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Great American Bites: What's a Spiedini? In a word, delicious
The scene: For 24 years, Garozzo's has quietly occupied a corner in the otherwise residential Columbus Park neighborhood, near downtown Kansas City. It is the only restaurant or commercial enterprise within several blocks, an unassuming red brick building with a black awning over the front door and a large sign in the shape and colors of the green, white and red Italian flag, with the word Garozzo's emblazed on it. You enter into a small hallway, often jammed with patrons awaiting tables, with a hostess stand at the end. Just beyond this is a small bar room with about half a dozen dining tables on the left, and a bar with about 10 stools on the right. The bar is too small to handle the often sizable groups for waiting for tables, as Garozzo's is very popular with locals. There are two other large dining rooms, one of which, on the night of my visit, was entirely taken by a bus-based Gangster Tour, enjoying dinner after retracing the history of KC's Prohibition-era organized crime heyday.
Garozzo's is the kind of classic Italian-American eatery found in every American city, its walls adorned with pictures of cultural heroes, including the prerequisite framed Sinatra and DiMaggio, along with a Wall of Fame of actual celebrity dinner guests, from NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana to film star Forest Whitaker. Ask where the bathroom is and you will be told to head down the hall and "make a left at Tony Bennett." Otherwise the walls are hung with framed awards from Zagat's and countless "Best of Kansas City" and "Kansas City Magazine Hall of Fame" plaques and certificates.
The interior is old-school Italian, with dark-wood wall paneling, chairs and tables, low lights and candles on each table. Staffers wear crisp white shirts, black pants and bow ties, and there seems to be an eternal flow of people without reservations told of long waits. We had a reservation, and were promptly shown to the worst table in the house, jammed in directly behind the hostess dais. It was a Wednesday.
Reason to visit: Spiedini -- chicken, shrimp, beef or veal
The food: Garozzo's is a more refined version of what is known as a "red sauce place," serving up typical Americanized Italian fare, such as your choice of pasta with homemade sugo (tomato sauce), all sorts of ravioli, cannelloni, manicotti, lasagna, fettuccini Alfredo, veal parmigiano, veal saltimbocca and so on. One minor variation is Three Way Pasta: "Ravioli, Spaghetti, and mostacioli beneath your choice of meatball or Italian sausage & melted cheese." Appetizers include fried mozzarella, fried calamari and fried ravioli, while salads include an iceberg wedge and Caesar. There are some more sophisticated twists, such as Bistecca Salerno, filet mignon in a cognac-and-cream reduction, and salmon with cavatelli, spinach and clams in a pesto cream sauce. Many such plates passed us by and all looked perfectly good, but hardly a reason for an out of town visitor to make a trip in a city overflowing with some of the world's best barbecue and classic steakhouses. The reason to go out of your way for Garozzo's is the spiedini.
Chicken spiedini Garozzo is the restaurant's signature dish, and is joined on the menu by three other chicken versions, plus siblings using veal, beef and shrimp. In Kansas City, it is understood that the dish originated at Garozzo's, and today it can be found elsewhere around the region and nationwide, thanks to its adaptation by the Olive Garden chain. The menu describes it as "marinated chicken breast, rolled in Italian bread crumbs, skewered & grilled," but that is a bit of an understatement. For the original version, the Garozzo, it is the marinade (bottled and sold in grocery stores) that makes the dish. When it arrives, already off the skewer and plated as a nearly foot-long line of huge chicken chunks, the incredible smell immediately hits you, a cacophony of lemon, garlic, herbs and olive oil. It tastes almost as good as it smells.
Boneless chicken is perhaps the most difficult meat to make tasty, and to keep from drying out. Garozzo's accomplishes both, with the rich flavor of the marinade deeply penetrating the meat, which is tender and swimming in a puddle of juices. This is some good chicken. The original, despite the menu description, is not breaded but its spin-offs, Georgio (with crushed tomatoes, basil, garlic, spinach, olive oil and Romano cheese); Gabriella (spicy Diablo sauce); and Samantha (Alfredo sauce) are. These three alternatives are all served over huge portions of pasta -- angel hair or fettuccine -- and are enough for two to share. The original comes with a choice of sides: rigatoni and red sauce or glazed carrots. Compared to the pasta, the carrots are a tiny portion, slightly overcooked and very sweet. We also tried alternatives; the Georgio was equally delicious, with lavish amounts of spinach and tomatoes, and the Samantha -- rich, heavy and doused in thick, white cream sauce -- was wickedly good.
It is the spiedini itself that stood out, in all its forms, but nothing else impressed. The fried ravioli appetizer, another Missouri invention from St. Louis, which I profiled in this column at its source, Charlie Gitto's, can be quite good but these were filled with bland cheese and too heavily breaded. The angel hair pasta was overcooked and mushy, the carrots were so-so, and the loaf of sliced, soft Italian bread on the table was generic. But the spiedini is addictive and I found myself rubbing the exposed edge of each chunk in the delicious sauces on the plate. Overall, service was polite but neither doting nor warm, and the whole affair seemed rushed (we were never offered a dessert menu before our check was put on the table). Spiedini is also served on the abridged lunch menu, at nearly half the price. Garozzo's now has three satellite locations in Overland Park and Olathe, Kan., and Lee's Summit, Mo.
Historical note: It would be remiss of me not to note that the word spiedini is derived from an Italian food term for skewered meat, sort of like shish kebab, and the dish bears a strong resemblance to spiedie, marinated chunks of meats on skewers very regionally popular around Binghamton in upstate New York, where they predate the opening of Garozzo's by half century. The New York spiedie was once primarily lamb, though chicken and pork are now the most popular versions. History aside, Garozzo's version is different and complex enough to stand as a unique dish, and is more of a sophisticated entrée, while the New York version is usually a snack or sandwich.
Pilgrimage-worthy? No, but if you want a change from KC barbecue, the spiedini is both unique and delicious – I'd go for lunch.
Rating:Spiedini Yum! Everything else OK (Scale: Blah, OK, Mmmm, Yum!, OMG!)
Price: $$ ($ cheap, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive)
Details: Original, 526 Harrison, Kansas City; 816-221-2455; garozzos.com/
Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a BBQ contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Bryan and I were both out of town for Fourth of July weekend and weren't on the internet at all. There were some pretty big things that happened in the world of sports that we feel should be mentioned but didn't have the opportunity to write full posts on. I'll just give a quick one or two sentences about each one.
– Steve McNair was shot to death in his downtown Nashville apartment. It currently looks as though it was a murder suicide by the girl whose body was found next to his.
– Roger Federer beat Andy Roddick for his 15th Grand Slam at Wimbledon, passing Pete Sampras previous record of 14 career Grand Slam victories.
– Tiger Woods won the AT&T National this weekend. This gives Tiger 68 career PGA Tour wins, five short of Jack Nicklaus and 14 short of Sam Snead's record 82 career wins.
– Manny Ramirez returned from suspension and hit a home run in his second game back.
– USA beat Grenada in soccer to win their first round match of the 2009 Gold Cup and will face Honduras in their second game.
– Serena Williams beat sister Venus Williams to win Wimbledon on the women's side and then the two teamed up to win doubles.
– Three stages into the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong is currently in third. He is seven seconds behind Tony Martin and 40 seconds behind Fabian Cancellara.
– Some big name NBA free agents have agreed to terms with different teams from the ones they played with this past year. The most notable are: Ben Gordon to the Pistons, Hedo Turkaglu to the Raptors, Trevor Ariza to the Rockets, Charlie Villanueva to the Pistons, Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics, Marcin Gortat to the Mavericks, and Ron Artest to the Lakers.
– And most importantly Bryan and I got the oportunity to play two games of Schleuderball over the weekend and we won both games.
Filed under: Cycling, Events, Golf, MLB, NBA, NFL, Schleuderball, Soccer, Tennis | Tagged: 2009, Andy Roddick, AT&T National, Ben Gordon, Boston Celtics, Charlie Villanueva, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, died, doubles, Fabian Cancellara, Gold Cup, Grand Slam, Grenada, Hedo Turkaglu, Honduras, Houston Rockets, Jack Nicklaus, Lance Armstrong, Los Angeles Lakers, Manny Ramirez, Marcin Gortat, murdered, Nashville, Pete Sampras, pga, Rasheed Wallace, Roger Federer, Ron Artest, Sam Snead, Schleuderball, Serena Williams, shot, Steve McNair, Tiger Woods, Tony Martin, Toronto Raptors, Tour de France, Trevor Ariza, USA, Venus Williams, Wimbledon | 2 Comments »


