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If you're just starting out as an entrepreneur, congratulations! Starting a new business is an awesome and exciting experience.
But, like anything else, there's a learning curve to entrepreneurship—you're likely to make some mistakes along the way.
Luckily, there are plenty who have gone before you and made a lot of errors. We thought we'd save you the trouble of having to experience them yourself by sharing the 10 most common mistakes made by brand new entrepreneurs:
1. They try to do it all alone
One of the hallmark mistakes of starting a new business is trying to do everything alone.
For entrepreneurs, especially new entrepreneurs, your business can feel a lot like your baby. And just like it's hard to pass your newborn baby off to a babysitter so you can go enjoy some grown-up time, it can be hard to pass responsibilities for your business off to other people.
What ends up happening when you try to do everything yourself is that some things simply don't get done. No matter how much of a rockstar you are, you alone aren't enough to get a successful and profitable business off the ground. As they say, "it takes a village." If you try to do it without the village, you'll find yourself curled in a ball under your desk, completely overwhelmed and cursing the day you ever decided to start a business.
If you don't think ahead and build a reliable team, that day will come way sooner than you think.
If you want your business to be successful, you need to figure out where you're best suited. Are you the big-picture strategy thinker? Do you want to run operations or marketing? Figure out the primary thing you want to manage for your business, then build an awesome team to handle the rest.
2. They insist on designing all the things … even if they've never used Photoshop
Building on the last point, for whatever reason, so many brand new entrepreneurs think they need to steer the design ship for their business. But the only way you should steer the design ship for your business is if you're a designer.
Let's repeat that one more time: you should only be steering the design ship for your business is if you're a designer.
Your brand design is so important. Things like your logo, web design, marketing materials and packaging—these are the elements that make up your brand identity and play an immeasurable role in how you're perceived in the market. If your design looks sloppy and unprofessional, guess what? People (including potential investors and customers) will think your business is sloppy and unprofessional, too.
When it comes to design for your business, leave it to the professionals. Hiring a designer with experience in bringing a brand to life will help you create a professional image that will wow investors and customers alike.
Now, just because you're hiring a designer doesn't mean you can't influence the direction your brand design takes. A great designer will be able to work with you, listen to your vision for the brand, and translate your feedback into awesome design collateral, like a killer logo or irresistible app.
Look for a designer with an aesthetic that matches what you're looking for, who also has a ton of experience in branding and logo design. Then, work with him or her to bring your vision for your brand to life.
3. They try to do too much, too soon
Expansion is awesome, but as a brand new entrepreneur, when it comes to growth, you can definitely have too much of a good thing.
Let's look at Coolest Cooler as an example. Coolest Cooler is a Portland-based business that launched a Kickstarter campaign in July, 2014 to raise funding to produce their (admittedly awesome) coolers. They asked the Kickstarter community to donate $185 in exchange for a Coolest Cooler, which was set to be delivered in early 2015.
They reached their $50,000 fundraising goal in less than 36 hours. But it's everything that happened after they hit that goal that should be viewed as a cautionary tale for all entrepreneurs.
Instead of capping their donations and stopping at a point where they could reasonably fulfill orders, they continued to accept pledges from excited customers, eventually breaking Kickstarter's fundraising record with a whopping $13.2 million donated by over 60,000 customers.
The problem? The Coolest Cooler team had no infrastructure in place to mass produce over 60,000 coolers in a few short months. They tried to do too much, too fast, and the results were disastrous.
Production got backed up and Coolest Cooler wasn't able to deliver their products as promised in early 2015. Constant delays kept pushing back delivery. Then, they brought the coolers to market before they fulfilled their promises to Kickstarter backers, causing an uproar. Eventually, in 2016, more than a year after promised delivery, they made Kickstarter pledges pay an additional $97 in order to get their coolers before summer. In the end, they ended up being investigated by the state of Oregon in response to the hundreds of customer complaints about the Kickstarter debacle.
Moral of the story: scaling too fast is a death sentence for a new company. When it comes to scaling, it's like the hare and the tortoise: slow and steady wins the race. Don't try to sell a million units if you can't produce and ship a million units. Don't hire 500 customer service reps if you don't have the money to pay them. Grow at a natural, steady pace. If you try to get there too fast, you won't get there at all.
4. They stop growing and learning
The world of business is an ever-evolving place. There are always new strategies to learn, new tools to master, new techniques to test. And the most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who maintain a student mentality; they want to grow their business, but they know in order to do that, they need to grow right along with it.
Whether it's because they're overwhelmed with everything they need to do or a taste of success has them feeling like "I got this," so many new entrepreneurs make the mistake of putting learning on the backburner. They give up their student mentality in exchange for an "I'm the boss" hat and their business suffers.
Don't be that person. If you want your business to be successful, you have to be real about the fact that there are many things you just don't know yet, and you need to remain open to learning those things. Learning is the key to growth, and the second you stop learning is when you — and your business — stop evolving.
5. They don't know who they are — or who they want to be
A huge mistake made by many brand new entrepreneurs is launching their brand before they know what their brand really is.
If you want your brand to be successful, you need to have a clear idea of who you are, what you're about, and who you serve. Your brand identity is what's going to create the connection with the customers you need to catapult your business to success.
If you have no idea what that identity is, you're not going to connect with anyone. No one wants to connect with a company whose identity boils down to "Well, I'm not sure who I am or what I'm about… but buy my stuff anyway!"
Before you launch any business venture, it's important that you lock in who you are as a brand. If you're feeling a little lost on your brand identity, it can be helpful to ask yourself some exploratory questions, like:
- What is our company's mission?
- What are our company's brand values?
- Who is our ideal customer?
- How do we want to be perceived in the market?
- What sets us apart from our competition?
- Why should our customers work with us over all the other available options?
- What is our customer's biggest problem, and how does our product/service solve it?
- What kind of voice does our brand have?
The answers to these questions (and questions like it) can help you get to know your brand better and that knowledge will help you have a significantly more successful launch.
6. They hire people they like — instead of people they need
Look, we get it—it's fun to work with people you like. Who doesn't want to work with someone who's fun and awesome and "like, totally gets me?"
There's nothing wrong with hiring likeable people who are a great fit for your company culture. But a major mistake a lot of brand new entrepreneurs make is that they hire people they like instead of hiring people they need.
Your business isn't going to get off the ground if you hire your friend who failed Composition 101 to write your website copy instead of a professional copywriter or a designer who made you laugh in the interview (but has terrible samples) instead of someone who has the design chops you need.
If you want your business to be successful, you need to build a team of people who are awesome at what they do. Yes, it would be great if you liked them, but if you make that the first (and only) criteria when hiring, you're going to end up with a team of people you really like, who can't do the work you need them to do.
7. They keep too tight a hold on their wallet …
Building a business costs money and a lot of brand new entrepreneurs are terrified to spend it.
To avoid doing so, they cut corners and pinch pennies and then are totally shocked when their product launch flops—even though they didn't spend a dollar on ads.
8… Or they spend like it's going out of style
On the flip side, there are also plenty of brand new entrepreneurs who spend money like they're trying to land a spot on "Rich Kids of Instagram." They spend money like it's going out of style, building state-of-the-art corporate headquarters with a keg-o-rater at every station or booking private jets to take their investors to Vegas. And they always seem to be surprised when their company goes under.
You don't want to be either of these people. If you don't spend enough money and invest in things like product development, marketing, or advertising, you'll never get your business off the ground. But if you spend too much money on things you don't need, like a high-tech office or expensive team outings, you'll run your business into the ground before you even get started.
When it comes to spending money on your business, think of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: you don't want to spend too much, you don't want to spend too little—when it comes to spending, you want things to be "just right."
9. They don't solve a problem (or the right problem)
Your customers have a problem. Your company presents a solution to said problem.
When you really get down to it, that's the point of starting a business. You're solving a problem.
But a reason that a lot of new businesses, and new entrepreneurs, fail is that they don't actually solve a problem. Or they're solving the wrong problem.
If you want to find success as a new entrepreneur, you need to get really clear on a) the problem your customer is having, and b) how your product or service solves that problem. Without that clarity, you might build a business that doesn't actually offer any solutions to your customers — or offers a solution they're not looking for. Either way, your business fails.
10. They let fear run the show
Starting a business is super exciting, but it can also be scary. While a bit of fear and anxiety is totally normal, healthy even, allowing fear to run the show is like boarding an express train to Mistake-ville.
Starting and operating a successful business requires a certain amount of risk. If you're not willing to take risks, you'll never reap the rewards. If you're paralyzed by fear – fear of making mistakes, fear of running out of money, fear of all the things that might go wrong – you'll never be able to make the decisions you need to make to take your business to the next level.
It's ok to be afraid. It's not ok to let fear stop you from making the right decisions for your business. You've got to be brave. In the immortal words of John Wayne, "courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."
There's no way around it — as a new entrepreneur, you're going to mess up. But now that you know the 10 most common mistakes made by new entrepreneurs, at least you can avoid these mistakes.
Author: Deanna deBara


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These Dawn FC (framing camera) images show craters with both sharp and smooth crater rims in Vesta's southern hemisphere. The left image has a much wider field of view than the right image and displays the craters with both sharp and smooth rims in the bottom right of the image. Most of the other craters in this image either have sharp or smooth rims. The detailed structure of the sharp and smooth rimmed craters is seen in the right image, which has a smaller field of view and a higher resolution than the left image. Landsliding seems to be occurring on the smooth rims, which results in them losing a definite sharp rim. Dark and bright material is also seen slumping into the craters from their rims.
NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained these images with its framing camera on August 29th and September 30th 2011. These images were taken through the camera's clear filter. The distance to the surface of Vesta is 2740km and 702km and the images have a resolution of about 250 meters and 63 meters per pixel respectively.
The Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington D.C. UCLA is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. The Dawn framing cameras have been developed and built under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany, with significant contributions by DLR German Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, and in coordination with the Institute of Computer and Communication Network Engineering, Braunschweig. The Framing Camera project is funded by the Max Planck Society, DLR, and NASA/JPL.
More information about Dawn is online at http://www.nasa.gov/dawn and http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov.

