text:
The Brown Pelican
(Pelecanus occidentalis) inhabits the Atlantic, Gulf, and
Pacific coasts of North and Central America, the northern coasts
of South America, and islands in the Caribbean (Figure 1). The California
subspecies (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) ranges
in the non-breeding season along the Pacific coast of North America
from Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the north to El Salvador
in the south (Figure 1).1
They are most abundant in the Gulf of California, along the Pacific
coast of Baja California and along the California coast. In California
the bulk of wintering populations are found at the California Channel
Islands and along the mainland coast from Point Conception to Morro
Bay and from Monterey Bay to Bodega Bay.3
California Brown Pelicans (CBP) rarely occur inland, except at the
Salton Sea (Figure 1).4
The breeding range of the CBP extends from the Channel Islands
in the north southward to Isla Ixtapa, Guerrero, Mexico (Figure
Breeding colonies off southern California and northwestern Baja
California, in the Southern California Bight (SCB), include Anacapa
Island, Santa Barbara Island, Islas Coronado, Islas Todos Santos,
and Isla San Martin (Figure 2B).1
Over the last century, in the SCB nesting colonies were found consistently
only on Anacapa Island and Islas Coronado.1,5
Nesting was re-established on Santa Barbara Island in 1980 and has
occurred every year since 1985.6
Breeding on other islands in the SCB is sporadic. Breeding was observed
at Scorpion Rock off Santa Cruz Island in 1972, 1973, and 1975 and
on Prince Island off San Miguel Island in 1910 and 1939.1
Nesting ceased on Todos Santos in the 1920s and on San Martin in
1974 because of increased levels of human disturbance and the presence
of feral animals.1
However, in recent years (since 1999 on San Martin and 2004 on Todos
Santos Sur) small breeding efforts have been found on both islands.7
California Brown
Pelicans (CBP) occur in coastal habitats of the MBNMS.
Major and
minor roosts in the MBNMS are listed in Table 1 and shown in Figure
3. Small nesting efforts with limited breeding success occurred
on Bird Island
at Pt. Lobos between 1927-1966.8
Nesting appears to have occurred that far north only during periods
of long-term ocean warming.5
Nest building and copulation, was observed at Bird Island in 2000,
but no eggs were laid.9
Nesting behavior that is not followed by breeding is fairly common
at winter roosts, particularly among sub-adults.10
Figure 1. Distribution of the Brown Pelican in North and Central
America and the western Caribbean. The dashed lines indicate the
limits of post-breeding dispersal. This species also is a resident
in the eastern Caribbean, along the coast of Ecuador, and in the
Galápagos Islands.12
Download full-size
figures (1.1 MB PDF).
1. The number of California Brown Pelicans
observed at roosts in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
during aerial surveys
completed in the fall of 1998, 1999, and
2000.15 The
highest and lowest numbers observed at
each roost are shown. Roosts are listed from North to South. Names
in italics identify sites
that were listed as important roosts by
Briggs and colleagues in 1983.11
[ Top of page ]
CBP forage in shallow estuarine
and inshore waters. They are most common within 20 km of mainland
coasts and offshore islands, though they can be seen up to 75 km
from the nearest land.3,11
Oceanographic features that attract foraging CBP include fronts
with sharp thermal gradients and regions of coastal upwelling.3,12
Pelicans make extensive use of breakwaters, jetties, pilings, sandbars,
cliffs and offshore rocks for daytime roosting. Only a few daytime
roosts are used for roosting at night. Generally nocturnal roosts
are surrounded on all sides by water, a feature that helps to protect
the birds from human disturbance and mammalian predators.13
CBP nests are built on the ground or in low shrubs, usually in
the middle or upper parts of steep rocky slopes and high bluff edges
of relatively small islands in southern California, Baja California,
and the Gulf of California. Along the Mexican mainland (in Sinaloa
and Nayarit), pelicans primarily nest on mangrove islands and coastal
wetlands in mangrove trees.1
Preferred nesting habitats are free from mammalian predators and
human disturbance, and have a consistent food supply within 30-50
km of the colony.1
In the Sanctuary,
this species frequents coastal waters and rarely occurs
in waters
deeper than the shelf break (Figure 4).14
Areas with a broad continental shelf (e.g., between Monterey and
Pt. Año Nuevo) are especially important foraging areas
for this species and are areas where this species is common year-round
(Figure 4).14
The timing of peak at-sea density along the central coast correlates
with the timing of peak mean sea surface temperature south of
However, pelicans appear to concentrate foraging effort in areas
where plumes of cool, upwelled water intrude into warmer water.11
Offshore rocks, inaccessible rocky shores, harbors and river
mouths are the roost sites most consistently used by the
CBPs in the MBNMS
(Figure 3, Table 1).15
In coast-wide surveys of central and northern California in 1998-2000,
Elkhorn Slough was the only estuary that was consistently used
large numbers of pelicans.15
In recent years, roosting pelicans have shifted distribution in
the Elkhorn Slough from the shallow ponds and interior levees
the Moss Landing Wildlife Area to the exterior levees along the
north and south backs of Elkhorn Slough.13,16
Most adults are found on or
near nesting colonies during the breeding season. Adults may shift
breeding sites on a given island as well as between breeding islands
(e.g. between Anacapa and Los Coronados) in consecutive years. Changes
in the distribution of prey appears to be one reason for adults
to move to a different nesting location – adults are limited
to foraging within 30-50 km of the nesting colony.1,5,17
At the end of the breeding season, adults from colonies in the
SCB may remain in the breeding area, but many disperse north to
coastal waters along the central and northern California coast.
The northernmost extent of the non-breeding range extends to Washington
and southern British Columbia during long-term ocean-warming periods
and contracts to northern California and Oregon during cool water
periods .18
The number of CBP off California during the non-breeding season
is augmented by tens of thousands of migrants dispersing from breeding
colonies in Mexico.3,5
Many of the fledglings tagged at breeding colonies in the Gulf of
California have been re-sighted in the SCB.5
The extent of daily foraging trips during the non-breeding season
is limited by the need to return each evening to suitable roosting
However, the number of pelicans using any given roost is highly
variable from day-to-day as well as year-to-year, suggesting that
individuals are moving frequently among different roosting locations.11
As the size of
the CBP population has increased over the last three decades,
have been arriving in the Sanctuary earlier in the year; currently,
they begin to arrive as early as April (Figure 5).9,19
Most migrants will leave the Sanctuary by December or January (Figure
Most CBP in the MBNMS are migrants, but some non-breeding adults
and juveniles are present year-round.
Croll and colleagues20 studied the
movement pattern of a single CBP radio-tagged in Monterey
Bay. This pelican spent most of its time roosting - 68% during
day and 100% at night. When active, the pelican traveled between
roosts in Monterey Bay, Carmel Bay and Big Sur before heading
beyond the study area. Jaques and Anderson13
found similar activity patterns at Moss Landing Wildlife Management
Año Nuevo Island and Southeast Farallon Island.
Activity appeared to be generally diurnal with many birds
leaving the roost
within the first few hours after sunrise and returning in the late
afternoon before sunset. A varying number of individuals
were present
at the roost throughout the day. A large number of departures from
the roost on nights with full moons suggest that pelicans
are capable
of nocturnal foraging under certain light conditions.13
Prior to 1969,
scant breeding data exists for the SCB colonies. Maximum abundance
on Anacapa Island and Los Coronados was estimated roughly at about
5,000 pairs at each island group.1,7
The usual number of breeding pairs appears to be about 2,500 to
In 1969, from a minimum of 1,272 nests, only 4 young were fledged
Similar levels of reproductive failure occurred in 1970-73 on Anacapa
and Los Coronados. This near complete reproductive failure was cause
by thin-shelled eggs that collapsed during incubation.1
Eggshell thinning was caused by ingestion of forage fish with high
levels of DDT residues.21,22
After successive years of near reproductive failure, the number
of nesting birds dropped to a low of 110 pairs at Los Coronados
in 1971 and 247 pairs at Anacapa in 1973.5
However, following a number of regulatory changes in the early
1970s, which drastically decreased the input of DDT into the SCB,
fledging rates and nesting population sizes in the SCB showed generally
increasing trends in the late-1970s.21,22
In 1980 population sizes reached 2,244 and 1,515 pairs on Anacapa
Island and Los Coronados, respectively.5
This was the first year that the SCB breeding population exceeded
3,000 pairs since at least the early 1960s. This increase was due
to both immigration of birds from breeding colonies to the south
and internal recruitment.5
The breeding population in California continued to increase dramatically
through the late 1980s.23
Since the 1990s, breeding effort in the SCB has fluctuated widely,
due largely to variable food supplies and El Niño events
(see Figure 6 for trends at Anacapa Island), with an annual 1985-2002
mean of about 6,000 pairs.6,17,23,24
The number of breeding pairs in the SCB has exceeded the criteria
for delisting (5-year mean > 3,000 pairs) since 1985, but the
desired productivity rates (5-year mean > 0.70 fledglings/nesting
attempt to downgrade to threatened and > 0.9. to delist)
have not been met.1,6,23
The productivity of SCB colonies is consistently lower than that
of colonies in the Gulf of California.1,23
The size of the California Brown Pelican population has been estimated
to be approximately 50,000 to 60,000 breeding birds and approximately
150,000 total birds, including non-breeders.12,25
Breeding colonies in the SCB, the southwestern coast of Baja California,
the Gulf of California, and the mainland coast of Mexico comprise
10%, 9%, 68%, and 13%, respectively, of the total breeding population.7
Breeding colonies in the Gulf of California have been relatively
stable (supporting 35,000-40,000 pairs) as long as they have been
studied (since 1971), though there may be some declines in vulnerable
colonies that are subject to human disturbance. There are no recent
data for the southwest Baja California coastal and mainland Mexico
populations, but the two areas historically (prior to 1983) supported
about 5,000 and 7,500 pairs, respectively.26
The number of migrants visiting the Salton Sea has increased dramatically
since the 1970s; there were even a few breeding attempts in the
mid-1990s, but none have been reported since that time.26
The Salton Sea is currently utilized as a roosting area by non-breeding
birds (juveniles and sub-adults) between breeding seasons. The Salton
Sea birds are probably insignificant to the total population of
CBP, but they could eventually become a new breeding population.25
CBP are present year-round
in Sanctuary waters, particularly in Monterey Bay, but their
increase beginning in April and peak from August-November (Figure
Abundance in the MBNMS varies from year-to-year and appears to
be influenced by breeding success, oceanographic conditions, and
CBP are consistently found in high numbers between Pt. Lobos and
Pt. Año Nuevo (Figure 4).14
Abundance in areas to the north of Monterey Bay is more variable;
higher numbers are associated with warm-water condition (Figure
The number of CBP in the MBNMS declined in the 1960 and early 1970s
and then increased in the late-1970s and early 1980s following population
trends at SCB breeding colonies.28
Numbers declined again in the mid to late-1980s due to a strong
El Niño that significantly decreased prey availability in
the coastal waters of the Sanctuary.9
Since the late 1980s, the number of CBP in the Sanctuary has shown
a general increasing trend.14
Three aerial surveys of CBP at roost sites in central and northern
California were completed in the fall of 1998, 1999, and 2000.15
A total of 16,286, 10,144, and 10,859 pelicans were counted in 1998,
1999, and 2000, respectively, at roosts in the Monterey Bay National
Marine Sanctuary. Large numbers of pelicans were observed at many
roosts in the MBNMS, particularly Año Nuevo Island (up to
5,299), Pajaro River (up to 695), Moss Landing Wildlife Area/Elkhorn
Slough (up to 1,231), Salinas River (up to 1,086), Bird Island/Pt.
Lobos (up to 2,519), and Cape San Martin (up to 787).15
Numbers at these large roosts, as well as the various smaller roosts
in the Sanctuary, are highly variable both within seasons and between
years because birds tend move frequently following prey.
Oil Spills:
The Santa Barbara Channel is the site of offshore petroleum drilling
and an oil spill from platforms or tankers could have a devastating
effect on both the breeding population and post-breeding migrants
from colonies in Mexico. Oil pollution from tanker traffic is also
a threat to pelicans foraging along the central California coast.
An estimated 123 CBP were killed along the central California coast
during the 1997-98 Point Reyes Tarball Incidents.30
Ten oiled pelicans were recovered after the 1998 Command oil spill,
also along the central California coast.31
Sixteen oiled CBP were recovered following the January 2005 "Ventura
Oiled Bird Incident".32
About 185 pelicans were affected in the American Trader oil spill
off Huntington Beach in 1990; a sample of CBP from that spill that
were treated and released after exposure to oil showed decreased
survivorship, movement and reproductive activity.33
Depletion of fish populations: Pacific sardines
and northern anchovies are the most important food items for Brown
Pelicans in the SCB, especially during the breeding season.34
Commercial over-harvesting of these fish species has occurred repeatedly
during the last century, with potential affects on pelican reproductive
Low prey availability can substantially reduce reproductive effort
and breeding success of CBP; pelican productivity is lower when
food resources are scarce and higher when food supplies are plentiful.17,24
