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We bought this car before out third daughter was born, and the back seat is wide enough that we were able to fit the carseats for our "three under three", albeit with some pushing. My 6' 4" husband is able to comfortably sit in either front seat; the leg room is great! I love the Bluetooth and the steering wheel controls. The trunk has a HUGE amount of space and is able to fit our double stroller and all of our groceries with no problem, and my bread is never smashed. :) The ride is smooth and quiet, and the interior is very comfortable. The A post is a little wide at the base and can cause a bit of a problematic blind spot for shorter drivers. I have also had an occasional problem with the display, radio, and CD player cutting off and not coming on again until the vehicle was restarted, but this has only happened two or three times since we bought this vehicle brand new. All in all, the problems we've had have been very minor.
Kia Optima Ratings, Reviews and Analysis
Ratings & Reviews
i love the feel of this car and the handling of car is fantastic!! The car has a lot of room and the backseat is absolutely roomy for a long legged person too! It doesn't bother me , but a short person in the passenger seat in the front complained about not being able to raise the seat higher. Who cares. I love my Kia!!!! Would recommend to all
The important stuff: The car handles nicely and gets great gas mileage. It has great safety ratings. It is very spacious and comfortable. The warranty is unbeatable and the car is reliable. The extras: Stock sound system is loud and clear. Stereo is tilted toward the driver. Heated and cooled seats are perfect for any weather. Backup camera is perfectly calibrated. Panoramic sunroof makes you feel free. The car is visually stunning. On price: Feels like a luxury car but at an affordable price. Great value. What I would change: Less road noise. More visibility out of rear window.


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Javier Baez
SS-3B / Arlington Country Day High School
Bats-Throws: R-R
Height/Weight: 6-1/205
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
College Commitment: Jacksonville
Birthdate: Dec. 1, 1992
SCOUTING PROFILE: Baez is one of two potential first-round picks in the 2011 high-school class that was born and raised in Puerto Rico before moving to the United States. The other is Montverde Academy shortstop Francisco Lindor. Baez was raised in Toa Baja, while Lindor moved to Toa Baja from Cagaus in 2004. They played together in the same Toa Baja youth league, though in different age groups, as Lindor is a year younger, until Baez moved to the United States late in 2005. Baez and Lindor have had their paths cross a couple of times since. Both were members of the East team at the 2010 Aflac All-American Game and the two shortstops also played against each other on Feb. 18 in what might have been the most heavily-scouted game of the spring. The contest between Arlington Country Day and Montverde Academy drew an estimated 150 scouts. Baez was solid in that game, going 1-for-3 with a triple and walk, while Lindor wowed scouts with a 3-for-3 performance. Both players made several excellent fielding plays. Baez has continued to play at a fast pace and was hitting .463-13-42 through 25 games. He had been charged with just one error. While Lindor has been an established prospect since his freshman year, Baez' rise up the prospect charts has been relatively recent. He was essentially an unknown commodity in the scouting community when he joined the East Cobb Braves for the Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational last June 10-13. Off that performance, he was immediately invited to Perfect Game's National Showcase the next week, and his tools and competitiveness stood out on a national stage. Baez has a strong, square-shouldered build, but is a loose, agile athlete with plenty of quick-twitch ability. He has outstanding bat speed from the right side with an extended, aggressive swing with plenty of lift that enables him to drive balls up the alleys and over the fence to any part of the field. While Baez' offensive potential intrigues scouts the most, he has impressive defensive tools, as well, that enable him to play a number of positions. He plays shortstop for his high-school team, but spent last summer primarily at third base due to his thicker build and 6.9-second speed in the 60. The temptation may exist for the team that drafts Baez to install him at third base, given the tremendous offensive contribution he could make at that position, but Baez has solid shortstop actions, good first-step quickness, nice balance on the run and plenty of arm strength. Another position that has intrigued scouts is catcher, and Baez tried his hand at there briefly at the East Coast Professional Showcase last August. He got passing reviews, considering his extreme lack of experience there. Perhaps more than any player in this draft class, Baez plays the game with a combination of Latin flair and competitive fire, which can be viewed positively or negatively, depending on the context each individual scout sees it shown. Baez initially committed to Florida's Chipola Junior College, and also signed just recently with Jacksonville University in the current NCAA signing period.
Projected Draft Position: Second half of first round.
Perfect Game Events Attended
2010 National Showcase
2010 AFLAC All-American Game
2010 WWBA World Championship