subset: commoncrawl


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As initially reported in OnlineMediaDaily on September 14, San Francisco-based Flipboard, the
social magazine app, has struck a deal with two of Japan's largest ad agencies, Dentsu and ADK, to help it market the service in Japan, the companies said Friday.
Flipboard launched
in Japan in May and has been working with the agencies since then, but now has entered into a formal partnership with the two shops.
The agencies will assist in expanding the number of
media companies that share content via the app and also help popularize the service among consumers in Japan and promote the platform as an advertising medium.
Among the media companies
recently agreeing to share content with Flipboard in Japan are GQ Japan, Wired, AOL Celebrity, the Japanese edition of National Geographic and Autocar Japan.
Flipboard bills itself as a social network aggregator that offers a magazine-type format for Android and Apple devices. It presents images, stories and links from various online social media,
RSS feeds and blogs in a magazine-type presentation that users can "flip" through.
The app was unveiled in December 2010 and was available at first for Apple iPads and phones.
Android versions were introduced earlier this year.
Earlier this month, Levi's confirmed it was adding a Flipboard component to its "Go Forth" campaign this fall. The effort
introduces a new ad format that Flipboard calls a "brand magazine," which combines all the images, content and social elements tied to a campaign into a single channel in the iPad app.
That campaign, orchestrated by Levi's media shop OMD, runs through October.


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Welcome to Fun Box Monster Emporium!
Continue Shopping
Set in an alternative world where aliens have come to Earth and integrated with society, LaGuardia revolves around a pregnant Nigerian-American doctor, Future Nwafor Chukwuebuka who has just returned to NYC under mysterious conditions. After smuggling an illegal alien plant named 'Letme Live' through LaGuardia International and Interstellar Airport's customs and security, she arrives at her grandmother's tenement, the New Hope Apartments in the South Bronx. There, she and Letme become part of a growing population of mostly African and shape-shifting alien immigrants, battling against interrogation, discrimination and travel bans, as they try to make it in a new land. But, as the birth of her child nears, future begins to change. What dark secret is she hiding? Written by Nnedi Okorafor, Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award winner (Who Fears Death, Binti, Akata series) and illustrated by Tana Ford (Silk, Duck!), the team behind Black Panther: Long Live the King #6.


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YYC Holiday Travel Tips
Christmas Holiday Information
December is a busy time of year for Calgary International Airport (YYC). During the holiday season, it is recommended that additional time should be allowed when travelling to and from YYC due to road conditions, weather and general congestion caused by increased vehicle, passenger and baggage volumes. Here are some tips and general information to help reduce travel-related stress or delays during the holiday season.
Security Tips and Restricted Items
Passenger and baggage security screening at airports in Canada is provided by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). For the most current information on tips to avoid delays during this important process, please go to CATSA's website
Flight Check-In
A frequent question received by The Calgary Airport Authority is 'When should I arrive at the airport for my flight?"
Each airline sets its own recommended check-in time dependant on the destination. Generally, one hour should be the minimum for flights within Canada and two hours for destinations outside of Canada.
Web check-in services may be available through your airline. Web check-in allows passengers to choose seats and check-in as early as 24 hours prior to departure. Check your airline's website for more information.
Baggage Allowances
Each airline has their own luggage allowance policies. Luggage restrictions can include weight and number of bags permitted to be checked without charge and size and number of carry-on items permitted on-board. Please check with your airline for information.
Park Closer this holiday season! YYC recently lowered weekly rates in both Parkades and the Economy Lot. New weekly rates include $39.95 per week in the Economy Lot, $59 per week in Parkade 2 and $99 per week in Parkade 1. With so many choices, parking at YYC has never been easier.
More parking information on rates and parking lot locations on our parking webpage.
Don't forget the free 30 minute parking in the Short-term parking area and the Cell Phone park and wait lot. The Cell Phone lot is located on north side of Airport Road (just to the right as you enter YYC), before the parkade entrance – just look for the purple and white signs! Arriving passengers will be able to collect their items, call their ride waiting in the Cell Phone lot and meet them at the designated area on the arrivals level. Fast, easy and free!
Other ground transportation options include taxis, sedans; the YYC airport shuttle or Calgary Transit. Associated Cab and Allied Limousine are YYC's on-demand taxi and sedan ground transportation services available on the Arrivals Level 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information on these great transportation options on our webpage.
Winter Coat Storage
Leaving the cold winter weather and going somewhere warm for Christmas? The Airport Information Centre, located on the arrivals level, mid-terminal adjacent to Baggage Carousel Four is great place to store your coat while you're away! Call 403-735-1234 for information and storage rates. The Information Centre, Storage and Lost Article hours of operation are daily from 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Baggage Assistance
The Calgary Airport Authority offers complimentary baggage carts located throughout the terminal and adjoining parking areas.
For larger, heavier or multiple items, uniformed 'red cap' Porter Services are also available. Porters are compensated by gratuities, with $1 to $2 per bag considered customary. To pre-arrange this service for groups, call 403-291-2653.
e: infocentre@yyct: 403 735 1234SRV Canada VRS© Calgary Airport Authority - All rights reserved


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There is not product in this category
Performance Clinics are World's premium quality sports research product suppliers. Our products are the highest quality / purity on the market, produced in the most sophisticated and highly regulated US facilities available and tested by World's most trusted quality assurance analysts with quality reports available on request.
We provide research only products to our clients and ensure access to the best quality product at a fraction of the price available to research specialists elsewhere. Please read our product usage disclaimer before deciding whether or not our products are suitable for your research project.
There is not product in this category


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Bishop gets 31st win, Lightning top Devils 3-0
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Ben Bishop had a milestone game against one of the NHL's greatest goalies.
Bishop stopped 23 shots to set Tampa Bay's single-season record with 31 victories as the Lightning beat Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Saturday night.
''He's got a few more than me,'' Bishop said of Brodeur, who tops the NHL's career wins list with 686. ''It's always nice playing against the best in the game, if not the best ever. So, whenever you can get a win against him, you remember those.''
Bishop (31-11-6) broke the mark held by Nikolai Khabibulin, which was set in 2002-03. It was Bishop's fifth shutout this season.
''You're watching the growth of Ben Bishop,'' Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. ''He wants that next start. He's not shying away from it.''
Bishop now has 49 career victories, including eight shutouts, in 97 games.
Michael Kostka had a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay, which has won two in a row following a five-game losing streak (0-3-2). B.J Crombeen and Nate Thompson had the other goals for the Lightning.
Brodeur made 29 saves for the Devils, who were coming off a 5-3 loss Friday night at Florida. Brodeur had beaten Tampa Bay twice earlier this season, allowing just one goal overall.
''It's all about winning,'' Brodeur said. ''It doesn't matter if I feel good in there. We didn't get the win. On a personal note, I was seeing the puck pretty good.''
The Devils are 11th in the Eastern Conference.
''We all know what's at stake,'' New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer said. ''It's a disappointing trip, but the season is not over.''
Bishop turned aside four shots by Michael Ryder, including a nice arm save, during the first two periods, and gloved a shot from the top of the left circle by Adam Henrique with 6 1/2 minutes to go in the third.
Brodeur made a nifty glove save on Steven Stamkos' shot 7 minutes into the second.
After J.T. Brown had his penalty shot stopped by Brodeur at 11:19, Crombeen, positioned in the slot, redirected Kostka's shot past the New Jersey goalie for a 1-0 lead 1:07 later.
Kostka made it 2-0 when he was left alone just outside the crease and put a back-hander past Brodeur with 3:02 left in the second.
Valtteri Filppula assisted on both of the Lightning's second-period goals, and has six assists and seven points during a four-game point streak.
Thompson scored at 16:41 of the third.
The Devils had a goal by Jon Merrill disallowed at 5:01 of the first because of incidental goalie contact.
''From the bench I couldn't tell,'' DeBoer said. ''When I watched the replay, their guy obviously was the one who interfered with the goalie. So it's disappointing that that call wasn't properly made. It's water under the bridge. We've got to bounce back.''
New Jersey's Jaromir Jagr had his five-game point streak - three goals, six points - end. He had two shots and was minus-1.
NOTES: Stamkos was held without a point for the fourth time in five games since returning from a broken right shin. ... Tampa Bay is 0 for 3 on penalty shots this season. ... New Jersey C Ryan Carter didn't play due to an upper-body injury. ... Crombeen had been a healthy scratch the previous four games and six of the last seven.