Human disturbance: Human disturbance has decreased
nesting success on Scorpion Rock (near Santa Cruz Island), Islas
Coronado, and in the Gulf of California and it was the primary cause
of extirpation of the breeding colonies on Islas Todos Santos and
Isla San Martin.1,7,36
Anderson found that nest abandonment rates increased on Isla Coronado
Norte with proximity to human activity; a safe distance was 600
m or more.37
Pelicans roosting at Moss Landing Wildlife Area (MLWA) flushed at
a mean distance of 220 m when approached by humans on foot.13
Human disturbance to CBP in the Moss Landing area (including Elkhorn
Slough and MLWA) was extremely high in 1999-2000 compared to levels
measured in 1986-1991.16
Kayaks and boats accounted for 77% of all disturbances in 1999-2000.The
repeated flushing of roosting birds substantially increases energetic
demands and may ultimately cause birds to abandon roosting sites.
Nest abandonment rates of over 50% at Anacapa Island in 1999 were
linked to relatively high light levels from bright flood lights
used by the commercial squid fishery near the island during the
months of January through April.38
Entanglement in fishing gear: Rescue workers at
oil spills find that a large number of pelicans are tangled up in
and injured by fishing tackle. Franson and colleagues found that
3% of Brown Pelicans in rehabilitation centers had ingested lead
fishing weights and an additional 55% were found with ingested,
embedded or entangled fishing tackle.39
Entanglement with monofilament and fishing tackle has been a problem
with newly-fledged birds around colony sites.1
Chemical pollution: Pelicans are extremely sensitive
to organochlorine pesticide residues in forage fish, which can result
in eggshell thinning and reproductive failure.21,22
Elevated levels of selenium in pelicans at the Salton Sea may make
pelicans more susceptible to disease.40
Disease, parasitism and poisoning: An estimated
500-1,000 pelicans died in the fall/winter of 1987/88 due to Erysipeles,
a bacterial infection resulting from overcrowding at fish disposal
areas in Monterey Harbor.13,41
Avian botulism outbreaks have killed over 1,500 CBP since 1996 at
the Salton Sea.12
In 1991, 43 CBP died from domoic acid poisoning following a bloom
of the diatom Pseudonitzschia australis in California.42
Domoic acid poisoning was associated with unusually high mortality
rates of chicks, adults and sub-adults at Anacapa Island in 2002.23
Collisions with
trains : Trains travel at high speed past the "south
marsh" portion of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research
Reserve. This stretch of tracks has been monitored periodically
since 2001. The carcasses of 23 and 6 CBP were found in 2001 and
2002, respectively.43
No pelican carcasses were found along the tracks in 2003 or 2004.
Brown Pelican populations
across the U.S. experienced drastic population declines between
the late 1950s and early 1970s due to widespread environmental
contamination from organochlorine pesticides, such as DDT. In
the SCB, ingestion
of forage fish containing high levels of DDT residues caused pelicans
to lay thin-shelled eggs that broke during incubation. DDT levels
were especially high in southern California coastal waters due
to discharge of effluent from a DDT manufacturing plant into the
Angeles County sewage system. This discharge was curtailed in response
to regulatory action beginning in 1970; in addition, the Environmental
Protection Agency banned the use of DDT in the U.S. in 1973. Following
these changes, there was a sharp decline of DDT input into the
marine environment and nesting success of Brown Pelicans in the
SCB began to improve as mean eggshell thickness increased over
In response to the widespread declines of Brown Pelican populations
throughout the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
designated the Brown Pelican as "endangered" in 1970
(under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973).
FWS also recognizes this species as being a "migratory non-game
bird of management concern". All bird species that migrate
between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico are protected under the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918. The MBTA prohibits pursuing, hunting,
shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting
any migratory bird, nest, or eggs without a permit from the FWS.
The MBTA does not protect nesting or wintering habitat.
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the FWS is the primary
agency responsible for the management and recovery of Brown Pelicans.
The FWS is required to create a recovery plan and designate critical
habitat for all listed species. Critical habitat has not been designated.
A recovery plan for the California subspecies was released by FWS
in 1983. The objectives of the recovery plan were to: 1) maintain
existing populations in Mexico; 2) assure long-term protection of
adequate food supplies and essential nesting, roosting, and offshore
habitat throughout the range; and 3) restore population size and
productivity to self-sustaining levels in the SCB. In May of 2006,
the FWS announced the initiation of a status review of the California
Brown Pelican and a 5-year review of the Brown Pelican throughout
its range.2 The FWS is preparing these reviews
simultaneously. The reviews will help determine whether this species
and subspecies should be either down-listed or removed from the
Endangered Species List.
Some of the management actions and monitoring programs needed to
achieve the objectives of the 1983 recovery plan are being carried
out by FWS and other federal agencies (see "State" and
"Other" section below for a summary of on-going research
and management projects by non-federal agencies). On-going research
projects and resource management at the federal level includes:
The National Park Service (NPS) protects the breeding colonies
at West Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands as part of the Channel
Islands National Park. West Anacapa Island is designated as a Research
Natural Area by the NPS and is closed to the public; it was established
to protect the pelican nesting area from human intrusion and disturbance.
The NPS monitors CBP breeding success on Santa Barbara Island as
part of their on-going seabird monitoring program (Contact: Kate
Faulkner, Channel Island National Park). The monitoring program
determines annual productivity and population size of this nesting
Command Oil Spill Seabird Restoration (Contact: Charlene
Andrade, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). Under the federal Oil
and Pollution Act and the California Spill Prevention and Response
Act, the parties responsible for the Command oil spill agreed in
a settlement to fund projects to restore the natural resources that
were damaged by the spill. The following two projects, scheduled
to begin in 2006, will help restore California Brown Pelican populations
in and the around the MBNMS:
On Jan 11, 2000, President Clinton established by proclamation
the California Coastal National Monument (CCNM). The CCNM encompasses
all inappropriate or unreserved islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and
pinnacles above mean high tide within 12 nm of the shoreline of
the State of California (it does not include major islands such
as the Channel Islands, the Farallon Islands, or the islands of
San Francisco Bay). The purpose of the CCNM is to protect these
geological structures as habitat for marine plants and animals,
such as the California Brown Pelican. Appropriation, injury, destruction,
or removal of any feature of the monument and settlement upon any
of the lands in the monument are prohibited. The Bureau of Land
Management, in cooperation with the California Department of Parks
and Recreation and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG),
manages the CCNM.
COMBERS - Coastal Ocean Mammal and Bird Education and Research
Surveys (Project Leader: Hannah Nevins, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories).
In 1997 the MBNMS began a beach survey program using trained volunteers
to survey beached marine birds and mammals monthly at selected sections
of beaches throughout the Monterey Bay area. Currently, the program
monitors 45 km of beaches in the MBNMS. The program is a collaborative
project between MLML, MBNMS, and other state and research institutions,
with the specific goal of using deposition of beach cast carcasses
as an index of the health of the sanctuary. This program obtains
information on the rates of stranding for all species. In addition,
mortality events are detected, causes of mortality events are assessed,
and oil and tar deposition is monitored. Data from this monitoring
program assist the MBNMS in the early detection of mortality events
triggered by natural and anthropogenic environmental perturbations
such as red tides and oil spills.
The California Brown Pelican
is "fully protected" under the Fish and Game Code (§4700),
which means that this species cannot be taken or possessed in California
without a permit from the Fish and Game Commission. In addition,
the California subspecies was designated as "endangered"
under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) in 1971. Under
CESA, the CDFG is responsible for conserving, protecting, restoring,
and enhancing endangered and threatened species and their habitat
in California. On-going research projects and resource management
at the state level includes:
Moss Landing Habitat Enhancement Project (Lead Agency: CDFG). The
proposed project consists of reconfiguring existing salt ponds and
accompanying water distribution systems at the Moss Landing Wildlife
Area to provide maximum wildlife and habitat values using minimal
personnel and a minimal amount of water manipulation. The project
was designed to provide a variety of habitats for nesting, roosting,
and foraging birds throughout the year and it should improve the
quality and safety of roosting habitat for pelicans. This project
was completed in 2006.44
Marine Bird and Mammal Aerial Surveys (Principal Investigator:
Breck Tyler, CDFG-Office of Spill Prevention and Response). Since
the mid-1990s, data on the distribution and abundance of marine
birds and mammals in coastal waters have been collected monthly
via low-level aerial surveys. The area surveyed extends from the
surfline to the continental shelf and stretches from Big Sur to
Half Moon Bay. The CDFG-Office of Spill Prevention and Response
sponsor this on-going project. Collaborators: U.C. Santa Cruz.
The California Brown Pelican Fledging Area prohibits entry inside
the 20 fathoms (120 feet) depth contour between Frenchy's
Cove and Portuguese Rock on the north side of West Anacapa Island
between January 1 and October 31 (California Code of Regulations
Title 14, Chapter 11 §632). This offshore closure is part of
the Anacapa Island State Marine Conservation Area (formerly the
Anacapa Island Ecological Reserve).
A number of management and conservation groups (including USFWS,
NPS, and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary) supported an
addition to the Market Squid Fishery Management Plan of a regulation
that would reduce disturbance of pelican nesting colonies in the
Channel Islands by the squid fleet (a fishery managed by CDFG).
However, the California Fish and Game Commission did not include
the regulation in the final version of the Management Plan.
Brown Pelicans at Vandenberg
Air Force Base (Principal Investigator: Dan Robinette, Point Reyes
Bird Observatory). The coastline of Vandenberg Air Force Base contains
a diverse array of roosting habitat used by non-breeding pelicans,
including 4 sites identified as important pelican roosts in California.
The objective of this study, which began in 2001, is to gather year
around information about CBP activity patterns along the coastal
margin, including the effects of human disturbances on attendance
Monitoring Brown Pelicans on Anacapa Island (Principal Investigator:
Frank Gress, California Institute of Environmental Studies and U.C.
Davis). CBP breeding success has been monitored on West Anacapa
Island since 1970. Nesting effort and reproductive success is assessed
using counts of adults, nests, and chicks. Long-term data from these
studies are being used to describe patterns of change over time,
determine a baseline for reproductive parameters, and determine
the power of detecting future trends. In 1998-2004, this monitoring
program was part of the Anacapa Island Restoration Project (AIRP).
The purpose of AIRP was to restore habitat for crevice-nesting seabirds
by eradicating introduced black rats from Anacapa Island. Monitoring
data was used to detect effects, either positive or negative, of
rat eradication activities on pelican reproductive success. Studies
on diet composition, feeding ecology, and the role of food resource
availability on pelican productivity are underway. A study also
in progress will update organochlorine levels in the SCB population
and determine current mean eggshell thickness.
- Center for Integrated Marine Technologies: Wind to Whales (Contact: Andrew DeVogelaere, MBNMS). The Monterey Bay - from Pt.
Año Nuevo to Pt. Lobos and out to 122°05' west longitude
- is the focal region of the CIMT Wind to Whales Program. This
project, which began in 1997, is an interdisciplinary collaborative
research project involving scientists and engineers from UCSC,
NMFS, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing Marine
Labs, MBNMS, and Naval Postgraduate School. CIMT uses data collected
via remote sensing, moorings and ship-board surveys to investigate
linkages between: coastal upwelling, nutrient delivery, spatial
and temporal variability in phytoplankton, and the distribution
and abundance of organisms at higher trophic levels including squid,
fishes, seabirds, sea turtles, pinnipeds, and whales. The location
and abundance of CBP in the study area is recorded during monthly
ship-board surveys.
The Recovery Plan
identified information gaps and recommended research and monitoring
programs to fill those gaps.1
Federal and state agencies are monitoring reproductive effort and
breeding success at many colonies in the SCB. In the MBNMS, CDFG
and CIMT are recording at-sea distribution and abundance. Additional
research is needed in the following areas:
49. Addressed in part
by JMPR Wildlife Disturbance Issues - Marine Mammal, Seabird and
Turtle Disturbance Action Plan: Shore Based Disturbance Strategy.
Management Plan Review (JMPR). Proposed Action Plans. Draft report.
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
you to Franklin Gress, Deborah Jaques, and Laird Henkel for reviewing
this report and providing helpful comments and corrections.
Content Last Modified: 05/2006