subset: commoncrawl


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A less successful (and admittedly less useful) mnemonic exists for non-anion gap metabolic acidoses (NAGMA), which I learned as a resident. It's "HARDUP", which stands for the following:
H = hyperalimentation (e.g., starting TPN).
A = acetazolamide use.
R = renal tubular acidosis (Type I = distal; Type II = proximal; Type IV = hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism.
D = diarrhea
U = uretosigmoid fistula (because the colon will waste bicarbonate).
P = pancreatic fistula (because of alkali loss--the pancreas secretes a bicarbonate-rich fluid).
Practically speaking however, the two main causes you really have to remember for NAGMA are DIARRHEA or RENAL TUBULAR ACIDOSIS, which 90% of the time you can distinguish between based on the history alone. Another way to think about the differential diagnosis of NAGMA is to ask whether or not there is GI LOSS or RENAL LOSS of bicarbonate. If the history does not provide an obvious explanation, one can distinguish between GI versus renal bicarbonate losses by determining the urine anion gap (urine AG = urine Na + urine K - urine Cl), where a positive value indicates renal bicarbonate loss whereas a largely negative value indicates extra-renal bicarbonate loss.


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Central to the future of Columbia, Missouri
The Columbia Trust is a charitable donation program sponsored by the City of Columbia to elevate the quality of life in Columbia, Missouri. Quality of life is integral to our future. It affects, perhaps more than any other attribute, the economic, social and emotional well-being of our community. The Columbia Trust is committed to ensure that the award-winning qualities of Columbia do not become a gloried past. Quality of life is directly related to opportunity. The Columbia Trust aspires to nurture a community thriving in a climate of opportunity; opportunity to enjoy recreation, art, culture, and personal growth. Opportunities available for everyone. Through private donations, we will continue to build upon the foresight of our founding fathers and the innovation of our leaders. Your donations support a vision for new and enhanced opportunities for all citizens.
Restricted Gifts
You may have a special interest in an area of the City and choose to give a restricted or designated gift whose purpose is to strengthen a particular program, department or capital need. A restricted gift, if approved by the City Council, is used solely for the project(s) that you specify.
Unrestricted Gifts
An unrestricted gift allows the City to address its areas of greatest need. This type of gift provides the most flexibility when distributed. Such gifts may be combined with other funds to permit the City to initiate major institutional goals.
Memorial Gifts
A thoughtful way to honor a loved one, friend or colleague is through a memorial gift. Contributions may be made to any area of the City. The individual being honored or family of the deceased individual will be notified of the contribution and a permanent record of such gift will be maintained in the official records of the City. Learn more
To provide an ongoing revenue source for existing or new City programs, gifts may be used to create an endowment. An endowment agreement generally indicates that the principal be held in a fund and invested, and that a percentage of the income be used for specific purposes. As with any important financial decision, your CPA, tax attorney or tax adviser should be consulted.
While the city wishes to respect all donor requests, it has chosen to ensure that all donations remain public record, thus anonymous donations can only be made through a third party. All donors will be consulted as to their desires for recognition.
Share the Light
Share the Light is a new opportunity for City of Columbia utility customers to give to The Columbia Trust. Look for more information in your August utility bill.
For More Information on The Columbia Trust, call 573-817-5027 or e-mail email@example.com.


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LITTLE ROCK — The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday endorsed legislation that would restructure state lottery-funded scholarships to increase the awards as students advance through college.
The panel unanimously approved Senate Bill 65 by Sen. Johnny Key, R-Mountain Home, and House Bill 1295 by Rep. Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, which are identical proposals.
"What this bill does is provide stability," Key told the committee. "It provides stability … long term for the scholarship program that has helped so many students."
Both bills go to the Senate. Gillam's bill passed the House earlier this week.
Under the bills, the Academic Challenge Scholarship for students attending four-year schools would be awarded in the following amounts: $2,000 for freshmen, $3,000 for sophomores, $4,000 for juniors and $5,000 for seniors.
Students attending two-year schools would receive $2,000 per year.
Nearly 33,000 students in Arkansas attend college with help from lottery scholarships.
Currently, students receive $4,500 each year to attend a four-year school and $2,250 each year to attend a two-year school. Under the new legislation, students already in the program would continue to receive those amounts but students entering the program in the 2013-14 school year would receive the tiered amounts.
Also Wednesday, the committee endorsed HB 1252, which would allow private universities to create and maintain law enforcement agencies to enforce state law on campus, and SB 239, which is intended to provide protections for international exchange students.
Both measures go to the Senate.
Rep. Mark Biviano, R-Searcy, the sponsor of HB1252, told the committee that giving private colleges and universities — there are 11 in Arkansas — the ability to create police agencies would help them better protect their students.
Craig Russell, director of public safety at Harding University at Searcy, and Curtis Johnson, director of public safety at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, both spoke for the bill, saying they employ security officers but they have no authority to detain suspects or make arrests.
Attorney Jeff Rosenzweig of Little Rock spoke against the bill, arguing that by passing the bill the Legislature would be "delegating a quintessential government function by giving the power of arrest, the power of law enforcement, to a private group or a religious group."
Sen Joyce Elliott, co-chairwoman of the committee, also questioned the legislation.
"Where do we begin and end if we start to give police powers to private entities?" she asked.
It passed on a voice vote.
Under SB 239 by Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Gravette, all companies that place foreign exchange students in Arkansas would be required to register with the Secretary of State's Office.
The measure would provide sanctions for the companies if there are reports of abuse in the homes where the exchange students are placed — a warning for a first offense, a $5,000 fine for a second offense, and a $10,000 fine and loss of the right to place students in Arkansas for a third offense.


