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"Why do small-school and low-drafted NFL receivers excel where glory boys falter?" asks Gregg Easterbrook, who as far as I'm concerned is Colin Cowherd with a thesaurus and whose answer to his own question is as inevitable as it is dumb.
"In most cases," he writes, "it's because of a supersecret international cabal of bankers, media professionals, and Hollywood producers." Wait, no. That's not what he writes. He writes:
In most cases, the answer is ego and work ethic.
Oh, well, clearly.
There is so much wrong in Gregg's column that it seems almost silly to single out this one thing*, but his argument here is so egregiously fatheaded, and for such telling reasons, that it's more than worth mentioning. Easterbrook, just to be clear, thinks it's "a core fact of NFL life" that receivers "who were unknowns early in their NFL careers often outperform megabucks glory-boy high-drafted types." Here are Easterbrook's "glamour boys":
[Y]ou'd quickly run out of fingers counting recent first-round football-factory receivers who either were busts or failed to live up to their billing. Charles Rogers, Troy Williamson, Matt Jones, David Terrell, Ted Ginn Jr., Michael Clayton, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Ashley Lelie, Reggie Williams, Koren Robinson — not even TMQ has room for a full accounting.
Now here are Easterbrook's "small-school and low-drafted NFL receivers":
Among NFL receivers having fine seasons are Danny Amendola, Anthony Armstrong, Miles Austin, Davone Bess, Malcom Floyd, Antonio Gates, Lance Moore and Wes Welker, all undrafted. Other top receivers include Marques Colston, Donald Driver, Garcon, Johnny Knox and Kevin Walter, all late-round draft choices from below-the-radar colleges. And the league's No. 1 receiver is Brandon Lloyd, who has been waived twice in the NFL and barely played in 2008 and 2009.
There are obvious problems with his list. Ashley Lelie (glamour boy) and Davone Bess (late-rounder from a below-the-radar college) both went to Hawaii, which at least suggests that the size of one's college has nothing whatsoever to do with the size of one's ego or the quality of one's work ethic. Friend of the site Bryan put together a list of recent glory-boy receivers and tight ends drafted in the first and second rounds. A sampling: Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Todd Heap, Jeremy Shockey, Javon Walker, Dallas Clark, Larry Fitzgerald, Lee Evans, Michael Jenkins, Braylon Edwards, Heath Miller, Vernon Davis, Santonio Holmes, Dwayne Bowe, Anthony Gonzalez, Dustin Keller, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks, Dez Bryant, Chad Ochocinco, Anquan Boldin, Chris Chambers, Antwaan Randle El, Antonio Bryant, DeSean Jackson, Deion Branch, Devery Henderson, Vincent Jackson, Greg Jennings, Anthony Fasano, Tony Scheffler, Zach Miller, Sidney Rice, Steve Smith (Giants), Martellus Bennett, and Rob Gronkowski — all of whom somehow overcame large egos and terrible work ethics to find at least moderate success in the NFL. It's crazy, I know. Why, it's almost as if football performance is totally unrelated to the vague personality traits that a karakter kop like Gregg Easterbrook really wants to matter.
And regarding Brandon Lloyd, a fourth-rounder out of obscure Big Ten school Illinois: I do not recall anyone ever having kind words to say about either his ego or his work ethic until this season. In San Francisco, he got tagged almost immediately as a malcontent. He was thought to be something of a head case. He was, in fact, what one might call a "glamour boy." You don't have to believe me, though. A few years ago, Easterbrook had a laugh at Dan Snyder's habit of "spending megabucks on glamour boys other teams wanted to get rid of," one of whom was, yes, Brandon Lloyd.
Wes Welker can play for TMQ any day [TMQ]
*OK, here's one other thing. Approximately 85,284 words into his column, Easterbrook discusses a San Diego wide receiver screen that went for a touchdown against the Broncos:
The touchdown, however, should have been called back. [Right guard Louis] Vasquez and [Right tackle Jeromey] Clary were five yards downfield when Crayton caught the pass. In high school and college it's legal for offensive linemen to be downfield on a forward pass received behind the line of scrimmage: in the NFL, it's not. A third San Diego offensive lineman also was downfield, but blocking a defender; linemen may be downfield on a pass if they began blocking a defender at the line and are still blocking the same defender downfield. Vasquez and Clary simply sprinted forward as if they themselves were the receivers. Officials often botch this call, and botched it last night.
Easterbrook keeps harping on this (scroll down to "Adventures in Officiating"), and he keeps getting it wrong. My rulebook says: "On a scrimmage play during which a legal forward pass is thrown, an ineligible offensive player, including a T-formation quarterback, is not permitted to move more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage before the pass has been thrown [emphasis mine]." It has nothing to do with their position when the ball is caught. Watch the replay: Vazquez and Clary are within a yard of the line of scrimmage when the ball is thrown. It's a minor error, sure, but what's the point of writing a pedantic football column if you make for such a shitty pedant?


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- The Turnaround
- East of the Village
- The Good Life
- Straight Ahead
- My Sin
- Pat 'n' Chat
The Turnaround!
Vinyl LP(Long Playing Record)
19.99 In Stock
The Hank Mobley of the Turnaround album was a markedly different one from a few years earlier. This session issued in early 1965 was the product of two different sessions. The first was in March of 1963, immediately after Mobley left the Miles Davis band. Those recordings produced "East of the Village," possibly the greatest example of Mobley's "round tone" on record, and the other was "The Good Life," a ballad. The rest was recorded nearly two years later in February of 1965. The title cut was produced here -- an Alfred Lion answer to Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder," which was burning up the charts -- as well as the beautiful "Pat 'n' Chat," with "Straight Ahead" and "My Sin" rounding out the program. On the earlier material, Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Butch Warren, and Philly Jo Jones helped Mobley out, and on the latter it was Freddie Hubbard, Barry Harris, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins. In each case, there were alumnus members of the Miles band Mobley had played in. The main thing about "East of the Village" is the striking difference between the gorgeous melding of Latin and post-bop, straight-ahead rhythms, and the easy, loping blues feel that is cheered on by Jones. This track contains one of Mobley's most memorable solos. On the title track and "Pat 'n' Chat," there are elongated blues structures; in the former -- it is an unusual 18 bar figure -- and in the latter, there is the major 44 bar pattern that sounds like a blues with a bridge when the AABA pattern is invoked. Here is the evolution of Mobley's tone in full flower, all but gone is the rounded, warm sound, and in its place is a shorter, declarative, bluesier tone with real bite that is perfect for pianists like Harris, who were used to the deeper funk of the Detroit sound. In all this is a solid date, despite its time lapse, and one that gives us a solid picture of the two Mobleys.
Product Details
|Release Date:
|Blue Note Records

subset: commoncrawl


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The Great Eastern Cutlery Northfield #56 Bird Dog (Dog Leg Jack) pocket knife is kicking off Great Eastern Cutlery's 2018 production. This knife is a medium-sized pocket knife featuring one blade. It features a serpentine styled frame adding to its great eye appeal. It is well built so you can depend on it for years of use and its great looks will give you a sense of satisfaction every time you use it. The #56 Bird Dog is large enough for some serious work yet, so easy to carry. This quality made pocket knife has a price making it a great value for your hard earned dollar. Made with pride in Titusville, PA. We are an authorized Great Eastern Cutlery Dealer and purchased this new knife direct from them.
The Blade(s):
This #56 Bird Dog (Dog Leg Jack) pocket knife has a single Spear Point blade. It is made of 1095 steel and has a polished finish. The cutting edge is 2.31". The "NORTHFIELD UN-X-LD" trade mark logo is etched on the blade. The blade features a swedge grind and a "long pull" nail nick with decorative serrations on the bottom side of the groove. The blade does not have a half stop position
The Handle Construction:
The handle length is 3.5" and provides a solid four finger hold for most people. A "Pinched" and grooved nickel silver bolster and end cap adorn each end of the handle frame. The handle scales are Sambar Stag and the liners and pins are brass. The handle scale edges are rounded and flush with the outside perimeter making the knife more comfortable to hold.
Since the handle scales are made from Sambar Stag, the handle thickness and knife weight will vary from knife to knife.


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If there's one thing readers of the Bad at Sports blog share, besides a love of art, it's an affection for podcasts. Duncan assures me that most of our listeners come through iTunes, which isn't surprising. I probably interact with iTunes everyday, not because I want to, but because it's ubiquitous. One thing I don't do much of is spend time at the iTunes store. My podcasts load automatically, I stream my television, and I still purchase music the old fashioned way–on compact disc. Yet recently I've found a reason to love iTunes, and that's iTunes U.
In case you are unfamiliar, iTunes U is just like iTunes but with less Katy Perry. Clicking on the Fine Arts tab will take you to sea of offerings from well-known universities such as Harvard and Yale as well as venerable institutions that we might not immediately consider educational, like MoMA. Before I found Bad at Sports, I listened to a dozen "art" podcasts I had browsed out of iTunes, one of which was simply two stoned guys walking around the Seattle Art Museum talking about the work they saw, but never letting their listeners in on the secret of which piece they were looking at. This kind of monkey-business won't be found on iTunes U. Their definition of "fine art" is broad, including, of course, visual art, but also media studies, music, theater, and cooking. The variety of format is broad as well. There are regular podcasts like the one you already listen to each week, video lectures, but there are also fully-produced magazine-style shows that look as good as anything you'd see on your local PBS station.
By no means exhaustive, I've picked a few highlights that I thought would be of interest. The School of Visual Arts (SVA) has an impressive collection of video lectures about contemporary art and culture. These are organized in the most boring way possible, by department, with the name of the chairperson as your guide. I'm currently watching a symposium called "Where the Truth Lies" that discusses propaganda in documentary film. From The Experience Music Project (EMP) you'll find 2009's (and 2010 and 2011) Pop Conference on the theme of Dance Music Sex Romance: Pop and the Body Politic. Particularly interesting is the lecture by David Scott, "Gay for Play: The Love that Dare Not Speak Its Name Certainly Does Sell Records." Here an audio only podcast is just fine. Lastly, while I usually try to steer clear of all things Florida, The University of Southern Florida has a great series called Lit2Go, which is fantastic. Really nothing more than a collection of classics read aloud by English professors, Lit2Go is a great time. I just finished re-"reading" Picture of Dorian Gray, a book that bears the distinction of being subject of Bad at Sports' only book group.
When I was a little girl, my mother told me that in the future anyone could learn anything she wanted, all we would have to do is turn on the television and our greatest artists and teachers would come right into our living room. Maybe television didn't quite live up to its promise, but it looks as if the Internet might.
Terri Griffith
Latest posts by Terri Griffith (see all)
- Rijksmuseum - June 18, 2014
- Book Review: Whitney Biennial 2014 - May 21, 2014
- Arts/Industry - April 16, 2014