text: I'm looking for a more comfortable (over-ear) headphone with the same sound quality (especially bass) as the HPX 4000. I already have one of these but they get very uncomfortable after wearing for a few hours. I have tried the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro and the Sony MDR-XB500. The former is very comfortable with very good definition and clearity but no bass and the latter has too much bass and very little definition. The HPX 4000 has just the right sound quality I'm looking for. I would be greatful if anyone could help me out here. My budget is up to $130.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Keighley sailor is involved in the huge search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight.
Able Seaman Ryan Smith is serving on the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo which has been redeployed to assist in the search.
The former South Craven School student is part of the hydrographic and meteorological team on the ship.
HMS Echo had been carrying out survey work in the Middle East before receiving instructions to join the international search effort in the Southern Indian Ocean.
Able Seaman Smith, who grew up in Keighley and joined the Royal Navy in 2010, said he felt privileged to be part of the search operation.
He said: "As part of the hydrographic branch one of my jobs is to monitor the survey equipment for signs of the flight deck recorder (black box).
"I hope we can find some answers for the friends and families of those on flight MH370."


text:
Uberti Bisley
Picked up a used Uberti Bisley (SAA) .45 LC today. I'm having a devil of a time removing the cylinder - tried all of the combinations of 1/4 cock, half, full, loading gate open, closed. The base pin catch pushes in and cylinder spins freely, but the base pin itself will not slide out. Seems to me I remember when I had a Uberti Cattleman (basically the same gun) several years ago it was the same thing. I'm wondering if I'm missing a step. Any ideas?
Consider yourself lucky! All too often the base pin is a sloppy fit that slips forward every few shots or so.
But, for stubborn pins, I usually remove the base pin latch assembly, draw the hammer to full cock, and use a small wooden dowel and mallet to drive the pin out. Works for most SA guns except New Model Rugers, where the transfer bar blocks your way. Brownell's sells a tool that will grip the grooves to assist in removing the pin, but I haven't tried one yet.
Bob Wright
Well, I finally resorted to wrapping small pliers in cloth and gently working the base pin back & forth while pulling. It finally came out. Appeared to be remnants of a reddish substance, maybe partially dried grease, in the inside end of the base pin bushing as well as on the pin itself. Not much but visible. Cleaned it thoroughly with solvent and gun oil, wiped and put back together. The pin now can be removed by opening the loading gate, putting the gun on half cock, pushing in the release button and sliding the pin out. One question when I removed the cylinder, the base pin bushing that provides the channel for the base pin to pass through the center of the cylinder came out. Its listed as a separate part so I think that its supposed to be removable but wondering if it just slides back in. Thats what I did and reassembled the gun with no problems. There appears to be no mechanism for holding it inside the cylinder, it just stays there locked in place when the gun is reassembled. Any info on that would be appreciated.
Bob Wright
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The metric tonnes of bitter irony in
The first thing that needs to be appreciated very clearly is that Albanese has not been marched because of a new $US11 billion round of impairments charged against Rio's dubiously crafted aluminium business.
Neither was he asked to leave because Rio Tinto Alcan has now sucked $US30 billion from the Rio balance sheet over the past four years.
The fact is, whether investors see it this way or not, the Rio board does not hold Albanese accountable for the wellspring of those losses, the wildly misplaced Alcan acquisition.
No, the man who has steered Rio through half a decade of tumult has been replaced ostensibly because a $4 billion investment in a Brisbane-based operator of a coal project in Mozambique has not turned out as it should have.
Nonetheless, the Alcan albatross looms large. Because, for mine, the critical mistakes that resulted in a $US3 billion write-down of the Riversdale deal are symptomatic of an executive cohort forced to focus too hard, for too long, on burdens that should never have been theirs to carry in the first place.
In the end then, the pair of executive hits executed by Rio chairman
At that meeting, The Don proposed a merger of the dual listed Anglo-Australians. Skinner said, "no thanks" and repeated that rejection with more convinced detail and flourish in a letter to Chairman Argus on 9 October.
Within a month of sending that letter Skinner unexpectedly replaced the long entrenched incumbent CEO Leigh Clifford with the understandably more pliable Albanese.
And by the middle of July 2007, a chairman acting with an increasingly haughty executive manner, had convinced Rio's board that the company should spend $38.1 billion on Alcan.
So Albanese formally took over from Clifford in May and by July was running an agreed acquisition of Alcan that saw Rio offer a 32 per cent premium for the global Canadian in the spurious hope that China's resources boom would make aluminium its next-gen metal.
That has not happened and Albanese has spent the past five years dealing with the dismal consequences of the deal, pausing along the way to fend off a $US150 billion hostile takeover offer from BHP.
No question, Albanese has ultimately been tripped up by a failure to capably do what should have come naturally to him. Albanese is a man of minerals. He is currently on holiday in Cornwall checking out the ancient lead and copper plays. He has a geologist's passion to know what lies in the earth's crust, to understand how it got there and to develop the mechanics of efficiently and profitably extracting whatever it is he finds.
Yet he allowed Rio to spend $4 billion on coal play in Mozambique that was supposed to be a mini-Bowen Basin, but it isn't.
The key targets acquired with Riversdale are called Benga and Zambezi. The idea was that they would be producing about 20mtpa of premium coking and thermal coal by 2020. But, according to a review of the resource ordered late last year by Albanese, neither the quality nor the size of the Benga-Zambesi resource is as it was supposed to be.
Essentially, there is less coking coal than was anticipated by the acquisition and what is there is not of the quality it was supposed to be. That means the ramp-up here will be slower than expected and production will peak at levels much lower than planned. That, in turn, means Rio's audit committee has accepted advice that a $3 billion impairment is unavoidable.
As a result of all that, it was du Plessis' melancholy duty to insist on the resignations of both Albanese and the bloke who ran the deal, recently appointed strategy director and suddenly erstwhile CEO aspirant Doug Ritchie.
Like Albanese, Ritchie has been on the front line of much of the turmoil, missteps and strategic retreats triggered by Skinner's response to BHP's push to create a super-major miner from the bones of the two dual listed giants.
Even the most senior at Rio now accept that Chairman Skinner delivered Alcan to their balance sheet a pill poisonous enough to dissuade Argus and his equally young tyro CEO,
The chronology certainly informs that conclusion as does the knowledge that, while Rio had long maintained a watching brief on Alcan, the intention has always been to take Alcoa.
Given Skinner really was looking to cruel BHP's pitch then we have to credit him with getting something right. But Alcan was to prove an even deadlier poison for Rio. As the GFC hit, the debt nearly killed the company. With survival uncertain, Rio turned to China Inc, with Skinner introducing Chinalco to the company's register and requiring the likes of Albanese and Ritchie to work up a arrangement that would embed China Inc as a joint venture partner.
Thankfully, Skinner succumbed to pressure from within and without for his retirement and, after a public hiccup or two, Jan du Plessis was installed as chairman.
Just about he first thing du Plessis did was tear up the Chinalco deal in preference for an iron ore JV with BHP. The second was to assert confidence in Albanese and guarantee him a second chance at success.
As recently as November, du Plessis was publicly and privately asserting that the decision to back Albanese had proved as fruitful and positive for company as it was fair to the man. Indeed, one of the reasons Albanese's sacking is so jarring is that New Jersey's most successful miner had never seemed as confident in his CEO skin than over the closing months of 2012.
Feeling at ease with executive authority is not a problem that
That he has been appointed for three years says that du Plessis is confident in his choice, that he wants to minimise speculation over succession and that he wants to provide his bevy of internal candidates times to sustain a case for selection.
Walsh will be an interesting study. A product of the motor industry he is a late bloomer in the minerals business but has shown himself a quick study with keen eye for cost control and a world class aptitude for project management.
The Australian Financial Review


