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American Idol has officially entered the homestretch. With less than a month to go in Season 13, we're at the point where each contestant will have to tackle not one, but two songs per show. Tonight's theme? "A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll." With 12 performances to squeeze in, the show doesn't waste any time in getting to the performances, and we won't either. But first, an observation: After tonight's show, it seems as though the Final 6 can easily be divided into a Top 3 (Jessica, Caleb and Jena) and a Bottom 3 (Sam, Alex and C.J.), as far as who's a real contender to win this thing. Do you agree? Let us know in the comments!
American Idol has officially entered the homestretch. With less than a month to go in Season 13, we're at the point where each contestant will have to tackle not one, but two songs per show. Tonight's theme? "A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll."
With 12 performances to squeeze in, the show doesn't waste any time in getting to the performances, and we won't either. But first, an observation: After tonight's show, it seems as though the Final 6 can easily be divided into a Top 3 (Jessica, Caleb and Jena) and a Bottom 3 (Sam, Alex and C.J.), as far as who's a real contender to win this thing. Do you agree? Let us know in the comments!
Rock song: "Barracuda" by Heart
The performance: Ryan Seacrest introduces the first song of the night by reminding viewers that Jena is this season's wild card. Which is crazy, right? She definitely seems like a frontrunner at this point. It's a great song for her tone, though she looks a little unnatural while walking around the stage. But that last note is a real showstopper.
What the judges say: Keith says it was a perfect song for Jena, but wishes she would cut loose more physically. Jennifer agrees, and she and Harry both say that if Jena can incorporate a few more "moments" into her performances, she could win the whole shebang.
Country song: "So Small" by Carrie Underwood
The performance: Jena's no Carrie Underwood, but honestly that's kind of the beauty of this performance, who's really spanned the musical spectrum from aggressive rock to sensitive ballad tonight. It's a little snoozy, especially compared to her Heart choice, and she admits that she messed up at the end. But it's a great showcase of her range, and her tone is gorgeous as always.
What the judges say: Keith is awestruck and overjoyed to be watching Jena's "journey." Jen says that Jena's vocal was so powerful that she forgot the band was even there. Harry is the dissenter, though, and says Jena failed to find a melody in the song. "It didn't really work for me, but I don't think it's going to matter tonight," he says.
Idol's Dexter Roberts explains his prank war with Sam Woolf
Rock song: "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons
The performance: Poor Sam, trying to rock out. His stage presence has gotten a bit better since the early weeks, but he's just too low-energy for this song (or really anything that would be dubbed "rock," for that matter). His vocals are fine, but have as much life in them as roadkill. Even when he tries to do a little fist-pump action and get the crowd involved, it just falls flat.
What the judges say: J.Lo says she got goosebumps and says she "believed" the performance. Harry says it was a perfect song choice and applauds Sam for adding "layers" to himself as an entertainer. Keith loves the song's "gravitas" and "weight."
Country song: "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain
The performance: What a horrible song choice. We're grateful for the opportunity to take a quick nap halfway through the show, but this is doing nothing for Sam's "lack of charisma" problem. And his awkward bow-down to the girls standing near the stage, coupled with what is I guess supposed to be an intense stare at the end of the song, is just painful.
What the judges say: Keith is nice and tells Sam it was a good song for him lyrically (ha!), but he needs to relax more. Jennifer says Sam is "so cute" and compliments him "going over to the girls." Is this for real? Harry tells Sam to sing less perfectly and more dynamically.
Get the scoop on 39 must-watch season finales
Rock song: "American Woman" (Lenny Kravitz version)
The performance: This feels phoned-in. Is C.J.'s guitar even plugged in? He doesn't look like he's having fun up there at all, and there are none of those breakout "moments" that the judges are harping about tonight.
What the judges say: Harry asks C.J. how he felt about the performance (never a good sign). C.J. mumbles that it was "better than rehearsal" and that it's something he's been working on. Sigh. Harry reiterates that C.J. needs to sing in tune. Is this episode a rerun? Keith says the performance needed more attitude. Jen liked C.J.'s look but admits that rock 'n' roll is "not C.J.'s thing."
Country song: "Whatever It Is" by Zac Brown Band
The performance: C.J. starts out off-key and improves only slightly as the song progresses. The judges are right that he's an expert at infusing passion into his songs, but this consistency in singing out of tune is really getting a little old.
What the judges say: Jennifer expected a little more from C.J. and says the performance "didn't hit the mark." Harry says C.J. needs to pick better songs if he's "lucky enough" to stick around another week. Ouch. Keith takes a note from Harry's playbook and says C.J. was sharp and didn't live up to his potential.
Rock song: "Animal" by Neon Trees
The performance: Some of the higher notes on this song strangely feel a little out of Alex's range. He's just not used to putting so much oomph behind his vocals, and it shows. The "I won't sleep tonight" line was particularly rough. His spastic leg movements don't help matters.
What the judges say: Keith says the band felt "on top" of Alex and he needed to release a bit more. (The audience boos.) J.Lo agrees that the performance was too contained, save for Alex's leg. Harry liked that Alex chose an up-tempo song, but says it wasn't his best performance.
Country song: "Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson
The performance: Alex is back to his coffee shop comfort zone with this song, though he does add a couple of inventive runs. It's also jarring that he stops playing guitar halfway through. It's a soft and sweet performance, but it feels like Alex could have done a little more with the song.
What the judges say: Harry is touched, but Keith says he would've liked to feel a little more heartbreak. Jennifer says it was beautiful, but reiterates that contestants should be striving to "hit the bullseye" every time. Hm.
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Rock song: "Sting Me" by The Black Crowes
The performance: Rock Week was obviously tailor-made for Caleb, and he doesn't disappoint. Love his sassy attitude when he's singing to the backup singers, and he is truly the only finalist who even remotely knows how to work the stage. This is one performance that feels like watching an established artist, rather than just an amateur contender. He also knows how to improvise, working his way through a microphone mishap and collapsing near the backup singers at the end of the song.
What the judges say: Everyone — the audience, the judges, and especially J.Lo — is blown away by this performance. "That was some real rock 'n' roll," she says, giggling. Harry (for once!) has nothing bad to say, and loves the "perfect" song choice. Keith is in awe of how Caleb "spackled over" dropping the microphone.
Country song: "Undo It" by Carrie Underwood
The performance: Happy 23rd birthday, Caleb! Even though this is Caleb's country song, he still brings a rock energy to it, and puts his own unique stamp on the tune with those '80s hair metal vocals. It's clear he's not as comfortable with this one as he was with the Crowes, but it's still a top-notch effort. And how adorable was it to see Caleb plant a small kiss on Grumpy Cat's head right before taking the stage?
What the judges say: Jen says it was great, but nothing could top the "magic" of Caleb's rock song. Harry agrees, and even adds that this one felt a little "forced." And Keith offers the backhanded compliment that, "It was great. I can't wait to hear what country song you do later."
Rock song: "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplane
The performance: Two great performances in a row! That must be an Idol Season 13 record, no? Like a neon-haired Grace Slick, Jess growls her way through this song and doesn't miss a note. Her facial expression is intense, if a little blank — but that could perhaps be intentional.
What the judges say: Harry says the song was really strong vocally, and compliments Jessica for finally feeling the rhythm. Keith repeats what's becoming his mantra for the night and says she needs to "release" more. Jennifer agrees that Jess just needs to feel the song.
Country song: "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
The performance: It's clear that this is a song that's long been in Jessica's repertoire, because she just owns it vocally. Her dead eyes finally light up a little bit, and she's definitely "feeling the rhythm" (to borrow a phrase from Harry) a little less than she did in her rock number. Out of our "Top 3" (see above), she's definitely bringing up the rear and needs to have a real breakout performance to push past Caleb and Jena.
What the judges say: Harry says she "delivered it in a strong and convincing way." Keith unequivocally says he "hated" the darker, half-tempo arrangement, but thought it was solid vocally. Jen says she infused it with more emotion than on her first number.
What did you think? Which was your favorite performance of the night? Did you love Grumpy Cat's cameo? And who's heading home tomorrow night? Sound off below! And check out the Top 6's finalist diaries here.
American Idol airs Wednesdays at 8/7c and Thursdays at 9/8c on Fox.


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How to Make Your Backyard a Vacation Oasis
A vacation at home
While his neighbors pack up their cars for out-of-town vacation treks, this Twin Cities landowner retires to his backyard for an instant vacation escape, where he can relax by a fire and listen to a waterfall's soothing melody--without the commute time.The Twin Cities yard serves as a showroom of his work as a landscape designer. While his outdoor living area is more elaborate than most in a region with famously short summers, you can use these ideas on a smaller scale to make any backyard a vacation-worthy destination.
Add water
A vacation calls for water. Invoking beach getaways and lounging by the seashore, water in motion adds an aural sense of escape. Reflective and soothing, it can even veil the sounds of nearby traffic or too-close neighbors. You can install waterfalls to bring the benefits of water to your yard or use a self-contained fountain for a similar effect at less cost.
Create surprises
Tuck an intriguing piece of garden art where it can be seen only from the patio, or position the patio itself through an arbor or around a corner or the curve of a path so it feels like a discovery. Loop a garden walkway around your yard so guests can stroll.Here, a tucked-away footbridge leads to an intimate seating area overlooking the pond.
Make it comfy
Just like at a resort, your backyard escape should offer nice touches. Though hard benches and flat stones make good short-term perches, a retreat invites lingering. Go cushy with outdoor fabrics, and have a swing for two. Include side tables that make it easy to park a drink or grab a book.
Add a little romance
A great escape will be especially popular in the evening, so plan soft landscape lighting, twinkle lights or candles. Citronella candles do double duty by helping keep bugs at bay. Illuminate paths so guests can safely travel back to the house after dark. Top off your area with music by mounting outdoor speakers nearby.