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Nicki Minaj - Jump Off Freestyle - Girl Can Spit! The Next Lil Kim!
Move Over Lil Kim. Nicki Minag got that Remy Ma flow mixed with Lil Kim Style!. Shes part of Young Money, ( LiL Wayne's Group) and can def spit fire
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Louis Taylor was just a teenager when he was convicted of starting a Tucson hotel fire that killed 29 people. He has since spent more than four decades in prison, consistently maintaining his innocence.
On Tuesday, Taylor is expected to be released as part of a deal with prosecutors that sets him free about a month after his 59th birthday. The deal comes after doubts have been raised about his guilt.
Taylor was sentenced to 28 consecutive life sentences in the December 1970 fire at the Pioneer Hotel where employees of an aircraft company were celebrating at a Christmas party.
Many guests were trapped in their rooms as the blaze engulfed the building, and fire truck ladders were too short to reach the upper floors. Some people jumped to their deaths while others burned in their rooms. Most victims died from carbon-monoxide poisoning.
Taylor, who is black, contends he was wrongly convicted by an all-white jury after he says police failed to investigate other suspects. Reports at the time indicate Taylor was helping people escape the blaze before being arrested later that night. He was never charged in the death months later of a 29th victim from injuries sustained in the fire.
His appeals were exhausted after the U.S. Supreme Court denied him a new trial in 1983. All the while, the judge who presided over his trial has publicly expressed skepticism about the conviction and stayed in touch with Taylor, sending him Christmas gifts and law books.
Reports in 2002 by CBS' "60 Minutes" raised questions about whether the fire was, in fact, arson.
Police at the time then began reviewing evidence, and a volunteer legal group, the Arizona Justice Project, examined case files to determine whether he received a fair trial. However, the lead fire investigator on the case told The Associated Press he stands by his determination that it was arson.
"Yes, definitely, there's no question about it," Cy Holmes, now 83, said Monday.
The Arizona Justice Project, which works on behalf of inmates believed to be wrongly convicted, asked a court in October to dismiss the case or hold an evidentiary hearing, noting several experts using modern forensic science could testify that it was indeterminable whether the fire was arson. The lawyers also contend prosecutorial misconduct at Taylor's trial when his defense was not provided with reports indicating no accelerants were found.
Attorney Michael Piccarreta said this weekend that Taylor still maintains his innocence but will plead no contest Tuesday to get out of prison quickly.
Piccarreta said Taylor's lawyers believe he would have eventually prevailed at a new trial, but the process could have taken a long time.
The plea also negates Taylor's ability to sue the state to seek compensation - something that could have only happened if he had gotten a new trial and been exonerated. That process could have taken two to three years.
"It's a question of freedom now versus freedom three years from now," said attorney Ed Novak.
It wasn't immediately clear why prosecutors agreed to a deal that would set Taylor free, and messages left by the AP on Monday at the Pima County Attorney's Office were not returned.
Holmes, who runs Cy Holmes Fire Investigations in Elk Grove, Calif., said the techniques he used to determine the fire was arson are the same procedures used currently.
"Basically, what I did 42 years ago and the manner in which I did it is still valid today," he said.
Holmes said the new findings by Taylor's defense experts are based on incomplete information, noting much of the evidence was destroyed in the 1990s or disappeared after civil attorneys took possession when they sued the hotel.
He also added, "They didn't spend two full days digging through that place."
Holmes acknowledged he didn't find any accelerants, but said it was clear the fire was started in two places. His findings of arson were based, in part, on bats that were found in the hotel hallways, and the patterns in which they were burned.
Holmes defended his comments at the time profiling a potential suspect, some of which are now being used to accuse authorities of racism in the case.
He said he told the City Council after the fire, "He's probably a negro, and he's probably 18," basing his theory on years of experience investigating arson cases, Holmes told the AP.
"But that statement had nothing to do with Louis' prosecution," Holmes said. "I wasn't part of Mr. Taylor's guilt. I was just involved in determining whether or not the fire was arson."