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Web Hosting and Outreach
Project |
Provided by SemiNet,
an independent web-hosting project that is designed to provide
value-added web hosting and outreach resources for congregations and organizations of the Presbyterian Church
SemiNet hosts two types of
domain names: B. Domain names that are built on the roots pcusa.cc or pcusa.us . pcusa.cc and pcusa.us are a unique domain-name services. These custom names are created by SemiNet and offer churches and other Presbyterian organizations a wide range of individual choices. Examples of this model would be clarkstonpres.pcusa.cc and westminster.pcusa.cc. The cost for a name built on the pcusa.cc or pcusa.us roots is a onetime setup charge of $30. Unlike the domain names secured through a registrar, there are no annual costs for the use of the domain name. SemiNet offers
affordable Web hosting: One time set-up fee: $30.00 The hosting services provided are as follows: - 30
GB/month Transfer How to Establish
a Domain Name and Web Hosting with SemiNet |


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Recent mtDNA variability study in Czechs, the neighbors of Slovaks, has shown that they are genetically similar with adjacent European populations, but characterized by a small frequency of East Eurasian (2.8%) and Roma-specific (2.8%) mtDNA lineages (Malyarchuk et al. 2006b). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterize the mtDNA variation in Slovaks from western and eastern areas of Slovakia, based on variation of the HVS I and HVS II sequences, followed by a hierarchical survey of mtDNA haplogroup-specific restriction fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) markers.In the above passage they are referring to this paper. More on the haplogroup M in Slovaks:
However, in contrast to the previously studied Czech population from western Bohemia (Malyarchuk et al. 2006b), samples from Slovakia do not display any East Eurasian mtDNAs. One of the Slovak M-haplotype belongs to subhaplogroup M1b and is identical to M1b1a-haplotypes revealed in Italians and Bedouins from southern Israel (Olivieri et al. 2006) as well as in Saudi Arabs (Abu-Amero et al. 2007). A second M-lineage detected in Slovaks is defined by variants at positions 16129–16223-16230–16233-16304–16344. This lineage is identical to those revealed previously in gene pools of the Bulgarian Roma at frequency of 3.6% (Gresham et al. 2001). Based on the presence of the 16129 variant, Gresham et al. (2001) suggested that this lineage belongs to Indian-specific haplogroup M5. Nevertheless, to determine its exact phylogenetic status we completely sequenced our Slovak sample (Slv227) and compared it with Indian M-haplotypes published by Sun et al. (2006) (Fig. 1). As a result, we have found that our sample belongs to haplogroup M35 due to mutations at positions 199 and 12561. Moreover, it shared transition at 15928 with the South Indian sample T17 (from Andhra Pradesh) that allowed us to define a new Indian/Roma branch called as M35b.And on a Roma-related J1* lineage:
Previously, we have found that the Polish Roma population is characterized by high incidence (18.8%) of haplogroup J1* lineage, defined by HVS I motif 16069–16126-16145–16222-16235–16261-16271 (Malyarchuk et al. 2006a). This and a similar haplotype, lacking only the 16271 transition, are very rare in European Roma populations, being found only in the Spanish, Bulgarian and Hungarian Roma (Gresham et al. 2001; Egyed et al. 2007). Among Europeans, such haplotypes have been revealed only in French (0.5%; Dubut et al. 2004), Hungarian (0.5%; Egyed et al. 2007) and Czech (about 3%; Vanecek et al. 2004; Malyarchuk et al. 2006b) populations. In the present study, we have found that 2.9% of individuals from eastern Slovakia are characterized by exactly the same J1*-haplotype.On differences within Slovakia:
The MDS analysis performed on the basis of pairwise FST values revealed that Slovak populations do not cluster together. Western Slovaks are located together with the Czechs and Austrians (in accordance with their geographic proximity), whereas eastern Slovaks are placed close to Slovenians (Fig. 3).
Ann Hum Genet (OnlineEarly Articles). doi:10.1111/j.1469-1809.2007.00410.x
Mitochondrial DNA Variability in Slovaks, with Application to the Roma Origin
Annals of Human Genetics
A. Malyarchuk, M. A. Perkova, M. V. Derenko, T. Vanecek, J. Lazur, P. Gomolcak
To gain insight into the mitochondrial gene pool diversity of European populations, we studied mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variability in 207 subjects from western and eastern areas of Slovakia. Sequencing of two hypervariable segments, HVS I and HVS II, in combination with screening of coding region haplogroup-specific RFLP-markers, revealed that the majority of Slovak mtDNAs belong to the common West Eurasian mitochondrial haplogroups (HV, J, T, U, N1, W, and X). However, a few sub-Saharan African (L2a) mtDNAs were detected in a population from eastern part of Slovakia. In addition, about 3% of mtDNAs from eastern Slovakia encompass Roma-specific lineages. By means of complete mtDNA sequencing we demonstrate here that the Roma-specific M-lineages observed in gene pools of different Slavonic populations (Slovaks, Poles and Russians), belong to Indian-specific haplogroups M5a1 and M35. Moreover, we show that haplogroup J lineages found in gene pools of the Roma and some Slavonic populations (Czechs and Slovaks) belong to new subhaplogroup J1a, which is defined by coding region mutation at position 8460.


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- You can create a - Layout, Card, Canvas, Mini Album, Mixed Media, "Off the Page" creations.
- Must be newly created as of 24th of June 2016.
- Enter a direct link to your creations into the link tool, not to the main page of your blog. This makes it easy for the Design Team to find you creations to leave comments.
- You may enter each of our Challenges up to Four Times.
- If the entries on the Challenges does not meet the above requirements your entry will be disqualify!
Friday, June 24, 2016
Challenge #68 - Quotes / Sentiments
Challenge #68 - Quotes / Sentiments
This Challenge is due Thursday 7th of July 2016, 23:55PM European Time.
Please, be aware of the time zone differences - on the top left you will find the Date and Clock on the Blog.
We would like to thank our Wonderful Sponsors
Our Sponsor for Challenge #68 is
As if raising five children in the frozen land of the North was not enough of a challenge, Jodie Mackrell decided to dip her cold little Canadian toes into the world of papercrafting by opening an online store full of her illustrations. That was six years ago. Today Bugaboo Stamps is one of the leading companies in digital images, and we're still growing! From seriously snarky to sugary sweet to sublimely soulful all the way over to the other side of the super sexy spectrum, you're bound to find all that you need and more to create your paper projects. Jodie works very hard to provide New Releases and Freebies every week!
The Gorgeous Creations of the Design Team Ladies
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Thank you for your beautiful GD Creations Ladies!!
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Bio on Guest Designers page
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AES San Francisco 2012
Paper Session P10
P10 - Transducers
Saturday, October 27, 2:00 pm — 6:00 pm (Room 121)
Alex Voishvillo, JBL Professional - Northridge, CA, USA
P10-1 The Relationship between Perception and Measurement of Headphone Sound Quality—Sean Olive, Harman International - Northridge, CA, USA; Todd Welti, Harman International - Northridge, CA, USA
Double-blind listening tests were performed on six popular circumaural headphones to study the relationship between their perceived sound quality and their acoustical performance. In terms of overall sound quality, the most preferred headphones were perceived to have the most neutral spectral balance with the lowest coloration. When measured on an acoustic coupler, the most preferred headphones produced the smoothest and flattest amplitude response, a response that deviates from the current IEC recommended diffuse-field calibration. The results provide further evidence that the IEC 60268-7 headphone calibration is not optimal for achieving the best sound quality.
Convention Paper 8744 (Purchase now)
P10-2 On the Study of Ionic Microphones—Hiroshi Akino, Audio-Technica Co. - Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan; Kanagawa Institute of Technology - Kanagawa, Japan; Hirofumi Shimokawa, Kanagawa Institute of Technology - Kanagawa, Japan; Tadashi Kikutani, Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. - Stow, OH, USA; Jackie Green, Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. - Stow, OH, USA
Diaphragm-less ionic loudspeakers using both low-temperature and high-temperature plasma methods have already been studied and developed for practical use. This study examined using similar methods to create a diaphragm-less ionic microphone. Although the low-temperature method was not practical due to high noise levels in the discharges, the high-temperature method exhibited a useful shifting of the oscillation frequency. By performing FM detection on this oscillation frequency shift, audio signals were obtained. Accordingly, an ionic microphone was tested in which the frequency response level using high-temperature plasma increased as the sound wave frequency decreased. Maintaining performance proved difficult as discharges in the air led to wear of the needle electrode tip and adhesion of products of the discharge. Study results showed that the stability of the discharge corresponded to the non-uniform electric field that was dependent on the formation shape of the high-temperature plasma, the shape of the discharge electrode, and the use of inert gas that protected the needle electrode. This paper reviews the experimental outcome of the two ionic methods, and considerations given to resolve the tip and discharge product and stability problems.
Convention Paper 8745 (Purchase now)
P10-3 Midrange Resonant Scattering in Loudspeakers—Juha Backman, Nokia Corporation - Espoo, Finland
One of the significant sources of midrange coloration in loudspeakers is the resonant scattering of the exterior sound field from ports, recesses, or horns. This paper discusses the qualitative behavior of the scattered sound and introduces a computationally efficient model for such scattering, based on waveguide models for the acoustical elements (ports, etc.), and mutual radiation impedance model for their coupling to the sound field generated by the drivers. In the simplest case of driver-port interaction in a direct radiating loudspeaker an approximate analytical expression can be written for the scattered sound. These methods can be applied to numerical optimization of loudspeaker layouts.
Convention Paper 8746 (Purchase now)
P10-4 Long Distance Induction Drive Loud Hailer Characterization—Marshall Buck, Psychotechnology, Inc. - Los Angeles, CA, USA; Wisdom Audio; David Graebener, Wisdom Audio Corporation - Carson City, NV, USA; Ron Sauro, NWAA Labs, Inc. - Elma, WA, USA
Further development of the high power, high efficiency induction drive compression driver when mounted on a tight pattern horn results in a high performance loud hailer. The detailed performance is tested in an independent laboratory with unique capabilities, including indoor frequency response at a distance of 4 meters. Additional characteristics tested include maximum burst output level, polar response, and directivity balloons. Outdoor tests were also performed at distances up to 220 meters and included speech transmission index and frequency response. Plane wave tube driver-phase plug tests were performed to assess incoherence, power compression, efficiency, and frequency response.
Convention Paper 8747 (Purchase now)
P10-5 Optimal Configurations for Subwoofers in Rooms Considering Seat to Seat Variation and Low Frequency Efficiency—Todd Welti, Harman International - Northridge, CA, USA
The placement of subwoofers and listeners in small rooms and the size and shape of the room all have profound influences on the resulting low frequency response. In this study, a computer model was used to investigate a large number of room, seating, and subwoofer configurations. For each configuration simulated, metrics for seat to seat consistency and bass efficiency were calculated and combined in a newly proposed metric, which is intended as an overall figure of merit. The data presented has much practical value in small room design for new rooms, or even for modifying existing configurations.
Convention Paper 8748 (Purchase now)
P10-6 Modeling the Large Signal Behavior of Micro-Speakers—Wolfgang Klippel, Klippel GmbH - Dresden, Germany
The mechanical and acoustical losses considered in the lumped parameter modeling of electro-dynamical transducers may become a dominant source of nonlinear distortion in micro-speakers, tweeters, headphones, and some horn compression drivers where the total quality factor Qts is not dominated by the electrical damping realized by a high force factor Bl and a low voice resistance Re. This paper presents a nonlinear model describing the generation of the distortion and a new dynamic measurement technique for identifying the nonlinear resistance Rms(v) as a function of voice coil velocity v. The theory and the identification technique are verified by comparing distortion and other nonlinear symptoms measured on micro-speakers as used in cellular phones with the corresponding behavior predicted by the nonlinear model.
Convention Paper 8749 (Purchase now)
P10-7 An Indirect Study of Compliance and Damping in Linear Array Transducers—Richard Little, Far North Electroacoustics - Surrey, BC, Canada
A linear array transducer is a dual-motor, dual-coil, multi-cone, tubularly-shaped transducer whose shape defeats many measurement techniques that can be used to examine directly the force-deflection behavior of its diaphragm suspension system. Instead, the impedance curve of the transducer is compared against theoretical linear models to determine best-fit parameter values. The variation in the value of these parameters with increasing input signal levels is also examined.
Convention Paper 8750 (Purchase now)
P10-8 Bandwidth Extension for Microphone Arrays—Benjamin Bernschütz, Cologne University of Applied Sciences - Cologne, Germany; Technical University of Berlin - Berlin, Germany
Microphone arrays are in the focus of interest for spatial audio recording applications or the analysis of sound fields. But one of the major problems of microphone arrays is the limited operational frequency range. Especially at high frequencies spatial aliasing artifacts tend to disturb the output signal. This severely restricts the applicability and acceptance of microphone arrays in practice. A new approach to enhance the bandwidth of microphone arrays is presented, which is based on some restrictive assumptions concerning natural sound fields, the separate acquisition and treatment of spatiotemporal and spectrotemporal sound field properties, and the subsequent synthesis of array signals for critical frequency bands. Additionally, the method can be used for spatial audio data reduction algorithms.
Convention Paper 8751 (Purchase now)


