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Two views of women
Longtime McGuffey artist Judy McLeod brings two series of work to the main display space this month— "Wanted Women (Fugitives from the Law)" and "The Mothers and the Sisters (Womenkind)." As the titles imply, both of McLeod's exhibits share women-centric themes. In execution, however, they could hardly be more different.
"The Mothers and the Sisters" includes the kind of art that inevitably attracts trampled words like "celebration." This work, paper collage highlighted here and there with a touch of watercolor or pencil, comes overloaded with bosomy, barefoot, and wide-hipped women who apparently spend their time a) touching other women who look exactly like themselves, b) standing around in awkward positions, or c) hanging out with extremely large vessels overflowing with liquids.
McLeod has obviously spent a great deal of time and effort assembling the collages. It shows in the small patches of gold and the contrasting patterns of "Bearing the Burden" or the complementary colorscape in "Women: Forever United." But in the end, skill doesn't overcome her subject matter and execution, which has been fashioned from the same tired clichés— rounded women in robes with water jars on their head as nurture+love emblems— that generate entire lines of greeting card artwork.
Those in search of antidote need look no further than across that very room: McLeod's other, far more palatable exhibit, "Wanted Women." Out from under her celebrationist impulses, McLeod finds edgier source material for this exhibit: the photos of wanted women in New Orleans-area police blotters and bail bondsmen ads. McLeod has filled an entire wall with portraits she's painted from these pictures, which are really nothing more than mug shots of women in varying degrees of trouble.
Far from presenting them at their best, these shots tend to capture blank stares and scowls— harried and hollow expressions that McLeod transmits to her oil paintings. These are hardly the idealized women McLeod must have had in mind when working on "Mothers and Sisters." Though, by locating a degree of dignity and humanity in these fugitives— which she does, in part, by even choosing to paint them— McLeod offers a much more engrossing, complex view of women.
Judy McLeod's two series, "Wanted Women (Fugitives from the Law)" and "The Mothers and the Sisters (Womenkind)" run through April 28 at the McGuffey Art Center. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973


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Does Your Bird Have Bad Breath? Thus far, our posts have mentioned dogs and cats having bad breath...but never have we discussed bad bird breath. As someone who is a bird owner and avid bird fan, I thought it was necessary. Birds can have bad breath! If a bird has bad breath, that is almost always the sign of a bacteria infection, and it needs to see an avian veterinarian. Generally, foul breath in our avian friends means that there is some abnormality in the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, or even with the oropharynx. If a bird has vitamin-A deficiency, it may be more susceptible to bacterial or yeast infections like Candida sp. Infections like these can cause halitosis. Also, a bird's diet can affect its breath--so don't give it rotten food/seed. The bacteria that normally resides in the gastrointestinal tract (like the colon of mammals) are known as coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria and other bacteria are accompanied with a fecal-type odor. If a bird is infected with one type of these bacteria, its breath (if the mouth, crop, or proventriculus has the infection) or its droppings (if the lower gastrointestinal tract has the infection) can develop a strong fecal odor. Where Do These Bacteria Come From? People use fertilizer frequently when growing fruits and vegetables, and this is a strong bacterial source. Soil can also be contaminated with fecal material. Fruits and vegetables need to be washed properly before a bird eats them, because the bird can ingest the bacteria. Also, if a bird is in the bathroom when the toilet is flushed, the coliform bacteria can become aerosolized and breathed in by the bird. Also, bird owners need to wash their hands after using the bathroom before handling their bird. Avian Gastric Yeast (AGY, formerly known as megabacteria) can be found in middle of the proventriculus and ventriculus and may also be found in other places of the gastrointestinal tract. Unfortunately, this is hard to track in live birds, and it can be the cause of bad breath. An ulcer in the crop, proventriculus or ventriculus that has been contaminated by bacteria can also cause bad breath. Other Bad Breath Causes Other gastrointestinal issues can cause halitosis, like Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD). Spirochetes, an unusual type of organism, might cause halitosis, especially in lovebirds. Both benign and malignant tumors in the gastrointestinal tract can also cause bad breath, especially if they erode or cause ulceration into the GI tract. These can be diagnosed by a combination of blood work, X-rays, endoscopy, or ultrasound. Within the GI tract, protozoal infections (i.e. trichomoniasis in the oropharynx, giardia) can be hard to diagnose and may cause bad breath. Most protozoal infections can be treated with ronidazole. Treatment Plan According to many avian vets, vinegar can by used to help acidify the interior of the proventriculus and ventriculus as well as treat many diseases, mostly in the GI tract. If your bird has bad breath and any other symptoms, bring it to a vet and have a physical exam and work-up done. These include: complete blood count; plasma chemistry panel; Gram's stains of the choana, crop, and cloaca; bacterial and fungal cultures; appropriate serological tests; full-body X-rays and maybe an endoscopy. Depending on what your avian veterinarian tells you, you can suggest a consultation with a board-certified avian specialist (some veterinary labs will offer this). If your vet is not experienced enough, you can have them refer you to a referral center or avian specialist. Unlike pet mammals and humans, birds do not have teeth (aside from the single egg tooth that is not made of the structures in a mammalian tooth), meaning that the cause of bad breath in birds cannot be attributed to dental and gum disease (usually caused by a bacteria infection). However, bacterial infections concerning the bird's gastrointestinal tract or lungs can cause bad breath and impact its health. Source: Bird Channel
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please Note: The material on this site is provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your health care professional before beginning any new therapy.


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Daredevil #3 Page 13. 2011. Ink(ed by Joe Rivera) on Marvel board, 11 × 17.25″.
Original Art
|1: Layout, 4 × 6″ 2: Digital Composite 3: Pencils
Daredevil #3 Page 13. 2011. Ink(ed by Joe Rivera) on Marvel board, 11 × 17.25″.
Original Art
|1: Layout, 4 × 6″ 2: Digital Composite 3: Pencils
thanks for sharing your process Paolo. That was a killer issueReplyDelete
My pleasure, Ray. Glad you liked it.Delete
So awesome. You trying something different with your layout and digital composites or were you crunched on time? Page looks great. One thing you have taught me with you sharing your process pics is to keep clean lines in the thumbnail stage. I used to be all scratchy and fast with it, but taking the time to make the thumb clean goes a long ways for later in the process.ReplyDelete
I've been using digital composites for quite some time now. I did, however, just start doing all-digital layouts. I'll post them as soon as issue #9 comes out. I should also note that these are the layouts that I show to my editors for approval, so there are many, many side-sketches that are unintelligible to all but me.Delete
Beautiful work Jr. and Sr.! Neat to see you incorporate the 3D element. Thanks for sharing, compliments to some really fine work...ReplyDelete
Thanks, Ruben! The grid that you see in the digital composite isn't actually 3D, just a 2D grid that I transformed. I've got a whole template system that deserves its own post.Delete


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I'm writing to you tentatively as a student of architecture at the Sheffield School of Architecture...
There are a group of us who have been tasked with looking at the 'edge' between Hackney Wick, and the Olympic Site across the canal, and considering the role of architecture in that place, now, and in the future.
I will be in the area on Tuesday (18th Jan), and was wondering if anyone from Leabank would be available for a chat? It would be great to find out a bit more about you, and your thoughts on where you area and what's happening around you.
Sam Brown
MArch Architecture - University of Sheffield


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Christopher Priest's reissued novel Inverted World presents the reader with a city surrounded by high walls and a populace unaware that the entire polis sits upon tracks, pulled by a giant winch in order to stay ahead of a crushing, slowly moving gravity field…You feel the kind of surprise and exhilaration here that you do when a magician reveals (though they're not supposed to) the simple method behind an illusion." —Los Angeles Times
"… his well-crafted books play fun tricks on the reader. In this devilishly entertaining 1974 novel, Priest tells of a city called Earth that must perpetually move on rails to escape its hyperboloid planet's oppressive gravity." —Time Out New York
"A somber psychedelic journey through a landscape that seems a collaboration between Breugel the Elder and M.C. Escher, Priest's book is an engine of epiphany, and a formal marvel: a narrative in the exact shape of the conundrum it presents." -Jonathan Lethem
"This book shows us a community plunged into ignorance, trying to understand its place. You finish this novel appreciating our culture's efforts to protect its collective memories and also worried that everything we take for granted can easily be lost." —Los Angeles Times
"The most famous book from those days, Inverted World…upended existence, revealed a planet to be infinite, in a finite universe; between its poles, pressure warped every dimension of the body." —Guardian
"The author has created a unique and original world." –Publishers Weekly
"A marvellous thought experiment." —The Independent
"Inverted World will be remembered for many years, I would guess, as one of the few science fiction novels of the 1970s to come up with a new idea." –Foundation
"The Inverted World reads like a classic science fiction book–the physical concepts of the world in which it takes place are filled with a sense of wonder." –San Francisco Signal
"A science fiction mystery story about a world whose 'secret' is as incredible, but as acceptable, to its readers as it is to its characters –which if you think about it is one of the highest compliments a critic can pay to a novel. A well-structured, finely written, mature narrative that is very compelling and thoroughly entertaining. It is a 'must'."-Luna Monthly
"A marvelous thought experiment in which our familiar spherical world is replaced by a hyperboloid one. Rudy Rucker is equally known for his arithmetically generated science-fiction novels." –Independent on Sunday
"The story is among those seldom found, incredibly readable narratives that the reader aches to continue reading." –Jersey Journal
"One of the trickiest and most astonishing twist endings in modern SF." —Tribune (London)