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Watch Disney Stars Sing 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman?' From 'Frozen' [VIDEO]by Michelle McGahan | PopCrush
With the endless 'Frozen' covers circulating around the Internet, it was only fitting that the current Disney Channel 'Circle of Stars' chime in with their own version of one of the mega-hits from the smash film. Instead of covering the ever-popular 'Let It Go,' they decided on the bittersweet 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,' morphing it into a happier tune filled with smiles and laughter.
The song (and video) stars an array of Disney stars, including 'Girl Meets World' actresses Sabrina Carpenter and Rowan Blanchard, as well as Jordan Fisher and Grace Phipps from 'Teen Beach Movie,' Leigh-Allyn Baker from 'Good Luck Charlie,' and many, many more, all harmonizing together and recording the track with giant smiles on their faces, clearly having a great time.
'Snowman' marks the first cover of the 2014 lineup of Disney's 'Circle of Stars,' which previously included Hilary Duff, Raven-Symone, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers and more in various different lineups over the years.
Check out the Disney stars' cover of 'Snowman' in the video above!
Watch Jason Derulo Sing His Favorite Disney Song at PopCrush


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A South African police officer has been arrested for allegedly dragging a man from a police vehicle in the second such incident in recent weeks.
South Africa's police watchdog agency says the latest incident happened March 7 in Lomanyang in North West province and was reported to authorities this week. The agency says that after a dispute, a police officer allegedly grabbed a man and dragged him for 100 meters (330 feet) from a vehicle, causing foot injuries.
The officer was arrested and is to appear in court on Friday.
In a separate incident, nine South African police officers were charged with murdering a Mozambican taxi driver who was dragged from a police vehicle east of Johannesburg last month. Some onlookers filmed the event that sparked a national outcry.


text: Paul the Octopus, who captivated the world this summer with his accurate World Cup predictions, passed away last week at the age of 2 1/2. He was a resident of the Sea Life Aquarium in Germany. They reported that their beloved octopus died of natural causes. If you don't know anything about the life of an octopus, you must be wondering why he died of natural causes at just 2 1/2. Truth be told, the life span of a giant Pacific octopus is relatively short for such a large animal. They typically live to only 3 to 5 years of age, and don't live to see their offspring. Octopuses only reproduce once, and sadly, this event comes near the end of their life. After mating, the females lays up to 100,000 (often fewer) eggs and then stops eating. She remains with the eggs to protect them until they hatch, then she dies. The male octopus also dies shortly after mating, but does not assist in protecting the eggs. In such a short time, however, they grow an astonishing amount! When an octopus hatches it is almost microscopic. The young float in the water column. As plankton, they consume food and grow very quickly. Within their first year they can grow to several pounds or more. The size of a mature octopus often varies with each individual, but the largest recorded giant Pacific octopus weighed in at 156 pounds! At the National Aquarium, we currently have two giant Pacific octopuses, Arya (approximately 35-pound female on exhibit) and Kraken (smaller, approximately 10-15-pound male in backup). Arya came to us about a year ago and weighed just 5 pounds when she arrived! She laid eggs in June and has exhibited a change in behavior consistent with senescence in females, although she is still eating off and on. Kraken was also only about 5 pounds when he arrived in the spring. His age is uncertain, as an octopus's size doesn't necessarily reflect its age. Even though the life of an octopus is short, we do our best to keep them stimulated while they live here at the Aquarium. Did you know that their brain capacity is said to be similar to or somewhat more than that of a dog?! Each day aquarists conduct enrichment exercises to encourage cognitive thinking and natural hunting behaviors. Our octopuses are given a variety of items such as baby or dog toys, and puzzles like closed jars with food inside to keep them occupied. Check out this video of an octopus in action! Tags: animal-enrichment, animal-life, octopus, paul-the-octopus Categories: Animals, News Previous Post Next Post


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This activity has been cancelled.
2121 Marine DriveWest Vancouver, BC, V7V 4Y2
Create your own 3D Video Game! Invent your own digital worlds levels, adventures and quests using Blender, a great (& free) 3D Game Engine. Students will learn to make their own custom controls and gameplay using Blender's unique Logic Bricks design interface. Instructors will lead students through exercises to introduce the most important 3D game design skills in the early part of the week and then support students on their own projects for the second half. The final project is a game you can take home on USB. Byte Camp's 3D Animation course is a prerequisite.
2121 Marine Drive
West Vancouver BC V7V 4Y2
Contact us for information:
Tel. 604.925.7270