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2014 Winter Games: Afton's Jessie Diggins begins Olympic journey
In late January, Republican Eagle sports reporter Kyle Stevens caught up with Olympic cross country skier Jessie Diggins when the Afton, Minn., native was travelling through Europe, competing in the World Cup.
Last week Diggins and the rest of her USA team arrived in Sochi, Russia, for the Winter Olympic Games.
In her first Olympic race, Diggins, 22, finished in eighth place in the 15-kilometer skiathlon. Her time of 40 minutes, 5.5 seconds was 1:31.9 behind winner Marit Bjoergen of Norway, who defended her gold medal win in Vancouver. The women's skiathlon competitors ski 7.5 kilometers in the classic style then switch skis and repeating in the free skate style. The skiathlon is one of four cross country skiing events Diggins will compete in and the event she had the least hopes of medaling in.
KS: Is that the toughest thing for people to understand about the Olympics. You get a hockey player that gets drafted within the last two years, and he proves himself and he gets to go to the Olympics, whereas you guys spend your entire life hoping to get to one.
JD: I don't know, maybe people understand that. I do know that cross-country skiing in the U.S. is a very little-known sport. People kind of think of us as these forest fairies running around in the woods. But it's so much more than that. We have sprint heats where people are crashing into each other and going down. It's a contact sport. You train for hours and hours, we lift weights, we do intervals, we do long distance runs and skis for up to four hours at a time. It's incredibly hard training, but it's incredibly rewarding, you get this incredible body that will take you anywhere you want to go.
You get great endorphins after the races and the workouts. But it does take a lot of time and commitment, and it is a full-time job. We get the month of April and part of May off, but starting in mid-May it's back into training and we train all the way through November, then race the end of November through March. It's definitely a lot of work. But it's so rewarding.
KS: What's the main thing you're looking forward to outside the actual competition?
JD: The biggest thing is going to be the Opening Ceremonies. I've heard so many cool stories, and everyone says it's the most amazing feeling when you walk into that arena as a nation with all the other sports from your country. For me, it's going to be really cool because my parents are going to be in the crowd, so to look for them and to wave to them, I think (that will be) the moment where it's like, "Wow. I made it."
KS: What are your expectations?
JD: The events that I hope to compete in – they can't name who's going to start each event yet because they have to see who's healthy, who's sharp – but the events I'm gunning for are the 15K Skiathalon, the skate (freestyle), the 4-by-5K relay and the 30K skate. I think the biggest goal is definitely the relay. I would really like to be the anchor leg of that. I've gotten to anchor every relay the USA has fielded on the World Cup since the 2011 World Championships. So I feel like for us to be able to get a medal in this Olympics would be huge for the team, for our country and for our sport. For U.S. cross-country skiing, for women, we've never gotten an Olympic medal before. We've never got one. To be able to do that in a team event would be incredible.
KS: Is there any other event you hope to catch while you're there?
JD: I think we're going to have a bit of a media blackout, and we're going to be doing a lot of focus on recovery between the races because you have to prep your body as soon as you can to be ready for the next race. But I am hoping that I'll have enough free time to see my family while I'm there. I know security is going to be tight, and it's a bit of a deal travelling down from the (Olympic) Village to Sochi where they'll be staying. But I would love to see them because I haven't seen them in a couple months.
KS: Do you have any reservations considering the world view of Sochi and the fear of terrorism?
JD: I'm not concerned for myself at all. When we were there for the test event, security was great. It's the Olympics, I think every precaution will be there.
And I'm pretty sure my family will be completely safe as well. They're staying in a great area, a safe area, and they'll be surrounded by tons of other families and media people. I'm feeling very good about that.
KS: What's in your future? Do you see yourself doing this again in four years?
JD: Absolutely. In this sport, it is such an endurance sport, and it takes so many years to start reaching the top level that once you're there, you can keep going for a bit. So I'm hoping to go to the next two Olympics after this for sure. I'm want to keep competing into my 30s.
KS: It sounds like you'll have a good cheering section, both in Sochi and around the area.
JD: Yeah, I just want to add that the local support means so much to me. It's incredible to know that the people who matter, the people who have your back, the local support, are the ones that matter to me. These are the people that have been cheering for me since day one and who are going to love me just the same whether I come home with a medal or whether someone trips me and I fall and I don't come home with anything. It's a good feeling getting all these emails and congratulations and good-luck wishes from everyone back home.
-Kyle Stevens