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I have noticed in the last couple years a lot of web forms, if they have cancel at all, it is a link. I assume this is to drive the person to the UI element, a button in this case, that 99% of the population would want, but still keeping the cancel element there for those who otherwise wouldn't know (?) they could navigate away.
While I see the value of directing the user, using different elements seems like it could in itself provide a useability challenge. Thoughts?


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Departure Date: April 2012
Months in Fleet: 16 months
Final Mileage: 40,003 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 31 mpg
Average Range: 350 miles
Service: $374
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $448
Our diminutive long-term Mazda 2, the least-powerful, least-expensive car in our fleet for quite some time, has completed its 40,000-mile stay. Few tears were choked back as, after 16 months in our care, it pulled away from our office for the last time. Sure, the minimalist Mazda was fun to toss around, but it illustrated the difficulty some manufacturers have faced in coercing Americans out of large cars and crossovers and into pint-size hatchbacks.
Well Equipped, but Not Well Enough
The Mazda 2 comes with power windows, locks, and side mirrors; a 60/40-split folding rear seat; six airbags; anti-lock brakes; and stability control. Pretty standard stuff for a new car. Our 2011 Touring model started at $16,430 and added 15-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, a rear spoiler, and an exhaust finisher. A leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls was included, as was an upgraded stereo with six speakers instead of four. An $80 rear bumper guard was the car's only option for a $16,510 as-tested total. Not a whole lot of money, but not too much content, either.
The Mazda lacks the premium feel of better-equipped B-segment compacts such as the Ford Fiesta and Kia Rio. It also lacked some basic equipment that we think should at least be available in this segment, namely, a better multimedia system. Regardless of how trivial it may be, the 2's lack of satellite radio and a USB/iPod interface contributed to its being less than desirable for road trips. We remedied this for a time by plugging our garage's satellite radio tuner into the Mazda's auxiliary input, but it was a clumsy solution. We could have used a bigger carrot to get us out and about in this little car.
On the Road, at the Track
The 2's responsive chassis, lively helm, and short, precise shifter make it a great B-spec racer. Our car also did well in its primary role as a spunky, around-town runabout. It entertained us on our daily commutes and averaged 31 mpg overall. The five-speed manual's lack of a super-overdrive ratio hurt highway fuel economy, but we occasionally saw high 30s if we didn't thrash the 1.5-liter four too hard. Our 2 Touring slogged through two winters without issue on Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires and performed better than expected on its few extended voyages, the longest of which was to Calgary, Alberta.
The simple yet pleasant interior held up well, and most drivers found the front seats very comfortable. A few pilots took issue with the short-wheelbase 2's sometimes bouncy ride quality. The short-travel, numb clutch pedal was a major recurring complaint for all.
On its return to the test track at 40,000 miles, the 2291-pound Mazda needed six more feet to stop from 70 mph (184 feet) than when new, yet it circled the skidpad at 0.87 g versus its initial 0.83. Zero-to-60-mph and quarter-mile acceleration were the same at the beginning and end of the test period; the run to 100 mph dropped from an initial 33.1 seconds to 32.8. The 2 remains one of the most entertaining small cars to pilot and is quicker in the real world than its 100 hp suggest.
Loving the Warranty
Save for the $448 we had to spend to replace a bent wheel, the 2 was easy on our wallets. Five scheduled dealer visits amounted to a modest service tab of $374; the last, at 37,644 miles, set us back $60 for an oil-and-filter change, inspection, and tire rotation.
We did, however, hit some snags along the way. Warped brake rotors were replaced under warranty twice: at about 8700 and then around 25,000 miles. Persistent vibrations and suspension clunks necessitated the replacement at about 17,000 miles of the anti-roll-bar bushings, a rear shock, and the steering intermediate shaft—all also covered under warranty. The problem caused uneven wear to, and prematurely trashed, the car's Yokohama Avid 534 all-season tires, which the dealer fortunately replaced at no charge. The vibration never resurfaced, but we did continue to hear the occasional groan from the suspension.
Single-Serving Fun
Ultimately, our Mazda 2 was a good small car best enjoyed in small doses. It was a great instructional tool for our Save the Manuals campaign and proved that a simple car doesn't have to be boring. But the 2 entered the market just as the compact segment exploded with a slew of well-rounded competitors. The little Mazda is too fun behind the wheel to call it a penalty box, but in the end, its shortcomings made us feel as if we were sacrificing more than we should have to in a small car.


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Jonas Brothers May Break Up ... We've Become Totally Schizo!
Jonas Brothers We May Break Up We've Become Totally Schizo!
The Jonas Brothers -- Kevin, Joe and Nick -- are close to breaking up ... they are going in 3 different directions and the band has lost its identity ... sources close to the group tell TMZ.
The Brothers Jonas just cancelled their entire upcoming tour -- 19 concerts, which was supposed to kick off Friday.
Our sources say ... the rift exploded over the release of their next batch of songs. Each brother had a different vision of where they wanted to take the band, ranging from pop to hard rock. They all agreed on one thing -- releasing anything new would be a disaster, because the style would be all over the place.
The concert cancellation may be a precursor to an official breakup, but so far no decision has been made. Our sources say the guys are meeting this weekend to try and hash things out.
We're told, "It could go either way."
The JoBros performed last night in Minneapolis ... and gave what could be their last interview as a group.


text: "Lou and Josh have been together for 14 years. They share two kids, a mortgage, careers and plenty of history. Now, after a particularly fraught Christmas, Lou is ready to ask herself: is this marriage worth hanging on to? Every month for a year, Lou sets a different test for their relationship – from daily sex to brutal honesty – to help her decide if she should stay or go. Secrets are exposed, old wounds reopened and a true-to-life suburban love story unfolds. I Give My Marriage a Year paints a sharply accurate, often hilarious picture of a modern Australian marriage. Lou and Josh are a couple on the edge, and their efforts to bring their relationship back from the brink will resonate with anyone who has ever asked themselves: is this enough?Whose side will you take? Who deserves a second chance? And will Josh and Lou stay together or split for good?"–Provided by publisher.


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REPORT FROM THE US ATTORNEY – Honolulu resident Brandon C. Haleamau, 28, received 48 months in prison today as a result of his guilty pleas to multiple charges relating to illegal fireworks trafficking, possession of a stolen firearm, and structuring of funds. Senior United States District Court Judge Helen Gillmor also ordered forfeiture of $345,421.70 in cash and three vehicles involved in Haleamau's structuring conviction.
Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said that according to information produced in court, Haleamau transported explosives (commercial grade display fireworks) without a license, imported commercial grade display fireworks from China by means of a false declaration, and structured financial transactions totaling more than $1.1 million to evade federal currency transaction reporting requirements.
Under federal law, a Currency Transaction Report must be filed by a financial institution with the Internal Revenue Service in regard to any currency transaction over $10,000. It is illegal to structure transactions with financial institutions in order to avoid this filing requirement.
While pending sentencing for the aforementioned crimes, Haleamau possessed a stolen firearm on two occasions as well as possessed and improperly stored in his residence a 12-inch commercial grade display fireworks shell, classified as an explosive.
This case culminated investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI); and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Darren W.K. Ching prosecuted this case.