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Eye For Film >> Search >> 'Salima Abada'
One night in Algiers shows how the shadow of war lingers over multiple generations.
Young Algerian journalist Nedjma and her colleague Mustapha investigate paradise promised to young men by Salafi preachers.
Director puts femmes to the fore Martin Provost on Juliette Binoche, gender divisions and revolution
Stay-At-Home Seven: November 23 to 30 - Streaming and TV suggestions Gems to watch on streaming services and TV for the coming week
Dreams of reality Jason Neulander on perception, reality and breaking the rules in his debut Fugitive Dreams
Streaming Spotlight - Icelandic cinema We're heading north for our watch-at-home selection this week
Electric dreams Marc Collin on Le Choc Du Futur and celebrating female pioneers
Catalan Film Festival announces hybrid line-up Scottish Spanish showcase runs from November 19 to December
We're bringing you news, reviews and interviews from Tallinn Black Nights.
We've recently been covering DOC NYC, Sheffield DocFest, the London Korean Film Festival, Welsh horror festival Abertoir, New York's Newfest, the October edition of Frightfest, the Scottish Queer International Film Festival, the London Film Festival, the New York Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.
Read our full archive for more.
Visit our festivals section.
More competitions coming soon.


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Up to 21 teams from 12 countries around the world will compete in the 54th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett. Taking off at dusk from a site near Bristol, the team which flies the furthest distance from the start point wins the race.
The inaugural race took place in Paris in 1906. Since then no Briton had won, until, in 2008, David Hempleman-Adams and Jon Mason flew 1,767kms in just over 74 hours, flying from Albuquerque in New Mexico to the shores of Lake Michigan north of Chicago. They won the 52nd Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett and with it the honour of hosting the race in their home nation.
World Records were broken and this excitement built as thousands of enthusiasts watched the 2009 race unfold on-line with a live link from each of the 16 participating balloons. Team GB2 consisting in the two female pilots Janet Folkes and Ann-Ruth Rich broke the World Record for Female Flight Duration, flying for almost 70 hours. Three European teams landed in Algeria, thus entering the record books for achieving the first cross continental flights between Europe and Africa with gas balloons.
As so the excitement will continue as we prepare for the race to launch from Great Britain in September 2010.
Event Web site
A real great, complete and full of information website! Thanks to the organization and the webmaster!
In the website you can browse the list of teams and see pictures and information for each of them.
David Hempleman-Adams and Simon Carey with crew (credit Jo Slade)
Competition area
Countries in white (unshaded) are outside the competition area; coloured countries are inside the area.
Click here to see the list of the race officials and the organisation team.
Show your support for GB2010
* By email: firstname.lastname@example.com
* Join the GB2010 facebook group
* Follow the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GB_2010


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Slipping through the shadows unseen, striking from the darkness with a relentless barrage of melee attacks, one could easily mistake the latest class revealed for Guild Wars 2 as some sort of assassin - and they wouldn't be far off.
So far we've seen two different flavors of casters and two heavily-armored fighter professions revealed for ArenaNet's eagerly-anticipated MMO Guild Wars 2, but only one roguish class - the Ranger. Today ArenaNet evens out the profession distribution with the Thief, a character class perfect for fans of the original Guild Wars' Assassin.
The Thief profession employs stealth, shadow-stepping, traps, and dual skills to do her dirty work, slicing away at foes with swords and daggers or whittling them down from afar with pistols and shortbows. They can even steal items from their enemies to use as weapons. And while they may don lighter armor, the Thief has an advantage over other melee classes, using initiative points to string together skills instead of having to wait for them to recharge like everybody else.
Guild Wars 2 fans will get their first taste of the Thief at PAX East in Boston, where a new playable demo will be on hand to introduce them to the fine art of doing it from behind.
And if you aren't going to PAX, you'll just have to watch the Guild Wars 2 website for more info like the rest of us.
I do believe I've found my Guild Wars 2 class.


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Indeed, both the eggs and keys are still in beta testing, and waiting to be deployed due to the feature freeze this past week. With any luck, I'll have time to push those updates before next weekend.Beast24 wrote:Wuzzy i dont think the eggs are added yet and as i heard they are not craftable they will be dropped by the little goblin mobs
The weather simulator does not account for biomes because JT2 is an all-stone world. Currently, the air temperature, wind speed, etc. are uniform throughout the map, which greatly simplifies the necessary calculations.twoelk wrote:does that nice display take local biome values into account? it sure does look cool
It is now possible to switch between metric and imperial units using the /weather chat command. I still plan to introduce a player preferences panel, so that option (and several others) can be included there. When I first rolled out the weather simulator, it was just a proof-of-concept. So that is why I didn't include unit conversions at the time.Wuzzy wrote:Nice! But why are there such arcane symbols like "F" and "mph"
Yes, integrating the weather simulator with the game mechanics is actually my long term goal. Eventually players will incur damage during temperature extremes, particularly if wind chill or heat index are a factor, unless they are indoors or underground (or wearing armour). Strong winds will likely hinder walking and induce fatigue as well.parasite wrote:Sorcerykid, I am curious do you plan something to make different weather and temperature conditions affect players somehow, or only have a decorative functions?
Thanks for the heads up. Several players notified me of these concerns, so it has was promptly dealt with. Sorry for the hassle.Beast24 wrote:Sorcery kid i have noticed that Dark_Viper (one of his many accouts) has been cursing up a storm in chat at night me and yik have asked him to multiple times.


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Ellisarro Hanover, Peter Wrenn win at Buffalo
January 31, 2014
« Return to News
Ellisarro Hanover used a big brush down the backstretch to the three-quarter pole and took off from there to notch an impressive 6-3/4 length victory in the $10,500 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway Friday night (Jan. 31).
Fiorentina (Aaron Byron) had laid down a :58.4 opening half mile over the fast track but Ellisarro Hanover (Peter Wrenn) went first-over at that point and was out and moving as the field of seven went down the backstretch the final time.
After hitting the three-quarter marker in 1:28.2, Ellisarro Hanover ran away from the field, stopping the clock in 1:57.1, the fastest mile of 2014 for the trotters at Buffalo Raceway. He was also helped as RA's Shakenbake broke at the top of the stretch which crippled the hopes of anyone catching Ellisarro Hanover. Studio City (Billy Dobson) took the place position while Lutetium (Jim McNeight) finished in third.
Owned by Robert Main and trained by Jason Robinson, the 7-year-old Ellisarro Hanover (SJ's Photo-Esmeralda Hanover) won for the first time in five starts this season but increased his bankroll to $12,040 and $318,930 lifetime.
The action will continue on Saturday night at Buffalo Raceway with an 11-race card slated for 6:40 p.m. The feature is the $10,500 Open Pace which is slated for the seventh race. For more information including race results, replays, upcoming promotions and the latest news, go to http://www.buffaloraceway.com/ (Brian J. Mazurek/Buffalo Raceway)


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Virtual knot theory is an interesting generalization of knot theory in which ``virtual" crossings are allowed. See Kauffman's Virtual Knot Theory for an introduction. Greg Kuperberg gave a nice topological interpretation of virtual knots in this paper. One reason to be interested in virtual knots and links is that many knot and link invariants generalize to the virtual setting. For example, my naive understanding is that virtual knots are a more natural domain for Vassiliev invariants than knots are. My question is whether anyone knows of examples that demonstrate the utility of virtual knot theory? For example, are there any interesting theorems outside of virtual knot theory that can be most easily proven using virtual knot theory? The papers I have seen seem to pursue VKT for its own sake, but my sense is that such a natural area must be of much wider use.
Added: I just ran across a paper by Rourke that explains a geometric interpretation of "welded links" which are like virtual links but an additional move is allowed. This is a beautiful little paper which explains how welded knot theory corresponds to a theory of certain embedded tori in $\mathbb R^4$. It's really amazing how the Reidemeister moves, both virtual and classical, correspond to isotopies of what Rourke calls toric links. This is a part of Bar-Natan's program mentioned by Theo Johnson-Freyd and Daniel Moskovich below. Dror calls the toric links "flying rings".


