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Jeter is No. 1 among the No. 2s
Four Hall of Famers have worn the second digit, but Yanks captain rates above them all
Jeter is No. 1 as a No. 2
'Tis the season to provide perspective on the career of Derek Jeter. Though six months -- seven in the event the summer favors the Yankees -- remain before the Captain shuts it down, we can effectively evaluate what he has accomplished and where he fits in the scheme of the grand old game. A 20th season, half of which will pass after his 40th birthday, isn't likely to alter how he is assessed. Then again, he led the big leagues in hits during the season of his 38th birthday. So don't click "print" just yet.
One entirely unscientific means of measuring Jeter is to use the uniform number he has worn and distinguished throughout his career and compare him to others who have been similarly attired. A superficial glance at the many No. 2s who have played in the big leagues strongly suggests none has prospered quite so much as the Yankees shortstop.
No. 2 has been retired by merely four franchises -- the White Sox for Nellie Fox, the Cardinals for Red Schoendienst, the Tigers for Charlie Gehringer and the Dodgers for Tommy Lasorda. Each has been elected to the Hall of Fame, Lasorda as a manager and the other three as second basemen.
Fox would have qualified for the Hall if tobacco chewed was a measure of Cooperstown merit, but he made it as a slick defender and pesky No. 2 hitter whose thick-handled bat and ability to use it was a good fit for a small-ball team that had Luis Aparicio leading off. Fox won the American League MVP Award in 1959.
Schoendienst was elected for his splendid and fundamentally sound work for the Cardinals in the 1940s and the Braves in the '50s. And Gehringer made his bones as the Tigers' run-producing, .320 hitter from 1924 into the '40s. He was a batting champion and an AL MVP Award winner who amassed 2,839 hits.
Fox's election to the Hall was the work of a Veterans Committee in 1997. In this regard, he cannot be compared with Jeter, who is a first-ballot no-brainer and a candidate to displace Tom Seaver as the player to receive the highest-ever voting percentile. Of course, if Jeter's percentage in 2020 ranks behind only Seaver, he appropriately would be No. 2 in that way as well.
Schoendienst was elected by a Veterans Committee, too, in 1989. Gehringer was voted in in 1949 by the baseball writers.
Jeter never has won an AL MVP Award, but he has placed in the top 10 in balloting eight times. And he has played in 38 World Series games and helped win five rings. The aforementioned No. 2s played in 45 Series games collectively and won three rings, two by Schoendienst.
The significance of rings is debatable in that a Hall of Fame candidate ought not be penalized for being ringless. But a player who has enough jewelry to fill all the fingers on one hand and who played prominent roles in his teams' successes does warrant special recognition. Moreover, Jeter played at a time when reaching the World Series was a greater challenge than it was before 1969, when divisions and playoffs were introduced. And, though he's never been a slugger or a middle-of-the-order hitter, he was a most formidable and feared opponent, more so than Fox and Schoendienst.
Strange -- isn't it? -- that No. 2 is linked with so few special players. Certainly the roll call of No. 3s has a higher profile with the likes of the Babe, Killer (Harmon Killebrew), Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Dale Murphy, Harold Baines, Pete Runnels, Brett Butler and Bobby Grich (when he was with the Orioles). And No. 4 is strongly linked to the Iron Horse (Lou Gehrig), The Duke of Flatbush (Duke Snider), the recently departed Ralph Kiner, Luke Appling, Joe Cronin and Paul Molitor, Hall of Famers all.
Most clubs have retired several single-digit uniforms, but No. 2 usually has been assigned to players who seldom developed high profiles, Troy Tulowitzki being another current exception. Other than Roy Sievers, the 1957 AL home run champion, Freddie Patek, Granny Hamner, Zoilo Versalles, Hanley Ramirez (with the Marlins), Jeter's new teammate Jacoby Ellsbury (with the Red Sox) and a few pre-Jeter Yankees, the 2s have been mostly forgettable figures.
The crosstown Mets seldom have been wild about their deuces. Consider their first No. 2 was the face of the franchise in 1962, when the franchise was routinely red-faced -- Marv Throneberry. The marvelous one was a Yanks castoff -- he had worn No. 20 in the Bronx. Other No. 2 Mets included Roy Staiger, a good-glove, weak-bat third baseman in the 1970s; Jimmy Piersall, whose claim to fame as a Met was running the bases backward after hitting his 100th career home run, against Dallas Green, in the Polo Grounds; Phil Linz, another former Yankee who was past his prime as a harmonica player (see Yogi Berra, 1964) and utility infielder; Phil Mankowski, who eventually ran Rusty Staub's ribs restaurant in Manhattan; Mackey Sasser, the tipping catcher; Bobby Valentine as a coach and manager, though not as a player; and Kevin Elster, but only during the final days of their glorious '86 season.
The New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers and the Yankees had their No. 2s worn by Leo Durocher, a cool NYC hat trick for the Lip. Otherwise, No. 2 for the two former New York teams had a weak identity. The Giants, before their move to California, had merely 15 players wear the number from 1933-57. And only shortstop Dick Bartell wore it for more than three years.
Jeter, incidentally, has worn No. 2 for 19 seasons, longer than any other player. Schoendienst is next with 14 seasons.
Even the Yankees who have decommissioned all single-digit numbers other than 2 and 6 (the latter being held for Joe Torre), had only five 2s of lasting consequence between 1929, when they began wearing numbers, and 1995, when Jeter slipped into his No. 2 and into the club's star-studded history:
• Frank Crosetti was No. 2 from 1945-68, the last of his 23 years as the team's third-base coach and home run hand-shaker and back-slapper.
• Bobby Murcer, who wore four numbers during his two tours of duty with the Yanks, wore No. 2 during his last stay, from 1979-83. He'd worn No. 1 as a five-time All-Star center fielder, but Billy Martin had it when Murcer returned.
• Mark Koenig was the Yankees' first No. 2. He wore the number as the shortstop on the fabled 1927 team.
• Red Rolfe was the third baseman in the early years of the vastly successful DiMaggio era.
• And two-year wonder Snuffy Stirnweiss was a weapon during the war years.
Otherwise, No. 2 in the Bronx was assigned to mostly unremarkable players -- Jerry Kenney, Dale Berra, Sandy Alomar Sr., Wayne Tolleson and one-year wonder Lyn Lary. Tolleson does have one claim to fame for the Yanks' No. 2. He was wearing it in early in Spring Training in 1989 when gold-plated plebe Deion Sanders all but demanded to wear the lowest number on "his" team. Tolleson overheard Sanders and said out loud, "This is the New York Yankees, son, not the SEC."
Milke Gallego was assigned No. 2 after Tolleson and wore it for three years. It's quite easy to say Jeter is the No. 1 No. 2 in Yankees history. And, while noting Gehringer's accomplishments and Hall of Fame status, it's difficult to argue that Jeter's is not the No. 1 No. 2 anywhere.


