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Vail Daily letters to the editor
Challenge with Eagle flightsIn your Oct. 15 issue, I read with interest about the annual decreases in the flight service and what needed to be done to help the Eagle County Regional Airport.As a tourist before we moved here, we flew into the area both via the Denver airport as well as Eagle, owning time-shares at the Westin and Sheraton in Avon.The main problem we had, as frequent million-mile travelers on American, was finding an open seat to use our miles because of the lack of flights coming to Eagle, thus forcing us to use the Denver airport. The difference in renting a car there and driving here was far cheaper than paying a higher price for a seat and renting a car at Eagle.The only time we were able to use our miles was the first week in February, and I had to book about five months in advance for that. I was told that was because there were more flights during that time of the season.I see that deals are made to ensure that flights continue to come to Eagle, thus ensuring the companies can make money – which of course should be seen coming back via the hotel, meals and other activities they would use – but I think you need to also look at the airlines in competing for the Denver versus Eagle market.There have been times where we went somewhere else because we could not get flights to Eagle, and that is sad.I have been to resorts all over, and for the airlines to survive in an area, the price for tickets can be a make-or-break for some.If we are going to have more visitors, we need to look to the airlines for some pricing specials and flight additions. So far, I see us just paying the difference in their full flights here and not much from their end. It should be a two-way venture.George Squyres Jr. EagleFancher for councilI urge all Avon citizens to elect Jennie Fancher to the Avon Town Council. Jennie is smart, hard-working and cares deeply about our community. She has the vision and energy to help Avon achieve its full potential. As I come to the close of my eight years serving on the Avon Town Council, I would be delighted to pass the torch to someone of Jennie's caliber and talents. I feel confident that Jennie Fancher would make an outstanding Avon Town Council member. Kristi Ferraro AvonSupports ObamaThe job situation is slowly improving. Obama did not make that mess – he inherited it. All the yelling from the other side that he hasn't done enough is ridiculous. Four years is not enough time to fix things, and what Obama managed to do probably prevented a real depression. But jobs are not the only issue, although his opponents would say they are (and I find it almost funny that rich Romney is so concerned about jobs for the rest of us). Other issues are real and are being ignored. For one, Romney and his vice presidential pick would put women back in the Dark Ages. I lived through the '50s, which was a lovely time for white males, but not such a good time for women and minorities. I don't want to go back there.Although President Obama has not always done what he set out to do (how could he, when the House of Representatives fought him at every turn?), I'd far rather have him in office than Romney. When I see someone working three part-time jobs and not making enough money to buy insurance, I say hooray for Obamacare, which would allow people to buy insurance in groups at a lesser cost. Let's hope he has a chance to implement it.Romney and cohorts seem to have an inability to understand that climate change is real and is affecting crops, livestock, forests, water levels -you name it. Instead of pushing for less destructive kinds of fuel development, they can't wait to drill in protected spots, such as the Arctic Wildlife Refuge (what is the word "refuge" supposed to mean?) and every inch of federal land the oil companies can put their hands on.I am one of Romney's 47 percenters. I am retired and living mostly on Social Security. I was an Air Force wife for many years, and because of much moving around, didn't get into the job market until very late. I'd hate the thought of what I would do if there was no Social Security. Moving the start date up a year would probably make a huge difference toward solvency, but the investment market is just too chancy to substitute for Social Security, something Republicans would like to do.Please, think and study the issues, and vote for President Obama.Katherine Delanoy EagleOpen space is no luxury A number of writers have already contributed comprehensive responses to the open space fund issue. However, I was still troubled by assertions made by Don Rogers and motivated to write.Rogers claimed "the open space tax is a luxury in a county that's already four-fifths public open space."Coincidentally, I recently came across the following report regarding Blair Mountain in West Virginia, which reminded me that just because land is currently unavailable for development does not mean it is protected in perpetuity.In 2009, three coal companies challenged the listing of West Virginia's Blair Mountain on the National Register of Historic Places because it would interfere with their plans for mountaintop coal removal. Blair Mountain is significant because it was the sight of the largest armed uprising in labor history. After pressure from the coal companies, the West Virginia preservation officer reversed the decision, which was then challenged in court by a coalition of environmental and historical groups. Recently, a federal judge threw out the appeal by this coalition, removing Blair Mountain's protection.Rogers was misleading in his use of the term "open space." I can only assume, since he does not clarify, that he means BLM land, national forest land and privately held land not yet built on. These are not protected lands. BLM and national forest lands can be sold.As Scott Conklin notes in his column, "public land is not the same as open space. Of the large portions of our community that are public land, only wilderness areas have a level of protection that guaranties permanence."Rogers also tries to shame the public by claiming such a tax a is luxury while our schools struggle. As if these funds would easily be diverted from open space to the school district. This is the same school district Rogers has taken to task on these very pages for poor financial choices, like not consolidating facilities to save money. Furthermore, as the most recent Vail Daily poll shows, even when a tax is prudent and necessary, like the current request from the fire district, public support is tepid at best.Rogers' solution is lose-lose. Repeal the open space tax and lose out on the opportunity to set aside land that can be enjoyed for generations. At the same time, the likelihood of an increase in property taxes for the school district is unlikely. Such an effort in 2011 was handily defeated.All the while, Rogers seems oblivious to the tremendous synergy such a tax has generated, as noted in Jill Ryan's letter, where she emphasized how the impact of the open space program has been amplified by the combination of grants, multiple funding partners and donations by homeowners associations.John Hill's letter regarding Boca Raton provided an excellent benchmarking example where a community with foresight has set aside land, thereby enhancing the community's quality of life and property values.Lastly, establishing the open space program showed local, not federal, stewardship of our valley.Deirdre Noble ArrowheadSmall price for safetyMaybe you don't think passing this ballot issue, while important, will ever affect you, your family, or your property. You decide the odds of anything happening and requiring the fire department's services aren't worth the small cost. On Nov. 6, you decide to vote no on 5A. Suppose enough people vote no and the mill levy increase does not pass. Eagle River Fire (Eagle River Fire Protection District) must decrease services to meet its budget. The staffed fire station just minutes from your house is closed down. The next closest station is 10 minutes away. Not that far, you say. Or is it?Imagine that your parents come to the mountains to visit you and ski or hike or bike. They aren't used to this high altitude. Your father has a heart condition, which doesn't become apparent until they are at 8,000 feet. Suddenly, in the middle of dinner, your father clutches his chest and falls to the floor. He's having a heart attack. You call 911 for help. Everyone is panicking. Dispatch tells you firefighters will be on the way, but they are also responding to a structure fire with injuries, and no other units are available at this time. Since the mill levy did not pass, the station that was just a couple minutes away from your house was closed. The EMTs who were always there and now could have saved your father's life are not available. Imagine explaining to your children that their grandpa wasn't able to receive the medical help in time because too many people voted no. The monthly amount Eagle River is requesting is about the cost of a Netflix subscription on a $500,000 home. Is the safety of your family and home really not worth that much?I have family and friends who have worked in Colorado in the emergency medical services field for many years. I've seen firsthand the elation of many firefighters when they arrive in time and save a life or have saved a property from a totally devastating fire. The men and women who staff your stations are highly trained to respond to your emergency, and they want to help you, your family and your community.Please, vote yes on ballet issue 5A Nov. 6. Eagle River Fire Protection District needs you to be there for them now so they can be there for you in the future. Carol Scherling BreckenridgeVote yes on 5AHaving personally watched three fires burn in Avon last summer, there is no question that we are voting yes on ballot measure 5A. In all cases, we watched the Eagle River Fire Protection District respond quickly and professionally. But for how long can underfunded firefighters always respond on time and so well? Because of their stressed budget, the Eagle River Fire Protection District has already implemented rolling fire station closures, cut 70 percent of administrative staff and deferred critical equipment purchases, including much-needed large-scale wildfire fighting equipment. We certainly do not want the Avon fire station to be closed when we next dial 911, so we'll say yes to 5A. Please join us in voting yes for the modest property tax increase in ballot question 5A and let's properly fund our community firefighters.Darien Underwood, Tamra Nottingham Underwood Yes to fire taxI'm a Minturn resident, and I'm voting yes for 5A to support the Eagle River Fire Protection District's mill levy.In this valley, our residents and visitors demand the best of everything.We simply cannot allow our fire service to offer anything less than first-class, 24/7/365 protection. The reality of our declining property value situation has caused a proportional decrease in the fire district's revenues. Two stations will permanently close if 5A does not pass.Property values may continue to waver as the economy recovers. That doesn't change Eagle River Fire Protection District's need for a steady revenue stream to make sure you and I receive top-notch fire protection. If 5A doesn't pass, it's very likely that my property insurance rates will go up, and it's exceedingly likely that my insurance will increase far more than the amount I'll pay to support 5A.For a $500,000 home, a yes vote on 5A amounts to $12.50 per month. Paying higher insurance rates doesn't guarantee protection for my family or me if we have a fire or an emergency at home. When seconds count, I want to know that the Eagle River Fire Protection District station down the street is fully staffed with firefighters who are ready to respond.This summer brought extreme wildfire danger to our valley, and wildfires around the state had a disastrous effect. In this area, we depend directly on tourism and recreation to draw visitors and residents, and we cannot afford to skimp on fire protection.This area is world-renowned for having the best of pretty much everything. We need to make sure that includes our level of local fire protection. Vote yes for 5A. Ensure that your home, your family and this community receive the highest level of service that Eagle River Fire Protection District and its highly trained staff can provide.Penny Bumgarner MinturnReasons to support 5AWhile I understand this election season has heated topics, I urge you to set aside all preconceived notions and ask you to thoughtfully consider this letter. Eagle River Fire Protection District is a professional fire service agency and proudly serves Camp Hale, Tennessee Pass, Red Cliff, Minturn, Eagle-Vail, Avon, Mountain Star, Wildridge, Beaver Creek (contractual agreement), Bachelor Gulch, Arrowhead, Homestead, Edwards, Lake Creek, Singletree, Pilgrim Downs, Cordillera, Bellyache Ridge, Red Sky Ranch and portions of Interstate-70 and U.S. Highway 6 & 24. While they have a very close working relationship with Vail Fire, Eagle River Fire Protection District is a completely separate entity. The Eagle River Fire Protection District has not built any of their fire stations as they have been donated to the district or leased for a nominal fee.Eagle River Fire Protection District is asking its voters for a 3.77 mill levy increase on ballot question 5A in this November's election. The Eagle River Fire Protection District has experienced a tax revenue decrease since 2010. Eagle River Fire does not charge for its services when residents and visitors dial 911. The district has historically received about 90 percent of its revenues from property taxes. Property values have drastically declined in our area; therefore, Eagle River Fire has experienced a proportional decline in its revenues. In response to these declines, The Eagle River Fire Protection District cut 70 percent of its administrative staff and is terminating the resident program at the end of 2012 (this was an additional 26 firefighters at full capacity). In addition, since April, the Eagle River Fire Protection District has been forced to temporarily close neighborhood fire stations (Minturn, Avon, Edwards and Cordillera) when firefighters were sick or injured. Despite these cost-saving measures, Eagle River Fire Protection District has been forced to dip into reserves during several large-scale incidents this year. Without a yes vote to 5A, two stations will permanently close in 2014, increasing response times to any incident. It has not been determined at this time which stations would close. A room-and-contents fire doubles in size every 30 seconds, so any increase in response time could mean the difference between containing the fire to the room of origin, or the entire house becoming involved in fire.The mill levy increase of 3.77 mills would offset the decrease in revenue and allow Eagle River Fire Protection District to replenish its reserve funds. A yes vote on 5A will maintain Eagle River Fire Protection District's tax revenues at 2010 levels; ratchet down as property values recover; not contribute to a revenue increase of greater than 2010 levels, plus inflation and growth; ensure the taxpayers of the district receive a high level of fire protection service by maintaining 24/7/365 staffing levels at its five operational stations; and only increase residential property taxes by $2.50 per month for $100,000 assessed value ($30.01 per year).A no vote on 5A will permanently close two stations in 2014; after talking with insurance agents, they advised me that if the ISO rating of the district was to go up by 2 or more points, which it will with the closing of stations, that a person could expect at least a 10 percent increase in their annual homeowner's policy.A local campaign, Citizens Campaign for 5A, has been started to support the initiative. Visit the campaign's website, http://www.erfpdvoteyes.com, for more information. I urge you again to look at the facts and ask yourself, would you rather pay for professional fire service response to all types of incidents, from structure fire to wildland fire to car accidents? Or would you rather your insurance company costs increase due to closures of neighborhood fire stations? The choice is yours on Nov. 6. Please vote yes on 5A!Mikel Kerst Retired Battalion Chief, Eagle River Fire Protection DistrictFancher for councilThe citizens of Avon will vote for three seats on the Avon Town Council this election. I sincerely feel that Jennie Fancher will superbly fill one of the open Avon council positions. Jennie is committed to building our Avon community, enhancing our business environment and serving all the citizens in Avon.Jennie brings a perspective and background that enables her to work cooperatively with our neighbors, businesses, and residents. Jennie is extremely thoughtful and will do the hard work required for Avon, while providing her unique insight. She will enhance the Avon Council so that it operates as one team comprised of seven unique ideas pushing Avon to be the greatest community possible.Having been part of the Avon Town Council for the last six years, I know to count on each council member's ability to think critically, do the homework required and work cooperatively. All these attributes are essential. Jennie has these qualities and more. She will serve the public in an open and transparent manner, and in the context of the Avon council's framework while expressing her perspective so that Avon becomes a greater community. In my conversations with Jennie, her enthusiasm, vision and desire for a healthy exchange of ideas on the Avon Town Council show through as outstanding attributes. I enthusiastically endorse Jennie Fancher and ask you to vote for Jennie Fancher for Avon Town Council. Rich Carroll Mayor, Avon Turner for DAWould you want somebody who's not a doctor operating on you? Would you want somebody who is not a cop responding to your home after you called 911? Then why would you want somebody who has never prosecuted a single case protecting you in court?In the race for district attorney, there is only one candidate with experience: Scott Turner. He has been a prosecutor for 10 years. He doesn't talk about wanting to prosecute big cases. He has actually prosecuted them and put criminals in prison. While the rules say this is a political office, politics should not matter when it comes to enforcing our laws and fighting for us in the courtroom. Most citizens of the 5th Judicial District may not realize that the District Attorney's Office has an annual operating budget of $3 million. I want a district attorney who can do what the job requires, and who is capable of properly managing this budget. At a recent meeting, Scott's opponent stated the District Attorney's Office budget is $2.4 million. It's a little unsettling when somebody aspiring to manage the District Attorney's Office and budget is off by $600,000.The office of district attorney is too important to entrust it to a rookie. That's why I'm supporting Scott Turner. I hope you will too.Randy Milhoan Minturn
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Youth Then and Now:
This cartoon (thanks to http://citizensforsafetechnology.org), which has been knocking around the Internet for a few months, is good enough to show again here.
Entering an office today full of Millennial knowledge workers (say, a law firm or investment firm) is a curiously subdued experience. Not a lot of talking, folding, walking, singing, stapling, photocopying… or even moving. Everyone is intensely focused, busily attending to many tasks, and (usually) communicating with others, often with many others at the same time. But it's all done with a screen, keyboard, and headphones. To the outside observor, there seems to be almost nothing going on.
I am reminded of the climactic scene in Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End (1953), when Jan (the last real "human") returns to earth and finds all of the earth's children, in the hundreds of millions, lying motionless on one continent, not even opening their eyes. But they are communicating through telepathy, and soon they begin to move and reconfigure the planets through telekenesis. As I recall, Jan stays to witness the transformation of the rising generation into pure mind (this is where it gets real Boomer!), which finally happens in a Stanley Kubrick-style flash of pure energy that destroys the entire solar system.
Thankfully, most Millennials are as yet engaged in more prosaic activities: emailing their boss, IMing their friend, checking out a YouTube video, airbrushing something out of their Facebook wall…