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P.K. Subban ends holdout, signs 2-year deal with Montreal Canadiens
Defenseman P.K. Subban has tallied 21 goals and 55 assists in his three-year career in Montreal. [G Fiume/Getty Images]
Ultimately, every negotiation comes down to leverage.
In the contract battle between P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens, the Habs had all the cards. No surprise then that GM Marc Bergevin got almost exactly the deal he wanted when he signed the RFA defender Monday night for two years at $5.75 million.
Not $5.75 million per year. $5.75 million, total.
That's a steal.
And that's why Bergevin is walking around like a boss.
"I think at this point it was the right decision for me to make," a subdued Subban said on a conference call Monday night.
At some point today, he came to the realization it was the only decision he could make. He wasn't going to sit out the season and no team was going to swoop in and goose the pot with an offer sheet. It was settle or stay home.
So he made the deal. And that's really at that matters in the big picture. Subban will be back playing for Les Glorieux, possibly Wednesday against the Senators but more likely Saturday against the Sabres. It won't be long before contract talk fades and power plays and ice time and winning streaks and the things that really matter about hockey come back into focus.
But for now, it's impossible to ignore Bergevin's performance. The Subban imbroglio provided the first real challenge for Montreal's rookie GM and he aced it in a way that would have made Sam Pollock proud. Faced with a marketplace inflated by other teams routinely overpaying for potential in second contracts, he managed to stare down one of his marquee stars. With the Canadiens on a 3-1-0 roll to start the season and the blueline performing well in his absence, Subban had no choice but to accept the deal that was essentially the one Bergevin had on the table all along.
While that offer was widely derided as being out of touch, it was Bergevin's prerogative to make a deal he could live with. It's his team now, and that means the tenure of everybody acquired before he arrived is up for review. This contract not only protects the team's bottom line, but it gives him a short-term out if he decides Subban and his oversized persona aren't a good fit for his vision for the franchise.
One of the game's great personalities, Bergevin already had plenty of admirers around the league. But after this precedent setter, he won't have to worry about paying for drinks at GM meetings any time soon.
From Subban's perspective, it was a defeat, but not a total loss. According to capgeek.com, the first year of the deal pays him $2 million, pro rated. That's key because he loses less of the overall value than he would have if the total had been split evenly over the term. The $3.75 million payment in year two then sets him up for the splashy payday of his next deal.
Of course, that begs the important question: will that contract be with the Habs?
Subban's probably feeling a bit underappreciated right now, but that will pass. Two years is a long way down the road for a kid who is just 23. Any hurt feelings that come out of this process are likely to be, if not exactly forgotten, then at least forgiven as just business.


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"Ana Paula Segurola Pita started her harpsichord studies with Eduardo Gilardoni (scholarship of the Mercedes Olivera Foundation, 1990-91), and has since then attended master-classes with renowned harpsichordists like Jacques Ogg, José Luis González Uriol, Mario Videla, Edmundo Hora, Alessandro Santoro and Françoise Lengellé among others, and with musicologists like Bruno Turner and Kelley Harness.
She studied with Edmundo Hora at the State University of Campinas and with professor Ilton Wjuniski and his assistant Maria Eugênia Sacco at the Magda Tagliaferro Foundation in São Paulo.
Former piano student of Raquel Boldorini, she took lessons with Eliane Richepin (Annecy, France, 1997), and attended master-classes with foreign pianists performing in Montevideo, between 1991 and 2000.
At present, she studies Organ as a disciple of Cristina García Banegas at the University in Uruguay. .."
Visit website for more information. (ed.)
Category: Ensembles/Performers/Associations/Societies / Keyboards
Added on: Apr 12, 2010 | Hits: 3641


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The advancement of man has seen us walk on the moon and fly by Jupiter to look for new life, yet we destroy the very life that supports the planet we currently inhabit.
Wildlife has been on this planet for hundreds of millions of years and co-existed with its prey and its predators. The flora and fauna that exists has created a world that humans could evolve in; a little more than 20 thousand years ago, humans appeared in our current form.
On a clock face of the history of our planet, we arrived at around two seconds before midnight, yet the devastation we have caused is immeasurable and, I can only hope, reversible. It is the Anthropocene age (the age of man) and we should not be proud. We have removed species at an ever increasing rate. We give lip service to tick box legislations, that allows the removal of wildlife habitats for human ventures, yet offers no alternative. It is sentencing wild animals to a slow and painful, but sure death.
Our 17 species of UK bats have life expectancies of 15 - 40 years. They learn directly from their parents where it is safe, where to feed and where to hibernate; over generations the colony grows stronger through that accumulated knowledge. If you remove the habitat they will be destroyed and generations of survival knowledge will be removed along with it. This applies to all our species as we destroy habitats all over the UK with no second thought for its inhabitants - the majority do not just relocate.
The Anthropocene age is with us and is devastating our wildlife. It is up to us to fight for the protection of animals and to unite in the common goal. We must reduce the impact we have made to the planet and that time to fight is now.
Don't curse the darkness, make that one change in your life now. We partnered good friend Louis Psihoyos in his shocking film 'Racing Extinction'. We are in the Anthropocene age (the age of man) and it's still in mans power to change our future but you must act today… Watch this film, be shocked and make that change NOW.
Anne Brummer
CEO Save Me Trust
Eat less meat
Don't curse the darkness, light one candle
The last frog
Time is running out


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ALTHOUGH the world has hardly noticed, Mexico is confronting the first great test of its commitment to democracy. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the mayor of Mexico City, is the leading candidate for the presidency in 2006, ahead of his rivals by five to 15 percentage points in the polls. His adversaries are responding by abusing the law to bar him from the race. The Mexican Chamber of Deputies is now considering whether to strip Mr. López of his legal immunity from criminal prosecution - the first step toward eliminating him from the presidential contest.
The charges against him arise from a minor controversy in which Mexico City took some land to build a road to a private hospital. When the owners protested, a judge ordered the bureaucracy to ensure that the construction project did not deny them access to their property. Officials are accused of ignoring this order for a couple of weeks, and the attorney general wants to hold Mr. López criminally responsible, alleging contempt of court. But as the mayor has official immunity, only the Chamber of Deputies can lift it.
Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha, appointed by President Vicente Fox, has not provided substantial evidence that Mr. López was personally involved in the alleged contempt of court. His office is relying primarily on a theory of criminal negligence that would make the mayor responsible for his underlings' actions. This sweeping theory is alien to the principles of criminal law, which emphasize personal responsibility. It could turn the mayor of any great city into a criminal 100 times a day.
In any event, the alleged breach does not amount to a crime. Although contempt of court is a serious matter, it is not subject to an explicit penal sanction under the Mexican criminal code. The attorney general's office itself has emphasized this point when refusing to proceed against other public officials accused of similar offenses. But none of them were running for president. Under the Mexican Constitution, immunity may be removed only "for the commission of crimes while in office." Such a finding lacks a plausible legal foundation in this case. It would make the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton seem an exercise in pure reason.
Mexico City, like Washington, D.C., is not a full-fledged state in the Mexican Union. Though its mayor is democratically elected, the federal congress is in ultimate control. This fact serves as the political crux: While Mr. López's left-center Democratic Revolutionary Party is popular among the 8.6 million inhabitants of Mexico City, it has only 97 members in the 500-seat Chamber of Deputies. As a consequence, the leaders of the two other parties - President Fox's conservative National Action Party and the formerly dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party - are sorely tempted to form a coalition to destroy the threat to their continued ascendancy.
But a mature democracy is based upon political restraint. A lapse at this point endangers the great progress Mexico has made over the last decade. The threat to Mr. López's candidacy has already stirred enormous street demonstrations. About a quarter of a million people marched last August in Mexico City, when the legal shenanigans began, and even larger demonstrations can be expected if the chamber authorizes the attorney general to obtain an indictment from a notoriously pliable judiciary.
There is still time for friends of Mexican democracy to voice their concern. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is scheduled to meet with President Fox in Mexico City next week, inaugurating her diplomatic engagement with Latin America. She should not miss the opportunity to emphasize that democracy-building is a continuing project, not a one-time achievement.
Bruce Ackerman is a professor of law and political science at Yale. John Ackerman, his son, is a professor at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Mexico City.
Article also available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/04/opinion/04ackerman.html