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Lakers Celtics. One game. For the Larry O'Brien trophy. For bragging rights. For another banner. For everything.
Isn't this what being a Lakers fan is all about?
Lakers fans should feel pretty confident about that one game for it all showdown on Thursday after the Lakers dominated the Celtics on Tuesday, winning 89-67. The Lakers led by 10 after the first quarter and never looked back.
After apparently misplacing it after Game 3 in Boston, the Lakers found their defense and brought it to Staples Center on Tuesday night. The Lakers long arms were taking up passing lanes and blocking shots. Boston was a step slow, uncomfortable with the Lakers pressure and shot just 33 percent for the game.
All those misses meant it was the Lakers turn to get out and run. Jordan Farmar had a spectacular dunk over Kevin Garnett. Shannon Brown had a spectacular dunk because that's what Shannon Brown does.
Of course the Lakers stars showed up — Kobe Bryant had 26 points, Pau Gasol rebounded from an off outing with 17 points and 13 rebounds. But the real difference was the role players. Like Farmar diving for a loose ball at center court and starting a fast break with it. Like Ron Artest hitting 3 of 6 three-pointers on his way to 15 points. Sasha Vujacic scoring 9 points. The reserves stretching the lead to over 20 points while the starters rested.
So now it is a Game 7, and the Lakers may have another advantage. At the 5:30 mark of the first quarter, Boston center Kendrick Perkins landed awkwardly and sprained his knee. He did not return to the game, and while he said afterwards he would give it a go people around the team seemed to think he would be out.
Like Bynum is to the Lakers, Perkins is the heart of how the Celtics defend the key.
"(Perkins is) a guy that cleans the paint up, let's say, and not having him there made the Lakers awfully long," Rivers said. "It also, I thought, allowed them to rest Bynum even more in the game."
Perkins absence fueled the Lakers ability to get inside and do what they wanted. It allowed the Lakers to rest Andrew Bynum, whose own knee swelled up again at half and he could barely run from the third quarter on. He will receive more treatment and said he will go as much as he can on Thursday night.
Boston is not going to come out in Game 7 looking like an old team still tired from a cross-country flight. Their backs will be against the wall now, too. They will play with better energy, more passion. They will defend better, as they started to do in the second half of Game 6 (but after it was too late to matter).
But this is now a confident Lakers team. A Lakers team that got back to defending and got back to working their offense. A Lakers team that played like champions again.
"The opportunity (to play in a Game 7) is not something that makes me happy," Bryant said. "It's winning and taking advantage of the opportunity that makes me happy."
That's an attitude that has to have Lakers fans feeling confident.
Kurt Helin lives in Long Beach and is the Blogger-in-Chief of NBC's NBA blog Pro Basketball Talk (which you can also follow in twitter).
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The uninsured rate dropped significantly after Obamacare came into effect in 2014, falling to an all-time low of 10.9 percent in the second half of 2016. But it's been rising since then, hitting 12.3 percent in the third quarter of 2017, according to a new Gallup report.
Nearly 3.5 million people have joined the ranks of the uninsured since the beginning of the year.
The polling firm isn't sure why the uninsured rate is creeping higher, but cites higher costs, reduced participation by insurers and growing uncertainty about the status of Obamacare as potential reasons. Whatever the cause, Gallup warns that the uninsured rate could continue to move higher: "Without Congress and President Donald Trump taking steps to stabilize the insurance markets, the number of uninsured Americans likely will continue to rise."
Gallup's data is based on more than 45,000 interviews with U.S. adults conducted between the beginning of July and the end of September.