Get private
Give a nook a sense of escape by creating privacy. Frame it on two or three sides with hedges or fences (or put the patio against a shed or house wall) to shield it from neighbors. Also use shrubs or fences to screen unwanted views.In this yard, a softly curved arbor and a hedge of evergreens provide privacy for the main patio.
Build with stone
Native stones can make your backyard feel more natural and soothing. You can use just a few stones to add visual interest in plant beds or go all-out with stone walls and paths. Durable and dramatic, stone can also help tie together different living spaces around your yard when placed strategically. This stone-rimmed raised patio hides a circular nook for firewood.
Cook outdoors
As with an indoor kitchen, a well-designed outdoor kitchen lets guests hang out comfortably near the cook without being underfoot. An outdoor kitchen can be as elaborate as this one-with a cafelike sprinkling of tables and chairs, plus a cooking area that has an undergrill fridge and cabinets to keep plates and utensils handy-or as simple as a freestanding grill, a table and chairs. Just allow plenty of room for guests to relax. Small touches such as sun umbrellas can go a long way toward adding both color and comfort.
Fire it up
A fire pit will give your yard an after-hours vacation glow and keep guests cozy into the evening. You can build a permanent version or purchase one of a wide variety of portable types, including gas and propane models. Just check your local ordinances before you invest--some cities limit the size and use of fire pits.
Use flower power
Flowers provide an instant vacation feel to any setting. Put out pretty containers in your backyard seating areas and grow flowering, fragrant favorites. This container has pink begonias, red impatiens, gold-leaf fuchsia and English ivy. For more ideas, click on "Beautiful Container Gardens" in the Related Links box below.
Spread out seating
If your yard is large enough, design it with several seating areas instead of just one. Enhance the vacation aura by creating resting spots such as this one with a weathered lawn chair. Elements such as blooming plants or a special view tempt visitors to wander.
What about winter?
Your backyard retreat may look lovely in summer, but what about those long Midwest winters? No problem-it's easy to winterize.Hardy plants such as hosta, Huechera and Vinca minor (supplemented each spring with fresh annual container plantings) will survive to flourish another season. In this Minnesota yard, even the fish hang around, thanks to a floating heater that prevents the main pond from turning to a block of ice.


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Waiting for the less-than-pretty to bloom
It started with a challenge from The Nester, this idea to bring a bit of spring inside. So, I cut branches off of spring trees, arranged them in vases. Pronounced some good, some brilliant and some less-than-pretty.
The less-than-pretty I intended to just throw out but when I carried them to the door my mind whispered, Wait until they bloom.
It's not what I wanted to hear. I have several things taking up space in my life right now that seem stuck in winter. No spring growth. No blooms.
But I put the less-than-pretty back on my craft table, and I check on it every day. The good and the brilliant have long-since lost their blossoms. The less-than-pretty still waits to share its gift.


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Something About Sydney Pollack
May 27, 2008
After a pretty public battle with cancer during the past year, Sydney Pollack left us on May 26 at the age of 73. That's not exactly young but it comes as a bit of a shock still, because Pollack had been so robust in recent years, so visible within the industry, and so active (and marvelous) as a character actor in movies like Eyes Wide Shut and Michael Clayton. Word of Pollack's illness first emerged last August when he dropped out of Recount, the HBO movie about the 2000 presidential election that premiered a day before he died. (Jay Roach of Austin Powers replaced him.) Pollack had sworn off television the second the had enough clout to do so, after he won an Emmy for directing a Chrysler Theatre segment called "The Game" back in 1965. Recount would have been the first thing he directed for television in 43 years. Obituarists like me would be remarking about what a long path he'd taken to come full circle.
I wish I could say something positive about Pollack the man, who I found rather smug and standoffish during my only encounter with him, or about his movies. Pollack's films tended to garner praise for their "adult" good taste and their classical, old-fashioned style. I thought they were banal and middlebrow, and that none of them excepting a few of the earliest ones did anything to stimulate the senses or the intellect.
But Pollack was an ideal episodic television director, and for a short time, a tremendously important one. Between 1961 and 1965, Pollack enjoyed a meteoric rise from assignments on a few journeyman westerns (Shotgun Slade and The Tall Man) through the top episodic dramas (Ben Casey, The Fugitive, The Defenders) and into the handful of remaining anthology hours (Kraft Suspense Theatre and the Chrysler Theatre, both shot on film, not staged live) still on the air in the mid-sixties. That wasn't as unusual an accomplishment as it sounds. In television at that time, one tended to either get stuck in the episodic rut for a long haul, or make the leap to features quickly; ambitious young directors and their agents understood that the clock was ticking. Stuart Rosenberg, Elliot Silverstein, Robert Ellis Miller, and Mark Rydell were the Big Five along with Pollack who vied for the top TV jobs throughout the early sixties and then got their first important movies between 1965-1967; if one compares their television resumes, the chronologies and the shows that crop up look a lot alike. But Pollack was younger than any of them and among his contemporaries he may have the record for the smallest number of TV segments done before the pole-vault into the big leagues was achieved.
Pollack in a rare leading role (he began as an actor, but mostly in supporting parts) in the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents segment "The Contest of Aaron Gold"
And how does the early work stand up today? Energetic, inventive, youthful, far livelier than the most TV episodes of the time, but notably devoid of personality. The shows are kid-in-a-candy-store exercises in technique, all tracking pull-backs and crane shots, most of it just restrained enough to complement the material rather than overwhelm it. Pollack's Cain's Hundreds and "The Black Curtain," a flavorful, seedy Cornell Woolrich adaptation for The Alfred Hitchock Hour, are experiments in noir lighting and composition, deliberate studies in a particular style.
The film critic Scott Foundas, one of the few to write about Pollack's TV period, describes a "dazzling … cubistic montage of bustling street scenes to suggest the disorientation felt by a timid Native American boy ill at ease in the big city" in the Ben Casey "For the Ladybug … One Dozen Roses." "Karina," a Frontier Circus, begins with an abstraction, a harlequin against blackness, walking straight into the camera. A moment later a shot of Elizabeth Montgomery's gartered legs glimpsed in a crystal ball ripple-dissolves into the real thing. Then a shot of her as a black-clad wraith, cape swirling, running into and over the camera. That's all in the teaser – and everything after the opening titles is routine. These sound like gratuitous, indulgent flourishes wedged incongruously between whole acts of standard rhythmic shot-reverse shot framing that Pollack couldn't vary and keep to his tight production schedule – and that's exactly what they are. But the truth is that so much of television looks so monotonous, one tends to take the visual pleasures where they come without dwelling too much on how unmotivated or immature they might be.
Since Pollack was working on the best TV shows in Los Angeles, the material was very good – the writers Pollack worked with, Howard Rodman and Stirling Silliphant and S. Lee Pogostin, put more of a personal stamp on the episodes than he did – and so were the performers hired to guest-star. That was Pollack's saving grace: he was good with actors. "King of the Mountain," a Cain's Hundred, is a fine three-character piece with Edward Andrews as a corrupt cornpone bigwig and Nashville's Barbara Baxley as his sullen, suffering wife. Robert Duvall, not always his subtle, reliable self this soon, has key early roles in that segment as a crooked, slow-moving sheriff's deputy who finds the buried vestiges of his decency, and in Pollack's Arrest and Trial (Rodman's "The Quality of Justice") as a child killer. There are delicious riffs from Pat Hingle as a smiling, straight-out-of-Jim Thompson psycho lawman (Cain's Hundred's "The Fixer") and a Vegas high-roller in a string tie (Kraft's "The Name of the Game"); and Cliff Robertson, going from broken-down fighter pilot on Ben Casey ("For the Ladybug … One Dozen Roses") to a compulsive gambler on the Chrysler Theatre ("The Game"). And, of course, there's "A Cardinal Act of Mercy," the Ben Casey tour de force in which Pollack coaxed perhaps the finest of Kim Stanley's few recorded performances out of the fragile actress. She won an Emmy. Already Pollack was forming, not a stock company of character actors, but a model in miniature of the succession of crucial star relationships (with Robert Redford, famously, but also Jane Fonda and others) that would drive his movie career.
Dutch angles, not dated at all: Piper Laurie in "Something About Lee Wiley"
As one of the top-of-the-heap young directors, Pollack enjoyed a certain amount of control over the material he worked on, a considerable rarity. It was during the anthology period that he first connected with David Rayfiel, later the most important of his screenwriters, and I'm guessing that Rayfiel's TV scripts for Pollack bear the director's clearest thumbprint out of all his small-screen work. "Something For Lee Wiley," a lush twenties melodrama about a female singer blinded in a riding accident, was a 1963 Chrysler with a terrific star turn by Piper Laurie and some gorgeous color photography (Pollack's first). Foundas wrote that its "air of dreamy fatalism and a jagged use of flashbacks . . . directly anticipates They Shoot Horses Don't They?" That gets at another influence that Pollack's work begins to show around this time, an influx of dutch angles, freeze frames, interpolated stills, and tricky edits. Perhaps Pollack merits another award: as the director who imported the biggest undigested European New Wave influence into sixties television. The obvious contemporaneous reference point is Arthur Penn's Mickey One, the mid-sixties American cinema's boldest attempt to grapple with the New Wave form in the raw; Pollack's most avant-garde TV efforts hold the same fascination as the Penn film, more fascinating objects than real successes. Oh, and there's the jazz music, another New Wave signpost that Pollack appropriated with as much constancy as possible in episodic TV: "Lee Wiley" was scored by Benny Carter, "The Watchman" (the second Rayfiel script, for Kraft) by Lalo Schifrin. Early harbingers of the inexcusable Dave Grusin muzak to come.