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Scientists Say Blood Test May Help Predict Alzheimer's
WEDNESDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've identified an indicator, or "biomarker," in the blood that may help predict a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
For their study, the investigators tested the blood of 99 women, aged 70 to 79, for levels of a fatty compound called ceramides, which is associated with inflammation and cell death. The women were then followed for up to nine years and 27 of them developed dementia, including 18 who were diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease.
Compared to women with the lowest levels of ceramides, those with the highest levels were 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's and those with middle levels of the biomarker were nearly eight times more likely to develop the memory-robbing disease, according to the findings published in the July 18 online issue of the journal Neurology.
"Our study identifies this biomarker as a potential new target for treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease," Michelle Mielke, an epidemiologist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said in a news release from the American Academy of Neurology. She was with Johns Hopkins University at the time of the research.
Another expert stressed the importance of the study and the need for further research.
"These findings are important because identifying an accurate biomarker for early Alzheimer's that requires little cost and inconvenience to a patient could help change our focus from treating the disease to preventing or delaying it," Valory Pavlik, of the Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Center of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, wrote in an accompanying editorial.
"While a larger, more diverse study is needed to confirm these findings, projections that the global prevalence of Alzheimer's disease will double every 20 years for the foreseeable future have certainly increased the sense of urgency among researchers and health care agencies to identify more effective screening, prevention and treatment strategies," Pavlik noted.
More information
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about Alzheimer's disease.

subset: commoncrawl


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[Warning: This story contains major spoilers from Sunday's Dexter premiere. Read at your own risk!]
Dexter's in troooouble!
After being caught red-handed in last season's finale, Dexter's titular serial-killing blood spatter analyst spent most of Sunday's premiere trying to convince his sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) that the murder she saw him commit was an impromptu act of self-defense. But as evidence to the contrary piled up, Deb grew more and more suspicious of Dexter (Michael C. Hall) until she finally tore apart his apartment. It was then that she uncovered the scary truth: After finding his blood slides and Ice Truck Killer hand, Deb assumed that Dexter is likely the Bay Harbor Butcher. And since he was left with no other choice, Dexter admitted that he is, in fact, a serial killer!
Dexter boss Scott Buck teases Season 7: Is Dexter capable of change?
So what now? TVGuide.com turned to showrunner Scott Buck to get our burning questions answered. Among them: How will the Morgan siblings move forward now? And just how far will LaGuerta get with her investigation? Get the scoop:
Deb found everything! And Dexter admitted being a killer! What does the beginning of Episode 2 look like?
Scott Buck: Episode 2 is Deb trying to figure out what does she do with this [information]. For Dexter, how does he handle damage control? How can he control Deb? He hasn't told her everything. He told her he's a serial killer, but there's a lot more to it than that. She's been involved in some of these kills in ways that she's not even fully aware. If you recall, she came up to that plastic curtain and let him walk away, completely unaware that that was her brother on the other side. There's a lot of stuff to figure out. And the whole idea that her dad was the one who taught him to do this is a huge thing to deal with as well. It also really helps explain a lot about her brother. Deb is a much smarter cop than we would think. There's always had to be some sort of voice in the back of her head saying, "There's something off about Dexter." Not necessarily that he was a serial killer, but there was something mysterious about him that she couldn't quite put her hand on, but now she knows exactly what that is.
Do you think Dexter is partially happy that his secret is finally out?
Buck: Happy is not necessarily the right word, but he's relieved. It's a huge burden off his shoulder. He's lived with this secret his entire life. In one sense, it's a little scary not to have this secret anymore. He's always sought comfort in his own private little world, and now to be exposed this way, it's kind of frightening for someone who's not used to being frightened. [But] yes, it's a huge stress relief to finally be able to tell someone who you are.
Dexter: Now that Deb knows, it's the beginning of the end
Isn't he now in ever-present danger that she might turn him in?
Buck: It's a real risk. It's one thing [for Deb] to learn that [he] used to do this' it's another thing to learn that [he's] still doing this and doesn't intend on stopping.
Dexter is a great liar, but Deb's not good with that. How will that start to weigh on her conscience?
Buck: It gets very aggravating for her because she never knew. To learn that your brother has been lying to you your whole life, suddenly you're wondering what's true and what's a lie. Not just all the things he said in the past, but everything that comes out of his mouth now makes her wonder. It becomes very difficult for Deb to deal with.
Quinn (Desmond Harrington) had suspected Dexter at one time or another. Will that be brought back up again?
Buck: It may come up again. Quinn is the kind of cop who is happy to let things lay the way they are, unless there's some benefit to him. Just because Deb knows something, Quinn certainly doesn't know. It's something that may come up again in an interesting way later on in the season, but it's not going to be a big part of our season.
Dexter Season 7 Scoop: How will Deb react to Dexter's secret?
LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) is taking the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation off-the-books. Is it that she doesn't trust anyone?
Buck: What she recalls from back when Lundy (Keith Carradine) was investigating the Bay Harbor Butcher was that he believed it was someone involved in the police department and that's what helped them become convinced that it was Doakes (Erik King). So if she believes it's not Doakes, it still may well be someone in law enforcement, someone who may work in Miami Metro Homicide, even. Also, the case is solved, so if it were to suddenly come out it wasn't solved, people may not be interested in that, particularly in light of the fact that everyone knows she had a relationship with Doakes. So until she has absolute proof of what she's doing, she's going to keep the investigation to herself.
Lastly, it seemed like Viktor (Enver Gjokaj) pulled a bracelet off that girl, and then Dexter threw his bracelet-wearing body in the water. Am I crazy?
Buck: He did. The bracelet will turn up again. It becomes something you wish Dexter had been more careful with, but he was completely unaware of the significance. It will come back to haunt him.
What did you think of the Dexter premiere? Hit the comments!
Dexter airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.


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The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Launches New OKCChamber.com
New site includes interactive features, improved content and navigationPublished: Wednesday, October 5, 2011 6:00 am
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA., Oct. 5, 2011 - The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber announced the launch of a new OKCChamber.com, with a refreshed design and more interactive features for Chamber members. Taking advantage of new technologies, the site was developed to provide greater access to services and provide tools for Chamber members to promote their businesses to one another.
The fresh look, designed by the Chamber's design staff, is the product of extensive research of current trends, industry benchmarks and member needs. "We designed this site with our members in mind, first and foremost," said Cynthia Reid, vice president, Marketing and Communications. "We wanted a site that was easier to navigate, easier to use, and provided the kind of content and features our members are looking for and expect."
Some important new members-only features have been added to the site, allowing members to promote their services to each other. New features include:
- Coupons: members can post coupons available for download. Anyone visiting this section of the site can see the coupons.
- Discounts: members can post discounts that are only available to other Chamber members.
- Member newsroom: A new member newsroom allows members to log-in and post news and announcements.
- Contact information: members can update their Chamber information by logging in, including adding social media links.
While much of the content carried over, a new site map makes organization more intuitive and easier to navigate. New technology from our development partners allows the Chamber to display its most important content in a more appealing way. Event registration and the Membership Directly flow better with the layout of the site, while providing visitors with new functionality, including:
- An event calendar that is now displayed in the left column of most pages, giving users the ability to see upcoming events at a glance.