subset: commoncrawl


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UNC Wilmington Professor Part of Team
Newswise — Jamie Rotenberg, UNC Wilmington assistant professor of environmental studies, along with researchers at the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE), is studying what is thought to be the first active Harpy Eagle nest ever recorded in Belize, where the predatory birds were previously thought to be extinct.
Two adult Harpies and one five-week old nestling were discovered in November, when Belizean technicians were patrolling the Bladen Nature Reserve in the Mayan Mountains of Belize. The area is rugged and remote, but scientists have searched for signs of the bird there since 2005, when an adult was first spotted.
Harpy Eagles are known as the most powerful raptor in the Americas, weighing up to 20 pounds and reaching a seven-foot wingspan. They hunt prey as large as monkeys and sloths for food. However, due to deforestation and hunting, Harpy Eagles are typically missing from most of Central America's rainforests, where they once freely ranged. They are designated as "Near Threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and considered "Critically Endangered" in Belize.
It's currently unclear how or why the birds managed to nest in the area. According to Rotenberg, the active nesting site is a sign that the reserve is functioning to keep wildlife safe from dangers associated with human interference.
"Biologically, the presence of the Harpy pair and chick signifies an in-tact eco-system that extends to the highest predator," Rotenberg says.
Following the spotting in 2005, BFREE, in conjunction with Rotenberg, submitted a grant proposal to The Nature Conservancy Belize Program, proposing an innovative science-based program that would focus on avian conservation and awareness. Funded in 2006, the Integrated Community-Based Harpy Eagle and Avian Conservation Program links Belizeans to the protected areas of land adjacent to their homes through specific environmental awareness projects. Belize is a small, English-speaking country about the size of Massachusetts, with approximately 40 percent of its lands protected in reserves and parks.
Recently, the program has grown to include collaboration with The Institute for Bird Populations in California, BioDiversity Research Institute in Maine, and York University in Canada. Rotenberg has taken approximately 50 UNC Wilmington students to Belize to work with BFREE as part of the study abroad program he offers. Undertaking undergraduate internships as well as master's level projects, students have worked closely with the bird study site and the community awareness program.
For more information, please visit www.bfreebz.org/ and sites.google.com/site/rotenbergj/home
Media contact:Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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As I write this, I'm killing time in the food court by Vancouver International Airport's Gate 45, waiting for my flight back to Ottawa, home of Shopify headquarters as well as my home for the summer. My plane doesn't take off for a little while, and since Shopify was kind enough to provide me with one of the nicest laptops I've ever had and the airport was kind enough to provide free wifi, I thought I'd make good use of both and post some quick notes from this trip, with more detailed ones to follow later.
The primary purpose of my visit was to attend BarCamp Portland, the third BarCamp on the BarCamp Tour schedule. I was there to represent Shopify, who along with our tourmates BatchBlue, Grasshopper, MailChimp and Wufoo, were there not just as sponsors but as participants, presenters and people-at-large, meeting up with the Portland tech community. We member companies of the BarCamp Tour are the product of healthy tech communities, and we believe that other successful companies, as well as our ability to continue succeeding and serving our customers, depends on our efforts to help create and maintain those communities. That's why we sponsor BarCamps across North America, and it's also why we attend them.
I met a good number of people at BarCamp Portland and attended many sessions, and as you might have come to expect, I took copious notes. I'll be posted them shortly, so watch this blog!
I also took a little time to meet a couple of Shopify customers "up close and personal", to put some faces to some customer names, as well as to chat with them and get to know what they like -- and more importantly, don't like -- about Shopify, as well as what they'd like to be able to do with their Shopify stores. On this trip, I chatted with Erika Moen, creator of the DAR! and Bucko webcomics while in Portland (Erika's Shopify store is here), and then when I took the train to Seattle, I got a chance to catch up with Brian Sunter and Kenneth from Penny Arcade's merch department (Penny Arcade's Shopify store is here), took notes of what did and didn't work for them.
I do a fair bit of travel in my job, and I'll be posting my travel schedule in advance. If I'm heading to your city or town and you've got a Shopify store -- or perhaps just thinking about opening one -- let me know via email or Twitter; I'd love to catch up with you!
They're making the pre-boarding announcement for my flight, so that's it for now. See you on the other side!


