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It's no secret food and wine are a match made in North Carolina wine country heaven, and a number of our wineries and vineyards offer dining options that make for a perfect pairing during your visit. Here are several tasty options:
1 Biltmore Winery
1 Biltmore WineryAshevilleSee on map
Biltmore Winery remains America's most-visited winery for good reason. Pair the award-winning wines with a variety of dining options and you will feel like a Vanderbilt for the day. Biltmore's Antler Hill Village encompasses the winery, farm, and kitchen garden.
Dining options at the Village include the Bistro, with seasonal menus featuring the bounties of Biltmore's own fields, farms, and vineyards, including tasty wood-fired pizzas and locally farmed mountain trout and locally sourced meats, cheeses and honey; hearty meals like Shepherd's Pie, tavern sandwiches, and fish and chips at Cedric's Tavern for robust pub fare; and sweets that celebrate Biltmore's history in the dairy business at the Creamery. Farther afield, Stable Café near Biltmore House features slow-cooked rotisserie chicken, creative sandwiches and seasonal salads in a charming 19th-century stable-turned-café, while Deerpark offers bountiful buffets and an expanded Sunday brunch.
Lastly, the Library Lounge at the Inn has varied offerings for lunch, afternoon tea or dinner while relaxing with a book or taking in the views. The Dining Room at the Inn is the perfect choice for fine dining and highlights estate-raised beef and lamb, freshly picked vegetables and other local fare.
2 Childress Vineyards
2 Childress VineyardsLexingtonSee on map
The Bistro at Childress Vineyards furthers NASCAR legend Richard Childress's passion for wine – and food. Lunch is served seven days a week on the enclosed terrace, which is adjacent to the tasting room and sprawling retail shop and overlooks the rolling hills of the vineyard. The menu features creative, wine-friendly dishes with a southern twist. The Trifecta tasting menu changes weekly and offers a 3-course menu perfectly paired with a Childress wine to complement the meal.
3 The Country Squire
3 The Country SquireWarsawSee on map
Serving lunch, brunch and dinner since 1961, family-owned and -operated Country Squire Restaurant, Winery and Vintage Inn attracts a discerning clientele far beyond its Duplin County location. Lunch is a casual affair, with soups, salads, sandwiches and creative lunch-sized entrees, while dinner is more elaborate and romantic and all entrees come with Squire cheese, a relish tray, salad, varied potato choices and more. If you're really adventurous (and hungry), try the Squire's Royal Choice for Two, with 20 ounces of cast iron-sizzled tenderloin, table-side Caesar salad, broccoli spears or chef's choice of vegetable, broiled tomato with mushroom caps, choice of potato and fresh bread.
4 Duplin Winery
4 Duplin WineryRose HillSee on map
With a focus on fresh and local ingredients, native muscadine grapes and Duplin wines, The Bistro at Duplin Winery offers lunch Monday to Saturday, including a muscadine pineapple habanero cheese dip, gourmet soups and sandwiches, fresh salads and made-from-scratch desserts, like Mama Ann's Grape Hull Pie. Pair your meal with a glass of refreshing and fruity muscadine wine or a specialty drink, and your lunch becomes a special meal to remember.
5 Laurel Gray Vineyards
5 Laurel Gray VineyardsHamptonvilleSee on map
With a rotating food truck schedule, the folks at Laurel Gray Vineyards are pairing varied tastes with its award-winning wines. Be on the lookout for eastern and western barbecue styles from Queen City Q, gourmet crepes from Home Grown Crepes, and Creole, Southern and soul street food from Root Down Food Truck.
6 Medaloni Cellars
6 Medaloni CellarsLewisvilleSee on map
Every Sunday during the summer months, Medaloni Cellars hosts Mix Grill, a food truck specializing in fresh salads, salmon and pork tenderloin. Menu items range from $5 to $9 and even include hot dogs for the kids.
7 Old North State Winery
7 Old North State WineryMount AirySee on map
Situated in a downtown 1890s mercantile building, Downtown Deli at Old North State Winery offers up gourmet sandwiches, unique hot dogs, specialty pizzas, salads and more seven days a week. It's also open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday. The meat, cheese and fruit trays or nachos are a great way to celebrate the spot's wine and beer harvest with friends or for small gatherings.