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Manage Events
Subsea 101- Well-Control Equipment and Subsea Systems | ||||||||
A three-day IADC accredited course on subsea well-control equipment and systems. Covers the operations functionality of the current major OEMs' BOP components and control systems; clearly articulates the knowledge needed to effective perform maintenance, inspections for regulatory compliance and requirements. This course intentionally promotes and enhances the relationship between operators and drilling contractors.
Designed for drilling engineers, subsea director, subsea supervisor, subsea technicians, subsea trainee, purchasing agents and buyers, safety personnel, employees in a leadership development program, and engineers looking for professional development hours and continuing education credits.Topics Include and Covers OEMs: Training Classes This stimulating learning experience is designed to capture the students' interest and allow for maximum retention of the material presented. |


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Three members of the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly, Tom Abell, Reed Oswalt and Louise Stutes, are now suing the borough, seeking reimbursement for their legal fees and for damages in the aftermath of the Mel Stephens lawsuit. Borough Manager Rick Gifford announced the lawsuit at Thursday night's assembly meeting.
— (Lawsuit 1 30 sec "… attorneys for the plaintiffs and the defendants.")
Abell, Oswalt and Stutes all hired their own attorney when Stephens sued the borough late last year over excessive absenteeism by Assemblywoman Sue Jeffrey. They have stated that they did so because they did not agree with the borough's stance that Jeffrey did not miss too many meetings.
After a judge ruled in Stephens' favor and ordered Jeffrey removed, the borough paid its attorney, Matt Jamin, and just recently paid Stephens for the legal fees the judge awarded him. However, attempts by Abell, Oswalt and Stutes to have their attorney paid have been caught up in parliamentary procedure for months. Mayor Jerome Selby vetoed the latest attempt, and the assembly could not muster the votes necessary to override it.
The borough will have to seek different representation in new lawsuit. As the manager explained, Jamin will be unavailable:
— (Lawsuit 2 13 sec "… for representation and will advise the assembly.")
Assemblywoman Pat Branson appealed to her colleagues to continue to seek payment without suing:
— (Lawsuit 3 30 sec "… without attorneys getting involved.")
However Assemblywoman Chris Lynch took a harder line, and called on the public to speak up on the issue, and file a recall petition if they feel any assembly members are out of line.
— (Lawsuit 4 26 sec "… I encourage the public to come forward.")
None of the three assembly members who are suing the borough mentioned the lawsuit at last night's meeting.


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Afternoon – SOLD OUT – Kids Birthday Cooking Class
February 16, 2019 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm CST
We are closed for a private kids birthday party cooking class. Other dates are available to book a private class. Please email email@example.com or call us for details or to book an event.


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Charlie Sheen -- Angry Over 'Major League' Snub
Charlie Sheen's wish for another "Major League" movie isn't just a pipedream -- producers have been working on a script for more than a year. But TMZ has learned one key player's been cut from the flick ... and Charlie ain't too happy about it.
Sources close to the production tell TMZ ... an outline for ML4 was completed in 2010 ... and most of the original cast has already been contacted about roles ... except for Corbin Bernsen.
We're told Bernsen -- who famously played Roger Dorn in the first three "ML" movies -- contacted Morgan Creek productions when he heard the rumblings ... but was told there are currently no plans to include him in a 4th installment.
Bernsen's publicist tells us, "Corbin would LOVE to do another 'Major League' but it doesn't look like he's been written into the movie at this point. We're hopeful he gets written in by the time it's finalized though."
Sheen -- on the other hand -- tells us he's pretty damn pissed about the snub ... adding, "I would love it for him to be in ... but I ain't the writer or director ... I'm a hired gun ... I'll do my best."


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DISCLOSURE: Most of our content is affiliated and we are compensated when players deposit. But this in no way affects our opinions - we remain impartial and independent.


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Market share numbers for February are out, and it looks like XP is set to die standing up with nearly a third of the global OS market in its grip. NetMarketShare numbers for the second month of the year indicate that Windows XP controls 29.53 percent of the desktop operating system install base.
Support for Windows XP ends on April 8, or 34 days from now. Windows XP will retain double-digit market share on the date that Microsoft ends support.
"While we can't speculate on the reasons of individual users, our guidance has been and continues to be that both consumers and organizations need to move off of Windows XP as soon as possible to ensure that they have the latest security, mobility and productivity tools," a Microsoft spokesperson told TechCrunch. In a blog post yesterday, the company announced a tool to assist people migrating off of Windows XP.
Why should we be worried about a subset of the PC market falling behind in terms of security? Well, as Ars Technica's Peter Bright pointed out earlier today, people are going to get hurt:
And while Firefox and Chrome will both be supported on Windows XP beyond the end-of-life, the substantial number of people using Internet Explorer 6-8 is strongly suggestive that many of these Windows XP users are going to be using not just an unsupported operating system, but an unsupported browser, too.
Exploitation of these people is inevitable, and it's hard to see this ending well.
It will be worse than you expect. I spoke to Wolfgang Kandek, CTO of Qualys, a cloud-focused security company. He detailed the process by which remaining Windows XP users will be left out to dry: As Microsoft continues to patch Windows 7 after it stops supporting Windows XP, it will all but lay out a roadmap of potential exploits for the older operating system. Why? Because, according to Kandek, 70 percent of Windows 7 exploits also impact Windows XP. So the bad guys just have to see what was fixed in Windows 7, and check whether it hurts Windows XP. Boom, new exploits at a fast pace.
According to Kandek, this won't happen right away, but by June or July of this year the ball will be rolling.
Aren't enterprise-level buyers of PCs moving their fleets to Windows 7? Yes, but at a measured pace it seems, given that Windows 7's market share declined in February. Kandek's firm estimates that by Death Day, 14 percent of enterprise PCs will still run Windows XP:
This is going to get messy. And no potential, future, "free Windows" is going to prevent millions of PCs from becoming incredibly open targets.


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Arete Pest Control
Pest control service in Dacula, GA
Arete Pest Control provides comprehensive pest management services to protect homes, businesses and communities in and around Dacula. Since its inception, the company has been grounded in the principle of "arete," an ancient Greek concept signifying excellence and virtue, which drives its commitment to delivering superior, reliable service.
The company services a wide range of customers, from individual homeowners to large corporations and municipalities, ensuring a pest-free environment. Its expertise extends across all types of pests, including insects, rodents, termites, bed bugs, and more. Arete Pest Control utilizes a comprehensive, integrated pest management approach that not only eliminates current infestations but also prevents future ones. This is achieved through detailed inspections, innovative pest control strategies, environmentally responsible treatments, and comprehensive follow-up services.
Arete Pest Control is proud of its team of expert technicians who are certified and committed to staying on the cutting edge of the industry. They receive continuous training and certification on the latest pest control techniques and best practices. This commitment to knowledge and growth allows Arete to deliver highly effective, environmentally conscious solutions to their clients, ensuring a safer, healthier living and working environment.
The company also stands out for its dedication to exceptional customer service. Arete Pest Control firmly believes in building strong, lasting relationships with its clients, listening carefully to their concerns, and providing customized solutions that meet their specific needs. Arete's client-centric approach and unwavering commitment in pest control has made it a trusted partner across the country.
Through its enduring commitment to excellence, innovative approach to pest control, and unwavering dedication to client satisfaction, Arete Pest Control continues to be the name of choice for superior pest management services across Dacula, GA and the surrounding areas.
Dacula ( də-KEW-lə) is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is an exurb of Atlanta, located approximately 37 miles (60 km) northeast of downtown. The population as of the 2010 census was 4,442, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 6,255 as of 2018. == History == The vicinity of Dacula was one of the first areas in present-day metropolitan Atlanta to be claimed by settlers (around the time of the War of 1812), but the area remained mostly undeveloped until the late 20th century. The Dacula area is home to some of the oldest buildings in greater Atlanta, such as the Elisha Winn House, which originally acted as the courthouse for Gwinnett County.
Abbey Hill, Abington Park, Alcovy Creek - Taylor Morrison, Almont Homes NE - Harbins Landing Estates, Ansley Brook, Apalachee Farms, Apalachee Heritage, Apalachee River Club, Boulevard Heights, Briarcliff Heights, Buckhead Heights, Cain Manor, Chadwick Lake, Chattawood, Clairmont Heights