text: i finally added fins to my wakeboard. i set them up with 2 on each tip. pretty much the same way almost all of the wake-style boards are set up. i used two screws per fin, along with the right washers and everything. all stainless of course. i drilled three holes in the fins, so i can move the fins forward, or backwards 1.5 inches. anybody know how this will effect how the board handles? so far this board looks like it is going to work pretty good. it is a hyperlite vero143. the only problem i see with the board is that it has about 2 inches of rocker.


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I love a good hero and a good heroine. Who doesn't? Most readers also have specific character traits they love to hate, and I'm no exception. Today I'm talking about the sort of heroes and heroines that make me wish I should jump into the story and slap some sense right into them! If you read romance, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. Feel free to use the comments section to tell me what sorts of heroes and heroines drive you crazy.
The offending heroes:
The Cheater: Maybe he's a playboy, or maybe it's a one-time thing. I don't care either way – I can't stand an unfaithful hero. Once he's found his true love, he'd better not stray. I'm more than willing to close the book on a hero who can't keep it in his pants when he's with anyone other than his partner (or hey, maybe even partners if the story is like that).
The Macho-Bot 2000: This guy has no feelings north of his belt. When he's not ogling the heroine's boobs, he's probably thinking up new ways to replace the blood in his veins with extra testosterone. His lack of emotion makes him a bore to read about.
The Clueless One: He's not sure what he wants, other than instant gratification. He may be a commitment-phobe whose fear of settling down endangers his relationship with his partner. He's the opposite of the sort of hero I really love – the guy who knows exactly what he wants, sticks by his partner and does anything necessary to make it work. The clueless one will probably come around eventually, but by then I usually think he's an ass for being so reluctant to act on his true feelings.
The offending heroines:
The Ball-Buster: This girl never gives the hero a freakin' break. She's constantly busting his balls, giving him a hard time and generally making it clear that she hates him. Of course he's really into her and she secretly has the hots for him, but God forbid she let the relationship take its natural course. These bitchy heroines are infuriating and tiresome to read about. I usually end up feeling sorry for the hero and wishing the heroine would just fall off a cliff so he could find someone more deserving of his affection.
The Boyfriend-Stealer: Fortunately I haven't come across too many of these nasty heroines, but they are out there: the women who just can't seem to resist finding a taken man and then proceeding to seduce him away from the partner he's already got. They always justify it to themselves somehow, but they'll have a hard time getting this reader on board. It's not easy for me to like a character that goes around stealing somebody else's man.
The Material Girl: She spends half the book buying things, namely to expand her designer wardrobe. A third world country could probably be fed off the amount she drops on clothing. I just can't relate, and reading about it gets old quick.
What about you? What traits can't you stand in a hero or heroine?
"A totally gripping, sexy thrillride...the perfect combination of adventure and eroticism." - Lucy Felthouse
Excerpt from Taken Hostage:
After exiting the Mustang himself, he walked around the front and opened Tiffany's door for her. She was overcome by a sensation of déjà vu – she'd imagined him doing the same thing in her fantasy. Now, in their current situation, it seemed absurd.
She stood uselessly as he tossed the pillowcase full of cash into the Saturn's trunk and covered it up with the blankets and emergency roadside kit that were already stashed there. The ordinariness of her captor's car and the contents of its trunk were intriguing. Who was this man, who apparently robbed banks after smoking on their steps and flirting with their tellers for half an hour? It wasn't as if he could expect any of the plentiful witnesses to forget his face – it was only slightly too rugged to look like it belonged on the cover of GQ, or on a billboard in the city.
What in the world was he planning to do next?
Tiffany eyed the nearby woods speculatively. They were in the middle of the New York wilderness, half an hour from town. She had nowhere to run, and there was probably no one to hear her scream if she tried and he caught her. She dared a glance at her captor, who'd tucked the gun into the front waistband of his jeans. The bulge of the barrel beneath the denim reminded her of the similar protuberance she'd felt there when he'd pinned her against the Mustang in the bank parking lot. She no longer felt horrified by the memory – a fact that sent heat flooding into her face.
Once he'd finished packing the Saturn he opened the passenger door. 'Ladies first,' he murmured in a tone she'd heard already in her fantasy.
She sank into the passenger seat gladly, for her knees had begun to feel as if they might give out. 'Where are we going?' she asked as he turned his own set of keys in the ignition.
'Far away,' was all the reply he gave her.
She couldn't stop asking questions. Now that her fear was beginning to ebb, a strange curiosity seemed to be replacing it. 'If this isn't your house, why'd we come here?'
'Because the owner leaves every morning for work at 7:15 and doesn't come home until at least 5:45 in the evening. So it should be at least that long before they discover the abandoned Mustang and figure out that I'm driving something else. We'll be long gone by then.'
Tiffany noted his use of the word 'we' with a sudden rush of half-amazed, half-frightened anticipation. 'You had this all planned out?'
'Of course.' He pulled the Saturn back out onto the road. 'What'd you think, that I'm just some idiot who decided to rob a bank on the spur of the moment?' He grinned at her, and she had to fight the sudden urge to grin back.
She shrugged instead.
He reached down, pulled out a hat from the small compartment on the driver's side door and pushed it down on top of his head, hiding his hair.
'Shouldn't you make me lay down in the back seat or something?' Tiffany asked. That was how the bad guys always did it on the crime dramas she liked to watch on TV.
He looked away from the road for a moment, turning the full force of his gaze upon her. His eyes were intense, but one corner of his mouth was pulled up in an amused half-smile. 'Do you really want me to?' He spoke in the same husky voice that'd starred in her pre-abduction fantasy.
She dropped her gaze, too abashed to maintain eye contact. What she saw when she looked down only deepened her embarrassment – though her kidnapper had removed the gun from his waistband, the fabric of his jeans was just as strained quite near where it had been.
Copyright © Ranae Rose, 2011
Taken Hostage is available from major e-book retailers, including:
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Taken-Hostage-ebook/dp/B005E4W0UK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317059716&sr=8-1
Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taken-hostage-ranae-rose/1104729022?ean=2940011432422&itm=3&usri=ranae%2brose
All Romance – http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-takenhostage-581905-144.html


