across the state. Next, when a license was sold, the license was handwritten and mailed back to the Department for entry into a computer database.
"While the old system worked, it had several disadvantages including the costs involved in printing and postage, and the fact that it was relatively labor intensive and time consuming. The new Internet point of sale system is faster, more convenient and more accurate for everyone involved including the license buyer, the license dealer and the Wildlife Department," said Melinda Sturgess-Streich, chief of administration for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The Internet point of sales system allows retailers to use a common personal computer with an Internet connection and a printer to provide timely and fool-proof licenses to hunters and anglers. Sturgess-Streich also pointed out the significant cost savings through the new system.
"It is time to make issuing hunting and fishing licenses easier for everyone," Sturgess-Streich said. "It is not everyday that we can provide a better service for less money, but with this new system we are able to save the sportsmen and women of the state more than $250,000 each year through eliminating or significantly reducing many of the printing, postage and data entry costs. Additionally, by using a company that had developed this type of software and building on work done by our own staff, we saved about $1 million in start-up development costs."
Currently, about 60 percent of the licenses purchased in the state are sold through the new system at retailers such as Wal-Mart and Bass Pro Shops and through the agency's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
In other business, the Commission voted to accept a donation of $2,500 from Nextep, Inc, a human resources company. The funds will be used to double the winter trout stockings at the Dolese Park pond, NW 50th and Meridian in Oklahoma City.
Since 2002, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has worked with the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department to improve fishing opportunities through the Close to Home fishing program. Winter trout stockings at the 16-acre Dolese Park pond have proven very popular among anglers, particularly among families throughout the metropolitan area.
In a separate agenda item, the Commission accepted a donation of a 1994 Kawasaki four-wheel drive all terrain vehicle. George Palmer, of Pryor, donated the vehicle, which will be used in law enforcement efforts in the area.
In other business, the Commission voted to approve emergency rules regarding mussel harvest and sales. The rule changes will require mussel harvesters to provide 24-hour notice regarding when and where they will be harvesting mussels. Additionally, the rule requires commercial mussel buyers to pay a 12.5 percent severance fee based off of sales receipts.
Also at the meeting, the Commission voted to accept a bid of $211 per acre from Samson Resources to lease the Wildlife's Department's half-interest mineral rights on 239 acres in Ellis County.
In other business, the Commission recognized four Department employees for their outstanding service to the sportsmen of the state, including three law enforcement employees with 30 years of service. Employees recognized were:
Larry Manering, law enforcement chief, for 30 years of service;
Dennis Maxwell, law enforcement assistant chief, for 30 years of service (retired effective Dec. 31, 2005);
Jim Rolin, district 5 (central Oklahoma) law enforcement chief, for 30 years of service;
Dennis Geary, wildlife biologist at Chickasaw National Recreation Area, and Fobb Bottom and Texoma/Washita Arm wildlife management areas, for 25 years of service.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is Feb. 6 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium), at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City at 9:00 a.m.
Two potential state record fish swimming in Lake Thunderbird
One of the hardest parts about catching a state record fish is knowing where to go fishing. That piece of the puzzle just got a whole lot easier – at least when it comes to big saugeye.
Wildlife Department fisheries biologists recently released two saugeye, weighing in at more than 10 pounds each, into Lake Thunderbird near Norman. The two big fish were collected and released during a research project examining the feeding habits of saugeye, bass and crappie. The current state record saugeye, a 9-pound, 14-ounce fish, was caught from Lake Thunderbird in 1992.
"Lake Thunderbird has a very healthy population of saugeye. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the new state record came out of this lake very soon," said Jeff Boxrucker, fisheries research biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
According to Boxrucker, the saugeye stocking program at Lake Thunderbird has been very successful.
"We first stocked saugeye in Lake Thunderbird in 1985 for two reasons: first, to provide an additional fishing opportunity and second, to help control the over-populated crappie," Boxrucker said. "Saugeye eat small crappie which allow the remaining crappie to grow bigger and healthier. Both our annual surveys and discussions with anglers have been very positive in regards to the crappie population at Thunderbird, it is much more healthy than in was 10 or 20 years ago."
Saugeye are a hybrid fish produced at the Wildlife Department's Byron Fish Hatchery in northcentral Oklahoma. Hatchery biologists collect native sauger from the Arkansas River in northeast Oklahoma and walleye from Canton Lake in northwest Oklahoma and then cross the two species to produce saugeye.
While not many anglers grew up fishing for the toothy saugeye, fishing techniques are easy to learn, according to Boxrucker.
"There's very few fishermen who fish exclusively for saugeye, but it's something that everyone should try," Boxrucker said.
A white or chartreuse jig drifted or retrieved across a rocky point is a great way draw a strike from a saugeye.
"One of the best baits is a jig tipped with a worm, but you have to be on your toes, because saugeye have a very light bite that can sometimes be tricky to detect," Boxrucker said.
Boxrucker suggested bank anglers try fishing for saugeye at Lake Thunderbird near the Hog Creek boat ramp when there is a north wind and Fisherman's Point when there is a south wind. Those fishing from a boat might try the point at the Little Axe boat ramp, Sailboat Point, the old submerged road bed in Little Axe Cove, and the points on both sides of Clear Bay.
"Just remember to keep the wind in your face and fish along a rocky bank in the late evening and there is a good chance you could hook a saugeye," Boxrucker said. "From around Christmas to Valentines Day is one of the best times of the year to catch saugeye, because they are actively feeding right now. In the summer months they retreat to deep water, but right now you can catch them from the bank."
For more information about fishing in Oklahoma log on to wildlifedepartment.com or pick up a copy of the "2006 Oklahoma Fishing Guide."
Caption: Wildlife Department fisheries biologists recently released two saugeye, weighing in at more than 10 pounds each, in to Lake Thunderbird near Norman. The two big fish were collected and released during a research project examining the feeding habits of saugeye, bass and crappie. The current state record saugeye, a 9-pound, 14-ounce fish, was caught from Lake Thunderbird in 1992.
"Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine great read for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts
The January/February issue of "Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine is now available and is the perfect gift for the hunter, angler or outdoor enthusiast in your family.
The current issue includes a special section on the Department's controlled hunts program.
"The special section outlines odds for drawing hunts and offers tips on how you can possibly tip the odds a little your way next year when you apply," said Nels Rodefeld, editor of "Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine. "Those hunters who want to get every edge they can will not want to miss this article."
The magazine, published by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, features information on one of the state's most unique features – playa lakes. The article details how these temporary wetlands on the High Plains benefit not only wildlife but also hunters, ranchers, farmers and bird watchers.
Readers can learn more about the new and innovative Oklahoma Archery in the Schools program, which is incorporating archery into physical education at schools across the state.
Also in the issue:
Find out where to cure cabin fever at one the states designated trout areas.
Take an inside look at Kaw Wildlife Management Area in north central Oklahoma.
Discover fascinating information about the red fox.
Learn about the 2006 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo.
Individual issues are $4 by mail and subscriptions for a full year are just $10. To obtain the January/February issue, mail a $4 (check, cash, money orders or cashiers check accepted) addressed to "Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Subscriptions for one-year ($10), two-years ($18) or three-years ($25) are available by calling 1-800-777-0019. Additionally, you can subscribe over the Internet by logging on to the Department's Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com
Altus and Apache teams take top honors at the 5th annual FFA Sporting Clays Championship
More than 400 students, parents and teachers attended the 5th annual Oklahoma Future Farmers of America (FFA) Sporting Clays Championship Jan. 11 at the Oklahoma Trap Association Gun Club near El Reno.
"We had kids from every corner of the state. The event was a great success, it just seems to get bigger every year," said Ed Cunnius, Shotgun Training Education Program (STEP) coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "There were some very talented young shooters in the competition."
High school juniors and seniors earned the right to attend the state championship by competing in FFA tournaments one in of the five districts around the state. Students participated both as teams and as individuals. Trap machines, engraved shotguns and shooting apparel will be presented to the winners at the state FFA convention held at the Cox Convention Center later this spring.
One of the goals of the STEP program is to encourage participation in shooting sports and hunting among kids and adults alike. More than 400 school districts and hundreds of students are involved in this innovative school participation program.
According to Cunnius, the FFA Shooting Sports Championship is a one-of-a-kind event.
"There's nothing else like this in the United States for the Future Farmers of America program. This started out as a pilot program, but has already exceeded our expectations. I've received calls from several other states wanting to know how they can duplicate what we have accomplished here," Cunnius said. "It is so encouraging to see so many kids in this program, especially knowing that without this school participation program many of them may have never learned to shoot a shotgun. Now they have a safe hobby they can enjoy for the rest of their lives and have the ability to pass their skills and education on to future generations of sportsmen and women."
The FFA Sporting Clays Program would not have been possible without the support of the Wildlife Department, the Wildlife Conservation Commission and donations from several special organizations and private individuals who had a vision for the potential success of the program, said Cunnius.