The Pollack-Rayfiel collaboration curdled on "The Watchman," a talky, pseudo-existential mess that limned the thirty-year relationship between a Spanish guerrilla (Telly Savalas), his Boswell (Jack Warden), and the woman they shared (Victoria Shaw). Pollack pulled off some stunning beauty shots, stumbled over a clumsy expository gimmick (Warden addresses a psychiatrist who remains off-camera), and emphasized the romance between Warden and Shaw. It was the same trick he would fall back on in The Way We Were: duck the half-baked ideas in the script and pour on the emotion.
(There's at least one more Pollack-Rayfiel effort, an unsold pilot called "The Fliers," starring John Cassavetes, that I've been unable to see.)
Pollack would've blanched at my assessment of his film career; he disowned his early films, like the earnest, urgent The Slender Thread, and most especially his TV work. I can guess why: he probably felt there were too many camera moves, too many crude cuts, in comparison to the smooth style of his features. In his book Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley, Jon Krampner got some good, specific quotes from Pollack about that Ben Casey segment, so the memories were there if Pollack chose to dredge them up. But in virtually every other interview I've read, when he was asked about his TV work, Pollack copped a superior attitude, putting down both the shows and his own contributions to them. Which is fine if you're, say, Robert Altman and your style really did evolve into something revolutionary; conversely, if your career has instead yielded sentimental, brain-rotting slop like The Way We Were (which is the blacklist rendered as a Hallmark card) and Out of Africa, then curt dismissals of the rambunctious, promising early impulses might be taken as snooty and ungracious.
I don't make that comparison arbitrarily, for Altman was another contemporary of Pollack's who moved up from TV into features in the late sixties. Altman worked on Kraft Suspense Theatre, too – got fired off it, actually; he had a hard head and his ten-year trudge through TV had a lot more detours and tangents than Pollack's. Altman's TV segments are eccentric, personal, audacious, while Pollack's are clever, imitative, pretentious, and ultimately writer- and actor-centric. You can see the blueprint for their film careers right there in the television resumes. Altman, for what it's worth, seemed to cherish his TV work in his later years, took pride in it alongside his films (almost to a comic extent, considering how powerful some of those are), even recorded audio commentaries for DVDs of his Combat episodes.
In mid-1965, Pollack directed "The Game," a Chrysler Theatre which was, like his earlier Kraft piece "The Name of the Game," a taut, claustrophobic gambling story set entirely within the interior of a casino. It's a remarkable work that I'll write about in another context later. Even before "The Game" won him an Emmy the following year, Pollack had run into some sort of conflict with the suits at Universal and turned the final editing over to his writer, S. Lee Pogostin. The statue clenched Pollack's ability to flip the bird to TV for good (he'd already finished The Slender Thread). Robert Altman's exit from TV came around the same time, when he told Variety that Kraft's Suspense Theatre was as bland as its cheese (it wasn't, but no matter) and necessarily had to clean out his office at that enterprise; it was a long winter before MASH. Pollack wafted out of TV on the golden wings of his Emmy. He was 31 – the same age I am now.
Jack Warden (note how skillfully Pollack integrates his shock of red hair into the mise-en-scene) and Telly Savalas in "The Watchman"
4 Responses to "Something About Sydney Pollack"
May 28, 2008 at 6:29 am
Thank you for your refreshing comments on the Alex Hicks — er, Dave Kehr — blog about Sydney Pollack. Thanks particularly about the words about Altman, with which Pollack might well have agreed.
May 29, 2008 at 3:42 am
I saw "The Fliers" when it first aired, but it didn't make a big impression on me. The look of the show was beautifully moody and the cast was fine (Cassavetes, Chester Morris, Carol Lynley, Dabney Coleman, Tom Simcox and Alfred Ryder). David Rayfiel and Lorenzo Semple were credited with the script. The story was about fliers during World War I, and this was a facinating area that hadn't been worked to death by TV. But I honestly didn't find the show as compelling as an average episode of "12 O'Clock High" or "Combat". It was a little slow moving, at least for a teenage boy. I don't think "The Fliers" would have been a success as a series, but, if nothing else, the pilot was extremely ambitious. I'm guessing Cassavetes was more than happy it didn't sell. Cassavetes could be a compelling actor when he wanted to be, but he was a little cold for a series lead. Having said that, I'm a big admirer of "Johnny Stacatto".
Pollack directed another pilot called "Diagnosis: Danger" that was an episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour". The writer was Roland Kibbee and the star was talented young Michael Parks. It seemed to be an attempt to turn "Panic in the Streets" into a series. Parks played Dr. Dan Dana from the Department of Public Health. Pollack's direction was fast and jazzy but Park's character wasn't rich enough to make you want to see more episodes.
But I became a big fan of Sydney Pollack from the body of his TV work. Right from the beginning, anything he was connected with seemed to have intelligence, ambition and fine acting.
June 21, 2010 at 6:08 pm
You forgot another interesting Pollock effort. One of the very first examples of episodic TV to feature a Hispanic in a key role was an episode of Slattery's People calle d" Whatever Became of the White Torrtilla". Ricardo Montalban played a Hispanic rookie legislator who ries to pass a bill without any co-sponsors.


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Columnist for trashy Murdoch tabloid faults Obama for invoking fundamental American principles
Pat Cunningham
No news medium in America, not even CNN, did a worse job at reporting the Boston story last week than the New York Post, a sleazy rag owned by Rupert Murdoch of Fox News fame.
Hence, it comes as no surprise that one of the Post's right-wing hatchet-men would SCOFF AT PRESIDENT OBAMA for saying this in the wake of the Boston bombings:
One of the things that makes America the greatest nation on Earth . . . is that we welcome people from all around the world — people of every faith, every ethnicity, from every corner of the ...


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20 Scrumptious Pasta Salad Recipes
Mexican Street Corn Macaroni Salad
In Mexico, grilled corn comes coated in mayonnaise, lime, cheese and cilantro. We just added pasta, plus lots of green onion for bite. It's a macaroni salad that's anything but basic.
Creamy Spinach-Basil Pasta Salad
Fresh basil in the dressing lends a hint of pesto-inspired sophistication to this mayo-rich pasta salad.
Greek Orzo Salad
Olives and feta give salty punch to this pasta salad from Surdyk's Liquor and Cheese Shop in Minneapolis.
Roasted Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella
Red and yellow cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and plenty of herbs and spices add color and flavor to this bountiful pasta salad. Sprinkle fresh basil on top.
Greek Pasta Salad
Toss pasta with fresh herbs, vegetables, feta cheese and olives for this Mediterranean-influenced salad.
Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad
Shredded chicken makes this gorgeous salad hearty enough to serve on its own for dinner.
Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad with Walnut Pesto
This lower-calorie pasta salad features roasted vegetables, whole wheat penne pasta and homemade pesto. To turn it into a main dish, stir in a can of rinsed and drained white beans or add chunks of grilled chicken.
Southwestern Chicken and Macaroni Salad
Awaken your senses with a potluck salad full of hot poblano peppers, cool avocado, crispy chicken strips and cream cheese.
Citrus Tuna Pasta Salad
Yellow sweet peppers, artichoke hearts, ripe olives and a light lemon-herb dressing highlight this colorful pasta salad.
Beefy Pasta Salad
Lean beef, fiber-rich multigrain pasta, and summer-fresh corn, tomatoes, and basil make this a healthier option for pasta salad.
Deli-Style Tortellini Salad
Mustard-herb vinaigrette dresses cheese-filled tortellini, chopped broccoli, carrots and sweet peppers in our version of this deli classic.
Crunchy Asian Noodle Slaw
Sesame seeds, ramen noodles, soy sauce, ginger and fresh broccoli give Asian flair to this fresh take on coleslaw.
Shrimp Pasta Salad
A homemade citrus vinaigrette or bottled Italian salad dressing tops this combo of shrimp, pasta and chopped veggies.
Reunion Noodle Salad
Soy sauce, lemon-infused olive oil and garlic create a flavorful dressing for this pasta and vegetable salad. The recipe comes from the Savage family in Columbus, Ohio, where they serve it at big family gatherings.
Italian Basil, Tomato and Pasta Salad
Designed for a potluck or large family gathering, this make-ahead salad features a mustard-garlic vinaigrette along with cut green beans, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, your choice of pasta and lots of basil!
Terrific Tortellini Salad
Light cheese-filled tortellini and reduced-fat ranch salad dressing, combined with lots of broccoli and carrots, lower the calories in this pasta salad.
Ravioli and Greens Salad
Fresh veggies and herbs amp up the flavor but not the calorie count in this mix of whole wheat four-cheese ravioli and homemade dressing.
Asian-Style Chicken Salad
Curly noodles, almonds, sesame seeds and rice vinegar blend in this crunchy, tangy salad from a West Des Moines, Iowa, reader.
Thai Chicken and Soba Noodle Salad
This Thai-inspired version of chicken salad blends buckwheat noodles, a peanut sauce, and crunchy fresh vegetables and greens.
Fruity Pasta Salad
Showcase fresh colors and flavors with a combination of honeydew, strawberries, cashews, pasta and snow peas, all mixed with poppy seed dressing.
Italian Pasta Salad
A simple red wine vinegar dressing makes this pasta salad side dish lower in fat and calories than most deli pasta salads.


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Honestly, great pest control work! Had a problem with the infestation of roaches and I haven't seen any pests about since. Highly recommended. Thank you, guys!
Proven Pest Control The Hawkesbury provides a premium pest control and termite services to the The Hawkesbury, NSW area. We provide our services at an affordable price while delivering a professional and reliable service.
Using only the highest quality products on the market, Proven Pest Control provides treatments that are not just safe and effective, but totally guaranteed!
Proven Pest Control is the number one choice for The Hawkesbury pest control, termite inspections and termite treatments. We have over 20 years of combined experience and have helped over 20,000 homeowners and businesses with their termite infestations and other pest control needs. Read on to learn why we are the top choice for pest control in The Hawkesbury, then pick up the phone and call us for prompt help with your pest and termite problems.
