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Universal Footprint
Universal Footprint
In Stock
Universal 1 Person Regular | Universal 1 Person Large | Universal 2 Person Regular | Universal 2 Person Large | Universal 3 Person Regular | Universal 3 Person Large | Universal 4 Person Regular | Universal 4 Person Large | Universal 6 Person Large | |
Color | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red |
Weight (Standard) | 7 oz | 8 oz | 8 oz | 9 oz | 10 oz | 11 oz | 13 oz | 1 lb | 1 lb 4 oz |
Floor Dimensions (Standard) in | 83 x 28 in | 83 x 32 in | 82 x 48 in | 85 x 51 in | 82 x 63 in | 83 x 69 in | 87 x 87 in | 92 x 92 in | 117 x 97 in |
Floor Dimensions (Metric) cm | 211 x 71 cm | 211 x 81 cm | 208 x 122 cm | 216 x 129 cm | 208 x 160 cm | 211 x 175 cm | 221 x 221 cm | 234 x 234 cm | 297 x 246 cm |
Country of Origin | Imported | Imported | Imported | Imported | Imported | Imported | Imported | Imported | Imported |
Here are a few reasons for those weight variances:
- Coating variances: The thickness in coatings on tent fabric can vary a bit from one tent to another. Fabrics are produced in batches and called "lots," and there can be a slight weight difference between lots as well as within lots.
- Fabric variances: Because tent fabric is hand cut in up to 200 layers at once, some pieces may be cut just outside the line, making certain parts slightly larger and thus heavier.
- Scale accuracy: At MSR, weights are determined using our calibrated lab scales, which are more accurate than normal household scales.
- Added products: Brands may decide at the last minute to include more stakes or guy cords, which will add to the packaged weight.
At MSR, we voluntarily follow ASTM International F 1934-98 standards around these two tent industry terms. In accordance with this standard, packaged weight includes the total weight of the packaged contents off the shelf. Minimum weight, by comparison, refers to the combined weight of the tent body, rainfly (if applicable) and tent poles, but not any of the other items that may appear in the package, such as tent stakes, guy cords, stuff sack, etc.
Many MSR backpacking tents can be pitched using only the rainfly, poles and footprint, and in our tent specs we call this non-industry standard setup option our Fast & Light weight.
To learn more about packaged weight vs. minimum, and the manufacturing processes that can affect them, check out our blog post on the topic.
If you start to notice leaks along your seams, seam sealing can make them waterproof again, extending the life of your tent. The process can be easier than you might think. We put together this video to help guide you through.
What is California Proposition 65?
Passed into law by California's voters in 1986, Prop 65 is intended to help California residents make informed decisions about the products they buy.
The law states that companies selling products in California must display a warning when the product contains one or more of the approximately 800 chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and/or reproductive harm.
Why has MSR placed a Proposition 65 label on some of its products?
By placing the Prop 65 warning on a product, MSR acknowledges that it contains one or more of the chemicals on the Prop 65 list, however the listed chemical may be well within the "no significant risk" range. MSR has not evaluated every product but out of caution, we include the warning.
Are consumers who use an MSR product with a Proposition 65 label at risk?
The label simply indicates that the product contains the chemical and because of that, there is a potential for exposure to it.
The California government states: "The fact that a product bears a Proposition 65 warning does not mean by itself that the product is unsafe." The government explains, "You could think of Proposition 65 more as a 'right to know' law than a pure product safety law."
For example, some MSR stoves contain brass. Exposure to brass is not itself harmful. However lead is a component of brass and should the brass be disrupted, a user could potentially come in contact with the lead. While the lead levels fall below the "no significant risk" range, MSR is still required to acknowledge its presence.
To learn more about California's Prop 65, please visit: https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/general-info/proposition-65-plain-language
What types of chemicals are on the Proposition 65 list?
The Prop 65 list contains a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals that are known to California to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. They may be additives or ingredients in pesticides, common household products, food, drugs, dyes or solvents. They may be used in manufacturing and construction, or be the byproducts of chemical processes. Proposition 65 requires that the Governor of California maintain and publish a list of these harmful chemicals, and update it annually.
According to the state of California:
A chemical is listed if it has been classified as a reproductive toxicant or carcinogen by an "authoritative" organization on the subject. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer are considered authoritative for carcinogens. For reproductive toxicants, appropriate authorities include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Chemicals will also be listed if they are required to be labeled or identified as a carcinogen or as a reproductive toxicant by an agency of the state or federal government.
For long-term storage, keep your tent in a dry and cool area, out of direct sunlight. Store it outside of its stuff sack, as you would a sleeping bag, in a breathable, over-sized cotton or mesh duffel for protection. On the cheap, an old pillowcase is ideal.
- Weather Conditions: High humidity, low temperatures, and rainy conditions create the most condensation.
- People: We produce about 1 - 2 pints of moisture per night through breathing and skin evaporation.
- Wet Environment: Wet ground or wet gear stored inside the tent.
To start, the tent body and ceiling are made of breathable and mesh fabrics. This allows moisture to escape the interior of your tent. However, it must also be able to escape the waterproof fly, and every MSR rainfly has a peak vent that provides protection from the outside, while still allowing essential, free-flowing fresh air to move through your tent. You can also leave a door open in good weather, or take advantage of the double sliders on the doors to vent from the top where warm and moist air tends to accumulate. Make sure to leave at least two vents open if possible, allowing any breeze to provide cross-flow ventilation for maximum circulation. Guying out your rainfly will also increase ventilation in hot or humid conditions.
Video: What causes condensation in a tent
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By looking at 40 different factors in a 14 year old teens, including brain structure and function, personality, life experiences and genetics, researchers can predict with 70% accuracy who will go on to develop binge drinking within the next two years. Impulsivity, hopelessness, sensation-seeking traits, lack of conscientiousness, and other variables such as life events and a family history of drug use contribute to the likelihood of binge drinking. Whether or not the child had had a single drink at age 14 was a particularly powerful predictor, the researchers found. Slightly over 40% of North American 13 and 14 year olds have used alcohol, while 10% of Quebec high school students graduate from high school with substance use problems. The study was driven by the IMAGEN consortium, a European research project on risk taking behaviour in teenagers. Patricia Conrod of the University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre designed the original assessment battery and the participant recruitment strategy for the IMAGEN study. She also developed the brief personality scale that was shown to be highly predictive of drinking at 14 and 16 years of age. The first and senior authors of the research article are affiliated with the University of Vermont, University College Dublin, and Trinity College Dublin.
In total, 2,400 European 14 year olds participated in the IMAGEN study. In addition to providing information about their life events, their psychological profile and their substance use, the children underwent an MRI as they played a game (to measure their brains responses to rewards) and were shown angry faces (to measure their emotional reactivity.) The team found that the right middle and precentral gyri and bilateral superior front gyrus areas of the brain were most revealing of the likelihood of future binge drinking. Compared to others, at risk youth had reduced grey matter volume but increased activity in their superior frontal gyrus when receiving a reward. In the premotor cortex, they had more grey matter and greater activity when they failed to inhibit themselves. The MRI results helped validate the factors that the researchers identified as placing a child at risk.
Indeed, the findings do not suggest that binge drinking is hardwired but rather give professionals working with youth ways of finding people in need of help. "The personality dimensions that were shown to be highly predictive of behaviour were assessed using a scale that is currently being used in schools across Montreal to provide targeted prevention to youth at risk of substance misuse," Conrod said. "Early alcohol use strongly predicts adult alcohol dependence, and every year we can delay alcohol use translates to a 10% decrease in the likelihood of alcoholism later. Outreach efforts that correctly target particularly at risk youth can therefore be of lifelong significance and importance to that person."
The article "Neuropsychosocial profiles of current and future adolescent alcohol misusers" was published in Nature.

subset: commoncrawl


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Using Amphetamines May Increase Risk of Parkinson's Disease
ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New research shows people who have used amphetamines such as benzedrine and dexedrine appear to be at an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.
Benzedrine and dexedrine are amphetamines often prescribed to increase wakefulness and focus for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, a disorder that can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden attacks of sleep. They are also used to treat traumatic brain injuries.
The study involved 66,348 people in northern California who had participated in the Multiphasic Health Checkup Cohort Exam between 1964 and 1973 and were evaluated again in 1995. The average age of the participants at the start of the study was 36 years old. Of the participants, 1,154 people had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease by the end of the study.
Exposure to amphetamines was determined by two questions: one on the use of drugs for weight loss and a second question on whether people often used benzedrine or dexedrine. Amphetamines were among the drugs commonly used for weight loss when this information was collected.
According to the study, those people who reported using benzedrine or dexedrine were nearly 60 percent more likely to develop Parkinson's than those people who didn't take the drugs. There was no increased risk found for those people who used drugs for weight loss.
"If further studies confirm these findings, the potential risk of developing Parkinson's disease from these types of amphetamines would need to be considered by doctors before prescribing these drugs as well as be incorporated into amphetamine abuse programs, including illicit use," said study author Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, PhD, with the Division of Research at Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland, Calif.
Van Den Eeden explained that amphetamines affect the release and uptake of dopamine, the key neurotransmitter involved in Parkinson's disease. He explained that more research needs to be completed to confirm the association and learn more about possible mechanisms.
The study was supported by Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,500 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology and its upcoming Annual Meeting, visit http://www.aan.com.
SOURCE American Academy of Neurology