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Cheney Pleads Guilty To War Crimes
As I have pointed out periodically since 2005:
The War Crimes Act of 1996, a federal statute set forth at 18 U.S.C. § 2441, makes it a federal crime for any U.S. national, whether military or civilian, to violate the Geneva Convention by engaging in murder, torture, or inhuman treatment.
The statute applies not only to those who carry out the acts, but also to those who order it, know about it, or fail to take steps to stop it. The statute applies to everyone, no matter how high and mighty.
Indeed, even the lawyers and other people who aided in the effort may be war criminals; see also this article, this one, and this press release.
As Robert Parry – the reporter who broke the Iran-Contra story for the Associated Press and Newsweek – pointed out last week:
Cheney pronounced himself "a big supporter of waterboarding," a near-drowning technique that has been regarded as torture back to the Spanish Inquisition and that has long been treated by U.S. authorities as a serious war crime, such as when Japanese commanders were prosecuted for using it on American prisoners during World War II…
He answered with an emphatic "yes" when asked if he had opposed the Bush administration's decision to suspend the use of waterboarding – after it was employed against three "high-value detainees" sometimes in repetitive sequences. He added that waterboarding should still be "on the table" today…
Speaking with a sense of impunity, he casually negated a key line of defense that senior Bush officials had hidden behind for years – that the brutal interrogations were approved by independent Justice Department legal experts who thus gave the administration a legitimate reason to believe the actions were within the law.
However, on Sunday, Cheney acknowledged that the White House had told the Justice Department lawyers what legal opinions to render. In other words, the opinions amounted to ordered-up lawyering to permit the administration to do whatever it wanted.
This is not entirely surprising. In 2005, e-mails revealed that Cheney pressured the U.S. Department of Justice to approve torture:
Dick Cheney and his lawyer, David Addington, pressured the Department of Justice in 2005 to quickly approve a torture memo that authorized CIA interrogators to use a combination of barbaric techniques during interrogations of "high-value" detainees, despite protests from former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, according to several of his e-mails released over the weekend.
Indeed, Cheney is the main guy who pushed for torture in the first place.
Cheney is also the guy who made the pitch to Congress justifying torture.
A former director of the CIA accused Cheney of overseeing American torture policies. And Colin Powell's former chief of staff stated that Dick Cheney is guilty of war crimes for his role in facilitating torture.
Under any definition, Cheney ordered torture, knew about it, and failed to take steps to stop it. Therefore, beyond any shadow of a doubt, Cheney has violated The War Crimes Act of 1996.
Cheney is a Fugitive
As I wrote in 2005:
18 U.S.C. § 2441 has no statute of limitations, which means that a war crimes complaint can be filed at any time.
The penalty may be life imprisonment or — if a single prisoner dies due to torture — death. Given that there are numerous, documented cases of prisoners being tortured to death by U.S. soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan (see for example this report), that means that the death penalty would be appropriate for anyone found guilty of carrying out, ordering, or sanctioning such conduct.
That means that Cheney could be rounded up as a fugitive as long as he is alive, just like those old Nazis you see on the news.
Meanwhile, Back In The Real World …
The mainstream media has repeatedly interviewed Cheney and let him say that torture works without challenging him with tough questions.
That's no different than interviewing Charles Manson and letting him argue – without challenge – that murder is a great thing.
In the real world – unlike in Cheney's bizarro parallel universe:
Torture doesn't work in providing information which will keep us safe
Torture actually reduces our national security
Most of those tortured were innocent
Torture has been used throughout history as a form of intimidation, to terrorize people into obedience, not for gathering information
The type of torture used by the U.S. in the last 10 years is of a special type. Senator Levin revealed that the U.S. used torture techniques aimed at extracting false confessions (see this, this, this, this. and this)
The United States of Torture
Unfortunately, Cheney is not alone.
An FBI email declassified in December 2004 states that Bush signed an Executive Order authorizing torture (here is the list of documents obtained through a freedom of information act request, and take a close look, for example, at this one, which mentions the "executive order").
An expert on Constitutional law said that only Bush could have authorized the torture which has occurred.
The general in charge of the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq said that Donald Rumsfeld and other top administration officials ordered that inhuman treatment and torture be conducted as part of a deliberate strategy. Pulitzer prize-winning Seymour Hersch agrees.
And torture is apparently still continuing under Obama.
By failing to demand that torture stop and those who ordered it – like Cheney – be held to account, Americans are complicit in war crimes, just like the Germans who failed to stand up to Hitler were complicit in crimes against humanity.
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Props to the folks at FC Dallas as well as professional soccer ball kicker Stephen Keel. If Keel's career as a professional soccer ball kicker does not work out, I fully expect to see him hosting infomercials as I'm flipping through the channels at 1 a.m.
But unlike most infomercials that are selling "fully functional" products, we regret to inform Dallas that their 4-4-2 Orange Obliteration System just isn't getting the job done. Check out what happened when Dynamo Diesel attempted to make himself a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.


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Information for G03505
Forest Governance Learning Group - Mozambique 2011 Report
Project material
The Forest Governance Learning Group is an informal alliance of in-country groups and international partners currently active in seven African and three Asian countries. We aim to connect those marginalised from forest governance to those controlling it, and to help both do things better.
This report covers the work of FGLG-Mozambique in 2011, highlighting key activities carried out under four thematic headings: Forest Rights and Small Forest Enterprises; Legitimate Forest Products; Pro-poor Climate Change Mitigation; and Trans-national processes and preparedness.
Project information
The Forest Governance Learning Group aims to connect forest-dependent people who are marginalised from forest governance with those who control it.
More at www.iied.org:
Forest Governance Learning Group


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JETS: Geno Smith returns to practice, Rex Ryan still hasn't named starter
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. >> Geno Smith was back on the practice field, his sprained ankle feeling better and a limp only occasionally visible.
The New York Jets' starting quarterback job is still undecided, and the rookie quarterback was ready to resume his pursuit.
"It felt a lot better," Smith said Monday of his right ankle. "I was able to move a lot more fluidly, wasn't thinking about it as much. The pain has gone down tremendously, so I'm able to do a lot of things I couldn't do last week."
For one, Smith wasn't healthy enough to play in the team's preseason game against Jacksonville last Saturday night. He was cleared for practice last week, but limped through the sessions until the Jets decided it would be smarter to let Smith rest up so he could approach this week without being hindered.
"I think he's much further along right now," coach Rex Ryan said. "He looked like he was driving the football better, so that was good to see. He made some really nice throws down the field today I thought."
Smith worked with the starting offense, while Mark Sanchez was with the backups, and didn't have one of his better days of practice. He was 1 of 6 passing -- although Stephen Hill dropped two catchable balls -- in 11-on-11 team drills and had an interception.
It was far from the "brutal" practice, as Ryan put it, he had when he threw four interceptions on a bad ankle last week, but he wasn't sharp. At least he was back on the field, though. And if there was a game tomorrow, Smith insisted he could play.
But, would he be the starter?
"We'll see," he said with a big grin.
The Jets' quarterback competition is still wide open as the team prepares for its third preseason game. Ryan was uncertain whether Sanchez or Smith would start Saturday night against the Giants, let alone the regular-season opener against Tampa Bay Sept. 8.
"Again, we'll let this thing work out," Ryan said. "We'll go through the week, and obviously we're just starting the week, so we have a few days of practice, and then we'll make that determination."
Sanchez had an up-and-down performance in three quarters last Saturday night in a 37-13 win over Jacksonville, and failed to remove any doubts that he should be the Week 1 starter.
He led the Jets on five scoring drives in three quarters, but also had a couple of mistakes that were reminiscent of the shortcomings that plagued his first four seasons. He was intercepted in the end zone by Marcus Trufant on a pass to Kellen Winslow Jr., and then just before halftime, held onto the ball too long as he scrambled while the final seconds ticked away and the Jets failed to get any points.
Both plays prompted boos from the MetLife Stadium crowd, which has grown impatient with Sanchez's mistakes. But, Sanchez has arguably had the better overall training camp performance.
"You have to ask the coaches," Sanchez said when asked if he has done enough to keep his job. "I feel good about my performance and the camp I put together. It's definitely the best camp I've had. Just keep improving and keep working."
How much more game action he gets remains to be seen. Normally, teams play their starters three quarters in the third preseason game, but Smith being unavailable against Jacksonville might have changed those plans. The Jets could potentially have Smith play the bulk of the snaps with the starters against the Giants, giving themselves one final long look at the rookie before making a call on who will start the season under center.
"I think we're coming down the stretch here, so I'm sure a decision will be made here soon," Sanchez said. "Other than that, I don't know."
Smith is approaching this week as if he'll start Saturday, and acknowledged that he is "extremely anxious" about being able to get out onto the field again after being a mere bystander in the last game.
"Sitting on the sideline was probably one of the hardest things I had to endure since I've been here," he said. "I never expected being out for a game, let alone second game of the preseason. But to be out there this week is going to be big for me. I get another chance to go out there and prove myself."
That said, Smith doesn't necessarily think that his performance against the Giants -- however long he plays -- will serve as a singular audition for the job he covets.
"They've been evaluating me since I've been here and I don't think one or two games will be able to tell you exactly where I am because it's still early in my career," he said. "It's about learning and I have a lot of learning to do, so every single rep that I get is going to be vital for my success in the future."
And as far as that "brutal" comment from Ryan last week? No biggie, as far as Smith is concerned.
"Bad days happen and I don't like to go back in the past," he said. "I would like to say that was one of my worst days. But, hey, you've got to move on from it and I have a short memory so I won't let it affect me in any type of way. Just going to learn from it."