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Pac-12 Morning Five: 12.20.11 EditionPosted by AMurawa on December 20th, 2011
- Break up the Utes! After dropping eight straight games and needing ten games to notch its first win over a Division I opponent, Utah has now won two in a row after knocking off Portland Monday night behind a career-high 26 points from senior point guard Josh Watkins. The Utes started hot and never trailed, but needed three big defensive plays – two blocked shots and a drawn charge – in the final two minutes to seal the game. Meanwhile, JuCo transfer Cedric Martin has turned into a solid second scoring option for Larry Krystkowiak's club, hitting three threes on the night on his way to his third-straight game with double-digit scoring. Their trip to Weber State on Thursday figures to be a bit tougher, but it is good to see this team showing some life.
- Once again, we've got a Pac-12 team coming up with new and exciting ways to lose basketball games. Well, for Arizona State, I guess this isn't all that new, as Monday night they lost their second-straight game on a buzzer-beating three. The most recent perpetrator was Southern Mississippi's Darnell Dodson (formerly of Kentucky), playing in his first game back after having been dismissed from the team in April following a guilty plea to multiple criminal charges. Dodson played just a minute in the first half, but scored 17 points in the second half, including the game winner as time expired. The Sun Devils had rallied from 11-points down with under four minutes to play to tie the game up, after leading for the first 32 minutes. Keala King was spectacular for Herb Sendek's team down the stretch, scoring five points, grabbing four rebounds, handing out three assists and swiping a couple steals in the final four minutes on his way to his first career double-double and likely his most complete game in a Sun Devil uniform.
- Somebody stole USC's uniforms on Monday night. Either that or the scorekeeper was drunk. One of the two. How else to explain an 83-point outburst for a team that came into the game ranked 340th in the nation with just over 54 points per game. The Trojans scored 36 points in a loss against Cal Poly earlier in the season, but scored more than that in each half last night in its 24-point win over TCU. Maurice Jones led the way with 25 points, but sophomore Dewayne Dedmon chipped in 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting, grabbed six boards and was exceptionally active defensively, blocking three shots and getting three steals. Not only did the Trojans put in an unprecedented display offensively (aside from knocking down shots, they only turned the ball over four times), they also got back to playing defense the way they are used to, forcing 20 Horned Frog turnovers.
- Weird story out of Eugene today, as ESPN's Eamonn Brennan posted a story citing quotes supposedly from Dana Altman's postgame press conference following Oregon's home loss to Virginia on Sunday, in which Altman apparently ripped everything from the Ducks' play to the Cavs' Mike Scott and even the team's pregame spaghetti. Only problem was, Altman never said any of those things. Oregon sports information director Chris Geraghty said that the Ducks' website had been "compromised" at some point on Sunday night with a hacker making changes to Altman's published postgame quotes.
- Lastly, let's put the name Jabari Brown to bed for awhile. Brown, who was Altman's big program-changing five-star recruit, lasted exactly two games and produced 12 points in his Duck career before suddenly leaving the team in the middle of the semester with the intention to transfer out of the program. On Monday, it became official that Brown has committed to Frank Haith and Missouri, as had been rumored for the last couple weeks, and he will be eligible as a sophomore at the end of the first semester in 2012. In the meantime, Brown threw away a season of eligibility for no obvious reason, and we shall never speak of him again around these parts.


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16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, July 29, 1911: Carrie and I went to a festival up at McEwensville this evening. I had quite a good time. He was there. B.
Her middle-aged granddaughter's comments 100 years later:
I especially enjoy posting the diary entries when there are parallels between events a hundred years ago and now.
Grandma and her friend Carrie Stout had quite a good time at the festival in McEwensville a hundred years ago. Last Friday I had quite a good time at the annual McEwensville community picnic.
I was in central Pennsylvania and my husband and I went to McEwensville to take photos to illustrate this blog. The car thermometer said it was 102. When I got out of the car, I immediately wilted and was soaked in sweat.
A woman I'd never met came out of a house and invited me to the annual community picnic later in the day. (Until she invited me I had no clue that McEwensville had an annual picnic–let alone that it was on a day when I was in town.)
My husband and I went and had a great time. Electric fans dissipated some of the heat–and there was great food and lots of wonderful conversation. We met many wonderful new people and renewed old connections.
I think that Grandma and I would have agreed on at least one thing—McEwensville is a fun place!!