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It's all here, more or less: the 1979 theatrical cut of Francis Ford Coppola's harrowing and still-hypnotic Joseph Conrad-in-Vietnam adaptation, the 49-minutes-longer-but-feels-24-minutes-shorter 2001 Redux edition, Marlon Brando's entire 17-minute "The Hollow Men" monologue, even more "lost" and deleted scenes (including a spooky-shocking one, in which monkeys control a boat upon which a corpse has been hung from the sail), and myriad makings-of and hallelujah retrospectives and film-school extras. And, of course, Coppola's present to recount how accidents turned into genius moments and how a near-failure turned into a triumphant told-ya-so; the man's still determined to prove he was right about Apocalypse Now's brilliance, and how dare anyone have ever doubted it? -- Robert Wilonsky
I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (Sony)
Can you remember the name of the hook-wielding killer from I Know What You Did Last Summer? The creators of this third-rate horror franchise don't understand the first rule of a classic slasher: the mask. Instead of the blank-faced creepiness of Michael Myers and Jason, Last Summer's "the fisherman" just pops the collar of his coat like a douche bag of the sea. Coming nine years after the last sequel, missing even the limited charms of Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt, this plodding movie has no reason to exist; it's passionless, like watching people in a bad marriage hump. Here's an idea: Call the next one I Know What You'll Do Next Summer, and have the fisherman chop up kids because they might do something rotten in the future. Or better yet, don't make it. -- Jordan Harper
The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season (Fox)
These episodes date back a decade, which isn't hard to believe; classic Simpsons like those included here ("El Viaje de Nuestro Jomer," in which Homer has a psychedelic freakout after eating a pepper; "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show," in which the show's writers coyly acknowledge their fear of irrelevancy; "You Only Move Twice," with Albert Brooks) come around maybe once a season these days. Fact is, the deleted scenes here possess more sting and pop and giggles than recent episodes; so do the commentaries, which occasionally sound a little too wistful. The show was a season away from its downhill slide, and you can still feel the ease with which the writers jabbed and prodded; this is as much a season of sharp, satirizing media criticism as family entertainment. -- Wilonsky
The Weird Al Show (Shout Factory)
If you can't stand Weird Al Yankovic, you're a cold soul indeed. But you wouldn't want to drive to Mexico with the guy. Watching 13 of the 20-minute episodes of his failed kids' show is like eating a pound of candy corn. CBS wanted it to be the second coming of Pee-wee's Playhouse, but it never reaches those lofty heights, mostly mixing amusing bits of strangeness with forced moralizing. The show is so awkward that you'll switch quickly to the commentary tracks. "The way to watch this show is with dramatically lowered expectations," Yankovic says, and then he and his co-creators go on a tirade against the idiocy of CBS executives. Not only is it a frank glimpse into network politics, but stupid network heads actually are endlessly amusing. -- Harper


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Introduction to ADS-B
Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast or ADS-B is the latest technological leap in airspace surveillance.
What is ADS-B?
ADS-B uses a Trig transponder, typically combined with a GPS, to transmit highly accurate positional is information to ground controllers and also directly to other aircraft. This transmission is known as ADS-B Out and its accuracy is greater than using conventional radar surveillance. This gives air traffic controllers the potential to reduce the required separation distance between aircraft that are ADS-B equipped.
ADS-B is seen as being vital to maintaining future efficient airspace management in busy airspace. It also provides advantages in remote 'non radar' areas too – here suitably equipped aircraft, with a traffic receiver connected to a display can see other aircraft without conventional radar coverage. This enhances aircraft visibility and reduces the risk of air to air collision.
ADS-B uses satellite and transponder technology to provide the following benefits in an ADS-B environment:
- More aircraft can operate safely in the same airspace, so congestion is reduced.
- ADS-B technology enables more direct aircraft routing – this can generate significant time and fuel savings.
- With appropriate equipment it's possible to have a live 'traffic picture' in the cockpit.
- ADS-B enhances flight safety and collision avoidance.
Aircraft with ADS-B Out provide air traffic controllers with 'pin point' positional and flight information data. Trig supports 1090ES, the ICAO international standard for ADS-B that can be used throughout the world.
ADS-B infrastructure
In time ADS-B will supersede existing surface based radar technology. Today air traffic controllers have to place significant separation between aircraft to ensure safe flight operations. Existing surface radar technology often has limitations: the slow display of the radar's return beam, the impact of local geography can hide or mask returns and finally limitations in a radars range and power. The cost of installing and maintaining radar coverage is expensive. These costs are a challenge for many governments. ADS-B is an attractive alternative technology for national air traffic requirements. An ADS-B infrastructure consists of a network of ADS-B ground stations. These typically consist of an ADS-B tower and mast (similar to a mobile phone mast). This provides a cost effective national airspace solution; providing accurate data, with fewer gaps or blind spots.
ADS-B Traffic – independent surveillance technology
When an aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out flies in range of an ADS-B ground station, the station will receive the aircraft's ADS-B Out transmission. At the same time the aircraft's ADS-B Out transmission can also be received directly by other aircraft, that are in range and equipped with an ADS-B In Traffic Receiver.
An ADS-B In Traffic Receiver translates local airspace information and using a suitable cockpit traffic display provides a real time 'traffic picture' which significantly enhances a pilot's situational awareness. In remote areas where ADS-B ground stations may not exist an aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out and ADS-B In can see other aircraft that are ADS-B Out equipped. This allows aircraft to operate independently of air traffic services, maintaining separation without any reliance upon a ground based infra-structure.
ADS-B surveillance technology that does not rely upon ground controllers was first trialled in Alaska. This region was selected as an early proving ground for ADS-B and associated FAA 'Next Gen' technologies. This was due to the significant commercial aviation accident rate suffered in this harsh operating environment. Aircraft were fitted with ADS-B, GPS moving maps and improved communications to enhance safety. In South West Alaska ADS-B (combined with these other initiatives) helped to reduce fatal accidents by 47%.
ADS-B 1090ES Out – the 'International Standard'
The ICAO International standard for ADS-B is known as 1090 MHz or more usually 1090ES (Extended Squitter). This is the frequency used to transmit ADS-B information. Currently mandates for ADS-B airspace demand the installation of ADS-B Out equipment, but the use of ADS-B In equipment is at the moment optional. (ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation).
ADS-B has been established in commercial aviation operating above 18,000 feet for many years. Now, in common with airliners, GA aircraft fitted with an ADS-B capable Mode S transponder will use something known as 'Extended Squitter' to transmit ADS-B Out data. The Extended Squitter is in effect an extended portion of a transponders transmission bandwidth. This contains a data packet of ADS-B information. This data packet holds unique identifying information about an aircraft, its flight position, speed and profile. The ground station interprets this Extended Squitter transmission and can verify the aircraft against its database. Of course it is necessary to always check the specific regulations on transponder use in your country. As a general principle, if you fly in airspace that currently requires a Mode A/C transponder there's a good chance that you will need to operate with a ADS-B 1090ES Out solution (if and when a mandate is required).
UAT technologies
Uniquely, and only in the U.S. another ADS-B system can also be used called UAT. This system has limitations, it can only be used by pilots operating below 18,000 feet and only within U.S. airspace. A UAT transmitter uses 978 MHz, in contrast 1090 MHz – the 'international standard'.
All Trig transponders are 1090 MHz compliant. As the U.S. ADS-B network is a dual system which supports both 1090 MHz and 978 MHz, it is possible to install a variety of configurations of ADS-B equipment. This dual system does mean that ADS-B ground stations have to re-broadcast ADS-B traffic information on both 1090MHz and 978MHz (UAT). This allows aircraft equipped with ADS-B In Traffic Receivers to 'see' all aircraft irrespective of their own ADS-B Out/In equipment.
Ground stations broadcast ADS-B information known as; TIS-B (Traffic Information Service Broadcast) and FIS-B (Flight Information Service Broadcast – this includes weather information, FIS-B is only broadcast on 978MHz (UAT).
To receive a Traffic Information Service Broadcast (either on 1090 MHz or 978 MHz) the FAA requires that you must first have a certified ADS-B Out transmission. Fitting a Trig transponder provides the easiest upgrade path to secure a certified ADS-B Out signal.
Why the change?
Countries such as the America, Australia and Fiji are creating an ADS-B infrastructure. In the U.S. oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico rely upon high levels of helicopter traffic, here ADS-B is being used to improve visibility, traffic information is now used where no radar service exists. Congestion of airspace around the Eastern seaboard of America is another area where ADS-B is expected to bring genuine benefits, as it is implemented. In the Australian Outback ADS-B will, for the first time, enable aircraft to retain a surveillance capability via direct 1090ES air to air communication.
The FAA estimates that without changes to the U.S. air traffic infrastructure, (of which ADS-B technology is one part) the cost to the U.S. economy will be $22 billion in lost economic activity by 2022. The U.S. initiative to overhaul the air surveillance infrastructure which includes ADS-B is known as 'Next Gen'. This initiative is predicted to make a positive environmental impact by 2018, with estimates of reduced fuel consumption of 1.4 billion gallons, reduced emissions of 14 million tons and estimated savings of $23 billion in costs.
Whilst these estimates are based upon commercial flight operations it is undeniable that ADS-B will positively impact GA too. Already ADS-B Out equipped pilots may receive more direct routing with shorter flight times making time and fuel savings a reality for all.