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PDF Version of Factsheet - 180KB
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
Graphic Credit - NOAA, Jack Javech
FAMILY: Cheloniidae
STATUS: Endangered throughout its range (Federal Register, December 2, 1970).
DESCRIPTION: The Kemp's ridley turtle is one of the smallest of the sea turtles, with adults reaching about 2 feet in length and weighing up to about 100 pounds. The adult Kemp's ridley has an oval carapace that is almost as wide as it is long and is usually olive-gray in color. The carapace usually has five pairs of costal scutes. In each bridge adjoining the plastron to the carapace, there are four inframarginal scutes, each of which is perforated by a pore. The head has two pairs of prefrontal scales. Hatchlings are black on both sides. The Kemp's ridley has a triangular-shaped head with a somewhat hooked beak with large crushing surfaces. This turtle is a shallow water benthic feeder with a diet consisting primarily of crabs.
HABITAT: Outside of nesting, the major habitat for Kemp's ridleys is the nearshore and inshore waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Adult and sub-adult Kemp's ridleys primarily occupy nearshore habitats that contain muddy or sandy bottoms where prey can be found. Kemp's ridley hatchlings and small juveniles inhabit a very different environment than adults. After emerging from the nest, hatchlings enter the water and quickly swim offshore to open ocean developmental habitat where they associate with floating Sargassum seaweed. They passively drift within the Sargassum, feeding on a wide variety of floating items. Some of these juvenile turtles remain within Gulf of Mexico currents while others are swept out of the Gulf and into the Atlantic Ocean by the Gulf Stream. This developmental period is estimated to last approximately 2 years or until the turtles reach a carapace length of about 8 inches, at which time these sub-adult turtles return to neritic zones of the Gulf of Mexico or northwestern Atlantic Ocean where they feed and continuing growing until they reach maturity.
CRITICAL HABITAT: None designated.
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Nesting occurs from April into July during which time the turtles appear off the Tamaulipas and Veracruz coasts of Mexico. Possibly precipitated by strong winds and changes in barometric pressure, the females often nest in synchronized emergences, known as arribadas or arribazones, primarily during daylight hours. Clutch size averages 100 eggs. Some females breed annually and nest an average of 2.5 times in a season at intervals of 14 to 28 days. Sexual maturity is believed to be reached at about 12 years.
RANGE AND POPULATION LEVEL: The range of the Kemp's ridley includes the Gulf coasts of Mexico and the U.S., and the Atlantic coast of North America as far north as Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Nesting is essentially limited to the beaches of the western Gulf of Mexico, primarily in Tamaulipas and Veracruz, Mexico with a few historical records in Campeche, Mexico. Nesting also occurs regularly in Texas and infrequently in a few other U.S. states.
The Kemp's ridley is the most endangered of the sea turtles. Its numbers precipitously declined after 1947, when over 40,000 nesting females were estimated in a single arribada. The nesting population produced a low of 702 nests in 1985; however, since the mid-1980s, the number of nests laid in a season has been increasing primarily due to nest protection efforts and implementation of regulations requiring the use of turtle excluder devices in commercial fishing trawls. In 2011, a total of 20,570 nests were documented in Mexico, 81 percent of these nests were documented along the 18.6 miles of coastline patrolled at Rancho Nuevo. In addition, in the United States, 199 nests were recorded in 2011, primarily in Texas.
REASONS FOR CURRENT STATUS: The decline of this species is primarily due to human activities, including the direct harvest of adults and eggs and incidental capture in commercial fishing operations. Today, under strict protection, we are cautiously optimistic that the population is on its way to recovery.
MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION: The recent nesting increase can be attributed to full protection of nesting females and their nests in Mexico, and the requirement to use turtle excluder devices in shrimp trawls both in the United States and Mexico. In 1966, conservation efforts for the Kemp's ridley were initiated on the beach near Rancho Nuevo in Tamaulipas, Mexico. This locale is the only place in the world where large nesting aggregations of this sea turtle were and are known to occur. From 1966 to 1987, conservation efforts focused on the area of Rancho Nuevo with one turtle protection camp. In 1978, the U.S. joined with Mexico at Rancho Nuevo in a bi-national effort to prevent the extinction of the Kemp's ridley. In 1988, this bi-national program expanded to the south and another camp was added. In 1989, a third camp was established when the program was expanded to the north of Rancho Nuevo. By 1997, a total of seven camps had been established along the Tamaulipas and Veracruz coasts to allow for increased nest protection efforts.
The Mexico government also prohibits harvesting and is working to increase the population through more intensive law enforcement, by fencing nest areas to diminish natural predation, and by relocating nests into corrals to prevent poaching and predation. While relocation of nests into corrals is currently a necessary management measure, this protection effort is of concern since it makes the eggs more susceptible to reduced viability due to movement-induced mortality, altered sex ratios, disease vectors, catastrophic events like hurricanes, and marine predators that learn to concentrate efforts offshore from corral locations.
Eckert, K.L., K.A. Bjorndal, F.A. Abreu-Grobois, and M. Donnelly (eds.). 1999. Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Publication No. 4.
Lutz, P.L., and J.A. Musick (eds). 1997. The Biology of Sea Turtles. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL.
Lutz, P.L., J.A. Musick, and J. Wyneken (eds.). 2003. The Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume 2. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL.
National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and SEMARNAT. 2011. Bi-national recovery plan for the Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), second revision. National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.
Plotkin, P.T. (ed.). 2007. Biology and Conservation of Ridley Sea Turtles. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.
Rhodin, A.G.J. (ed.). 2005. Special Focus Issue: The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys kempii. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 4(4):755-976.
Schmid, J.R. and J.A. Barichivich. 2006. Lepidochelys kempii – Kemp's ridley. Chelonian Research Monographs 3:128-141.
For more information please contact:
Southeast Sea Turtle Coordinator
Program Officer, Marine Turtle Conservation Fund
Last Reviewed: January 2015
Last Updated: April 2015
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery - U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service resources for information on the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle and its recovery.
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery Plan Revision
2007 Endangered Species Act (ESA) Five-Year Review
PDF Version of Factsheet - 180KB