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In many ways, the internet is still a "wild west" technological landscape. New, innovative technologies emerge yearly, promising to expand functionality and redefine interactivity, changing our day to day lives on the world wide web through huge paradigm shifts.
One of these great new technologies ushering in the new era of computing is the concept and application of the Blockchain. Read more


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MDR-1ADAC Headphones
€ 357.00(incl. VAT and WEEE)
MDR-1ADAC Headphones
The Way The Artists Truly Intended
Enjoy the subtlest nuances of studio-quality sound in higher-than-CD quality with High-Resolution Audio. Passion for music unites every component from signal to speaker, so it feels like the artist is performing right in front of you.
Clear and authentic, every time
Each track sounds true, whatever the source
These headphones, featuring a built-in USB digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) amplifier, connect digitally to your devices to ensure your music sounds even closer to the original recording. And because the signal is only converted to analogue when it reaches the drivers, you'll enjoy unmatched clarity and accuracy on every track.
Comfortable listening
Enjoy fine acoustics from a large driver and earcups that seal comfortably around your ears.
Ultra wide frequencies
Hear deep lows and euphoric highs with a full range of sound up to 100kHz.
High sensitivity
Play music loud and clear from any home system or portable device with high sensitivity of 102dB/mW.
Superior conversion, purer sound
Most portable devices include a simplified digital-to-analogue converter, resulting in slightly compromised sound quality. These headphones, with a dedicated USB DAC amp built in, take over control of the conversion process from your device, then amplify sound using the integrated S-Master HX digital amplifier.
Unmatched clarity and accuracy
Connecting digitally keeps music true to the original
Headphones with an integrated, dedicated DAC amp can control conversion and amplification. Music stays digital for longer, only converted to analogue as it reaches the drivers.
Multiple connections
Listen to music from your PC, Xperia Smartphone, Walkman or iPhone using one of the supplied digital cables. Or connect to other players using a 3.5mm stereo audio cable.
Auto Select switches seamlessly between inputs for effortless connections.
Passion for sound
Every subtle note, precisely reproduced
Tune in to clear, balanced sound that stays true to the original recording, even at high volume. The highly responsive liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm is aluminium-coated, and combined with a 40mm HD driver, gives a more consistent and precise sound across the entire frequency range than a conventional diaphragm.
What is High-Resolution Audio?
High-Resolution Audio refers to a collection of digital processes allowing the encoding and playback of music using higher sampling rates than those used in CDs.
Record at a higher frequency than CD
High-Resolution Audio typically records at 96kHz/24-bit or even 192kHz/24-bit – much higher than CD.
Hear more realistic, emotive sound
While CDs and MP3s top out around 20kHz, High-Resolution Audio supports frequencies above 24kHz (as high as 100kHz on this model) and a wider dynamic range.
S-Master HX digital amplifier
Eliminates analogue components in the feedback stage for ultimate clarity in amplification.
Pulse Code Modulation
Listen to music that's faithful to the original sound with up to 192kHz/24-bit encoding.
Direct Stream Digital
Hear natural sound over a wide dynamic range with up to DSD128 support.
Keep sound in
The enfolding design with ergonomic 3D earpads seals music in and keeps distractions out. Acoustics are reflected back towards your ears for the subtlest of sounds.
Luxurious look and feel
Style and comfort in perfect harmony
Iconic looks with a sleek metal headband and plush, black leather earpads. Pure comfort with a closed-back, wrap-around design that fits securely over your ears.
Pressure-relieving earpads
Soft leather earpads rise and shape around your ears for a snug, comfortable fit.
Seamless design
With smoother materials and discrete sewing, comfort and durability is exceptional.
Pack and go
Take your music anywhere. A sliding metal headband and swivel folding earcups make it easy to store your headphones in a suitcase when travelling.
Carry them around safely in the supplied bag – smart and hard-wearing.
Quick power boost
Keep your headphones powered up and ready to go using the micro USB port.
All day listening
Play music from nine to five with up to 8 hours of battery life.
Take control
Conveniently adjust the volume of your music tracks using a rotary-style controller on the headphones.
Apple Compatibility
- Driver Unit
- 40mm
- Frequency Response
- 4–40,000Hz (digital), 4–100,000Hz (analog)
What's in the Box
Carrying pouch, Headphone cord (1.2 m), Lightning connector cable (1.2 m), Digital cord for Walkman® (1.2 m), Digital cord for Xperia (1.2 m), USB cord, Warranty card, Quick start guide, Reference guide, Operating instructions


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Please login first to complete purchase/ quotation request, view custom order reports, or create favorites list.
Don't have an account with us yet? Please set up an account to place order or obtain customer services.
This peptide is Bac2A, a linear variant of the loop-shaped cationic antimicrobial peptide Bactenecin found in bovine neutrophils. The Cys disulfide bond-forming residues of Bactenecin is replaced with Ala in Bac2A, and is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Copyright © 2002-2020 AnaSpec, Inc. All rights reserved. | Site Map | Terms & Conditions | 1-800-452-5530


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Captain Becker, how do pilots prepare for a flight?
Captain Becker, How do pilots prepare for a flight? And how much time should they allow for this?
Before embarking on a route you have flown many times before, it's enough to prepare shortly before takeoff or during transit time. New routes require several hours of planning, and for challenging ones, you may receive a briefing from a captain familiar with the local situation. Quito in Ecuador is a good example. It's surrounded by mountains and located at a very high altitude. The former Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong was also problematic because you had to make a tight turn shortly before landing.
What else is important?
A pilot has to know the distinctive features of each route. Flying across the Atlantic,
for instance, requires an area briefing, instruction in a simulator and a trial flight under the supervision of a training captain.
How do pilots cooperate with the flight planners?
Flight planners, or dispatchers as they are also known, calculate the optimal route electronically with an eye to safety, punctuality and cost effectiveness. They present this to the crew, along with alternatives. The captain accepts it with his or her signature, and then determines along with the other members of the cockpit crew how much kerosene to take on board.
Who's ultimately responsible for the flight?
The captain is responsible for ensuring the safety of a flight. Captain and crew are supported, of course, by a host of experts, who help with planning and dispatch. The name of the game is good teamwork.


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Police embrace emerging social media tool
Tool provides real-time alerts on crimes in progress
Law enforcement agencies across the country are adding a new form of social media to their arsenal of crime-fighting tools.
Almost 6,000 law enforcement agencies are now deploying the public notification service Nixle to provide residents with real-time alerts on crimes in progress, traffic incidents and missing children.
With the San Francisco-based service approaching 1 million subscribers and police departments participating in major cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore and Dallas, Nixle is part of what one expert calls a new "blue wave" of community policing that lets cops reach out directly to the public.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police said in a recent survey of 800 law enforcement agencies that nearly 90 percent of them use some form of social media.


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- +27 (0)87 353-4194
- email@example.com
Fujitsu Scanners
Fujitsu is an established leader in the document imaging market, featuring state-of-the-art scanning solutions in the workgroup, departmental, and production-level scanner categories.
Fujitsu scanners deliver speed, image quality, and great paper handling, along with easy integration and compatibility with over 200 document imaging applications.
Fujitsu offers the most comprehensive range of document scanners available on the market today.
Manufactured to the highest quality standards, Fujitsu scanners have an excellent reputation for reliability.
Whether your application involves document management, archiving, workflow or forms processing, Fujitsu probably has the optimum scanner for the capture of your data.
i-Kno is an imaging partner of Fujitsu and has successfully integrated Fujitsu scanners with Ephesoft as a one-stop solution for capturing and the successful integration of such into Enterprise Content Management platforms.


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Olive Oil
What: Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin (Wiki). Olive oil is richly emollient and has long been used as a facial cleanser and moisturizer by Mediterranean women. The oil is also commonly used as a base oil for other essential oils. It is a stable oil with superior conditioning effects.
Origin: Olive oil is produced by grinding olives and extracting the oil, usually by cold-pressing (Wiki).
Products Found In: Hair care, skin care, body care.
Alternative Names: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Olive, Olea Europaea Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Olive Oil.
Toxicity: Olive oil (Olea Europaea Oil) is generally classified as having a low toxicity rating (EWG).


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You're not alone. The following organizations provide support, information, and guidance for people who are trying to conceive or coping with infertility. To find other fertility support organizations, visit the Community Support Database.
IAAC (Infertility Awareness Association of Canada)
2160 Nightingale Ave,
Montreal, QC, H9S 1E4
Phone: 514-484-2891
Toll Free: 1-800-263-2929
Fax: 514-484-0454
The Infertility Awareness Association of Canada (IAAC) provides assistance to Canadians who are experiencing difficulty conceiving or carrying a pregnancy. IAAC has helped thousands of women and men make careful, well-informed decisions about fertility treatment, adoption and childfree living. Through information, advocacy and research, IAAC helps patients to embrace the limitless possibilities before them.
RESOLVE, The National Infertility Association
1760 Old Meadow Rd., Suite 500
McLean, VA 22102, U.S.A.
Phone: 703-556-7172
Fax: 703-506-3266
RESOLVE is a non-profit organization mandated to promote reproductive health and to ensure equal access to all family building options for men and women experiencing infertility or other reproductive disorders, and to provide support services and physician referral and education. The mission of RESOLVE is to provide timely, compassionate support and information to people who are experiencing infertility and to increase awareness of infertility issues through public education and advocacy.
Infertility Network
160 Pickering St
Toronto, ON, M4E 3J7
Phone: 416-691-3611
Fax: 416-690-8015
Email: email@example.com
The Infertility Network is a registered Canadian independent charity providing users with information and support on fertility and related issues. They connect you with regular updates that include research, news stories, seminars, and new literature on the topic of infertility. The Infertility Network also offers newsletters, an infertility support group you can join, and free information kits delivered to your door.
Fertile Future
100-955 Green Valley Crescent
Ottawa, ON, K2C 3V4
Toll Free: 1-877-HOPE-066 (1-877-467-3066)
Phone: 613-440-3302
Fax: 613-440-3329
Fertile Future is a national support group that provides fertility preservation information and support services to Canadian cancer patients facing medical treatment that may affect their fertility. This support group also provides services and information for families and health care professionals working with people who are faced with infertility. Fertile Future is currently developing a database that will enable people to search for fertility organizations, their location (e.g., by province or territory), and the services they offer.
IVF.ca is a leading online forum dedicated to Canadians struggling with fertility. It is independently operated and privately owned by its founder, a previous patient. Over 8,000 ivf.ca members regularly share their stories on the site's forum.