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Admit it. You were worried at halftime last Saturday when Ohio State trailed Penn State by 11 points. You were the one throwing up his hands in disgust, wondering how you could stomach the Buckeyes playing in the Outback Bowl when many preseason predictions had them competing for a national championship.
I'll admit to more than a little apprehension myself, especially since I knew no Ohio State team in the Jim Tressel era had ever come back to win after falling into a deficit larger than 10 points.
Of course, history can be a double-edged sword. Had any of us bothered to remember Penn State's penchant for second-half collapses against the Buckeyes, the Pepto-Bismol could have stayed on the shelf.
First of all, the Nittany Lions have never played well in Ohio Stadium since joining the Big Ten and their 38-14 loss this season was their eighth in nine trips to the Horseshoe since 1993. Moreover, they have been outscored by 163 points in those nine games.
But it isn't just that Penn State loses in Columbus – it's how the Nittany Lions lose. Usually after taking a halftime lead and then pitching interceptions that the Buckeyes turn into touchdowns.
It should have come as no surprise, then, when Devon Torrence and Travis Howard returned interceptions for touchdowns this year. In the nine games at the Horseshoe against Penn State since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten, the Buckeyes have tallied 16 interceptions and returned six of them for touchdowns.
In addition to the good feelings the Buckeyes have whenever Penn State comes to town, history also bodes well for Ohio State in terms of their final two games of the regular season. The Buckeyes are 14-2-1 in their last 17 trips to Kinnick Stadium, and the program is in the middle of a six-game winning streak against archrival Michigan while Tressel has beaten the Wolverines in eight of his previous nine tries.
What's more, history sides with the Buckeyes in their quest for a second consecutive Rose Bowl appearance. Their chief competition in the Run for the Roses is Wisconsin, but the Badgers must first successfully navigate a Nov. 20 trip to Michigan.
Before you dismiss the Wolverines' chances in that contest, you should know Wisconsin hasn't won in Ann Arbor since 1994 and one of Rich Rodriguez's six Big Ten victories came against the Badgers – a 27-25 win in 2008 when Michigan overcame a 19-0 halftime deficit.
Also tied with OSU and Wisconsin for first place in the Big Ten standings is Michigan State, which finishes its regular season Nov. 27 at Penn State. The Spartans have lost five of the last six in that series, including eight in a row at Beaver Stadium – six of those by margins of at least 19 points.
Should all of the aforementioned historical data hold true these next two weeks, Ohio State could be headed for a Rose Bowl date with someone other than a Pac-10 representative since Oregon remains undefeated and focused squarely on the BCS National Championship Game.
However, while history sides with Ohio State down the stretch, it does not favor the Ducks. They haven't finished a regular season undefeated since going 7-0-1 in 1916, and the only unblemished record in program history was a 4-0 mark in 1895.
Naturally, those at Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Oregon will tell you where you can stick your history lessons. Penn State was likely whistling the same tune before playing Ohio State.
All I can say is that we would all do well to heed long-dead English historian Edward Gibbon who once wrote, "I know no way of judging the future but by the past."
** This will be the 63rd overall meeting between Ohio State and Iowa in a series that began in 1922. The Buckeyes enjoy a lopsided 45-14-3 advantage over the Hawkeyes, including a 17-6-2 record in Iowa City. OSU has won 11 of the last 12 in the series, and six of the last seven played at Kinnick Stadium.
** The game marks the 20th time in the series when both teams are ranked. The Buckeyes are 15-4 in those previous 19 games.
** Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel is 4-1 against Iowa while Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is 1-6 all-time against the Buckeyes. Ferentz got his only victory over OSU in 2004 when the Hawkeyes knocked starting quarterback Justin Zwick out of the game and rolled to a 33-7 win in Iowa City.
** While at OSU, Tressel has a 38-14 overall record against ranked teams and a 13-7 mark on the road against the top 25. Ferentz is 19-25 overall against ranked teams and 10-5 at home against top-25 opposition. Ohio State enters the game ranked No. 7 in the USA Today coaches' poll, No. 8 in the Associated Press writers' poll and No. 9 in the BCS standings. Iowa is No. 20 in the coaches' and BCS rankings and No. 21 according to the writers.
** Tressel is 27-4 in November games at Ohio State. Ferentz is 22-16 in November while at Iowa.
** Tressel and Ferentz are old adversaries from their Division I-AA coaching days. Tressel led Youngstown State to a 38-17 victory in the 1990 regular-season finale over Maine and Ferentz, who was in his first season with the Black Bears.
** Tomorrow's game is the final road game of the 2010 regular season for the Buckeyes. All-time, they are 67-47-6 in the final away game of the season and 7-2 under Tressel.
** Ohio State has won 20 of its last 22 Big Ten road contests. Iowa has won only 13 of its last 21 conference home games.
** Iowa junior safety Tyler Sash is one of the top defensive backs in Big Ten history in terms of interceptions. With two picks this season, Sash has 13 career interceptions and 392 return yards. He needs five more picks to break into the Big Ten all-time top 10 and only eight more return yards to become only the fourth player in league history with 400 or more. The longtime conference career leader in interceptions is Al Brosky of Illinois (1950-52) with 30, while the all-time interception return yardage leader is Jamar Fletcher of Wisconsin (1998-2000) with 459.
** When the Buckeyes scored their 38-14 victory over Penn State last week, it marked the 100th time in 125 games during the Tressel era that OSU had held an opponent under 24 points. The team's record in those 100 games is 94-6.
** The Ohio State defense is tied for the national lead with 17 interceptions, two more than Iowa. Each team has returned three of those picks for touchdowns this season.
** OSU and Iowa rank first or second in the Big Ten in eight different statistical categories – scoring defense, rushing defense, total defense, turnover margin, pass efficiency defense, red zone defense, kickoff returns and pass efficiency.
** Iowa has 13 Ohio natives on its roster including three starters – quarterback Ricky Stanzi (Mentor Lake Catholic), receiver Darrell Johnson-Koulianos (Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) and defensive back Micah Hyde (Fostoria). Ohio has no native Iowans on its roster.
** Stanzi ranks No. 3 nationally in pass efficiency at 167.2 while Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor is No. 5 at 166.4. Each is within striking distance of one of the longest standing Big Ten single-season records, established in 1947 when Michigan quarterback Bob Chappuis had a passer rating of 175.3.
** Pryor has moved into second place in career total offense at Ohio State with 7,324 yards, behind only Art Schlichter (8,850, 1978-81), and has moved past Schlichter into fourth place all-time with 52 touchdown passes. Only Bobby Hoying (57, 1992-95), Joe Germaine (56, 1996-98) and Troy Smith (54, 2003-06) have more.
** Pryor is also nearing the top five in career passing yardage at OSU. He currently occupies eighth place with 5,541 yards and needs only 29 more to pass Mike Tomczak (5,569, 1981-84) for seventh place. Steve Bellisari (5,878, 1998-2001) is currently fifth while Smith (5,720) is sixth.
** Pryor has bumped his season passing total to 2,136 yards and become only the sixth Ohio State QB with back-to-back seasons of throwing for 2,000 yards or more. The others are Jim Karsatos (1985-86), Greg Frey (1988-90), Hoying (1994-95), Craig Krenzel (2002-03) and Smith (2005-06).
** OSU junior tailback Dan "Boom" Herron moved closer to the 1,000-yard mark with his career-high 190-yard effort last week against Penn State. The 5-10, 202-pound junior now has 824 yards for the season with two regular-season games and a bowl contest remaining. At his present pace, Herron would finish with 1,071 yards.
** OSU junior receiver DeVier Posey has caught at least one pass in 24 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the Big Ten. Posey, however, is only halfway to the school record of 48 consecutive games with at least one pass reception held by Gary Williams (1979-82).
** OSU senior receiver Dane Sanzenbacher and Posey are steadily moving up the school list in career receiving yardage. Sanzenbacher (1,647) and Posey (1,609) currently rank 15th and 16th all-time, but could move into the top 10 by season's end. Brian Robiskie (1,866, 2005-08) is in the No. 10 spot followed by Ken-Yon Rambo (1,849, 1997-2000), Jeff Graham (1,809, 1988-90), Cedric Anderson (1,707, 1980-83) and Terry Glenn (1,677, 1993-95).
** OSU senior kicker Devin Barclay converted on five more PATs last weekend, giving him 52 in a row this season and 64 without a miss during his career. Tim Williams holds the school record for consecutive PATs with 86 between 1991 and '93.
** Kickoff for tomorrow's game will be shortly after 3:30 p.m. Eastern, and the game will be televised in HD by ABC on a national basis. Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Matt Millen (color analysis) and Quint Kessenich (sideline reports) make up the announce crew.
** The game is also available on Sirius satellite radio channels 122 and 125 as well as XM radio channels 102 and 143.
** Michigan comes to town next week for the traditional regular-season finale. Kickoff will be shortly after noon Eastern and that game will be televised by ABC/ESPN on a reverse mirror basis.
** On Nov. 15, 1941, College Football Hall of Fame head coach Eddie Robinson earned his first career victory as he led Grambling to a 37-6 win over Tillotson (Texas). Robinson eventually directed the Tigers to 408 victories in 55 years at Grambling.
** On Nov. 16, 1872, Yale played its first-ever football game, beating Columbia by a 3-0 score.
** On Nov. 16, 1957, Notre Dame stopped Oklahoma's NCAA-record winning streak at 47 games with a 7-0 victory over the Sooners in Norman.
** On Nov. 16, 1991, BYU and San Diego State combined to score 104 points, but finished deadlocked at 52-52, the highest-scoring tie in NCAA history.
** On Nov. 16, 1996, Washington running back Corey Dillon set an NCAA record with 305 total yards in one quarter – 222 rushing and 83 receiving – during his team's 53-10 win over San Jose State. Dillon's 222 rushing yards also established a new NCAA record for rushing yards in one quarter.
** On Nov. 17, 1906, Kansas took an 8-6 victory over Nebraska, beginning the longest continuous Division I-A series, one that ends next season when the Cornhuskers join the Big Ten.
** On Nov. 17, 1923, Kansas City University lost a 131-0 decision to St. Mary's (Kan.), capping a winless 0-6 season in which KCU was outscored, 623-0.
** On Nov. 17, 1956, Syracuse halfback Jim Brown set an NCAA record for single-game scoring, accounting for 43 points (rushing for six touchdowns and kicking seven PATs) during a 61-7 win over Colgate. Brown's record stood until 1990 and still stands third all-time.
** On Nov. 18, 1961, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen led Utah State to a 17-6 win over intrastate rival Utah in Salt Lake City. The win moved Utah State to 9-0-1 for the season, the Aggies' best record in program history and their only undefeated regular season since 1936.
** On Nov. 18, 1978, Oklahoma running back Billy Sims rushed for 209 yards in a 62-7 win over Oklahoma State and broke the Big Eight's single-season rushing record in the process.
** On Nov. 19, 1966, top-ranked Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State played to a 10-10 tie in East Lansing, a contest that has often been called "The Game of the Century." Fighting Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty was knocked out of the game in the first quarter after getting sacked by Spartans defensive lineman Bubba Smith, and starting Notre Dame running back Nick Eddy missed the entire game after hurting his shoulder getting off the train in East Lansing. The Irish had the ball on their own 30-yard line with 1:10 to go in the game, but head coach Ara Parseghian chose to run out the clock, preserving the tie and his team's No. 1 ranking. Notre Dame went on to win the 1966 national championship while Michigan State finished second.
** On Nov. 19, 1983, Oregon and Oregon State battled to a 0-0 tie in Eugene, the final scoreless tie in NCAA history due to the institution of overtime beginning in 1994.
** On Nov. 20, 1976, Kentucky took a 7-0 victory over Tennessee and marked its first victory in Knoxville in a dozen years. Running back Greg Woods raced 68 yards with a pass from QB Derrick Ramsey for the only score in the game, and clinched the Wildcats' first bowl bid since 1952.
** On Nov. 20, 1982, SMU quarterback Lance McIlhenny drove his team 80 yards for a touchdown in the late going to forge a 17-17 tie with ninth-ranked Arkansas. SMU running back Eric Dickerson – who teamed with fellow running back Craig James to form the "Pony Express" (a.k.a. "The Best Backfield Money Could Buy") – rushed for 81 yards in the contest to break the all-time Southwest Conference career record held by Earl Campbell of Texas. The tie denied SMU a perfect season and the national championship, but the Mustangs still finished the season ranked No. 2 with an 11-0-1 record.
** Also on Nov. 20, 1982, Stanford band members entered the field to celebrate what they believed was an upset victory over California. As time expired, however, the Golden Bears used five lateral passes while weaving through the Cardinal band to score a touchdown as Kevin Moen mowed down a Stanford trombone player in the end zone. After five minutes of deliberation, officials awarded Cal the 25-20 victory, resulting in one of the most unorthodox victories in college football history.
** On Nov. 20, 1999, TCU running back LaDanian Tomlinson set the NCAA single-game rushing record when he carried 43 times for 406 yards during a 52-24 win over UTEP in Fort Worth. Tomlinson's 287 second-half yards also tied an NCAA record for rushing yards in one half.
** On Nov. 21, 1981, BYU tight end Gordon Hudson set an NCAA record for tight ends with 259 receiving yards during a 56-28 win over Utah.
** On Nov. 21, 1992, Washington State QB Drew Bledsoe threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns during a snowstorm in Pullman, leading the Cougars to a 42-23 upset of fifth-ranked Washington.
** On Nov. 22, 1875, Harvard took a 4-0 victory over Yale in the first-ever meeting of the Ivy League schools. They will celebrate their 127th meeting tomorrow in a series led 65-53-8 by the Elis.
** On Nov. 22, 1969, Michigan defensive back Barry Pierson returned a punt for a touchdown and intercepted three passes as the No. 12 Wolverines shocked defending national champion Ohio State with a 24-12 upset in Ann Arbor. It was the opening game in what became known as the legendary "Ten-Year War" between Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler.
** A couple of them were a bit shaky last Saturday, but Auburn, Boise State, Oregon and TCU remain the only unbeaten teams at the Football Bowl Subdivision (a.k.a. Division I-A) level this week.