- Dee Why
I had Sam come out for a spider treatment. He was very professional and explained the treatment to me. Very happy with the results as I have not seen any spiders since. Great Pest Control Company!
I had an excellent experience here, they came out and did a Termite Treatment and they were very professional. It exceeded all of my expectations—great results for a great price!!! highly recommend 🙂
I used the Pest Control services of these guys for the first time and it was as smooth as silk. The office staff were great and found a time that worked for me, the technicians that have come out have always been polite, on time, and do a good job. I will be calling on them again next year.
Andrew was incredibly friendly, professional and informative. I would definitely recommend Proven Pest Control. They are the best Pest Control company in the area. I will be booking them again next year too.
So glad that I found an honest and professional Termite Inspection company to help me. I had a termite infestation and these guys came out an did a full Termite Inspection and then a Termite Treatment.
Pest Control Services We Offer
Proven Pest Control offer only the highest standard of pest control and termite treatments to Australian Standards to safeguard your home, family and business.
Our services include Cockroach Control, Spider Control, Termite Inspections, Termite Treatments and all other pest control services.
There are many treatment options for pest control in The Hawkesbury and we pride ourselves in the belief that no job is too big or too small. We provide the highest standard of pest control services in The Hawkesbury and neighbouring suburbs.
We value our clients, that's why we do everything in our power to safeguard your home and business from pests. For great rates on pest control anywhere in The Hawkesbury, NSW area, call us today.
Expert Pest Control The Hawkesbury
Controlling pests is an important part of regular home maintenance. Some pests are just unsightly and then there are others, such as cockroaches, rats and mice. These can cause illness or spread disease, while some spider bites can be deadly.
Protecting your family and pets is vital. If you are looking to protect your family investment or wish to make your home a safer place by having the most effective pest control The Hawkesbury has on offer, Proven Pest Control are able to provide you with family-friendly pest control management.
Whether the customer is a business or a homeowner, our staff combine their experience and knowledge with on-going training to provide you with the most effective treatment.
To learn more about our residential pest services, click here.
Termite Inspections The Hawkesbury – Prices from $180
A termite inspection in The Hawkesbury, NSW can be your first line of defence against termites. The Hawkesbury is a high-risk area for termites, for this reason, a termite inspection is a vital tool in keeping your home termite-free. 1 in 5 homes will be attacked by termites every year, a Termite Inspection is your first line of defence.
Read more about our Termite Inspections here.
We have a huge amount of experience in termite protection and treatments. These services include termite inspections, monitoring, baiting and pre-construction barriers. We offer effective pest control and termite solutions to The Hawkesbury locals. It's quick, safe and responsive. And Proven Pest Control makes sure the 100% quality of the service.
Why is a Termite Inspection in The Hawkesbury so Important?
One of the best preventative measures that you can take for your home is to schedule regular termite inspections in The Hawkesbury; regular termite inspections can catch an infestation in its infantile stages and allow for the quick elimination of these small insects that can cause major structural damages.
It is important for homeowners to realize that termites are timber-devouring and wood-destroying insects. These silent destroyers are capable of damaging the structural supports of the home, compromising the physical integrity of such. Some signs of termites in the home may include sagging floors, pinpoint holes in drywall, bubbling paint, damaged and crumbling wood trim and loose tiles.
The Process of a Termite Inspection in The Hawkesbury
A termite inspection in The Hawkesbury, NSW is the first important part of any termite control program. When we begin a termite inspection, we try to perform a thorough inspection. During the inspection, we check all areas of the building including the surrounding gardens for termite activity and damage. We look for any possible risk factors that may cause termites to attack your home. These risk factors include things like previous termite activity, moisture and other attractants such as rotting timbers.
A Termite Inspection in The Hawkesbury will take between 1.5hrs to 2hrs.
After finishing the inspection, we will advise methods of control to avoid any future attack. The client will get a complete report of his findings and guidance.
Termite Treatments The Hawkesbury
So before any termite treatment in The Hawkesbury can begin, a full termite inspection must be carried out by a trained technician. The inspection is essential, as there may be other areas in the building that are also infested with termites. Treatment of your home is essential otherwise full eradication is unlikely.
Termite Treatments are complex, so it may take months to complete. The technician will make recommendations and they should be followed perfectly, otherwise, the eradication is highly unlikely.
Treatments must not be tampered with and are only carried out by experienced termite technicians. The cost for a termite chemical barrier averages $1800 and will last between 3 to 5 years. This time depend on environmental factors and soil types.
The Process of a Termite Treatment in The Hawkesbury
There are two types of termite treatments available for the The Hawkesbury area: Prevention and Eradication. A preventative treatment stops termites entering the home by creating a barrier which kills them as they come into contact with it. This involves digging a trench around the perimeter of the house, the sub-floor, around walls and piers. The chemicals are poured into the trench and the soil is placed back. We inject the chemical into concrete slabs, pathways and driveways. On average, each home will have over 450 litres of chemicals injected.
Termite Infestation Treatment
A termite treatment to an infested home always consists of two parts. The first part of the actual treatment, for the purpose of avoiding further damage to the building; a chemical is applied directly to the termites. The second part includes creating the chemical barrier or monitoring stations around the house as described above. This part of the treatment is to destroy any termites trying to re-enter the home. The trained technician advises you which termite treatment is suitable in The Hawkesbury.
Commercial Pest Control Services in The Hawkesbury
Managing the pest control needs of business customers within The Hawkesbury area has been an integral part of Proven Pest Control The Hawkesbury. It's valuable, long term experience that can really make a difference.
Today, our specialist Commercial Division works behind the scenes at many of The Hawkesbury's best-known establishments to ensure a safe, pest-free environment for staff and customers alike.
Our products and procedures represent the very latest products. The application techniques ensure effective control with minimum impact on the environment, people and non-target species. Using Integrated Pest control techniques, we also advise on solutions to the issues that can cause an infestation. Issues that can lead to an infestation are moisture, hygiene, ventilation and other conditions pests find attractive.
Ultimately don't trust your valuable operation and reputation to anyone but a professional pest controller. Find out more about our services.
Pest Control Hints and Tips
Pests will often enter indoors and homeowners will try and control the problem on their own, but the truth is that most pests are better left to professionals. After all, pest professionals have the knowledge, tools and training to safely and properly eliminate pest infestations.
However, there is a range of pest prevention tips for homeowners. These tips can reduce the likelihood of unwanted pests all year round, at little to no cost at all. Make sure you check out our blog for some handy hints and tips with Pest Control.
Common Pest Control Pests
Proven Pest Control technicians are trained to help manage your cockroach issues. Keeping cockroaches out of your home or building is an ongoing process, not a one-time treatment. Proven Pest Control will provide the correct pest control solution to keep cockroaches out of your home or business.
People will often blame a cockroach problem on poor housekeeping. While kitchens, cleaning bins and floors can be useful, it is far more important to reduce food sources used by cockroaches. Cockroaches will hitch a ride on infested items brought inside or enter through cracks in the home's exterior.
Pest dogs and cats are the main cause for a flea infestation. The flea attaches itself to the animal when, and then it will infest the pet's fur and the places it sleeps. Flea pest control for both the home and yard normally takes two treatments. Sometimes, fleas may become a problem inside the home when the host they previously fed on is no longer there. The flea then focuses their feeding activity on other hosts that live in the home.
An important aspect of flea treatment is the time and effort it takes to fully eradicate the issue. Dealing with the flea infestation requires treating infected animals, cleaning infested areas, and taking preventative measures to keep the fleas from coming back.
Flies can enter a home through different methods. The insects can drift in through open windows and doors or enter houses on food products (fruit flies). They may also be attracted to and breed in the organic matter in your drains. Flies can also infest dead animals in walls, roof voids, or other hidden places inside your home.
Our pest control technicians are trained to help manage flies and similar pests. Since every home and business is different, the technician will design a unique pest control plan for your situation. Our specialist can provide the right solution to keep flies out of your home, restaurant or office.
Rats and Mice
Rats and mice are warm-blooded mammals that are found throughout the world. They have oversized front teeth for gnawing and back teeth, which are adapted for chewing. They chew on a variety of items available to them and cause great damage in and around homes. In addition to being tough to control, rats and mice carry diseases and contaminate food with waste, fur, and saliva.
It is a fact that mice can contaminate around 10 times the amount of food they eat. If you find a rat or mouse inside your home, it is best to contact a professional pest controller to remove and advise ways to prevent further infestations. The presence of one rat or mouse within a home can signal an infestation.
Ants come in sorts of shapes and sizes with a different method of pest control needed. The type of pest control required will depend on their food preference, which may be either oil, protein or sugar. There will be three different colony castes; queens, workers or males. Queens are fertile females that lay all the eggs in a colony. Worker ants are wingless females that forage for food, feed the larvae, maintain the nest, defend the colony, but do not reproduce. Male ants are winged and their only job is to mate with the queens during the swarming period. Poor sanitation is the primary cause of ant infestations in homes and businesses.
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink, food residue on countertops, crumbs on the floor and trash in the bin for long periods, provide food sources for ants. What starts with a few scavengers entering the home can become a major infestation if ants establish colonies in lawns, walls, or under structures.
Termites that cause damage to Australian homes are subterranean termites.
Subterranean termites are small, soft-bodied insects that build large nests in soil or trees and have underground tunnels that can reach up to 150 metres away from the nest. They cannot survive out in the open.
Termites are great survivors and have existed for millions of years.
They are found in all regions of mainland Australia, both in suburban and country areas. There are over 300 species of termites in Australia.
Termites move underground and live in tunnels of mud that is mixed with their excreta and saliva. Their mud tunnels are built for the purpose of exploring and finding timber to attack. In most areas of The Hawkesbury, they will not build these tunnels out in the open as they must remain in a high humidity environment to survive.


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Guinness, it's not just for pint glasses anymore!