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Oakland robberies surge as investigations sputter
Thefts, break-ins surge as investigations sputter
MetroPCS store on Oakland's MacArthur Boulevard. 7:45 p.m. Thursday. Store owner Abdullah Qasem is behind the counter when two men in hoodies burst in through the back door.
The men cover their faces with their hands, and one suggests he has a gun.
This is Qasem's first time being robbed, but he knows the drill.
"I put my hands up, and they told me, 'Come down, come down,' I was on the floor doing this," Qasem says, showing how he became spread-eagled on the floor. "One held my head and said, 'Don't look, don't look.' "
The men jerk open the cash register and, in less than a minute, slip into the shadows behind the store.
Police arrive a few minutes later, but the robbers have picked their target well.
"The freeway on-ramp is right around the corner. They're probably halfway to San Francisco right now," Sgt. Jim Rullamas says as police officers look for clues.
Another night in the robbery capital of America.
No city had more robberies per capita than Oakland in 2012. According to new federal statistics, Oakland had 10.9 robberies per 1,000 residents. And 2013 is shaping up to be even worse.
The trend defies easy explanation. So far this year, crime, as a whole in Oakland is stagnant. Shootings are down. Homicide has dropped by 13 percent.
But robberies are up. A lot.
There have been more than 3,800 robberies in the city in 2013, a 24 percent jump compared with this time last year. If the rate continues, robberies will have jumped 82 percent from 2010 to 2013.
Reasons behind surge
The reasons robbery is so high vary, said police, city leaders and crime experts.
-- More people in Oakland carry smartphones, which can be wiped and sold on the black market for $100 to $200.
-- Gangs and criminal groups in Oakland have mostly stopped slinging drugs on the corner and make money through robberies and break-ins.
-- Many Oakland neighborhoods are gentrifying, bringing young professionals into areas of the city that are still in the midst of transformation.
-- There are not enough police officers patrolling Oakland's streets or investigating robberies.
Eight detectives are assigned to investigate robberies, and the city on average has 14 robbery reports a day. One robbery investigator is assigned to each of the city's five police districts, and three more monitor the entire city.
A May report by police consultant Bill Bratton found that Oakland police were "slow to respond to robberies and interview victims, losing momentum on the investigation of pattern robberies."
Few robberies get the attention they deserve, police acknowledge.
"From an enforcement perspective you have to see the staffing challenges that we have in the Police Department - not only having a sufficient number of officers in the field, you also have a shortage in the capacity to do follow up investigations," said Capt. Anthony Toribio, who has overseen North Oakland since the police created district commands in June.
That staffing challenges quickly become apparent to crime victims when they contact the police.
Peter Prato, a 34-year-old photographer, was walking with friends in July on the south side of Lake Merritt when his group was suddenly surrounded by six men. One of the robbers pointed a gun, and the others collected backpacks, laptops and a bike.
'A force overwhelmed'
No one was harmed, but Prato was shaken.
"It was so disappointing," said Prato, who has been robbed three times since moving to Oakland from San Francisco in 2005. "We had just gotten done with a conversation about robberies, and the other state of things."
When Prato later gave police his report, he could hear the chatter on their radios.
"They seemed completely like a force overwhelmed with the evening," Prato recalled. "We could hear other robberies reported over the radio as we were giving our statements."
At the same time that police face staffing challenges, many of the city's neighborhoods are gentrifying, attracting new iPad-toting residents into areas that were devastated during the recession.
"With gentrification you suddenly have people coming into neighborhoods that essentially bottomed out in the economy," said Benjamin Bowser, a professor of sociology and social services at Cal State East Bay who has studied Oakland since 1986.
Crimes of opportunity
Urban revitalization often happens in patches and pockets, leaving half the block leaping forward and other half struggling, Bowser said. Those changes can lead to more crimes of opportunity such as street robberies.
Steve Gomez, a 57-year-old tennis pro and lifelong resident of Oakland, was riding his scooter down 40th Avenue on a recent Tuesday when he saw what he described as a common sight in his neighborhood.
"There was this young twentysomething white woman who had just finished her call and her brand-new sparkly iPhone was being held in her hand," Gomez said. "I saw these guys in the car driving by, and I saw his head snap left when he saw that."
Gomez pulled up to the woman and told her to put her phone away. Sure enough, Gomez said, the men circled back and stared.
"I told her, 'Just keep your phone inside and get to where you are going quickly,' " Gomez said. He tipped police, who later stopped the car. The men bailed out, and police found a black ski mask and gloves inside the car.
"It is like lambs to the lion, you know?" Gomez said. "I know (criminals) are cruising for easy opportunities, and there are a lot of easy opportunities."
In early 2013, police Lt. Chris Bolton analyzed robberies across the city and found that roughly 75 percent involved a smartphone.
Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney, who represents West Oakland, said joblessness is a big factor in the city's robbery rate.
"We have a lot fewer jobs for adults so kids experience a lot more lack, so they are not able to get things," she said, noting that some turn to robbery to get money. "Really what they are after is really basic things - shoes, jackets. The things these kids are buying with money from stolen things are not flashy things.
"They are buying just staple goods," Gibson McElhaney said. "People are stealing credit cards, and they are buying groceries. They are buying at Babies R Us."
The high robbery rate, Bowser said, could also be a reflection of shrinking turf among criminal gangs.
"With gentrification also comes the decline of turf," Bowser said. "In order to sell drugs or sell prostitution or so forth, you have to have a certain amount of territory to work with, so what happens with gentrification is that your turf is getting smaller and smaller and smaller, so with smaller turf comes less money and more competition."
More lucrative than drugs
That may be one reason many criminal gangs have turned to robbery and burglary to make money.
Criminals have apparently realized that they can make more money robbing people than they could selling drugs, Toribio said. It is riskier to rob someone than it is sell drugs, but the risk lasts for just a few minutes.
"It is a lot easier to make the money doing robberies than it is being out there on the corners for X-amount of time being exposed to arrest by the police or gun violence by rival drug dealers and/or gang members," Toribio said. "I'm not hearing or seeing the level of calls for drug dealing. That's not to say it is not there, but that anecdotally the volume is not there."
Citywide this year, arrests for drug dealing or drug possession are less than half of what they were in 2010, when robberies began to climb.
Mayor Jean Quan said in a statement that "public safety is my top priority, and rebuilding our police force is a central part of that work."
Quan noted that the city's third police academy this year begins Monday. The second academy graduated this month. As of July 31, Oakland had 626 officers - still far less than the 800-plus officers the city had in 2010.
Directing resources
But until there are more police officers on the street, police need to be smart and precise about how they provide public safety, Toribio said.
"We look at robbery patterns and trends," Toribio said. "If I notice that there is a shift where robberies are occurring by shift, time of day or place, I can direct resources that way."
One of the tactics used in North Oakland is to allow some officers to patrol hotspots without responding to low-priority 911 calls.
"We take the officers off the radio clock," said Bolton, Toribio's operations commander. "We cannot prevent crime if we are just responding to the reports of crime,"
The patrols appear to work.
Earlier this year, North Oakland was averaging 3.6 robberies per day, one of the highest rates of robbery in the city, Bolton said.
But that number has dropped to just 1.5 incidents per day, Bolton said.
"There are things that are coming to help us," Toribio said. "We're hiring more officers. We're also hiring more civilian staff that can take work off patrol officers. It will allow officers to engage in more proactive enforcement in specific areas and give us the resources to do that diligent follow-up investigation and the resources to be proactive rather than reactive."
Will Kane is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com Twitter: @WillKane