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One afternoon, I had a hankering — a primal-like craving — for a supper of pinto beans and cornbread with a tall glass of cold, rich buttermilk thrown in for good measure and extra filling.
This is an heirloom of food handed down from my Appalachian folks who, when hard times threatened to starve them, put a pot of beans on the stove and then later said a blessing over that which would fill their stomachs with fiber and protein.
In my growing-up days, Mama cooked a pot of pintos at least once a week and always, without fail, stretched it into two nights' worth of supper. She added a crisp cake of cornbread seasoned with bacon grease and baked it in a cast-iron skillet.
"There ain't no finer eatin'," Daddy was liable to say as he crumbled his cornbread into the beans and stirred it up. Mama was fancier. She added onion and a good hot pepper if one was available.
In those days of my simple youth, I ate so many pinto beans that I vowed that when times were better — when money was mine for the making, when I had a car and a license and could drive to a hamburger joint — there'd be no more partaking of pinto beans for me. No siree. Once I was in charge of my destiny, I would pave my stomach with fancy foods like steak, pasta and lobster. I would leave way behind me those foods like okra, collards, poke sallet, cornbread, leatherjacket fish and yams — those foods that were salvation to the poor. My own poor family.
And, of course, pinto beans were at the top of that list. Oh, there'd come a day, I promised myself, when I would never have to hold a spoonful of pinto beans again.
Once on my own, earning a paycheck and fully in charge of my grocery list, I kept that promise. For several years. I traveled on business a good bit, so I ate out more frequently than in. I ate all those glorious foods I declared that I would eat — steak, pasta and lobster. Plenty of 'em. So much so that a strange thing happened — I had my fill of them. I got downright tired of them and dreamed of replacing fancy sauces with sawmill gravy and substituting homemade biscuits for yeast rolls.
I craved the foods that I had once dreamed of deserting once and for all.
"Ronda, why do you cook pinto beans all the time?" Mama, perplexed, asked a few years before she died. "Every time I turn around, you're fixin' a pot of beans."
"Because I love them," I admitted.
It brings to mind a story long told of Southern writers William Faulkner and Katherine Anne Porter, a story that, when I heard it, resonated loudly with me. The two Pulitzer literature winners were sharing a meal while abroad in Paris. It was a grand meal but when it was finished, Faulkner said wistfully, "Back home, the butter beans are in. The speckled ones."
Miss Porter ran her finger along the rim of her glass and sighed. "And the blackberries."
I understand. But what I can't figure is why we return so longingly to the foods of our childhood and our homeland. Is it the memories? Or the taste? Or that too much of anything will drive you to something else? Or, that if born a country girl, always a country girl?
So, on that day of my crazy craving, I soaked a pot of pinto beans then cooked them slowly on the stove. I stirred up a small cake of cornbread and baked it in a tiny cast-iron skillet. Then, I poured the buttermilk, said grace and took the first bite, savoring it.
Never has a meal so completely satisfied as did that one. It must be in my genes.
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I almost went postal today.
I think.
But it was a contract deal, so I'm not sure.
You see, I stopped by an ACE Hardware store near my home. ACE is the place. Ours sells everything from designer spackle to multi-color Post-It Notes to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I know this because the Reese's are right in the checkout line display, where I will be sure to buy some every time I visit.
This particular ACE Hardware store has a United States Post Office CONTRACT facility in it. Right between shelves of office supplies and advent calendars, there is a large grey floor mat where you stand in line to mail packages, buy stamps, and tell the clerk you are not shipping anything fragile, explosive, or perishable. While I did notice the floor mat, I was not able to detect a gun free zone force field. Didn't even feel any electrostatic buzz in the area. Nor did I get brain cancer while I was there, as far as I know. So really I'm only guessing that the floor mat designates a gun free area of the store.
So here's the problem. If you carry a concealed firearm, you do not, under any circumstance, take it into an official, designated United States Post Office. You do not have it in your car in the parking lot of a United States Post Office. You do not wear a "Body Piercing by Smith & Wesson" t-shirt. You do not even think about next weekends gun show. Right, wrong, indifferent, or completely insane, every armed citizen should know this. Yeah, I think it's nuts too, so write your congress critters like I do.
But this isn't a United States Post Office. It's an ACE Hardware store that sells Buck Knives, Carhartt Union Suits, and nifty deep fryers for turkeys (or road kill if you're on a tight budget.) These things are all clearly consistent with gun totin' right? On the other hand, there are stacks of Flat Rate shipping boxes scattered all over that one aisle between the stapler refills and front porch flags. Clearly Post Office type stuff.
So I'm perplexed.
Are certain areas of my ACE Hardware Store federal gun free zones?
If someone wants to commit armed robbery this particular ACE Hardware, do they get more prison time if they step on the grey floor mat area?
What if, in process of committing the armed robbery, they knock over a stack of flat rate shipping boxes? Is that now first degree littering?
Will Snookie have a boy or a girl? In either case, will the child come out of the womb spray tanned?
Were federal stimulus dollars used to buy up the square footage under that particular floor mat, thereby making part of ACE Hardware federal property?
If someone just wants to rob the Buck Knife display, and steps around the contract post office area, is that OK? Or do they have to leave their gun in the car?
Can legislators exercise any less common sense while legislating common sense legislation?
If a legally armed citizen is out shopping, on a tight time schedule, and has to buy a PVC to garden hose fitting and mail a Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes entry, do they have to make two separate trips?
ACE is the place where you can legally carry a gun in this state, but is the contract post office also the place?
What say you? Is it legal? Will you end up in Club Gitmo if you carry into this particular ACE?


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Kids Of Parents Who Smoke At Home Miss More School
About half of adult smokers who live with young children say they don't smoke in the house. But that leaves the rest who do.
And the children of these at-home smokers --according to a study just published in the journal Pediatrics — are missing more days of school.
The study found that children living with a smoker in the house miss about one extra day per year. And if two adults in the house smoke, children miss 1.54 more days compared to kids from nonsmoking households.
Just about everybody knows that second-hand smoke increases the risk of respiratory ailments and asthma attacks, but it wasn't clear how illnesses related to smoking influenced absenteeism.
School absenteeism, as the study's authors note, is an easy-to-measure marker that can flag all sorts of illness. The researchers conclude that up to one-third of all missed school days by children of smokers can be attributed to the exposure of second-hand smoke.
"It was a surprise," says lead author Douglas Levy of the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital. "A good chunk of these kids missed-school days is just due to secondhand smoke exposure." In their analysis, the researchers adjusted the figures to account for differences in household income, education and several other factors.
The educational impact of these absences isn't entirely clear, but missed days can't be good. But, in any case, the financial toll is significant. When these children get sick working parents need to stay home. And that adds up to lots of lost wages — about $227 million a year — the researchers figure.
Levy explains that about half of the children living with a smoker are in low-income families, so the hardship for them could be significant. "If we could eliminate second-hand smoke exposure" says Levy. "It would help a lot."


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Sydney ( (listen) SID-nee; Dharug: Gadi; Greater Sydney, Dharug: Eora) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Port Jackson and extends about 70 km (43.5 mi) on its periphery towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are known as "Sydneysiders". As of June 2020, Sydney's estimated metropolitan population was 5,361,466, meaning the city is home to approximately 66% of the state's population.
Arcadia, Balmoral Beach, Ben Buckler, Bickley Vale, Circular Quay, City of Sydney, Cooper Park, Cumberland State Forest, Currans Hill, Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Elderslie, Milk Beach, Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, Ropes Crossing, Round Corner


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Koufonisia Island, Greece.
By boat: for such small islands as these, the ferry-services are frequent.
The main-stay of communications is the F/B Express Skopelitis (with capacity for a small number of vehicles), which leaves Katapola on Amorgos daily in the early morning, and plies the route to Naxos , via Koufonisi, Schinousa, and Herakleia, returning (3pm) down the same line from Naxos : three days a week the route also includes Donousa.
Blue Star Ferries follows the same route three times weekly, con tinuing directly to Piraeus from Naxos .
Donousa is less well-connected, with one weekly service to Piraeus (7 hrs: currently Mondays) with Blue Star Ferries, and three weekly connections to Naxos and Amorgos (Mon, Wed, Fri) with the Express Skopelitis.


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(visited by Vince Fender, Alan Fender and Stephen)
28-May-2001 -- This confluence was 31 miles as the crow flies from my home. It took about 1 hour to get there and because of the heavy timber about 30 minutes to get the site pinpointed. My son and myself were in shorts (not smart) and we came away with a few battle scares. The confluence was about 4 miles from the nearest hard surface road. Thanks to an helpful land owner we were given directions to a private lane which shortened the trip by several miles.


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Donna Mauer
FBC Mortgage, LLC ("FBC") is a National Mortgage Lender headquartered in Orlando, Florida with branches and/or licenses in 48 states. FBC specializes in residential mortgage lending throughout retail and wholesale/correspondent divisions. FBC focuses on providing its customers and business partners with industry best service. FBC has a strong relationship with many of the nation's largest real estate firms, builders, and our large referral base of satisfied past customers. We offer a wide array of competitive mortgage products with expertise in every area of residential mortgage lending including purchasing, refinancing, rehabilitation loans and construction lending.