text: Hot, High-Paying Career Sectors Katherine Preston - September 22, 2011 In today's labor market, a well-paid, lucrative job may sound like wishful thinking. We have all heard grim stories of unsuccessful job hunting, but the news is not all dire. According to career site PayScale.com, the good news is that certain industries are still offering fast growing jobs in this otherwise slow-growth economy. Not all jobs are 'hot,' but those looking to start a new career might be helped by looking specifically at certain jobs that pay well in growing industries. These jobs are largely specialized roles that require dedication and are traditionally available to those with a bachelor's degree. The following list uses data from PayScale to rank the top 10 jobs in terms of the pay you will receive after you have gained some years of experience, the necessary education (traditionally a bachelor's degree), the job's commonness and the years of experience that it will take to reach your plateau. Mechanical Engineer - $73,200 - After Three Years Experience For people just starting their careers, mechanical engineering is a good place to begin because it is one of the broadest and most in demand of the engineering disciplines. In short, mechanical engineers use science and mathematics to plan and design tools, engines and machines. Many of these engineers work in manufacturing - chiefly for companies that make primary and fabricated materials, machinery and electrical and transportation equipment. Others work for government agencies, colleges and universities, and consulting firms. Electrical Engineer - $84,700 - After Three Years Experience A job in electrical engineering involves designing, developing and maintaining electrical systems and/or components to required specifications, focusing on economy, safety, reliability, quality and sustainability. They may specialize in areas such as power systems, equipment manufacturing or building design. Although jobs in electrical engineering are competitive, statistics show that there is an exponential increase in electrical engineering salaries after just a few years of experience. Manufacturing Engineer - $73,900 - After Three Years Experience As the final engineering category in our grouping, manufacturing engineers design and improve manufacturing systems. They may work with commercial and industrial designers to increase production, decrease costs and refine a product's design and may also look into solutions on how manufacturers can edge out the competition. As well as understanding the technical engineering aspects of the role, an ideal candidate must have an interest in understanding the international marketplace and logistics. Software Developer - $82,400 - After Four Years Experience Software developers build the modules or layers of code that create software programs to run on computers or electronic devices. They are currently in high demand because tech startups and giants like Facebook and Google can't recruit enough top in-house engineering talent fast enough to keep pace with rivals. Developers need to have strong communication, creative problem solving and analytical skills. Web Developer - $60,900 - After Three Years Experience According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, the overall job outlook in the field of web development is expected to grow "much faster" than other occupations. Web developers and web designers can choose to freelance (the job pool is vast and varied) or they can work for corporations, schools, non-profits, government organizations or for design firms. Not only do they need to understand technology, they need to be creative problems solvers with strong communication skills. Financial Analyst - $62,600 - After Three Years Experience Financial analysts help businesses, individuals and organizations to make the best possible investment decisions. The industry is currently hot because of increased complexity and global diversification of investments and growth in overall amount of assets under management. Hiring is being conducted by private firms, hospitals, non-profits, local state and federal governments, and colleges. According to Mindflash, there's a 20% projected hiring growth and 49,600 projected openings in 2011. Interested applicants should show a mind for research, strong communication, analytical skills and proficiency with borrowing structures. Financial Advisor - $93,900 - After Three Years Experience Financial advisors provide clients with advice on financial matters, making recommendations on ways to best utilize their money. They provide a broad range of budgeting, tax, investment, and estate advice and there are many career pathways such as working for large financial services firms, boutique advisory practices or as solo practitioners. Financial advisors can enjoy a very high ceiling on income potential as their expertise grows. Employment Recruiter - $55,400 - After Three Years Experience Certain industries are benefiting from the challenging job market, and it should be no surprise that employment recruiters are in high demand for their services to assist the unemployed in finding a suitable job. Employment recruiters' daily duties consist of searching out candidates for specific job openings, reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates, administering employment tests, keeping up on rules regarding employment and possibly marketing services to independent companies. For this role an outgoing personality and an understanding of the nuances of the market is a necessity. Construction Estimator - $67,400 - After Three Years Experience Construction estimators create cost estimates for construction companies based on materials, labor, location and projected timelines. They may work on residential, commercial or municipal building projects. Those interested in this field need to demonstrate strong math and analytical skills, an eye for detail and interpersonal skills for coordinating team members. Project Engineer, Construction - $69,200 - After Three Years Experience Project engineers plan, design and oversee the construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities. The ideal candidate is a strong leader who is organized and has some practical experience in the construction business. The project engineer has the responsibility for making sure that the project is finished on time and they have to coordinate everything from workers to heavy equipment rental and materials delivery. The Bottom Line All of these jobs only require a bachelor's degree, but there is always room for increased income with more expertise and possibly a graduate degree. If you're trained for a career in engineering you stand to be well compensated right out of the gate. Engineering dominates the list of top-paid majors, according to results of a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). All top 10 require the practical application of math at some level. Most importantly, they all require dedication to learn a craft, so interest and enjoyment in your chosen career is essential. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hot-High-Paying-Career-investopedia-683610984.html


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Over the course of seven seasons, Futurama assembled an enormous animated cast, and artist Unrellius has managed to squeeze just about every alien, robot, and head in a jar into a single poster.
Unrellius says it took him 14 months to put this piece together. You can see the full-sized image at deviantART and search for your favorite characters in a massive mutant game of Where's Waldo?
The cast of Futurama [Unrellius via Popped Culture]


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I never used to hate my face.
It's not the best but it's not the worst and over many years I grew to accept it, despite every airbrushed face in the media reminding me how imperfect it was. That all changed when Snapchat and Facetune and Snow came along, and showed me just how different I could look.
Every photo I took I was always the Disney version of myself: all big eyes and smooth skin and slim jaw. Everything I didn't like about myself I could change at the click of a button – fuller lips, sure! Smaller nose, no problem!
It reached a point where not only did I hate seeing photos of myself without filters, but that I also worried what people would think if they saw me in real life and realised I didn't look like that. Social media fuels this, and it's one of the things I dislike so much about Instagram. Even on Twitter there are girls with the most beautiful avatars with flawless skin and amazing make up. I can't do make up – I never have been able to. Give me a lipstick and an eyeliner and that's as far as my skills go. This means that I can't ever really do anything to change my appearance in real life either. What you see is what you get.
Seeing so much around now from people like Jameela Jamil talking about how using these filters and editing apps makes us complicit in the problem was a big thinking point for me, and I've been mulling it over a lot. I don't want to misrepresent myself and I don't want other girls and women to look at photos of me and feel like they have to look a certain way, because in actual fact I don't even look that way myself.
This week I changed my Twitter photo – this might not seem like a big deal but I think it's the first time I've ever used an unfiltered and unedited photo as my avatar. I am also trying to be more transparent on Instagram when my self esteem allows me to, and I've definitely used a lot more photos of myself as they come over the last week.
Will I still take photos of myself with cat ears and stupid glasses? Obviously. But I wont be editing my face anymore. That's not who I want to be and it's not how I want others to perceive me. So here I am. Filter free, makeup free and edit free.
I hope maybe some of you gain the confidence to show your true selves if it's something you're struggling with.
You're perfect just as you are.
Pin it:


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Did that headline get your attention? Good, because you should go and read this super-cool piece by Kill Screen's Lana Polansky about mechanics, practice, saxophone, jazz, and Street Fighter. (It also features the amazing illustration above, drawn by Daniel Purvis.)
"Hey," you may be thinking. "Doesn't Kirk write about that sort of thing too, sometimes even for Kotaku?" Why yes, curious reader, he does!
Wait, why the heck am I referring to myself in the third person? Ugh. Anyhow, Polansky's piece is tackling an angle near and dear to my heart, looking at how Street Fighter requires a strict, musical mastery of its systems before play is possible:
I can't imagine a more perfect example than Street Fighter for how a game system can treat practice and play. It not only demands a fairly profound understanding of how its mechanics work, but allows players to combine those mechanics in intriguing and unusual ways once they understand them. Once mastery is achieved, the feeling of play emerges.
From there it goes to a lot of super brainy places, like… the work of Hungarian psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Bit.Trip Beat and Super Monkey Ball.
It's a cool piece, and worth a read. Everyone we can get to start talking about music and games in this way is a win, as far as I'm concerned. The two have so much in common, we gotta get those crazy kids together more often.
Please Try Again [Kill Screen]
(Top illustration by Daniel Purvis)


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In this issue of Beanstalk, parents and early childhood professionals share their aspirations for early years and find out more about the quality journey the sector is embarking on.
Read about the power of learning stories and gain insights from some 2013 ECDA award winners.
Find out how you could win tickets to the Zoo in the Thrive section.
Please click on the thumbnail below to download the pdf version.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is awarding the Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries a $1 million grant to help conserve Chinese paintings.
The Smithsonian says its galleries of Asian art house the only U.S. program that teaches conservators how to care for delicate Chinese paintings. The new grant will endow a position for an assistant Chinese painting conservator to train and support the program.
As a condition of the Mellon grant, the museum must match the funds with an additional $750,000 by 2016 to endow the position.
Museum officials say there are a shrinking number of experts trained to care for Chinese paintings, which are often very old and made of layers of unique materials. There are thousands of such works in U.S. museums but only four expert conservators.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus in Syria - Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 4
Your holy martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, O Lord, / through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. / For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. / Through their intercessions, save our souls!
Kontakion — Tone 2
(Podoben: "Seeking the highest...")
Having courageously confronted the enemy, / you brought an end to his guiles, and received from on high the crown of victory. / Illustrious martyrs, Sergius and Bacchus, / with one heart you cry aloud: / "How good and pleasant it is to dwell with God."


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International Centre for Eye Health
Working to improve eye health in low income populations
The International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) is a research and education group based at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). We work to improve eye health and eliminate avoidable visual impairment and blindness, with a focus on low-income populations.
Our eye health research provides valuable information and evidence in support of the VISION 2020 initiative to eliminate global avoidable blindness. Explore ICEH research.
See details of our MSc Public Health for Eye Care at LSHTM, and find short courses for eye care professionals. Find a course.
VISION 2020 LINKS programme
Learn how the VISION 2020 LINKS programme is improving eye care training in Africa and the UK. Read about LINKS.
Community Eye Health Journal
Our quarterly journal is sent free to eye care workers at all levels in countries where the burden of eye disease and blindness is greatest. Find out more about the journal.
Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium
Coordinated by ICEH, the Commonwealth Eye Health Consortium is a group of eye health organisations working together to deliver an exciting, integrated, five-year programme of fellowships, research and technology. Find out more about the Consortium.