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A cowl scarf that adds function and flare to your winter wear! Just as warm as a traditional scarf, but without the bulk, looping, or tying. There are many ways to do up the snaps, and each way offers a different look and level of warmth. Perfect for cold days outside, or as an accessory to pair with your denim jacket, leather jacket, or blazer. Each cowl comes with an instruction card to get you started. There are also video instructions here:http://bit.ly/piprobinscowlsPip Robins' snap cowls are always lined with cotton, so they're soft against your skin. One size fits most, and perfectly unisex.
PROMO: Buy one, get the second 14% off (two cowls for $70)Discount will be applied at the checkout. MATERIALS:Exterior: poly blendLining: blue cotton corduroySnaps: gunmetalMEASUREMENTS: Length: 26" Height: 9"
CARE:Dry clean or hand wash. Iron as necessary.
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by Patricia Johnson
Part of Coping With Death and Grief Series:
1- Coping With Death and Grief 2- Understanding the Grieving Process
3- Grief, Trauma or Depression? 4- Helping Loved Ones Grieve
Watching someone you care about experience loss is inevitable. Knowing how to respond when it happens can make a memorable difference.
When someone we love is grieving the death of a friend or family member, it's a challenge to know what to do. We want to say the right thing, show support and ultimately help in the healing process.
Yet all too often, we end up awkwardly offering advice, sputtering a spiritual rationalization or avoiding the situation altogether.
Sara Alcoran can relate. She remembers the early morning phone call, the immediate sense of dread, the sorrow in her husband's voice when he said, "Dad is gone."
She remembers hastily packing up her infant daughter and speeding to the fire station where Linus worked.
"When I saw him, all I could do was hug him and cry," says Sara, a 30-year-old stay-at-home mom. "I had no idea what to say."
Like Sara, all of us try to be effective comforters but may find ourselves coming up short. Still, there are specific ways we can respond when those we love lose someone close to them.
Acknowledging the Loss
In an instant, the death of a loved one turns life upside-down. Emotions are piqued and responsibilities are overwhelming, making it tough to know when to reach out and when to give space.
"I believe it is more helpful to acknowledge the loss," says Ann Kihara, a licensed marriage and family counselor in Pacific Grove, California. "You can even simply say, 'I'm so sorry for your loss.' "
Although the initial contact may feel nerve wracking, take a first step by promptly making a call, writing a letter or paying a visit. Kihara cites other explicit do's and don'ts when standing alongside someone in pain:
"It's unhelpful, even callous, to say things like, 'This is God's will,' 'They would not want you to cry,' or 'They are in a better place.'" Kihara reasons, "We cannot presume to know the will of God nor the emotional state of our loved one who is grieving."
Instead, here's what you can do:
Be there to listen. "It's always tempting to give advice, but don't," Kihara says. True empathy, encouragement and compassion will help those going through a difficult time.
Encourage professional help if necessary. If you feel your loved one is unable to cope alone, gently recommend that he or she seek professional help. Providing a list of Christian counselors in the area may expedite the process.
State specifically how you're able to help. Offer to prepare a meal, provide a ride, or help clean and sort through old items. Be sensitive to your friend's feelings and proactive when it comes to meeting needs.
Remind your loved one to take time out to rest, and to hold off on any major life decisions. It is undoubtedly draining to adjust to a loss and this impairs the ability to think clearly and make decisions.
Reach out when your friend most misses a loved one. "Holidays and anniversaries will often trigger the grief response—even many years later," says Kihara. "Those are good times to be extra supportive and loving."
When it comes to helping a loved one cope with loss, Renee Mahdavi knows what it's like to be on the receiving end. After experiencing several miscarriages, Renee acknowledges the importance of validating the loss itself.
"I think the most valuable support we can possibly offer is to be there—just be there—and be willing to not 'fill the space' with our words," says Renee. "There are few things more powerful than knowing we are loved and supported through the valleys of life."
Originally appeared on the Focus on the Family website. Copyright ©2007, Patricia Johnson. Used by permission.


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WARNING: Severe thunderstorms affecting SEQ
LATEST: WINDS measuring 100km/h have been measured at Rathdowney as severe storms make their way across southern Queensland.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning at 6.45pm showing a widespread footprint of wild weather - their radars detected storms near Boonah, west of Brisbane, and northeast of Kingaroy.
Oakey bore the brunt of the bad weather with a wind gust of 113km/h reported, as well as golfball-sized hail about 5pm.
Its now Ipswich and Brisbane's turn to face the storm. BOM's latest warning, issued about 7pm, showed the severe storm travelling northeast towards both cities.
Logan, Beenleigh and the town of Laidley are also due to be hit by the storms.
BOM warned damaging winds were likely, as well as heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.
EARLIER: THE area likely to be hit by storms has expanded, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a storm warning for parts of Somerset, Scenic Rim, Southern Downs, South Burnett, Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley and the Gold Coast.
The warning showed severe thunderstorms near Crows Nest, Oakington, Maryvale and Border Ranges National Park.
BOM said the storms were moving northeast.
"They are forecast to affect the area northwest of Esk, Blackbutt, Linville and Yarraman by 6:25pm and Boonah, Kilcoy, the area between Boonah and Beaudesert and the area west of Kilcoy by 6:55pm," the warning said.
"Damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding are likely."
"Large Hail and damaging winds are likely with storms near Warwick and Oakington."
- Golfball size hail and a 113km/h wind gust was reported at Oakey around 5pm.
- 83km/h wind gust was reported at Wellcamp Airport at 4:40pm.
Heavy rainfall added to the #SEQld #QldStorm warning as storms become less isolated. Damaging wind gusts remain a risk, with large hail a slight risk. pic.twitter.com/0WAycuyyGZ— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 13, 2018
EARLIER: Storms loom for southeast Qld with chance of damaging winds
ISOLATED storms are now affecting the Somerset and Toowoomba regions after a hot, humid day.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast the storms would move to Esk and Toogoolawah by about 4.30pm.
BOM warned the storms were severe and damaging winds were likely.
Other areas of Queensland are not currently including in the storm warning.
EARLIER: A LARGE, humid, unstable air-mass is sitting over south-east Queensland this afternoon and the Bureau of Meteorology is saying this could lead to storms and damaging winds in some areas.
Queensland Duty Forecaster Annabelle Ford said while no storm warnings had been issued there was a good chance they would be, this afternoon.
"Over the whole of south-east Queensland there's a really unstable air-mass," she said.
"The conditions are probably good for storms but storms can always be really hit and miss - so they could be in one area but not everyone will get one."
Severe thunderstorms are likely in parts of SE #DarlingDowns this afternoon/evening and possible south of #Gympie. Damaging wind gusts are the most likely severe weather! #QldStorm #SEQld pic.twitter.com/VJEWIlusWw— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 13, 2018
This afternoon the BoM uploaded a map to Twitter saying severe thunderstorms were possible, or likely, for most of the state's south-east.
Non-severe or damaging storms are also possible for most of central coastal Queensland and much of the Cape, according to the forecast map.
"That's kind of indicative of where the moisture is," Ms Ord said of the map.
"In the south-west corner there's some really dry air so while storms are possible there they're more likely in the areas where there's more moisture."
Ms Ford said the nature of the system involved meant it was unlikely to lead to hail, however, she said there was a good chance of strong winds for the area south of Toowoomba.
Ms Ford said that was due to a technical fact about the system which she referred to as wind-shear.
Essentially this means the direction of the winds blowing along the earth's surface, or lower atmosphere, is different to the direction of the winds in the upper atmosphere.
"At the moment we have light north-easterlies in the lower atmosphere and then strong westerlies in the upper atmosphere," Ms Ord said before adding that wind-shear like this often increases the severity of strong winds during a storm.
Severe #QldStorm warning updated as storms continue to move to the north and northeast. Check warnings at https://t.co/B8GLELNfAc #BneStorm pic.twitter.com/Vk00BmkkLV— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 13, 2018