On a normal day, thirsty revelers easily drain two kegs of Guinness at Boston's Black Rose tavern. Come St. Patrick's Day — an official holiday in Bean Town — and they'll plow thorough 55 kegs.
"It's pretty crazy over there," says Keenan Langlois, corporate chef for The Black Rose and the seven other restaurants in Boston's Glynn Hospitality Group. "People start early and spend all day there."
And these days, not all of that Guinness is going down parched gullets. With what he says is the largest Guinness account in the state of Massachusetts, Langlois figured it was time to use it as an ingredient in food, too. His Black Rose burger stacks prime beef with Irish bacon, shredded cabbage and Guinness-spiked ketchup. And he's not alone.
Chefs have long known that the hearty Irish stout, brewed in Dublin since 1759, can add complexity to stews, soups, dips and even desserts. They use its bitterness and toasty malt flavor to offset rich, fatty meats, and echo its notes of chocolate and coffee in cakes and ice cream. Its creaminess offers a great platform for cheese, they say, especially Irish blues.
"It has a rich spectrum of uses," says Paul Hartley, author of "Guinness: An Official Celebration of 250 Remarkable Years" (Hamlyn, 2009). "It's this rounded velvety feel and it fuses with all the right things. Like oysters and blue cheese and chocolate. From time to time, I marinate chicken in Guinness and lime and grill it. It brings all that to life."
Hartley's idea of the perfect St. Patrick's Day starts with Guinness-marinated Irish bacon, moves onto crepes with Guinness-poached mushrooms for lunch, and ends with a dinner of Irish "beef cobbler," that is, Guinness-braised beef served with scones.
Pastry chef Alice Medrich would add dessert. Medrich has laced Guinness through chocolate cupcakes, reduced it to a syrupy essence, concocted creamy, egg-yolk-based ice cream from it and made Guinness granita to scrape over vanilla ice cream. She sometimes uses it for the contrast of bitter and sweet, but also exploits its notes of coffee and chocolate to layer flavors. Exhibit No. 1? Her stout float with chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup and Kahlua.
"It's building the flavors," says Medrich, author most recently of "Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts" (Artisan, 2012). "There's a lot of chocolate-coffee-malty things going on in the Guinness. The Kahlua picks up on the coffee notes in the Guinness. So everything's working together."
Carbonation makes beer a natural friend of salty, fatty cheese, says Janet Fletcher, author of the upcoming "Cheese & Beer" (Andrews McMeel, April 2013). Stout, in particular, she says, offers elements of caramel that complement varieties such as Gouda, and creaminess that boosts triple-cream cheeses.
That creaminess also makes it a good match for mild blue cheeses, Fletcher says, such as Ireland's soft, supple Cashel Blue. And though she says she prefers hoppier beers with cheddar, she admires the historic pairing.
"It's been the cornerstone of many a pub lunch for centuries," she says. "There's the pleasure of knowing you're having a classic."
The possibilities are seemingly endless. In its "100 ways to cook." column, the food blog Endless Simmer showcased recipes such as onion soup with a Guinness-based broth, mashed potatoes with Guinness gravy and even Guinness lasagna.
"In recent years people are cooking a lot more creatively with Guinness than they used to," says the site's editor Brendan Spiegel, pointing to the lasagna — which incorporated Guinness into a salsa verde topping — as the funkiest recipe. "I don't know what it wouldn't go with. It's definitely a wintery flavor, which is why it works for St. Patrick's Day. You wouldn't mix it with fruit or something you're trying to make light and summery. It's for hearty cuisine."
Not everyone is enamored of Guinness. "It's just not very interesting," Peter Begg, head of food development for Jamie Oliver Ltd. and a fan of craft beers, writes in an email. "It's OK to drink with oysters and to cook with a beef stew, but that's about it really."
Perhaps it's a question of familiarity breeding comfort rather than contempt. Author Hartley loves it for its iconic status. And its longevity.
"Every time I go to a food exhibition and I see three- or four-thousand new products, the next year when I come back there will only be a few left," he says. "But the Guinness will still be there."
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 16
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large sweet onions, diced
1 cup cold Guinness
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese (preferably Irish), cubed
Crackers, chips or bread, to serve
In a large skillet over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized, about 20 minutes. If the onions begin to char before they caramelize, add a tablespoon or 2 of water. Set the onions aside and allow to cool.
Once the onions have cooled, in a food processor combine them, the Guinness, salt, pepper, cayenne and cheddar. Pulse until combined and smooth. Serve with crackers, chips or bread. Also makes a great spread for a roast beef sandwich.
Nutrition information per serving: 130 calories; 90 calories from fat (69 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 30 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 7 g protein; 240 mg sodium.
(Recipe by Alison Ladman)
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Six 12-ounce bottles Guinness
1-pound package wide egg noodles
1 1/2 pounds 90 percent lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
3 scallions, chopped (white and green parts)
In a large stockpot over medium-high, bring the Guinness to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain the noodles, but reserve 3 cups of the liquid (add water if needed to have 3 cups). Set both aside.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet over medium-high, combine the ground beef, onion and garlic. Saute until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and reserved Guinness. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the egg noodles and serve topped with scallions.
Nutrition information per serving: 680 calories; 130 calories from fat (19 percent of total calories); 15 g fat (6 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 135 mg cholesterol; 74 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 36 g protein; 270 mg sodium.


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Oyster Bay Teddy`s Boys
Click "Add Member" to add a new member to your team roster. Please do not attempt to modify any teams other than your own.
NYS Drill Teams is a professional league of volunteer firefighters from across NY State who compete in firematic competitions. These competitions are geared towards honing basic firefighting proficiencies, developing and fostering teamwork, character-building, commitment, discipline, physical fitness and conditioning. Participation in the league complements each fire department's primary function of emergency response to fires, medical emergencies, and other calamities, while instilling members with a life-long commitment to serving their community as highly skilled volunteer firefighters.


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The FAIR program is a public/private partnership to address community Feline issues related to the protection of the public and feline health and welfare throughout Forsyth County. Assistance is provided through the development of new Initiatives and methods of Response.
The purpose of the FAIR program is to promote nonlethal methods to reduce the number of feral and stray cats in Forsyth County. Forgotten Felines of Forsyth will humanely trap, evaluate, vaccinate, and sterilize by veterinarians feral cats already residing in Forsyth County. The Forsyth County Department of Animal Services and Forgotten Felines of Forsyth have combined their efforts, expertise, and experience to offer an alternative solution related to free roaming cats within the community. Both parties cooperate in resolving cat issues within the County through coordination and recognition of each organization's available resources and responsibilities.
FHS University North (FCAS) Adoption Hours:


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Home » ReR Label » MACLEAN, STEVE: Bridges (dbl)
MACLEAN, STEVE: Bridges (dbl)
These recordings collect together works spanning two decades of composition and experimentation that balance traditional musical resources (the band, compositional skills, instrumental techniques, acoustic and amplified instruments) and the new technologies (computers, software, processing). The first CD showcases polyrhythmic, careful compositions (like those on his last ReR CD, Opposite of War), which still no-one has tried to emulate. The second is more meditative, abstract and electronic, moving from Kora through electric and acoustic guitars - with and without radical effects processing - to piano and virtual orchestra, putting various softwares through their paces.
Only available at this price as part of the ReR Sale Offer (minimum) 4 titles)
Code: ReRSM2/3
Price: £5.00


text: Series: Statement of Treaties and International Agreements / Relev des Traits et Accords Internationaux Subjects(s): International Law and Justice Statement of Treaties and International Agreements: Registered or Filed and Recorded with the Secretariat during the Month of October 1952 Author: UN, OLA Publication date: Page count: 104 Language(s) in this book: English, French Available Formats PDF $10.00 ISBN: 9789210588102 Add to cart PRINT SUBSCRIPTION Subscribe About the product This monthly publication contains the statement of treaties and international agreements registered in accordance with Article 102 of the United Nations Charter. For each treaty or international agreement listed, the following information is given: registration or recording number, title, date of conclusion, date and method of entry into force, languages in which it was concluded, name of the authority which initiated the formality of registration, and the filing and recording date of that formality. The annex contains ratifications, accessions, supplementary agreements and other subsequent actions concerning the treaties and international agreements. This is a bilingual publication in English and French.


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Production Method: Handmade
Pattern Type: Solid
Model Number: FN19003
Item Type: Eyewear Accessories
Gender: Women
Frame Material: Alloy
Eyewear Accessories: FRAMES
Certification: CE
Brand Name: KANSEPT
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On the RidicuList, two employees at a cold storage facility in Atlanta used a rented truck and a forklift for a costly chicken wing heist weighing in at 26,000 pounds. Plus, an expert lesson on the civilized way to eat a hot wing, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday.
Post by: Anderson Cooper
Filed under: The RidicuList
lol maybe they were hungry geez like really hungry or he will sell it or give it the to a homeless shelter
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
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"Crossing the Rubicon"
"Alea iacta est "
"Burn the Bridges "
"Break the woks and sink the boats"
"Fait accompli"
"Leave the rope"
"bring the revolver and one bullet"
amateur: n. 1. a person who engages in some art, science, sport, etc. for the pure pleasure of it rather than for money. 2. a person who does something without professional skill...derived from the french word "amare" which means "to love." That's me...Even though I am without professional skill...far from it; I love adventure, I love climbing, I love a good Hard-core Stout, I LOVE DULUTH, MN and I am obsessed with cycling & no one pays me so much as a penny! I am the consummate Amateur...
"Break the woks and sink the boats"
"Fait accompli"
"Leave the rope"
"bring the revolver and one bullet"
The Greg Hexum Teacher Development Grant Program (for generously providing shoes to cheapskate struggling area teacher/cyclist)
The C.O.G.G.S. Charity for Demented,Confused, and Ill-clad Wannabe Bike Racers
The Mike Haag Endowment for Under-employed Teachers
...and of course many thanks to Ski Hut for allowing the author access to the used parts bin downstairs in the shop...