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Book: A Conspiracy Against Obamacare: The Volokh Conspiracy and the Affordable Care Act (Palgrave MacMillan, 2013). Co-authored.
Chief Justice Roberts and the window tax. Volokh.com. July 9, 2012.
Obamacare decision explained. Video. Excerpts from Kopel speech to Liberty on the Rocks, Louisville,Colorado. July 9, 2012:
The Commerce Clause. 6 minutes.
The Necessary and Proper Clause after NFIB v. Sebelius. 9 minutes.
The Medicaid mandate, and the Spending Clause. 8 mins.
The Tenth Amendment. 4 mins.
Other possible legal challenges to Obamacare. Origination Clause argument will not work; abortion pill mandate and the death panel (IPAB) may be vulnerable. 4 mins.
The legitimacy of judicial review. 3 mins.
The Roberts switch. 3 mins.
Legal academia. 3 mins.
The American People are the ultimate constitutional enforcers. 2 mins.
The Bar Review version of NFIB v. Sebelius. Scotusblog. July 6, 2012.
Next step: Repeal the individual mandate
because it is unconstitutional. Volokh.com. June 29, 2012.
Obamacare ruling explained. Kopel on CPT12 "Devil's Advocate" show. June 29, 2012. 27 minutes.
What's next for the opposition? Andrew Jackson shows what we need to do next. National Review Online, June 29, 2012.
Major limits on the Congress's powers, in an opinion worthy of John Marshall. Scotusblog. June 28, 2012.
Podcast with Prof. Ilya Somin interviewed by Kopel, on the Necessary and Proper Clause in NFIB v. Sebelius. June 28, 2012. 28 minutes.
Independence Institute amicus brief in HHS v. Florida Supreme Court case. Argues that the individual mandate cannot be justified by the Necessary and Proper clause.
Independence Institute amicus brief in Florida v. HHS, before the US Supreme Court. Argues that the Obamacare Medicaid mandate (states must drastically expand Medicaid eligibility, or lose all federal matching funds for Medicaid) violates the Constitution.
Independence Institute amicus brief in Florida v. HHS (11th Circuit). Explains the original meaning of the Necessary and Proper Clause, and why the individual mandate is neither "necessary" nor "proper."
Amicus brief to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Virginia v. Sebelius. Lead attorney is Ilya Somin, of George Mason Law School. Filed April 4, 2011, on behalf of the Washington Legal Foundation, and 14 law professors.
Bad News for John Marshall. 121 Yale Law Journal Online 529 (2012). With Gary Lawson. Why Obamacare advocates are wrong to claim that finding the mandate unconstitutional will wreck modern constitutional law. HTML. PDF.
Bad News for Professor Koppelman: The Incidental Unconstitutionality of the Individual Mandate. 121 Yale Law Journal Online 267 (2011). With Gary S. Lawson. PDF HTML.
The Incidental Unconstitutionality of the Individual Mandate. Legal Workshop. Feb. 6, 2012. With Gary S. Lawson.
The PPACA in Wonderland. 38 American Journal of Law & Medicine 269 (2012). With Gary S. Lawson."Health Laws of Every Description": John Marshall's Ruling on a Federal Health Care Law. 12 Engage (no. 1, June 2011): 49-54. With Robert G. Natelson.
Debate on constitutionality of Obamacare. Kopel vs. Univ. of Colo. Prof. Scott Moss. DU Law School. April 11, 2012. WMV.
Podcast on Independence Institute amicus brief on the Individual Mandate in the health control law. iVoices.org. Mar. 12, 2012. With Rob Natelson. 32 minutes.
Podcast on Independence Institute amicus brief on the Medicaid Mandate in the health control law. iVoices.org. Mar. 12, 2012. With Rob Natelson. 26 minutes.
Interview with Cato's Ilya Shapiro on the legal challenges to the new federal health control law. iVoices.org podcast, MP3. April 18, 2011. 39 minutes.
Neither Necessary Nor Proper, Amicus Brief. iVoices.org podcast with Dave Kopel and Rob Natelson explains the Independence Institute's recent brief in Obamacare cases. MP3. 32:59.
Obamacare Ruled Unconstitutional. Feb. 4, 2011. On the Colorado Public Television program "Devil's Advocate," Kopel and Rob Natelson on the court challenges to the health control law. 30 minutes, YouTube.
ObamaCare Ruled Unconstitutional in Florida. iVoices.org podcast. 33 minutes. Feb. 3, 2011. With Rob Natelson & Justin Longo.
The Individual Health Care Mandate and Enumerated Powers. August 5, 2010. Southeastern Association of Law Schools annual meeting, Federalist Society panel on the constitutionality of the centralized health control law. Participants were Randy Barnett (Georgetown), Jack Balkin (Yale), Gillian Metzger (Columbia), and Kopel. The moderator was Bradley A. Smith (Capital). 93 minutes.
Debate with former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Jean Dubofsky. CU Law School. April 28, 2010. (Video and audio are often out of sync by several seconds.) 96 minutes.
Virginia Court Rules Against Obamacare. Kopel and Rob Natelson explain it all. iVoices.org. Dec. 14, 2010. 25 minutes.
Obama Care and the Commerce Clause. iVoices.org. Oct. 4, 2010. 12 minutes. The Denver Post recently editorialized in favor of Obama Care and against Amendment 63 - the right to health care choice. In their reasoning for doing so, they cited the commerce clause in the Constitution as evidence that an individual mandate is constitutional. Dave Kopel and Rob Natelson explain why the commerce clause is a poor argument against health care choice in Colorado.
Nearing the end of the search for the non-existent limiting principles. If Obamacare is constitutional, the government can make you buy anything. Volokh.com. March 29, 2012.
Obamacare Gives Government Unlimited Power, Violates Constitution. PolicyMic. Mar. 28, 2012.
Supreme Court: "Obviously, direct control of medical practice in the states is beyond the power of the federal government." Volokh.com. Dec. 1, 2011.
What Should the Supreme Court do with the Obamacare Case? Scotusblog. Oct. 3, 2011.
Granting certiorari to an ACA challenge. Scotusblog. Aug. 2, 2011.
Affordable Care Act pushes limits of constitutionality. Explains the four major Obamacare cases currently before the federal Circuit Courts of Appeal. Solutions (Colorado news site on health care issues.) June 21, 2011.
Health insurance is not 'commerce'. A single erroneous Supreme Court precedent from 1944, South-Eastern Underwriters, should be overturned. National Law Journal. March 28, 2011. With Rob Natelson.
Why Obamacare mandate penalty can't be a tax. Orange County Register. March 4, 2011.
Obamacare's Destiny: The Supreme Court. Analysis of the federal district court decision refusing to dismiss the 20-state suit. The New Ledger. Oct. 20, 2010.
Time.com corrects report on Betsy Markey's health-care vote. WhoSaidYouSaid.com, Oct. 18, 2010.
Kopel comment on states' victory on health control lawsuit. Volokh.com. October 14, 2010.
The Obamacare mandate is unconstitutional. Discussing the granting of the motion to dismiss in Thomas More Law Center v. Obama (Fed. Dist. Ct., Michigan). The Daily Caller. Oct. 8, 2010.
Health insurance mandate as a privacy right violation. Volokh.com. April 13, 2010.
Inaccurate legal claim from the Democratic Governors Association. Volokh.com. April 12, 2010.
An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen. No precedent for Obamacare. Volokh.com. April 2, 2010.
Destroying the Constitution's Structure is not Constitutional. Obamacare. Volokh.com. April 2, 2010.
Pretending that no law professors question Obamacare. Volokh.com. April 1, 2010.
Is the tax power infinite? Volokh.com. March 22, 2010.
Is the Slaughter Solution constitutional? Volokh.com. March 13, 2010.
Constitutionality of the "Nebraska Compromise." Volokh.com. December 23, 2009.
Health bill and gun ownership. Volokh.com. November 24, 2009.
Is Obamacare Constitutional? Volokh.com. August 17, 2009.
Visiting Nurse Programs: A Good Idea but not with Tobacco Loot. Independence Institute Issue Backgrounder 1999-D. Feb. 1999.
Reforming Mental Health Law to Protect Public Safety and Help the Severely Mentally Ill. 59 Howard Law Journal 715 (2015). With Clayton Cramer.
The History of the 'Assault Weapon' Hoax. Part 1: The Crime that Started it All. A 1989 shooting at a Cal. schoolyard began the national "assault weapon" issue. It was a consequence of law enforcement failure. Reason.com. Mar. 2, 2018.
Facts about mental illness and crime. Washington Post. Feb. 20, 2015.
Smoking hottest hot-button issue. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. July 14, 2002.
Two hysterical drinking stories. Wire reports about college students and alcohol mixed ridiculous assumptions, sloppy journalism. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Apr. 21, 2002.
Tune Out, Light Up. In terms of destroying years of life, television is far worse than tobacco. National Review Online. May 29, 2000. In italiano.
Don't Mess with Texas Morals Police: Tavern Patrons Arrested for Intoxication, 3/23/06.
Illinois Class Action against Philip Morris Goes Up in Smoke, 12/15/05.
Should Health Care Workers be able to Refuse Treatment to Gun Owners? 3/20/06.
Right of Refusal: If your doctor starts pestering you about guns, you have several options. National Review Online. July 5, 2001. With Dr. Timothy Wheeler.
Are Gun Locks Like Aspirin Caps? National Review Online. Mar. 29, 2000.
Dutch descend into barbarism. Denver dailies soft-pedal the killings of newborns under Groningen Protocol. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, Dec. 4, 2004. Plus analysis of coverage of the democracy movement in the Ukraine, the UN scandals, and the Alabama state constitutional referendum.
Papal coverage here magnificent. But Catholics don't get a 'free ride' as veto of controversial bill runs afoul of Post. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, April 9, 2005.
Implication goes too far in column. Strong suggestion that woman underwent partial-birth abortion likely misled readers. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Nov. 8, 2003. Also, Ann Telnaes' anti-Christian hate cartoon, and asbestos litigation reform.
The Partial Birth Abortion Ban. With Glenn Reynolds. Colorado Statesman. Aug. 30, 1996.
Junk Science: Take it with a grain of salt. MSNBC.com, Dec. 6, 2004. The greatest junk science stories of the year.
Blogs unearth dubious sources. Theories finger military for earthquake, illness, but who's behind these stories? Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Jan. 3, 2004. The junk scientist behind the hysteria over depleted uranium and other falsehoods about the U.S. military.
Articles of Faith. AIDs in Africa. Tech Central Station, July 23, 2004. With Carlo Stagnaro and Alberto Mingardi.
West Nile fails to stir DDT debate. Mosquito-borne illness kills Coloradans but merits of banned pesticide ignored. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Aug. 30, 2003.
Complex issues, one-sided stories. Media excel at presenting one side of a debate. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, August 18, 2002. Campaign finance "reform," bilingual teachers, African debt, vaccinations.
Trojan Horse Legislation: Big Brother's medical crew. National Review Online. June 15, 2000. Immunization and health dossiers on students. With Linda Gorman.
Too often a crutch. Studies important enough to mention in a story should be cited. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, Mar. 8, 2007. Analysis of Katy Human's flawed Denver Post article about what "studies have shown" about subsidized health insurance for children. And more general problems about use of "studies have shown" without citation to the studies.
The Baby Gap. Comparing rates of illegitimacy and other social problems in red and blue states. MSNBC.com, Dec. 8, 2004.
Post gets medical pot story right. Dispute over Hayden man's possession of marijuana is not yet in federal court. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Jan. 31, 2004.
Right to Die. More ADA nonsense. National Review Online. Mar. 27, 2002.
Mad Cows, Madder Government. National Review Online. June 12, 2001. With Paul Gallant and Joanne Eisen.
Should Cloning Be Legal? It's not a federal question. National Review Online. Apr. 16, 2001. With Glenn Harlan Reynolds.
Who Killed George Washington? National Review Online. Jan. 24, 2001. With David Stolinksy.