text: Caring for End-Stage Dementia Dementia is the loss of brain function that occurs with certain brain conditions. It affects memory and makes it harder for patients to think clearly and communicate. As dementia slowly worsens, patients become increasingly disabled. Over time, they lose their ability to care for themselves. If your loved one has now progressed to end-stage (advanced) dementia, it may help to know what to expect and plan for what lies ahead. Understanding End-Stage Dementia Symptoms are different for each patient. But, in general, dementia has three basic stages. Each stage can last a few months to years. End-stage dementia is the last, and often most stressful, stage for both patients and families. Once this point is reached, your loved one's brain function will have severely declined. This will affect how the rest of your loved one's body functions. With end-stage dementia, your loved one may no longer: Recognize family members and friends. Reason or have sound judgment. Speak or understand language. Have bowel and bladder control. Eat or swallow properly. Walk properly. He or she may need a wheelchair or be bed-bound. Perform normal tasks of daily living. He or she will need constant care. Revisiting Your Loved One's Care Plan Because of the extent of the physical and mental changes that can occur with end-stage dementia, your loved one's goals of care and treatment plan may need to change. Your loved one's doctor and health care team can help guide you through this process. When meeting with the team, you and others involved in your loved one's care may want to ask: How much longer does our loved one have to live? How can symptoms be managed at this time? What treatments might be helpful? What are the risks and benefits of these treatments? How will these treatments help with overall health and comfort? These questions may lead to further discussions about end-of-life care. Although these discussions can be difficult, remember that the goal is to provide the best care and quality of life for your loved one. Think about conversations you may have shared about the kind of treatments your loved one wants at the end of life. Consider their personal values or faith. Also ask for advice from those who share those values. Considering Care and Placement Options With end-stage dementia, your loved one's caregiving needs will greatly increase. If you are still caring for your loved one at home, you may want to explore other care options at this time. These may include: Private sitter services. A private sitter is a special type of caregiver. This person's main job is to monitor and keep the patient company. Sitter services are sometimes covered by long-term care insurance plans. Placement in a nursing home or skilled nursing facility. This type of facility assists with tasks of daily living. It also provides constant medical care. Trained doctors, skilled nurses, and therapists are onsite to assist with care. Hospice care. This is end-of-life care that can be done in a skilled nursing facility, hospice center, or at home. Hospice care focuses on ensuring comfort and enhancing quality of life in the time your loved one has left. It also provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support for both patients and families. Deciding whether to move your loved one to a facility or to end-of-life care can be upsetting. But know that you're not alone in this process. Your loved one's health care team can help address your questions and concerns. You can also seek advice from a social worker, spiritual advisor, or attorney. Getting Support Coping with your loved one's condition can wear you down over time. Grief, anger, fear, and worry-these are all normal emotions. Rather than dealing with your emotions alone, it may help to reach out to others. Talking to other family members and friends may help. Joining a support group for families and caregivers of loved ones with dementia may also help. You can seek support from your loved one's health care team as well. You can also contact your county health department to find other resources within your community.


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thrill of the chase
It's a sport of hound and prey as the members
of New Melle's Bridlespur club ride to hunt
Bob McEowen
thrill of the chase
It's a sport of hound and prey as the members
of New Melle's Bridlespur club ride to hunt
Bob McEowen
thrill of the chase
It's a sport of hound and prey as the members
of New Melle's Bridlespur club ride to hunt
Bob McEowen
Bob McEowen
It's early
Thanksgiving morning and a pack of 28 hounds meanders across a frozen
field. Their noses busily search the ground while a group of riders
on horseback follow closely. Several of the riders are dressed in bright
scarlet jackets. Others wear black coats with collars of blue. All
are attired in riding breeches and topped with velvet hunt caps.
One of the scarlet-clad
riders lags behind to study the field from a ridge. When a lone coyote
emerges from a thicket, the rider, called a "whipper-in," hollers
to the other hunters. Soon, the hounds return in a blur of white, tan
and black. The riders are fast on their heels.
The chase is on and
an 80-year-old tradition at the Bridlespur Hunt Club continues. The
sport is English-style foxhunting, though in America the prey tends
to be coyotes. In Missouri it's practiced only by this one organization,
currently based near New Melle in St. Charles County.
"When the hounds
get on, it will give you goosebumps," says Leslie Ayers, a 21-year
veteran of the Bridlespur Hunt. "To see a pack of hounds get
on their quarry and give voice, it is phenomenal to watch."
On this cold holiday
morning, a small group of hardy riders turns out in hopes of several
hours of strenuous pursuit over rugged terrain. Instead, gusty winds
thwart the hounds' normally keen sense of smell and the hunt
becomes a pre-feast trail ride. On other days, the action is fast and
furious as riders jump fences and race through woods and fields just
to keep the hounds in sight.
"The point
is to keep up with the hounds as best you can," says Eleanor
Hartwell, Bridlespur's huntsman, an employee of the club who
tends a pack of nearly 60 Foxhounds and manages the hunts.
"If they go
fast you've just got to press down your hat and go. You do things
that you would never do on a normal ride," she says. "It
can be a bit like a roller coaster ride. For the most part you know
you're perfectly safe but it's pretty thrilling, too."
Although riders are
required to hold Missouri hunting permits, the hounds are the true
hunters. The riders are merely spectators. The only guns on the hunt
are loaded with blanks to scare hounds from roads.
Contrary to a popular
perception, captive prey is not released. The hounds only pursue animals
found in the wild. While the hounds often stir up game, they rarely
taste blood.
"In the 21 years that I've been hunting we've had one, maybe
two kills. That's all," says Ayers, a member of Cuivre River Electric
Cooperative. "None of us want to see a kill. It's the thrill of the
In Europe, foxhunting
developed to rid farm land of predators. In America, the goal is to
ride long and hard until the prey goes to ground, burrowing itself
in a hole, at which point the hounds are called off. "You 'give
him best,' it's called," says Hartwell, also a Cuivre
River Electric member.
This stands in contrast
to foxhunting in Europe, where terriers are sometimes used to flush
burrowed foxes. In 2005, England's Parliament banned foxhunting,
bowing to pressure from animal rights activists. Although American
foxhunting clubs have not escaped the ire of such groups, members of
Bridlespur Hunt say their sport is not cruel.
not a blood sport," says Gene Deutsch, one of Bridlespur's "masters," senior
club members who oversee the organization's operation. "You're
on an animal watching two animals at play,"
"A coyote will
only stay as far in front of the hounds as he needs to keep his tail," says
Hartwell, who moved to Missouri three years ago from Millbrook, New
York, where her mother was huntsman at a prestigious hunt for 28 years.
While the prey escapes
the fate of their English relatives, the riders at Bridlespur do follow
the example of European foxhunters in other ways. Participants dress
in traditional riding clothes and adhere to an established order, with
the huntsman and masters leading the field and the remaining riders
deferring to them.
has always been a very traditional club, and we still maintain those
kinds of standards," says Ayers, a member of the club's
board of directors. "The same thing you see in the old hunt prints
is the way that we're typically dressed. Our horses are well
groomed and our members are well turned out. We are known for that.
just something elegant and Old World about it," she says.
Riders must "earn
their colors" at Bridlespur by regular participation in hunts,
proven ability on horseback and general involvement with the club organization.
Men with colors wear the scarlet coat during hunts, as do female masters
and members of the hunt staff. Women with colors are allowed robin's
egg-blue collars on their black or dark blue jackets.
Besides maintaining
an air of formality, the clothes serve a purpose. Most notably, the
scarlet coat provides instant visibility for whippers-in, masters and
the huntsman.
For some, though,
tradition is an end to itself. Lil Lewis, 80, is the oldest member
of the club who still hunts. She's belonged to Bridlespur Hunt
since the early 1960s and works to maintain the pageantry of English-style
foxhunting. "They call me the tradition police but I feel strongly
about it and it's kind of been my life's endeavor," she
Lewis has witnessed
Bridlespur's transformation from an important social venue for
the glitterati of St. Louis, to a refuge for diehard foxhunters, increasingly
threatened by urban sprawl.
Bridlespur was founded
in 1925 by brewing magnate August Busch, Jr. The club, then located
in west St. Louis County, began a tradition of twice-weekly hunts that
continues today from October through March. Encroaching suburbs eventually
made hunting there impossible. In 1957, the club moved to its present
location near New Melle.
Previously, two other
sanctioned foxhunts operated in Missouri. A Kansas City-area club relocated
to Kansas and the Meramec Valley Hunt, another St. Louis-area club,
merged with Bridlespur in 2001.
Currently, Bridlespur
holds hunts on its own property and across farms of willing adjoining
landowners. Other "fixtures," as hunt locations are called,
include nearby parcels, the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area
near Weldon Spring and large tracts in Illinois. In recent years, the
club has struggled with reduced access to land near New Melle, which
has experienced phenomenal growth. "We hunt by the grace of landowners
around us. But it's gotten so closed in, we can't do anything," says
After nearly 50 years
in its present location, Bridlespur is moving again. The club has purchased
nearly 1,400 acres in Lincoln County to the north.
A remaining challenge
for the club is a general decline of interest in foxhunting, in part
fueled by the perception that it is only practiced by society's
elite. While some clubs still cater to bluebloods, that is not the
case with Bridlespur which, Hartwell says, encourages interested horse
enthusiasts to try foxhunting.
Still, membership
at Bridlespur has been relatively stagnant over recent years with a
core group of about 30 dedicated hunters and a like number of social
Members say that
it is not exclusivity or cost that keeps new riders away but constraints
on time and the dedication required to participate. Those who enter
the sport discover a non-competitive activity that promises challenging
horsemanship with the excitement of hunting.
Tom Neese, a Ralls
County Electric Cooperative member from Frankford, is beginning his
third season foxhunting after 30 years as a horseman. Neese has competed
in three-day-long "eventing" equestrian triathlons but
says he now prefers foxhunting.
"If I had to
choose one thing to do between showing horses, eventing or hunting,
I would choose hunting — no ifs, ands or buts," he says. "It's
just a hoot. It's just an absolute rush when the hounds catch
a scent, the huntswoman takes off and away we go after her — uphill,
downhill, whatever terrain."
An old adage in the
sport is that some foxhunters ride to hunt while others hunt to ride.
The saying reflects the varied motivations participants bring to the
"For many people
it's definitely the chase and the hounds. For some people it's
the riding that they like — the speed and the jumps," Hartwell
says. "Some people just like to be out on a pretty day.
"For me, it's
the hounds. It's a very primal thing," she says. "You
have 30, 40 hounds out there all speaking at once on a coyote. Either
you find it interesting or you don't. For me, it's something
that's thrilling."
For more information
about Bridlespur Hunt Club, call (314) 302-5747 or log onto www.bridlespur.com.