- An interactive site footer giving visitors multiple options for continuing their engagement with the Chamber, including links to affiliate sites, contact information and directions to the Chamber and links to the Chamber's social media pages.
"From our Economic Development team, to the lobbying of our Government Relations staff, to the Greater Grads program of our Education and Workforce Development crew, there is so much work going on behind-the-scenes to make Oklahoma City a better place to live, work and play," said Reid. "By visiting this new site, we hope our members will get a better understanding of what we do and see the benefit of their membership in this organization."
For more information, please contact Jill Harrison at firstname.lastname@example.com or 405-297-8990.


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East London is one of the most trendy and wonderful places in London. It offers visitors a lot of extraordinary markets, over 100 annual events and 130 attractions. But more important: East London was also the host of the Olympics and Paralympics Games in 2012.
Here are just a few of a comprehensive range of gorgeous places:
East London is one of the UK's most exciting areas to visit and experience. The development and expansion of London's eastern quarters shows no signs of slowing down, and they offer the intrepid tourist a remarkable variety of things to see and do... Read the Full Article Here
Recycling is one of the most important things that we can do for ourselves and for our environment. Many people feel that recycling is too much work and they don't want to be bothered with it, but it is an important habit that should be incorporated into every responsible citizen's lifestyle... Read more about recycling and clearing junk in London


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If you've ever bitten into a Ball Park bun, toasted a Thomas' English muffin or dunked an Entenmann's doughnut, you are already intimately familiar with the latest baker coming to town.
But there's much more to Bimbo Bakeries USA than gut reaction. Bimbo, pronounced BEEM-bo, owns more than a dozen popular brands of breads, buns and baked goods. It is the largest commercial bakery in the country, and its Mexican parent, Grupo Bimbo, one of the largest in the world.
Bimbo supplies bread to the U.S. Olympic Team, many grocery chains and (thanks to a recent $49 million contract) federal prisons.
That's a lot of bread for a 19-year-old baker also known to put money back into its plants, products and people. "We strive to be a highly productive and deeply humane company," Bimbo's website boasts.
When Bimbo opens its 240,000-square-foot plant on Boulder Drive in Upper Macungie Township, don't expect rows of apron-clad bakers tossing and kneading dough by hand.
The company is rolling out a fully automated bread-and-bun-making factory with the most advanced, energy-efficient machines doing the mixing, shaping and baking. The plant will include 95 to 100 new hires.
Precisely which brands of bread and buns will be made, Bimbo isn't saying. They also aren't saying whether job applicants will need experience, special skills or training, or how the opening of the new plant will affect existing plants in Wilson and Reading. However, if Bimbo accepts $4.5 million in state incentives to build here, the company must retain its 2,595 jobs, and can spend up to $42,750 on workforce training.
Company officials expect the plant to open this fall, months sooner than originally announced, spokesman David Margulies said. Job openings and job fairs will be posted on the Bimbo Bakeries USA Web page — http://www.bimbobakeriesusa.com/join_our_team/careers.html — about three months earlier.
Local officials are pleased as pie to welcome a company that will not just store and distribute products here, but also make them.
"It's a production facility," Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. President Don Cunningham said. "It fits into the sector of employment we want to continue to grow."
Cunningham considers Bimbo's $75 million investment a "huge" addition to the virtual buffet of food and beverage producers establishing a foothold in western Lehigh County, especially in Upper Macungie. Those companies include Kraft Foods, Samuel Adams brewer Boston Beer Co., Nestle Waters and the under-construction Ocean Spray Cranberries.
"It only reinforces to the outside world that the Lehigh Valley is a good place to make products," he said.
Wages will be competitive with other production jobs, probably around $15 an hour, according to Labor and industry statistics. Many who work in the industry are members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers' and Grain Millers or Teamsters unions.
Bimbo took its name from a cuddly white bear cub in a baker's hat that became the icon for Grupo Bimbo and synonymous with soft, white Mexican bread. Founders later learned that Bimbo also meant "small child" in Italian, "bud" in Hungarian and a word that sounds like "bread" in Chinese. What better name could there be for a startup bakery set on worldwide production?
Grupo Bimbo entered the U.S. market in 1994 with a California tortilla company. It purchased its first U.S. bread company, Pacific Pride Bakeries of San Diego, in 1997. And, a year later, Grupo bought Mrs. Baird's Bakeries of Texas, then the largest family-owned bakery in the country. It renamed the combined operations Bimbo Bakeries USA and established the U.S. headquarters in Fort Worth.
Bimbo's US headquarters moved to Horsham, Montgomery County, in 2009, after the company acquired the multi-state operations of George Weston Ltd., and iconic brands such as Entenmann's sweet baked goods, Thomas' English muffins and Boboli pizza crusts. Weston's offices had been in Horsham.
Today, Bimbo commands more than 70 bakeries, 27,000 workers and 13,500 sales routes in the United States, according to its website. In a side business, it owns Entenmann's Bakery Outlets, including one on Emmaus Avenue in Allentown. Bimbo reported consolidated net sales of $6.2 billion in 2012, a 45.6 percent increase over 2011.
Bimbo's reputation is top shelf, according to L. Joshua Sosland, editor of Milling & Baking News, Kansas City, Mo.
"They are the largest U.S. baker and there's no close second," he said, having visited Grupo Bimbo in Mexico last year and interviewed its CEO for a series in the magazine. "Although 15 years ago it was a modest company in the United States, the most recent Sara Lee [Fresh Bakery] acquisition catapulted them to a solid No. 1."
Bimbo also is not afraid to spend money to improve its plants and products, said Sosland, who has written about the industry for 30 years. The company steadily modernized its production base in Mexico into automated, sanitary and efficient baking plants, he said, and declared a commitment to make sure the U.S. baking industry meets such standards as well.
The Upper Macungie plant promises to be LEED-certified, which means compliance with U.S. Green Building Council standards for design, construction and operation.
Keeping up with America's ever-changing appetite and dietary demands is no easy task for the nation's makers of bread and baked goods.
Small, artisan bakeries are on the rise as more Americans want to support locally made whole grain foods, said Susan Roth, former Nazareth caterer and now a professor at Northampton Community College's culinary program.
Yet, some large manufacturers are feeling the pinch of a sagging economy, and shifting business elsewhere. Flower Foods, another leading U.S. bakery, for example, recently purchased Tastykake for $165 million and Wonder Bread from Hostess for $360 million, said Karen Britt, assistant professor of business administration at NCC. The end result, she said, is a shift in employment levels to other parts of the country. "Unfortunately, Tastykake, one of Philadelphia's landmarks, will lose jobs."
News reports show Bimbo Bakeries also experienced fluctuations in the market. The baker closed five thrift stores in California in April 2011, and laid off 30 employees in Sunbury in September.
Yet this year, Bimbo Bakeries USA celebrated the production of its 400 millionth rich-frosted Entenmann's doughnut, and the construction of another $75 million automated plant in Rockwall, Texas.