8 RagApple Lassie Vineyards
8 RagApple Lassie VineyardsBoonvilleSee on map
The Back Door Café at RagApple Lassie Vineyards offers light lunches on Saturday and Sunday. You can enjoy a glass of your favorite wine with a collection of olives, rosemary and olive oil dusted Marcona almonds, homemade pimento cheese with crackers, bruschetta, artisan cheese plates or one of four RagApple Lassie Signature Sandwiches.
9 Sanders Ridge Vineyard & Winery
9 Sanders Ridge Vineyard & WineryBoonvilleSee on map
Sanders Ridge Restaurant at Sanders Ridge Vineyard & Winery features creative New Southern cuisine for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The menu highlights seasonal produce from Sanders Ridge Organic Farm (its produce is also available every Saturday at the Cobblestone Farmer's Market in Old Salem) and features homemade soups, a wide selection of hearty sandwiches and savory entrees using North Carolina fish and locally sourced meats. The family-style "Thursday Night Supper," including local bluegrass music, is also worth the drive.
10 Shelton Vineyards
10 Shelton VineyardsDobsonSee on map
Located down Cabernet Lane, The Harvest Grill at acclaimed Shelton Vineyards in the Yadkin Valley features upscale dining with a bistro atmosphere. Enjoy stunning views of the vineyards and kitchen garden from the patio and make it a more intimate, romantic evening in the sophisticated dining room. Chef Paul S. Lange focuses on creative bistro cuisine, artisan cheeses and locally sourced ingredients for his lunch, Sunday brunch and dinner menus. The Petite Vintners' Dinner is a 3-course dinner paired with your choice of three Shelton wines and is highly recommended.
Enjoy North Carolina's wineries and vineyards, and remember to drink responsibly. Please designate a driver.


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Want to know how much banks would actually earn if they didn't have access to taxpayer subsidized bailout cash, credits, and other guarantees? According to Bloombeg News' editorial board they would earn virtually nothing, or they would be experiencing significant losses.
Check what happens to the profits of our country's largest banks without the bailout guarantees.
* JP Morgan Chase: Profits drop from $17.24 billion to just $72 million.
* Bank of America: Profits drop from $15.78 billion to a net loss of $82 m.
* Citigroup: $13.39 billion to a more than $4 billion loss.
* Wells Fargo: Losses go well over $8 billion.
This chart provided by Bloomberg News should help you visualize the losses. For now, let's call it the chart of the year (decade?) ...
Bloomberg's editorial board draws on information developed in a International Monetary Fund (IMF) study, "Quantifying Structural Subsidy Values for Systematically Important Financial Institutions." The study focuses on long term bond pricing (with and without bailout subsidies) and was put together by Keniche Ueda and Beatrice Weder di Mauro.
In a few words, they found that there is significant financial value to having the government back the financial sectors ineptitude (over and over again). Financial institutions that would normally go under keep their heads above water with taxpayer backed bailouts.
Specifically, because financial market players have come to accept that the U.S. government will bailout the largest banks in America these banks get to borrow at lower interest rates from financial markets. Without this financial prop the banks could not cover their current operating costs. Bank profits would effectively disappear (as would executive bonuses).
In practical terms it's the difference between having someone with good credit, or a parent in good financial standing, co-sign a loan for you. Not only is your interest rate much better, but in many cases you wouldn't be able to get the loan without the co-signer. So, yeah, the American taxpayer has become the co-signer for America's biggest banks. Without it they could be looking at bankruptcy.
So how much are we talking about for Americas biggest banks? About $83 billion a year, or about 3 cents of every tax dollar collected from you and me.
Pretty sweet, if you're a big bank.
- Mark

subset: commoncrawl


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Industries: Resource Sector
NetExperts principal consultant Melissa Star has over 12 years of experience in the resource sector. In 1999, at KPMG, she was involved in the design of Mincom EnergyPoint, a key trading and risk management system for Australia's National Energy Marker. Designed specifically for Australian requirements, EnergyPoint has since won the 2004 Consensus Software awards.
In 2002, Melissa designed and led the development of Coalportal.com for Barlow Jonker Pty Ltd. A leading international resource for Coal producers, consumers, and shippers, Coalportal was acquired by Wood Mackenzie Ltd in 2008, and Energy Publishing Inc in 2009-2011. NetExperts has been responsible for the ongoing operation and enhancement of the Coalportal for all three owners, regularly undertaking major project work to integrate the latest technology and keep the site relevant to its customers.
More recently, NetExperts has conducted two major vendor evaluation studies for Rio Tinto Iron Ore and Pilbara Iron, in 2007 and 2008, ensuring the right people and IT vendors were chosen for a key initiative planned for the years ahead.