** Auburn QB Cameron Newton's father, Cecil, admitted last week that he tried to shop his son's talent to the highest bidder but that Cam had no knowledge of the plan. Meanwhile, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports tweeted last weekend, "Interesting note about Auburn, they have hired ex-NCAA (Committee on Infractions chairman) Gene Marsh to work on Cam Newton issue. They intend (to) fight it all the way." Robinson, by the way, is the guy who broke the Reggie Bush story in 2006 and nailed ex-North Carolina assistant John Blake earlier this fall. In other words, he is an extremely credible source who knows a little something about NCAA investigations.
** For what it's worth, SI.com football writer Stewart Mandel has both Wisconsin and Ohio State winning out, predicting the Badgers to the Rose Bowl against Boise State and the Buckeyes to the Sugar Bowl for a rematch of the 2007 national title game with LSU.
** Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema made no apologies for his team's 83-20 victory last week against Indiana. Even though the Badgers scored on a 74-yard pass play in the fourth quarter while leading the Hoosiers by 56 points, Bielema said the long TD was a broken play made by a second-string quarterback who "needed the work." People would probably accept that explanation/excuse had the Badgers not still been throwing the ball earlier this season while enjoying a 42-3 lead over Division I-AA Austin Peay. Bielema also instructed his team to attempt a two-point conversion Oct. 9 after taking a 41-16 lead over Minnesota with 6:39 remaining in the game.
** The 83 points scored by the Badgers was the most in a game since an 85-0 victory over Marquette in 1915.
** Thanks to starting quarterback Dan Persa rupturing his Achilles' tendon, redshirt freshman Evan Watkins will make his first career start for Northwestern tomorrow when the Wildcats square off against Illinois at Wrigley Field. Making the start even sweeter for Watkins? He is a suburban Chicago native.
** That game at Wrigley Field will be the first college football game played in "The Friendly Confines" since 1938 when DePaul used to play its home games there. The last time Wrigley Field hosted a football game on any level was December 1970 when the Chicago Bears played their final home game there before relocating to Soldier Field.
** Another MLB venue will host a college football game this weekend when Army faces Notre Dame tomorrow at Yankee Stadium. It marks the first college game for the new facility which opened in 2009, but the Black Knights and Fighting Irish played nearly two dozen times at old Yankee Stadium between 1925 and 1969. Tomorrow's game will be the first college football game at any venue called Yankee Stadium since 1987 when Central State (Ohio) took a 37-21 win over Grambling in front of a crowd of 29,411.
** While Northwestern and Illinois play at Wrigley Field tomorrow, Indiana and Penn State will square off at FedEx Field, the Landover, Md., home of the NFL's Washington Redskins. The two league games will mark the first time Big Ten contests have been staged at neutral sites since 2000. Penn State took a 27-24 victory over Indiana that year at the old Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis.
** Congratulations to Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone. His team's 13-10 win last Saturday over Rutgers came him 11 victories in his first two seasons with the Orange. Marrone's predecessor Greg Robinson had only 10 wins in four years on the job.
** When Notre Dame toppled No. 14 Utah last week, it ended a particularly ugly 11-game losing streak against top-15 teams. The Fighting Irish hadn't beaten a top-15 team since a 17-10 win over Michigan in September 2005.
** How bad have things gotten for Texas? After a 33-16 home loss to Oklahoma State last weekend, the Longhorns dropped to 4-6 and have to win their remaining games against Florida Atlantic and instate rival Texas A&M to avoid becoming the first team ever to fail to qualify for bowl eligibility the year after playing in the BCS championship game.
** Division III Williams (Mass.) finished off a magical season last Saturday with a 31-16 victory over instate rival Amherst. The Ephs completed a perfect 8-0 victory and normally would be headed to the NCAA playoffs. However, they are part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference, which for some reason bars its members from postseason play.
** It could be the same old, same old for the Division III playoffs this season. Mount Union (Ohio) and Whitewater (Wis.) finished the regular season undefeated again and were placed on opposite sides of the 32-team bracket. The Purple Raiders and the Warhawks have met in the D-III championship game each of the past five seasons. Mount Union won the title in 2005, '06 and '08 while Whitewater took home the trophy in 2007 and '09.
** On the flip side of the Division III coin, Maranatha Baptist Bible College (Wis.) had the NCAA's longest losing streak at 33 games until a 14-6 win last Saturday afternoon Rockford College (Ill.). The Crusaders intercepted four passes in the victory, and ran one back 90 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
The Forecast is stuck in a rut – albeit a pretty good one. We were 8-2 again with last week's straight-up picks, missing only the Upset Special that had Georgia beating Auburn and the inexplicable Notre Dame win over Utah. The yearly record is now 97-18 in straight up picks.
Against the spread, the bubble finally burst. It was a losing week although not too bad at 4-6. We're still well above the money line at 69-42-4 ATS for the season, but looking to end the losing streak at one.
Here are the games we're watching this week.
Fresno State at No. 4 Boise State: The question no longer seems a matter of whether the Broncos will get a BCS invitation – it's which one they will receive. It could be the Rose Bowl should Oregon win out and play for the national championship. Or it could be the title game should the Ducks and/or Auburn slip up sometime in the next couple of weeks. Either way, if the Broncos keep winning, they should be in line for a big-money BCS game for the second year in a row and third time in the last five seasons. First things first, though, and the Bulldogs are no slouch at 6-3. They have a pretty good offense and can score some points, plus they know how to win on the Smurf Turf. Fresno beat Georgia Tech on the headache-inducing blue carpet in the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl. The Bulldogs are less effective when playing the Broncos in Bronco Stadium, though, losing their last four visits there by an average of 34.5 points … Boise State 41, Fresno State 17. (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
No. 7 Wisconsin at Michigan: Do you think it's possible Bret Bielema has been running up scores all season in preparation for an anticipated track meet with the Wolverines? Bielema's team has topped the 30-point mark seven times this season and comes off an 83-20 win last week over Indiana, the highest point total for the winning team in a Big Ten contest since 1950. The Badgers may need all the points they can score against the Wolverines, who average 37.7 points and 521.8 yards per game. U-M also runs the kind of finesse offense that can negate some of Wisconsin's power. Can Michigan score enough points to win, though? That's the big question as a leaky defense that has given up 30 or more points six times this season goes against a team that seemingly has no problem keeping its foot on the accelerator for 60 minutes. Ann Arbor hasn't exactly been friendly to the Badgers over the years, and their 6-21-1 record there is proof of that. There is an indication that Michigan QB Denard Robinson has finally hit the proverbial wall, but maybe he has one more superlative performance in him. Here is your Upset Special … Michigan 49, Wisconsin 45. (12 noon ET, ESPN)
No. 10 Oklahoma State at Kansas: There has been a changing of the guard at the top of the Big 12 South this season and the Cowboys are leading the way. With Texas and Texas Tech at the bottom of the standings, and Oklahoma visiting Stillwater on Nov. 27, Okie State needs victories in its final two games to have what it hopes will be a rematch against Nebraska in the conference title game. Before any of that can happen, though, the Cowboys have to take care of business this week in Lawrence. The Pokes have who could be considered the best college quarterback nobody knows in Brandon Weeden (3,391 yards, 27 TDs), and a receiver everyone knows in Justin Blackmon, who leads the nation with 1,430 yards and 16 touchdowns. Those numbers don't bode well for the Jayhawks, who rank 104th nationally in pass defense … Oklahoma State 38, Kansas 10. (12 noon ET, FSN)
Purdue at No. 11 Michigan State: If the Spartans win their final two games, the worst they can do is a share of the Big Ten championship which would be their first title since 1990. For that to happen, QB Kirk Cousins is going to have to get things back in gear. Three weeks ago, the junior QB threw three interceptions in the team's 37-6 loss to Iowa, and he followed that with a season-low 131 yards plus another pick during a 31-8 win over Minnesota. Now, after an open week last Saturday, Cousins will try to conjure up good thoughts against the Boilermakers. He threw for 208 yards and three TDs last season when Michigan State pulled out a wild 40-37 decision over Purdue in West Lafayette, a game the Boilermakers led 34-23 early in the fourth quarter. Inconsistency on both sides of the ball cost Purdue dearly in that game, and the Boilers are having the same kind of problems against this year. They are in the middle of a four-game slide that has seen them outscored by a 154-39 margin … Michigan State 34, Purdue 10. (12 noon ET, BTN)
Troy at No. 23 South Carolina: While Auburn, LSU and Alabama have gotten most of the headlines this season, perhaps the most intriguing story in the SEC comes out of the East as the Ol' Ball Coach and his Gamecocks have clinched a spot in the conference championship game. Now the assignment is to avoid a letdown since the team finishes its regular-season schedule with a pair of nonconference games. South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore has slowly made a name for himself this season, and the freshman workhorse (202 carries so far) needs only 36 more yards to crack the 1,000 mark. That would make him only the sixth player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season and the first since Derek Watson had 1,066 in 2000. Lattimore shouldn't have any problem getting his yards against the Trojans, who allowed 448 yards on the ground last week in a 52-35 home loss to Florida International … South Carolina 34, Troy 20. (12:21 p.m. ET, ESPN GamePlan)
Appalachian State at No. 22 Florida: The giant killers from Division I-AA get another shot at Goliath this week when the Mountaineers invade the Swamp and try to take down the Gators. By now, every college football fan knows Appalachian State went into Ann Arbor in 2007 and knocked off Michigan. Since then, however, the Mountaineers have struggled against I-A competition, losing a 41-13 decision to LSU in 2008 and a 29-24 verdict to East Carolina last year. Year in and year out, however, Appalachian State is a I-AA national title contender and 2010 is no different. The Mountaineers are 9-1 and rank fourth nationally in scoring offense. That should be a source of concern – at least a little bit – to Florida head coach Urban Meyer, whose team has underachieved in its first year after Tim Tebow ascended to the NFL. Still, despite being only 6-4, the Gators are still pretty good on defense and special teams and that will more than make the difference in this game … Florida 31, Appalachian State 14. (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN GamePlan)
Mississippi at No. 5 LSU: The Tigers have gotten mighty full of themselves since their 24-21 win over Alabama two weeks ago. Head coach Les Miles says his team should have the chance to play for the national championship – big talk for a team that isn't even going to play for its own conference title. LSU would probably do well to keep its mouth shut and simply tend to its own business, which includes trying to solve the Rebels who have beaten the Tigers two years running. This year's Ole Miss team bears little resemblance to the ones of 2008 and '09, however, as Houston Nutt's team is smack dab in the middle of a 4-6 rebuilding season. The Rebs have had trouble scoring points all season and that won't get any easier against an LSU unit that ranks sixth in the nation in scoring defense … LSU 34, Mississippi 13. (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
No. 20 Virginia Tech at Miami (Fla.): After season-opening losses to Boise State and I-AA James Madison, the Hokies have slowly climbed back up the polls with a workmanlike eight-game win streak. They can clinch another berth in the ACC title game with a win over the Hurricanes, who have overcome some adversity of their own this year. Miami, which got punked early in the season by Ohio State and then destroyed Oct. 9 by Florida State, lost quarterback Jacory Harris three weeks ago in an upset loss to Virginia. Harris remains out with a concussion but the Hurricanes have won two in a row behind freshman QB Stephen Morris. Of course, those two victories came against Maryland and Georgia Tech, teams with defenses that rank seventh and ninth respectively in the ACC. The Hokies are No. 7 nationally in pass efficiency defense and have the services of CB Jaron Hosley, who leads the nation with seven interceptions … Virginia Tech 21, Miami 17. (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
New Mexico State at No. 21 Nevada: The Wolf Pack need to avoid any slipups this week if next Friday night's encounter with Boise State is to mean anything. That shouldn't be a problem since the Aggies' defensive weaknesses fit snugly into Nevada's wheelhouse. Behind QB Colin Kaepernick (3,017 total yards, 32 TDs), the Pack ranks third in the nation in total offense and fourth in scoring while New Mexico State is 101st in total defense and 110th in scoring defense. Making matters worse for the Aggies is the fact starting quarterback Matt Christian will miss his second game in a row with an undisclosed injury. If you're thinking Nevada could get caught looking ahead, you could hang your hat on the fact New Mexico State went into Mackay Stadium in 2008 and came out with a 48-45 victory. But the Aggies have lost 10 straight WAC road games since then, so don't get your hopes up too high … Nevada 52, New Mexico State 20. (4:05 p.m. ET, No TV)
No. 9 Ohio State at No. 13 Iowa: To be brutally honest, there is no way the Hawkeyes should have three losses this season. You can explain away one flat performance per year, and the Buckeyes certainly had theirs at Wisconsin. But Iowa has had at least four so-so outings this season and it has lost three of those four. (The fourth was an 18-13 win over Indiana, a game the Hawkeyes really should have lost.) The cold, hard truth is that Iowa hasn't played especially well since its 37-6 drubbing of Michigan State three weeks ago. Perhaps it's a coincidence that the team has been away from home since then, and perhaps it's not. After all, the Hawkeyes have never played particularly well at home against Ohio State with only two victories over the Buckeyes in Kinnick Stadium in 17 tries since 1964. Those facts, along with Jim Tressel's halftime speech from last week still ringing in his team's ears, all spell only one thing – another win for Brutus and more heartache for Herky … Ohio State 31, Iowa 21. (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Here are the spreads for the above games: Fresno State (+30½) at Boise State; Wisconsin at Michigan (+4½); Oklahoma State (-24) at Kansas; Purdue at Michigan State (-20); Troy (+22) at South Carolina; Appalachian State at Florida (N/L); Mississippi at LSU (-16); Virginia Tech (-2) at Miami-FL; New Mexico State (+38) at Nevada; Ohio State (-3) at Iowa.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday. Save a drumstick and some pumpkin pie for me and we'll talk again next week.