"For example the National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation, one of the first sponsors of the STEP program, has donated more than $40,000 to Oklahoma FFA chapters for their shooting sports program in the last two years alone," Cunnius said.
The Oklahoma Station of the Safari Club International has also been a strong supporter of the program.
"The Oklahoma Station of the Safari Club International donated a very nice trailer to the STEP program which allows us to take equipment to schools and events all around the state," he said.
Cunnius added that a private individual made a $5,000 donation to the Oklahoma FFA Foundation which was used to provide awards for top scoring teams and individuals at the state championship. Kendall Brashears, activity coordinator for the Oklahoma FFA Foundation, said that the introduction of the FFA Shooting Sports Program has been the best thing that's happened to the FFA program for a long time.
Additionally, Dr. Gary and Suzie Rouse donated shooting safety glasses for the participants valued at $500.
The Wildlife Department's STEP program offers seminars free of charge for groups of 25 or more people. Guns, ammunition and targets are provided through the program and there is a different seminar for every skill level. The STEP program has seven trailers located statewide fully equipped to conduct shooting seminars.
"We have 105 certified instructors made up of Wildlife Department personnel dedicated to promoting gun safety, hunter ethics and sportsmanship. Their effort is the key to success for the program in which over 80,000 citizens have learned new or improved shooting skills and safety awareness," Cunnius said.
For more information about the STEP program log on to wildlifedepartment.com
Following are the winning teams and individuals for the 2006 FFA Sporting Clays Championship.
Jr. Teams
|Sr. Teams
1st Place Apache
1st Place Altus
2nd Place Liberty
2nd Place Canute
3rd Place Calera
3rd Place Arnett
4th Place Dickson
4th Place Thomas-Fay-Custer
5th Place Colbert ( Tied)
Chris Nichols
David Taylor
5th Place Stilwell
Parker Whitely
Jr. Individuals
1st Place Tony Glasgow – Macomb
Sr. Individuals
1st Place Parker Whitely – Stilwell
Habitat equipment available for landowners
Landowners seeking ways to improve wildlife habitat on their property this winter should contact the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Department has two tree spades and one roller chopper that are available for landowners to use for wildlife habitat enhancement projects. The equipment is available for a small rental fee used for annual maintenance costs.
"This is the perfect time of year to use both pieces of equipment," said John Hendrix, private lands biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Taking the time to improve wildlife habitat now will pay dividends for years to come."
The tree spade, used for transplanting trees and shrubs, can be used on riparian habitat projects, to establish turkey roost sites and to create shrub thickets for quail and small game. Much faster than hand-planting individual tree seedlings, the tree spade is ideal for moving shrubs like sand plum or sumac and trees up to four inches in diameter. Landowners renting this equipment will be provided an operator to run the machine.
Roller choppers are large drums with a series of mounted blades. Pulled behind a tractor the roller choppers, chop and crush brush, small trees, and heavy plant growth. They also disturb the soil and allow sunlight and rain to reach the surface and encourage the growth of more desirable plants. A wide range of wildlife can benefit from this practice including quail, deer and turkeys. Landowners wanting to rent the roller chopper must have access to a tractor with at least 80 hp that is required to pull the machine.
The rental process is a cooperative project between the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. One tree spade is located at the Kingfisher County Conservation District office and the other tree spade and roller chopper is located at the Woodward Conservation District office. A wildlife biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will complete an on site visit on the property prior to equipment rental.
Landowners who may be interested in using this equipment and would like additional information can contact Wildlife Department Private Lands Biologist John Hendrix, at (405) 880-0994.
Caption: Pulled behind a tractor, roller choppers crush and chop brush, small trees, and heavy plant growth. They also disturb the soil and allow sunlight and rain to reach the surface and encourage the growth of more desirable plants. A wide range of wildlife can benefit from this practice including quail, deer and turkeys.
Caption: The tree spade, used for transplanting trees and shrubs, can be used on riparian habitat projects, establishing turkey roost sites, and to create shrub thickets for quail and small game. Landowners renting this equipment will be provided an operator to run the machine.
Rabbit season open through March 15
Many hunters wait all year for hunting season to arrive, but in a flurry deer hunts scheduled in between holiday gatherings - it's over before they know it. While Oklahoma deer seasons may have come to an official close there is no reason to put your hunting equipment away quite yet.
Rabbit hunting season will continue until March 15 offering hunters ample opportunities spend additional days in the field with friends or family.
According to Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, small game hunting is a great way to introduce a new hunter to the sport.
"Most of us hunters 'cut our teeth' on rabbit and squirrel hunting and there is a good reason for that – it's fun, it's often fast-paced and finding a hunting spot is relatively easy," Meek said. "It's also a great way to learn the basics of hunting safety."
According to Meek, one of the best things about small game hunting is the availability of hunting locations. Many wildlife management areas scattered around the state offer first-rate hunting with minimal competition.
Rabbit hunting is also a good way to encourage former hunters back into the sport.
"Take a friend or family member on a good rabbit hunt on a nice day and they will wonder why they ever stopped hunting in the first place. Who knows you might get a new hunting buddy out of it," Meek said.
Whether hunters take a shotgun or a .22 rifle to the field, a streaking rabbit can offer a challenge for even the most skilled sportsmen. Squirrel season runs through Jan. 31.
To hunt rabbit and squirrels in Oklahoma, all you need is a resident or non-resident hunting license. Hunters 15 and under can hunt squirrels without a license. For a complete list of squirrel hunting regulations consult the "2005-06 Oklahoma Hunting Guide" or log on to the Department's Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com.
"2006 Oklahoma Fishing Guides" now available
The "2006 Oklahoma Fishing Guide" will soon be hitting the shelves of fishing and hunting license dealers across the state.
The easy-to-use guide provides much more than just fishing regulations. The following are a few examples of the wealth of information available in the guide:
Sporting goods stores aren't the only place to find the guides. Anglers who want to immediately view or download a copy of the "2006 Oklahoma Fishing Guide" can log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Fur auctions to be held in Okmulgee and Perry
Hunters and trappers will have a chance to sell their harvested furs at a pair of upcoming auctions hosted by the First Oklahoma Trappers and Predator Callers Association.
The auctions will be held Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Noble County Fairgrounds in Perry and Saturday, March 4 at the Okmulgee Fairgrounds in Okmulgee. Both events will begin 9 a.m.
"We always have a good time at these auctions," said Bill Jackson with the First Oklahoma Trappers and Predator Callers Association. "The events are a great place to visit with old friends and make new ones. And of course the auctions are one of the best places to come and get a good, fair price for your furs."
To participate in the auction, sellers must have a current Oklahoma trapping and hunting license. Sellers must also be members of the First Oklahoma Trappers and Predator Callers Assoc. Furs may be stretched and dried or "green." All bobcat pelts must be affixed with an export tag before they can be sold or shipped. Personnel from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will be present to provide tags, if necessary. Individuals selling furs at the March 4 auction should consult the "2005-06 Oklahoma Hunting Guide" regarding possessing pelts after the close of the furbearer season.
In addition, sellers who bring furs that belong to another person must possess that person's hunting and trapping license, as well as a letter signed by that person authorizing them to sell his or her fur.
Likewise, fur buyers are required to possess an Oklahoma fur buyer's permit in order to purchase unprocessed fur. For more information, contact Bill Jackson at (918) 336-8154.
"Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine seeking reader's photos
"Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine is now accepting photos for their annual Readers' Photography Showcase.
"One of the great things about the annual Readers' Photography Showcase is the great variety of images we receive, from a scenic sunset, to a close-up of an insect, to a flock of turkeys - but we especially enjoy those images of hunters and anglers in the field," said Nels Rodefeld, "Outdoor Oklahoma" editor.
The special issue offers a great chance for photographers, either professional or amateur, to display their color slides, prints or digital photos in a magazine that consistently receives national recognition for its photographic excellence. Hopeful photographers have until March 17 to submit their best shots.
According to Rodefeld, the magazine has been featuring a growing number of digital images over the past few years.
"We have received many outstanding digital images the past two or three years, in fact the cover of last years Reader's Photo Showcase was a digital submission. Unfortunately, many digital photos that we receive will not print well due to their small image size," Rodefeld said.
A good rule of thumb is that an image should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) and the canvas size should be about 8 inches by 11 inches.
The photographer's name, address and phone number need to be printed on each slide using a fine point pen or rubber stamp. Slides should not be encased in glass.
Each participant may submit up to five images and all entries will be returned undamaged. Each submission should include a description of the photo including location taken, camera used, names of subjects and what it took to get just the right shot.
Photographers can mail their submission to Paul Moore, Photo Editor, "Outdoor Oklahoma," Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
Individuals can subscribe to "Outdoor Oklahoma," on the universal license form wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold; or via credit card by calling 1-800-777-0019. Subscriptions are just $10 for one year, $18 for two years, or $25 for three years. You can also subscribe over the Internet by logging on to the Department's Web site at www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Turn in your winter bird
survey results
Don't forget to submit your winter bird survey results if you watched and recorded the birds during the Jan. 12 – Jan. 15 survey period. Save a stamp and enter your results online at www.wildlifedepartment.com by Feb. 6.
State biologists are eager to learn what participants saw. Look to read about those results in the Nov/Dec issue of "Outdoor Oklahoma" magazine and the winter edition of "The Wild Side" newsletter.