Whatever your project, we should be able to make sure it is both successful and cost-effective. For more information call Melissa on 0409-005-005 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Each of you might have been in a situation where you had felt the need of an auto mechanic. This can either be because your car is facing some trouble or it has just come to a standstill. It is certainly very frustrating and you will surely want someone to help you out with this. When you start looking out for a mechanic you will come across too many of them but to select the best among a lot is always very important. If not then it can all be extraordinarily frustrating and you will also have to spend too much of money, to get it all fixed properly.
It is always suggested by company experts that you should try looking for an automotive vehicle repair mechanic in your neighborhood always. Look for someone whom you can simply trust because trust makes things easier. Selecting an auto mechanic before you need him can make an emergency situation easy for you and also help you save more time and money.
3 ways by which you can look out for the best mechanic to deal with all your automobile problems.
1. Think And Plan Before Picking On One
Don't be impulsive while looking out for a repair professional for your needs. If you choose them without thinking you are sure to land up in a mess and also going to regret your choice later. This is because you will be charged with higher costs for all the services you avail from them. Sometimes they may also not have the right skills to perform the task. Thus, it is very important to start looking out for experts and evaluate their services before hiring them. This will not just ensure good service for your car but also will give you good vale for the money that is being spent.
2. Visit Their Shop
If you think that every mechanic shop is the same then you are wrong. You might think that a garage is a place which is always filled with filth and dirt but this is not at all true. It will not be extraordinarily unorganized as you think it is to be. Though there will be too many things kept but everything will be managed by the expert. Before you select one for your needs it is suggested that you make a personal visit and go through everything such as look at the type of equipment which they use to accomplish the task. This way you will get a clear idea on whether to select him for your needs or not. If not suitable you can then start your hunt for some other experts who can meet your needs.
3. Certifications And References
Checking with their accreditation is a must as this helps you know the kind of training they have had and can be sure of the fact that they will offer you high-quality services for all of your needs. It is important that they get a certificate from the national institute for performing different activities. If you are planning to pick on one whom you have evaluated it is suggested that you ask them for references. Talking to references will simplify things for you as you will get to know more about the mechanic by word of mouth.
These are some of the important things that you must consider landing the right mechanic for your needs and the most efficient way to find the right mechanic is to find online. There are many that provide customers with information and people.


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Show #80 Josh Clark, Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps
This week Bob and Pat talk with interface designer and author Josh Clark. Josh's new book, Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps, is a truly excellent analysis and playbook for writing not just great iPhone apps, but great mobile apps.
Josh shares with us his insights, design framework and experience on the software frontier that is mobile app development. If a iPhone or mobile app is the heart of your startup, you do not want to miss this interview.
And a quick word about our new sponsor, InfluAds. If your startup's market is other startups, web developers and designers why not reach out to them through with a small, tasteful ad at sites they already read? That's how InfulAds works. Act now, mention "SSP" and save 20% on you first ad buy. InfluAds.com – ads for startups by a Startup.
Download Show #80 here: Show #80 Or if you prefer, Subscribe to the podcast in Apple iTunes.
Bob Walsh is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bobwalsh or you can email him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Patrick Foley is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/patrickfoley or you can email him at email@example.com
URLs mentioned/relevant to this show:
- Josh's site.
- Vote for Josh's iPad talk at SXSW.
- Josh's Blog.
- Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps at Amazon.
- Follow Josh on Twitter
One Response
yeah, this one is a great app designer


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In stock
A hand dressed set of white wire bathroom shelves containing towels and a selection of handcrafted toiletries, colour themed to suit a dolls house miniature bathroom setting.
Size: Height 80mm x Width 60mm x Depth 30mm.
Please note that contents of the shelves supplied may differ depending on the materials available.
Toilet Roll and Holder
£1.99 *
Flat Caps
£2.50 *


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We have so many blueberries right now! We had some from one of our Organic Produce hauls and then we got two more half pints last week. And I picked up another pint today at Aldi. I needed to use them in something! I've been wanting to make baked donuts again, so I decided to make blueberry donuts.
I also had some lemons I needed to use and I love lemon-flavored anything, so I used fresh-squeezed lemon juice in the lemon icing.
Baked donuts always seem like denser cake donuts to me. And that's exactly what these are like. I wanted to use some oatmeal in them, but almost used all oatmeal in them. I was almost out of whole wheat flour, so I improvised! These ended up being 75% oatmeal and 25% whole wheat flour.