No Con-Census for Domestic Violence. Census intrusion on domestic violence victim. National Review Online. June 13, 2000.
The Federal Leviathan is Counting on You. Census. Cato Institute, Apr. 4. Previously published in Colorado Springs Gazette, Mar. 26, 2000.
blog: Sensible Public Health, 3/24/06.
Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue. No. 18-1195. U.S. Supreme Court. Sept. 18, 2019. Merits amicus brief. Many state constitutions, including Montana's, prohibit government aid to "sectarian" educational institutions. According to the original meaning, on the nineteenth century, "sectarian" did not refer to religion in general, but only to religions that were considered extreme, heretical, fanatical, or bad.
Some Topics and Learning Objectives for Second Amendment Courses. Second Thoughts (blog of the Firearms Law Center at Duke University). July 11, 2019.
The Colorado Constitution's No Aid to Sectarian Institutions Clause and Its Impact on Civil Rights. Colorado Special Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Sept. 2018.
Campus Scary. Suppression of pro-Second Amendment speech on campus. America's 1st Freedom. May 2019.
Law professor who slammed kangaroo courts could lead Trump's education civil rights office. The College Fix. by Greg Piper. Feb. 20, 2017.
Kopel signs Group Letter in support of Gail Heriot, to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in U.S. Dept. of Education.
Taxpayers for Public Education v. Douglas County School District (2014). Independence Institute amicus brief to the Colorado Supreme Court in the Douglas County school vouchers case in support of the respondents. Covers empirical and social science issues.
CSAP Tantrum a Baseless Snit. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Oct. 6, 2001.
How President Obama is bringing real education reform to Colorado. Volokh.com. May 12, 2010.
Another reason to be happy you went to law school. Discussion of Louis Menand's new article "The Ph.D. Problem." Volokh.com. November 23, 2009.
Interview with Colorado Freedom Report, about the Independence Institute's new "SchoolChoiceForKids.org" website. Nov. 14, 2007. MP3.
Newsweek's bad streak hits home. First the Quran debacle, then magazine's dubious elevation of a local high school. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, May 21, 2005. Plus an error-ridden article about the 1992 Amendment 2 anti-gay rights ballot initiative. Israel's 57th year of independence is covered solely with a biased A.P. story whitewashing the 1948 Arab war against Israel.
Report cards preview shaky. Without evidence, Post leaps to conclusion of unreliability. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, Dec. 17, 2005.
Armed and Educated. Allowing professors to carry licensed arms will enhance campus safety. Chronicle of Higher Education. Oct. 30, 2015.
America's Gun Debate Continues, with Schools in the Crossfire. "To the Point" on KCRW, Public Radio International. With Mark Follman, Mother Jones magazine; Josh Sugarmann, Violence Policy Center; Russ Moore, Shaker Junior High School. March 12, 2015. 33 minutes.
Guns, Gangs, and Preschools: Moving Beyond Conventional Solutions to Confront Juvenile Violence, 1 Barry Law Review 63 (2000).
Dhimmitude and Disarmament. 18 George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal 305 (2008).
"Gun-Free Zones." Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2007. The murders at Virginia Tech University.
The Resistance. Teaching common-sense school protection. National Review Online, Oct. 10, 2006.
Only press itself can stop copycats. Killers, suicides thrive on publicity given those who perpetrated earlier crimes. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post,Sept. 23, 2006.
Make Schools Safe for Kids, not Criminals. Arming teachers is the most realistic way to reduce school shootings. iVoices.org podcast. Oct. 5, 2006. MP3.
blog: Arming teachers to stop school killers, 10/6/06.
Follow the Leader. Israel and Thailand set an example by arming teachers. Russia should follow, to prevent more hostage-taking in schools. National Review Online. Sept. 3, 2004.
When Heroes Are Outlawed: How Joel Myrick Saved Lives by Breaking the Law. By Ari Armstrong. How the Gun Free School Zones law makes schools safe for mass murderers.
Armed Israeli teacher stops terrorist attack on high school, 5/29/02.
Columbine cover-up, 3/9/02.
Sure, Blame the Gun. The Santee murders. National Review Online. Mar. 9, 2001. With Ari Armstrong. Reprinted in School Shootings. At Issue (Greenhaven Press, 2002).
Don't Let Schools off the Hook. The dos and don'ts of preventing juvenile violence. National Review Online. July 12, 2000. With Dr. Helen Smith, forensic psychologist. In italiano.
Colorado Senate Rejects Gun Legislation. National Review Online, Apr. 12, 2000. Colorado Senate nixes ban on possession of guns by law-abiding adults at universities and schools.
What If We Had Taken Columbine Seriously? The political discourse since the killings last year has been foolish, escapist, and cowardly. The Weekly Standard, April 24, 2000. Cover story. Italiano: E se avessimo preso la Columbine seriamente?
Getting Columbine Right. More gun control wouldn't have stopped this tragedy. You're wrong, Al. National Review Online. Oct. 12, 2000.
Who's Responsible For Columbine? National Review Online. May 25, 2000.
Clinton Targets Guns Again: President's Politicking Won't Achieve Goal. Rocky Mountain News. May 2, 1999.
The Attack on Civil Liberties. Why the Columbine High murders should not be exploited to attack the First Amendment or the Second Amendment. By Ari Armstrong.
Making Schools Safe for Criminals. Gun control laws ensured that the teachers and students at Columbine High School would be defenseless. By Linda Gorman.
A Fighting Chance. Crime victims, like those at Columbine, left helpless by anti-gun laws, and the gun control mentality. By Richard Griffiths.
* Special Report on the Columbine High School tragedy.
Newsom Wins One. A First and Second victory. National Review Online. Jan. 8, 2004. Fourth Circuit rules that school cannot prohibit student from wearing NRA Shooting Sports Camp t-shirt.
Independence Institute amicus brief in Newsom v. Albermarle (4th Cir.) A middle school threatened to punish a student for wearing an NRA shooting sports camp t-shirt. The amicus brief argues that shooting sports are wholesome and promote good character, and that speech promoting shooting sports cannot rationally be censored in a public school. The Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of the student.
Wisconsin Diversifies. The saga of the Mountaineer. National Review Online. Sept. 5, 2002. University of Wisconsin administrators attempt to prohibit the West Virginia "Mountaineer" mascot from carrying his musket at a football game.
Zero Good Sense. Zero tolerance. National Review Online. June 6, 2001. With Paul Gallant and Joanne Eisen. In italiano.
Gunning for the Kiddies. What kind of a "climate" has taken hold of society? National Review Online. Sept. 22, 2000. With Drs. Paul Gallant & Joanne Eisen.
Children use "finger guns," then school interrogates them about parental gun ownership, 5/13/02. Montclair, N.J., school promotes gun prohibition, blocks pro-rights speech, 5/11/02. (The school board later relented.)
Churchill report finds News on top. Web site had more extensive coverage - and quicker - than its rival at the Post. Also, media bashing of Colorado Springs and its elected officials and congressional candidates because of their un-p.c. stands on some social issues. Plus chess and poker coverage. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, May 20, 2006.
CU's academic culture ignored. Post columnist nearly alone in probing 'dysfunctional' milieu. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, Mar. 12, 2005. Plus the academic freedom cases of Phil Mitchell at CU, and George Forsyth at CSU. And the unfair treatment of Liquor Mart, and the Baby 81 hoax.
Media Uneven in Churchill Rumpus. Westword first, but News, KHOW best as blogs, other news outlets play catchup. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, Feb. 13, 2005.
Flaws in First Amendment Defense of Ward Churchill, 3/14/05. University of Colorado Buy-out of Churchill, 3/10/05. Ward Churchill and the Jeffries Case, 3/1/05. Professors not opposed to academic fraud and terrorism, 2/28/05.
School-Board Sloth. The case for abolishing school boards, or cutting the size of school districts. National Review Online. Mar. 8, 2001. With Rep. Tom Tancredo.
Media Errors in Coverage of Boulder High School: Falsehoods, Distortions, and Omissions by Bill O'Reilly and "Caplis & Silverman". June 13, 2007. PDF
Independence Institute iVoices.org podcast, discussing O'Reilly's coverage. June 4, 2007.
What is Montessori? The Volokh Conspiracy, May 25, 2007.
Are They Schools or Are They Prisons? Compulsory schooling. Pueblo Chieftain, Nov. 11. 1995.
blog: Denver University Law School bar failure rate, 1/3/06. Lack of intellectual diversity in Organization of American Historians, 4/7/03. Calif. school district bars students from graduation ceremony because they don't have approved post-graduation life plans, 5/13/02.
It's not hard to spot the fallacies In columns and news stories. City's dailies promulgate 'facts' that are anything but. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Nov. 22, 2003. False claims that most of the people counted as "homeless" are all living on the street; that the partial-birth abortion ban lacks an exception for maternal life; and that most victims of war are women and children. Plus the amazing errors of Supreme Court history in a recent column by Steven and Cokie Roberts.
Objectivity takes holiday at Post. So-called analysis package on proposed 'kid tax' slanted heavily in favor of measure's proponents. Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post. Nov. 4, 2001.
Fatherlessness: The Root Cause. National Review Online. May 2, 2000.
Family Cap Urged on Welfare Reform. Palisade Tribune. January 19, 1997.
The Marriage-Crime Connection. The American Enterprise. June 1996.
Welfare Reform's Privacy Risk. How the welfare reform law invades the privacy of people who don't receive welfare, by compelling use of Social Security numbers in many non-welfare contexts. Washington Times. Dec. 11, 1995.
The Welfare Factor in Social Decay. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. With David W. Murray. May 5, 1995.
Denver's New Welfare Hotel: Why the Convention Center Hotel is a Mistake. Independence Institute Issue Paper no. 2-2003. Jan. 15, 2003.
Coors Field: Fans' Homerun, but Taxpayers' Strike-Out. St. Paul Pioneer Press. Sept. 15, 1999.
Deflating Hysteria over Broncos. Denver Business Journal. February 13, 1998.
Constitution Prohibits Deals with Transportation Companies. The United Airlines welfare plan. June 1991.
Littleton voters require citizen approval for eminent domain and corporate welfare. Colo. Inside Out. March 6, 2015.
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On Sundays if we don't get up and out of the house right away, we lounge around and make a real breakfast. I like making pancakes or waffles and Tim likes to practice his Jacques Pepin omelet technique. While I like the idea of exotic pancakes, I find I always come back to the more straight-up variety. I guess I'm looking for that perfect in between pancake.
I was intrigued by the "Blueberry Orange Cornmeal Pancake" recipe I found on a blog called "Satisfied" and I'm giving it a thumbs up. The cornmeal adds just enough texture and the zest gives things a nice little zip. I made a few small alterations: lemon zest instead of orange zest and omitting the blueberries because I prefer fresh fruit on top vs. cooked fruit inside my pancakes. I also didn't have buttermilk on hand, so I used the handy substitution of 1Tbl of lemon juice with enough milk added to make 1 cup (let it sit 5 minutes, don't stir).
So if you like classic pancakes with just a little twist, give this one a try. You'll like it. Luca did, but then again, I think he's pretty much a fan of most pancakes he encounters. For those exotic pancake fans, check out Simran's famous coconut-mango pancake recipe.