May 30, 2009: Dirty Kanza 200 (200 miler) - Flint Hills. Emporia, KS (doubtful)
Red Ass 300 (not until June of 2010) Post script, I spoke with Lindsay Gauld at the AH 135 where he informed me that they are going to do the RED ASS again in 2010, in 2009 they are doing a shorter but more techy mtb race)
First weekend in September: 24 Hours @ Seven Oaks, Iowa [this could be the one 24 hour mtb race for me for the summer!!!]http://www.sevenoaksrec.com/24hour.html
August 22 [WEMS]:Blue Mounds (hopeful)
October 3 [WEMS]: Thunderdown (priority)
The Goal is to race around 16 to 18 times this season...all in anticipation of the Arrowhead 135 and ultimately the Iditabike
Here is the greatly anticipated, long overdue, Top Ten List of MOST IMPRESSIVE CYCLING EFFORTS of 2010…Disclaimer 1: Only old and stressed, albeit "impressive" people are allowed on THE LIST 'cuz itz easy to do extraordinary things on a bike when a guy is young and fancy free. The older you are the better your chances. So if you are a guy under forty years-of-age without sore knees, a wife, or polyps on your colon, or scars on your shoulders or if you are a young fella without any snotty-nosed kids yanking at your pant-legs or getting' in trouble at school, or if you are without a hyper-active dog that is constantly "on-the-lam" and/or if you are without a high mortgage payment, or an angry boss, or if you are not given impossible tasks to do at work, or if you are not surrounded by incompetent workers or if you are without exorbitantly high student-loans, or diabetic cats (or the like) then you would have really had to do something incredibly special in cycling in 2010 to make this LIST. A youngin' that rides hard, eats right, don't drink, and then goes home to sleep at his parent's house with nary a worry in the world, of course can do great things in racing!!! Guyz that make The List are under the gun in their day-jobs and in their everyday lives…To them training "aint work," training is a way to escape reality, to feel FREE! And the actual racing part is easy, itz the after racing part when ya gotta go home and take the dog for a long walk, coach a youth soccer team, or take the kid to hockey practice that really tests these guyz endurance. They don't dread training, they look forward to training. Most of the time, they have to train at all hours of the day, super early in the morning or late night, if they are gonna "get one in." These guyz do it all, plus they are darn good cyclists as well, and thatz why they made THE LIST!Disclaimer 2: In order to make The List, not only do you have to be over 40 and stressed, you also have to have done a really impressive thing in a race that The List-Maker has knowledge of or experience with…and since he is too slow and awkward to do the shorter races, chances are that you won't make The List if you only do WORS or MNSCS races. Of course these short fast events are dominated by the youth and so it is to some extent a moot point. The List rewards longevity in the sport and the fact of the matter is that the longer one stays in the sport the more likely he/she will be drawn into the longer, more obscure events. Veteran riders are drawn to events that provide more race time for the buck and time commitment for obvious reasons.Disclaimer 3: This year's List is configured in a different fashion from years past. This year's List is based on specific Categories whereas in year's past I placed riders in a hierarchical listing--
Disclaimer 4: If you don't like the List or if you feel like you were left off the List unfairly or unjustly, send the author a case of Bell's Hopslam Ale with a note and he will get back to you. Otherwise, if you are too young, thatz your fault.
Most Impressive Overall 2010 Results; Winner- Tim Ek wins WEMS and places high in many gravel road classics. Eki raced more "hard races" in 2010 than anybody else in "my world." Runner-up-Sara Kylander Johnson, with babe on hip, has an amazing season winning many podium finishes in most of the big time Midwestern races including Ore-to-shore, Iceman Cometh, and Chequamegon.
Most Impressive Snow Race Effort; Winner- Sage Dave Pramann's effort @ the 350 mile Alaskan Invitational; Runner-up; 40+ Jeff Oatley barely is beat by youthful Pete Basinger @ the same race. Winner did it in 3 dayz, 9 hours and 18 minutes; while 50+ Pramann took 5 dayz and 57 minutes.
Most Impressive Gravel Road Race Effort; Winner- Cornbread of Nebraska crushed a strong field @ Dirty Kanza 200 in the kind of heat that would make the Devil sweat, Runner Up- Tandem Team Eppen impresses @ Almanzo 100
Most Impressive Multi-day Race Effort; Winner- Jeremy Kershaw rides for 88 hours to complete 627 mile Trans-Wisconsin with aged malcontent in tow. Runner-up- Joe Meiser, who would have won the Trans-Wisconsin by at least six hours+ had to pull the plug at Hayward (near the finish) due to fatherly duty…
Most Impressive Effort in a Mountain Bike Race under Three hours; Winner-Family man Scott Cole's (46) amazing effort at the Chequamegon, where he earned a 22nd finish; Runners-up-Jim Bell (47) from Saint Cloud finishes in 33rd position at the same race and Aaron Swanson of Northern Wisconsin in a top 40 finish…both very impressive!!!
Most Impressive 12 hour mtb race effort; (All involved Levis race)Winner-Jason Buffington @ Levis 100; Runners-up-Trevor Rockwell and Charly Tri. Rockwell and Buffington won at Levis on single-speeds whilst Tri won the geared class. Buffington has at least ten years on Rockwell and Tri and three kids to Tri's one kid, so do the math…Buffington wins, but Tri and Rockwell were impressive indeed!
Most Impressive 24 hour mtb race effort; Winner-Jason Buffington @ 24@9Mile. Buffington took second in the single speed division losing to a top Wisconsin rider and third overall; Runner-up; Danielle Musto @ 24Hrs@Afton. This is an incredibly hard course and she was right there with the winner for the full 24 hours!!! So impressive…but she is young and yet so impressive…
Most Impressive and Generous Race Director; Winner- Chris Skogen for the amazing Almanzo; Runner-up; Kershaw & Buffington Clan hospitality at the Heck of the North.
Overall Most Impressive Win of 2010; Winner- Oatley out-sprinting Basinger and Pramann at the Arrowhead for the win! Runner Up-; Cornbread's win in Kansas.Miscellaneous Honorable mentions…
Most impressive non-cycling performance of 2010 (snow-walkers included, runners and triathletes excluded); Winner- Greg Hexum's 4th place effort at the National Snowshoe championships (he has won it twice before), Runners-up; Tim Roe and Matt Maxwell at the 2010 Arrowhead 135
Most Generous Act of 2010; Winner-Rich Hendricks picks up two wasted finishers of the Trans-Wisconsin at a muddy remote Lake Superior beach @ 2:00 a.m. in the morning amid a rain storm. Runner-Up; Jim Reed's daughter drives Trans-Wisconsin contingency from Duluth, MN to the border of Wisconsin and Illinois.
Company most in-tune with the needs of the DBD Adventure Society; Winner-Salsa; Runner ups-Man-Diaper Inc. & Bells Brewery of Michigan.
Nicest guyz in the snow and gravel peletons: Winners-Lindsay Gauld, Jim Palmer, Bill Shand, Jim Reed, Ari, the Braun Brothers, Chris Finch, John Kurth, Dave Simons, Jason Novak, Dave Gray, Greg Ames, Pat Long, Jason Giddings, Chuck Linder, Nick Wethington, Troy Kruse, Mike Dietzman, Rich Hendricks, Drew Wilson, Tim Andrews, Todd McFadden, Adam Blake, Ben Shockey, John Hatcher...
Funniest guyz in the Peleton: Winner-Josh Peterson; Runner-up: Lance Andre
Best Man-servant of 2010: Winner-Andy Lockery's handling of Mr. Gauld at the AH 135; Runner up- Rick Mangen's daughter's work at the Heck of the North.
Good Samaritan Award: Prairie Peddler Bike Shop, Prairie du Chien, WI. If you are ever in the area stop by as they are the bestest, most nicest folks ever...really helped me out of a jam during the Trans-Wisconsin
Best Bike Shop: The Ski Hut in Duluth, MN...The Epicenter of Cycling. .
Most Impressive Bike Club: COGGS of the Northland.
Most Secretive Cycling Society: The Slender Fungus
Most Covert and Misunderstood Adventure Society: The D.B.D.A.S.
This so HUGE FOR YOU!!! If you made THE LIST...If you did not make THE LIST, I am sooooooooo sorry for you!!!!
Charlie's Top 10 Amateur List-of-Honor, celebrating the Most Impressive Cycling-related Events of 2009…The List by which a cyclist's career is defined… The List for which many live, languish, and even die to obtain recognition on... BRAVO to those that have achieved this noble recognition…These righteous persons listed below now take their place amongst the greats of cycling lore…[Disclaimer: To qualify for inclusion onto this most impressive TOP TEN listing, the accomplishment had to have been personally witnessed by the List-maker. This of course makes the list extremely biased, narrowly focused, and marginalized to constitute only the microcosm that encompasses the writer's SMALLISH world view of bicycle racing…The list, therefore, is evolutionary and thus reflects the author's concerted personal effort to move away from racing in mass-marketed events that require venues to be marginalized and de-challenged in an effort to maximize participation numbers with the goal being to optimize profits. In order to offer hope and a bit of solace to the misguided, albeit talented racer that has not yet seen the fruits of forgoing these "pop-cultural, mass-marketed" generic events in favor of the nobler events from which the below honored have been chosen, the List-maker does offer recognition of a couple of major outstanding achievements within this less than lofty realm that were too noteworthy and impressive to ignore, but not witnessed per se by the author, in a Honorable Mention category. It is the List-makers hope that those listed in this second-tier category shall see the light and thus position themselves to compete for a spot on the 2010 List-of-Honor. Also in order to achieve this great honor, one must be a committed amateur cyclist, so anyone purporting to be a professional is automatically not considered. Furthermore anyone that used a preponderance of carbon in the form of components and/or frame is de-elevated in the author's calculation. Finally, pure roadies and/or triathletes are not considered.]