Usually when we eat oatmeal, we use old-fashioned oats. I don't like the way quick-cook oats get all mushy when they are cooked. I DO like to use quick-cook oats in my recipes though, so I usually have them on hand.
I used quick cook oats in this recipe, but I ground them into a flour with my food processor first.
For the recipe, here's what we used:
1 1/2 cups Quick Cook Oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
Here's how we made them:
Grind quick cook oats in a food processor on the "Food Processor" setting until it resembles flour (about 2 minutes total)
Add whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt and ground nutmeg to the oat flour and mix or process for one more minute until all ingredients are mixed together.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large microwave proof bowl, melt butter for 20 seconds at a time.
Once butter is melted and cooled a little, add yogurt, egg, sugar, milk and vanilla extract.
Use a whisk to mix all ingredients together.
Add the dry ingredients from the food processor into the wet ingredients in the bowl and mix until well combined. Do not over-mix though! Over-mixing can create a batter that's tough when cooked.
Fold in the blueberries.
Spray a donut pan with cooking spray.
Add batter to donut pan about 3/4 of the way to the top of the molds.
Bake in the preheated oven for 14 - 17 minutes.
Ovens vary, so check early.
The donut should be slightly golden and spring back when touched.
Let the donuts cool for a couple minutes in the pan before you move them to another plate.
To make the icing:
Place 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl.
Add 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice
and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of milk
Mix until it's the consistency that you like. I used exactly the amounts above.
Drizzle the lemon icing over your donuts and enjoy!
Unlike usual, EVERYONE in my house liked these! My hubby even tried them this time and gave his approval. And The Builder liked them. . . . . that picky little booger!
Our batter made 8 donuts.
Have you ever made baked donuts before?
Linking with:
(mis)Adventures Blog Hop
Two Uses Tuesday
Inspire Me Monday
Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
Linking with:
(mis)Adventures Blog Hop
Two Uses Tuesday
Inspire Me Monday
Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
Take a minute and follow on Facebook ??? Pretty, pretty please? With a cherry on top? Make sure you never miss a Mish-Mash post. Follow by RSS or Email HERE.


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April 27th
Miles 17.1 + 1.6 side trail
End mile 37.1
I wake early, Bob and his family make me an awesome breakfast and I say goodbye to my friend Free Refills who is a Germany who had previously tried the PCT and was cut short 200 miles. He will catch up later.
I walk through the cool morning, then oddly a European news camera crew stops and films me walking down the trail on a perfect grassy meadow they had the camera down low on the trail. I need to find out about it.
I have a good day walking, I stop at Cibets flat and get water and talk with an old man. I pass a sign about unexploded ordinance.
Finally I find a good camp spot, other people left because of a bees nest in a dead tree, I liked it and it had good access to water.


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The January 23, 2016 Edition of WCWC on PDX-TV is the 87th episode of the television show of West Coast Wrestling Connection. It was taped on December 12, 2015 in the Jackson Armory in Portland, Oregon.
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Darin Corbin defeated Jessy Sorensen
- Jack Manley defeated Ricky Gibson (w/ Greg Romero)
- Grappler 3 (c) defeated Crash Test Cody to retain the WCWC Legacy Championship
- Greg Romero (w/ Mr. Tubbs) defeated Mikey O'Shea
- The Vampire Warrior Gangrel (c) defeated Caleb Konley to retain the WCWC Pacific Northwest Championship
External links
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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A Gateless Garden: Quotes by Maine Women Writers by Liza Bakewell and Kerry Michaels
(Maine Women Write, 2015)
A Gateless Garden is a gem of a book. The layout is simple—each spread contains a full-page, black-and-white photograph by Maine photographer Kerry Michaels, a frequent contributor to Coastal Home, and a short quotation chosen by Liza Bakewell, executive director of Maine Women Write and former anthropology professor at Brown University. For inclusion, the writer must at some point have lived and written in Maine and felt its influence in her work.
Each writer quoted in the book is profound and perceptive in her poetry or prose. Many of these women, dating from 1800 to the present, may be familiar to you: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Rachel Carson, Sarah Orne Jewett, Celia Thaxter, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, May Sarton, Helen Nearing, Alix Kates Shulman, Tabitha King, and Melissa Coleman, for example.