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Dusen: Progressives' prevarication
September 29, 2012
Re: "Understanding her party's platform, by Ted Thomas, letters, Sept. 22
Why do liberals insist on inventing lies and making obvious misstatements when tying to make a case against Republican Party values and positions? This seems to be a tactic in play from the highest national levels down to local politics.
In his critique of Ms. Wickert's letter, Mr. Thomas claims that the GOP Party "is determined to criminalize abortion and birth control." Not true! He also states this policy is a plank in the Party platform. Not true! The 2012 RNC Platform actually states: "Through Obamacare, the current Administration has promoted the notion of abortion as healthcare. We, however, affirm the dignity of women by protecting the sanctity of human life. Numerous studies have shown that abortion endangers the health and well-being of women, and we stand firmly against it….We call on the government to permanently ban all federal funding and subsidies for abortion and healthcare plans that include abortion coverage…. We support the ability of all organizations to provide, purchase, or enroll in healthcare coverage consistent with their religious, moral or ethical convictions without discrimination or penalty.
Mr. Thomas also uses the frequently stated national Democratic claim that Republicans are waging a war on women and wish to deny women the right to make personal medical decisions. Wrong again; perhaps he has fallen for his Party's lies.
Come on, folks, let's try to stick to facts, do our research, and avoid mean-spirited, dishonest accusations. Political discussions are helpful to voters when truthfully presented, but let's not try to deliberately mislead one another with inaccurate portrayals of polices and beliefs. Certainly, many of the issues are complicated and emotion-packed, and we should not confuse voters with erroneous information.