Reacting to Americans' demands for more nutritious whole grain breads, Bimbo removed high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from some recipes after acquiring Sara Lee's North American Fresh Bakery business in November 2011. The company also has expanded the distribution of Sara Lee's whole wheat, honey wheat, "Soft and Smooth," 45-calorie and "Iron Kids" brands into the Northeast.
To help entice Bimbo to build its plant, Pennsylvania offered the company $4.5 million in grants and low-interest loans — a relatively small amount of financing on a $75 million investment, state and local officials say. The figure includes low-interest loans of up to $2 million from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority for land and building acquisition, construction and renovation, resulting in the creation or retention of jobs, and another $2 million for equipment and machinery. The rest is tax credits of $285,000 for job creation and $42,750 for employee training.
Some of that dough — an estimated $230,000 — will come back in the form of tax revenues: $8,000 a year to the township, $50,000 to Lehigh county, and $172,000 to Parkland School District. That's based on a Lehigh County assessment of $13 million for the 30-acre tract and new building.
Although a study suggests traffic will be minimal for Bimbo and its neighbor Ocean Spray, Bimbo Bakeries is helping to pay for the widening of Industrial Boulevard, and the installation of a traffic light at the road's intersection with Boulder, according to Upper Macungie officials.
Bimbo's website suggests the bakery and its parent company give back to their communities in other ways as well, including contributions to charities and tours for schoolchildren.
"Corporate citizenship is important to this company," editor Sosland noted. "It's part of their heritage."
Their stated mission: To nourish, delight and serve America — every meal, every day.
Latest Business
Ann Wlazelek is a freelance writer.
- Business
- Plant Openings
- Grupo Bimbo
- Agriculture
- Restaurant and Catering Industry
- Machine Manufacturing
- Manufacturing and Engineering
- Mexico
- Environmental Issues
- Energy Saving
- U.S. Olympic Team
- Boston Beer Company Inc.
- George Weston Limited
- Ocean Spray Cranberries Incorporated
- Kraft Foods
- Don Cunningham


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« Grades: Motivation or Coercion? | Main | Raise Scores With Teacher Prep, Not Test Prep »
Don't Evaluate Teachers, Coach Them
In my experience, the more schools focus on evaluating teachers, the more student learning suffers. By contrast, the more schools focus on coaching teachers, the more student learning improves.
Harry and Rosemary Wong write about the power of teacher coaching to improve student learning, and I'm honored that their latest column is about me. The article includes stories of two struggling teachers--a downtrodden rookie and a stale veteran--who not only turned things around in their classrooms but later helped other teachers succeed.
And it's not just struggling and stale teachers who benefit from coaching. Teaching is such a dynamic profession that there's always room for growth. In fact, a lot of my work involves helping good teachers become great.
The reason coaching is so effective is that it's contextual. One of my responsibilities when I worked in business was negotiating contracts. I had no prior experience, so the company sent me to training where I learned key negotiation skills. Yet it was only after I practiced those skills on the job and received constructive feedback (i.e., coaching) from experienced colleagues that I became a skillful negotiator.
Same goes for teaching. Workshops can be an efficient way to introduce new methods. But teachers need coaching in the context of their classrooms in order to implement those methods effectively. (The Wongs' article refers to research supporting this.)
As a former business executive and school administrator, I get the need for accountability. But something I learned in business that applies in schools too is that accountability without support is a formula for frustration and failure--for school leaders and teachers alike.
The message for administrators is that you need to tell teachers what you want them to do and why you want them to do it (with their input, of course). But you then need to focus on how to do it by providing teachers practical support. In other words, coach teachers rather than evaluate them.
The message for teachers, meanwhile, is that you must be coach-able. You must be open to feedback and willing to make changes that can help improve student learning.
Whether you're a teacher, coach, or administrator, please read the Wongs' article for more on my work and the power of coaching. And in the spirit of what Harry Wong calls the CASE Method (copy and steal everything), I hope you find my work relevant to your work.
Join my mailing list for announcements about webinars and the work I do to improve teaching and learning.


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So. How's this for ridiculous? One of the most life-changing, loaded, and deeply personal choices a woman can face is that over whether or not to have children. Rather than listing them, let's just acknowledge that the pros and cons could go on forever. Let's also acknowledge that one of the most significant cons of having children might be the impact on a woman's career; moms with young children are often passed over for promotions, while childless women of childbearing age are often passed over as well, on the grounds that they'll likely have children soon. Despite the fact that fathers' roles have begun to change as they've become more involved in child-rearing, work-life balance is still considered a women's issue. And yet. A recent study by Lancaster University prof Dr. Caroline Gatrell found that some employers see their female employees who don't want children as wanting in some "essential humanity," and view them as
"cold, odd and somehow emotionally deficient in an almost dangerous way that leads to them being excluded from promotions that would place them in charge of others."
Wow. It's enough to make me think conspiracy.
It also makes me think of Barbara's post from yesterday, about the obnoxious way in which Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was condescended to, and the equally obnoxious critiques Surgeon General nom Regina Benjamin has had to endure regarding her weight. But this is not a rant, I promise. Because the thing that strikes me about all of it has to do with choices, and why women in particular find them so difficult. I think often, when deep in the throes of a which-way-should-I-go, part of the angst is the knowledge that, no matter which way we go, we will be judged. In all sorts of ways. We're judged in ways that men aren't, and in ways that are often contradictory. And, the damnedest truth of all, we often do it to each other. But we can't just take our ball (or lack of same) and go home — nor should we. So the question becomes, what do we do?


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Dating scam from Kazan, Russia - Part 1
1467 comments. Current rating: (305 votes). Leave comments and/ or rate it.
Dating scam from Kazan, Russia - Part 1
I would like to warn fellow males from a scam artist, located in Russia.
This girl claimed to live in Kazan, Tartastan, 26 years old and called herself Barbi.
There was something suspicious about her letters, in particular I always had the
impression that she did not really read mine every time. Sometimes she wrote
personal, matching replies, then sometimes not. her photos of which she sent
about 25 so far, had number like 5.jpg, 6.jpg, 35.jpg etc.
For that reason I will post her here letters. I know that parts of these letters
have been posted on 2 other sites, but not all.
I include the full headers in the first email. The sender comes from a russian
dial-up but in another email I sent her a URL to one of my web sites and apparantly
"she" uses some sort of satellite DSL for the downstream, the IP number was
84.xx (to be filled in later).
Letter 1:
X-Originating-IP: [22.214.171.124]
At that point I had started to ignore her because her letters were ridiculous, not reflecting what I had written.
However, things picked up then again..


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1. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsalrubinger May 2, 2010 12:29 AM (in response to dan.j.allen)
Absolutely agree with the feature as presented. We've had this in our sights pretty much since the inception of ShrinkWrap, though I've been pretty firm to hold off until the core APIs and impls are finalized as stable and released. Not to bite off more than we can chew, so to speak.
That said, I'd be interested in seeing an API proposal for a limited subset of just one of the above spec DSLs. We should likely start these in an extension module, maybe even outside the rest of the ShrinkWrap release cycle/process.