Yet it is the photographs that make the book sing. Michaels' eye for content and composition is precise. The textured, often painterly images can stand alone, but Bakewell amplifies their narrative impact with each literary pairing. A Gateless Garden's small format makes it pleasant to hold, something you will do at length as you read, and reread, this book. Start seeing I prefer numerous you's, which is wonderful for your blog. Having said that, within the affordablepapers
Available at Gulf of Maine Books (207) 729-5083, or amazon.com


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12:30 PM EST -- Technically...technically...the Raiders aren't eliminated from playoff contention yet. That said, we all know the season is pretty much over and done with, and the only thing really on the line from here on out is pride...and by pride, I mean "doing better than 4-12, hopefully."
12:32 PM EST -- The big story this week, of course, is that Terrelle Pryor is out with a knee injury, so our starter in Houston will be Matt McGloin.
12:37 PM EST -- The Texans lead the all-time series 5-2. Obviously, Ed Reed got sent packing earlier in the week, and under-performing running back Arian Foster is on injured reserve for the evening. Of course, the Raiders' OWN under-performing running back is also out of action this evening, so maybe it's all a wash, then?
12:41 PM EST -- The Texans are 0-7 after starting out the season 2-0. So far, the highlight of their season has been their head coach having a seizure on the sideline. As a Raiders fan, consider me highly envious.
12:44 PM EST -- Houston has more overall yards per game and more aggregate passing yards than Oakland, while the Raiders have a slight run game advantage. In terms of team defense, the Texans are also allowing less yardage per game overall as well as in the air, while the Raiders are marginally better at stopping the ball on the ground.
12:49 PM EST -- Case Keenum is the starting QB for the Texans, which effectively makes this afternoon's game sort of a reverse Tom Brady/Peyton Manning gun fight, essentially.
1:03 PM EST -- Texans begin on offense. And the ball carrier is CRUSHED behind the line of scrimmage on first down.
1:05 PM EST -- Second and 13, and Tate nearly has enough for the first. AND THE TEXANS COUGH IT UP! Raiders takes over on offense at Houston's 20.
1:07 PM EST -- That was Charles Woodson with the defensive scoop up, by the way. A third and short situation for Oakland approaches.
1:08 PM EST -- And the Raiders have enough for a new set of downs. Ten yards until paydirt.
1:09 PM EST -- False start call on the Raiders, so that'll push them back a couple of yards for a do-over on 1st.
1:10 PM EST -- Not much going in the red zone. Third down coming up.
1:12 PM EST -- McGloin with a laser to Denarius Moore for a five yard TD reception. 7-0 Raiders early in the first quarter.
1:17 PM EST -- Texans begin their next drive from about their own 20. A third and short is coming up.
1:18 PM EST -- And the Texans come up short. The Texans punting unit takes the field.
1:19 PM EST -- The Raiders will start at about their own 25. They've ran one pass play so far today...which lead to a touchdown. Not that I'm hinting, or anything...
1:20 PM EST -- Goddamn, the Bushes are in attendance for today's game! And I'm not talking about Reggie or Michael's kinfolk, either.
1:22 PM EST -- Third and five (or six, or seven) coming up. Well, actually, a third and three. And the Raiders pick up the first. Mcgloin is 3-3 on passes so far this afternoon.
1:24 PM EST -- And Reece drops a pass at midfield that probably would've been a TD. This McGloin kid can throw, that's for damn sure.
1:25 PM EST -- Personal foul on the Raiders sets them back 15 yards. It's third and 17 now. And a shuttle pass behind the line of scrimmage that goes nowhere. Time for Oakland to punt.
1:27 PM EST --A holding call on the Texans will put them back a couple of yards on their next drive.
1:30 PM EST -- AND THE RAIDERS INTERCEPT KEENUM! That's Houston's second turnover of the day.
1:32 PM EST -- McGloin with a 16-yard bullet pass to Rod Streater, which is followed up by a rarely called taunting penalty on Oakland. Regardless, it remains 14-0 Raiders in Ron Paul's earmark-clogged backyard.
1:36 PM EST -- Second and 7 for Houston. And an enormous pick up for the Texans follows suit, nearly putting them into field goal territory.
1:37 PM EST -- Second and 12. And no gain as the Raiders blitz.
1:38 PM EST -- AND KEENUM GETS SACKED! The Raiders defense is looking downright monstrous this afternoon.
1:40 PM EST -- And a holding call on the Raiders sets them back several yards on their first play of the drive.
1:41 PM EST -- Raiders facing third down as the first quarter concludes.
1:45 PM EST -- 4th and 1, and here come Marquette King. And a holding call on Houston will push them back a couple of yards.