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NEW YORK - June 30, 2012 --The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says a stolen Salvador Dali painting has been mailed back to New York from Europe and intercepted at Kennedy International Airport.
The $150,000 work of art was swiped from a Madison Avenue art gallery last week by a man posing as a customer who walked out with the watercolor and ink painting in a shopping bag.
Inspection service spokeswoman Donna Harris tells The New York Times the gallery received an email this week that said the painting had been sent back. A tracking number was included. The gallery contacted police, and the painting was intercepted Friday.
No arrests have been made.
The 1949 painting, "Cartel des Don Juan Tenorio," was part of the Venus Over Manhattan art gallery's very first exhibition. The gallery didn't comment.
Information from: The New York Times


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With fuel prices rising and the trend to have smaller more efficient "green" cars, these days cargo space is a precious commodity. Enter the shallow mount sub, a new breed of subwoofers typically under 4" in mounting depth. CAE has already run a few reviews on flat woofers (with the new Alpine slim sub to follow soon). In a way, that's indicative of the market for space saving subwoofers.
Several manufacturers have presented their version of the solution to this problem and Cerwin Vega wasn't one to be left out. Known for its world-famous Stroker subs, Cerwin Vega has been synonymous with innovative and loud subwoofers. Their entry in this field is their new Stealth SMAX Woofer which is currently available in a 12" version with dual 4-ohm, SMAX 124, or a dual 2-ohm, SMAX 122 configuration.
The Product
The Cerwin Vega SMAX 122 is a 12" dual 2-ohm shallow mount sub that has a mounting depth of just 3.37 inches. It accomplishes this by mounting its neodymium magnet in front of the cone. The magnet is housed in a plastic cap with the red CV Mobile logo where you would normally see the dust cap. Its mica filled polypropylene cone is joined to a fairly large rubber surround giving it a one way excursion (xmax) of 12.9 mm. Flipping it on the underside, the die cast aluminum frame is finished in a flat black textured powdercoat. Two sets of binding posts as well as the chrome plated vent cover really give this woofer a nice touch. The dual 3" voice coils gives the SMAX 122 power rating of 400 watts. Overall I was quite pleased with the fit and finish of this woofer.
After breaking in the sub for a few hours at 20Hz, I allowed the voice coils to cool before taking my measurements. I hooked it up to my LMS and ran an impedance curve while the sub was in free air. I proceeded to build a sealed enclosure as stated in the manual. I constructed a .75 ft3 enclosure out of ¾" mdf and cut an 11" hole. I liked the fact that the sub had a gasket already attached to the underside of the basket giving it an airtight seal. Small details like that are always appreciated. I then ran another impedance curve in this enclosure. The delta compliance method in LMS was used to achieve the measured Thiele/Small parameters which were very similar to the published specs.
Revc= 3.900 Ohm (coils wired in series)
Fo= 33.890 Hz
Vas= 49.359 Ltr
Qts= 0.387
SPLo= 88.359 dB
I wired the voice coils in series giving me a 4-ohm configuration. I then proceeded to mount the woofer in the .75 ft3 test enclosure. Even though this is a shallow mount sub, you also have to consider the magnet which will protrude almost 2 inches from the baffle. I took a free-field frequency response of the sub in the enclosure and revealed a -3db at around 50Hz. After installing it in the test vehicle you can see that the transfer function of the vehicle flattened the response considerably.
Test Setup
The test vehicle consisted of JL Audio 500/1v2 and 300/4 v2 amplifiers, JL Audio 13TW5 sub, Dynaudio System 362 components and a Pioneer DEX-P99RS head unit. I connected the SMAX 122 to the JL 500/1v2 and initially set the crossover on the Pioneer DEX-P99RS to 90Hz @ 12 dB/oct.
I threw in Dave Grusin's "Migration" and did a little level setting. It didn't have quite the same output as my reference sub, as you might expect. After all, considering that my reference sub is a bit larger, no one should be surprised. After a few adjustments were made I was quite pleased with the way the SMAX 122 performed. The output was smooth and the woofer had very good low-end extension. It mated very well with the Dynaudio 8" mid-bass drivers, making for an overall great bass sound.
I played some Sheffield drum tracks which were reproduced accurately with an impressive amount of precision with no signs of fatigue. I then threw in 50 Cent and went to town. The SMAX 122 had no problems playing the heavy bass notes loud and proud. It was able to play everything I had to dish out. Overall I was impressed with the performance of this subwoofer. Given that it came in a small package, the SMAX 122 has some big woofer performance. If you can't afford the space for a full-size woofer and are looking for a shallow mount sub that will still provide solid bass, you should consider the Cerwin Vega SMAX series.


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OLYMPIC EFFORTS: In time for next month's Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Alex and Ani, the American-made lifestyle brand, has partnered with the United States Olympic Committee to design five bangles with wintery charms. The Rhode Island-based company will donate a portion of the sales to help the USOC with funding for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls. The initiative is part of the brand's Affinity licensing program which develops exclusive pieces and innovative partnerships.
Made from recycled materials and offered in signature finishes that the company is calling — Russian Gold or Russian Silver — the patriotic bangles retail for $32 each and are part of its Team USA Winter Collection. Alex and Ani has given 250 Olympians a hook with a USA Olympic charm that can be used as a zipper pull, as well as bangles to a variety of Sochi-bound athletes.
And should the company's founder, designer and creative director Carolyn Rafaelian and ceo Giovanni Feroce choose to catch the Winter Games from their home state, they have two prime locations for viewing options. Earlier this month Feroce pid $6.8 million in cash for the Wyndham Estate, a Newport manse built in 1890. His new digs are just up-the-road from Belcourt Castle, the Gilded Age manse built for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont that Rafaelian now owns and is renovating as a tour house, art gallery and event space.


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Jos Buivenga lives and works in Arnhem. He started designing type in 1994 and started his exljbris Font Foundry ten years later. He is most known for his Museo font family and also for the way he markets his typefaces.
Visit the exljbris Font Foundry website
Complete your composition with one of our best shots from among millions of royalty-free photos, videos, illustrations, and graphics from Adobe Stock.


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GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala's highest court on Tuesday ordered the annulment of the genocide trial against one of the Central American country's former dictators, sending the landmark case to a judge who wants it to go back to square one.
A spokesman for the Constitutional Court, Martin Guzman, said the case of Efrain Rios Montt now goes back to Judge Carol Patricia Flores, who last week asked that the proceedings start over at a point before the retired general was charged with genocide.
Rios Montt, 86, is accused of responsibility for the deaths of 1,771 Mayan Indians killed during military offensives by the dictatorship that he headed from March 1982 to August 1983. The operations, during a U.S.-backed war against leftist guerrillas, were part of "scorched earth" campaign aimed at wiping out support for the rebels.
The trial against Rios Montt and Jose Rodriguez Sanchez, 68, a former high-ranking member of the military chiefs of staff, had been nearing closing arguments last week when Flores intervened.
Flores had handled the case in its pre-trial stage, but was taken off the case in February 2012 by an appeals court after the defense filed a complaint saying she was biased against the defendants. She was reinstated last week by the Constitutional Court, then ruled that all actions taken in the case since she was first asked to step down in November 2011 were null.
Neither Rios Montt's lawyers nor attorneys for the plaintiffs returned calls from The Associated Press seeking comment on Tuesday's action.
Many speculated that Flores' ruling was politically motivated in the much-disputed trial, which is the first genocide case against a former president in Latin America. In weeks of testimony from dozens victims, soldiers and experts, even current President Otto Perez Molina had been implicated in the massacres.
The move caused an international outcry. Before the high court's decision was announced Tuesday, the United Nations special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, urged Guatemalan authorities to bring justice to the victims and their families.
"I appeal to judicial authorities to act responsibly and to prevent any interference, obstruction or manipulation of justice, which would seriously undermine the credibility of the justice system in Guatemala," Dieng said in a statement.
"The victims of the atrocities committed during the civil war in Guatemala, as well as their families, have been waiting many years for justice. I hope they don't have to keep waiting. Justice delayed is justice denied."
About 500 Ixil Mayan Indians arrived in the capital to show their support in favor of Rios Montt in buses with banners that read "Do not shame the Ixil with that idea of genocide, because that's a lie."
The demonstrators arrived from Nebaj in the state of Quiche, an area where some of the worst massacres were carried out by the army.
The trial against Rios Montt started in March after courts dealt with more than 100 complaints and injunctions filed by the defense. Since then, the court has heard the harrowing testimony of dozens of people who survived the military offensive.