And I'd even like to see modules separating each concern: for each spec type we'll have the fluent DSL API bit, a schema binding layer, and XML>Object>XML converters of some form. Experience with the jboss-metadata project also shows that it's a good idea to have the API represented as interfaces and let some impl classes define the object model and associated XB annotations.
To sum up, yep we need to go here. Should be a priority. But I'd like to conserve our resources first to the ShrinkWrap API freeze (ie. 1.0.0-beta-1), user guide and documentation, and 1.0.0. From there I think porting in features like this make for excellent 1.1.0.
With an increasing number of projects consuming ShrinkWrap now, out of consideration locked API has gotta come soon or we'll make everyone mad despite our current "alpha" badge.
2. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsalrubinger May 2, 2010 12:37 AM (in response to alrubinger)
Ah, another note.
I'm not sure the DSL stuff should be a property of the archive. For instance:
Because we already have methods to add files, resources (any Asset, really) as the web.xml. I still view archives as "virtual filesystems which contain resources at paths". I remember disagreeing with Aslak/Emmanuel about this some time back.
Instead I like:
webArchive.webXml( Descriptors.create(WebXml.class).servletClass(MyServlet.class) );
...where "Descriptors" itself returns an Asset type. Or alternatively:
...I could dig that too. So WebXml is itself Assignable. But archives in my view do not have web properties. They contain resources which have web properties.
3. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsdan.j.allen May 2, 2010 1:01 PM (in response to alrubinger)
Andrew Rubinger wrote:
I like:
webArchive.webXml( Descriptors.create(WebXml.class).servletClass(MyServlet.class) );
...where "Descriptors" itself returns an Asset type. Or alternatively:
...I could dig that too. So WebXml is itself Assignable. But archives in my view do not have web properties. They contain resources which have web properties.
I'm absolutely in agreement with you. I think we have two parallel builders. We have the ShrinkWrap class + family that build archives. Then we have Descriptors + family that build descriptors. When the descriptor is ready, it can be popped into the archive.
I see an API emerging that strikes a balance between the two snippets above, in semantics and readability:
webArchive.descriptor(WebXml.class).addServletClass(MyServlet.class, "/servletpath") .addContextParam("key", "value").addAsWebXml().addClass(...);
I'm uncertain how to end the descriptor DSL and get back to the archive DSL. I proposed "addAsWebXml". Perhaps someone can chime in there.
All I'm suggesting here is that the archive be aware of the general concept of descriptor building. Other than that, it has no direct tie to a descriptor (though perhaps there is a way to limit the types).
public interface Archive<T extends Archive<T>> extends Assignable { ... <D extends Descriptor> D descriptor(Class<D> clazz); } public interface WebXml extends Descriptor<WebXml> { Descriptor<?> addServletClass(Class<? extends Servlet> clazz, String... urlPattern); Descriptor<?> addContextParam(String key, String value); ... // this will call setWebXml() on WebArchive and return the archive Archive<? extends WebArchive> addAsWebXml(); }
Don't hurt me, I'm a newbie with designing DSLs. Hopefully you can take this and run with it.
4. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsdan.j.allen May 2, 2010 1:04 PM (in response to dan.j.allen)
I do believe that an archive having a descriptor (in the general sense of the word) is a universal concept. Go as far out as epub (which would be another excellent use of ShrinkWrap). It has at least one descriptor that holds the metadata for an ebook reader. So I think it's justified that the Archive class know how to fork into descriptor building.
5. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsalrubinger May 2, 2010 1:07 PM (in response to dan.j.allen)
Dan Allen wrote:I'm uncertain how to end the descriptor DSL and get back to the archive DSL. I proposed "addAsWebXml". Perhaps someone can chime in there.
This is where I think the "Assignable" type comes in. From there we can go:
Please excuse the poor DSL-ing. Just showing how we can assign as WebXML (which would probably be some bridge object able to both add the resource and give access to the Descriptor) and back again out to the archive view.
6. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsalrubinger May 2, 2010 1:21 PM (in response to dan.j.allen)
Dan Allen wrote:
I do believe that an archive having a descriptor (in the general sense of the word) is a universal concept. Go as far out as epub (which would be another excellent use of ShrinkWrap). It has at least one descriptor that holds the metadata for an ebook reader. So I think it's justified that the Archive class know how to fork into descriptor building.
Here again I think the saviour is "Assignable". It's basically the hook that gives us multiple interitence via wrapping an underlying archive, and gets specialized into any view.
For instance, the exporters are Assignable, but not Archives or Container types.
7. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsaslak May 3, 2010 7:03 AM (in response to alrubinger)
My first attempt(the expired link) handled the descriptors using the Assignable method. Here is my little summary of the issue.
- With the current extensions implementation you don't know what type of Archive you're being assigned from, you just get the pure Archive or a new wrapped Archive in another extension. This is not a issue with web.xml or ejb.xml but with beans.xml which can be in both a WebArchive and a JavaArchive. You don't know where to place the descriptor, /META-INF or WEB-INF ?
- Using the Assignable method, it's not clear what happens when you do: archive.as(Descriptor).something().as(JavaArchive).setDescriptor(Asset) ?
- A Descriptor should have access to the Archive so it can add the classes along side the descriptor definition of it, so you don't have to do: archive.addClass(servlet).addWebXmlServlet(servlet)
- The descriptor should be able to know where to add it self. We should try to avoid add(Descriptor, "/WEB-INF/web.xml").
8. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsdan.j.allen Jun 13, 2010 6:00 PM (in response to alrubinger)
I'm working on a formal prototype in the shrinkwrap-sandbox project on gitbub (by formal, I mean more formal than using pastebin, so people can actually compile this stuff).
I'm using JAXB to generate the XML. So far, I've implemented the persistence and beans descriptors as well as a fluent API to create them. I'll merge in Aslak's web descriptor patch soon.
I've made the descriptor a ShrinkWrap Asset, rather than an Archive, which makes a heck of a lot more sense to me. Here's what it will look like:
PersistenceDef persistence = Descriptors.create(PersistenceDef.class) .persistenceUnit("test").transactionType(TransactionType.JTA) .provider(ProviderType.HIBERNATE) .jtaDataSource("java:/DefaultDS") .classes(User.class) .schemaGenerationMode(SchemaGenerationModeType.CREATE_DROP) .showSql() .formatSql() .property("hibernate.transaction.flush_before_completion", true) .persistenceUnit().name("another").transactionType(TransactionType.RESOURCE_LOCAL) .provider(ProviderType.ECLIPSE_LINK) .nonJtaDataSource("jdbc/__default") .excludeUnlistedClasses() .schemaGenerationMode(SchemaGenerationModeType.CREATE); BeansDef beans = Descriptors.create(BeansDef.class) .interceptor(InterceptorSample.class) .interceptor(AnotherInterceptorExample.class) .decorator(DecoratorSample.class) .alternativeStereotype(StereotypeExample.class); ShrinkWrap.create("test.jar", JavaArchive.class) .addManifestResource(persistence, "persistence.xml") .addManifestResource(beans, "beans.xml"); .as(ZipExporter.class).exportZip(new File("/tmp/test.jar"), true);
Feel free to hackup the github project. This is by no means set in stone. What's important is that we have a place to collaborate on the API.