text:
2 syllables
- graphic, rafik, traffic
4 syllables
- calligraphic, compugraphic, demographic, epigraphic, ethnographic, geographic, holographic, hydrographic, lithographic, logographic, micrographic, orographic, photographic, pornographic, reprographic, stenographic, stratigraphic, summagraphic, topographic
5 syllables
- choreographic, oceanographic, stereographic
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text:
Shaney Hudson meets a famous French chocolatier and takes home bitter-sweet souvenirs.
Christophe Meyer has the wide eyes of a small child and as he talks, his hands flutter like a bird's wings. He is a third-generation chocolatier from Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France. Chocolate is his life's passion. As we sit in the back room of his salon de the, I realise I am in the presence of a real Willy Wonka.
I knew nothing of Meyer or his chocolate factory before I came to this town, but his patisserie, Christian, has been operating for 100 years. A French friend brought me along to meet him, having swayed me from shopping and sightseeing by the promise of handmade ice-cream, delicate macarons and delectable pralines.
We enjoy a feast of chocolate eclairs filled with fresh cream. We also have champagne ice-cream souffles encased in chocolate. Then we meet the chocolate-maker.
He is a skinny, eccentric-looking man wearing chef's whites that are splattered in chocolate. He walks towards us, his hand outstretched in greeting.
"Chocolate for me is just like wine,'' he begins. "The only difference between wine and chocolate is that wine is liquid and chocolate is solid.
"It's the same passion.''
According to Meyer, there are more than 500 different tastes in dark chocolate. He says the language of wine can be used to describe chocolate.
Meyer explains that the quality of chocolate is dependent on the quality of the soil in which the cacao tree grows, the quality of the cocoa beans the tree produces, and the fermentation process.
We ask him where the best beans come from. He says 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the world's cocoa beans come from Africa, but all the best cocoa beans are from South America and islands such as Madagascar and Haiti.
The real fun takes place during the cooking process. "I'm just like an artist with a paintbrush, and the chocolate from each country is the colour,'' Meyer says. "You mix it with herbs, spices, fruits, everything.''
He much prefers intuition to a recipe. "I am just like a child ... I love playing and my favourite toy is chocolate,'' he says.
Time is ticking away and if we don't leave, we'll miss our afternoon train back to Paris. Meyer jumps up and insists: "You must taste!''
He runs to the vats of ice-cream and scoops out a spoonful of caramel and sweetcorn ice-cream from one tub before scraping a paddle-pop stick through some strawberry and Szechuan orange ice-cream from another. While our taste buds relish the exotic mixture of flavours, he dashes about the shop collecting various wares.
He hands us chocolate-covered mint leaves that have been made using fresh mint from his grandfather's garden; a palm-size box of white-chocolate mango truffles; and a box of lemongrass-infused chocolate drops.
Blocks of chocolate from Suriname, Curacao, Vietnam and Colombia are stacked and handed to me like library books. A box of mixed truffles is added. I struggle to juggle it all while a shop assistant fumbles for a shopping bag in which to put it. Meyer's passion is surpassed only by his generosity.
Two days later, I peel back the pale-green wrapper of a slender block of Christian chocolate and snap off a piece. It is smooth, bittersweet dark chocolate from Haiti, with a strong smokey flavour. Suddenly, from inside the wrapper, there comes a brilliant flash of gold.
I laugh: it's the last of Meyer's secrets. The inside of the wrapper is plated in shiny gold, just like in Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Just like Charlie, I've found my golden ticket.
The writer was a guest of UTracks and Rail Europe.
Trip notes
Getting there
Thai Airways flies from Sydney to Paris via Bangkok with fares from $1844. 1300 651 960, thaiairways.com.au. The TGV fast train from Paris to Strasbourg takes 2hr20min. raileurope.com.au.
Cycling there
Utracks run an eight-day, self-guided cycling tour of Alsace that takes in Strasbourg from $1390, including accommodation, cycle hire, maps and luggage transfers between hotels. 1300303368, utracks.com.au.
Visiting there
Patisserie Christian has two salons de the where you can taste his creations: one at 10 Rue Merciere in the tourist area near the cathedral and tourist office, and the original salon where Meyer creates his chocolate at 12 Rue de l'Outre. +03 88 320 441, christian.fr. Meetings are by appointment only.