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From HaskellWiki
Parallelism and Concurrency in Haskell
1 Get started
Haskell supports both pure parallelism and explicit concurrency. How would you like to begin?
- Speed up your code by making it run on multicore:
- Start with Control.Parallel (pseq, par) and refine with Strategies
- Manage simultaneous IO actions (eg. multiple connections on a web server)
- Start with Concurrent Haskell (forkIO, MVar)
- Work with clusters or do distributed programming
- Distributed programming is still ongoing research. See below for current efforts.
- In the meantime, you could use the Haskell MPI bindings, which use Concurrent Haskell and the MPI library.
2 Dig deeper
2.1 Tools
- Comprehensive list of Parallelism and Concurrency libraries


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Pure18.com Digital Video of Veronica Radke from Sweet Veronica
Just at the house, Ms. Veronica Radke had been solo and looking to get screwed. She phoned her buddy James to find out whether he may deliver her the wang she desired. Naturally he cut away from from the job for an opportunity at that ripe eighteen year-old pussy. Within her college uniform, Veronica took his cock straight into her pretty small lips. He then supplied her an in-depth drilling like she had not ever experienced in her lifetime.


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2 days ago
Money Well
The Australian national psyche is one of the oddest in the world. Where else would one cheer for the underdog, believe in a fair go for all, show restrained signs of tribalism, and cut down those who rise above the pack? This is something we are all very proud of, yet when we do the very opposite of this, not a word may be uttered; for who would dare go against the grain?
To say the Melbourne public has been harsh on the recent announcement of a new $150m multi-purpose rectangular stadium in the Olympic Park precinct is an understatement. Letters have been pouring in and editorials written condemning the government?s decision to spend this money on building another world-class, high-quality sporting facility. ?This money should be spent improving hospitals and schools? claim these authors, nitwits who choose not see the big picture. These comments are really quite hypocritical ? especially from such people who claim they live in the ?sporting capital of the world?!
The whole notion of sport in this city is a farce. For them, all sports are declared equal under the sun ? so long as they are a clear second to their prized local game, Victorian (now Australian!) rules football. It covers the newspapers, the televisions, the radio airwaves ? yet nowhere else in the world has this ridiculous sport bothered to become involved. The drummed-up support and a well-oiled media machine ensure that their sport is quite literally everywhere you look from March through to September each year, regardless of how nonsensical the game actually is.
We occasionally get other sporting events here too ? you might have heard of the Commonwealth games which occurred in March. Apparently a big world-class event using every possible venue right across the city. It filled our televisions and newspapers for weeks right around the country and was supposed to bring huge economic and financial growth to the city. They spent hundreds of millions of dollars reconfiguring and upgrading the Melbourne Cricket Ground (which doubles up as the home of local football) for the games, only to rip it all up and bring it back to its former configuration. Costing around four times greater than building our new stadium, not so much as a word has been said.
The state coffers (filled by taxpayer dollars) pour millions of dollars each year into the continuation and support of this game to upgrade facilities and its promotion. Not to mention the enormous money, time and space wasted on formula-one racing each year. The city is turned upside-down and it becomes a nightmare to travel anywhere in the vicinity of Albert Park to get to work or leisure. And again, the entire track is constructed and then pulled back to pieces each and every year. But not a single word is uttered about the costs spent on this.
A twenty-five thousand seat, state-of-the-art stadium to promote games requiring a rectangular field has been desperately required for at least the last decade. Olympic Park is first and foremost a running track, and the facilities built (and for the most part untouched) in 1956 for the Melbourne Olympics belong to the antiquities. Generations of soccer, and more recently, rugby league fans have been forced to use the ground because there has been nothing else suitable ? yet there has been no issue pumping what would now be billions of dollars upgrading and building new stadiums for ?aussie rules? matches.
To have two first-rate football teams (albeit of different codes) sharing a hopelessly inadequate facility is a blight on the game, and more importantly a blight on this so-called ?city of sport?. A multi-purpose, rectangular stadium with adequate facilities for players and fans (not to mention regulation in-goal areas!) is a wonderful opportunity to show just what Melbourne has to offer. And of course, Melbourne, the sporting capital, would have also gained its rugby union Super-14 franchise had there been a proper stadium.
I am a Melbournian. I am also a league fan. I love my footy and would love to see it played in a proper stadium. Congratulations to those involved on making the right choice and upgrading our dilapidated, crumbling facilities and bringing them into the 21st century, and I (along with many others) will relish the opportunity to watch our sport played in a fitting stadium.
Regardless of comments made by narrow-sighted individuals, one might even say it was money well spent?


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Roberto Carlos retires to become Anzhi director
Former Brazil and Real Madrid full-back Roberto Carlos, famous for his booming free-kick, has officially ended his playing career, the Anzhi Makhachkala player said on Wednesday.
The 2002 World Cup winner, who joined the wealthy Russian Premier League club in February 2011, has not played since being taken off the team's squad in March.
"Roberto had been a world class player, but unfortunately he doesn't play any more," said former Russia boss Guus Hiddink, who was appointed Anzhi coach in February.
"Fortunately, Roberto will now take up a role to develop this club for the good of the game in the Dagestan region and the whole of Russia."
The 39-year-old said he was planning a farewell game against his former club Real.
"We had met Real president Florentino Perez and discussed such a match between Real and Anzhi," he told a news conference.
"We need to set up a date that suits both clubs. I would like to have my farewell to be played in Makhachkala."
Anzhi's billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov said last year he wanted to make the Brazilian the club's world-wide ambassador.
Roberto Carlos, a twice Copa America winner, won 125 caps for Brazil and played at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
He quit the national side following the latter competition after being villanised in Brazil where he was blamed for allowing Thierry Henry to score the only goal in their quarter-final defeat to France.
Raised at provincial club Uniao Sao Joao, he made his name in Brazil during three seasons with Palmeiras, moved to Inter Milan for one season and then Real Madrid, where he spent 11 seasons.
After that, he still had time for a stint in Turkey with Fenerbahce before moving home to play for Corinthians.