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Supreme Court gives EPA 'amost everything it wanted' in latest ruling on greenhouse gas pollutionJune 23, 2014 by Ken Ward Jr.
There's another big decision out this morning from the U.S. Supreme Court on climate change, and you can expect to see some West Virginia officials touting it as more proof for their argument that the federal Environmental Protection Agency is out of control … but before you buy that, it's worth actually paying attention to what the decision says and what some of the media coverage of it is explaining.
Sure, as some of the headlines are saying, the Supreme Court limited EPA's authority in writing rules to restrict carbon pollution. But read on, for as this story from Bloomberg explains:
The U.S. Supreme Court partially upheld one of President Barack Obama's early efforts against climate change, saying the Environmental Protection Agency had authority to impose new permitting requirements on some power plants and factories.
The permitting rules apply when facilities are built or expanded. They are separate from the administration's more comprehensive climate-change regulations, including the plan released June 2 to cut carbon emissions from existing plants by as much as 25 percent over 15 years.
The Supreme Court gave the EPA a preliminary victory in October, refusing to consider arguments that would have barred the agency from addressing climate change at all. That left states and business groups fighting the permit rules, which they said may ultimately affect millions of facilities, including bakeries and apartment complexes.
Today's ruling, which splintered the court, may head off that possibility, limiting the rules to a few hundred facilities that already have to get permits for other pollutants. The justices said greenhouse-gas emissions by themselves can't serve as the trigger for a permit requirement.
Or, as The Washington Post pointed out:
Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the court, said "EPA is getting almost everything it wanted in this case." Scalia said the agency wanted to regulate 86 percent of all greenhouse gases emitted from plants nationwide. The agency will be able to regulate 83 percent of the emissions under the ruling, Scalia said.
Some readers may recall that West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey made quite a big deal about their filing of a "friend of the court" brief in the case. But this ruling is hardly the kind of major defeat for EPA that those politicians are looking for. Here's the New York Times:
The Supreme Court on Monday handed President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency a victory in its efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources like power plants … States and industry groups challenged the regulations on many grounds, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce calling them "the most burdensome, costly, far-reaching program ever adopted by a United States regulatory agency." The Supreme Court limited the issue it would consider to whether the agency "permissibly determined that its regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles triggered permitting requirements under the Clean Air Act for stationary sources that emit greenhouses gases."


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A promotional tape measure for the handyman at home or professional tradesmen.
Make going back to school even more rewarding with this Zippered 3-Ring Logo Pencil Case that comes in cool colors.
This brightly colored custom imprinted pen features 4 different ink colors housed inside the same barrel.
ePromos has an array great promotional products for the architecture & design industry. Architecture & design have helped shape what our world looks like today. Promotional pencils are great for jotting down measurements and quick sketches. Promotional measuring tapes and rulers, imprinted with your company name or logo, are handy for creating accurate designs. Measure up to the competition with these great architecture & design products!


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One of the things I love most about food is the ability to connect. Connecting to people or in the case of this cauliflower pizza, a place. Shortly after moving from my hometown, a pizza place started up that is delicious and inventive in their pizza toppings. I posted this pizza a couple years ago but after eating the restaurant's version recently, I've changed up the recipe to closer resemble that pizza. This recipe connects me back to my hometown and with it, my family. Plus, it's just a really good, funky pizza.
Curried Cauliflower Pizza
- 1 Pre-made or homemade dough for one pizza
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divdedd
- 1 to 2 tablespoons good Curry Powder
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley (see note)
- 4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- Preheat oven to 400˚ F and place pizza stone in oven if using. Cut cauliflower florets into small, bite-sized pieces. in a roasting pan or sheet tray covered with parchment paper, toss cauliflower with 1 tablespoon olive oil and at least 1 tablespoon curry powder, enough to coat. Bake until browning, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn up heat to 500˚.
- Roll the dough out onto a surface covered in cornmeal (I used a large wood cutting board put some of you may have a pizza peel.) Roll/shape the dough out to about 14" circe.
- Combine roasted cauliflower with red onion and parsley. Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over rolled out crust and spread cauliflower over crust.. Sprinkle cheese on top and slide pizza into the oven.
- Bake until crust is golden, 10-15 minutes depending on oven.
by Erin Alderson
Recipe Notes
In place of the parsley, I like cilantro.
Variations for the Cauliflower Pizza
I think this pizza is all about the curry powder. You can of course make your own but I actually like to pick up a few different varieties and play around. This particular version I photographed was with an African Curry from this spice company (it was just enough spice). I also like this spice shop.
Greens: I'll occasionally add a bit of spinach to this pizza for extra color.
Cauliflower: Sweet potatoes are another good option for roasting with curry powder then throwing on a pizza.
Cheese: I usually stick with fresh mozzarella because the flavor of the curry is predominant however, any good melting pizza cheese works.
Recipe originally published on May 15th, 2013, last updated on December 19th, 2015.


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[EDIT] Discounts & New Mission
Shone bate
[EDIT] Here is what you get for the new mission if you belong to D4:
I've needed around 600 health to defeat Cupid with Q7 weapons.
This are rewards for lower divisions:
D1: 2 x Bazooka Booster, 2 x BH Rocket, 2 x Energy Bar
D2: 4 x Bazooka Booster, 4 x BH Rocket, 4 x Energy Bar
D3: 6 x Bazooka Booster, 6 x BH Rocket, 6 x Energy Bar
"Make war not love!" offers and bonuses
Good bonus is a 50% greater DAMAGE, even with bazookas you have 15.000 hit. Also 5% more for training.
Plato have once again presented us a lot of discounts (guess that Martinozs' prediction of eRepublk Template for 2014 becomes reality).
WARNING! This Discounts lasts for another 4 days, which means that gold worth more. It is already 284cc and before this promotion it was 270cc.
For choosing the right contract check my article Which Training Contract you should sign?
I also recommend you to calculate your training using this very good designed Training Calculator.
Here is an example of training that you can have with Q4 training centers and how much gold you will earn or lose when you include SS medals:
As it is clear, with investing 93.5gold in the Q4 Weights Room you will need 7.15 months for returning your investment. After that period the daily income is 0.436 gold which will cover your daily need for Q7 weapons.
In the following two tables you can see the profit/losses for food and weapon companies. Current salary on the Serbian market is around 12.5cc and Serbia has 100% region bonus both for food and weapon.
Food companies balance
Weapon companies balance
CONCLUSION: In terms of profit, Q4 Weights Room is the best investment. The profit of Weapon companies almost doesn't exist any more. However, Food companies still have a similar profit since my last article Investment Tip #2 - Food and Weapon companies.
P.S. Just discovered a good tool called eRepublik Analizer
For shout:
[EDIT] Discounts & New Mission
@MartinSkull ako ti tako kazes verujem ti o/
@medicinec.si I have 50licenses. They were much more less in eRep V1
not thanx... that article is really great and is the summary of all those articles I wanted to write today!
O que é isso?Este é um artigo escrito por um cidadão do eRepublik, um imersivo jogo de estratégia baseado nos países do mundo real. Crie um personagem e ajude seu país rumo à glória. Torne-se um herói de guerra, um editor renomado ou um guru das finanças.


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Mental Health
Have Mental Health Questions? Ask a Psychiatrist Online
Hi, I'd like to help you with your question.
Your son sounds like a wonderful little boy and quite a challenge! Children with personalities such as his often take on leadership roles when they grow up.
It sounds like you and your wife have done a great job of being there for him and helping him with your absences. What you may want to try is some behavioral reinforcements to deal with the acting out at school.
First, develop a method of passing on the responsibility of "caring for Mommy" to your son. Yes, this is a bit chauvinistic in our day and age, but it helps him feel important. Make a big deal of it, like a special medal he wears or some kind of token. Tell him that in order to care for Mom right, he must show his best behavior in all places, home and school.
Try small rewards for good behavior. Before he leaves for school, have his mother remind him that she and Dad are expecting the best behavior and give him a small reward, like a small toy. After school, if he has done well, give him another small reward. If he is good for three days in a row, then take him for ice cream or something similar.
Since he is acting out because he misses you, give him something you feel is special to hold on to for you. It could be anything that he has seen you with before. Remind him to keep it safe and anytime he feels he misses you, he can take it out and look at it. It can also be something small he can carry with him to school.
Along with your contact with him each night on Skype, promise to read to him while you talk with him, if you have the time. Or pick another rewarding activity that he can share with just you, no one else. Tell him you will not do this if he misbehaves in school that day.
Plan a big event for when you get back. Something he loves like a day with Dad at the game and eating out or something else the two of you can do. Remind him of that day as you talk with him.
Eventually, he should learn to deal with his feelings and be able to understand that you will be back to see him.
I hope this has helped you,
You are welcome! I am glad it helped you.


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- November 4, 2008, 5:51 AM
Hawker Beechcraft Beech 1900D, St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 7, 2008–The empennage of the Great Lakes Aviation 1900 struck a building overhang while parking at its gate at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, aided by a marshaler and a wing walker. The vertical stabilizer was twisted and the rudder and the right side of the elevator were wrinkled. No one was injured.


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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Lobos have come in at No. 88 on the Orlando Sentinel's preseason College Football Countdown of NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision teams. That's up 32 spots from last year, when the Sentinel ranked the Lobos 120th and last.
For whatever it's worth, the Sentinel ranks UNM higher than six of its 12 opponents (New Mexico State, UNLV, UTEP, Texas-San Antonio, Wyoming, Colorado State) this fall.
Earlier, USA Today was a bit less generous to the Lobos, ranking them 108th of 125. There are five new full-fledged FBS teams this fall, including Texas-San Antonio, against whom UNM opens its season at University Stadium on Aug. 31.