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On the court and off, Brittany Brown and Taliah Moore share almost nothing in common.
On the court and off, Brittany Brown and Taliah Moore share almost nothing in common.
Brown, Choctaw�s basketball prodigy who has won the last two Daily News Large School Player of the Year awards, has been a known commodity since she moved up to varsity basketball four years ago. A point guard, she is a commanding presence, dominat-ing the game in every facet while leading Choctaw to the brink of a state championship during her senior season. A highly recruited prospect, Brown is headed to Florida State University to continue her career in the Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the biggest stages in college basketball. She is a vocal leader, one who inspires teammates through her passion as well as her skill.
By contrast, Moore doesn�t have an award-filled resume like Brown. Instead, she has flown under-the-radar of most major colleges, instead taking control of games for Walton High School while being called �The most under-recruited player in the country� by Braves� head coach Jerry Hester. While Brown takes over games with her will alone, Moore instead makes her mark with a silky-smooth game that can deliver points in bunches. Off the court, Moore is quiet and nearly shy, and her demeanor belies her ability to crush another team�s spirit. As a leader, Moore prefers to guide others by example rather than emotion, as the 5-11 senior lets her game do most of the talking.
But the two seniors do have one thing in common when they step onto the court: Both know how to dominate. And because of that, both have been recognized as Daily News Players of the Year for 2012-13.
Brown, who led Choctaw to a 30-1 season and a berth in the Class 6A state championship game, becomes the first player in the award�s history to win three straight times, with her being named Large School Player of the Year almost seeming like a formality.
�I am just thankful, blessed that I was able to do that,� said Brown, who leads a trio of Lady Indians onto the First Team for Large Schools. �I�m thankful that I was able to play without any serious injuries. And I�m thankful that we were able to have the success that we had.�
For Moore, who led Walton to a district championship and the Class 4A regional semifinal round, the chance to earn Small School Player of the Year recognition is the culmination of a long journey that has included dedication in the gym and maturation as a player.
�I felt great when coach Hester told me that I won,� said Moore, who averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds this season for the Braves. �It�s not something that I was trying to accomplish. I�m just trying to go out there and play my best, but when he told me, it really felt like a great accomplishment.�
Third time a charm
From the moment that the Choctaw Lady Indians took the court this season, Brown and her teammates were the talk of the area. Looking to improve on a 26-2 mark in her junior season, Brown and company were able to live up to the considerable hype this season, completing a perfect 25-0 regular season by recording an average margin of victory of 26 points.
For her part, Brown was the emotional and physical leader, a point guard who directed the offense and did the little things necessary to keep Choctaw in the championship hunt right down to the final whistle.
�She�s a special player,� said Don Brown, Brittany�s father and head coach for the entirety of her high school career. �She does a little bit of everything. She can score, she can get others involved. She makes it easier for everybody.�
Brittany Brown�s true value to Choctaw was on display in the toughest situations, although there weren�t many. In the playoffs, she took her game to another level with games on the line. In three straight playoff games � the regional quarterfinals against Pine Forest, regional finals at St. Augustine, and state finals against Edgewater � Brown hit a shot in the final 10 seconds to tie or win the game. Against Pine Forest, she scored 20 of her 37 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning jump shot as time expired to keep Choctaw�s dream season alive. In short, when the stakes were highest, Brittany Brown was at her best.
�I�ve seen it time and time again,� said Don Brown. �That�s just who she is. She�s a winner.�
The star guard also drilled a game-tying 3-pointer to send the Class 6A championship game against Edgewater into overtime, where the Lady Indians would eventually drop a 50-49 decision. Instead of dwelling on the loss, the Florida State-bound senior is instead using the loss as a positive.
�It�s a learning experience,� said Brittany Brown, who signed with FSU in November. �Overall, I was very satisfied with my senior season. As a junior, we struggled through some things as a team, but this year, we didn�t have that drama. We came together as a team and played together. I loved playing with this group, we really became a family this year.�
In June, the Choctaw guard who has crafted one of the top prep careers in Okaloosa County history will head to Tallahassee to start her next basketball journey. For Choctaw�s veteran coach, the inevitable change will be a difficult adjustment.
�When she was in middle school, she would come over and practice with the varsity,� said Don Brown. �It�s going to be tough to get used to, not having her around the program. But she�s got a great opportunity at Florida State, and we are so proud of her.�
Brave New World
After her junior season, Moore was named to the Second Team All-Area squad in 2012. A great honor sure, but the second-team nod was merely a sign of things to come. Primarily a post player early in her career, Moore showed up for her senior season a completely new player, one who had added bulk and an outside game to go along with her skills inside. The result was a dynamic senior season that included highlight-reel performances on a regular basis.
�I just worked on my game all summer,� said Moore, who reached the 20-point plateau in 15 of Walton�s 27 games this season. �I just love basketball, and I want to be around it all the time. Getting better is fun to me.�
For Walton�s head coach, the maturation of Moore�s game was a natural result from her dedication to the sport.
�The first thing you notice when you see Taliah Moore is that physically, she looks like a Division I player,� said Hester. �The second thing you see is that she has an unbelievable work ethic. The third thing you see is that she can do what most people can�t do: She can absolutely make shots.�
As a senior, Moore delivered a virtuoso performance for the Braves, but attention from major colleges was slow to follow. Unde-terred, however, Moore says she will spend the next two years at Chipola College in Marianna to continue improving.
�I don�t really know why I haven�t gotten that much attention, but it doesn�t bother me,� said Moore. �Really, I just let stuff like that drive me. When I�m in the gym working over the next few years, I�ll be thinking of that.�
While she did receive looks from schools like Middle Tennessee State and Troy, Moore is opting to go the junior college route in an effort to improve her stock collegiately, a move that her coach agrees with.
Hester believes two years in a quality system like Chipola will benefit his senor standout.
�Two years in junior college basketball will do nothing but help her,� said Hester. �She is destined for bigger and better things on the basketball court.�
While he has high regard for Moore�s on-court skills, Hester reserves his greatest praise for the person she is away from the court.
�If you went through this school and surveyed all the teachers, the ones that have her in class anyway, they are going to tell you that she�s their most enjoyable student,� said Hester. �If you see anybody in the community that knows her, they�ll say she�s the perfect young athlete.
�You can�t get anybody to say anything bad about Taliah, which says a lot.�
Player of the Year: Brittany Brown, Choctaw
Coach of the Year: Don Brown, Choctaw
First Team
Brittany Brown, Choctaw
Lauren Day, Choctaw
Brittany Washington, Choctaw
Mercedez Claybrone, Fort Walton Beach
Katie O�Neal, Fort Walton Beach
Second Team
Shavonna Spaw, Choctaw
Nadia Fingall, Navarre
Kerrie York, Crestview
Jessie Day, Niceville
Megan O�Neal, Fort Walton Beach
Honorable Mention
Choctaw: Caneisaya Matthews
Navarre: Lybia Brunet, Jessica Reyes
Fort Walton Beach: Dede McLane, Quay McNabb
Crestview: Jensis Coleman, Jasmine Middleton, Jasmine Horne
Niceville: Dani Douglas, Aubrey West
Player of the Year: Taliah Moore, Walton
Coach of the Year: Kevin Craig, South Walton
First Team
Taliah Moore, Walton
Cassidy Anderson, Baker
Emily Murray, Paxton
Kati Trejo, South Walton
Morgan Kennedy, South Walton
Second Team
Mary Kate Myrick, Freeport
Eve Heffron, South Walton
Casey Perot, South Walton
Bethany Chestnut, Baker
Deja Tucker, Walton
Honorable Mention
Rocky Bayou: Rachel Mosley
Baker: Kathryn Quigg, Haley Wagner, Sara Hudson
Paxton: Bethany Neale, Quinn Williams
Walton: Christa McQueen, Caretha Paul, TeOndria Guice
South Walton: Katie Logan, Mackenzie Perot, Taylor Menard
Laurel Hill: Jhanae Griffin, Grace Reese
Freeport: Shadia Mitry


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...then he slept with his ancestors...
Hebrew, 1 Kings 14:20
*Short Bio ¹ Obituary ² Picture ³ Tombstone/Find A Grave Veteran
Names highlighted or underlined contain more information on that person.
This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without consent.
The information on these pages is meant for personal genealogical research only
and is not for commercial use of ANY type.


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Milk is in the middle of a food fight in Illinois.
A recent initiative by the Illinois Department of Public Health about the sale of raw milk has reignited a longstanding debate over merits of dairy product pasteurization and raw milk health benefits. Pressure from federal agencies and state proposals for stricter laws on unpasteurized milk have put producers and consumers on the defensive.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health officials advocate the pasteurization of milk and discourage raw milk consumption.
According to the April 2008 issue of Healthbeat, a health department publication: "Each year, people become ill from drinking raw milk and eating foods made from raw dairy products. Unlike most milk, cheese, and dairy products sold in the United States, raw milk and raw dairy products have not been heat treated or pasteurized to kill bacteria."
But raw milk advocates say pasteurization destroys the healthy benefits that the raw liquid offers in the first place.
From 1999 to 2008, 86 outbreaks related to unpasteurized milk were reported to the CDC, leading to 1,676 illnesses, 191 hospitalizations, and two deaths, according to Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases.
"Some states permit sale of raw milk and, not surprisingly, about 80 percent of these outbreaks occurred in states that permit the sale," he said, adding that CDC policy "strongly supports measures to restrict the sale of raw milk."
Raw milk proponents take issue with interpretations of CDC data and insist that the public's right to procure raw milk must be safeguarded.
"My family has been purchasing raw milk from local farmers for around 7 years," said Vicki McConnell, leader of the Dixon chapter of the nonprofit Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization that says it is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to diets.
"I would not go back to drinking pasteurized milk," McConnell said.
Mark McAfee of the National Farmers Union reported that raw milk consumption is increasing by 25 percent a year while conventional milk sales are falling.
"Farmers want to meet the consumer demand," said McAfee, who also is founder and CEO of Organic Pastures Dairy in California, the largest U.S. producer of raw milk. "And the new NFU policy will help them achieve the right to sell raw milk directly to consumers."
NFU, which represents farmers in 33 states, adopted new pro-raw milk policies for its organization in March.
Tauxe cites concerns over the inherent uncleanliness of a farm.
"There are no health benefits from drinking raw milk that cannot be obtained from drinking pasteurized milk that is free of disease-causing bacteria," he said. "... Even if the farm's raw milk tests come back negative, it is no guarantee that the milk, or the products made from the milk, are always free of those pathogens."
That concern is overblown, McConnell said.
"All food consumption inherently carries some degree of risk," she said. "Many foods are implicated in foodborne illness, including pasteurized milk."
Leafy vegetables account for the most illnesses, she said, and poultry account for the most deaths, according to a CDC article posted to its website.
"I feel that the health benefits of raw milk far outweigh the risks, and I am willing to accept responsibility for that choice," she said. "More importantly, it is my right to make that choice."
IDPH officials and the CDC foodborne illness database for 1998 through 2010 indicate two outbreaks in Illinois traced to consumption of fluid raw milk. A total of 20 people became ill.
The CDC database was last updated July but is subject to change as reporting agencies can modify their reports at any time.
Gene Johnston, director of Environmental Health for the Whiteside County Health Department, said incidents of illness from consuming raw milk are "pretty rare."
"About 10 years ago we linked an illness to drinking raw milk," he said. "It doesn't come up very often."
Lee County Health Department sanitarian Jennifer Kolb concurred. During the 15 years she has been at LCHD, she has never had a call or confirmed case of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw milk, she said.