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My first post...
What role does the NSA play in commercial cryptography? (like RSA Security)
\"In this country, you gotta make the money first.
Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the woman.\"
Effectively/Officially None. See : http://www.nsa.gov/ and http://www.rsa.com/
\"Windows has detected that a gnat has farted in the general vicinity. You must reboot for changes to take affect. Reboot now?\"
Forum Rules


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|Mortgages: Purchase & Refinance | Equity Loan | FHA | VA | No Doc | Damaged Credit | Construction
Mortgage Refinance in New MexicoRefinancing Made Easy for New Mexico Residents
If you are a homeowner who was lucky enough to buy when mortgage rates were low, you may have no interest in refinancing your present loan. But perhaps you bought your home when rates were higher. Or perhaps you have an adjustable rate loan and would like to obtain different terms.
Wondering if you should refinance your mortgage in New Mexico? Our refinance section will answer some questions that may help you decide. If you do refinance, the process will remind you of what you went through in obtaining the original mortgage. That's because, in reality, refinancing a mortgage is simply taking out a new mortgage. You will encounter many of the same procedures-and the same types of costs the second time around.
If you decide that a refinancing is not worth the costs, ask your New Mexico lender whether you may be able to obtain all or some of the new terms you want by agreeing to a modification of your existing loan instead of a refinancing.
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Winter means glad glidings at local skating rinks
Despite the recent bout of warmer temps, we're heading into winter -- prime outdoor skating weather.
A number of local ice rinks have their own refrigeration systems and are now open for outdoor skating. Other rinks must wait for help from Mother Nature in freezing the ice.
So if you've had your ice skates ready and waiting by the front door since July, or even if you've always just wanted to give skating a try, here is our guide to a number of local outdoor rinks. Happy gliding!
City Skate at Civic Center Plaza, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, (847) 931-6140 or cityofelgin.org
The rink at Civic Center Plaza has a refrigerated skating system. Note, no hockey playing is allowed on the ice -- this includes skating with a hockey stick.
Price: Free; skate rental is available for $4 with shoes and an ID.
Hours: Projected to open Tuesday, Nov. 27, or Wednesday, Nov. 28. Call for the latest information. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until Feb. 24.
Warming house hours: 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Closed after 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Closed Dec. 25.
Naperville offers four natural, outdoor rinks for skaters this season. All depend on the weather for ice quality. There are no warming houses. For information, call (630) 848-0993 or visit napervilleparks.org.
The rinks are at:
• Centennial Park, 500 W. Jackson Ave.
• Commissioners Park, 3704 111th St.
• Gartner Park, 524 N. Gartner Road
• Nike Sports Complex, 288 W. Diehl
Hockey sticks are not allowed at the Gartner Park rink. For rules and regulations regarding hockey at the other rinks, visit napervilleparks.org.
Price: Free. No skate rental.
Hours: Skating season runs Dec. 15 through Feb. 15 (weather permitting). Rinks close at 10 p.m. (except for the Gartner Park rink, which closes at dusk).
Turner Pond at Turner Park, 81 E. Devon Ave., Roselle, (630) 894-4200 or rparks.org
There is no warming house or attendant on duty. All skating is done at the skater's own risk. Lights go out at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 9 p.m. Saturday. There are designated areas on the ice for ice skating and recreational hockey.
Price: Free. No skate rental.
Hours: No official opening day has been set, as the natural rink depends on freezing weather. Skating is allowed when a green flag is flying over the rink. When there is no flag or a red flag, no skating is allowed. Open from 10 a.m. to dusk Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to dusk Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting). Call the park district's seasonal weather hotline at (630) 893-0939 for skating conditions.
The Park at Rosemont, River Road between Bryn Mawr and Balmoral avenues, Rosemont, rosemont.com
Price: Free. Skate rental is available for $8.
Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday from Friday, Nov. 23, through Feb. 24. Extended holiday hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from Dec. 21 through Jan. 6.
Vernon Hills
Century Park North Pavillion, 1401 Indianwood Drive, Vernon Hills, (847) 996-6800 or vhparkdistrict.org
The rink at Century Park Noth Pavillion does not have its own refrigeration system. It uses an ice rink liner that takes time to prepare, explained Mike Moorman, superintendent of parks at the Vernon Hills Park District. Thus, the rink will open when the area gets several days of freezing temperatures.
"Ideally, we need 72 hours of freezing temperatures for 24 hours a day," Moorman said. "It's all up to Mother Nature."
Price: Free. Skate "rental" available at no charge (on weekends)
Hours: Once the rink opens, it will be open all the time for skating, Moorman said, although lights will go out at 9 p.m. weeknights. Warming house hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). Moorman estimates the rink will be open through Feb. 15 (depending on temperatures). Guests should check the park district website and/or call for information.
Chicago's Wrigley Field
The Rink at Wrigley, at Addison and Clark streets, Chicago, (312) 617-7017 or rinkatwrigley.com
For the fourth year, skaters can take a spin on a full-sized ice rink in the parking lot of famed Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
Price: Friday through Sunday admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children 12 and younger. Skate rental is $10 Friday through Sunday. Admission and skate rentals are half price Monday through Thursday.
Hours: Rink hopes to open Friday, Nov. 23, (but this could be delayed to Wednesday, Nov. 28, due to the recent warm weather) through March 3 (weather permitting). 2 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Chicago's Millennium Park
McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park, Michigan Avenue, between Washington and Madison streets, Chicago, (312) 742-1168 or millenniumpark.org
Now in its 12th season, the Millennium Park rink, with its own refrigeration system, offers 15,910 square feet of skating surface. The rink provides a close-up view of Chicago's skyline.
Price: Free. Skate rental is $10.
Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday (through Dec. 29), 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday (beginning Jan. 5), and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday now through mid-March (weather permitting). Holiday hours are: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 25, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 31 and noon to 9 p.m. Jan. 1.


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Lékaři bez hranic/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
is an international, independent medical humanitarian organisation
that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict,
epidemics, exclusion from healthcare and natural disasters.
MSF operates in more than 70 countries worldwide with more than 2,500 international
and 29,000 national staff in the field. In 1999 MSF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
POSITION PROFILE: Work abroad as a supply Specialist for humanitarian organization
ID: 1824037 Datum zveřejnění: 3.9.20182018-09-03 Lokalita: Africa Pozice: Logistics Manager Společnost: Lékaři bez hranic in Czech Republic, o.p.s.


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Japan 1989 Concert – Free Metallica Download of the Week
On May 17, 1989, Metallica wrapped up a two-night stint at the Koseinekin Hall in Osaka, Japan. This would be the second – and to date, the final – performance in Osaka for the band, and at the time, the fifth time the band toured Japan. In this download, fans will get classic performances of hits like 'Harvester of Sorrow,' 'One' and 'Seek & Destroy,' but most notable is '…And Justice for All.'
Why is a Metallica performance of '…And Justice for All' such a hot commodity? Since the first time they played the song (Sept. 11, 1988 in Budapest, Hungary), 'Tallica have only jammed it 226 times to date. As the title track to the band's beloved 1988 album, '…And Justice for All' has turned into a live rarity due to its complexity and length. But for those in Osaka, it didn't matter if the song would become an infrequent addition to 'Tallica set lists. "Let's see if we can get ourselves f—in' louder, alright," James Hetfield says to a screaming audience right before they start the tune.
Fortunately for you, downloading this show not only gets you a live performance of '…And Justice for All,' but it also gets you a fantastic set full of 'Tallica sounding near-perfect. Oh, and did we mention the download is free?
May 17, 1989 – Koseinekin Hall, Osaka, Japan – Set List
'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)'
'The Four Horsemen'
'Harvester of Sorrow'
'Eye of the Beholder'
'To Live is to Die' Doodle
'Master of Puppets'
'Seek & Destroy'
'…And Justice for All'
'Creeping Death'
'Fade to Black'
Kirk Solo
'The Frayed Ends of Sanity' Jam
Total Running Time: One hour, 38 minutes, 17 seconds