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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Dunks a Pumpkin to Promote Smashing Pumpkins Album [VIDEO]
Sure, his sky hook made him a legend, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is now showing off his dunking skills in the name of music.
The basketball icon dunks a pumpkin in a new video promoting the Smashing Pumpkins' upcoming CD, 'Oceania.'
NFL Player Makes Ends Meet By Becoming Teacher During Lockout
David Bruton knows more than just football.
While the NFL lockout labors on, the Denver Broncos safety kept busy by taking a job as a substitute teacher in his hometown of Miamisburg, Ohio.
Jack McKeon Named Florida Marlins Interim Manager
What's old is new again for the Florida Marlins.
Jack McKeon, 80, was named the team's interim manager Monday. McKeon came out of retirement to lead the Marlins to a World Series title in 2003 after he took over the squad in May of that season. McKeon was rewarded for his efforts by winning National League Manager of the Year honors. He stayed on as skipper until he retired at the age of 74, in 2005.
60-Year-Old Grandmother Runs Marathon in All 50 States
She may be 60, but Gloria Linares still likes to be on her feet.
Linares has finally completed her goal of running a marathon in all 50 states.
Watch! Dirk Nowitzki Mangles Queen's 'We Are the Champions' [VIDEO]
Dirk Nowitzki had best stick to basketball.
The Dallas Mavericks star, who won the Most Valuable Player Award while leading his team to the NBA championship, showed off some less-than-impressive skills when the city held a victory parade on Thursday.
College Football Bowl Schedule Released, National Championship Set for Jan. 9
A champion will be crowned January 9.
College football's bowl schedule for next season has come out, with the BCS national championship slated for January 9 in New Orleans.
What Teams Are Most Desperate To Win Their First Championships?
You never forget your first love and you can bet you never forget your first title.
The Dallas Mavericks, in business since 1980, have claimed their first NBA title in franchise history by knocking off the vaunted Miami Heat
Top 10 List Explains Why There Are So Many Top 10 Lists
Top 10 lists used to be the domain of David Letterman and the FBI's Most Wanted, but they're now popping up on the internet with the frequency of Subway restaurants on street corners. There are so many lists, in fact, there's a whole website dedicated to it.
What's behind this trend? So glad you asked.
Man Sues Nail Salon for Charging Men More Than Women
Norris Sydnor III needs clean fingers to count all the money he's hoping to collect.
The Mitchellville, Maryland man is suing a nail salon for $200,000, claiming discrimination because it charges men $1 more than women for a manicure.
Boston Bruins Defeat Vancouver Canucks to Win Stanley Cup
So much for home ice advantage.
The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0, on the Canucks' home ice Wednesday night to win the Stanley Cup, the first time the franchise has claimed hockey's holy grail since 1972.


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Monthly Archives: October 2008
Charlotte NC Neighborhoods – Beverly Woods East Real Estate 10.31.08
…Over the past two weeks, real estate inventory in Beverly Woods East has decreased due to the withdrawal of one listing, bringing current real estate inventory down to 11.9 months…. Continue reading
Dual Agency Is A Can Of Worms!!!
…Working for both buyer and seller at the same time (dual agency) in NC is possible but not necessarily in the best interests of buyer or seller… Continue reading
Posted in Buyers, Real Estate, Sellers Tagged Charlotte NC buyers, charlotte nc real estate, charlotte nc sellers Leave a comment


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Hell on Wheels
Hell on Wheels tells an epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a former Confederate soldier, and his dramatic journey west as he struggles to leave his past behind. The show depicts the traveling town known as Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot that follows and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. Hell on Wheels chronicles this potent turning point in American history and how uncivilized the business of civilization can be.


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Conservative Hindu Leader Says India Is a 'Hindu Nation'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for religious harmony in his first Independence Day speech on Friday. But the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a right-wing Hindu organization closely associated with Mr. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, is pushing an entirely different message.
"Hindustan is a Hindu nation," Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the RSS, said on Sunday. "Hindutva is the identity of our nation," he said, referring to a term that means "Hindu-ness." The term Hindustan, an alternative name for India, is often used by conservative Hindu groups when they want to emphasize the country's Hindu cultural traditions.
He said: "There are other sects and religions, but it (Hindutva) has the inherent ability to subsume other sects and religions."
Mr. Bhagwat's comments, made at the 50th anniversary celebrations of a conservative Hindu group called the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, were greeted with applause. The country's Hindu right argues that India, which is constitutionally secular and has roughly 150 million Muslims and a plethora of other religious groups, is culturally a Hindu nation.
In a speech last week, Mr. Bhagwat asked why the inhabitants of Hindustan aren't known as Hindus, noting that the inhabitants of England are English and those of Germany are Germans, according to the Press Trust of India.
The RSS says it has no formal ties to the BJP, though Mr. Modi began his political career as an RSS member and many other RSS members serve in various capacities in the party.
The RSS's large and disciplined network of supporters helped propel Mr. Modi to power in national elections this spring. Analysts and journalists have since raised the question of how much influence the group, which has demanded that cow slaughter be outlawed and supports a movement for the building of a contentious temple in northern India, will have over Mr. Modi's agenda.
The BJP says it enjoys the support of many outside groups but remains independent in its policy-making.


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Bernese Mountain Dog Portrait
I completed this larger-than-life portrait of Cheyenne, a bernese mountain dog, a couple months ago. These dogs are gorgeous and huge so it's only fitting that her portrait is 3 feet by 3 feet. It was a gift for my client's daughter and now hangs in her bedroom. Cheyenne is also the portrait featured on my ad in this month's Bark Magazine!
Back from the blogging graveyard
I can't believe it's been almost a year since I last posted! It's one of those things that easily gets sidelined the busier I get, and man have I been busy. Every since the uber fabulous Heather Armstrong of dooce.com fame posted the portraits I sent her of Chuck and Coco, I've had a steady stream of orders. Because dooce is international, I'VE gone international and have since shipped portraits to Canada, Hong Kong, London and New Zealand! I love the idea that my portraits are not only scattered all across the United States, but across the WORLD!
Needless to say, working on the commissioned portraits have taken a front seat to blogging, photo uploading and just general maintenance. I am trying to find a little balance in my business and I have decided that I need to dedicate time each week to updating my blog, sharing recent portraits that I've completed, keeping my facebook page more active, etc. I think the longer I go without updating, the more daunting of a task it becomes. So I've decided that I'm taking the pressure off and just need to get back into it. No crazy long post, no particular reason for posting, just to start sharing more images and more insight into my daily life as I continue my quest to be the most sought after pet portraiture artist IN THE WORLD!!! Wa ha ha ha ha (evil laugh).
I hope to get into the swing of things with my new, highly sophisticated scheduling system (re: blog once a week on either a Thursday or Friday morning), so that as the holidays get closer and I get much busier, it will be something I can keep up with. That way when I promise my clients that their pets' portrait will be displayed soon, I actually WILL display it soon.
So, without further ado, I leave you with some recent images of portraits I've completed in the past year. Definitely only a small sampling, you can see more on my flickr page or, of course, my website image gallery.
I recently finished these two portraits of Winnie, which were commissioned by Anne, a bride-to-be to give to her husband on the day of their wedding. Anne let me know that her husband loves them and it really made for the perfect gift and surprise. A portrait (or two) of your best friend certainly beats a pair of cuff links! In my opinion, anyway. 🙂 Congratulations to the newlyweds!
New Card Sneak Peek!
My other company, The Kiwi Tree, is about to unveil some new cards and bottle tags. They're not on the website yet, but I thought I'd give a sneak peek of one of my favorite's of the newbies. And big surprise, it's part of our dog line. Although my illustration of the little guy isn't nearly as detailed as commissioned portraits, I still think this Boston is super cute. Probably because I think the breed is pretty cool. I may even go as far as to say I think they're awesome. Wicked awesome. Click on the Boston Terrier to purchase or to peruse through the rest of our cards. Guaranteed for at least a laugh or two.
Larger than Life Bulldog Portraits
These portraits are my largest to date sized at about 7 feet long by 3 feet high. Bulldog mama Deanna saw my ad in Bark Magazine and contacted me to inquire about a size that big. I let her know it would be no problem, so she sent me a couple pictures and I got to work. She originally only ordered one (of Stanley) but luckily liked it so much that Douglas got one, too! These portraits were a gift for her husband's birthday and will soon decorate the walls of his home office.
From Deanna:
I received the portraits, and of course they are amazing…. My husband was completely blown away. He can't stop looking at them, they look SOOOO much like the dogs.
I can not thank you enough, you have a great eye and your creativity is amazing.


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SPD Wins "Best Bathroom" Award
What a great way to shake off the January blahs! We just won "Best Bathroom 2016" from Modern Luxury Interiors Chicago for a complete master bath renovation in Lake Forest. We are thrilled to be included in the magazine's annual "Best in Design" awards featured in the current issue.
Senior Architectural Associate Jennifer Cioni Tarello, Junior Designer Lauren Benditzky and I collaborated on this project as part of a whole-house update for a terrific, 70-something widow who wanted a decidedly feminine flair in her master bath. Many thanks to Interiors Chicago publisher Becca West and editor-in-chief Andrea Mills for this recognition. We feel honored to be among such a talented group of Chicago-area designers – for the second time! We won "Best Living Space" in 2014 for our family room in the Gracious House Showhouse.


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Getting to Know SSD
Registering with SSD
Excellence in Access and Inclusion Awards
Each year, Services for Students with Disabilities, with the support of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, hosts the Excellence in Access and Inclusion Awards event to recognize faculty, staff, and students who have shown exceptional leadership in access and inclusion, and present the Sally Bohland Award for Exceptional Leadership in Access and Inclusion.
Please nominate faculty, staff, and students for this award by Friday, March 17, 2017 by completing this survey: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_beVizU6IChJdKVT.
The awards event will be from 4pm to 6pm in the Multipurpose Room of the Graduate Life Center on Tuesday, April 25, 2017.
Thank you for you for your participation!