I consider this a very important issue. As people are beginning to use Arquillian more regularly, it's a huge hole to not be able to create the descriptors. Writing XML strings in Java is horrible and having to switch over to an XML file breaks the developer's flow in the test.
Plus, having this functionality will be a huge boast for the project. People are going to flip when they see it.
9. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsalrubinger Jun 13, 2010 6:13 PM (in response to dan.j.allen)
Dan Allen wrote:
I've made the descriptor a ShrinkWrap Asset, rather than an Archive, which makes a heck of a lot more sense to me. Here's what it will look like:
10. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsaslak Jun 13, 2010 7:50 PM (in response to dan.j.allen)
Very nice!
It needs to solve 2 more things then it's perfect:
- You should only have to add Classes to the Descriptor and they should be added to the Archive as well
- You should be able to let the Descriptor pick it's storage location and name by default
A possible solution could be to have a common Descriptors interface and add add(Descriptor) to the Archive interface. On add(Descriptor) the Archive could give the Descriptor a callback to whom it was added to.
public class ArchiveImpl implements Archive { public T add(Descriptor desc) { desc.populate(this); } } public class BeanXml implements Descriptor { public void populate(Archive<?> archive) { if(WebArchive.class.isInstance(archive)) { WeldArchive.cast(archive).addWebResource(makeAsset(), name); } else if(JavaArchive.class.isInstance(archive)) { JavaArchive.cast(archive).addManifestResource(makeAsset(), name); } else { throw new Exception("Unsupported Archive: " + archive); } addClasses(ClassContainer.cast(archive)); } private Asset makeAsset() {} private ArchivePath name() { return "beans.xml" } private void addClasses(ClassContainer container) { contianer.addClasses(interceptors); contianer.addClasses(alternatives); ... } }
BeanXml is more advanced then most descriptors since it can support two different Archive types..
If we want to avoid the Type checking and casting etc in the Descriptor, we could add some magic to the add(Descriptor) impl:
public class ArchiveImpl implements Archive { public T add(Descriptor desc) { // find the populate method matching this archive.. Method method = desc.getClass().getMethods(); method.invoke(desc, this); } } public class BeanXml implements Descriptor { public void populate(WebArchive archive) { archive.addWebResource(makeAsset(), name); addClasses(archive); } public void populate(JavaArchive archive) { archive.addManifestResource(makeAsset(), name); addClasses(archive); } private Asset makeAsset() {} private ArchivePath name() { return "beans.xml" } private void addClasses(ClassContainer container) { contianer.addClasses(interceptors); contianer.addClasses(alternatives); ... } }
That will give us the following..
ShrinkWrap.create(JavaArchive.class) .add( Descriptors.create(BeanXml.class) .enableInterceptor(Transactions.class) ) .addClass(BankAccount.class);
11. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsaslak Jun 13, 2010 7:40 PM (in response to aslak)
and one more thing..
- A Descriptor should keep in sync with changes to the archive, add / remove etc
public class ApplicationXml extends Descriptor { public void populate(EnterpriseArchive archive) { archive.setApplicationXml(makeAsset()); archive.registerListener( new UpdateApplicationXmlOnModuleChange(); ); } } ShrinkWrap.create(EnterpriseArchive.class) .add( Descriptors.create(ApplicationXml.class) .something() ) .addModule(war);
The UpdateApplicationXmlOnModuleChange should then be able to pick up on the addModule call and register it with it's descriptor metadata.
12. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsalrubinger Jun 13, 2010 11:55 PM (in response to dan.j.allen)
It occurs to me that we can achieve some greater separation.
For instance:
Dan's prototype here works fantastically as a standalone API without any ShrinkWrap references. We could actually spin this whole thing off into another project, which aims to generate spec DSLs using a method-chaining (ie. fluent) API. In other words, PersistenceDef wouldn't implement Asset.
Then some ShrinkWrap extension can come along and provide the integration necessary: adapt this into an Asset, put it in the default spec locations in the Archive (as Aslak mentions), listen on archive events and change the descriptor appropriately, etc.
14. Re: DSL for XML descriptorsdan.j.allen Jun 15, 2010 12:36 AM (in response to alrubinger)
I agree with both of you. Having to pick the location by default seems redundant. Also, I totally agree that this could be a reusable library! Implementing the Asset interface was just a convenience on the first go around, but it would be easy enough to push this into an extension class.
Just to prove how generally useful this can be. Imagine for a minute that you want to develop a web application, but define your web.xml entirely in Java (the same goes for other descriptors). You simply implement a factory, not unlike Arquillian's @Deployment method.
public class WebAppFactory { @Descriptor("${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}/WEB-INF/web.xml") public Asset create() { return Descriptors.create(WebAppDef.class) .displayName("My Webapp") .facesDevelopmentMode() .servlet("javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet", new String[] { "*.jsf" }) .sessionTimeout(3600); } }
Then you use a Maven plugin to generate it into your output directory at the end of the compile phase (so it gets packaged or hot deployed as needed).
<plugin> <groupId>org.jboss.shrinkwrap</groupId> <artifactId>maven-descriptor-plugin</artifactId> <version>1.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version> <executions> <execution> <configuration> <!-- Remove configuration once annotation processing is implemented --> <factoryClass>com.acme.WebAppFactory</factoryClass> <target>${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}/WEB-INF/web.xml</target> </configuration> <goals> <goal>generate</goal> </goals> </execution> </executions> </plugin>
I've hacked up a very crude Maven plugin to implement this idea in the ShrinkWrap github sandbox.
maven-descriptor-plugin master tree
Image the possibilities.
This would be really nice for CDI in that you could active interceptors, alternatives, etc in Java code. Of course, it would be easy to tie factory methods into Maven profiles so that different descriptors are generated in different deployment scenarios.


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This new image of the new RoboCop comes via ComingSoon.net—looks pretty cool, and actually kind of like a suit of armor from Mass Effect.
It's worth taking into account that this suit could just be a placeholder for some special effects, since it wouldn't be a remake of a beloved 80's Sci-Fi movie without a metric fuckton of CGI ladled on everything like marmalade.
But who knows, maybe this really is what RoboCop will look like in the new film. The teasers do seem to suggest that the dude'll be darkly colored now, instead of silver.
Do you even care? Has it finally gotten to the point that you're out of remake-anger and have just acquiesced to the fact that they're going to remake literally everything from the 80's and make it worse? Can we already begin to dread the inevitable crappy video game tie-in? Is there any chance that a new RoboCop will actually be good?
Feel free to discuss that, or anything else you like, here or over in the Talk Amongst Yourselves forum. It's a big week for video games—hope you're having as much fun as we are.