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BillboardIn its 114th year, Billboard remains the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. |
Términos y frases comunes
according to Nielsen acts advertising Akon album sales American Idol artists Asia audience Awards band band's biggest Bilan Billboard 200 Billboard Hot 100 brand Brickhouse broadcast buzz Chris Chrysalis concert Costello Music creative David debut digital music director downloads DRM-free Entertainment Eurovision event family shows fans featured festival film Free Yr Radio global going Hastings Hot Digital Songs indie Interscope iTunes JASRAC June Kids Kidz Bop label Ladytron launch Live Nation manager million mobile Music Group music industry Music Publishing MySpace Nielsen SoundScan numbers off-deck performance physical singles piracy play Plies producer promotion record Release Date retailer Rock says Scars on Broadway Schueremans Secret Shows Seether senior VP sold songwriter Sony BMG star studio success there's things ticket tion tour track Universal Music venues Walking With Dinosaurs week Wooiworths


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"Chapter 32: Alma 40–42," Book of Mormon Student Manual (2009), 242–47
"Chapter 32," Book of Mormon Student Manual, 242–47
Chapter 32
Alma 40–42
What happens to people after they die? Alma 40–42 focuses on Alma's counsel to his wayward son Corianton, who had a similar question. In his response, Alma taught about the spirit world, the Judgment, the Resurrection, the law of restoration, and the punishment of sinners. As Alma concluded his teachings to Corianton, he answered questions about what life would be like without repentance, sin, law, and punishment. Alma's answers to his son also help us understand the plan of happiness and the justice and mercy of God and how they affect our eternal progression.
Alma 40:4–10. "All Is as One Day with God"
After testifying to Corianton of the reality of the Resurrection, Alma expressed uncertainty of the timing of the Resurrection as it relates to all of mankind. Such concerns did not matter to Alma, for he said "all is as one day with God" (Alma 40:8). The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) revealed that for God all things "are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord" (D&C 130:7).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how things are done in God's way:
"God was redemptively at work long before mortal time began on this earth—and He will still be at work even after mortal time is no more (see D&C 88:110; Alma 40:8). …
"Mercifully, things then will 'be done in [God's] own way,' not ours (D&C 104:16). Then God's purposes, His patience, His power, and His profound love, which were at work long before time was, will also be at work even after time will be no more (see D&C 84:100; Alma 40:8).
"These and other truths are among what Paul called 'the deep things of God' (1 Corinthians 2:10)" (A Wonderful Flood of Light [1990], 50, 58–59).
The Prophet Joseph Smith also said that "the great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events connected with the earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation, before it rolled into existence, or ever 'the morning stars sang together' for joy; the past, the present, and the future were and are, with Him, one eternal 'now'" (History of the Church, 4:597).
Alma 40:11. The Spirits of All Men "Are Taken Home to That God Who Gave Them Life"
If at death we enter the spirit world, not God's actual presence, how are we to understand Alma's words?
President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) explained that Alma did not necessarily mean that we are brought back into God's presence: "These words of Alma [40:11] as I understand them, do not intend to convey the thought that all spirits go back into the presence of God for an assignment to a place of peace or a place of punishment and before him receive their individual sentence. 'Taken home to God' [compare Ecclesiastes 12:7] simply means that their mortal existence has come to an end, and they have returned to the world of spirits, where they are assigned to a place according to their works with the just or with the unjust, there to await the resurrection. 'Back to God' is a phrase which finds an equivalent in many other well known conditions. For instance: a man spends a stated time in some foreign mission field. When he is released and returns to the United States, he may say, 'It is wonderful to be back home'; yet his home may be somewhere in Utah or Idaho or some other part of the West" (Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 2:85).
President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901) of the First Presidency explained that Alma "does not intend to convey the idea that they are immediately ushered into the personal presence of God. He evidently uses that phrase in a qualified sense" (Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, sel. Jerreld L. Newquist [1987], 58).
Alma 40:11–15. The State of the Soul between Death and the Resurrection
The following clarification helps us understand the condition of spirit beings after death and prior to their resurrection: "When the physical body dies, the spirit continues to live. In the spirit world, the spirits of the righteous 'are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow' (Alma 40:12). A place called spirit prison is reserved for 'those who [have] died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets' (D&C 138:32). The spirits in prison are 'taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and all other principles of the gospel that [are] necessary for them to know' (D&C 138:33–34). If they accept the principles of the gospel, repent of their sins, and accept ordinances performed in their behalf in temples, they will be welcomed into paradise" (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 46–47).
President Brigham Young (1801–77) helped us better understand the difference between the location of the spirit world and God's abode: "When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you going? Into the spiritual world. Are you going into Abraham's bosom? No, not anywhere nigh there but into the spirit world. Where is the spirit world? It is right here. Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes, they do. Do they both inhabit one kingdom? Yes, they do. Do they go to the sun? No. Do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not. They are brought forth upon this earth" (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 376).
Alma 40:16–22. The First Resurrection
Alma was speaking of the First Resurrection in relation to earthly time. Jesus Christ would be resurrected first, followed shortly thereafter by the righteous who had lived and died from the beginning of time for our mortal earth down to the time of Christ's Resurrection (see Alma 40:16, 20; D&C 133:54–55). This resurrection is what Alma called the First Resurrection.
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that the First Resurrection includes different time periods and events:
"While there was a general resurrection of the righteous at the time Christ arose from the dead, it is customary for us to speak of the resurrection of the righteous at the Second Coming of Christ as the first resurrection. It is the first to us, for we have little thought or concern over that which is past. The Lord has promised that at the time of his Second Advent the graves will be opened, and the just shall come forth to reign with him on the earth for a thousand years. …
"At the time of the [second] coming of Christ, 'They who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven—They are Christ's, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God' [D&C 88:97–98]. These are the just, 'whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all. These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood' [D&C 76:68–69].
"Following this great event, and after the Lord and the righteous who are caught up to meet him have descended upon the earth, there will come to pass another resurrection. This may be considered as a part of the first, although it comes later. In this resurrection will come forth those of the terrestrial order, who were not worthy to be caught up to meet him, but who are worthy to come forth to enjoy the millennial reign" (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:295–97).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave the following explanation regarding the First Resurrection, which is also referred to as the Resurrection of the Just and as the Resurrection of Life: "Those coming forth in the morning of this resurrection do so with celestial bodies and shall inherit a celestial glory; these are they who are Christ's the firstfruits. Those coming forth in the afternoon of this resurrection do so with terrestrial bodies and consequently shall inherit that kingdom; they are described as being Christ's at this coming. All who have been resurrected so far have received celestial bodies; the coming forth of terrestrial beings does not commence until after the Second Coming. (D.&C. 76:50–80; 88:95–99.)" (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1971–73], 1:196).
Alma 40:23. "Proper and Perfect Frame"
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles referred to the comfort brought by knowing that defects will be corrected in the Resurrection:
"What a comfort to know that all who have been disadvantaged in life from birth defects, from mortal injuries, from disease, or from the natural deterioration of old age will be resurrected in 'proper and perfect frame.' …
ImagePeople risen from the dead© 2000 Del Parson
"The assurance of resurrection gives us the strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love, such things as the physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies we bring with us at birth or acquire during mortal life. Because of the resurrection, we know that these mortal deficiencies are only temporary!" (in Conference Report, Apr. 2000, 16–17; or Ensign, May 2000, 14).
President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) had the following to say in relation to deformities in the Resurrection: "Deformity will be removed; defects will be eliminated, and men and women shall attain to the perfection of their spirits, to the perfection that God designed in the beginning. It is his purpose that men and women, his children, born to become heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, shall be made perfect, physically as well as spiritually, through obedience to the law by which he has provided the means that perfection shall come to all his children" (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 23).
Alma 40:26. "An Awful Death Cometh upon the Wicked"