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Are you having a struggle with weight loss? Well, now you have someone to blame. According to a study from the University of Minnesota, mothers of young children were heavier and ate more calories, fatty foods, and sugary drinks than women without children. In addition, both parents were less active than those of the same age without children. The study was not a small one. There were over 1,500 adults with children younger than five and according to the report which is in the journal Pediatrics, mothers in this study with young children had a diet so poor, they'd have to walk three miles a day to not gain a pound.
For more information, please go to www.123MyMD.com.


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Things have changed. It's not an even race right now -- Obama's ahead … Does Romney go bolder in his veep pick because of it? … Speaking of bolder, was he hinting at picking someone like Paul Ryan yesterday in his interview with NBC with talk of "vision" and adding to the "political discourse about the direction of the country?" … Romney's pledge to stay away from personal attacks … The flap over the out-of-bounds Priorities ad carries risk for Obama's image. … Obama campaign pushes back against the dubious Romney welfare ad with an ad … GOP conservative concern is growing … And more evidence Romney makes his VP pick AFTER the bus tour.
Jack Dempsey / AP
President Barack Obama talks to supporters during a campaign rally at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, Aug, 9, 2012.
*** It's not an even race – Obama's ahead: The Olympics are wrapping up and, at the end of July, when the Olympics began, we wrote that we were basically at halftime of the general election -- and Obama had a narrow lead. Well, it's a little bigger than that now. (People may want to quibble, but you can't dismiss every poll on sampling.) There's clearly movement toward the president and clearly problems for Romney personally. We had found it in our polling for the last month and it hadn't shown up everywhere yet. Now it has. The latest evidence: three new polls out today – from CNN, Fox, and Reuters/Ipsos – all showing President Obama leading Romney by seven points or more and at or near 50%. (CNN 52-45%, Fox 49-40%, Reuters/Ipsos 49-42%). What's more, Romney continues to have an image problem. In CNN, Obama's fav/unfav is +14, Romney's -1. And in Fox, Obama's +12, Romney's +1. (Ipsos didn't ask fav/unfav.)
The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd recaps Mitt Romney past six weeks and the candidate's fall in the polls.
*** Raising the stakes: What does this mean aside from how the playing field has shifted in the last two weeks? All this raises the stakes for Romney's VP pick and convention. We've said August is important for Romney to make a move, and that's even truer now. He enters what could be the final week of VP speculation. We're in any-day mode with his running mate selection. And he's at a point where the running-mate selection, which will change the subject from whatever's being talked about, is going to be made when Romney's behind, making it more defining than perhaps he ever wanted it to be. The conventional wisdom had been that Romney was going to be picking a running mate in a coin-flip race. Well that's not the case now. How does that change his mind? Does it help Paul Ryan? Does Romney go outside the short list and go somewhere else (Rubio, Christie?). The bottom line is in just three weeks, he was going to be picking his running mate from a position of strength (and perhaps that favored a guy like Tim Pawlenty, meaning he could pick a partner and a friend). Now, he's picking one from a position of weakness.
*** Romney hinting at Ryan? Mitt Romney, in his interview yesterday with one of us, said he wants someone with "a vision for the country that adds something to the political discourse about the direction of the country. I mean, I happen to believe this is a defining election for America that we're going to be voting for what kind of America we're going to have." He added: "[T]his is a campaign of a big choice." Well, who does that sound like? That probably brought a smile to the face of Paul Gigot. He would argue in the pages of the Wall Street Journal that no one represents a clearer "vision for the country" or "adds to the political discourse" more than Paul Ryan. How would Rob Portman or Tim Pawlenty fit into that mold aside from simply being on Team Romney? Romney seemed to say: I do want to say something with my pick. I want to make a distinction. Of course, throughout the entire GOP presidential primary, candidates were saying this was the most important election of our lifetimes. And President Obama has certainly talked about the stark choice this election represents. But this was the strongest hint yet at Romney's thinking.
NBC's Domenico Montanaro highlights the latest poll numbers showing President Obama leading Mitt Romney, and the Obama campaign's newest television ad responding to Mitt Romney's welfare television ad.
*** This is business not personal: Romney also said in the interview he would like a pledge (of sorts) with Obama that there be no "personal" attack ads. "[O]ur campaign would be-- helped immensely if we had an agreement between both campaigns that we were only going to talk about issues and that attacks based upon-- business or family or taxes or things of that nature." (Question: Is Romney really saying that scrutinizing his business record -- which he has held up as one of his chief qualifications to be president -- is personal? But we digress...) He continued: "[W]e only talk about issues. And we can talk about the differences between our positions and our opponent's position." Romney said of his own campaign: "[O]ur ads haven't gone after the president personally. … [W]e haven't dredged up the old stuff that people talked about last time around. We haven't gone after the personal things." That doesn't mean surrogates or Super PACs have, as was brought up to him. Bottom line, obviously, this negative stuff is getting to Romney or he wouldn't have said this. Campaigns that are winning never complain about the tone of the campaign (although Obama certainly laments "crazy" things outside groups say – more on that below.). There will be more on this from Romney on MSNBC's The Daily Rundown. Did he just offer the Obama campaign an official pledge? See for yourself.
*** Reset your Priorities: Speaking of "crazy" things outside groups come up with. The Romney campaign and RNC have done a good job pushing and highlighting the Priorities ad, which goes too far. The Chicago Tribune today says Obama should denounce the ad: "Mr. President, lift the campaign. Call this ad what it is: a disgrace." This ad clearly highlights the continued blurring of the lines between campaigns and the outside groups that support them. And the Obama campaign gave the Romney folks and RNC an opening when it denied knowing the man's story in the ad (they shifted on that yesterday a bit.) The man had appeared in an Obama campaign ad previously and was on a campaign conference call touting his story – all dug up and pushed by Romney/RNC. (Although there's no proof that the Obama campaign explicitly coordinated and told Priorities to run this ad.) If the shoe was on the other foot, you'd expect the Obama people would ask for Romney to denounce it. Why's the GOP pushing this story so hard? Because one of Obama's great strengths is that he's perceived by the public not as a generic, cynical politician, and if some of that luster can rub off, it helps Romney. Obama has a positive "brand," and he still has more to lose if this becomes a total mud fest than Romney if he's not careful.
*** Pushback: By the way, it's worth noting that the Priorities ad still hasn't actually aired anywhere (except in free cable chatter.) The Romney welfare ad, on the other hand, IS running – and it's why the Obama campaign is responding in kind with an ad of its own – this one called "Blatant," which notes the fact checks calling the ad "blatantly false" and misleading. There are two ways campaigns respond to negative attacks – (1) via press release if the ad's not actually airing (which is what the Romney camp and RNC are doing), and (2) Go on air with an ad in defense (which is what Obama's doing). By the way, with Romney yesterday saying on Bill Bennett's radio show that there was a time when campaigns used to feel guilted into pulling ads deemed to be false, does that mean he'll be pulling the welfare ad?
*** GOP conservative concern is growing: Yesterday, we noted how conservative activists reacted to a comment from a Romney spokesperson on health care. Well, they're also voicing complaints – in blind quotes -- about Romney's transition team, reports The Washington Post's Rubin. They're upset with the addition of former World Bank president and U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Zoellick to the transition team to deal with national security. They accuse Zoellick of promoting "multilateral mush." Later in the day, on a separate point, John Podhoretz tweeted: "So every day Romney is not talking about the economy is a day lost, campaign says. Are they talking about the economy? No. Thus, the problem." Rubin wrote that this week "was a lesson that the campaign dare not be oblivious to deep-seated grievances and sensitivities from conservative foot soldiers." It's another example of the base's wariness of Romney and the gap of trust that exists. This is a problem for Romney. How will Romney lead his party if they don't trust him? His base just isn't allowing him much room – and by comparison, Obama was able to tack to the middle on free trade and even Iraq a bit during the 2008 general. By the way, doesn't this problem make Ryan one of the "safer" picks for Romney?
*** What's the frequency, Kenneth? Podhoretz hits on this point -- that the Romney campaign message isn't quite coming in crystal clear. It was SUPPOSED to be hyper-focused on the economy, remember? But he got hit hard for his tax plan that left a lot of specifics out. He also lamented overseas that he wasn't being asked about "substance." So what has the Team Romney message been this past week? Welfare, Israel, negative Super PAC ads and Lech Walesa and the Pope. They've been all over the place. Either they are trying to throw the kitchen sink at Obama -- now. Or they realize they have to do more than just the economy. Or they are trying to hold the ball out to drive daily news cycles until the veep is picked and the convention, which will take the narrative away from Bain or taxes or anything else negative about Romney (like this Bloomberg story about Romney's time as the head of Marriott's audit committee, in which "during Romney's tenure as a Marriott director, the company repeatedly utilized complex tax-avoidance maneuvers…."). Or a combination of all those. It may be the biggest development of the past week.
*** More evidence pick happens end of next week: The Newark Star Ledger has this little nugget in today's paper: "Although most attention was focused on the possible vice presidential nominee, one person close to the situation said the selection of Christie as the keynote speaker could come from the Romney camp as early as this weekend." So, one of the little surprises on this bus tour (that already includes appearances with veep hopefuls Bob McDonnell, Marco Rubio, and Rob Portman) that the Romney campaign might have some fun with is that Chris Christie could be unveiled as the RNC keynoter. This is shaping up to be the biggest tease bus trip since Sarah Palin went on her national parks summer vacation. It's all the more reason to think the pick will likely happen at the end of next week. This is all playing out exactly how the Romney campaign would want – milking the speculation and buzz nationally and locally.
*** On the trail: President Obama hosts a Ramadan dinner at the White House at 8:30 pm ET.
Countdown to GOP convention: 17 days
Countdown to Dem convention: 24 days
Countdown to 1st presidential debate: 54 days
Countdown to VP debate: 62 days
Countdown to 2nd presidential debate: 67 days
Countdown to 3rd presidential debate: 73 days
Countdown to Election Day: 88 days
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Recently I got several pounds of tangerines in my CSA farm bag and promptly put them to nostalgic use. For those whose happiest childhood memories involve a Creamsicle—that perfect balance of tart, sweet and creamy—this Creamsicle Float from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques is made for you. Goin suggests using tangelos, which are sweet and not too acidic and have very few seeds. But tangerines will also do the trick. I made these for Easter and again the following week when my inlaws were visiting. I'm hoping someone will make them for me on Mother's Day.
To make, squeeze 1/2 cup of juice per serving (or juice from two to three tangerines depending on size and juiciness). In each glass place a large scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream. Pour over 1/2 cup tangerine or tangelo juice. Top with seltzer. Serve with a straw.