First Look At The New RoboCop! [Comingsoon.net]


text:
The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup offering realistic work capability and durability. It offers three engines, three cabs, three bed sizes and five trim levels in most popular configurations. We've found the Tundra to be a stable, comfortable truck for towing a 20-foot enclosed car trailer over long distances. Towing capacities top 10,000 pounds on some models, and maximum payload ratings exceed 2,000 pounds.
For 2014, there is a new Tundra in terms of appearance. Most of the body panels are new, and to our eyes better looking. The dashboard, electronics and cabin trimming are new and also look better than before. Rear seats in four-door models are more comfortable and allow more in-cab storage. A rearview camera is standard on every 2014 Tundra. The engine, suspension and everything underneath are essentially the same with only small calibration changes most owners won't notice.
The 2014 Toyota Tundra lineup is simpler than before. The two-door Regular Cab only comes in entry-level trim levels and only with a long bed. The Double Cab with conventional front-hinged, secondary rear side doors seats five or six and comes with 6.5- or 8-foot beds. The big CrewMax has four full-size doors, most seat five, and comes with a 5.5-foot bed and vertically sliding rear window that completely disappears.
The 2014 Tundra lineup also introduces the 1794 Edition, the new top of the range that appeals to buyers who would like to be on the range. Named for the ranch on which the Tundra factory sits, the 1794 has requisite big badges, cowboy-color leather and ultrasuede interior, woodgrain trim, and things like ventilated power seats and big JBL sound system to improve the ride after a long day's work. Other Tundra models offer more towing capability, but even a Tundra 1794 loaded with five cowboys can tow more than four tons.
Updated infotainment systems for 2014 all use Toyota's Entune name. Even the least expensive Tundra has a touchscreen, CD player, iPod integration and Bluetooth, and the higher the trim the more features get added: SiriusXM satellite radio, HD radio, subscription-free weather and traffic (where HD radio is supported in urban areas, through your smartphone cellular data outside those regions), GraceNote art, expanded voiced recognition including compound commands, navigation, predictive traffic, radio buffer that lets you pause up to 20 minutes of AM/FM/HD radio for later playback, Entune App Suite (Bing, Pandora, Open Table, Facebook Places, Yelp and more) and a 440-watt JBL sound system.
Tundra's double overhead-cam 5.7-liter V8 engine is rated at 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. It's a good truck engine with EPA fuel-economy ratings of 14/18 mpg City/Highway, or 13/17 mpg with 4WD, and standard on most Tundra permutations. Most newer competitors offer more power, more mileage or both, but the real world difference tends to be 1-2 mpg. Tundra remains the only full-size pickup to publish tow ratings that meet a standard all full-size manufacturers agreed to for 2013, and those standards tend to lower existing ratings; the other manufacturers are continuing to use their own in-house ratings.
The smaller 4.6-liter dohc V8 engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 327 pound-feet of torque, with slightly better EPA fuel-economy ratings of 15/20 mpg City/Highway, 14/19 mpg with 4WD. Both V8 engines come with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 4.6-liter V8 is a good choice for drivers who do not plan to do a lot of towing.
The 4.0-liter V6, available only on some 2WD Tundras, nets 270 horsepower, 278 pound-feet of torque and EPA ratings of 16/20 mpg City/Highway. V6 models can't tow as much as the V8s but easily better the V8s for payload due to the lighter weight of the engine. The V6 comes with a 5-speed automatic. It's the best choice for a budget or intercity work truck, but the 4.6-liter V8's added refinement could easily be worth the nominal fuel economy penalty.
Tundra SR comes in Regular Cab ($25,920) with an 8-foot bed and Double Cab ($26,810) body styles and a choice of 4.0-liter V6 with 5-speed automatic transmission, 4.6-liter V8, or 5.7-liter V8 ($28,465). SR trim comes with a fabric-upholstered 40/20/40-split bench seat, air conditioning, carpet, Entune audio system (6.1-inch touchscreen AM/FM/CD/iPod/USB/Bluetooth) tilt steering wheel, power windows and locks, dual power points, cruise control, fold-up rear seats on four doors, black front bumper and grille trim, tow hooks on 4WD, heated power mirrors, easy lower/lift tailgate and 18-inch steel wheels. Tundra SR comes with two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Options on SR trim include cargo rail retention system, tow hitch on 4.6 Double Cab, and a Work Truck package with vinyl seat and floor that removes cruise control, power accessories and map lights.
Tundra SR5 trim adds to SR with fog lamps, more chrome outside, Entune Audio Plus (7-inch hi-resolution touchscreen, SiriusXM radio with 90-day trial, HD radio with iTunes tagging and weather/traffic in metro areas, elsewhere with a smartphone), dark-tint manual sliding rear window, and additional instruments with 3.5-inch display. Tundra SR5 is available in Double Cab ($29,465) or CrewMax ($31,825) versions with 4x2 or 4x4 drivelines and a choice of 4.6-liter V8 or 5.7-liter V8. Optional equipment includes alloy wheels. SR5 Upgrade package includes bucket front seats, power driver seat, console and shift, tilt and telescope steering wheel, rear underseat storage tray. The TRD Off-Road Package features Bilstein shocks, unique alloy wheels and Michelin tires, skid plates, rear side window privacy glass; and tow hooks on 2WD.
Tundra Limited upgrades to dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, heated 10/4-way power front seats, 20-inch alloy wheels, leather tilt/telescope steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth controls, power sliding rear window (horizontal on Double Cab, vertical on CrewMax), auto-dimming mirror, deck rail tie-down cleat system, Entune App Suite, navigation, upgraded audio system and alarm system. Optional are TRD package, moonroof and blind-spot monitor/rear cross traffic alert on CrewMax. A Limited Premium package adds auto up/down power windows, park sensors front and rear, remote keyless entry. All Tundra Limited models come with 5.7-liter V8 in Double Cab ($36,94) and CrewMax ($38,845), with 4x2 or 4x4.
Tundra Platinum ($44,270) models get perforated leather diamond-quilt pattern upholstery, heated/cooled front seats, driver memory system, JBL audio system, color-matched bumpers and grille trim, auto-dimming power-folding outside mirrors, moonroof, park sensors and glass breakage sensor. All Tundra Platinum models come with 5.7-liter V8 and CrewMax but offer a choice of 4x2 or 4x4 ($47,320). Blind-spot monitoring is available.
Tundra 1794 Edition has Platinum-grade features and options, but uses unique upholstery with ultrasuede and woodgrain trim, silver front bumper and grille, 1794 badging, and offers chrome-clad wheels as an additional option. All Tundra 1794 Editions come with 5.7-liter V8 and CrewMax but offer a choice of 4x2 ($44,270) or 4x4 ($47,320).
Running boards are optional on any Tundra four-door cab and extendable heated towing mirrors are optional on any with the 5.7-liter V8. (All prices are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices and do not include destination charges.)
Safety features that come standard on every model include front- and side-impact airbags for driver and front passenger (the latter with an off switch in Regular Cab models), side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor, driver and passenger knee airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control with traction control, and trailer sway control. The standard rearview camera can enhance safety by helping the driver spot children behind the truck when backing up. Parking sensors front and rear, and blind-spot monitoring are available on some models.