The following statement helps us understand what this "awful death" refers to: "The scriptures sometimes speak of salvation from the second death. The second death is the final spiritual death—being cut off from righteousness and denied a place in any kingdom of glory (see Alma 12:32; D&C 88:24). This second death will not come until the Final Judgment, and it will come to very few (see D&C 76:31–37). Almost every person who has ever lived on the earth is assured salvation from the second death (see D&C 76:40–45)" (True to the Faith, 153).
Alma 41. The Law of Restoration
Like some people today, Corianton may have wondered why it was important to live righteously if everyone receives the blessings of resurrection. Alma 41 addresses these concerns.
For Heavenly Father's children, the outcome of the law of restoration is dependent upon their faithfulness in keeping His commandments. Thus Alma explained to Corianton that one cannot "be restored from sin to happiness" (Alma 41:10). This is akin to the law of the harvest: as we sow, so shall we reap (see Galatians 6:7; D&C 130:20–21). Alma encouraged his son to "do good continually" in order to "have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored" (Alma 41:14–15).
Alma also taught his son that the law of restoration provides for a perfect restitution of the body in the Resurrection: "The soul shall be restored to the body … ; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost" (Alma 40:23). However, the degree of glory of the resurrected body is dependent upon the degree of faithfulness of each individual (see D&C 88:28–32).
Alma 41:10.Imagescripture mastery "Wickedness Never Was Happiness"
The following counsel reinforces the importance of seeking happiness by living gospel standards:
"Many people try to find happiness and fulfillment in activities that are contrary to the Lord's commandments. Ignoring God's plan for them, they reject the only source of real happiness. They give in to the devil, who 'seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself' (2 Nephi 2:27). Eventually they learn the truth of Alma's warning to his son Corianton: 'Wickedness never was happiness' (Alma 41:10). …
"As you seek to be happy, remember that the only way to real happiness is to live the gospel. You will find peaceful, eternal happiness as you strive to keep the commandments, pray for strength, repent of your sins, participate in wholesome activities, and give meaningful service. You will learn to have fun within the limits set by a loving Father in Heaven" (True to the Faith, 79–80).
Alma 42:1–10. "A Probationary Time"
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the purpose of the probationary time called mortality: "The main purpose of earth life is to allow our spirits, which existed before the world was, to be united with our bodies for a time of great opportunity in mortality. The association of the two together has given us the privilege of growing, developing, and maturing as only we can with spirit and body united. With our bodies, we pass through a certain amount of trial in what is termed a probationary state of our existence. This is a time of learning and testing to prove ourselves worthy of eternal opportunities. It is all part of a divine plan our Father has for His children" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 16; or Ensign, May 1989, 13–14).
While serving as a member of the Seventy, Elder Ronald E. Poelman added that mortality is a time to learn of opposites and to choose between them: "The plan of salvation presented to and accepted by us in our premortal state includes a probationary period on earth, during which we experience opposites, make choices, learn the consequences thereof, and prepare to return to the presence of God. Experiencing adversity is an essential part of the process. Knowing this, we elected to come into mortality. (See 2 Nephi 2:11–16.)" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 29; or Ensign, May 1989, 23).
Elder William R. Bradford of the Seventy concluded that the purpose of mortality is to become like our Father in Heaven: "This life is a probationary period. It is a marvelous gift of time during which we can learn to be like our Heavenly Father by following the teachings of His Son, Jesus Christ. The path He leads us on is not a cluttered path. It is simple and straight and lighted by the Spirit" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1992, 40; or Ensign, May 1992, 29).
Alma 42:11–31. The Laws of Justice and Mercy
President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, explained that the Savior's sacrifice allows mercy to be extended to us without violating the law of justice:
"Each of us lives on a kind of spiritual credit. One day the account will be closed, a settlement demanded. However casually we may view it now, when that day comes and the foreclosure is imminent, we will look around in restless agony for someone, anyone, to help us.
"And, by eternal law, mercy cannot be extended save there be one who is both willing and able to assume our debt and pay the price and arrange the terms for our redemption.
"Unless there is a mediator, unless we have a friend, the full weight of justice untempered, unsympathetic, must, positively must fall on us. The full recompense for every transgression, however minor or however deep, will be exacted from us to the uttermost farthing.
"But know this: Truth, glorious truth, proclaims there is such a Mediator.
"'For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' (1 Tim. 2:5.)
"Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice.
"This truth is the very root of Christian doctrine. …
"The extension of mercy will not be automatic. It will be through covenant with Him. It will be on His terms, His generous terms, which include, as an absolute essential, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
"All mankind can be protected by the law of justice, and at once each of us individually may be extended the redeeming and healing blessing of mercy" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1977, 80; or Ensign, May 1977, 55–56).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell shared this insight: "The justice and mercy of God will have been so demonstrably perfect that at the Final Judgment there will be no complaints, including from those who once questioned what God had allotted in the mortal framework (see 2 Nephi 9:14–15; Alma 5:15–19; 12:3–14; 42:23–26, 30)" (in Conference Report, Apr. 2000, 92; or Ensign, May 2000, 74).
Alma 42:18–30. Remorse of Conscience
President Boyd K. Packer explained the value remorse of conscience can have:
"It is my purpose to ease the pain of those who suffer from the very unpleasant feeling of guilt. I feel like the doctor who begins his treatment by saying, 'Now, this may hurt a little. …'
"Every one of us has at least tasted the pain of conscience which follows our mistakes.
"John said, 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us' [1 John 1:8]. Then he said it more strongly: 'If we say that we have not sinned, we make [the Lord] a liar, and his word is not in us' [1 John 1:10].
"All of us sometime, and some of us much of the time, suffer remorse of conscience from things we did wrong or things left undone. That feeling of guilt is to the spirit what pain is to the physical body. …
"We all make mistakes. Sometimes we harm ourselves and seriously injure others in ways that we alone cannot repair. We break things that we alone cannot fix. It is then in our nature to feel guilt and humiliation and suffering, which we alone cannot cure. That is when the healing power of the Atonement will help.
"The Lord said, 'Behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent [D&C 19:16]" (in Conference Report, Apr. 2001, 27–28; or Ensign, May 2001, 22–23).
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) spoke of the value of a sensitive conscience: "How wonderful that God should endow us with this sensitive yet strong guide we call a conscience! Someone has aptly remarked that 'conscience is a celestial spark which God has put into every man for the purpose of saving his soul.' Certainly it is the instrument which awakens the soul to consciousness of sin, spurs a person to make up his mind to adjust, to convict himself of the transgression without soft-pedaling or minimizing the error, to be willing to face facts, meet the issue and pay necessary penalties—and until the person is in this frame of mind he has not begun to repent. To be sorry is an approach, to abandon the act of error is a beginning, but until one's conscience has been sufficiently stirred to cause him to move in the matter, so long as there are excuses and rationalizations, one has hardly begun his approach to forgiveness. This is what Alma meant in telling his son Corianton that 'none but the truly penitent are saved.' (Al. 42:24.)" (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 152).
Alma 42:23. "The Atonement Bringeth to Pass the Resurrection"
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) bore the following witness of the magnificence of the atoning sacrifice which made the Resurrection possible:
ImageChrist's CrucifixionPaul Gustave Dore
"The magnificent expression of His love came in His death, when He gave His life as a sacrifice for all men. That Atonement, wrought in unspeakable pain, became the greatest event of history, an act of grace for which men gave nothing but which brought the assurance of the Resurrection to all who have or would walk the earth.
"No other act in all of human history compares with it. Nothing that has ever happened can match it. Totally unselfish and with unbounded love for all mankind, it became an unparalleled act of mercy for the whole human race.
"Then with the Resurrection that first Easter morn came the triumphal declaration of immortality. Well was Paul able to declare, 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive' (1 Corinthians 15:22). He not only granted the blessing of the Resurrection to all, but opened the way to eternal life to those who observe His teachings and commandments" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1999, 92; or Ensign, Nov. 1999, 73).
Points to Ponder
Why can wickedness never lead to happiness? Why does it sometimes seem that wicked people are happy?
What must we do to have the Savior's Atonement applied in our behalf?
How does the law of justice work in your favor?
How does the law of mercy work in your favor?
Suggested Assignments
Prepare and if possible deliver a short talk on the spirit world using two or more references from Alma 40–42.
What did Alma teach his son Corianton about resurrection?
Write a brief definition or explanation for each of the following: the law of restoration, the law of justice, the law of mercy.