text:
HOUSE WARMING: Fashionistas sure love a goody bag. Chloé played with the concept for the couture week opening party for its Paris Rue Saint-Honoré flagship on Wednesday night, creating a fun treasure hunt. Wielding golden keys that came with their invitations, guests were invited to open a series of padlocked white boxes placed around the two-story boutique, each housing a surprise.
Mingling with guests on the store's second-floor terrace, Chloé creative director Clare Waight Keller said: "The idea was to do something fun and quirky, something that really got everyone excited to go all around the store, get their surprise and really experience the whole place."
Mission accomplished. Having explored the contents of around half of the chests, designer Alexis Mabille, who looked a little pale around the chops from all the late nights working on his just-presented couture collection, laughed: "I got a candle and a perfume. Then I bumped into some friends and got distracted, but I have many more boxes to open."
"It's a very fresh idea and perfect for fashion people," noted actress Juliette Besson, daughter of French director and producer Luc Besson, who is hoping to get her teeth into her first feature film. "I'm looking for something artistic, and I love Tim Burton," she hinted. Waiters proffered foie gras and candied ginger, while partygoers thronging outside on the first-floor patio were treated to roasted chestnuts.
Sipping on a dry martini, style icon Sylvie Hoarau, one-half of the Paris-based duo Brigitte, stood admiring the store's powdery-hued décor. "It's very delicate and soothing," said the singer, who fresh from touring is already working on a new album.
Also taking in the space were former Chloé creative director Martine Sitbon and Marc Ascoli, who art directed a large-format coffee-table book for Chloé's 60th anniversary, penned by British journalist Sarah Mower, which is slated for release in September. "The legacy of images is incredible. It's so fascinating to see the visual identity of each of the eras," he said.
Other personalities spotted at the event included Marie-Ange Casta and Paz Vega.


text:
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text:
A course syllabus introduces both you and the subject to your students; communicates your goals and expectations; serves as official notice to students about course policies and requirements; and functions as a good learning tool. Like a blueprint for a building, a syllabus helps you build a course that is well thought out and organized. Details are carefully planned and not haphazardly tacked on at the last minute.
Advantages of a Good Syllabus
A well-designed syllabus benefits you and your students in a number of ways.
It requires you to think about the course and to organize early.
You must review and order books and other materials; determine course content and organization, assigned readings, and projects; then work it all into the semester's schedule. Developing a well-organized course is a lot of work, but once done, you have a clear plan for the semester(s) ahead.
It helps students understand how the course fits into their educational plans.
Students, especially in the first two years, are required to take a number of courses for which they may have little interest and motivation because they may not understand why they must take them or how these courses will contribute to their overall educational experience. By explaining the course rationale, your syllabus can help them make connections with the rest of the curriculum.
It communicates your expectations.
When students know what to expect, they can plan their own work for the semester. This is particularly important to students when several of their courses have projects or exams close together.
It establishes class policies, assignments and deadlines.
Because the syllabus is a written document and it is retained by the student, a syllabus can eliminate misunderstandings and clarify policies, thus reducing student confusion and the incidence of the allegation, "You never told us…" Think of your syllabus as a contract between you and each student. You expect each student to abide by the guidelines put forth, and promise to extend earned rewards at the end of the course. Students can expect that the guidelines put forth will not change mid-course.
It gives relevant information.
The syllabus conveys important information about the course to prospective students, the department office, and colleagues.
It helps establish the classroom climate.
The tone of your syllabus is very important. Your choice of words can communicate your concern for students—or portray you as rigid and indifferent. Because the syllabus is the first written communication students receive from you, they tend to scrutinize it carefully to get a feeling for you as an instructor and your course expectations. Do not use upper case or underlining for emphasis. Instead, use boldface type or italics judiciously. Examine your syllabus from the perspective of your students. You need to clearly and efficiently communicate necessary information about the course, assignments, exams, and due dates. Specify titles and edition numbers of required texts and readings, along with expected costs. Use gender-neutral and culture-neutral language as much as possible. Don't use expressions and abbreviations that some students may not understand.
Information to Include in a Syllabus
Get a Head Start
University bylaws require instructors to "inform students concerning the requirements, standards, objectives and evaluation procedures at the beginning of each course." Instructors should convey this information to students via a written syllabus. Any syllabus should also clearly communicate the instructor's name, office location, contact information, and office hours.
Basic Information
- Course number, section, title, number of credit hours, meeting days and times, room and building
- Instructor/TA name, title, address, phone numbers, email address, office hours, and no-call hours
- Prerequisites set for the students enrolling in the course (courses and/or skills)
- Required purchases: texts and supplies (where available and estimated price)
- Space for names and telephone numbers of at least two classmates
Course Description and Objectives
- How course fits into the student's major or general education requirements
- Description of the course: why people study this area of knowledge
- Intrinsic value of the course to the student
- Course goals and objectives, characteristics you expect the student to develop by the end of the course
- Benefits and practical applications of this course for the student
- Reasons you arranged course content in a particular order
- Course strategies: lectures, discussions, group work, labs
Grading and Course Requirements
- Grading standards, weights, and criteria for each graded component included in the final grade
- If participation is considered in assigning the course grade, how do you define and measure it?
- Course assignments and projects: purpose, due dates, format requirements or suggestions, level of research expected, approximate length, grading criteria
- What tests will evaluate: memory, understanding, ability to synthesize
- Nature of tests: multiple-choice, short answer, essay, or some combination
- Policies regarding attendance and/or participation, late assignments, make-up exams, extra credit, grades of P/N, I, and W
Course Calendar
- Topics to be covered, in sequence, with dates
- Due dates for readings, projects, assignments, and papers
- Holidays or times when class won't meet
Other Concerns
- Reference materials at the library or other locations and how the student should access them
- Vocabulary words (with or without definitions)
- Policy regarding academic honesty
Optional Items to Add or Incorporate
- Conditions under which the syllabus is subject to change
- List of campus resources, library policies, computer availability and policies, learning assistance policies, laboratory policies
- Descriptions of and rationale for instructional techniques you will use
- Your beliefs about your role as teacher: expert, formal authority, socializing agent, facilitator, role model, researcher, resource consultant, coach, counselor