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Merlin Divers is a complete dive shop.
We maintain one of the largest equipment retail areas you can find on Phuket - displaying and selling all sorts of diving and snorkelling equipment, swimming items and general water sports gear and wear.
We also offer all the PADI and SSI dive courses from the beginner level of Discover Scuba Diving and Open Water Diver up to the professional level of Dive Masters.
For certified divers there are half day trips to our local dive sites not far from Kamala Beach and day trips to the well known dive sites like Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, Koh Doc Mai and the wreck King Cruiser and not to forget – the world famous Phi Phi Islands. Also available are liveaboard tours to the the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Ta Chai and Richlieu Rock.


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U.S. Aims to Defuse Tension Over Control of Internet. Some Nations Push for New Supervisory Body
Posted in: Governance at 22/04/2014 12:17
The U.S. has agreed to give up supervision of the Internet policy-making body that controls domain names, hoping to satisfy countries that want more international control over the Internet. This week, Washington will find out if its actions have eased global tensions over its cyberspying activities.
World representatives are arriving in Brazil for Net Mundial, a two-day meeting about Internet governance that starts Wednesday in São Paulo. The meeting comes amid fallout over spying by the U.S. National Security Agency that has renewed concerns over the U.S. government's credibility and over longtime U.S. oversight of the Internet.


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Haaretz – November 29, 2010
An Iranian nuclear scientists was killed and another wounded in separate but identical bomb attacks in Tehran on Monday, according to local press reports.
The Fars television service said bombs were attached to both victims' cars by assassins on motorcycles, accused agents of the United States and Israel of being behind the killings.
State broadcaster ISNA further named the two victims as Majid Shahriari and Fereydoun Abbasi, both professors at Tehran's Shahid Beheshti university.
Shahriari was killed, while Abbasi and his wife were injured and hospitalized, ISNA said.
A pro-government website, mashreghnews.ir, said Abbasi held a PhD in nuclear physics and was a laser expert at Iran's Defense Ministry and one of few top Iranian specialists in nuclear isotope separation.
The site said Abbasi has long been a member of the Revolutionary Guard, the country's most powerful military force. It said he was also a lecturer at Imam Hossein University, affiliated to the Guard.
In January, another Iranian nuclear scientist, Professor Massoud Ali-Mohammadi was also killed.
State media said at the time that Ali-Mohammadi was killed by a remote controlled bomb strapped to a motorcycle.
Then too, Iran accused Israel and the West of the attack on a "committed and revolutionary" scientist.
But an opposition website, Jaras, said Ali Mohhamadi was an opposition supporter who backed moderate candidate Mirhossein Mousavi in a disputed election, which plunged Iran into turmoil in mid-2009.
In February 2009, the Daily Telegraph, a British, newspaper, reported that Israel was assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists as part of a covert war against the Islamic Republic's illicit weapons program.
The Telegraph quoted Western intelligence analysts as saying that Israel's Mossad spy agency was behind the death of Ardeshire Hassanpour, a top nuclear scientist at Iran's Isfahan uranium plant who died mysteriously from"gas poisoning" in 2007.
Israel and the West accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons, a charge the Iranians deny.


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Watch the Teaser Trailer for David Fincher's Gone Girl
You've been waiting for this.
You've been waiting a while for this. You're not even going to read what we have to say about the David Fincher-directed, Ben Affleck-starring movie based on Gillian Flynn's mega-bestseller, about how it ironically juxtaposes a pretty-sounding song with that typically Fincherian dark, dirty, yellow-tinged cinematography and how Ben Affleck looks sort of awkward running there near the end. Just watch the trailer and judge for yourself. (Also, call the number on the billboard featured in the clip — 1-855-4-Amy-Tips — to hear what sounds like an audiobook version of Gone Girl's opening pages.)


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Over the past 15 years and more specifically the past ten years or so, Kenyan writing has been shaped by NGO demands: the "report" has become the dominant aesthetic foundation. Whether personal and confessional or empirical and factual or creative and imaginative, report-based writing privileges donors' desires: to help, but not too much; to save, but not too fast; to uplift, but never to foster equality. One can imagine how these aims meld with traditional modes of realism and naturalism and also speak to modernist truncations and postmodern undecidability. However, report realism names a more historically accurate way to name a genre indebted (very literally) to NGOS in Kenya.I cannot comment on the specific accuracy of Keguro's observations, because I'm not in Kenya reading aspiring writers' work. But I was interested in the observations because when I was in Kenya (over five years ago, now) and talked with some young writers there, the sorts of contemporary writers they cited as inspiring them were people like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling. Indeed, that's mostly what was available for fiction in the bookstores, with most stores putting Kenyan and African fiction, if they stocked it at all, in dusty corners. Yet the writers who cited these inspirations to me were, with one exception that I can think of (someone who'd spent quite a bit of time in the U.S., in fact), writing in a very realistic, documentary manner. That can happen anywhere, though, if you only talk to a limited sample of people; I hoped (and assumed) that there were other writers out there aspiring to different sorts of writing, whether fantastical in its content or experimental in its form, because aesthetic diversity makes for healthy reading-writing ecosystems. And there is some such work being written (heck, Ngugi's Wizard of the Crow is a good example); it just seems hard for it to get attention or to be celebrated in the way documentary realism is.
The report aesthetic goes beyond citing NGO facts and figures. It is concerned, above all, with a search for truth and accuracy and is threatened by imaginative labor.
I'm a dedicated (if undisciplined) reader of African fiction, and particularly Kenyan fiction, but I'm very much an amateur and obviously an outsider, so I'm wary of saying anything other than, "Go read Keguro's post," because anything I say could easily be taken as a white American guy telling African writers what to write. My desire is not to tell anybody anywhere what they should write; instead, I would hope to encourage us all to do what we can to create the space for people to write what most compells them. Great writing of all types happens when writers find the forms and styles that allow them to express their own unique experiences and imaginings.
The danger of report realism is its normative power — if writers think this is what they should write, or this is the only type of writing that will get them an audience beyond their closest friends, then it is not just limiting, it is insidious and harmful.
Those of us outside of Africa who want to encourage more attention to African writing and more opportunities for African writers sometimes reinforce such harmful assumptions. The Caine Prize is a perfect example. In my Rain Taxi review of Ten Years of the Caine Prize for African Writing, I said that the Caine Prize judges' narrow tastes are helping to limit the possibilities for writing from the continent. That was born out again during this year's Caine Prize. I don't blame the writers for that.
J.M. Coetzee was criticized (rightfully, I think) for lending his name and fame to an African fiction prize/anthology that ended up including, it seems, only white writers. It looks like Coetzee only read the 21 finalists and then was tasked with choosing winners from that group, and that the reading was anonymous, so his opportunities for knowing much about the background of the writers was limited, but still, he's a hugely famous Nobel winner and could, at the end, have pulled his name or said something publicly. He didn't, but he did write the most reluctant introduction to such a book that I've ever read. The very first paragraph reads:
The 21 stories that made it to the final round this year are of a generally higher standard than the finalists for the last award, which suggests that the standard of entries as a whole may be higher. If so, this is a promising development. On the other hand, the kind of short-story writer we are all hoping that an award of this magnitude will attract, recognize, reward, foster, and perhaps even launch into the wider world — the newcomer with naked talent, a feel for language, and a fresh vision of the world —stubbornly fails to arive.Ouch.
I don't know about "naked talent" (what does that look like in a text?), but the feel for language and fresh vision of the world are certainly things that have been, with some exceptions, lacking from the Caine Prize, too. The workshop stories presented in the annual Caine Prize anthologies, though, show that this isn't necessarily the fault of the writers, but of the type of writing that gets rewarded and encouraged.
And that, ultimately, is why I think Keguro's post is important, and why I hope it will not only be read and debated, but that it will help lead to an environment where report realism isn't the only option. Keguro says it better than I ever could:
I want to advocate for wild imaginations—wild forms of writing, non-linear narratives, an obsessive attention to detail, writing that strains at the edges, reaches beyond itself. I'm interested in writing that lives in secret folders on computers, scurries under beds and into drawers when friends visit, worries that it will be deemed obscene, crazy, impossible. I'm interested in writing that dares truth-the truth of feeling, the truth of form, the truth of seeking, the truth of language seeking byways and creating paths. I'm interested in writing beyond report realism.