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New Car Review: 2004 Jaguar S-Type 3.0
Few names in the auto industry are as celebrated as Jaguar. It started business as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, making motorcycle sidecars, and, later, custom bodies for production cars. But these were affordable middle-class cars, not the bespoke, exclusive marques for which most custom bodies were built. Beautiful coachwork on an affordable car was a Jaguar hallmark before the company was known as Jaguar, a name first used in 1936. Jaguar's glory days were after World War II, and it became famous for a series of high-performance but (relatively) affordable two-seater sports car and sports luxury sedans.
Sadly, when the British auto industry went into decline from the late 1960s, Jaguar seemed destined to follow. Ownership changed several times, and by the early 1990s the company seemed to be doomed to extinction. There was too much heritage at stake, and Ford Motor Company, which was on a buying spree, stepped in. Ford invested huge sums of money in new production facilities, and gave Jaguar access to the Ford global parts bin.
Projects that were in the works at the time of the sale - most importantly the XK8 sports car - became reality, and a new, more affordable Jaguar sedan was planned. That sedan was the S-Type, introduced in the 2000 model year. To say that it saved Jaguar is not overstatement.
To moderate the cost, Ford-sourced parts were used. The chassis platform was shared with the Lincoln LS; the V6 engine was a cousin to that used in the Ford Taurus (the V8 is Jaguar's own). But a vehicle is more than the sum of its parts, and Jaguar modified the Ford parts to its own purposes anyway. The S-Type was wrapped in a gorgeous body that reflected Jaguar heritage, and sold at a realistic price.
The strategy that worked throughout early Jaguar history worked again. People who could only dream of a Jaguar could suddenly buy one, and sales very quickly rose. But 2000 was four years ago, and the mid-luxury class is ruthlessly competitive. With new models, including the supercharged R, expanding its market reach and constant improvements, it has kept pace with its competition.
I recently sampled a new S-Type 3.0, the ``entry level'' model. It's not ``entry level'' at all, it's a fully-equipped Jaguar, with luxury appointments done the way Jaguar does best and fine levels of refinement, comfort, and performance. It still bodes well for Jaguar's future.
APPEARANCE: Looks sell cars, and looks sell Jaguars, especially the S-Type. Even four years after its debut, it draws smiles and attention. In designing the S-Type, Jaguar utilized classic lines in a way that is not self-consciously retro, but certainly pays homage to its heritage. The main influence is the Mark II sedan built during the 1960s, which itself was influenced by the XK-series sports Jaguars of the 1950s. The curves of the fenders and roof, and the oval grille flanked by faired-in headlights give a more-than-passing nod to the Mk.II, but the S-Type's proportions are lower and wider in the modern manner. A cleanly-truncated tail replaces the Mk. II's rounded rear. But, for anyone who has ever seen an old Jaguar in a movie or in the sheetmetal, there is absolutely no doubt as to the manufacturer.
COMFORT: Jaguar utilized its heritage inside of the S-Type, too. The S-Type's interior will be familiar to anyone who has seen the inside of a Jaguar sedan in the past decade. If it's not as opulent as the XJ, it fits into the contemporary mid-luxury class well. As expected, leather adorns the seats and door panels, with genuine wood trim on the doors and instrument panel. A wood-and-leather steering wheel rim adds elegance and control. The 3.0's two-tone interior color scheme is international contemporary; the leather-trimmed horseshoe-shaped surround to the center stack is pure Jaguar. The front seats provide comfort and support for any length of journey; power-adjustable pedals and power tilt and reach adjustment of the steering wheel allow all drivers to find the perfect driving position. Despite the classic styling, there are some interesting modern features. Looking for the parking brake? Try the small lever at the rear of the console - it actuates the electronically-controlled parking brake. Rear seat room is average for the class, with good comfort for two outboard passengers of moderate stature. The trunk is long and flat, and inside is found a classic British accoutrement - an umbrella.
SAFETY: The 2004 Jaguar S-Type features the passenger-sensing ``Adaptive Restraint Technology System,'' front, side, and side curtain airbags, and emergency brake assist wrapped in a strong body structure that exceeds safety requirements worldwide.
ROADABILITY: In standard trim, the S-Type 3.0 is every bit a contemporary world-class luxury car. Yes, there are Ford-sourced parts under the skin, but the differences in design and tuning and the resulting feel between the Lincoln LS and the S-Type are considerable. The S-Type's chassis has been revised for increased rigidity, and aluminum front suspension components reduce unsprung weight for quicker handling response. In the European manner, the suspension tuning is comfortably compliant yet firm enough for good handling when the road gets interesting.
PERFORMANCE: Yes, the V6 found in the S-Type 3.0 is based on the ``Duratec'' dual overhead cam engine found in the Ford Taurus. But Jaguar used other manufacturer's engines earlier in its history, and, more importantly, without Ford there would very likely be no Jaguar today. It's been tuned by Jaguar for 235 horsepower at 6800 rpm and 216 lb-ft of torque at 4100 rpm. There is very good power at all engine speeds, and it's a good choice of power for a luxury-sports sedan. If more power is needed, there's always the 294 horsepower V8 or the 390-hp supercharged V8 in the ``R'' model. For 2004 the V6's original five-speed automatic has been replaced by the six-speed ZF unit found previously only in the V8 models. It's smooth and fast in operation, adding performance, fuel economy, and refinement. The five-speed manual is still available by special order, but is not really necessary in order to have full enjoyment of the S-Type's capabilities.
CONCLUSIONS: The Jaguar S-Type's mix of classic styling and modern specification revitalized the company when it debuted a few years ago. It's aging very well, and continues to provide style, substance, and value in the mid-luxury class.
2004 Jaguar S-Type 3.0
Base Price $ 43,230
Price As Tested $ 48,170
Type dual overhead cam V6 with continuously-variable valve
Engine Size 3.0 liters / 181 cu. in.
235 @ 6800 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 216 @ 4100 rpm
Transmission 6-speed electronically-controlled automatic
Wheelbase / Length 114.5 in. / 192.0 in.
Curb Weight 3,777
Pounds Per Horsepower 16.1
Fuel Capacity 18.4
Fuel Requirement 91 octane unleaded premium gasoline
Tires P225/50 HR16 Continental Conti Contact
eco plus
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / vented disc,
antilock standard
Suspension, front/rear independent double
wishbone / independent double wishbone
Drivetrain front
engine, rear-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon city /
highway / observed 18 / 26 / 21
0 to 60 mph 7.5 sec
Premium package - includes:
adjustable pedals, power front lumbar adjustment,
electrochromic mirrors, garage door opener, rain- sensing
wipers, driver's seat, pedals, steering column, and external
mirror memory $ 1,500
Heated front seats $ 500
sound $ 1,600
Electric glass sunroof $ 675
charge $ 665


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The Washington Post today ran a lengthy front-page story headlined "As Mexico drug violence runs rampant, U.S. guns tied to crime south of border." The title pretty much sums it up: the Post states that an "unprecedented number of American guns [are flowing] to the murderous drug cartels across the border" and that this is fueling the violent battle between drug runners and the Mexican government.
Of course, one reason that battle has turned violent is because the Mexican government of Felipe Calderon is trying, for the first time, to crack down on the gangs, who – not surprisingly – are fighting back. The writ of the Mexican state has never run throughout Mexico, and it has often been undermined by corruption. The U.S. has much to gain from Calderon's efforts, and it is in no way a criticism of Calderon to point out that violence in Mexico is driven by Mexican causes, and must find a Mexican solution.
Similarly, to the extent that there is gun running across the border from the U.S. into Mexico – and it certainly does exist – this, like the illegal immigrants that cross the other way, is a testimony to the fact that neither the U.S. nor Mexico controls the border. It would be a wonderful thing if U.S. newspapers, and politicians, campaigned as vigorously for border control as they do for gun control.
Sadly, the Post ignores the Mexican context, and sticks to the tried and true role of blaming the United States for Mexico's problems. It breathlessly reports that twelve U.S. gun dealers "have had double-digit traces of 'crime guns' to their stores from Mexico." That does not get us very far: ten is a "double-digit" number of traces. The Post singles out one gun dealer who, it claims, has had "more than 115 guns from his stores" seized in the past two years in Mexico. That is about one gun seized every week in all of Mexico.
To back up its assertion that the U.S. is the source of most of Mexico's guns ("statistics . . . show that 80 to 90 percent of the weapons seized in Mexico are first sold in the United States"), the Post cites the claim that "Federal authorities say that more than 60,000 U.S. guns of all types have been recovered in Mexico in the past four years." This is a wild exaggeration. The Post is referring to an oft-cited U.S. Government Accountability Office study which shows that, of the guns seized in Mexico and given to the ATF for tracing from 2004 through 2008, approximately 87 percent originated in the U.S.
But this number says nothing about the percentage of guns seized in Mexico that originated in the U.S., because the U.S. does not trace – because they are not of U.S. origin, and so are not submitted by Mexican authorities to the U.S. for tracing – the majority of guns seized in Mexico. According to the GAO, the number of guns seized in Mexico that have been traced back to the U.S. has ranged from 5,260 in 2005 to 1,950 in 2006 to 3,060 in 2007 to 6,700 in 2008. That is a total of about 17,000, nowhere close to 60,000.
There really should not be any dispute about this. It is not an argument about policy. It is about nothing more, or less, than who can look up a number in a government publication more accurately. To its credit, the Post does give the National Rifle Association space for rebuttal, but it leaves the impression that "the gun lobby" is simply trying to defend a long-discredited position. The reality is that, if 60,000 guns – or 75,000, as President Calderon said in May – have been seized in Mexico in recent years, less than a third have been traced back to the U.S.
Amazingly, the Post even acknowledges that "most guns seized in Mexico [are] not traced." If that is so, then it is obviously impossible to know what proportion of guns came from the United States. As Jess T. Ford, the GAO's Director of International Affairs and Trade, put it when he testified before the House in 2009, "is impossible to know how many firearms are illegally trafficked into Mexico in a given year." By acknowledging the limited scope of Mexican tracing, the Post destroys the creditability of its claim that the vast majority of guns seized in Mexico come from the U.S.
The Post, at least, spares its readers another round of praise for CIFTA, the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials. That is a relief, because CIFTA is a bad treaty for a great many reasons. But make no mistake: these sorts of stories are part of an ongoing effort to secure CIFTA's ratification by persuading the American public, and U.S. Senators, that CIFTA will cure Mexico's ills. Fortunately, the Senate seems [5] in no mood to go along. But that does not stop the treaty's supporters from trying. It would, though, be nice if they could at least look up the numbers accurately.
Source material can be found at this site.