1:46 PM EST -- Keenum with damn near a 50 yard pass to Andre Johnson.
1:47 PM EST -- A missed tackle, and it's a third and one situation for the Texans.
1:49 PM EST -- Keenum to Graham for a 42 yard touchdown pass that really should've been a sack for a 20 yard loss. 14-7, with the Raiders up by a touchdown.
1:50 PM EST -- Yardage estimates thus far: Texans, 132, Raiders, 68.
1:51 PM EST -- And McGloin with a 33 yard pass to Holmes. The Raiders are now stationed at the midfield logo.
1:54 PM EST -- Third and six. And Streater drops the pass. The Texans take the field at their own 15.
1:58 PM EST -- First and 15 for the Texans. Now it's a third and 5.
1:59 PM EST -- And a false start on the Texans makes it a third and 10.
2:00 PM EST -- The Texans can't reel it in, so it's time for Houston to punt.
2:04 PM EST -- A third and six situation for the Raiders. And nothing going on that, so the Raiders' punting unit hits the field. If you really, really like punts, you'd probably enjoy the hell out of this one.
2:08 PM EST -- About six minutes left in the half. A third and two situation for Houston. And Keenum gets chased out of the pocket and bounces it.
2:09 PM EST -- Texans have to punt. If I did a shot every time I saw Marquette King on the field, I'd be hospitalized with alcohol poisoning by now.
2:12 PM EST -- Third and one for the Raiders. And a false start flag on the Raiders. Glorious.
2:13 PM EST -- So it's a third and six now. And Moore can't reel it in.
2:15 PM EST-- Keyshawn Martin with an 87 yard punt return for a TD. It's all knotted up, 14-14.
2:16 PM EST -- Well, this is turning out like many a Raiders game. Even with an accurate passer in the pocket, you still can't count on shit with this offense.
2:18 PM EST -- And McGloin gets dropped for a loss. Second and 20 for the Raiders. And a third and...15...coming up.
2:20 PM EST -- And wheel out the punting unit ONE MORE TIME, folks!
2:21 PM EST -- About two and a half left in the second quarter, The Raiders are out of timeouts.
2:22 PM EST -- Two minute warning, and the Texans are getting pretty close to Raiders territory.
2:25 PM EST -- Raiders blitz, and the Texans have a 2 and 10 situation on their hands.
2:26 PM EST -- Third down on the horizon. And they pick it up.
2:27 PM EST -- Second and 10 with one minute and thirteen seconds on the clock. The Texans are stopped in bounds on a third and five Hail Mary that's almost picked off by a Raiders defender.
2:28 PM EST -- A 51 yard FG attempt is GOOD. Texans take the lead, 17-14.
2:30 PM EST -- 40 seconds left in the half. And the Raiders get possession at their own 20.
2:32 PM EST -- Second and 13 for the Raiders. Thirty three seconds to go. And they don't even give a fuck. The clock runs out, and it's time for a very stern lecturing in the Raiders' locker room.
2:33 PM EST -- Well, the Raiders defense looked really, really good in the first quarter, and McGloin looked like a real-life NFL quarterback. Then, the second quarter happened, and the Raiders D decides to allow 17 unanswered points while the team's receiving crew decide to collectively forget how their own fingers work.
2:36 PM EST -- Shit, I don't even know what to say about this one. Hold on to the ball, fellas? More blitzes? Make tackles instead of not making tackles? Really, you can just list ALL of the criticisms you can lob at a football team, and it would probably be appropriate for the Raiders' current predicament.
2:37 PM EST -- Elsewhere in the league: the Bills are slaying the Jets by 20, the Eagles are pounding the Redskins into submission, the Steelers are cosplaying as bumblebees and a tornado just destroyed Soldier Field.
2:41 PM EST -- Just so you know: a dude brought his eight year old kid into a SPORTS BAR. You'd think the part about it being a SPORTS BAR would, you know, make you not think about bringing a kid into something called a SPORTS BAR.
2:43 PM EST -- Yardage count at halftime: 192 for Houston, 126 for Oakland.
2:46 PM EST -- Remember: November is yellow ribbon awareness month.
2:47 PM EST -- And the Raiders get possession first. And also, a holding penalty, because dabnabbit, they're still the Raiders.
2:49 PM EST -- And Streater hauls in a pass for a first down. Jennings up the gut for about five yards on first down.
2:50 PM EST -- Third and one. And Jack. And Shit.