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Break Big Jobs into Small Steps
If you're putting something off because it seems overwhelming, break it up into manageable steps and take them one at a time.
Encourage Yourself
Most often, "good enough" is all that's required. Doing something is better than not doing anything at all. If fear of failure has you paralyzed, be compassionate toward your imperfections by using positive self-talk. "Even if I fail, I'll survive. If I don't do a perfect job, that doesn't make me a bad person. No one is perfect. I'll do the best I can."
Ask for Help
Because procrastinators tend to be perfectionists, they feel they must do everything themselves. Don;t fall into this trap. It is not a sign of failure or incompetence to ask for help; it's a sign of intelligence and good management.
Take a Break
When you run into an obstacle, it's tempting to get frustrated and abandon hope. Avoid this by taking some time out. Tell yourself it's just a temporary setback, and that you are not stupid, incompetent, or bound to fail. Set a specific time to come back later with a fresh eye.
Use Your Imagination
Before you begin working on something, visualize yourself going through the steps, making progress, and completing the task. This kind of mental imagery prepares you for the actual activity, and helps you make the transition from thinking about it to doing it.
Evaluate Your Progress Your Progress
About one month after you begin these exercises, ask yourself:
Am I accomplishing more?
Am I more effective?
Do I feel more in control?
Am I making progress towards the really important things in my life?
Am I happier?
For More Information
Burka, Jane and Lenora Yuen. Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1983.
Culp, Stephanie. Streamlining Your Life: A 5-Point Plan for Uncomplicated Living. Cincinnati: Writerâs Digest Books, 1991.
Fanning, Tony and Robbie. Get It All Done and Still Be Human: A Personal Time-Management Workshop. Menlo Park, CA: Kali House, 1990.
Fiore, Neil. The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play. Los Angeles: Jeremy Tarcher, 1989.
Keyes, Ralph. Timelock: How Life Got So Hectic and What You Can Do About It. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.
Hunt, Diana and Pam Hait. The Tao of Time. New York: Fireside, 1990.
Josephs, Ray. How to Gain an Extra Hour Every Day: New Time Strategies That Work. New York: Penguin, 1992.
Winston, Stephanie. Getting Organized: The Easy Way to Put Your Life in Order. New York: Warner Books, 1978.
Excerpted with permission from the Quarterly Newsletter, Mind/Body Health Newsletter. For subscription information call 1-(800)-222-4745 or visit the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge website.


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These guys might not be carrying a lunch pail and to the stadium each week, but they did bring an industrious, blue-collar, working-man approach to Week 14. Take a look at all the nominees, then vote in the poll at the bottom of the right column for your choice for the Hardest-Working Man.
Jason Avant, Philadelphia Eagles
Avant had seven catches for 133 yards in the Eagles' 23-21 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, two of those catches were absolutely vital to the team's first win since September. Avant's one-handed catch was the highlight of the game. His final catch of the game went for 22 yards on a fourth-and-five situation as the game clock was ticking down its final seconds. That play set up the game-winning touchdown from Nick Foles to Jeremy Maclin that ended the Eagles' embarrassing eight-game losing streak, the longest for the franchise since an 11-game slide in 1968.
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks beastmoded the Arizona Cardinals for an emphatic 58-0 win that was the 10th-largest shutout in the history of the NFL (the largest, of course, is the 73-0 win for the Chicago Bears over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship Game). In the massive dumptrucking of a reeling division rival, the Seahawks got mammoth contributions from a number of players. Richard Sherman and Bobby Wagner each had two interceptions apiece. Sherman also collected one of four fumble recoveries as the Seahawks' defense had eight takeaways in the rout. Lynch tied a career high with three touchdown runs and rushed for a season-high 128 yards. The Seahawks set a franchise record for points in the game, besting the previous mark of 56 set in a 56-17 win over the Buffalo Bills during the 1977 season.
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Newton and the Panthers put aside a frustrating season to administer a 30-20 beatdown of the NFC South division champion Atlanta Falcons. Newton rushed for a career-high 116 yards as the Panthers adquired 475 total offensive yards. The win ended a five-game losing streak against the Falcons, and added a badge of honor for a team with little left to play for in a season that opened with so much promise. Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for another on a 72-yard scamper that ended with a somersault into the end zone.
Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers
With three games left to play, Smith is already the 49ers' all-time single-season sack leader and three sacks short of Michael Strahan's record of 22.5 set in 2001. In the 49ers' 27-13 win over the Miami Dolphins, Smith had two sacks to run his season total to 19.5 sacks and eclipse Fred Dean's franchise record of 17.5 set in 1983. Smith also now has 33.5 sacks in his first two NFL seasons, which is the most by any player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 (Reggie White had 31 sacks from 1985-86 for the Philadelphia Eagles).
David Wilson, New York Giants
The Giants got a major contribution from an unlikely source, the rookie Wilson, in a crucial 52-27 win over the visiting New Orleans Saints. The triumph kept the Giants on top of the NFC East after a Sunday during which every team in the division was victorious. Wilson's emergence might just send a message to potential playoff opponents of the Giants. Wilson delivered a career day against the Saints, returning a kickoff for a touchdown, rushing for 100 yards and two more touchdowns, and collecting a team-record 327 all-purpose yards.
Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.