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Jump to navigation
Harrah's Louisiana Downs has many game options including slot machines.
Visit the Alexandria Zoo to have an afternoon of fun with the whole family.
Don't miss the annual French Quarter Festival in New Orleans - it's one of the largest (and most fun) free festivals in the South!
Jungle Gardens in Iberia Parish ©Jungle Gardens
Fishing in the marshes near Dulac, Louisiana
Cajun Dance session at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux.
A visitor takes in the sights at the Abita Mystery House.
Experience the Cajun version of Mardi Gras at a Courir De Mardi Gras.
Acadian Cultural Center Exhibit
The Steamboat Natchez in New Orleans has a variety of cruises such as history tours, and jazz brunches.
Historic Front Street in Natchitoches
Head to the historic Grand Opera House of the South in Crowley, Louisiana
Live music, delicious foods, competitions and more await festival goers at the International Rice Festival in Crowley.
Tour Landry Vineyards in Monroe to experience some of Louisiana's wine country.
Experience Buck and Johnny's Zydeco Breakfast in Breaux Bridge.
Visit the Abita Mystery House to see strange collections, inventions and odd memorabilia.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Audubon Insectarium ©Audubon Institute
View Mardi Gras floats at Mardi Gras World museum in New Orleans.
Cajun music jam session at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux.
Watch horse racing at the Delta Downs Racetrack and Casino Hotel in Vinton.
Enjoy a Louisiana crafted beverage at the tasting room at Donner-Peltier Distillers in Thibodaux, Louisiana
Red River Balloon Rally in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Go paddling on Lake Kincaid in Kisatchie National Forest.
Take a break and wander through the trees at the Kisatchie National Forest outside Alexandria.
The grandeur of the stage in the Grand Opera House of the South was restored in the renovation. Located in Crowley, Louisiana.
Stroll through the gardens at Houmas House and enjoy the fountains.
San Francisco Plantation recently reopened after more than $1 million in renovations.
Your taste buds will sing at the Sweet Dough Pie Festival in Grand Coteau, Louisiana
Go tubing in Bogue Chitto State Park Louisiana
Visit the Biedenharn Coke Museum in Monroe, Louisiana
River Road African American Museum
See the beauty of Delcambre's shrimp boats when you drive along the Cajun Corridor Byway in Louisiana.
Bring your dancing shoes to the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Opelousas.
Visit the Alexandria Zoo to see Louisiana's native black bears.
The amazing fields of sunflowers will brighten your day as you head into Gilliam for the Sunflower Trail and Festival in the spring.
Take a ride on one of New Orleans streetcars.
Festive holiday crowds gather to watch the grand fireworks display over Cane River during the Natchitoches Christmas Festival.
Take the family to experience the magic of the underwater worlds at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. ©Jeff Strout; Audubon Aquarium of Americas
Get ready to dance at the Jolly Inn Cajun Dance Hall in Houma.
Visit New Orleans City Park and the Botanical Gardens.
Tour San Francisco Plantation along the River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
Red River Revel Festival in Shreveport
Sip craft brews at Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville, Louisiana
Touch an alligator at the Gator & Friends Alligator Park and Exotic Zoo
Inmates participate in "convict poker" at the Angola Prison Rodeo.
Stop and smell the roses at the American Rose Center in Shreveport. ©Shreveport-Bossier CVB
The festival games are taken seriously at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival.
Get lost in the gems, sequins and feathers that make these Mardi Gras costumes so incredible at Mardi Gras Museum Imperial Calcasieu in Lake Charles.
The beautiful Wingate House in the Historic District in Leesville.
Commemorative red stick statue at Southern University in Baton Rouge.
Experience a Cajun Jam session at the Joie De Vivre Cafe in Breaux Bridge.
Explore the beauty of Louisiana's pine forests via horseback in the Kisatchie National Forest.
The National WWII Museum's Freedom Pavilion at dusk, located in New Orleans. ©National WWII Museum
Audubon Insectarium
Explore the beautiful art at the Shreveport Multicultural Center of the South.
Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building in Thibodaux showcases traditional Cajun boats.
Gardens at the R.W. Norton Art Gallery
Take a safari tour to see zebras and other exotic animals at Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, Louisiana
Head to DeRidder for the Beauregard Watermelon Festival.
The Chimes restaurant's large decks overlooking the Bogue Falaya River offer a great spot for happy hour - in Covington Louisiana ©LouisianaNorthshore.com
Watch a speeding Ferrari and other sports cars race at the NOLA Motorsports Park.
Shrimp Boats at The Shrimp and Petroleum Festival ©Cajun Coast CVB
Spend a day enjoying nature on Fontainbleau State Park Beach.
Experience the Cajun version of Mardi Gras at the Courir de Mardi Gras in Eunice, Louisiana.
Kayak fishing on Cypress Black Bayou in Shreveport. ©Shreveport-Bossier CVB
So much fun and sweet tastes to be had at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival held each spring..
Explore the Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches.
The State Fair of Louisiana's carnival grounds in Shreveport.
Admire the amazing gardens in the Afton Villa Gardens in St. Francisville, LA
SudioBe in New Orleans ©SudioBe, Brandan Odums
Feeding Animals at Leaning Oak Farm ©Leaning Oak Farm
The Strand Theatre in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
Kids playing at Jackson Square in New Orleans.