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|We're getting closer to Spring, and Revolve has a ton of new fabulous arrivals to help you get ready for the new season. Whether your shopping for a dress for work, party, wedding, Revolve has so many new options, including this stunning FREE PEOPLE MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS MAXI DRESS in pink, shown above. Shop more fab finds below. Simply click on the image or the description below for more details.
"Welcome to an invitation to adventure Billionaire – a mind-blowing voyage of all your senses, simply the best new and innovative contemporary estate in the world!!!"
Bruce Makowsky
Introducing 924 Bel Air Road...currently the most expensive home in the United States, located in where else, but in the hills of Bel Air, in sunny California! The home was built by luxury developer Bruce Makowsky. The developer stated the home was, "Built upon the single most spectacular view in California, this property has an unrivaled 270˚ view that extends from the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains to the sun-drenched shores of Malibu." This spectacular masterpiece is 38,000 square feet, with 21 bathrooms, 10 VIP guest suites, a 40-seat Dolby Atmos Theater, and a private bowling alley. There is 17,000 square feet of entertainment decks, 6 bars, 2 wine cellars (stocked with wine and champagne), a spa and massage room, and an 85 foot infinity pool with glass tiles and swim up bar! Did I mention a helicopter pad and car gallery? With a price tag of $250 million, the home "comes with everything," owner-developer Bruce Makowsky said. "You don't even need a toothbrush." This includes a $30 million fleet of cars, (including a Rolls Royce, Bugatti, and vintage Allard), and millions of dollars of fine art. (check out this piece of art below in the dining area-a $1 million Leica camera sculpture by artist Liao Yibai-all I can say is WOW!). This luxurious modern masterpiece is nothing short of amazing. The pictures don't really show just how jaw dropping and fabulous this home really is. There is a video on the 924 Bel Air Road website that is worth watching! Click HERE, to view the video...it's so worth the watch! When I watched this, I was just in awe with just how spectacular this home really is. By far the most stunning residential home that I've ever seen! Please enjoy! We can all dream, right?!!
(images and information via 924 Bel Air Road)
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Free People Boho Beautiful
(Images via Free People)
*I do not own the rights to any of the images*
Spring is not so far away, and if you want to be boho chic, Free People is the place to be. Festival season is quickly approaching, with Coachella 2017 coming up in April. If you want to be festival ready, Free People has everything you could possibly need, with so many fabulous bohemian dresses, tops, jumpsuits, and accessories. Folky fashion, 70's retro, and bohemian chic inspired influences were seen on the Spring 2017 runways, so this free-spirited trend is here to stay. Above, from Free People, is the Jen's Pirate Booty Mandala Mykonos Kaftan. The oversized crochet lace kaftan has a plunging neckline with lace-up detailing and a scalloped trim. Pair it up with the leather, Chelsea style ankle Understated Biker Boot, and you are Coachella ready! Shop more boho chic fashion below. Simply click on the image, or the description below, for more information. Go boho and be beautiful!
|Free People Scrunch Sleeve Seamless
|Free People Remember When Maxi Top
|Free People Gisele Cover Up
|Free People Jackson Washed Cami
|Free People Lady Lazarus Slip
|Jeffrey CampbellxFree People Icon Western Boot
|Free People We The Free Bird
|Free People Foggy Day Pullover
|Free People Matchpoint Midi dress
|Free People X Eileen Romper
(Images via Free People)
*I do not own the rights to any of the images*
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On Monday, President Obama restated his support for Mexican President Felipe Calderón's aggressive tactics in the fight against drug trafficking. He also reiterated his support for a drug security plan with Mexico that is similar to the failed drug plans of past administrations.
Before Washington ramps up yet another losing war on drugs, it should take a clear-eyed look at how its current strategies are affecting the supply and demand of drugs. Congressman Eliot Engel (D) of New York has introduced a bill to do just that.
Washington would be wise to back Congressman Engel's initiative because there has not been a thorough, frank evaluation of the fight against drugs in decades. The drug czar office's annual report is not enough. Recommendations by an independent commission, however, could generate the consensus and strategy we sorely need.
The cornerstone of US drug policy at home and abroad is to reduce the drug supply (from crop eradication to border seizures) in order to increase the domestic price of drugs. The idea is to deter both potential consumers and producers from entering the drug market.
It hasn't.
Since May 1971, when President Richard Nixon proclaimed a "war on drugs," Washington and the Western Hemisphere have been unable to win it. Every claimed victory has turned out to be, in the end, a fiasco.
Consider Mexico and Jamaica in the 1970s and early '80s. Mexico cracked down on marijuana production. But that simply shifted production to Colombia and then to the US, while allowing heroin production and cocaine trafficking to rise. Jamaica's effort against marijuana similarly backfired and today, drug-related violence is at a high.
Colombia has been the most high-profile, high-stakes test case of the hemisphere's struggle against drugs.
A decade ago, the Clinton administration launched the multiyear, billion-dollar Plan Colombia.
The Bush administration then expanded Plan Colombia and provided even more funding.
With those funds, Bogotá has spent the past 10 years eradicating illicit crops over an area that is 2-1/2 times the size of the state of Delaware. It has extradited more than 600 Colombian nationals to the United States. It has dismantled the large, brutal, Medellín and Cali cartels; has criminalized all the phases of this illicit business; and has launched an attack on both guerrillas and paramilitary-linked drug emporiums.
And yet, after all that, production of cocaine in Colombia actually increased, and the drug network remains intact.
So why is the Obama administration extending a similar plan – the Mérida Initiative – for Mexico?
Plan Colombia didn't work for a number of reasons. It was based on a lopsided policy of shared responsibility that did not work in this case. The emphasis was on supply control and not on demand reduction. What good does cutting back on coca leaf production do if there are still people addicted and willing to pay high sums for cocaine? It relied too heavily on short-term benchmarks instead of long term implications. Then there were the negative effects on human rights, civil-military relations, the environment, and the rule of law – all very fragile in Latin America.
If Mr. Obama intends to avoid a potentially catastrophic scenario in a bordering country, then he should support Engel's initiative. The establishment of a Western Hemisphere Commission could be a rather inexpensive, short study. The commission would be required to submit recommendations on future US drug policy to Congress, the secretary of State, and the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy 12 months after its first meeting.
Gathering the reports and analysis and putting the minds together of leading experts from the Americas, nongovernmental organizations, policymakers, and the media would produce a more nuanced understanding of the situation. It is only by analyzing our current and past problems that we can make true progress now.
Rafael Pardo is a former Colombian senator and defense minister. He is the current Liberal party nominee for president in the 2010 election. Juan Gabriel Tokatlian is a professor of international relations at the Universidad Di Tella in Argentina.