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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Sunnyvale, CA, United States, 2011/02/08 - Since August 2010, Silicon Instrumentation has been proudly offering Xeltek SuperPro Universal Programmers for those who seek a quality programming solution of the highest value.
Xeltek is happy to announce that a new distribution agreement has been signed with Silicon Instrumentation Private Limited (Singapore). Silicon Inst. Pte. Ltd. has been selling SuperPro® throughout their sales channels since August 2010.
Silicon Instrumentation Private Limited was established in 1984, and has been serving the electronics market since then. Silicon Inst. is a customer-oriented company that has been effectively marketing many industrial ranges of products such as test and measurement tools, analyzers, and development systems. Since 1994, with the addition of its showroom in Sim Lim Tower; Silicon Inst. managed to develop a solid network within local markets in Singapore, Malaysia and Batam. Its expansion to Malaysia was first settled in 1989, and serving to the Singaporean and Malaysian market with its dedicated staff and experienced engineers by providing a powerful solution for the industry.
Today, with the partnership of Xeltek; one of the leading brands for the device programmers industry, Silicon Inst. strengthens its position and product portfolio within the market. Amongst its entire network, since August 2010, Silicon Inst. has been proudly offering Xeltek SuperPro Universal Programmers for those who seek a quality programming solution of the highest value.
Even though Silicon Instrument has been a local company for Singapore and Malaysia, they have been in touch with many respectful leads and high profiled customers such as Kyocera, Sharp Mfg Corpn (M), Flextronics, Siix, Panasonic, and multiple local institutions and universities. As it has been stated by Silicon Instrument
with strong support from our principals coupled with our efficient services, we have managed to instil in our customers a strong trust and confidence of our products and services. There is no doubt that service quality and pre & after sales support will consolidate with the addition of Xeltek partnerships.
Silicon Instrumentation Private Limited (siliconinstrument.com.sg) is headquartered at 705 Sims Drive, #05-04 Shun Li Industrial Complex. Singapore 387384 Contact information is T: 6743 3318 / F: 6743 4818 / E: silicon[.]singnet.com.sg.
Xeltek Inc. (xeltek.com) is headquartered at Silicon Valley, California, USA.
Written by / Agency / Source: Xeltek, Inc.
Availability: All Regions (Including Int'l)
Traffic Booster: [/] Quick Newswire Today Visibility Checker
Distribution / Indexing: [+]


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Hal Vaughan wrote:
On Tuesday 04 April 2006 18:15, kamaraju kusumanchi wrote:Hal Vaughan wrote:Every time someone suggests something that makes an install easier or an easier config method, there is always hostility in this group and elsewhere.Do you have some examples?I've seen and watched it. While it was more true several years ago than now, I've watched that kind of ugliness pop up from time to time.
It permeates the Linux[1] world. [snip]
past 2 months. It didn't focus directly on user-friendliness, but it was a good example of the "I know hi-tech and you don't, so don't bother with Linux" attitude.
This has been a problem with UNIX[2] like operating systems from the start. It has a cryptic command language, and many arcane facts must be known in order properly to administer it. It breeds gurus and guru mentality. People who love UNIX almost universally hate operating systems with a reasonable and well-thought out CLI, like VAX/VMS was. The switches in VMS, if applicable, were the same for all commands. The commands themselves were for the most part complete words which made sense. This contrasts markedly with the commands in UNIX, each of which grew up in isolation from the others, and which are usually only a couple of characters long. There are those who love and thrive in that kind of chaos. I am glad to see that the FSF has at last recognized that one-letter switches instead of keyword-driven command line parsing is a bad thing, and have started instituting common and entire-word style options, like "--help" across the board. This, at least, is a step forward and toward a non-guru-only mentality. [snip] [1] TM Linus Torvald? [2] TM AT&T Mike -- p="p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);} This message made from 100% recycled bits. You have found the bank of Larn. I can explain it for you, but I can't understand it for you. I speak only for myself, and I am unanimous in that!


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The Lonoke Jackrabbits scored early in beating the Carlisle Bison 16-2 on Monday at Rockefeller Park.
The Jackrabbits led 11-0 after the top of the fourth inning. They scored twice in the first. Pierce Johnson and Christian James each scored.
The Jackrabbits added two more in the second. Scoring were Casey Martin and Savonte Rountree. Lonoke scored five in the third. Scoring were Nick Watson, Cody Martin, Casey Martin, Rountree and Elijah Seigrist.
The Jackrabbits plated two more runs in the fourth. Nick Graves walked and scored on a single by Mikey Shinn. Watson singled and scored on a passed ball.
The Bison scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 11-2. Tyler Young singled and scored on a single by Dylan Brazeal. Jacob Gordon was hit by a pitch and scored.
Lonoke scored five runs in the top of the fifth. Scoring were James, Shinn, Cody Martin, Casey Martin and Rountree.
Casey Martin got the win for the Jackrabbits. He gave up only two runs in five innings of work. He struck out two while giving up six hits.
CAC 9, Bison 2
The Carlisle Bison lost to Central Arkansas Christian 9-2 on Tuesday in North Little Rock.
The Mustangs led 2-0 after the first inning. The Bison had a chance to get on the board in the top of the frame but left the bases loaded. Tyler Young, Jacob Gordon and Chance Richards were stranded on base.
The Bison cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third. Gordon hit a solo home run to lead off the inning.
The Mustangs scored four in the bottom of the third to lead 6-1.
Carlisle scored its second run in the top of the fourth. Nick Schafer singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Young.
CAC scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth.
Valley View 5, Jackrabbits 1
Lonoke lost to the Valley View Blazers 5-1 in the first game of the Xtra Innings Classic in Jonesboro.
Lonoke's only run came in the second. Casey Martin waked and scored on a hit by Elijah Seigrist.
Valley View scored once in the fourth and twice in both the fifth and sixth innings.
Pocahontas 10, Jackrabbits 5
The Pocahontas Redskins scored six runs in the third inning en route to a 10-5 win over Lonoke in the Xtra Innings Classic.
The Redskins scored three more in the fifth and once in the seventh.
Lonoke scored three runs in the top of the third.
Gabe Rooney walked and scored. Pierce Johnson doubled and scored. Christian James walked and scored.
Lonoke scored two more runs in the seventh. Scoring were Nick Graves and Haven Hunter.


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Complete Lines of Pentosin & Liqui-Moly Oils & Additives Now Available at FCP(November 15, 2012)
Old Saybrook, Connecticut (PRWEB) November 15, 2012
FCP Euro president Nick Bauer announced today that the company will carry the complete lines of Liqui-Moly & Pentosin Oils through the FCP Euro and Import websites. The addition of these brands to the FCP Euro and Import sites will allow the company to provide an even greater degree of choice for its customers on top of their already impeccable customer service.
When making the announcement, Bauer stated, "These Pentosin & Liqui-Moly Oils set FCP apart from competitors once again, with their diverse functionality for improving a vehicles longevity. They arent sold in regular marts, like grocery stores, and are of the highest quality industry standards meeting the set by Volvo(/Volvo-parts/) standards, BMW standards and more.
By directly selling these Pentosin & Liqui-Moly Oils and Additives, FCP Euro and Import can ensure that its customers enjoy the highest quality products once again, as well as furthering FCPs commitment to quality customer service. FCP specializes in providing the most comprehensive array of OEM auto parts for Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Subaru, and Kia. ASE certified staff members are available to assist customers in selecting and installing the parts sold through the FCP Euro and Import websites.
About FCP Euro and FCP Import
FCP is dedicated to providing the highest quality OEM and aftermarket auto parts at the lowest prices in the automotive marketplace. FCP Euro delivers BMW, Volvo parts, Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes and Saab auto parts to its customers throughout the world, while its sister company FCP Import offers Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Subaru and Kia auto parts to its worldwide audience. FCP orders many of its parts direct from the manufacturer and ships from their warehouse in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. This allows FCP to pass the savings along to their customers and provide them with the best possible deals on the full range of auto parts for virtually all European and Asian makes.
Call us toll free at 877-634-0063
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/11/prweb10133250.htm.
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Grambling State University Students Are 'In' and Fired Up
Students from Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana met a little while ago to learn about the grassroots campaign and how they can get involved to help President Obama win in 2012. Their enthusiasm was awesome -- even during this late evening gathering as you can see above. These Grambling State students are 100% in for 2012.
"We are going to recruit as many students as possible to join "In" and work on those "I'm In" posters!" says a student leader.
As students embrace the return of summer break all over the United States and go on vacation, these students are keeping their eyes on the prize in 2012.
Is your campus in? It's never too early to build the groundwork for your campus chapter. Email us to get involved.


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- At the recent "Invest For Kids" conference in Chicago, a lineup of stellar speakers from the world of finance such as Leon Cooperman and Sam Zell touted many blue chips.
Among the well-known favorites mentioned were Boeing ( BA), Hitachi and Mondelez International ( MDLZ). That is why when a Forbes 400 hedge fund manager such as Mark Lasry spoke of Connacher Oil and Gas, a small cap, as one of his favorites, investors should take notice.
Lasry is the billionaire CEO and co-founder of Avenue Capital Group. With over $11 billion in assets, Avenue Capital Group focuses on special situations and distressed debt around the world. Avenue Capital Group is where Chelsea Clinton worked as an analyst.
As detailed in another article on TheStreet, small-cap oil stocks have much more potential upside than do big oil companies such as Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX). Even with the recent purchase of Exxon Mobil stock by Warren Buffett, it is still one of the worst performing stocks on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But that is not so for many small-cap oil and gas stocks with great potential such as Connacher Oil and Gas, Octagon 88 and Americas Petrogas.
While Exxon Mobil will likely finish up on the year as a "Dog of the Dow," the performance of small-cap oil stocks has been much better. Octagon 88, now just under $7 a share, was around $5 in early August. Americas Petrogas is near $1.50 after being around 95 cents in mid-September.