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Animal Wildlife | Marine Toad | The marine toad (also known as the cane toad or the giant toad) is a species or terrestrial (land-dwelling) toad that is natively found throughout Central and South America.The marine toad is one of the world's true toads and is often used to eradicate pests from sugar-cane (hence it's name).The marine toad is generally found in the subtropical forests of Central and South America,where despite it's name,spends it's life entirely on the land.The marine toad has also been introduced to non-native regions as a form of pest control for crops.
Marine toads tend to be around 15 cm in length although much larger individuals have been recorded. Marine toads are known to have poison glands which ensure that it has toxic skin. This means that if another animal ate the marine toad, it's quite likely that it would lead to near, if not fatal, consequences. Along with being used to control agricultural pests, the marine toad also has a variety of other uses to humans around the world. Traditionally, tribes people in South America would milk the toads for their toxin (called bufotoxin), which was then used as arrow poison. There are also suggestions that the toxins produced by the marine toad may have also been used as a narcotic by the local people.
As with numerous other toad species, the marine toad is a carnivorous animal, primarily surviving on a diet of insects. Due to their large size however, marine toads have also been known to hunt slightly bigger animals including rodents, reptiles, birds and even other amphibians. Due to it's relatively small size, the marine toad is preyed upon by a number of different species within it's natural environment. Caimans, snakes, rats, eels, opossums and various birds of prey are all predators of the marine toad.
Like other amphibians, the marine toad undergoes the incredible transformation from a water-bound tadpole to a ground-dwelling adult in a matter of months. Like it's adult counterpart, the marine toad tadpoles are also highly toxic to any animal that eats them. Today, the marine toad populations are thriving around the world due to the artificial introductions of the marine toad to many islands in the 1900s. Since then, the marine toad has become a pest in many of these countries as their ruthless nature poses a serious threat to native species.


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Light Terrain of Ganymede
This image shows an example of the light terrain of Ganymede. The image shows the contrast between the light terrain and the dark terrain of Ganymede. The light terrain is where the grooves of Ganymede are found. This lighter region of Ganymede is called Uruk Sulcus. It is evidently a younger area of Ganymede because the craters have been wiped out by changes. The Galileo spacecraft, on an exploratory mission, specifically targetted Uruk Sulcus, to examine the surface for changes.


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- "Who gives these people jobs? Who put these people in positions of influence? We are thirsting, and they're giving us seawater to drink."
Every time I see an article, a news item, or a documentary about the Jihad threat or about Middle East politics this is the question I ask about the writer/presenter. And I'm not just talking about the leftist bigots. Last week's (London) Times on Saturday, for example - the so-called creme de la creme of high-brow reporting - had a massive article dominating its world news section about the Middle East peace talks. The entire article (and headline) blamed Israel's decision to re-start building in Jerusalem (wrongly called "the West Bank") for the breakdown in talks. What was pathetic about the article was not so much its bias (which has been a feature of the Times for several years now) but the sheer ignorance and laziness of the writer. It would not have been hard, for example, to find out and mention the crucial role of the PA in refusing Netanyahu's request to recognise Israel as a Jewish state in exchange for a continued freeze on building, or to mention the clumsy role of Obama in unnecessarily making the building issue so prominent when even the Palestinians had never previously made it a condition for talks. But the writer simply did not bother. Instead the writer simply parroted out the standard Palestinian narrative without any attempt to check the facts. The writer also repeated the libel about the the 'settler' who 'ran over Palestinian children' as being a factor in the breakdown of talks, ignoring the fact that this had been comprehensively debunked with video evidence over a week before.
I'm increasingly coming to the opinion that most writers in the main stream media are not necessarily inherantly biased against Israel. They are simply ignorant, and above all lazy. They simply repeat what other 'writers' in the main stream media are saying and so it just becomes a self-perpetuating torrent of anti-Israel narrative. The tragedy is that these totally useless writers have all the key positions in the main stream media, while truly talented writers are marginalised in the blogosphere. Why. for example, are writers like Michael Totten (who really researches and understands the middle east), Daniel Greenfield (Sultan Knish, who is able to provide deep analysis) and Barry Rubin (who has access to a wide range of inside experts), not given the opportunity to be seen in the main stream media, while truly lazy and ignorant ones dominate it?


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Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Janee Thompson and Samarie Walker each scored 12 points to lead fifth-ranked Kentucky to a 73-56 victory over East Tennessee State on Sunday.
The Wildcats tied a school record with their 11th consecutive victory to open the season.
East Tennessee State (2-6) forced four lead changes and three ties in the first eight minutes, but the Wildcats used a 14-2 run to go up 31-18 with 8:15 remaining in the first half.
Kentucky led 49-29 at the half, but the Buccaneers pulled within 54-44 with 13:28 left. But East Tennessee State couldn't get within single digits.
Linnae Harper added 10 points for Kentucky.
Maria Bond led East Tennessee State with 14 points, and Chandler Christopher had 11.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Adele forgot the lyrics to her song and this was her reaction. ?? pic.twitter.com/n1EyHwXM56
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 25, 2016
Nobody's perfect, not even the beloved Adele.
As the "Hello" singer continues her world tour in support of her latest album 25, fans received a minor surprise in concert this week.
While Adele was singing one of her favorite songs, she experienced a bit of a brain-fart for lack of a better word. "S--t, wrong words," she was overheard saying to the crowd before bursting into laughter. "S--t, s--t, s--t. Should I sing the right words? Sorry."
As you likely could have guessed, fans had no hard feelings with the human mistake. In fact, you could hear hundreds of audience members laughing and cheering as Adele carried on like a pro.
With some digging, we've learned that this isn't the first time the Grammy winner has made a minor error while performing. Earlier this month, Adele stopped her performance in Manchester because she didn't know "the f--king words" to a song. When the lights turned on, some audience members delivered a standing ovation at the innocent mistake.
To be fair, how can you be mad at a performer who recently twerked on stage and helped fans get engaged live in concert. Oh yes, and there's also that incredible voice when performing huge hits including "Someone Like You" and "Chasing Pavements."
Lucky for fans in the states, Adele is about to kick off the North American portion of her tour this July. Spoiler alert: Tickets are pretty hard to come by.
Until then, at least we have her new music video for "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" available for us to watch again and again.


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Celebrating more than 30 years! 1980-2010 NFCFA was chartered on July 4, 1980 in Wilmington, Delaware.
The Norwegian Forest Cat Fanciers' Association is a group of dedicated breeders and fanciers dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Norwegian Forest Cat and cats in general. We are a non-affiliated association who welcomes members not only here in the United States but throughout the world.
November 7 - 9, 2014 Houston Marriott North Hotel 255 N Sam Houston Pkwy East Houston, Texas 77060


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Google Reports 70 Percent Increase in Takedown Requests by US Government
In an effort to highlight global censorship campaigns, Google's biannual transparency report revealed a 70 percent increase in takedown requests by the US government and law enforcement agencies.
New figures showed that Google faced demands from US law enforcement agencies earlier this year to take down YouTube videos allegedly showing incidents of police brutality. The report indicated that Google refused those demands, as well as other demands to remove videos that allegedly defamed police officers.
These new figures also revealed that the US demanded private information about more than 11,000 Google users in the first six months of this year, which is nearly equal to the number of requests made by 25 other developed countries, including the UK and Russia.
In addition, the report disclosed information requests for about 25,440 people by governments worldwide in the first half of 2011 alone, with 11,057 of those people being in the US; and a ranking of the number of takedown requests by country, with Brazil topping the list that includes Germany, the US and South Korea.
This marks the first time that Google has made public details about how many of its users are targeted by authorities, as opposed to just the number of requests made by countries.
Senior policy analyst at Google, Dorothy Chou said, "We believe that providing this level of detail highlights the need to modernize laws like the Eletronic Communications Privacy Act, which regulates government access to user information and was written 25 years ago – long before the average person had ever heard of email."
Google is scheduled to release another transparency report after data from the second half of 2011 has been collected.


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How do we refer to the act of resembling the truth, regardless if it is indeed the truth?
Some context: suppose you are watching a film and the story bears a striking resemblance to "real life". Perhaps you remember similar events from your own background or the story has a strong internal coherence. So you feel that the story could be true, even though you know it is fictional. Or, as the legend has it, when Michelangelo finished his "Pietà" and the sculpture seemed so "real" and "natural" to him, that he was amazed that the sculpture couldn't talk. One last example: you hear the promises of a politician in election campaign and he seems to be telling the truth, but of course you have no way to figure out, beforehand, if he is being honest or not.
The word "likelihood" comes to mind, but this word suggests some kind of numerical (even statistical) evaluation, which is akin to "probability". The word I am looking for describes the feeling you get, which leads to a subjective "binary" judgement (either it resembles the truth or not).
In Portuguese, such word is "verossimilhança" (from Latin verum
, truth + similis
, similar).