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Riesling Report: Zilliken Butterfly Riesling 2008
We're celebrating the Summer of Riesling by trying a different bottle every weekday. Got a favorite riesling? Recommend it in the comments!
This off-dry wine from the Saar region in Germany is densely packed, like crab-apple concentrate (including the tannic skins.) The tanginess zings on the finish, though up front you mostly taste apricot jam and flinty minerals, with a balsam-sage note that might please fans of juniper-forward gins. The combination of acidity and minerality can read as almost bitter here; this is an angular wine, not a light, graceful, gauzy one.
The herbal character makes this wine a good choice for herb-rubbed pork chops and rosemary potatoes, though the mellow sweetness also mean you could pair it with Cantonese or Thai food. I probably wouldn't seek this one out again; in this price range, I'd go with wines from Gunderloch, Schloss Gobelsburg, or Ulli Stein.
$17-18, sample provided for review.
Check out our complete riesling series »
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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(imagine me singing *isn't she lovely* hehe)
is all of the above. But today she was the super cool wine fairy! Haha. She dropped off her sweet gift, rang the bell and ran like the wind in flip-flops mind you!
|my delivery
|Jennifer's delivery
Just a little something to brighten mine and another friend's day. RAOK! Random acts of kindness. Gotta love it! Oh and thanks to her sweet hubs David for being the get away car driver! lol Now on to think of something sweet to do for her. I'm definitely blessed to know her and have her in my corner!


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SOS grantee Katala Foundation Incorporated (KFI), working to protect the Critically Endangered Philippine cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia expresses serious concerns after the recent approval of the construction of a coal-fired power plant opposite Rasa Island, about one kilometre from the project's site.
These concerns and what follows were reported to SOS by the grantee in explaining the situation on the ground. Rasa Island is declared a wildlife sanctuary and is of global importance for conservation due to the high number of threatened flora and fauna present including the Philippine cockatoo.
Since 1998, KFI, so called after the local name of the cockatoo, has implemented a comprehensive conservation project on the island and adjacent mainland, which harbours about one quarter of the world's population of this extremely rare parrot.
Project Director, Peter Widmann believes the 15 Megawatt coal-fired power plant in operation will have several negative impacts on the Rasa Island population including casualties from collisions and potential electrocution by power lines as well as blocking the flight path to and from the birds' foraging area from the mainland to the island.
According to Widmann this could in turn reduce the carrying capacity of Rasa Island for Cacatua haematuropygia limiting parent birds' ability to feed their young.
Apart from the impacts on the Philippine cockatoo, Widmann also believes the impacts on the local ecosystem and community's health need to be assessed and taken into consideration with respect to how the situation progresses.
To keep up to date on developments around Rasa Island and the proposed power plant, visit the Katala Foundation website.


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When we packed our bags to go on holiday, I also prepared a fabric tote and a plastic bag with items for all the crafting I was going to do in the cottage we rented at the North Sea.
I brought linen, embroidery floss, cotton yarn, the 2 new embroidery kits I recently bought, more yarn, hooks to match the yarn, a pair of scissors, large pieces of extra thick carton and 2 different knitting books.
As usual my husband laughed at me when he picked up my stuff, and put it in our car.
But I knew that I would get to make loads of things from all my supplies, so I didn't mind him laughing...
The things you see in the photo, are what I got around to making in the 7 days we were there! 3 lousy attempts at crocheting cirlces and a tiny pile of carton hexagons for a patchwork blanket.
Never before have I made so little handwork during a holiday...I wonder what happened?
Well, I know the answer to that question myself. I simply enjoyed being with my family (I always do that!) playing, talking, bathing and all the other lovely things you make with your loved ones, when everyday life has been put on standby for a while.
And I loved it - SO much.


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Here is a little welcome message / Mail Template with some additional infos for new Members of the Marketing Team / new Contributors ...
Dear new Marketing Team Contributor,
Thank you for applying to the "Marketing" group in Fedora Account System and to participate.
There is no special Membership Process needed, but we would like to give you some short infos so that your way into Fedora Marketing gets easier.
If you are new to the Fedora Project please read thoroughly
As Marketeer you help to find the right words and materials so that others know what to expect from the Fedoraproject. You are a person, friendly and communicative. Fedora is big and scary, but you are going to help make sure that *one person* finds their way through all the confusion into the place where they can contribute. You are the mouthpiece to that. You help connect different people in different parts of the Project, because you are always dealing with people whose interests are different. In order to maintain a high level of quality in the Marketing group, we ask you to start with some basics starting with:
Where you can find all kind of ready prepared Marketing Material, Talking Points, Projects, pressmaterial, etc.
to create a wikipage that says something about you and your skills.
subscribe to the mailinglist
Some other important Informations!
If you want directly to contribute on the upcoming Release or have some ideas and not knowing how to fill take a look at
For social Networking take a look at
Change your first name and last name to Latin letters in the FAS if you filled your name in Cyrillic, Chinese, or other than Latin.
Read the Mailing Guidelines carefully before you start posting there.
If you blog about your work as Fedora Contributor, add your blog to Planet Fedora.
- http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Planet_HowTo and please read
- https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Planet#Appropriate_Material
If you were contributing to Fedora before you signed the CLA, remove yourself from the Unlicensed Group for OPL without options.
If you have something that you want us to see please send no attachements to the mailinglist, put it somewhere (your fedorapeople account, the wiki, etc.) and pass a link.
Never the less Marketing has much to do with Communication, so talk to us, lets do it together!
You can find us on IRC:
- http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Marketing_meetings or you can send a Mail to the Mailinglist
regards [Fedoraproject Marketing Team]
Freedom | Friends | Features | First
For questions please ask:
--wonderer 21:22, 19 August 2010 (UTC)


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DEAR ABBY: My 15-year-old stepson, "Justin," doesn't drink or do drugs. For the most part, he stays out of trouble. The problem is, he has been caught for the third time having unprotected sex.
My anger isn't at Justin so much as at his parents, obviously his father. Justin has lied repeatedly about this. His father lets him get away with many things, for the most part minor. But this is different. A 15-year-old boy can't take care of a baby, and having sex with multiple partners means exposing everyone involved to STDs.
My husband is a smart man, but for some reason he seems to think this will end well. I worry about his son becoming a father too soon and missing out on his full potential. My husband and his ex have dealt with this by trying to ignore it, and for the most part I haven't involved myself. But the more I think about it, the more I see the danger of Justin's life being changed forever because his parents don't want to make him unhappy for a minute.
I love my husband and stepson. Allowing this to continue isn't the right path for anyone. Am I overreacting? If not, what can I do that won't cause a huge blowup with my husband? -- ALARMED IN CHICAGO
DEAR ALARMED: You're not overreacting. Your husband is doing his son no favors by enabling his irresponsible behavior instead of asserting himself and acting like a parent. Justin may think that fathering a child will make him a "real man." But unless your husband can get through to him that real men take care of themselves and their partners, and real men don't risk bringing children into the world they can't take care of, then face it: He's letting his son play baby roulette, and it's only a matter of time until he'll be a grandpa.
DEAR ABBY: My son has a wonderful girlfriend, "Michelle." They live with my ex-husband and visit my husband, "Daryl," and me twice a month and on special occasions. Michelle is sweet, caring, smart and funny. The problem is, she doesn't wear a bra. Ever.
Relatives have commented about it to us at family gatherings because she's not flat-chested. We already know. It's obvious. Daryl feels a woman should go without a bra only in the privacy of her own home, and I agree. He thinks I should buy Michelle a bra as a "subtle hint." I don't think that's wise, and I don't want to offend her.
Because it doesn't seem to matter to my son, should we continue to keep our opinions to ourselves? -- SEES A NEED FOR SUPPORT IN FLORIDA
DEAR SEES A NEED: Because people are talking, it would be a kindness to say something to Michelle -- but delicately, so she doesn't think you are criticizing her. If you have a good relationship with her, invite her to join you for lunch and, while you're on the subject of the last gathering, mention that some of the relatives noticed her bralessness. Then tell her that you need to go lingerie shopping and invite her along. Ask her to help you pick out a few pretty things for yourself, and then offer to treat her to some things she likes. She just may take you up on it.
Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: "Abby's Favorite Recipes" and "More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $14 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