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Ninth Circuit Won't Rehear Prop 8 Case
A divided Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals voted not to rehear arguments over the constitutionality of California's ban on gay marriage.
The Ninth Circuit in February ruled that the voter-mandated ban, known as Proposition 8, was unconstitutional.
Tuesday's decision means that ruling stands. Defenders of Prop 8 must petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case if they want to continue the fight. The Ninth Circuit stayed its decision for three months, to allow time for Prop 8 supporters to craft a petition.
Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain, who voted to rehear the case, blasted his colleagues, saying the Ninth Circuit had "declared that animus must have been the only conceivable motivation for a sovereign State to have remained committed to a definition of marriage that has existed for millennia."
Judge O'Scannlain predicted the Ninth Circuit's interpretation of Romer v. Evans, cited by the majority in its decision striking down Prop 8, wouldn't sit well with the Supreme Court if the justices take the case.
Judge O'Scannlain, a Reagan appointee, was joined in his dissent by Judge Jay Bybee and Carlos Tiburcio Bea. . .


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Winter has been rough this year in Maine. Did you know it was the third snowiest February in Portland since 1882?
Bridgton alone recorded 50-inches in February that was fueled by a Feb. 8-9 blizzard. But we're thawing out, and hopefully you are too.
It's time to leave winter behind and start thinking about a getaway to the Bridgton-Maine Lakes region and Highland Lake Resort. With cute shopping and little eateries, it's the perfect weekend escape from the winter doldrums. A spring fling in Bridgton can be the perfect way to kick start your summer. But remember, it's not just Bridgton you can visit.
Other nearby towns and villages, like Naples, Harrison, Fryeburg, Lovell and Casco, have different events throughout the year as well so there's definitely something different every weekend.
Enjoy a Farmer's Market on the weekends or an event at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds.
The big event this month is Sheepfest in Denmark, which is a quick 10 minute drive away. The event takes place April 20th at the Denmark Arts Center.
It's a neat event where flocks of sheep are sheared to create wool for fleeces and other clothing apparel. There are demonstrations, a market, and gift items. Kids will love seeing all the animals and their babies! Alpacas, sheep, goats and bunnies are all on hand and love to get close and personal with humans.
Each month there's some cool event that's unique to Maine and the lakes region. So whenever you think there's not going to be a lot to do, think again and get away to a unique Maine Lakes vacation!


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Japan's WBC team honors victims of 2011 tsunami
TOKYO — Members of Japan's World Baseball Classic team honored the victims of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe on the two-year anniversary of the disaster.
The team held a moment of silence before a Monday morning practice at Tokyo Dome.
"We've been able to return to our normal lives, but there are a lot of people still struggling to return to a normal life," said Japan pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who plays for a team in Sendai, a city hit hard by the disaster
More than 300,000 people remain displaced and very little rebuilding has begun along the battered northeastern coast, where the tsunami swept away entire communities.
Two-time defending champion Japan qualified for the semifinals of the tournament on Sunday with a 16-4 win over the Netherlands.
Memorial services were to be held Monday in Tokyo and in towns along the northeastern coast to mark the moment, at 2:46 p.m., when the magnitude 9.0 earthquake — the strongest recorded in Japan's history — struck off the coast, unleashing a massive tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 people.
"I imagine things have been tough for the past two years and there are still many tough days ahead," Japan manager Koji Yamamoto said. "We will do our best to play hard and send some happiness to the people who were hit by this terrible tragedy."
Japan won the first two versions of baseball's global tournament and is aiming to defend the title when the team travels to the United States for the March 17-19 championship round in San Francisco.


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Amarok wants to use camera & flash-drive
I recently installed Slackware 12.0 with a 220.127.116.11 kernel, and started using Amarok instead of XMMS (which doesn't seem to come with Slack any more).
Amarok seems to work OK, but whenever I plug in my camera or USB flash drive, or put a CD in the drive, Amarok pops up an annoying dialog box, asking me what it should do with the drive. If I am not careful how I respond, this can lead to Amarok crashing.
I never play music from my camera or USB stick, and only rarely play CDs. Is there some way to tell Amarok to IGNORE these devices unless I specifically tell it to use them? (Slack 12 uses HAL and messagebus (D-BUS) which I am only now trying to understand. I think these may be involved.)
Are you sure it is Amarok that is doing it? KDE has a mechanism for dealing with newly plugged in devices (comes with HAL support) that does this type of thing. You can adjust the settings for each type of device in KDE Control Center -> Peripherals.
i do not have any removable media right now but i think you should take a look at
settings>configure amarok>media devices
KDE also pops up, but that is another issue that I have to get to the bottom of.
Oh, wait! I left the pulldown at [Do not handle] and clicked [Ok]. Then when i tried it again, it did not pop up the dialog box! I'll shut down Amarok and restart it to see if the behaviour is persistent. Right after this album!
BTW, Settings->Configure Amarok->Media Devices shows an empty list.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:49 PM.


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The first time I saw Jason Crosby do his multi-instrumental thing, he was alongside Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, playing violin on one of the "Weir Here" webcasts last year at TRI Studios in San Rafael. I thought to myself, 'Who is this guy, this newcomer who's on stage right off the bat with two original members of the Grateful Dead? He must be the world's greatest sideman. As it turns out, that wasn't too far off.
"I played piano, violin and sang on that show," Crosby recalled the other day, speaking on the phone from his home in Mill Valley. "And then Phil had to leave, but the show kept going and we were on live. So Bob said, 'Who's going to play bass?' and looked at me. They went and got me a bass and I ended up playing four instruments in one broadcast."
A modest 39-year-old with an easy laugh and friendly demeanor, Crosby has played with Clapton, Springsteen, Santana, any number of superstars. But he was as blown away by what had gone down that night at TRI as anyone.
"That was a crazy moment for me," he said. "I'd only been here a month, and there I was singing and playing guitar between Bob and Phil on 'Lazy River Road.' And if that weren't enough, I got to play all those other instruments and then take over on bass for Phil after he left. I was asking myself, 'What's going on here?' If you list the reasons why I left New York and came here, you could point to that moment as one of them."
Crosby (no relation to Bing or David) is one of those naturally gifted musicians who can play just about anything he picks up. He began taking violin lessons when he was 2. At 4, he was picking out violin tunes on the piano, discovering he has perfect pitch.
"Many lessons and instruments followed," he said with a laugh. "Perfect pitch helps particularly on fretless instruments like violin or a viola."
His arsenal also includes Hammond B-3 organ, trumpet, French horn, baritone horn, guitar, bass, mandolin and percussion.
"They all feel natural," he said. "It's all just music to me."
In high school, he toured the world playing classical music as one of the youngest members of the Long Island Youth Orchestra.
"They used me as a swing man," he said. "Depending on the different works we were playing, I'd be in the string section or the horn section, playing timpani in the percussion section or covering the harp parts on piano. That translated later on to being the utility guy in the improv world."
Crosby promised his parents that if he wasn't making a living playing music by the time he was 21, he'd go to college. He made good on his promise. Sort of. After high school, he was briefly a business major before going on the road with Grammy-winning bassist Oteil Burbridge and his band, the Peacemakers.
That led to three years of touring and recording with blues singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi, wife of guitarist Derek Trucks. When she took a year off to have a baby, Crosby joined pedal steel sensation Robert Randolph's Family Band.
"I made the transition at the right time," he said. "Robert was blowing up. We played on the Grammys and toured with Eric Clapton for six months and then with Santana. I got to play a bunch of violin with Santana in 2005. Between Susan and Robert I barely saw home from 2000 to 2008. I was on the road over 200 days a year."
Clapton guested on Randolph's 2006 album "Colorblind," ripping a guitar solo over Crosby's soaring B-3 track on "Jesus Is Just Alright."
"On the liner notes of that CD, our names, in alphabetical order, are right next to each other," he said. "I thought, 'Wow, I never thought that would happen.'"
After a year on the road with the Blind Boys of Alabama, Crosby, who's single, took a break from touring, staying home in New York, playing his own music, producing records, doing session work. A year ago, Lesh brought him to Marin to play some shows with him at his Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael.
"I stayed an extra week or two and that's when I connected with Bob (Weir)," he said. "I did a couple of 'Weir Here' broadcasts and then Bob and his TRI crew convinced me to stay, saying there's no reason for me to go back to New York. I moved my stuff here last April and early May."
Crosby played on American Idol winner Phillip Phillip's debut album, "The World from the Side of the Moon," which went platinum. But he turned down an offer to tour with Phillips' road band, preferring to stay in Marin and establish himself in his new home.
"It was a real tempting offer," he said. "It's good money and you get to go to Rock in Rio and all this great stuff. But it really would have taken me away for a long time. I decided to stick around. I wanted to solidify my thing here."
Since then, he's been playing with Lesh, Weir and with Shana Morrison's band. On Monday, he'll celebrate his 40th birthday at Sweetwater Music Hall with Dan "Lebo" Lebowitz from the Animal Liberation Orchestra, Stu Allen, Reed Mathis from Tea Leaf Green and who knows who else will show up.
"With my 40th birthday coming up, I've been in a reflecting mode," Crosby said. "It's been a 20-year ride of playing music for a living, and that's a victory in itself. I've been really lucky and thankful for all the amazing people I've been able to play with here. It's really been a great experience. I'm soaking it all in."
What: Jason Crosby's 40th Birthday Bash
When: 8 p.m. June 2
Where: Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley
Admission: $14 to $17
Information: sweetwatermusichall.com
Contact Paul Liberatore at firstname.lastname@example.com, on Twitter @liblarge, read his blog http://blogs.marinij.com/marinmusicman/