text:
Matt Kenseth, game face: revenge with Friday's Richmond 400 pole...but this fight with NASCAR involves a lot more (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
RICHMOND, Va.
Surprise, surprise, surprise.
On one of the most difficult weeks of their careers Joe Gibbs' men, led by beleagured Matt Kenseth, swept the front row Friday evening for Saturday night's Richmond 400 (7:30 p.m. ET).
And third teammate Kyle Busch, the heavy race favorite, will start eighth. The race, ironically, is sponsored by Toyota.
Well, after Kenseth and his team got hit with one of the most severe penalties in NASCAR history just 48 hours earlier, there certainly was incentive.
The runs follow a long day of mea culpas by Gibbs himself and his men. Kenseth Thursday called the NASCAR penalties "almost shameful," in a ripping defense.
The Gibbs guys versus NASCAR?
Maybe so.
Nevertheless, NASCAR rarely loses in cases like this.
And Gibbs' Jason Ratcliff, and Roger Penkse's Paul Wolfe and Todd Gordon, three of the top crew chiefs on the stock car racing tour, may all soon have a lot more Sundays to spend on Charlotte's Lake Speed.
Unless they can persuade NASCAR's appeals panel to lighten those huge penalties just assessed, including six-race suspensions.
And those suspensions would seriously hurt their drivers, Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.
What's really going on behind the scenes in their respective cases isn't really known.
NASCAR officials say Keselowski and Logano at Texas had rear ends that didn't meet 'the spirit' of the rules.
NASCAR officials say Kenseth at Kansas had an engine with a piston-connecting-rod that was too light.
Some in the garage are suspicious that the entire story isn't coming out. And those suspicions grew as the day went on.
What is clear is that at Las Vegas, Texas, California and Kansas Joe Gibbs' guys were the class of the field, Kenseth winning Vegas and Kansas (both times over Kasey Kahne), Kyle Busch winning Texas and California. Busch led 125 of the 200 laps at California; Busch and Toyota's Martin Truex Jr. led 313 of 334 at Texas; Kenseth led 163 of the 267 at Kansas, and Truex led 46.
Joe Gibbs' guys have won four of the first eight races.
Not that anyone in this sport is ever suspicious about things.....
Joe Gibbs is taking NASCAR's charges personally (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
Kenseth was sharp in his criticism of his penalties, which Keselowski calls 'the death penalty,' because it all but dooms Kenseth's title hopes.
Ratcliff, in his second season on the tour as crew chief, for Kenseth, has been hot this spring. Now he's facing a major suspension.
The engine in question at Kansas was not built by the Gibbs team. Toyota's California-based engine-building operation builds all the Sprint Cup engines for Gibbs' three teams and Michael Waltrip's three teams.
Just why Gibbs essentially shutdown his once formidable Charlotte-based engine shop two years ago and is now leasing engines from Toyota's TRD isn't all that clear. Economics of scale is likely one reason.
Building NASCAR-caliber race engines is a very expensive and highly technical operation. Even Roger Penske has shut down his engine operation and leases engines from Jack Roush; Chip Ganassi leases his engines from Rick Hendrick.
Toyota provides the Gibbs and Waltrip engines as plug-and-play, no questions asked, no peeking allowed.
Toyota says the parts in question were from a European vendor; there are four primary suppliers of NASCAR-quality connecting rods.
NASCAR requires connecting rods to be 'magnetic steel,' though there are apparently no specifications on how that steel can be alloyed. As in most high-performance engine parts, lightness and strength are both prized.
Jason Ratcliff, facing lengthy suspension (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
Ratcliff concedes that according to "the letter of the law....the part was illegal." But he insists "I do not feel the spirit of the law was compromised.
"That's where we felt the severity of the penalty is extremely harsh."
Still he calls it "a big mistake."
Does this issue taint the Kansas victory? "We won Kansas, you can bet your bottom dollar on that," Ratcliff says.
However he agrees "it was wrong, and there are consequences to that.
"I respect the rule book; I respect NASCAR's stance on it.
"But at the same time there is absolutely no competitive advantage there.
"From that standpoint, when you look at rulings and you look at penalties, it's over the top."
And this controversy certainly detracts from the brilliant start Kenseth and Ratcliff have had this season, their first together.
Ratcliff says he is hurt at the penalty because of its effect Gibbs himself.
"He's just a stand-up guy, and you could not ask for a better guy to work for, or even a friend," Ratcliff says. "He's an awesome guy.
"He would give you the shirt off his back. And to kick him like that, it's wrong.
"Especially what he's done for this sport, and how loyal he's been to this sport.
"This isn't right.
"It affects all of Joe Gibbs Racing; it affects our sponsors long term."
Ratcliff, like Keselowski, says NASCAR executives should review the way it handles some things.
"I think it's time for some change on how NASCAR approaches it, because times have changed so much," he said.
A big question: if the penalties stand, does Ratcliff still think he and Kenseth have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs and racing for the championship?
"I feel we can win more races," Ratcliff says. "We'll stay in the top-20 for sure.
"When you look at it from that standpoint, can you win more races and get yourself in? Absolutely.
"Do I think we can overcome the 50 points as a team? Absolutely.
"You look at where we stood last week after the race was over, with two DNFs ,and we're still in the top-10 with two wins, great performances.
"It's a strong race team.
"We'll continue to perform the way we've been performing and we'll overcome it. We'll be in the chase."
Crew chief Jason Ratcliff (R) and Matt Kenseth: NASCAR officials appear to have them fired up (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
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