2:51 PM EST -- King comes out to punt. And the Texans will be starting within their own twenty.
2:54 PM EST -- And Tate is dropped behind the line for a loss. Apparently, the Texans, statistically, are supposed to really start sucking in the third quarter.
2:55 PM EST -- Third and four. And the Texans are going to have to punt.
2:56 PM EST -- You know, Jacoby Ford is a much better punt returner than he is a wide out. Just saying.
2:57 PM EST -- The Raiders with a massive pick-up, but a flag is on the field. AND AGAINST HOUSTON, FOR A CHANGE.
3:00 PM EST -- Raiders now within field goal range...probably. Third and nine approaches.
3:02 PM EST -- AND THE RAIDERS CONVERT! Oakland is now within the Texans' red zone.
3:03 PM EST -- Holding call on the Raiders, so now it's 1st and 20.
3:05 PM EST -- McGloin with his third TD pass of the day with a 26 yard bomb to Mychal Rivera. 21-17, Oakland.
3:09 PM EST --Third and nine coming up for the Texans, with a revitalized Raiders' D really putting some pressure on Keenum.
3:10 PM EST -- A sack, a fumble, and a Raiders tackle behind the line. Houston's gotta' punt.
3:14 PM EST -- Offsides on Houston. And Rashad Jennings with a double digit run.
3:15 PM EST -- Third and about a dozen following a busted play. And the Raiders are a few yards short of the first. Out comes Sea-bass.
3:16 PM EST -- And the 54 yard attempt is no good. Well, I hope that doesn't come back to haunt them later...
3:18 PM EST -- Texans take over at their own 40. And a Keenum pass is dangerously close to being picked off.
3:21 PM EST -- The Raiders blitz continues. Third and 10 coming up. Looks like the Texans will be a yard short of the pick up.
3:23 PM EST -- Rashad Jennings with an 80-yard touchdown run! 28-17 Oakland, with about two and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
3:26 PM EST -- Andre Johnson with a catch at midfield. Second and five coming up. And oh shit, Keenum just got benched. ENTER THE SCHAUB!
3:27 PM EST -- The Texans go for it on 4th and 2 and get called for holding. That brings out the punting unit, obviously.
3:30 PM EST -- Yardage count? Raiders, 333, Texans, 232.
3:32 PM EST -- Third and eight for the Raiders. And Oakland appears two yards short of the pick up, as the fourth quarter begins.
3:35 PM EST -- The Texans take the field around their own 30. Schaub is in the backfield, and his first toss is a sizable pick up around midfield.
3:37 PM EST -- And Houston is getting pretty close to the Oakland red zone. Third and six for Houston.
3:38 PM EST -- False start on the Texans. Let's make that a third and 11 instead, why don't we?
3:39 PM EST -- And a pass interference call on the Raiders gives the Texans a 1st and goal opportunity.
3:40 PM EST -- Third and goal after the ball is nearly picked off by a Raiders defender. This upcoming play is huge.
3:42 PM EST -- And the Texans falter. Out comes Randy Bullock, who makes this one an eight point game. 28-20, Raiders.
3:47 PM EST -- Third and eight for the Raiders. And the Raiders are challenging an incomplete pass call -- if it's overturned, that puts Oakland deep into Texan territory.
3:53 PM EST -- But it's not overturned, and the Texans will take possession around their own 40.
3:55 PM EST -- Second and ten, with the Texans at midfield.
3:56 PM EST -- Houston converts; they're slowly creeping their way into Raiders territory now.
3:57 PM EST -- Offsides on the Raiders. Texans well into the Raiders' red zone now.
3:58 PM EST -- And Tate is dropped for a loss. Nine minutes to go in the quarter, it's 2 and 13 for Houston.
4:00 PM EST -- Third and nine. A HUGE play coming up here. And no dice. The Texans will have to go for a field goal instead.
4:01 PM EST -- 28-23 Raiders, with eight minutes left in the game.
4:04 PM EST -- Raiders beginning at their own 20. Third and five coming up.
4:05 PM EST -- And the Raiders have to punt it away. Seven minutes left in regulation.
4:08 PM EST -- Third and 10 coming up for Houston. They're stuck deep in their own territory, and the Raiders D is blitzing like crazy.
4:09 PM EST -- Texans gotta' punt. Will the Raiders play it safe and try to run out the clock, or are they going to reach for their dagger here and put this one away for good?
4:12 PM EST -- Raiders with a third and one. About five minutes left in the quarter.