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UH Manoa Matsunaga Institute for Peace helps celebrate Hawaii's first Peace Day on September 21
Public invited to enterUniversity of Hawaiʻi
Matsunaga Institute for Peace
HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace (MIP) in partnership with the state invites the public to celebrate Hawaiʻi's first Peace Day on Sept. 21 at the State Capitol. The all-day event will include an "Expressions of Peace" contest where people of all ages are invited to submit an artistic expression of what "peace" means to them. The submissions will be displayed at the State Capitol and award winners will be recognized at a special ceremony. Other activities include a "peace tree" planting, a candlelight ceremony, a statewide moment of prayer for peace and more.
The event is presented in honor of Hawaiʻi being named the first state in the nation to annually celebrate its own Peace Day, which is celebrated around the world as the United Nations International Day of Peace. Introduced by Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu on behalf of young members of the Hawaiʻi Buddhist Association, the Peace Day bill was signed into law by Gov. Linda Lingle on April 18, 2007.
Faculty with the Matsunaga Institute for Peace provided testimony for four bills regarding the promotion of peace during this past legislative session. The two bills that passed were HB 345, or the Peace Day bill, and HR 173, which requests the Matsunaga Institute to convene a working group to explore the possibility of designating Hawaiʻi as the "Geneva of the Pacific". MIP will hold a forum on this topic on Peace Day.
"Peace education encompasses much more than what has traditionally been the study and eradication of conditions of war and violence," said Jeannie Lum, associate professor with MIP and a key organizer of Peace Day. "Today it embraces transforming our world from cultures of war to cultures of peace addressing conditions of human survival -- ecological, economic, and cultural sustainability, planetary stewardship, social justice consciousness raising and spirituality." Organizers of Peace Day hope to eventually hold similar events throughout the state.
A full schedule of events for Peace Day will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit http://peace.oceanit.com.
How to Submit Expressions of Peace
Format: For this first year, art work format will be limited to:
Eligibility: Everyone! People of all ages are encouraged to participate.
Send pieces by mail to:
Dr. Jeannie Lum
Matsunaga Institute for Peace
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Saunders Hall #723
2424 Maile Way
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
Drop off pieces in person to:
Office of Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu
State Capitol, Room 427
Honolulu, HI 96813
Information required about the artist: For each submission, please include your name, age, mailing address and telephone number. If desired, you may also include a brief bio and explanation of the piece submitted.
Deadline: Please submit your expression of peace by September 7, 2007.
Property and Copyright: All submissions will become the property of the Peace Day committee and will not be returned. The committee reserves the right to use the work in order to promote Peace Day in the future, but will give credit to the artist or writer.
Display: Art work will be displayed at the State Capitol on September 21, 2007.
For more information, visit: http://peace.oceanit.com