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San Antonio, Texas - Collegiate anglers competing in the 2011 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship and Pepsi Collegiate Bass Fishing Open will have the opportunity to win prizes for presenting their fishing conservation ideas, with the top prize being the angler featured on a several nationally televised fishing programs. The Berkley Conservation Institute (BCI) will award the top 2 anglers whose presentations are submitted by June 20th, 2011.
Winners will be determined by a panel of judges.
Anglers are encouraged to be creative with their presentations (Videos, Power Point, etc.). In addition to the quality of the presentation, the judges will consider how well the anglers perform; as well as how they carry themselves and promote fishing during the championship event. The awards presentation will take place immediately following the final day weigh in.
Awards: 1st place: Guest appearance to be featured on BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, Cabela's Fisherman's Handbook and Americana Outdoors television programs where the winner will go fishing while discussing their conservation thoughts and college bass fishing. Include airfare to San Antonio, Texas, lodging, meals and fishing license on the trip. 2nd place: $500.00 3rd place: $500.00 in Berkley tackle (MSRP)Entries should be submitted no later than June 20th, to:
BCI Collegiate Award
5717 NW Parkway #104
San Antonio, TX 78249
"Berkley has partnered with the BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship for 4 years and it has become one of the programs that I am most proud of," stated Andrew Marks, Sr. Marketing Manager for Berkley. "This award requires the collegiate anglers to utilize all their talents including creativity, skills developed as a result of their college education, business acumen to handle on camera interviews, and their overall fishing skills."
The Berkley Conservation Institute was developed to support conservation and angler recruitment efforts. BCI cooperates with fishing groups, conservation organizations, customers and other industry partners to protect our fishable waters. Berkley also collaborates to enhance populations of important sport fish and introduce the next generation to the delight of angling while teaching them to lead the fight for conservation.
"This is a very prestigious contest presented by Berkley and it's great of them to provide this opportunity," said Wade Middleton, Tournament Director. "In addition I'm personally excited to host the winner on the water to hear their thoughts about conservation and allow them to share them with anglers nationwide on the several television programs supporting this prize package."


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The VTK Architecture Review Board (ARB) is a group of individuals whose goal is to advance the technology in VTK by providing direction and oversight to the development of VTK. While the open-source nature of VTK allows natural progression via its many developers, the ARB seeks to balance the intentions of each small group of developers, ensuring that changes will benefit the community as a whole. The ARB serves the following functions:
- Maintain a roadmap of VTK including long-term plans.
- Make decisions on high-impact code changes to VTK.
Scope of ARB Intervention
Code changes with a high impact on developers and/or users should be reviewed by the ARB. The following are some guiding principles for deciding whether changes require ARB involvement:
- Will the change significantly affect backwards compatibility?
- Does the change cause a significant shift in the functionality and scope of VTK?
- Are there licensing issues with the code?
Smaller feature additions and bug fixes will not in general require ARB approval, although they should in most cases have an associated development plan (see the Managing the Development Process document).
The President organizes the meeting agenda and maintains the roadmap and the list of outstanding proposals requiring ARB intervention. He or she is also responsible for setting up ARB meeting times/places and ensuring that the goals of the meeting are accomplished. The president may invite individuals or groups who have submitted proposals to present their plans at ARB meetings.
The Secretary keeps records of each meeting, assists in the setup of the meeting location and technology (e.g. projectors, video conferencing, etc.) required, and facilitates communication of proposals to the ARB, as well as decisions from the ARB back to the community.
The ARB will meet on a schedule of their choosing and convenience, but at least once a quarter. The ARB may meet informally at any time as the need arises to evaluate proposals. (Meeting notes and scheduled meetings are listed here.)
Conflict Resolution
Conflicts will be resolved by discussion and consensus where at all possible. When such an agreement is impossible, the members of the ARB will vote on the issue, with the President breaking any tie vote.
Membership, while initially determined by Kitware, will develop organically from the ARB itself. ARB members are responsible for nominating new members, who are elected by consensus or majority vote (with the president breaking any tie). Existing members may step down from the ARB at any point. Members who are unable to attend meetings after reasonable effort to contact them, or are found to be exceedingly counterproductive to the purposes of the ARB, may be dropped from the ARB by consensus or vote.
Current Members
The following are the current members of the ARB. It is likely that many of these positions may change over time. The list below summarizes each members organization and expertise.
- Jim Ahrens, Los Alamos National Laboratories (Supercomputing: VTK, ParaView)
- Berk Geveci, Kitware Inc. (Supercomputing: VTK, ParaView)
- Bill Lorensen, Master and Commander (Medical Imaging: VTK, Slicer)
- Andrew Maclean, Centre for Autonomous Systems, University of Sydney (Geometry: VTK, Robotics, Software Process)
- Steve Pieper, Isomics (Medical Imaging: VTK, Slicer)
- Paolo Quadrani, CINECA System and Technology Department (Medical Imaging: VTK, MAF)
- Will Schroeder, Kitware Inc. (Geometry, Data Structures, Algorithms: VTK)
- Ken Mooreland, Sandia National Laboratories (This is a rotating position with other lead VTK technologists from Sandia) (Informatics: VTK, Titan)
- Alejandro Ribes, Research Scientist at EDF R&D (ParaView, In-situ visualization and analytics, statistical visual analysis)
- David Gobbi, Research Scientist at Calgary Image Processing and Analysis Centre
Mailing List
This members only mailing list can be found at http://www.vtk.org/mailman/listinfo/arb