text:
We're pretty sure that reindeer don't fly, but it seems that snowy nights do bring out a bit of magic in these animals. Scientists have recently learned that, in what might be a unique talent, reindeer actually change their eye color over the course of the year.
In summer, their eyes are a golden yellow as this allows as much summer light through to the retina as possible. But in winter, they become blue to filter the light and allow better perception in low light levels … hello, wolf lurking in the snowy artic shadows.
Which means those reindeer might not have needed Rudolph quite so much on that famous wintry crossing long ago. Who knows? Personally, I'm delighted that there are still new things to be discovered about the animals around us … now how about those reindeer games?
"Reindeer games" (above) is a new card for the holidays, but we also have several other reindeer cards in stock (below) ready at our , or to be found at a retailer near you.
… Because who says reindeer don't make it down to the tropics during their Christmas trips?
"Yes, It's Me Again" (above) was one of our first holiday designs and remains one of our most popular.
This card (above) was inspired by the famous poem, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas".
You can find all our holiday cards , or just email us at email@example.com and we'll help find a retailer near you.
And for those intrepid enough to read this post to the end, we'd like to offer you a special holiday discount of 20% off your entire online purchase. Just use the code HDY2 – but quick, it expires 1 December.


text:
Guardian (UK): Russia to monitor 'all communications' at Winter Olympics in Sochi
The Guardian reports that Russia plans to monitor "all communications" when it hosts the Winter Olympics in February:
Athletes and spectators attending the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February will face some of the most invasive and systematic spying and surveillance in the history of the Games, documents shared with the Guardian show.
Russia's powerful FSB security service plans to ensure that no communication by competitors or spectators goes unmonitored during the event, according to a dossier compiled by a team of Russian investigative journalists looking into preparations for the 2014 Games. […]
But government procurement documents and tenders from Russian communication companies indicate that newly installed telephone and internet spying capabilities will give the FSB free rein to intercept any telephony or data traffic and even track the use of sensitive words or phrases mentioned in emails, webchats and on social media.
The journalists, Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, who are experts on the Russian security services, collated dozens of open source technical documents published on the Zakupki government procurement agency website, as well as public records of government oversight agencies. They found that major amendments have been made to telephone and Wi-Fi networks in the Black Sea resort to ensure extensive and all-permeating monitoring and filtering of all traffic, using Sorm, Russia's system for intercepting phone and internet communications. […]
Ron Deibert, a professor at the University of Toronto and director of Citizen Lab, which co-operated with the Sochi research, describes the Sorm amendments as "Prism on steroids", referring to the programme used by the NSA in the US and revealed to the Guardian by the whistleblower Edward Snowden. "The scope and scale of Russian surveillance are similar to the disclosures about the US programme but there are subtle differences to the regulations," says Deibert. "We know from Snowden's disclosures that many of the checks were weak or sidestepped in the US, but in the Russian system permanent access for Sorm is a requirement of building the infrastructure."
Read the full story to learn more.


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Find products, services and support
Oops! Can we suggest to: check your spelling, try more general words or try different words that mean the same thing
Manage your routes and view traffic information.MyDrive
View your sports workoutsTomTom Sports
Increase efficiency and create innovative services
TomTom Navigation
Enjoy TomTom's voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation.
Lifetime Maps
Drive with the latest map at no extra cost for the lifetime of your device.*
Lifetime TomTom Traffic
Drive with real-time traffic information for the lifetime of your device. **
Fully Configurable
Experience the fully customizable and future-proof platform.
Industrial Grade
Shock proof, E-Mark certification and works in extreme operating temperature.
Connectivity Ready
TomTom Bridge is built with the latest technologies including Wifi, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB OTG.
"The TomTom BRIDGE and Frogne solution delivers an innovative, reliable and robust way to meet fiscal compliance needs for the taxi industry."
Frogne - Taxi Kaare Frogne
"TomTom BRIDGE delivers an innovative, reliable and robust solution to support paperless working."
Prometheus Informatics - Logistics Leon van Kempen
"Fast, ruggedised, reliable and excellent support. The best hardware decision we've made."
Rescue Track - Ambulance Daniel Korn, CEO
"Our collaboration with TomTom BRIDGE makes it much easier than ever for companies to access and utilise driver and vehicle data."
Continental Trading GmbH - Logistics Axel Backof, Head of Regional Sales
"We are really excited about working with the TomTom Bridge. The global market has been waiting for this type of product for a long time. It allows for business processes to be serviced from a single in cab device."
AllOnMobile - Fleet Management Mark Garvey - CEO
TomTom Bridge has been tested in tough conditions and is ready to travel with you on the road, whatever the road is. Bridge can cope with high vibration patterns, has the E-Mark certification, works in extreme operating temperature (-20 / +60) and is shock proof.
TomTom Bridge comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor to ensure all your business applications integrate seamlessly with navigation.
TomTom Bridge is built with the latest technologies including Wifi, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB OTG.
Browse through and install numerous leading B2B apps specifically made available for the TomTom BRIDGE platform.
Using our SDK, you can create your own TomTom Bridge software image which integrates your own business application, making sure you stay in control of what exactly what is on your devices.
TomTom Bridge offers flexible docking options, high precision GPS, 12 - 32v power supply and a 7 inch capacitive multi-touch display.
Enjoy TomTom's voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation.
Drive with the latest map at no extra cost for the lifetime of your device. *
Drive with real-time traffic information for the lifetime of your device. **
Get customised routes for your specific vehicle type, size, weight, cargo and speed.
Premium features include Near Field Communication, Camera, Flashlight and built-in 3G modem.
* Lifetime Maps: Download 4 or more full updates of any installed map every year, for the life of your product. You need a PC with an Internet Connection and a TomTom account to download new maps and updates. For more information, visit tomtom.com/lifetime.
** Lifetime TomTom Traffic: Receive TomTom Traffic for the life of your product. For more information, visit tomtom.com/lifetime.
TomTom Bridge offers you the flexibility to create your own branded applications to meet your specific business needs.
We empower you to create bespoke solutions to create more efficiency in business processes. To help you do this, we have made available a wide range of tools and guidelines to develop and adapt Android applications. The TomTom Bridge developers portal is completely free and offers detailed information on the development, customization and distribution of SDKs, latest software releases and technical support.
Customise a wide range of settings, including icon appearance, app arrangement, privacy controls, workflows and start-up sequences. It is also easy to access audio settings, including our text to speech engine and to adjust all sensors, including the device compass, gyro and G sensor.
|21 Sep, 2016
|TomTom Indoor for Enterprise: Now Available on the TomTom BRIDGE Platform
|7 Sep, 2016
|TomTom Announces TomTom BRIDGE Connected for Fleets
|30 May, 2016
|TomTom and CARLS - Solutions for Interactive Police Cars and other Blue Light Vehicles
|26 Apr, 2016
|Truck Parking Europe app now available for TomTom driver terminals
|22 Apr, 2016
|TomTom and Sima join ranks in Norway
|See more >
25-27 April 2017 NEC, BirminghamMore Information
9-12 May 2017 MunchenMore Information
14-24 September 2017 West Messe, FrankfurtMore Information
Let us help you find the solution that's right for your business. Contact us today for more information on TomTom Bridge.
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Personalized Wedding Cutting Board, Customized Cutting Board, Custom Cutting Board "Oscar Jovanna"
$ 45.00
The ideal gift for virtually any occasion (or just for you) is a custom engraved cutting board—use the blank side for cutting and the engraved side for display.
We use all natural wood with no staining. Please allow for slight variations in the wood and the engraving. No two boards will look alike.
Please put all of your custom information in the personalization section and we will send you a proof to your email within 24 hours if you choose to receive a proof. Once you approve your proof your item will be made and shipped out the next day.