Charlie Farrow's Highly Anticipated List of Amazing and Great Cycling Accomplishments of 2009: [The List--#1 being the MOST Very Impressive and worthy of DBD recognition…while #10 being an effort that stirred Mallory's loins and caused him to exclaim, "Bully!"]
Honorable Mention category: Ben Koenig of Schofield, Wisconsin takes third in the so-called 24 Hour National Championships held in Moab, Utah. This 21 year old kid had an amazing year and is a full-on talent…Of course, the idea of paying the loathsome, outrageous, far-reaching, and multifaceted financial fees (ranging from camping fees, pit fees, to licensing fees, etc., etc.) that are now associated with the "nationally franchised for-profit" 24 Hour events, has caused these types of opportunistic events to NOT be considered by the author for they represent a "cancer" upon our sport…But given Koenig's age and seemingly lack of full sponsorship, the List Maker made a concession in his particular situation.
#10: Local racers win local races: Scotty Kylander-Johnson, Sean Gort, and Todd McFadden. Scotty for winning in very impressive style the challenging Lincoln Park MTB race and to both Sean and Todd for winning the Heck of the North.
#9: Lindsay Gauld for his fourth place finish at the 2009 Arrowhead 135. It was his first effort at the AH 135 and yet he still was right there in the thick of it, so impressive! Lindsay Gauld is the "Thomas Jefferson or George Washington" of a thriving cycling community up in the Winnipeg area. Mr. Gauld was in the 1972 Olympics in cycling and now at 60 years of age+ , he is still a force to be reckoned with…and an inspiration to all finely aged cyclists…
#8: Inaugural Race Creators Jeremy Kershaw and Tim Roe earn spots on The List for their efforts to provide both unique and top-notch racing opportunities for the discerning cyclist. These guyz (and other visionaries) are the ones that make it possible for the rest of us to enjoy local grass-roots racing. Kershaw put together The Heck-of-the-North 100 mile extravaganza this year and it was a resounding success. The course is a work of art and the organization of the race was flawless. Tim Roe created the Tuscobia Ultra and it too was a great inaugural event. Mr. Roe's novel approach of transporting the racers from the finish to the start via school bus was the act of a genius! I personally know that Kershaw contributed a significant amount of his valuable time and money to putting on the Heck of the North and the fact they the race enjoyed a full roster is a testament to his brilliance as a course setter and race director. Bravo to both Jeremy Kershaw and Tim Roe for they represent the very best of cycling!!!
#7: Ben Shockey and the Brothers Braun take impressive honors at the 2009 Trans-Iowa Race. Shockey rode a fixed geared bicycle in this last spring's Trans-Iowa. I repeat, Shockey rode a fixed geared bicycle in the Trans-Iowa. The author had the honor of riding with Ben for several hours and the manly effort required to propel that fixed gear was something to behold. One had the sense of witnessing something very special indeed. Had I not had my tear-ducts removed to save weight, I would have wept like a little school girl as he was forced to frantically pedal the descents while the rest of us relaxed and rested…The nod goes to the Braun duo more so because of the understated style in which they impress. They make everything look so easy. Travis won the Trans-Iowa Single Speed category while Matt was only three minutes behind. Matt rode the Heck-of-the-North on a single-speed while wearing what appeared to be a pair of old Jordan Nikes on his feet. He was always at the front of the lead pack and was the main topic of discussion in the lead group as everyone kept asking, "Who is that guy?"
#6: Relative newbie and Duluthian Jason Buffington wins the single speed category (2nd overall) at the amazing WEMS Thunderdown in October and then a few weeks ago "guts-out" a finish at Tuscobia on a "skinny-tired" 29er on a very tough course. Buffington was the only guy that was able to complete the 75 miles on a non-snow bike. Buffington is tough…in the tradition of Mallory and Shackleton…Need a write more?
#5: Rochester riders IMPRESS at three very challenging venues. Charly Tri wins easily at both the Ragnarok 105 and the Levis 100 while Brad Dittmer wins the 24 Hours @ Afton by four laps! Note: Look for a third Rochester rider, Jason Novak, to make his way up The List in the near future as his potential puts him in the category of "great expectations." Novak finished in third place in last spring's Trans-Iowa with Travis Braun, who won the single-speed class in this the gravel classic by which all others are judged.
#4: Jesse Rients riding away solo from a strong field in a full-on head wind and subsequently easily winning the Almanzo 100 by nearly twenty minutes. Of course, he was suppose to win as he is one of the best all around riders in the Midwest, but his solo break early in the race combined with his stalwart fortitude in battling a very strong head-wind all alone was truly impressive. As a member of the chase group, I remember that the general consensus was that no man would be able to ride away alone in such a wind…but he did and it was damned impressive!
#3 Chris Schotz's overall series victory regarding WEMS: The Hard Core 12 Hours Mountain Bike Race Series over in Wisconsin...These are challenging, thrilling courses, and Schotz is the undisputed maestro. He has become a fixture for winning the overall series. He nearly always wins and in impressive style. Worthy-of-note is that Tim Ek has consistently finished second in this lofty series for the last two years.
#2: Terry Brannick (from "out-east") for his "tortoise" approach to and ultimate victory at the 2009 Arrowhead 135. Whilst the aimless rabble with a forlorn hope followed Pramann's ungodly pace early in the race with predictable consequences including time spent languishing in Dante's Tepee, Brannick rode his own race to victory. It was not until mile 115 that he caught up to the exhausted leaders, who were forced to take refuge in the Teepee from Hell. He rode a smart and calculated race to victory in what is certainly, in terms of logistics, the toughest race included in this year's venues.
#1: Clearly the two most impressive cycling efforts of 2009 witnessed by the author was that of Joe Meiser and his work at the Trans-Iowa in the spring and Young Stephen Carney run-away win at the demanding 24 Hours @ Seven Oaks in late summer. Meiser speared-headed a break away trio consisting of himself, Tim Ek, and veteran Dave Pramann to a most impressive win. Meiser took the lead early on and forced a burning, even defiant pace that earned him the moniker of "The Decider," by those that attempted to hold his wheel. Special kudos also to Ek and Pramann both of whom contributed to this extraordinary Trans-Iowa effort. I rank their effort just a smidgen below that of Meiser's; so they too enjoy this top ranking. Stephen Carney won the 24 hours @ Seven Oaks in impressive style beating the next closest contender by two laps and still retiring from the course with two hours left on the clock. Look for him to become a real force in future long cycling enduro-events. His older brother is also a past winner of the Seven Oaks race.
Congratulations to all that made The LIST...This is SO huge for them, their countries, their loved-ones, their families, and their careers!!!! If you did not make the List...stay around other supportive people, people that can care for you for awhile and refrain from playing with sharp objects for a few weeks...In time, the pain will lessen...to a more bearable state...Rest in the knowledge that there is always 2010…Your first chance is on February 1st starting up in International Falls, Minnesota!
Farrow's Highly Anticipated List of Amazing and Great Cycling Accomplishments of 2007:
#1. In my little world the most impressive accomplishment of 2007 was the elder Lalonde's amazing win at the Chequamegan 40 on a fully rigid steel SS 29er. This victory was extraordinary, perhaps even more so given the fact that Jesse Lalonde was behind the author leaving Rosie's Field. Just the effort involved in getting back to the lead group was incredible (Note: Doug Swanson, doing what Doug Swanson is famous for; that is- being a great guy first and a great cyclist second, assisted the flamboyant Lalonde in catching up to the leaders). Mr. Lalonde beat a very tough field…Just an amazing, incredible display of riding a basic bicycle faster than all the other guyz on their fancy-pants techno-bikes…[Also worth noting was the stellar performances of Jan Rybar and Scott Cole: two old guyz finishing way up the line...]
#2. The second most impressive thing I witnessed first hand last season was Pua Sawicki and Chris Eatough wining their respective races at the National Championships for 24 Hours @ 9 Mile… Ms. Sawicki rode 18 laps (or just two laps less than the Maestro Eatough. These two endurance athletes are world class and so it was a real thrill for the author to pretend to race against them…This year's 24 Hour National Championships return again to 9 Mile, near Wausau, Wisconsin.
Also worth noting was the 17 laps put in by the younger Meyer...
#3. The third most impressive thing of 2007(but by far the hardest and toughest) that I have firsthand knowledge of is the incredible fortitude demonstrated by Dave Gray (of Surly Bikes) in his victory at the 2007 Arrowhead 135. The February event represents one of the toughest things I have ever taken on, the start was something like 30 below and that night the temperatures dropped into the 40 below range…I would have quit (all but nine racers quit), I wanted to quit… But for me, with no cell phone and no other way out, to quit meant to freeze to death…so I reluctantly decided not to quit…The most impressive thing about Mr. Gray winning that race was how easy he made it look…He seems to take everything in stride…Dave Gray is a very impressive person!
Also: Dave Pramann even while sick was able to still finish in third place...Joel Calahan finished a very impressive second place...
#4. Lindsay Gauld, 59 years old finished 3rd place @ Red Ass 300+ miler after riding nearly the last 200 miles ALONE. From what I could gather from my brief time up in Winnipeg last summer, Lindsay Gauld is the Thomas Jefferson of a thriving cycling community up in Winnipeg area. Mr. Gauld was in the 1972 Olympics in cycling and now nearing 60 years old, he is still a force…He would have finished closer to the winner had he not stopped to assist a training partner. Ultimately, the partner had to quit, so Lindsay rode 200 miles alone…oh yeah, he did so with a broken shoulder that would require extensive surgery later that summer…Very very impressive person!!!
#5. Sara Kylander-Johnson and S. Simonson (spelling?) for winning their respective divisions at the Ore-to-Shore. Of course this list is not fair, life is not fair and this list is obviously biased in favor of old guyz, but Sara had a great year and a great victory at the Ore-to-Shore. Congratulations to Sara!!!