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Through a partially opened underground door, Egyptian authorities gave a peek Friday into the first tomb uncovered in the Valley of the Kings since King Tut's in 1922. U.S. archaeologists said they discovered the tomb by accident while working on a nearby site.
Still unknown is whose mummies are in the five wooden sarcophagi with painted funeral masks, surrounded by alabaster jars inside the undecorated single-chamber tomb.
The tomb, believed to be some 3,000 years old and dating to the 18th Dynasty, does not appear to be that of a pharaoh. But it could be for members of a royal court, said Edwin Brock, co-director of the University of Memphis in Tennessee that discovered the site.
"Contemporaries of Tutankhamun are possible — or of Amunhotep III or even Horemheb," he told The Associated Press, referring to three pharaohs from the 18th Dynasty.
Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, said, "Maybe they are mummies of kings or queens or nobles, we don't know. But it's definitely someone connected to the royal family."
"It could be the gardener," Otto Schaden, the head of the U.S. team, joked to Hawass at the site. "But it's somebody who had the favor of the king because not everybody could come and make their tomb in the Valley of the Kings."
Archaeologists have not entered the tomb, having only opened part of its nearly 5-foot-high entrance door last week. But they have peered inside the single chamber to see the sarcophagi, believed to contain mummies surrounded by around 20 pharaonic jars.
On Friday, Egyptian antiquities authorities allowed journalists a first look into the tomb, located near Tutankhamun's — the last burial site discovered in the valley on Nov. 4, 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter.
At the bottom of a 33-foot deep pit, a narrow shaft leads down another 16 feet to the door, made of blocks of stone. A hole about 1 foot wide has been cleared from the door.
Inside the chamber, alabaster pots, some broken, are lined up next to the sarcophagi. One coffin has toppled and faces the door, showing its white, painted face. Another is partially open, showing a brown cloth covering the mummy inside.
"It was a wonderful thing. It was just so amazing to find an intact tomb here after all the work that's been done before. This was totally unexpected," Brock said.
The discovery has broken the long-held belief that nothing is left to dig up in the Valley of the Kings, the desert region near the southern city of Luxor used as a burial ground for pharaohs, queens and nobles in the 1500-1000 B.C. New Kingdom.
The 18th Dynasty lasted from around 1500-1300 B.C. and included the famed King Tut.
Schaden's team will finish clearing rubble from the bottom of the shaft, then completely open the door in the coming days to let archaeologists enter. They can then look for any hieroglyphs that identify those buried inside.
The team hopes to remove the coffins before the end of the digging season, usually around May when the weather gets too hot to work in the deserts outside Luxor, 300 miles south of Cairo, Schaden said.
The coffins appear to have some damage from termites, Brock said.
"It's going to take a lot of conservation work to consolidate these things before we can take them out," he said.
The archaeologists were working last year on the neighboring tomb of Amenmeses, a late 19th Dynasty pharaoh, when they found the remains of ancient workmen's huts. They then discovered a depression in the bedrock that they suspected was a shaft.
When they returned to work during this excavation season, they opened the shaft and found the door, which was opened last week, Brock said.
Since the discovery of Tut's tomb, experts believed that the Valley of the Kings contained only the 62 previously known tombs — labeled KV1-62 by archeologists.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we discover more tombs in the next 10 years," American archaeologist Kent Weeks, who was not involved in the new discovery but saw photos of the tomb's interior, told AP.
Weeks made the last major discovery in the valley. In 1995, he opened a previously known tomb — KV5 — and found it was far larger than expected: more than 120 chambers, which he determined were meant for sons of the pharaoh Ramses II.
"It's ironic. A century ago, people said the Valley of the Kings is exhausted, there's nothing left," he said. "Suddenly Carter found Tutankhamun. So then they said, Now there's nothing to find. Then we found KV5. Now we have KV63."
Weeks said that it was probably built for one person but multiple sarcophagi were moved in later for storage. The jars, he said, appear to be meat jars for food offerings.
Objects in the tomb "could be 200 to 400 years later than the original cutting of the tomb," he said.


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Oracle has filed a lawsuit against Google, charging that its Android phone software infringes Oracle patents and copyrights related to Java, Oracle said on Thursday.
"In developing Android, Google knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property. This lawsuit seeks appropriate remedies for their infringement," Oracle spokeswoman Karen Tillman said in a statement.
The suit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco and seeks a jury trial.
Google could not immediately be reached for comment on the lawsuit.
Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems' Java technology when it bought the company earlier this year. Java is a software environment that allows applications written in Java to run on virtually any computer so long as it has a Java virtual machine installed.
When Google developed Android it included a Java compatible technology called Dalvik with the phone OS. Dalvik was developed as a "clean room" version of Java, meaning Google built it from the ground up without using any Sun technology or intellectual property, said Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney.
"You can't just take a Java application from a Sun environment, where it's licensed, and run it on Android. You have to recompile it to Dalvik," Dulaney said.
Oracle says Dalvik is a competitor to Java and infringes several of its patents, which it lists in the complaint, and its Java copyright.
It was unclear Thursday if Oracle approached Google to discuss its concerns before it filed the lawsuit.
Oracle's motivation was probably Android's recent success in the smartphone market, Dulaney said. "They own Sun now and they want to collect the royalties on the language," he said.
Oracle alleges that Google was aware of its patents and "willfully and deliberately" infringed them. It also says Google hired some of Sun's Java engineers. It wants the court to block the alleged infringement and award it damages.
Dulaney said Oracle's case could be "hard to prove" and that a legal battle could take a long time. "What they'll have to argue about is whether Google did a purely clean-room Java or if they have someone with inside knowledge of the code," he said.
Dalvik is one option for writing Android applications; developers can also use HTML 5 and the C language. But Dalvik is used for some of the core Android applications, such as email, Dulaney said.


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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. network NBC's live telecast of the musical "The Sound of Music" played to the tune of 18.5 million viewers, the Comcast Corp-owned broadcaster said on Friday, helping NBC inject some momentum into its entertainment division.
The three-hour production on Thursday starring country singer Carrie Underwood as Maria, the would-be nun who falls in love with an anti-Nazi Austrian captain, was NBC's best non-sports draw in the 18 to 49 age group most coveted by advertisers since the finale of hospital drama "ER" in 2009.
"The Sound of Music" telecast, which was based on the 1959 stage version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein show rather than the Oscar-winning 1965 film starring Julie Andrews, was the top overall draw on U.S. prime-time TV on Thursday, according to Nielsen figures.
NBC has languished at the bottom or near it in overall viewers in recent years, dragged down by poorly rated entertainment offerings compared with rivals CBS, Fox and ABC.
But for the TV season that started in September, NBC ranks second among overall viewers and first among 18-to-49-year olds, according to Nielsen data through December 1. Its ratings hits include "Sunday Night Football" and singing competition "The Voice."
Although critics commended NBC for taking a risk on an expensive production, which reportedly cost $9 million and required several sets and lavish costumes, they sounded a sour tone on the performances, particularly Underwood.
"As her multiple Grammys and her legion of country music fans will attest, the quality of Underwood's singing voice is not the problem," USA Today's Robert Bianco wrote. "It's that she doesn't know how to use that voice to sing in character, or what to do with her face when she's trying."
The 30-year-old singer, who has become one of biggest country stars since winning the singing contest "American Idol" in 2005, has little experience acting compared to her co-star, "True Blood" actor Stephen Moyer as Captain von Trapp.
Veteran Broadway stars Audra McDonald (Mother Abbess), Laura Benanti (Elsa Schrader) and Christian Borle (Max Detweiler) rounded out the cast of the musical famous for hit songs "My Favorite Things" and "Edelweiss."
"Underwood nails the look of a virginal almost-nun, but goes no deeper than that. Blank stares and placid smiles," wrote Marc Bernardin of trade magazine the Hollywood Reporter.
Critics' opinions also echoed the live reaction on Twitter from viewers, who were mixed on Underwood's performance.
NBC's "The Sound of Music" harked back to the early days of U.S. television when live musicals were often shown.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Patricia Reaney)


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- Home
- Government
- Boards & Committees
- Economic Development Committee
Economic Development Committee
- 9:00 a.m.
- Quarterly 3rd Wednesday of the month
- Municipal Building or Virtually
- Nick Adams, Alt 1 (1/2026)
- Douglas Cooper (1/2025)
- Dennis Feeney (1/2026)
- Fabio Gulla (1/2025)
- Adam Holzberg (1/2025)
- Jake Kovalcik (1/2026)
- Margaret Miller-Sanders - Chamber of Commerce Liaison
- Shari Seffer, Alt 2 (1/2025)
- Nancy Tuckman (1/2026)
Township Committee
- Matthew S. Kayne
- Frank W. Cooney
Administration Liaison
- Township Administrator
About the Economic Development Committee
Montville Township's Economic Development Committee is charged with developing and implementing a strategic business attraction and retention program for the municipality. Its function is to match enterprises looking for a new home with a suitable and appropriate location within Montville's borders. The Economic Development Committee's mission is to attract strong and diverse corporations that will add to the township's already strong and diverse business mix.
The primary focus of the Economic Development Committee is to promote occupancy of existing vacant commercial sites and to work with revitalizing currently occupied developed properties to aid in enhancing current tax rates. The EDC also assists, at the direction of the Township Committee, with new applications and/or inquiries for new commercial/industrial developments; compiles and provides timely and useful vacant listings for developments; fosters a business friendly environment; works to ensure a balance of interest with the environment; promotes an understanding of economic development; and helps the community to realize a desired economic future.
Location & Transportation
Montville's strategic location makes it a unique place to live and work. The Township is located in Morris County and lies about 10 miles north of Morristown, the county seat, and 30 miles west of New York City.
Montville's business community enjoys important local and global networking opportunities. The Township's proximity and access to major transportation systems and international markets is appealing to many. It is nestled between Interstates 80 and 287 and U.S. Route 46. These major highways make it possible to reach New York City in about 40 minutes via the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel or the Holland Tunnel. The Delaware Water Gap is a pleasant 40-minute drive west on I-80. Northbound I-287 provides easy and quick (20 minutes) access to the New York Thruway and points north. Commuter rail and bus service to New York City is also available.
Airport & Boat Port
Additionally, Newark International Airport and Port Newark, a deep-sea port, are within 45 minutes of the Township. This is particularly attractive for those firms involved in telecommunications, health care and international trade.
Finally, Montville's proximity (15 to 40 minutes) to nearly a dozen institutions of higher learning and Picatinny Arsenal provide local corporations with access to cutting-edge technology, and a highly skilled and well-trained workforce.
Key Contacts:
- Montville Chamber of Commerce, 973-263-3310
- Morris County Chamber of Commerce, 973-539-3882
- New Jersey Commerce, 609-777-0885
Useful Resources:
Physical Address
195 Changebridge Road
Montville, NJ 07045