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(covers information from several alternate timelines)
A security lockout was a safety procedure that was performed when it was desired that someone should be prevented access to a computer system.
In 2367, transporter chief Hedrick locked off access to the controls in transporter room 6 aboard the USS Enterprise-D. The security lockout was later broken by Geordi La Forge who was affected by the Tarchannen III species and beamed down to the planet. (TNG: "Identity Crisis")
Later that year, Miles O'Brien locked off the instrument panel of the transporter to prevent Lwaxana Troi from beaming down to Kaelon II. (TNG: "Half a Life")
Criminals stranded on Mab-Bu VI that temporarily took over the bodies of Data, Miles O'Brien and Deanna Troi in 2368 used a remote security lockout to prevent the crew from shutting down all computer functions in Ten Forward where the criminals hid with their hostages. (TNG: "Power Play")
When renegade Ferengi hijacked the Enterprise-D in 2369, Commander William T. Riker ordered a security lockout of all command functions. Under the guise of teaching the Ferengi to pilot the ship, Riker instead diverted command access to Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who was being held in a classroom. (TNG: "Rascals")
In an alternate timeline created by Q, Captain Jean-Luc Picard recorded a personal log during one of his visits to the past. Not wanting to inform that crew of his experiences, he encrypted the log under security lockout Omega 327. (TNG: "All Good Things...")
In 2372, with her crew falling into a catatonic state induced by a Bothan infiltrator, Captain Kathryn Janeway of the USS Voyager initiated a security lockout of bridge controls through a verbal command to the computer, as she entered a turbolift for main engineering on deck 11. (VOY: "Persistence of Vision")
When the USS Voyager was under control of the Kazon-Nistrim in 2373, The Doctor and Lon Suder, the only crew members left on board, sabotaged the ship. After Seska discovered their work, she instructed the computer to disregard all voice commands from Starfleet personnel and put it on security lockout. (VOY: "Basics, Part II")


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The negative stigma that mainstream society has placed on Lowriders is an unfair and unwarranted connotation, and one that our culture has faced for years. Sometimes it can be hard to overcome; just ask Diego Mercado, of Bell Gardens, CA. Diego grew up in Compton and it was there that he was able to get his first glimpse into Lowriders. "As a kid, I always wanted a Lowrider, but my mom would always tell me that those cars were for gang members," he says. One day as he was walking the Compton streets, Diego found a Lowrider Bicycles magazine that someone had tossed. "I picked it up and I took the magazine to school and everywhere else. I used to tell my friends that one day I was going to have a Lowrider."
That dream lifestyle began to take shape eight years ago for Diego, when his father gave him a 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo. His father had owned the car since 1990. "My father gave me the car as a present and I used it to go back and forth to high school," explains Diego. Unfortunately for Diego, after owning the car for two years, it was impounded due to the fact that Diego had been driving it without a license. In order to get the car out, it was going to cost Diego $1,200 in fees, and he faced a dilemma. "The president from our car club had a '77 Monte Carlo Landau that he was willing to sell to me for $1,000." The car was the same year as the impounded one, but also had rims, a factory sunroof and bucket power seats. "Since my dad had owned the car for about 15 years, he was upset that I decided to let it go like that, but I explained that the other car had more options and would be $200 less." Diego's father saw the car and agreed, so he helped him purchase the car. "He had given me a '77 and I wanted to keep a '77 in the family, so I went for it."
As a new father, one of Diego's proudest moments with the car is when he took his baby who was only a few months old cruising with him in the Monte Carlo. "I thought the baby was going to start crying when I started hitting switches but he started to laugh and that made me proud." Diego would like to thank his wife, Cindy, for supporting him through the build of the car, his club president, Javier, for adding the whole engine build, his club member, Freddylac, for pushing him to finish the build when he was ready to quit, and all his fellow club members for their support.
Tech Specs
"Orange Sunshine"
Owner: Diego Mercado
Vehicle: 1977 Monte Carlo
City/State: Bell Gardens, CA
Club: Kings of Kings
Engine: The club's president, Javier Nevarez of Bell Gardens, CA, installed the 350 with a chrome pulley set, Edelbrock intake and turbo 350 transmission.
Body/Paint: With the shaved door handles, hood and gas tank, Tony of So Cal Auto Body in Santa Ana, CA sprayed the yellow pearl with orange fade away. Curly's Pinstripping of Paramount, CA added the stripe work. Chuko, of Chuko's Airbrushing in Bell Gardens, added the murals found on the sunroof and the front bumper fillers. The painted frame and belly was finished at Coronoa Body Shop in South Gate, CA.
Interior: Joe, of California Upholstery in Bell Gardens, CA, stitched together the four-tone interior by using suede and vinyl.
Sound System: Al, of Al's Auto Sound in Bell Gardens, CA, installed the Pioneer head unit, Rockford Fosgate amps, Kicker subs, Pioneer mids and tweeters.
Setup: Chavo of G-Motorsports installed two Kool-Aid pumps with 6 batteries.
Tires: Cornell 155/80R13
Wheels: 13″ powder coated G-Boys Wheels


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Ask an Expert
Wood species & their properties
Like to know what wood to use building a pergola or framing a barn? How about the difference between tung oil and polyurethane as a floor finish? How to revive decking or deal with merbau stains? Or how to meet the building code or bushfire standards? Or ask about the environmental advantages of wood or forest certification?


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Certain Affinity
Halo 2: Anniversary Edition heading to Xbox One November 11 – rumour
Halo 2: Anniversary Edition and the Halo 5 beta will be upon us in November, and Crackdown 3 is on the way, according to the latest batch of Microsoft rumours.
Certain Affinity headlines
Halo 4 Castle DLC: how to craft a perfect world
Halo 4's Castle Map Pack DLC is out April 8, and VG247's Dave Cook has spoken with 343 Industries and Certain Affinity about what it takes to make the perfect map.
Halo 4: Castle Map Pack DLC gets new PAX East screens
Halo 4 developer 343 Industries has released a new batch of Castle Map Pack images. Developed by Certain Affinity, the same team behind the Halo: Anniversary HD and the Black Ops 'First Strike' map pack Castle is full of vehicle-focused battlegrounds just waiting to be torn up.
Halo 4 Forge mode environmental details dropped by 343
During the Rooster Teeth Expo last week, 343 Industries presented a live Forge demo for Halo 4, alongside Certain Affinity, and discussed during a panel the aesthetic variety between the environments.
Halo 4 forge mode detailed, in the works at Crimson Alliance dev
Crimson Alliance developer Certain Affinity is behind Halo 4's editing mode, Forge.
Age of Booty headed to iOS, Android
History repeats: Age of Booty is coming right back around, hitting iPhone, iPad and Android devices in the near future, with developers working on an "all new version" of the game. If you don't remember the original, you're forgiven – it was a download-only title released in the mess that was holiday 2008, and died […]
Crimson Alliance's poor reviews the "vengeful passion" of Diablo fans
Crimson Alliance developer Certain Affinity believes the game under-performed in part due to expectation it would be just like Diablo.
Crimson Alliance trailer introduces assassin class
A new trailer for Crimson Alliance has introduced us to the game's final class, Moonshade the assassin. There's a small 50 second trailer of her over at Joystiq. The game's out next week, September 7, for $10 or for $15 if you want all three classes.
Crimson Alliance to cost $15 for full class access, $10 for one character
Pricing for Crimson Alliance has been revealed, and it will run you $15 on XBLA if you want access to all three classes.
Crimson Alliance video introduces you to Direwolf the mage
A new trailer of Crimson Alliance, the Certain Affinity action-RPG coming to XBLA, has been released. It introduces the viewer to the character Direwolf, a mage who shoots fireballs out of his hands. Watch it below. He reminds us of Akiro the Wizard from Conan the Barbarian. It's out in September 7.
Gnox shown off in new Crimson Alliance trailer
Game Informer's posted a new trailer of Crimson Alliance, the Certain Affinity action-RPG you'll be getting free if you buy every Summer of Arcade title on XBLA. The movie shows off Gnox, a warrior character given to running poker games and hitting stuff with a big stick. As you do. This looks very much influenced […]
Certain Affinity releases colorful shots of Crimson Alliance
Shots of Certain Affinity's four-player co-op title Crimson Alliance have been posted over on Game Informer. The action-RPG is slated for a summer released on Xbox Live, and also allows for single-player, for those of you who are adverse to socializing. The E3 trailer for the game can be watched here.
Certain Affinity officially announces Crimson Alliance
Certain Affinity has announced Crimson Alliance, an action-RPG slated for a summer 2011 release.
343 details Defiant Map Pack for Halo Reach
343's released a behind-the-scenes look at the second map pack for Halo Reach, the Defiant Map Pack. The content, which is being made by 343 Industries and Certain Affinity, will feature three new maps: Condemned, Highlands and Unearthed. Video's below.Defiant Map Pack releases next Tuesday for 800 MS points on Xbox Live Marketplace.
Certain Affinity files trademark for Legend of Booty
Certain Affinity, the makers of the fun strategy game Age of Booty, has filed a registration with the US Trademark Office for Legend of Booty.
Certain Affinity latest
Halo 2: Anniversary Edition heading to Xbox One November 11 – rumour
Halo 4 forge mode detailed, in the works at Crimson Alliance dev
Crimson Alliance's poor reviews the "vengeful passion" of Diablo fans
Crimson Alliance to cost $15 for full class access, $10 for one character
Certain Affinity releases colorful shots of Crimson Alliance