#6. Ross Fraboni for both his win at the 12 Hours @ 9 Mile and at the Thunderdown near Merrill, Wisconsin. He has won the 12 hours at 9 Mile two years in a row and the victory at the Thunderdown (which involved crazy muddy conditions) secured his claim to a spot on this prestigious list.
#7. Todd McFadden at an early marathon WORS race early in the race broke is saddle off clean off. He finished the race; at the time I considered his determination to be one of the most impressive displays of stubbornness that I had ever witnessed…very impressive!!!
#8. Scotty K-Johnson's visionary course design for the 2007 Powder Monkey @ Spirit Mountain. If you have never raced at Spirit Mountain you are missing out on a national caliber race course complete with crazy descents, super techy single track and major climbs. Both Jeff Hall and Doug Swanson love the course. The course keeps getting better largely due to Scotty's efforts. Most impressive!
#9. Doug Swanson is clearly the best bike racer in the area. He is also a great guy and we are all so use to him winning so much and yet with so much class that I have not done him justice by putting him this low on the list. Thatz the problem with guyz that are so good…I just can relate to them, so they get put lower on the list. Jeff Hall is another example of this, Jeff Hall could beat me on a unicycle and still he does not make THE LIST…In any event; Doug Swanson's win at the 2007 Minnesota State Cyclocross Championships was incredibly impressive!!!!
#10. Tim Ek's 9th place finish at the 2007 Trans-Iowa riding a mountain bike with knobby tires and a huge backpack…Eki will be a force in the enduro-realm for years to come...
Congrats to all that made the LIST...This is huge for them!!!! If you did not make the List...stay around other people for awhile and refrain from playing with sharp objects for a few weeks...In time, the pain will lessen...to a more bearable state...
Charlie's Top 10 Amateur List of Most Impressive Cycling-related Events of 2006
[Disclaimer: To qualify for inclusion onto this TOP TEN listing the accomplishment had to have been personally witnessed by the list maker. This of course makes the list extremely biased, narrowly focused, and marginalized to constitute only the microcosm that encompasses the writer's SMALLISH world view of bicycle racing…although the list maker does offer a couple of major outstanding achievements that were noteworthy and impressive, but not witnessed per se by the author, in a Honorable Mention category]
The List--#1 being the MOST Very Impressive…while #10 being Pretty Darn lucky,… I mean "Impressive…"


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Bush not just the decider, but the owner, too
On a carrier flight deck, he started striding toward a helicopter when a Navy officer said to him, "No, Mr. President, your helicopter is this way."
LBJ looked him in the eye and said, "Son, they're ALL my helicopters."
Fast-forward four decades to the post-9/11 years of disasters at home and abroad, incompetence, abuses of power, stonewalling, obstruction of justice, etc. You'd think that with such a shambles in his wake and his popularity at an all-time low, George Bush would at least partially have relinquished his Johnson-like pride of ownership. Not so.
Here he is the other day, responding to the aborted attempt in the Senate to declare "no confidence" in Attorney General "Fredo" Gonzales:
"They can try to have their votes of no confidence," the president said, "but it's not going to determine Ñ make the determination Ñ who serves in my government."
MY government? Now that's entitlement. And you thought George Bush didn't have a vision for America. Unfortunately, it's one big MySpace page, from sea to shining sea. Or, rather, shining me.
Luckily, as this lame-duck presidency wobbily waddles toward the sunset, cooler heads are prevailing in both the public and private sectors. Read, for example, last week's majority decision in the case of Al Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, a Qatari national held in military custody. Written by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Diana Gribbon Motz, it states that simply designating someone an "enemy combatant" does not allow the White House to imprison them indefinitely without charges.
"The president cannot eliminate constitutional protections with the stroke of a pen by proclaiming a civilian, even a criminal civilian, an enemy combatant subject to indefinite military detention," Justice Motz wrote. "... To sanction such presidential authority to order the military to seize and indefinitely detain civilians, even if the president calls them 'enemy combatants,' would have disastrous consequences for the Constitution Ñ and the country.
"For a court to uphold a claim to such extraordinary power would do more than render lifeless the Suspension Clause, the Due Process Clause, and the rights to criminal process in the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments; it would effectively undermine all of the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. It is that power - were a court to recognize it - that could lead all our laws 'to go unexecuted, and the government itself to go to pieces.' We refuse to recognize a claim to power that would so alter the constitutional foundations of our Republic."
Motz is a Clinton appointee, so subject to the slings and arrows of the right. But similar concerns were addressed last month by a group calling itself the American Freedom Agenda, founded by three leaders of the anti-bleeding-heart lobby: David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union; former Republican Congressman Bob Barr, one of the House managers of Clinton's impeachment; and the writer and conservative direct-mail guru Richard Viguerie.
They've asked each GOP presidential candidate to sign a 10-point pledge that reads, in part, "I hereby pledge that if elected president of the United States, I will undertake the following to restore the Constitution's checks and balances: to honor fundamental protections against injustice, and to eschew usurpations of legislative or judicial power. These are keystones of national security and individual freedom."
Other points, as reported by Charlie Savage in the June 12 Boston Globe, "include renouncing the use of presidential signing statements to claim a right to disobey laws; ending threats to prosecute journalists who write about classified matters; and promising to use regular courts rather than military commissions to try terrorism suspects. ...
"The group also plans to lobby Congress to pass legislation imposing stronger checks and balances on the presidency. It is urging debate moderators to ask questions of the candidates about their views on the limits of presidential power, and it is planning to host events to raise voter awareness of the issue."
Theirs may be a quixotic quest. So far, the only candidate to take the pledge is libertarian Congressman Ron Paul. But what the Freedom Agenda proposes would take us a long way to restoring a government that represents "We, the People," and not, as the title of that old George Harrison Beatles song goes, "I Me Mine."
Michael Winship, a native of Canandaigua, is a freelance television writer in Manhattan.


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Chuck Sweeny: Rockford is a perfect fit for Boeing factory
If any city in Illinois meets the needs of the Boeing Co. for a factory to make its 777x airliner, it's Rockford. In fact, Rockford is the only city in this state that qualifies.
That's a message I want to make sure is heard loud and clear by The Associated Press, which sent out a story that appeared in Wednesday's paper, saying Illinois lacks suitable locations for Boeing and that Illinois lacks a significant aviation industrial base.
Well, let's set the record straight: Rockford has the sixth-largest aviation manufacturing cluster in the U.S. Our two runways at Chicago Rockford International Airport are 8,200 feet and 10,000 feet. The airport has a sophisticated instrument system that allows aircraft to operate in almost any weather.
Boeing is a key customer of UTC Aerospace. UTC's Rockford facility, with its $50 million, state-of-the art laboratory, is key to the design and manufacture of power systems for Boeing jets. The 787 Dreamliner took shape here.
Forest City Gear in Rockton built more than 70 specially-designed gears that operate the Curiosity Rover on its foray around the surface of Mars.
Woodward Inc. makes key components for just about every commercial and military plane flying. Woodward's business is so strong that it is expanding in the Rockford area with a more than 400,000-square-foot, nearly $300 million factory now under construction in Loves Park.
And, WIFR-23 reports that GE Aviation in Loves Park is expanding. Mayor Darryl Lindberg says the company's success here is one more reason that the area's reputation as an aviation manufacturing center is growing.
We have dozens of other manufacturers who serve the aviation industry. We even make the toilet systems for most airliners here in Rockford at B/E Aerospace.
Chicago Rockford International Airport is home to UPS's second-largest air sorting hub and has been building its passenger service effectively since 2003. An expansion of the terminal will take place soon.
And now, the airport is very close to clinching a deal with a jet maintenance, repair and operations company to build a giant hangar here that will service the largest jets in the air. That alone will bring hundreds of new, well-paying technical jobs here. It will be paired with an aviation mechanic training school to be run by Rock Valley College, which will turn out 150 mechanics a year. And this new infrastructure is designed to locate an international air freight company here.
Meanwhile, Emery Air, our fixed-base operator, repairs and services aircraft for airlines from as far away as Alaska.
I could add a lot more, but I hope this will sufficiently educate The Associated Press.
Illinois is among more than 20 states that has made a pitch for the Chicago-based firm to plant its new factory.
According to the AP story, the state of Illinois says its proposal to Boeing is solid.
"We think it's a pretty compelling proposal for a company that has Illinois as its headquarters," said David Roeder, a spokesman for the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the agency that provides most tax breaks and other incentives in Illinois.
Then, the story quotes a "longtime aircraft industry analyst," who would probably like me to mention his name, that says Illinois' chances are "Zero, zilch, nada. Worst (possible location) I've heard yet, apologies to Illinois." The expert said the state has almost no aerospace production or workforce with industry experience, which is an absurd comment that I've had no trouble refuting.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-E.Moline, are huge supporters of Rockford's airport and have provided great help in securing federal funding for improvements. Gov. Pat Quinn has been very helpful to Rockford by providing infrastructure money, too. And the FAA is keen on RFD's growth potential. RFD already is Chicagoland's third international airport.
There are other reasons why Illinois might be a long shot to get this sought-after factory that could employ 8,500 people, and thousands more in the supply chain. We are not a right-to-work state, and Boeing has had problems with its labor unions in Washington state. Our corporate income tax is high and our financial climate is shaky.
But when it comes to airport infrastructure, the availability of plenty of land, a supportive aviation-intensive economy in the nation's third-largest metropolitan area, just up the road from Boeing's international headquarters in downtown Chicago, the Forest City is the place to be.
The state of Illinois' proposal to Boeing is confidential, but I've got a hunch about what airport they might be pitching to Boeing, and my money says it's the one at the end of Kishwaukee Street.
Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; firstname.lastname@example.com; @chucksweeeny