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The Willcox family has long been accustomed to prolonged absences from their seafaring patriarch.
In fact, run-ins with the law were not unusual, given the fact that Peter Willcox had spent decades working for the environmental activist group Greenpeace, which is well-known for its provocative, headline-grabbing protests.
But no one expected the 60-year-old mariner to end up languishing in a Russian jail in the Arctic, facing up to 15 years in prison on charges of piracy.
"The situation he's in now is just way too extreme," said his wife, Maggy.
She and other members of the Willcox family spoke to CNN in their first media interviews since Russian authorities arrested 30 passengers and crew members aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise last month.
"The activists have found themselves embroiled in something that has larger implications," added Maggy Willcox. She married Willcox, the captain of the Arctic Sunrise, in February after the two had been friends for decades.
"He's a very sweet, sweet man, and yet he's this stalwart person in the face of any kind of crisis like what's going on now," said the newlywed.
Willcox, a native of Norwalk, Connecticut, is the sole American citizen in a group of activists Greenpeace is now calling the "Arctic 30."
The 30 detainees include volunteers and crew members from South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand as well as a Russian freelance photographer and ship cooks from Turkey and Ukraine.
What happened in the Arctic Ocean
On September 18, two Greenpeace activists from the Arctic Sunrise attempted to scale an oil rig operated by the Russian energy Gazprom. They were planning to protest against Gazprom's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean.
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation later released an unedited video showing the tense stand-off that ensued.
Two inflatable rafts operated by mask-wearing Russian security forces approached the platform. One Russian officer seized the rope an activist was using to try to climb the looming walls of the platform.
Two other inflatable rafts from Greenpeace bobbed near by, periodically being drenched by water cannons fired from the oil platform.
At one point, someone from above fired a series of shots into the water that struck perilously close to Greenpeace boats and Russian security rafts.
Greenpeace activists could be seen holding their hands up in the air as a Russian officer aimed his pistol at them.
Russian security forces initially detained the two activists who had climbed onto the oil rig. Later, they commandeered the Arctic Sunrise and towed it to the Russian port of Murmansk. There, Russian prosecutors pressed charges against all 30 of the detainees.
Willcox's 18-year-old daughter, Natasha, learned about her father's arrest during her first weeks as a student at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.
"I would ask [the Russians] to open a dictionary and read the definition of piracy," she said.
"They tried to board an oil rig. They didn't try to hurt anyone. They didn't have weapons," she added.
According to the International Convention on the Law of the Sea, the definition of piracy is "any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft."
Russia's president seems to agree that the charges of piracy don't match the crime.
Speaking to journalists at an international summit on the Arctic last month, Vladimir Putin said "it is absolutely evident that they are, of course, not pirates."
But, he added, "formally they were trying to seize that platform."
A court in Murmansk has denied bail to the Arctic 30. On Thursday, 11 Nobel Peace Prize winners wrote a letter to Putin, calling on the Kremlin to "reaffirm the right to nonviolent protest" and drop the "excessive charges of piracy" against the activists.
A legacy of peaceful protesting
Peaceful protest has long been a way of life in the Willcox family.
Willcox's 91-year old father, Roger, campaigned against discrimination against Jewish students while studying at Harvard University. In 1949, the senior Willcox founded an interracial housing cooperative in Norwalk, aimed at creating a community with "no discrimination because of race, color, creed or politics."
The younger Willcox was only 12 when his father brought him from Connecticut to the Deep South to participate in civil rights marches.
Peter "often said that if he wasn't arrested by the time he was 21, he'd be a great disappointment to his family," recalled Maggy Willcox.
By the time he was a teenager, Willcox was working as a crew member aboard the Clearwater, a sailing ship from which the folk singer Pete Seeger campaigned against pollution on the Hudson River.
"The logical next move was Greenpeace," Roger Willcox said.
In 1985, Peter was the captain of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior when two explosions ripped through its hull while it was anchored in the port of Auckland in New Zealand.
The ship sank, killing one passenger on board, Dutch photographer Fernando Pereira.
A subsequent investigation by New Zealand authorities revealed French intelligence agents planted bombs on the ship. The deadly act of sabotage was apparently aimed at preventing Greenpeace from protesting against French nuclear tests in French Polynesia.
Natasha Willcox said her father believed "there's a lot of people out there that kind of need to be woken up and given a little push ... 'Hey, this is what's really happening and this is what we need to do to slow it down.' "
But his wife said Willcox showed some uncharacteristic reluctance before departing for the latest Greenpeace mission in the Arctic.
By the time he was in the region, however, that hesitation appeared to have faded.
The last postcard he sent to Maggy Willcox during a short stopover in Norway included an ominous final sentence: "It will be a pretty cool action if the Russians have a sence [sic] of humor. Love you tons, P."


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- February 21, 2024
Fighter jets soared across Sarasota Bay and swooped down on Longboat Key, firing guns and .50-calliber bullets at their targets.
Art Ferguson remembers the site as a thrilling one for a teenage boy. It was World War II, and although his family had moved from the Village to the mainland, they often returned on weekends.
People planned their schedules around the military drills. Before the drills, the military would block off a section of the Key, near where Gulfshore of Longboat Key stands today, and keep it closed for a couple of hours. When the drills were finished, Ferguson and his friends often headed out to the beach. One time, they found a machine gun and the wing of an airplane that had crashed. Often, they would find the bullets that had separated from their brass casings and would put them back together. Gulf of Mexico Drive was named Longbeach Road back then. The Army seldom removed the bullet casings after they pounded down on Longbeach Road. Cars ran them over, and they became blended in with the asphalt.
"At night, the road would kind of sparkle with the .50-caliber machine gun casings," Ferguson said.
The Key also had an emergency landing strip.
Today, few people know about the Longboat Key Bombing and Gunnery Range, used from 1942 to 1946 by fighter pilots assigned to the 717th base unit at Sarasota Army Airfield. Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers advertised that it was seeking information from the public about the former training area.
According to Amanda Ellison, outreach coordinator with the Corps of Engineers, the Longboat Key site was one of 9,000 sites nationwide, 700 of which are in Florida, that were used for military training during World War II. In the 1980s, Congress voted to create the Military Munitions Response Program to study defense sites that could contain suspected ordnance, discarded military munitions and/or munitions constituents.
There was evidence of munitions on Longboat Key — but it wasn't considered a high priority on the list of sites to be inspected. But through public input, the Corps of Engineers can get both a better historic understanding of the site and the types of weapons that were used.
On June 3, the Corps of Engineers visited the site to take water and soil samples. The samples did not reveal evidence of hazards. The process is now in its inspection phase.
According to Kent Chetlain, Florida historian and journalist and real-estate columnist for The Longboat Observer, the site was most likely selected because it was flat, undeveloped and close to the Sarasota Army Air Force base.
"They wanted them to train at low altitudes," Chetlain said. "Longboat Key is ideal, because it was flat, and there aren't a lot of trees, especially at mid-Key."
Training fighter pilots strafed the mid-Key area, along with some nearby mangrove islands.
The military also dropped bombs in the area.
Chetlain recalls writing an article about a fisherman in Cortez whose boat hit a bomb during the war years and exploded.
World War II ended in 1945, and, just three years later, mobile homes began lining the mid-Key area where pilots once trained before heading off to war.
Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]


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Just days after a Las Vegas-based restaurateur known for serving fat-laden burgers unapologetically announced that his food kills people, a person claiming to be a former hostess at the Heart Attack Grill charged that her manager once made her record a video of a man who passed out "so they could send it to the media."
According to a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) Tuesday, a person claiming to be an ex-hostess --who wasn't named --said that the work environment was "extremely unorthodox, unprofessional, and chaotic." Pictures of the person claiming to be the ex-hostess posted to prove employment have since been removed as well as the person's user name.
In the post, the ex-hostess claims that in the summer of 2012 she was told by her manager to record a video after a customer passed out in the restaurant.
"At one point, the man passed out. I heard him knock onto the hard ground. We had to call an ambulance. A manager made me take out my cell phone to record a video of the whole thing, so they could send it to the media. It was on a Friday afternoon, and he hoped it would make the news so they could have a busy weekend. The food may or may not have been responsible for what happened to that man," read the Reddit post.
Representatives from the Heart Attack Grill could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Heart Attack Grill has been in the media spotlight many times. It proudly serves up an 8,000-calorie Quadruple Bypass Burger, cooks its Flatliner Fries in pure lard and serves milkshakes touted to contain the highest butter fat content in the world. The restaurant looks like a hospital, where customers are "patients." Waitresses, dressed as sexy "nurses," administer food as "prescriptions," and customers weighing over 350 pounds are offered a free meal. Those who don't finish their meals are spanked with paddles.
Earlier this year an unofficial spokesman for the Heart Attack Grill died of a heart attack. This incident followed another unofficial spokesman, who weighed 575-pounds, who died of flu-related pneumonia two years earlier. In February 2012, a man was stricken with a heart attack while eating a Triple Bypass Burger. Two months later, a woman was similarly stricken while eating a Double Bypass Burger. It is unclear if their situations were related to the food.
Last week, Jon Basso, the founder and owner of Heart Attack Grill, appeared on Bloomberg Television unapologetically announcing that his food kills people. "I am probably the only restaurateur in the entire world who is unapologetically telling you that my food is bad for you, that it will kill you and that you should stay away from it," he said.
In the interview, he placed a clear plastic bag filled with a powder-like substance, saying: "I'm here with the cremated remains of someone who died at my restaurant. He died of a heart-attack at my restaurant, and I'm putting the bag clearly on the table. I wish that Burger King, McDonalds, and everyone else would do the same thing."
Fast-food companies, such as Burger King and McDonald's are offering healthier options on their menus to appeal to a more health-conscious public.
But Basso says fast food is unhealthy. "I want to wake up one morning and open the door and have no one ever come in again, because maybe the world would have learned the truth."
So is this all just a marketing ploy? Let us know what you think.


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According to Tom Neel, Library Director at the Ohio Genealogical Society, OGS will be printing a revised edition of Ohio Towns and Townships to 1900: A Location Guide. OGS would like to hear from anyone with additions and corrections for inclusion in the new edition.
If you have such information, email firstname.lastname@example.com and put Ohio Towns & Townships in the subject line. OGS will collect data until mid-March.