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Collecting speeding ticket revenue is a big business. According to a new study, some 20 percent of drivers will be ticketed for speeding this year, and revenue from those tickets comes out to something like $6.2 billion. But which cars get nailed the most?
The answer, according to CJ Pony Parts, is the Mercedes-Benz SL (yeah, okay), the Toyota Camry Solara (wait, what?) and the Scion tC (weird!). Crazy, huh?
The Solara surprised me too, but then I remembered we've seen this offender before.
In compiling this infographic, the website examined stats from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Forbes and other sources. They also collected 924 speeding citations were collected from four intersections and two counties to examine which car colors were cited the most. The results are pretty interesting.
You Camry Solara drivers take it easy out there, now! Bunch of hooligans...


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Terms and conditions
How it works?
Campaign is valid for Miles&Smiles member purchases of AXA Sigorta Maksimum, Tutumlu and Büyük Hasar Casco products with their TK ID entered. Miles&Smiles members will earn 1.000 Miles for policies with premium between 750 TL-2.000 TL and 2.000 Miles for policies with premium above 2.000 TL.
Who can benefit?
In the purcahes from AXA Sigorta agencies, only Miles&Smiles members who will become new Casco customers of AXA Sigorta will be entitled to earn miles in campaign scope. To be considred as new Casco customer, customer shouldn't have any Casco policies in AXA Sigorta system in last 90 days.
For the purchases from www.axasigorta.com.tr with no Agency selection, only Miles&Smiles members who will become new customers of AXA Sigorta will be entitled to earn miles in campaign scope. To be considered as customer, customer shouldn't have any policies in AXA Sigorta system in last 90 days.
To be entitled to earn miles, policy premium should be paid with credit card.
Campaign is valid for personal policies entered with Turkish identity number and for personal and panelvan usage type.
What are participation conditions?
Miles earned in scope of the campaign will be reflected to Miles&Smiles member account in 7 days. Cannot be merged with other campaigns. Miles&Smiles and AXA Sigorta have right to change campaign conditions, term and scope.
What happens in policy refund?
If in the policy bought in campaign scope, miles earned are decreasing or disappearing in result of policy cancellation or change; new amount of Miles earned (if any) will be calculated according to new conditions.
You can visit Axa Sigorta website for more information.


text: in People Girls in legging pants by dak September 5, 2018, 1:40 am 4.2k Views Mix photos of pretty girls in legging pants, tight figure Share this:TwitterFacebook Page 1 of 26Previous 1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526Next What do you think? 0 points Upvote Downvote Total votes: 2 Upvotes: 1 Upvotes percentage: 50.000000% Downvotes: 1 Downvotes percentage: 50.000000% See more Previous article Network of coffee houses with girls in bikini Next article Interesting facts about Africa Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Name * Email * Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Next post


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August 24, 2015 (Cenzor.net) Independence Square and Khreshchatyk are seeing new Ukrainian army. At the corner of Prorizna Street a hundred-throat yell shockwaved the area: "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!", "Glory to the nation! Death to enemies!", "Ukraine above everything!" These are not football fans, it is an infantry rank, wearing new combat gear with their guns at the trail. The volunteers are rehearsing the Independence Day march to honor Ukrainian armed forces.
The 24th assault battalion "Aidar" and the glorious Afghan company are showcasing young recruits. Heroes of the last August are rare, but morale is as high and the Afghan traditions are kept and honored, battle experience being adopted. No rookies here - just excellent young soldiers, not forced but motivated.


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What is Land Use
"Land use is characterised by the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover type to produce, change or maintain it" (FAO/UNEP, 1999) (Adopted during the course of development of the Land Cover Classification System, LCCS). A more inclusive definition of land-use is often used in practice. 'Land use' actually includes near-surface water (see the definition of land). Any given area of land is usually used to satisfy multiple objectives or purposes. Land use information provides answers to one or more of the following questions concerning the current use of the land • What: the purpose of activities undertaken - e.g. the specific products and services, that are sought• Where: the geographic location and extent of the spatial unit under consideration • When: the temporal aspects of various activities undertaken - e.g. the sequence of carried out operations like planting, weeding, etc..• How: the technologies employed - e.g. technological inputs/ materials such as fertilizer, irrigation, labor, etc.. • How much: quantitative measures - e.g. areas, products • Why: the reasons underlying the current land use – e.g. land tenure, labour costs, market conditions, etc..
Agricultural land-use data are important for many of the regional to global activities currently undertaken by FAO (e.g. the validation of agricultural land evaluation; the preparation of perspective studies on agricultural production and food security; early warning for food security; natural disaster relief operations; farming systems studies; policy formulation). Thus, knowledge of current land use (& land resources) is needed for formulating changes leading to sustainable use of the resources.
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Ticket Giveaway! LA Weekly The Essentials, Feb 20
Lucky you, though, LA Weekly is generous enough to give away a pair of tickets through my blog!
Posted by gourmetpigs at 2:15 PM 9 comments
Labels: contest, food festival, giveaway, la weekly, los angeles, the essentials, ticket giveaway
Posted by gourmetpigs at 8:25 PM 2 comments
Labels: contest, event, giveaway, la weekly event, la weekly sips and sweets, sips and sweets, ticket giveaway
Need a day out? How does heading out to the horse races at Santa Anita Park while brunching on dishes from some of LA's best restaurants sound? If that sounds like a great day to you, then bookmark this upcoming event: Brunch at the Races.
On Saturday, October 18, LA Weekly is throwing a brunch at the Santa Anita Park.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 8:19 AM 5 comments
Labels: brunch, brunch at the races, contest, giveaway, horse race, la weekly, santa anita park, ticket giveaway
Love wine? You can spend a whole weekend touring and tasting the wineries in Temecula Valley during next weekend's World of Wine weekend!
With this 2-day event you get a passport that you can use for barrel tasting and food pairing at more than 30 participating wineries along Rancho California and DePortola Roads. It's taking place next weekend on March 7-March 8, 2015 and the participating wineries will be open from 10am-4:30pm.
It's a self-drive tour and you get the wineries to stamp your passport along the way! This winter barrel tasting gives people a sneak peek of the upcoming spring releases.
The 2-day passport is $99 or you can also purchase a Sunday-only passport for $79. You can purchase tickets or find out more information here. Or go here for more information on lodging or wine tour packages.
Now, on to the good stuff, though. A giveaway! Maybe all this sounds great to you - wandering around Temecula Valley while drinking wine, but you need a little push to go there ... well, from now until midnight on Wednesday you can enter to win two Sunday-only passports ($158 value)! Just follow the instructions below and good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:17 AM 1 comments
Labels: contest, giveaway, temecula, temecula valley, temecula wine, ticket giveaway, wine, wine festival, wineries, winery tour, world of wine
Posted by gourmetpigs at 1:44 PM 4 comments
Labels: giveaway, italian wines, los angeles event, slow wine, ticket giveaway, wine event
Think holiday shopping is stressful? Then you should go to LA Weekly's Sips and Sweets presented by Keurig, where you can shop through LA's artisanal vendors while eating sweets and cocktails prepared by LA's finest.
Oh, and you can even go for free if you win the ticket giveaway below. Lucky you.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 7:56 AM 9 comments
Labels: contest, event, food event, giveaway, holiday shopping, la weekly, pastries, shopping event, sips and sweets, sweets, ticket giveaway
On Monday, November 10, head on over to The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills for a taste of Spain's best wines and food. The event is called Spain's Great Match and will feature more than 200 Spanish wines. The wines will be accompanied by tapas from The Bazaar. We're talking 200+ wines with Chef Jose Andres' lauded food! Last year's bites include a taste of their famed molecular gastronomy techniques
Posted by gourmetpigs at 8:36 AM 12 comments
Labels: beverly hills, food, giveaway, jose andres, SLS hotel, Spain, spanish wine, the bazaar, ticket giveaway, wine, wine event
Does drinking craft beers next to a lake (ok, a water reservoir) sound good to you? If so, check out the giveaway below for the California Beer Festival in San Dimas!
On Saturday, September 6, the annual beer festival is coming to the Frank G. Bonelli Park in San Dimas. There will be over 60 beers poured at the event next to Puddingstone Reservoir, along with live music and bocce ball.
Among the breweries that will be pouring there are Hangar 24, Deschutes Brewery, Stone Brewery, Firestone Walker, Sierra Nevada, and many other smaller breweries like Ninkasi from Oregon. There will be food vendors on-site if you need to soak up all the beers.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:41 AM 4 comments
Labels: beer, beer festival, california beer festival, contest, craft brewery, giveaway, san dimas, ticket giveaway
As you may know from my post last week, the LA County Fair in Pomona is going on until September 30. Fun fried food, Star Trek exhibit, circus performers, beer and wine tasting ...
Posted by gourmetpigs at 11:43 AM 3 comments
Labels: contest, giveaway, la county fair, ticket giveaway, tickets
Plate by Plate is the annual fundraiser for Project by Project, which chooses a different nonprofit cause in the Asian American community each year. This year's event, which benefits East West Players, promises to be quite amazing with restaurants such as Bestia, Allumette, Alma, Petty Cash, Stella Barra, Park's Finest BBQ, Rivera, and so many more participating (and Drunken Udder for dessert)! For a complete list of the restaurants and beverage sponsors, check out this page.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 4:00 PM 21 comments
Labels: contest, food event, giveaway, plate by plate, project by project, ticket giveaway
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10 Ways To Take Your Faith to The Next Level
No one ever said being a Christian was easy.
God gives us everything and asks for everything in return—our time, our talents, ourselves. We're called to be Christ's ambassadors, and to reflect God in everything we do.
But, in the midst of our daily lives, filled as they are with our duties, deadlines and responsibilities, we often lose track of our highest calling.
What follows are a few suggestions on how to draw closer to God and better convey His love to those around you.
Some are easy. Some require more effort. But all can help remind you of one key truth: As a Christian, your life is not your own.
Here are 10 ways to take your faith to the next level…