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Stay open and flexible as you look at old crop/new crop profit spreads in the coming year
The nation's top crop analysts are spread across the marketing map, from extremely bullish to extremely bearish, when it comes to corn and soybean prices. Opinions vary on how producers should protect themselves from market fluctuation, although many suggest using put and call options as an insurance policy on both ends of the price spectrum. As you prepare your marketing strategies for the new year, keep the following advice from these 15 experts close at hand.
Jeff Beal
Gulke Group
Grains will be a tale of two markets. This year's historic drought resulted in extremely tight 2012/13 corn and bean stocks, which should provide underlying support as we move into the new year.
A subpar soybean harvest earlier this year left South Americans with fewer exports. Support for soybeans should last into the first quarter, when—barring a major South American weather event—a record crop will hit export markets.
Corn has the tightest stocks-to-use ratio since 1995/96, which likely means big swings in cash and basis markets as end users scramble to get physical commodities. This could last until we are confident of trend-line production for next year's corn crop or more evidence of demand destruction surfaces.
Old crop corn and soybeans will see extreme volatility in the months ahead.
For those who are willing to hold their crop for basis gains, hedging futures and waiting for the tight stock basis situation to play out will offer decent profit potential.
For the 2013 crop, the market continues to offer profit opportunities. Take advantage of them. If you prefer to maintain some marketing flexibility, use futures and options instead of the cash market. For those who do not want to deal with the Chicago Board of Trade, cash prices are still an attractive option for next year's crop.
Brian Basting
Advance Trading
Corn and soybean prices are expected to be highly volatile. With low ending stocks, there's little vroom for downward production adjustments or increases in usage.
The South American growing season is underway, and it's possible we'll see record soybean production. Weak demand for corn exports and a potential increase in U.S. soybean yields offset bullish trends. With record exports, Brazil corn is displacing U.S. corn in some markets. China could surprise the market, if its corn crop falls short and demand grows faster than projected. On the other hand, if China's appetite for soybeans slows, U.S. exports could fall short.
Upside market potential is high, but so is downside risk. As a result, consider an options-based
strategy, which establishes a floor but leaves the upside open. An alternative is to make cash sales if basis is favorable and purchase call options.
Bill Biedermann
Crops this year ended up better than we feared, which created higher than expected supplies. There is a big disconnect between the old and new (2013) crop. With corn trading in the $6.80 to $7.50 range and the potential to fall to $5.80 by June, I'd sell now. Corn above $7.25 and basis nearly 50¢ above the board is a good time to sell; I wouldn't store.
However, this strategy all changes if you expect adverse weather in the coming months. Then you would protect yourself on the upside with a call option. Many see the potential for corn to hit $8 to $9 per bushel based when compared to similar supply years such as 1995, but 2012/13 is not all like 1995.
The key difference is inflation in grain prices. Normal weather could give us 2 billion bushels in carryover by next fall and a huge drop in prices. A similar situation exists in soybeans.
Globally, anything approaching normal weather in 2013 will boost stocks and prices will decline. Old crop corn and soybean stocks are tight, but by next fall, soybeans could easily be $12.50. The biggest price risk for both crops is what happens to planted acres next spring.
Issues are at play in the markets that go far beyond supply and demand fundamentals. Hedge funds at the moment are largely absent, and to drive prices of corn and soybeans higher, they would have to re-enter grain markets. This is a huge factor.
Richard Brock
Brock Associates
Big bull commodity markets are generally followed by big bears. That's our 2013 position for corn and soybeans. With one of the biggest bull markets in history in 2012, we expect prices to trend lower into late summer, unless the Midwest experiences major production problems again.
In September, we advised producers to sell 70% of the corn crop and 60% of the soybean crop. We have also advised producers to be aggressive on hedging 2013/14 crops. When markets are inverted (nearby futures higher than deferred), it is not a good year to store.
How low is low? Obviously the answer to this question depends on growing conditions in the spring and summer. Nevertheless, if normal weather conditions occur, the downside objective in nearby corn futures will be $5 or possibly lower, and in soybeans it will be $13 or lower. November 2013 beans could trade under $12 per bushel. This is a good year to be an aggressive marketer.
Naomi Blohm
Because Chinese soybean demand has been voracious, look for a $14.50 to $17 range until more is known about South America's yield. If yield looks to be superb, futures' prices could slide to the lower end of that range. Should the weather look ominous with less than stellar yields, prices will likely retest the highs we saw this summer.
For corn, as tight as our stocks are, end users will continue to buy as they need it, so as not to excite the market and cause it to go irrationally higher. Corn will trade in the $7.25 to $8.25
range until January.
If we have perfect growing conditions in South America and adequate precipitation in the U.S. this winter, prices could go below $7 on the board. However, we need fall rain and good snow to replenish moisture. I am bullish on corn because absolutely perfect weather conditions are required between now and spring for a good crop, long-term.
Producers should prepare for both bullish and bearish scenarios. Keep making incremental sales as prices go to the high end of trading ranges. Pay attention and know the charts. In case prices break through a technical resistance, have a plan in place that allows you to re-own your crop. Establish price levels where you want to make cash sales. If prices meet those levels, be prepared
and have your orders ready.
A word on wheat: If the Black Sea region suddenly halts exports for whatever reason, wheat and corn markets will take a jump here.
Alan Brugler
Brugler Marketing
Ending stocks are snug for 2013. Export expectations have been sharply cut, as have those for industrial use. Livestock producers made modest cutbacks, but not enough to meet USDA's estimate.
Prices could be held back by a potential record corn crop in 2013 unless soybeans bid away acres. On soybeans, any significant sell-off tied to fund liquidation or a large South American crop will add export demand. The biggest bull argument: We oversell soybean supplies, which could convince crushers to shut down or export customers to sell back contracts.
Looking long-term for soybeans, I'm a market bear because I expect South American production to be at least 94% of USDA's November estimate—still too many beans. I'm concerned about black swan events, mostly in the macro sector: the European debt crisis and its undiscovered U.S. twin.
For marketing strategies: 1) Control margin exposure. Don't make big input cost commitments without offsetting forward sales or price floors. High fixed costs can be a killer if you don't lock in the revenue side. 2) Options spreads and their cash market equivalents are probably the sanest way to ride out market volatility while protecting margins and capturing upside opportunities.
Florez Trading
Next year looks like déjà vu. World grain stocks are very low, which will prevent low prices. Larger moves are often caused by funds moving in and out of markets. This fall we saw a paring down of hedge fund positions, causing prices to sink, but this is temporary. I expect prices to bottom out soon and test alltime highs in corn, wheat and soybeans.
Outside influences are potentially more bullish in 2013. World governments are printing money to spur economic growth. When growth happens, look out. You will see too much money chasing too few goods. Be cautious on new crop sales; take a wait-and-see attitude.
On a scale of 1-10, put me down as a 10. I'm so bullish I am growing horns!
Mark Gold
Top Third Ag Marketing
While corn export and ethanol demand suffers due to the high prices, feed usage remains strong. The market will try to ration until South American supplies are available. Corn growing countries will ramp up supply to meet demand. The length of fund long positions remains a problem. If South America has a decent growing season and next year's U.S. weather is normal, world corn stocks will swell. Look for opportunities to sell 2013 new crop corn from $6.50 to $7.
August rains helped save the soybean crop. I expect final bean yields to be higher than the October estimate; however, carryouts remain tight as China's appetite has not waned. Soybean supplies could remain tight through March or until the market perceives the U.S. soybean crop is 50 million to 100 million bushels above current production estimates. The Brazilian crop could run up to 83 million metric tons (mmt) with good weather. USDA raised world carryouts to 57.6 mmt, which might be too high to sustain $15.50 soybean prices. As in corn, the funds' long positions in soybeans and meal remain a problem. I would look to price new crop beans on rallies in the first quarter of 2013.
Brian Grete
Pro Farmer
I'm long-term bullish. Domestic supplies will be tight through the 2012/13 marketing year. The key will be demand. The greatest threat is the global economy. Another year of macro-economic uncertainty could keep prices from reflecting fundamentals.
The possible surprise event for 2013 is weather. After this year's historic drought, soil moisture is limited. With El Niño showing signs of fading, soil moisture possibly won't be replenished for 2013. Also, a fading El Niño might not allow South American bean production to be as large as
anticipated. Weather could be an even more surprising event next year than it was this year.
Because of macroeconomic concerns, it's imperative to take advantage of strong price rallies with aggressive sales. But if El Niño doesn't develop, be prepared to keep some supplies unpriced for a summer price rally and/or open upside price potential with call options.
Gregg Hunt
Archer Financial Services
The market's function will be to ration supply in the first and second quarters of 2013 for livestock, which accounts for 62% of total feed use. As in 1996, this job has not yet been completed. In 1996, this showed up in the March corn quarterly stocks report, and 2013 will likely show the same results. Exports and ethanol production are on the right pace, but without curtailing feed use we will have no supply by July. This will not happen simply by taking prices higher.
I believe the crop is larger than the October report, but it's too early to be assured of a big South American crop. The problem will be getting this crop out fast enough into export channels, which South American exporters do not have the infrastructure to handle. Corn will be dicey March through May, but if South American soybeans increase by 35 mmt, prices will be capped.
Dustin Johnson
I am bullish on corn, but the upside might be limited due to slowing demand. Spreads are not providing enough incentive to store, given strong fall basis. Scale up orders in the cash market to clean up sales before yearend. For producers wanting upside potential, look to March calls to take us through January reports.
I don't see USDA's ethanol demand estimate of 4.5 billion bushels changing without sharp energy price rallies. World carryouts are at the tightest stocks-to-use level since 1974, and I expect
strong price support.
Soybean production has increased from USDA's September estimate, but demand has kept pace. China's appetite for U.S. soybeans has been unprecedented. Any further supply increases will likely be offset by higher export demand. We are counting on South America to replenish world supply, and prices will be sensitive to weather forecasts. Strong cash basis and frontmonth
premiums indicate it's time to sell cash beans now and re-own with calls in March through May.
Sue Martin
Ag and Investment Services
Corn and soybeans hold potential for new highs in 2013. We've done little to ration corn supplies for pork and poultry. Beef production holds, as animals have been fed to heavier weights to adjust for a tighter supply of feeder calves. World supplies are tight, with Argentina's corn production down from last year while Brazil's will increase, and China's will probably stay the same.
The kicker for corn is that world wheat stocks are becoming tight as well. World stocks were lowered by 4.7 mmt, down from 25.17 mmt in 2011.
World bean stocks have increased in anticipation of a big South American crop, although U.S. carryout is still tight. Brazil looks to expand, but its infrastructure will have problems handling
the crop, aiding U.S. exports.
Forecasts for China's economic growth indicates a slowing to 6.5% to 7.7%. The biggest issue for Chinese leaders will be keeping unrest at bay. Fighting food inflation will be a concern in many
countries. This comes at a time of adverse global weather and strong food demand.
The unknown for 2013 is weather in the Midwest. The CRB Index (a commodity price index) has a potential head-and-shoulders formation taking shape on the charts. If this continues, extremely
high prices could develop.
For now, I would be patient in making cash sales. The market saw a typical harvest correction. The best is yet to come.
Mike North
First Capitol Ag
Harvest pressure has brought value to buyers. This will likely not last long. With tight balance sheets, corn and soybeans are poised for a winter rally.
The watch point for soybeans will be South American weather and its impact on the record acreage being planted. If weather remains dry, higher prices will likely develop as we approach planting season and soybeans battle for acreage. If weather hints at large production, soybeans will forfeit ground easily to corn.
Corn prices will be at the mercy of weather as well. The U.S. must produce an average to above-average crop in order to bring world supplies back to a more manageable level. In a world of just-in-time inventories, any reduction in production and/or stocks will make the case for strong prices for multiple years. Another dry growing season will cause prices to be well supported, while the contrary will allow prices to soften once safely through pollination.
Next year has the potential to be the most volatile in history. While we can not deny the bullish market slant, global economies cast a long shadow and will provide resistance to upside market potential. Unforeseen events can change the entire picture overnight. Therefore, producers should evaluate making small sales on next year's production and use put options to defend
current opportunities.
Bob Utterback
Utterback Marketing Services
Three primary game changers are in the mix: the potential global economic slowdown, political reaction to global deflation and any unexpected yield reduction event. All three events happened in 2012. We could see continued European economic weakness in the first part of 2013, which could pull down China's economy, as well as ours. One would think the ag commodity supply/demand report would have been bearish, but two things happened: governments are working to keep food prices low and drought hit the U.S.
The market will keep prices strong enough to encourage stocks rebuilding, but not high enough to kill demand. Prices are still posting some of the highest levels seen at this time of year. The problem is that deferred contracts (corn below $7 and $13.50 soybeans) seem low when compared with the current flat price potential of new highs if a South American or U.S. weather event develops.
Be an aggressive scale-up seller of 2013 (September corn contract above $6.95 and November 2013 soybeans at $13.85 or better) via a deep-in-themoney put at the maximum cash flow. Then focus on selling lead-month deepout-of-the-money puts to help pay for the time, value and operational costs of the expensive puts. If we experience another weather event, cash flow exposure should be capped and producers have the opportunity to gain in the net selling price if prices rally. On the other hand, if crops get planted, are stored "too" long after harvest and prices drop sharply, a floor is in place and there is little or no need to panic about what to do with unpriced 2013 grain put in the bins next fall close to the cost of production.
Doug Werling
Bower Trading
Look for soybeans to trade sideways heading into the new year, keying off South American weather for price direction. The "good" U.S. soybean yields should add supply to future USDA reports, dampening the need for large demand rationing and buying time for global end users to roll the dice on a large Brazilian soybean crop. El Niño weather years provide good growing conditions for South America.
In October, USDA provided hard evidence of rationing ethanol and exports, while proof of cuts in feed use will not occur until quarterly stocks reports in January and March. USDA has U.S. exports at a more than 30-year low. Flip the coin over, and despite high prices, global corn use last year was higher than expected.
Recent purchases of U.S. corn by the Chinese tell us that when prices get low enough they will buy and make their own market bottoms. China continues to have a large need for feed grains. The
long-term seasonal suggest a market bottom around this time of year and nonpriced/noncontracted corn will go to on-farm storage. A phenomenal amount of storage has been put up.
Europe continues to be an ongoing issue with huge risk to all markets. A lower Euro and higher Dollar index means lower grain prices for producers. Also some sort of tampering with the renewable fuel standards could be damaging to corn prices.
Whatever you don't have sold, put it in your bin and play the basis.
Final production numbers are in flux and market volatility is on the rise. Make plans to join us at the Top Producer Seminar, Jan. 30–Feb. 1 in Chicago, Ill., to gain insight and tips from many of the market analysts featured in this story.
This material includes analysis by company employees. By accepting it, you agree that you are an experienced user of the futures markets, capable of making independent trading decisions, and agree that you are not, and will not, rely solely on this communication in making trading decisions. The risk of loss in trading futures and/or options is substantial and each investor and/or trader must consider whether this is a suitable investment. Past performance, whether actual or indicated by simulated historical tests of strategies, is not indicative of future results. Trading advice is based on information taken from trades and statistical services and other sources that the above marketing services believe are reliable. The analysts do not guarantee that such information is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Trading advice reflects good faith judgment at a specific time and is subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice will result in profitable trades.