text:
Welcome to the Old School
Gaming changed considerably over the last three decades. These days, the most successful games make it easy for the player to get from point A to point B. Need to find an item to complete a quest? Don't worry, the game gives you a detailed explanation of where the item is located, there's an arrow leading directly to the item and the location appears on the map. In fact, the game may teleport you directly there and back to make it easier.
The original Dark Souls turned that concept on its side and brought back the challenge of classic gaming, and Dark Souls II picks up right where the first left off in terms of challenge. The sequel takes a page from RPGs of old, where accepting a quest meant just that. All you received was an extremely brief explanation of the problem. No detailed map, arrows, X marks the spot or teleportation. Many of the quests in Dark Souls II give you almost no insight on what you're supposed to do or go. It's a stark contrast from most modern role-playing games, and a breath of fresh, albeit frustrating, air as a result.
Death for the Undead
If the simple challenge of completing quests wasn't enough, Dark Souls II carries on from the original game's tradition of making even the most basic tasks more difficult than in other games. While most adventures start off in an easy area to teach players the basics, Dark Souls II throws high-level threats into the fray with no set path for gamers to take. Think those two enemies near the tutorial area are easy to take down? Sorry, they'll kill you in two hits.
Yes, even at the beginning of the game, enemies are difficult to defeat, especially when you have to fight multiple creatures at once. The stamina bar determines how often you can attack and evade, but unless you master the parry ability early on, it can be difficult to fight off several enemies without taking damage. In almost every instance, two or three hits are enough to finish off your character.
A Sense of Accomplishment
So, like its predecessor, Dark Souls II is an extremely challenging game, and this isn't a bad thing. It's sure to turn some players off, especially when they die 10 times during the first hour of play. However, it's a welcome challenge that gives you a sense of accomplishment once you complete a quest or defeat a troublesome boss. In fact, everything in the game provides a proper sense of achievement.
Even the simplest things in other games, such as levelling up your character, become triumphs in Dark Souls II. You can only level up by collecting souls, and in true Dark Souls style, every time you die, you lose all of the souls you collected. You can go back to the location where you died and collect the lost souls, but if you die again before doing this, all of those souls are lost for good, along with your chance of levelling up any time soon. On top of this, souls are also used to purchase new items and gear in addition to levelling up your stats, which makes them even more valuable. Then there are a ton of stats and gear to level up, making it a challenge figuring out where best to use your souls. Couple this with the multiple classes you can play as and the addition of online multiplayer, and the challenge increases even more.
Dark Souls II has a solid storyline, but the game is anything but linear and this could be a struggle for some players when trying to figure out where they're supposed to go next. At the onset of the game, there are several areas you can venture into, but only one or two paths are "easy enough" for you to make it through safely. The trial and error may be frustrating for some, but once you get to the end of an area, youll feel as though you met the challenge and came out on top. It's a feeling that most modern games lack.
Not For the Faint Of Heart. Or Soul.
Dark Souls II is a lengthy, challenging and rewarding game. It doesn't offer many helpful tips, or hold your hand through the early portion of the game, and some players will almost certainly detest this. If you are such a player, this is not the game for you. But if you're one of those who choose to press on, Dark Souls II could easily become one of your favourite games. The challenge it presents truly rewards you, and it can be a great experience.
If you can make your way through, the story is expansive and engulfing. You'll want to play more of the game just to find out how things end. You may throw your controller a few times, but that's all part of the fun.
GAME's Verdict: 9/10
The Good:
- Compelling story that keeps you wanting more.
- Intricate levelling system that allows for micromanaging stats.
- Online multiplayer adds considerably to the experience.
The Bad:
- The number of times you'll die per hour.
- The raw challenge of simply figuring out where to go next.
- May not appeal to the more casual gamer.
Published: 11/03/2014


text:
Hi, I'm Andrea Meyers, a wife, mom, grad student, educator, photographer, avid cook, and gardener writing about my adventures in the kitchen and garden with my husband and three hungry boys in the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area. In my education career I have worked as an e-learning instructional designer, trainer, and teacher.
Awards and Media
In 2010 I was thrilled to learn that Babble.com include me in their list of the 50 Best Mom Food Bloggers.
I was incredibly honored to have my blog (then Andrea's Recipes) nominated as a finalist for the 2008 Food Blog Awards in the Family/Kids category. You can read more about how this blog has been mentioned in the media on the Media page.
Where Do the Recipes Come From?
The collection of recipes here is a mix of my original recipes, old family favorites, and other recipes that I have collected over the years. I'm not a professional cook, but food is one of my passions and I'm fortunate to come from a line of good Southern cooks. I spent eight years working overseas and had opportunities to travel around the world and sample local foods and collect a few recipes as I went. All these recipes are actually used in my kitchen on a regular basis and undergo careful scrutiny of family and friends, none of whom have any credentials other than the fact that they like to eat good food.
If I know the source of a recipe, I give credit. That being said, some of the recipes have been in my collection for a long time and I may not have written down the source when I collected the recipe years ago, or the recipe came from my mother or grandmother who got it from a friend or another relative and the original source of the recipe has passed into legend. I do my best to give credit where credit is due.
Omnivore, Vegetarian, or Vegan?
We eat a varied diet, mostly vegetarian, though we do eat meat a couple times a week. When I feel it's appropriate I cook vegan dishes for my family.
Why Start a Cooking Blog?
I started putting my recipes in an (ugly) online archive when my husband and I were dividing time between homes in two different states for a couple years. I would get annoyed when I wanted to cook something and the cookbook or recipe was at the other house. So I started planning meals ahead and would add recipes to the archive that I planned to use the next time I was at "the other house." My online recipe archive was born out of necessity, and it was a whole lot easier than schlepping my large cookbook collection back and forth. What started organically became a big project when I started collecting family recipes and adding them to the archive. But nothing was photographed and my notes about each recipe were very sparse or even nonexistent, and there was no search functionality. I just had to remember where everything was.
When my archive outgrew the static, hacked-together-in-a-few-minutes site it lived on, I decided to move everything to WordPress just to make it more manageable. WordPress has the MySQL/PHP back end already in place, which was very convenient. When I found WordPress, I was in the process of teaching myself MySQL so that I could create a searchable online recipes database, and I'm forever grateful to Ryan, Matt, and all the other good folks who give so much time and effort to making WP a great package.
The funny thing about this food blog hobby of mine is that I never intended to have a food blog, so you can imagine my surprise when I got my first comment. I was still a WordPress newbie and I didn't even realize the comment was there! It never occurred to me that other people outside my family would visit the site, so that comment was an epiphany.
Some of the recipes that I first added to this blog are in a very rough state, i.e. no photos, etc. The style guide I've created for my recipe posts has evolved since I began the blog, so bear with me when you look at posts from the first year. As I get a chance to make the recipe again, I attempt to take a photo although conditions are not always ideal. I don't like to keep everyone waiting while I shoot a dozen or more photos to choose from for publish, so it may take a while before some of those early posts are cleaned up.
Gardening and Grow Your Own
I've had edible gardens wherever I lived since 1997. Some were balcony gardens with a few containers of tomatoes and herbs, in some homes we had enough room to put in a raised bed or two, and now we have over 200 square feet of edible gardening space. We try to grow as much of our own food as possible, hence the inspiration for the blogging event Grow Your Own.
[Updated November 2014.][Disclosure: This blog earns a small commission through affiliate links.]


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Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) turned his season and life around after a dark period that saw him suspended for Michele Ferrari dealings. The Sicilian followed up his Galibier win three days ago with another one in Vicenza today.
Asked about the Ferrari period in a post-stage press conference, he fired back with the same grit that helped earn his victory hours earlier.
"You're so smart and young, and you ask a question about the past?" he said. "I think when you make an error, you pay, you close the chapter and you speak of another. I think that question is out of place."
The question referred to a dark period of Visconti's life. Italian authorities suspended him in December for three months and fined him €11,000 for working with Ferrari. He is part of a group of Italians – including Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) and Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) – who worked with the banned doping doctor and received suspensions.
The bans, however, were mostly a slap on the wrist as they were back-dated and during the winter/off-season period.
Visconti, however, suffered depression at the same time and went through a life-change. His win on Galibier was a sort of salvation. He said that the Vicenza win today was the first of his new career.
He answered several other questions about his stage win and this Giro d'Italia, but the Ferrari one stuck in his mind. After the press conference ended seven minutes later, he added to his previous response.
"Wait, I wanted to apologise for how I responded," he said after journalists had already stood to leave. "I was so happy and it hurt to hear a question like that, but it's clear that someone would want to know. Everyone in life makes mistakes, but for me the chapter is closed."
"What did I learn? If I look back, I see that you have to trust your own means and have faith in yourself without looking elsewhere."
Visconti is back racing in the Giro this year with Pozzato and Scarponi. Scarponi sits fourth overall and is a threat to knock Rigoberto Urán (Sky) from third overall.
With his win today, Visconti has helped Spain's Movistar team conquer four stages. Alex Dowsett got the ball rolling with a time trial win in Saltara ahead of Bradley Wiggins (Sky).
Visconti, a three-time Italian champion, escaped solo on the Col du Télégraphe to win under snowfall on Galibier's slopes. His win today was just as stylish, attacking on the final Cosara climb and riding solo in the final 16 kilometres.
Related links
Visconti wins stage 17 of the 2013 Giro