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Another collection you''ll be drooling over all month long
I have had a home studio for years and, while I love my studio tools, my real passion is for my instrument collection. Like many PG readers, I have a great collection of old gear. Not quite enough to satisfy my thirst, but more than my wife thinks I need. Over the years, my main problem has been space. Most of my guitars, keyboards, drums, etc. were in cases in a spare bedroom, in the garage and up in the attic – a few were even in my mother's basement. What a shame. I can still remember the excitement of taking each one home and playing it for a few months before sending it to its molded plastic jail cell. The fact is, I don't have a lot of space, but I want to have my instruments out where they can be easily played, as well as admired by friends.
Stands really didn't do the trick because they only hold a few things at once, and they also didn't solve my other concern: keeping the instruments out of reach of children, pets and the vacuum cleaner. The logical next step was to get some wall hangers. I had used one of these in college and it did a great job of keeping my cedar top Yairi from ending up like the one in Animal House. Unfortunately, guitar wall hangers didn't fully fix my problem. For a wall hanger to get a solid grip, you should attach it to a wall stud. In my current studio, the longest wall is 12' long and has six accessible studs (they are usually 16" apart). So, on that wall I have room for six guitars or four keyboards with very little flexibility in where they can hang.
One day I realized the solution I was looking for was in every music store I had ever visited. Go to any music retailer and you'll find wall guitar hangers and keyboard mounts all over the store mounted to strips of wallboard called Slatwall. These hangers are usually not for sale; they are quietly sitting in the background displaying products. But the hangers are actually easy to get and can be special-ordered by your favorite retailer.
So where do you find the actual Slatwall? Just about any lumberyard or home improvement center can order it for you – I even found some local dealers who have it in stock. If you live in a larger city you might even have a store that specializes in retail fixtures. You can get Slatwall in different colors, finishes, thicknesses and with metal reinforcement. If you collect basses, have several pricey Les Pauls, or if you want to display keyboards and drum machines, then I suggest you get the thick, metal-reinforced kind. Most panels come with a sticker on the back that shows the maximum weight capacity. Slatwall comes in 4' x 8' sheets like plywood and can easily be cut to fit. Be careful of look-alike products like pegboard, Gladiator and Garageworks. These appear similar, but instrument hangers won't hold tight to them and will easily fall off.
In my search, I discovered lots of interesting accessories for Slatwall. I found hangers for my bongo drums, keyboards, effect pedals, various tools, and even a dummy head to hang my headphones on. There are mic holders, cable hangers, drum machine shelves and many more that can take advantage of every square foot of wall space. Fender makes a "surfboard" guitar holder, guitarideas.net has lots of different colored wood hangers and Off The Wall makes metal hangers for those of you with more modern tastes.
These days my studio is neater and I have more instruments on display, with most of them out of reach of pets and kids. It looks great, didn't cost very much and my mother was very happy to get those instruments out of her basement!
Brendan Murphy
Brendan Murphy has been a live sound and recording engineer for nearly twenty years. He has an extensive collection of modern and vintage instruments of all kinds. Reach him at (800) 222 4700 ext. 1287, or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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By Saimi Bergmann | CantonRep.com
Not long ago, the phrase "food truck" conjured up images of carnival trailers loaded with corn dogs and elephant ears. Today, food truck owners are just as likely to be serving up sushi and scampi.
Gourmet is the name of the game in two food trucks that have been popping up at Stark County sites and events in recent months. Both the Stone Pelican Rolling Cafe and Denostas Wood Fired Grille are owned by professionally trained chefs, and their menus feature diverse dishes, from lamb chops to vegan wraps.
Owner: Daniel Denham
Facebook: www.facebook.com/denostas
To book truck for your site: Call 330-437-7501.
Regular stops: 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Barrel Room, 7901 Cleveland Ave. NW; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays at Quonset Hut, 3235 Cleveland Ave. NW.
On the menu: Herbed lamb "lollipop," $7; lobster and crab ravioli, $10; pulled pork sliders topped with grilled apples and cole slaw, $8; "Smokin' Hot Browns," with smoked turkey, peppered bacon and tomato on artisan bread, $7.
How it happened: Until last spring, Daniel Denham worked as general manager for Ken Stewart's Lodge and Ken Stewart's Tres Belle in Akron. He quit and bought a food truck.
Why the career swing?
"I want to open my own restaurant," said Denham of Canton. "But I want to brand myself before I open my own place. I want to build my following first."
His plan is working, judging by the long lines outside the truck Wednesdays when he parks in front of the Barrel Room Wine Bar in North Canton. Some customers drive up, get food and drive away, but many place an order then head inside.
Barrel Room owner Adam Todd is delighted with the arrangement.
"He always has somebody on hand who brings the food inside to the customers," Todd said. "The customers have been loving it. I hope to go all winter with it."
Why did Denham name his business Denostas?
"When I left my schmancy job, I wanted to include my wife in this, so the name is half my name and half her maiden name (Costas) smashed together," Denham said.
Although orders are ready fairly quickly, Denham's "high end American cuisine" isn't fast food. For instance, his fries are cut fresh when ordered, fried till crisp, topped with fresh chopped rosemary and served with a roasted garlic aioli ($5).
"I do all the sauces by hand," he said. "Everything is fresh. I don't use anything from frozen. In season, I only buy from farmers."
A giant smoker grill on the front of his trailer is a silent enticement to try his pulled pork slider — a generous pile of smoky, tender meat topped with his own cole slaw and a grilled apple slice.
Finishing touches — such as deep fried basil leaves on ravioli — seem to be Denham's signature. His "lamb lollipops" (lamb chops) are coated with fresh herbs then topped with torched goat cheese. He admits to using his torch often.
"You know who loves torched cheese?" he asked. "Everybody."
Owner: Jeff Neel
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stonepelicanrollingcafe
To book truck for your site: Call 330-620-9724.
On the menu: Three fish tacos with crunchy vinegar cole slaw, with a side, $7; Vegan wrap with peppers, eggplant, onion, squashes, spinach and hummus, with a side, $7; Three meatballs on a stick with marinara and garlic toast, $5.
How it happened: Jeff Neel, a parole officer in Summit County, dreamed of retiring and opening a restaurant.
"My wife and I wanted to go south, maybe Florida, and start our own restaurant on the beach," Neel said.
So he enrolled in culinary school at the University of Akron.
"I started in 2004. It takes a while to finish when you're taking one or two classes at a time in the evening," he said, chuckling. "I got my degree in restaurant management and my chef certification a year and half ago. Also worked weekends at area restaurants to get some experience."
When Neel wrote restaurant business plans for class, he always used the name Stone Pelican, imagining his beach side eatery. When a family situation made it necessary for the Neels to remain in Ohio, his wife, Judy, suggested the food truck. The Stone Pelican Rolling Cafe was born.
From the start, Neel knew his menu would be loaded with healthful items.
"Our entire family works out, my son is a vegan, and we all tend to eat healthier. I wanted to go with that approach," Neel said.
The gluten-free fish tacos and the vegan wraps are hot sellers, as are the less-healthful "Crabby Tomatoes."
"We take two slices of green tomatoes, then put seasoned lump crab between them like an Oreo cookie," he said. "Roll the whole thing in cornmeal, deep fry it, then put a red sauce on it. It's so good."
Neel admits business got off to a slow start.
"Our big error was we thought we could pull up somewhere and park and make that work," he said. "We learned social media is the Mecca. Once you build fans on Facebook and get all the 'likes,' you get a lot of business that way."
Now he's busy enough that he often calls on a chef friend, Tom Mayberry, to help out.
"I call him a local culinary legend," Neel said. "Between us, we're always coming up with something different for the menu."


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Green Funerals - The Way of the Future
Now more than ever before, the world is being held responsible for its actions and more and more people, as well as businesses are choosing to live a more sustainable life. The statistics are proof that we need to make changes and it's imperative that we make the effort to reduce our carbon footprint. At Alternatives, we are very proud to be one of only ten funeral homes in Canada that are 3-Leaf rated by the Green Burial Council of North America. We offer services and products that not only create a meaningful funeral or cremation experience, but that also minimizes the overall environmental impact on Mother Earth.
We have the capacity to increase our efforts to reduce our footprint and take environmental accountability seriously. We care immensely about this beautiful world we live in and want our practices to reflect that, by offering sustainable death care services that result in the reduction of carbon emissions, toxification, and waste. We strive to conserve natural resources, protect our staff and preserve our habitat. From caskets and urns made of biodegradable materials, to environmentally friendly embalming methods, and alliances with Green Certified cemeteries, we feel we are doing our part and if you are an environmentally conscientious person, then the choice will be easy!
When it comes to sustainability, we've partnered with Bullfrog Power, Canada's leading green energy service provider, to make a positive impact on our natural gas, electricity and fuel usage. We use 100% green energy, natural gas and fuel at our Aldergrove location to reduce our carbon footprint.
We have several simple yet beautiful casket options that reflect these practices. Our bamboo and willow options are clean and beautiful, some hand crafted in small rural areas and focus on simplicity while uninterrupting to the land. If you are choosing cremation, we offer a mini scattering urn that is designed containing no metal or plastic components and can even be recycled or composted after use.
For more information regarding costs associated with green burials or green options, please call us today.


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Our shared data plans offer you savings by spreading your data usage across all your different device types. Many data levels available.
Thinking of purchasing a tablet? Use it to access the internet from wherever you go with one of our many data packages.
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You'll always find the latest smart devices at Hawaiian Telcom. Choose from top 4G Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S® 4, HTC One®, Samsung Galaxy Note® II, tablets and more.
Hawaiian Telcom offers access to one of the most reliable and extensive wireless networks in the country. Wherever you go, you'll stay connected to your world.
PLUS — for a limited time get Hawai'i Everywhere®, that also includes statewide and national off-network roaming at no additional cost!
Choose other great add-ons to your wireless voice plans, such as text & picture messaging and wireless web access, at low monthly rates.
Call 643-0813 for more details.
Easily view all activity on your account. Get an explanation of charges on your bill. Pay your wireless bill online, or upgrade to a new phone.
Learn more about your device, view our coverage map or contact customer service.


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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A month after losing her re-election bid, Rep. Christine Watkins is leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republicans in hopes she could return to the Legislature in 2014.
Watkins, who was a Blue Dog Democrat at the Legislature and the last rural member of the Democratic caucus, was defeated by little-known Republican Jerry Anderson.
Watkins said Anderson crushed her in Duchesne County, which was added to her district in redistricting and saw a huge spike in voter turnout because it became the first county in the state to require voters to vote by mail.
"I wanted to come back and represent the area and [being a Republican] is the only way I can win because of Duchesne," she said in an interview.
Anderson, she said, barely campaigned. His financial disclosures show that nearly half the $2,365 he spent campaigning went for a suit from Mr. Mac and other clothes.
But he won, Watkins contends, because he is a Republican and also because the region overwhelmingly went for Mitt Romney over President Barack Obama.
"It's not leaving the party to leave it. It's switching to be able to have a chance at winning again," she said. "I genuinely love my part of the state. I've lived in Emery County. I've lived in Carbon County. Duchesne was new to me, and that may have been a disadvantage."
Watkins, a two-term House member, has been a pro-energy development Democrat who supported legislation to have the state take control of public lands. Her ties to the Democratic Party have largely centered on education, since she is a retired school principal.
Watkins said she was raised in a strong Republican household, but changed over education issues and served for six years as the county party secretary.
Republican Party Chairman Thomas Wright issued a statement Tuesday praising Watkins and welcoming her to the GOP.
"The Utah Republican Party welcomes Representative Christine Watkins and all others who share the conservative vision of making Utah a great place to live, work and raise a family," Wright said. "Her years of experience in education, understanding of rural Utah and commitment to Utah's public lands will be a valuable asset to the Republican Party."
It has been uncommon for legislators to switch parties. Former Republican Rep. David Hogue ran as a Democrat and lost in 2010. And Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, was appointed as a Democrat to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Gary Cox, but soon changed his party affiliation.
He was re-elected after redistricting.
Hutchings said that, for him, changing parties was the right decision, since he is socially a moderate, but fiscally very conservative. But the move isn't easy people carry a grudge, and if Watkins is doing it out of political expediency, voters will see through the change.
"The backlash on that was brutal," Hutchings said. "And unless it's truly honestly in your heart, if you're doing it to try to gain a political advantage, the repercussions of that will be so severe I don't think she'll recover from it."
Incoming House Minority Leader Jennifer Seelig, D-Salt Lake City, said she hadn't talked to Watkins about her decision, but she is saddened that she would leave the party.
"She's a fine member of our caucus. It remains to be seen what the voters in the area will do," Seelig said. "As a Democrat, I haven't given up on that area."