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SilverBlue&Gold necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 140 diseños de 21 diseñadores freelance.
Silver, Blue & Gold - a gallery of contemporary studio jewelry
Silver, Blue & Gold is a new gallery of contemporary studio jewelry opening in Laguna Beach, California. The shop is nestled between fine art galleries and sits across the street from a classic 5 star oceanfront hotel. All of the jewelry is handmade by American and European goldsmiths highly trained in art and technique. Most pieces are one-of-a-kind. The work is unique, collectible, and fine. Much of the work has a botanic theme to it. The overall aesthetic is a graphic organic, if that makes sense - clean interpretations of nature, silver textures restrained in a gold frame.
Laguna Beach is home to more than 200 galleries. It attracts art lovers, international travelers, beach-goers, and Holywood elite.
There are multiple target audiences. Upscale residents may be looking for an artistic gift or a commemoration of an event - or they may fall in love with something for themselves while out gallery-hopping on Artwalk night.
The tourist may be buying a token of her trip, but it's a collectible token, not a trinket. Visitors will be coming from a 3 to 5 star hotel. Our average price range is $700. Prices from $100 to $20,000.
Another audience is comprised of women who might not ordinarily shop in this price range but who are drawn to the work by its accessibility, beauty, and uniqueness.
We need a logo that can function both on a window sign and a business card.
Silver Blue & Gold is the name of the store, a gallery of contemporary studio jewelry is the sub heading/
Some adjectives for the work displayed to help in your designing: sophisticated, subtle, fun, wearable, different, interesting, beautiful, lovely.
Please play with colors in the design, but remember that the logo will also have to function in black and white (or grey tones) as well. It will never appear on a black background - always white or clear.
Good Luck!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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- Font:
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Want to know more about this week's guests and topics?
Try clicking on some of these links:
Fmr. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., McCain Supporter | Bio
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Obama Supporter; 2004 Democratic Presidential Nominee | Bio
David Broder, Columnist, Washington Post | Bio | Article archive
David Gregory, Chief White House Correspondent, NBC News; Host, MSNBC's "Race for the White House" | Bio
Michele Norris, Host, NPR's "All Things Considered" | Bio
Chuck Todd, Political Director, NBC News | Bio
MSNBC: Decision 2008
MSNBC: Politics
Barack Obama's Web site
John McCain's Web site
Tom Brokaw


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Displaying 1 - 5 of 10 results
The OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) will hold an expert meeting to discuss ways to promote gender awareness in the policy and operational responses to terrorism and violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT), with a focus on government entities in the security sector.
The conference will focus on the national experiences and international co-operation in countering terrorism, engaging and empowering youth in preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism and rehabilitation, reintegration and the prevention of radicalization that lead to terrorism.
The purpose of this online forum is to facilitate discussion among civil society, academia and government stakeholders from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, as well as experts from OSCE executive structures and international organizations, on the use of community policing or police-public partnerships as part of a human-rights compliant and gender sensitive approach to preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT).


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I said, "Because it's my job. My boss wants me to."
I said this to my son even though I don't actually have a boss. But how can I tell him that I am generating this trip on my own? It's too awful to admit. Still, I am blindsided:
He says, "Doesn't your boss know you love us?"
I tell myself to ignore it. I tell myself there are nine million stories of kids saying the most heart wrenching thing they can say to their mom as she leaves for the office.
I get to the airport and I tell myself everything is fine while I bite all my nails. Then I wait at the gate while I sip diet Coke hoping I didn't eat so many Ho-Hos with the kids that I don't fit into my mommy's-working-now clothes. I am at the wrong gate. I read the seat number instead of the gate. I make the flight with seconds to spare.
I try to calm myself down on the plane. I tell myself that there is no way to support the family as a writer if I'm not going to promote my book. I tell myself my kids are lucky that I'm with them every day from 1pm to 8pm. I tell myself I'm lucky to be making a living as a writer.
I get to Chicago to switch planes. I tell myself that I am in better shape and that I don't have to worry about falling apart on local television because I am not falling apart now. I have a sandwich as a sign of body confidence. Or at least waist confidence; it's all about the button.
I hand the boarding pass taker my boarding pass and she says, "This is a flight to New York. You're going to Tampa. You better run."
I run. And I cry. I cry because I am losing my mind. I cannot even remember what city I'm going to.
In my plane seat I tell myself this can be the end of the book tour. And this is the advice I'm going to give you about successfully handling your kids and your career. Don't ever confess anything like this. It's bad for your career.
There is more, though. I get to the hotel, and you know what? It's clean, it's quiet, the bed is huge and it's all mine.
I sleep very well. I get up early, because my body clock is set to wake up at 5am with my two-year-old. (Please, do not post comments about how your kid sleeps until 7am and I should do what you do. Do not be so arrogant as to think I have not tried.)


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Cutting the number of websites is just the first step.
Cutting the number of websites is just the first step.
Around the time he took office as the nation's 28th president in 1913, Woodrow Wilson wrote that "government ought to be all outside and no inside."
That simple binary made sense 99 years ago. At the time, the results of government studies, executive orders and meeting notes were either available to the public or they weren't. The so-called outside, where government information met the public, was limited to a few key places such as the Government Printing Office and the National Archives.
With the birth of the Internet, the "outside" became effectively limitless, which has resulted in a new set of challenges. While the government is publishing more information than ever through about 20,000 websites, it's become increasingly difficult for agency information to reach the public.
Older federal sites weren't designed to work optimally with Google and other search engines, so Web searches today often list government data well below less authoritative, outdated or recycled sources. That doesn't mean that data is outside the public view, but it's not exactly catching the average citizen's eye, either.
In other cases, agencies' Internet footprints are so broad the departments themselves can't keep tabs on them, and their Web managers sometimes duplicate each other's efforts. The Office of Management and Budget tried to rein in this Web sprawl in June by ordering a freeze on new dot-gov sites and launching a program to slash the federal Internet presence by 25 percent or more.
Much of the dot-gov reform effort has so far focused on eliminating excess government sites that sprouted up during the Web-crazed 1990s and now do little but diminish the dot-gov domain's gravitas.
The sole purpose of Time.gov, for instance, is to display the current time in all U.S. time zones. But in a Google search for the "current time in Denver," Time.gov didn't even make the first five pages of results.
Disabling and archiving silly sites likely will be the easiest part of the White House's reform campaign. A periodically updated list of top-level dot-gov domains showed that at least 200 of them were officially retired between June and November 2011. There were nearly 1,800 top-level dot-gov domains before the reform initiative began.
Many other domains simply redirect to other dot-govs, a common practice with abbreviations, nicknames or typical misspellings for a site name.
The more difficult parts of the dot-gov reform effort will be, first, folding important but underutilized sites into larger domains so they form a comprehensive whole, and second, updating the government's content management systems, search functions and social media interfaces so citizens are not only more likely to find government sites but also to be engaged by them.
The British government has been a model for many large institutions looking to consolidate their Web presence. Officials there managed to reduce the government's 2,000 websites by more than
75 percent and to shift its online organizing structure, which used to be based on the interests of agencies creating content and now focuses on the interests of the citizens consuming that content.
That effort took five years and concerted pressure through several leadership changes. A similar endeavor could be a tall order for the considerably more sprawling U.S. government, especially when it comes to consolidating sites across agencies.
Some agencies have taken an early stab at such consolidations. In an October self-assessment, the Health and Human Services Department suggested folding Flu.gov and several other topical sites into USA.gov, a General Services Administration-run site that leaders of the Dot-gov Reform Task Force have said likely will form the seed of a single portal for general government online information.
GSA also built a multiagency search engine, Search.USA.gov, to compensate for often clunky internal engines and deliver up relevant information regardless of which agency produced it.
The federal Web landscape, however, is still awash with stand-alone sites that are difficult to find, partly because they can't leverage the search prowess of their parent agencies or the rest of federal government.
StopFakes.gov, for instance, could easily be folded into the main website of its parent agency, the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration. A Google search for "counterfeit Chinese technology," one of StopFakes.gov's major focus areas, didn't bring that site up in the first five results pages.
Several agencies have revised or relaunched their main Web pages in connection with the dot-gov initiative and a related executive order to improve the government's online customer service. Those relaunches often have included transitioning to open source content management systems that make it cheaper to maintain sites and easier for third parties to pull data from them. Such systems are better at integrating blogs and social media into websites, which can raise their search rankings.
There's also the issue of people. Simplifying and rationalizing a Web footprint usually means pulling the work of updating and maintaining the agency's websites from the hands of many subject-matter experts and putting it into the hands of a few communications and information technology professionals.
"For a lot of people, having a website is why they think they exist," says Elizabeth Meckes, Energy's digital reform lead. "We're not just building a new platform, we're building an entirely new culture."