4:16 PM EST -- Third and 10 for the Raiders. Four minutes left.
4:17 PM EST -- And McGloin slips in the pocket. F. M. L.
4:18 PM EST -- Raiders punt. A roughing the kicker call on Houston, however, allows Oakland to re-kick.
4:19 PM EST -- Houston will start at about their own 35.
4:21 PM EST -- Andre Johnson pulls it in. Texans nearing mid-field.
4:22 PM EST -- And Houston's in the red zone. To hell with all of this.
4:23 PM EST -- Two minute warning. Houston has at least three shots at the endzone. Where's the ghost of Al Davis when you need him?
4:26 PM EST -- Third and one. Well, never say Raiders games aren't exciting. And also tragic.
4:27 PM EST -- And Woodson has to leave the backfield. Even better.
4:28 PM EST -- And the running back is dropped behind the line. One minute to go...this is the ball game, folks.
4:29 PM EST -- Woodson is back in. AND THE RAIDERS D MAKES THE STOP! But there's a holding call, so they get ANOTHER SHOT at fourth down!
4:30 PM EST -- ...but it don't matter, because Schaub can' t hit shit. Turnover on downs, and the Raiders are a WINNER deep in the heart of Texas!
4:31 PM EST -- Well, the Raiders improve to 4-6, which means we are officially AS good (if not better) than last year's dismal squad. And with McGloin actually able to hit a receiver every now and then, this surely means there won't be a quarterback controversy in Oakland. Nope, that would never, ever happen. Ever.
4:33 PM EST -- And our final score in Houston? Raiders 28, Texans 23.
4:34 PM EST -- I...love...football? With a passion?


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Julie Morstad tells stories in images from imagined places . . . It seems only appropriate to respond to Ms. Morstad's charming, brilliantly idiosyncratic creations in kind.Los Angeles City Beat
A gorgeous gem, back in print!
In this collection of illustrations, Vancouver artist Julie Morstad spins fairy tales infused with dreamlike innocence and a touch of the macabre. Morstad's work has been shown in galleries, featured on the cover of Neko Case's 2006 album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, and developed into a line of patterned wallpapers with a distinctive nostalgic quality. Milk Teeth's universe, populated by animals, flowers, peculiar objects and disembodied heads, has a sensibility reminiscent of Marcel Dzama's surreal drawings, Jeffrey Eugenides' haunting novel The Virgin Suicides, and Peter Weir's classic film Picnic at Hanging Rock.


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Tom Ford Suits may not be as popular as his sunglasses but they make it up with their price points. Traditionally the designer has sold his suits through middlemen. Recently he has created a 5 million dollar storefront with mixed reactions.
Some people have written rave reviews of the store, while others have written lackluster ones. Either way, you'll get a good suit if you go there.
This designer has made suits for the most recent James Bond star and as always, he looked great in them.
Tom Ford Suits Style
Never an understated designer, this man makes his clothing with flare. Look at the wide lapels and carefully crafted vests and you will see a large disparity between his models and the standard designer suit.
Silk, wool, and cashmere add a nice feel to both the inside and outside of these suits. Never a model without full lining for maximum comfort and luxury.
You're going to find suits that are glued together. These suits will be canvassed and they will drape very naturally.
Look for any color you like. Gray, black, navy blue, khaki, tan, or even red can be found with ease.
Expect to pay somewhere between $3,500 and $5,000. You won't find too many off the rack suits at this price.
These suit are great for the person that likes to talk about how much they spent on their clothing. This being said, the suits are made very well and they should cost more than your average run of the mill suit.


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An Aussie construction worker and part-time filmmaker (?) was instructed to destroy a substantial quantity of Apple equipment— some of which, he says, was salvageable. But can we really trust his account?
The construction worker, who refused to give his real name, says that he destroyed nine full pallets of equipment, including MacBooks, Mac Pros, and even innocent Mighty Mice (Mighty Mouses?). He also claims that he tested some of the machines, and that many powered up, proving at the least that their batteries could be salvaged, if not screens and other parts.
Problem is, there's no evidence that any of this stuff was in working order, and the article quotes a secondhand account from another construction worker on Apple's motivations for crushing the computers. That's not exactly the most reliable source. And while, let's be honest, Apple's green campaign is an infuriating example of "greenwashing" and as smug as anything they've ever done, I'm not prepared to accuse Apple of destroying equipment in working order without any hard evidence, on the word of somebody who won't give his real name. Just my two cents. [APC Mag]