For 2014 the rounded lines that led to an inflated look are gone. The leading edge of the hood is more than an inch and a half higher than before but you don't notice from the driver's seat because the gain is all out front. And the bumper top is lower, so while SR/SR5, Limited, Platinum and 1794 all get different grille arrangements, those grilles are considerably larger than before. We won't call it blunt but it does suggest if you hit a wall you'll worry about the wall more than the truck.
Bumpers at both ends are sectional: If you bend a corner on a post you replace only the corner, not the entire thing. Fog lights are recessed for protection and headlights are single-bulb units; we couldn't verify performance given lightning activity, but every example we drove from SR5 to 1794 had a manual in-cab adjustment for vertical aim, handy for keeping light on the road with a load or trailer on.
We find the rear view more improved than the front, the completely horizontal aspect framed by chiseled vertical lights. The Tundra name is embossed in the lower right tailgate so no one will remove the name badge. The tailgate is damped to avoid a heavy thunk when opened, and every Tundra has a rearview camera adjacent the Toyota-stamped tailgate latch. Trailer plugs have been moved into the bumper: License plate lights illuminate the area at night. The downside: An aftermarket bumper calls for additional wiring work.
The horizontal styling lines carry the full twenty-plus feet, amplified by larger, squarer wheelwell openings fitted with deeper lines. It's labeled as new sheetmetal but the roof of every cab and the majority of the door panels look the same to trained observers, so any styling change in the doors is nominal.
All four-door Tundras offer running boards which take a couple of inches off the step-up height. Shorter drivers or those with suspect knees may appreciate them, others will only get their pants dirty or hang them up off the pavement somewhere.
Wheels vary in material and style with chrome covers available on the 1794, but we'd stick with the alloys it comes with.
Nothing stands out in the bed layouts or design, with plenty of molding for using 2x8s to create multiple load levels. A deck rail system along all sides except the tailgate offers tie-down cleats for better load securement.
Materials are generally appropriate. Base models can have rubber flooring rather than standard carpet, and even the fancy top-line models have easy-clean hard lower door panels where your boots wills scuff them.
Visibility from the driver's seat is very good. The bodywork corners are reasonably well defined, and the pillars aren't too big. Rear-seat headrests that are tall enough to protect a 6-foot, 3-inch rider drop forward allowing a good view through the rear window, and that defrostable window disappears vertically like an old tailgate, not just sliding the center section sideways. A rearview camera is standard on all models. Park sensors for both ends are available on upper trims.
The standard mirrors are large, and can be adjusted to deliver a panoramic view aft of the front doors. The optional tow mirrors (or preference) feature a large traditional element that's power operated, with a small convex mirror at the bottom that's manually adjustable. Adjusted properly there are no blind spots. The mirrors can be manually extended outward to help the driver see around trailers, and they can be folded inward when parked to reduce the chance of damage in tight quarters.
Front seats are comfortably cushioned but not too soft, with modest side bolsters to hold you in place without making entry/exit a chore. Deep seat bottoms provide ample thigh support, adjustable on some. The fabric upholstery feels durable and the leathers do to a varying extent; we were overtly cautious with jean rivets on the Platinum's diamond-quilted cowhide. We've found the seats very comfortable for towing thousands of miles.
The backrest on Tundra Double Cab rear seats is now reclined nearly twice the angle of before for better comfort. It's cozy for adults but not markedly more than a SuperCab, King Cab, Quad Cab or GM Double Cab. The cushions fold up in a 60/40 split for tossing large cargo on the floor.
CrewMax is the adult rear seat arrangement, with recline and essentially no less room or comfort than the front except your feet aren't resting on an angled floor. For 2014 this rear seat folds up just as the Double Cab, lowering the loading height and increasing storage space notably.
Tundra has its fair share of interior storage and conveniences. The passenger seatback in the Regular Cab folds forward to present a flat area for a desktop, and the front bench seat center section pivots forward to reveal an otherwise fully concealed storage compartment.
Storage for odds and ends and beverage containers to 22 ounces is plentiful and varies by cab and trim level. Bucket seats means a center console with padded armrest twice as wide on the driver side and plenty of capacity within. The floor shift is a gated unit that requires no thumb or finger button-pushing and never gets the wrong gear. The column shifter with manual +/- toggle is big, so big it might block some of the nav/audio screen for shorter drivers.
Ergonomics inside the Tundra are much better because the center dash controls are now in the center of the truck, not nearly three inches to the right. The top-right rotary knob is still a mild reach, but no longer feels like you're searching the glovebox for something. The omni-directional air vents get what you need where you need it, and the climate controls are easy to use. Only some ancillary dash switches adjacent the steering column may be difficult to see.
Gauges are clear white-on-black, only the base models lack a rev counter, oil pressure and voltage indicators; the transmission fluid temperature gauge has been replaced by a warning light. Bezel notches on the primary gauges match the gradations so they appear asymmetrical. The 3.5-inch display is easy to read and operate, in part because it doesn't offer as much information or configurability as most competitors.
Audio systems are new for 2014. All have iPod/USB integration, Bluetooth and a touchscreen display, with radio sources and voice recognition expanding by model. You can get navigation on an SR5 and the JBL sound system on a Limited, while Platinum and 1794 come with everything. However, even on a Platinum CrewMax with three power points there is only one USB port.
Despite the engines' overhead-camshaft, four-valve-per-cylinder architectures, the Tundra V8s tend to make their peak power earlier at lower rpm, where you want it in a truck, than most competitors' engines. All the power figures quoted below are on gasoline; ratings for flex-fuel, E85 engines usually vary.
The 4.0-liter V6 is sufficient for propelling a two-wheel-drive Tundra and towing a lighter trailer, say 3500 pounds or less, on relatively flat terrain. Its 270 horsepower is about 35 hp shy of Ford's 3.7-liter or Ram's 3.6-liter V6, but Toyota's 4.0-liter V6 doesn't need to be revved to 6500 rpm and torque is equal at 278 pound-feet. GM's new 4.3-liter V6 is 285 hp but wins on all-important torque at 305 pound-feet. All three have an EPA fuel economy edge, in part because they use 6- and 8-speed automatics where the V6 Tundra uses a 5-speed automatic.
The 4.6-liter V8 delivers 310 horsepower, 327 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 16 mpg Combined city and highway. The Toyota 4.6-liter V8 is smooth enough to find use in Lexus luxury SUVs. Ram's 395-hp 5.7-liter and 8-speed automatic get similar economy. Ford's 5.0-liter delivers 360 hp with similar EPA ratings. GM's new 5.3-liter brings 355 hp and better economy. At just 1 EPA Combined mile per gallon lower than the 4.0-liter V6, Tundra's 4.6-liter V8 deserves consideration for general-purpose use where towing capacity is not paramount. Tundra's 4.6-liter V8 comes with a 6-speed automatic.
The 5.7-liter V8 produces 381 horsepower, 401 pound-feet of torque. Ram's Hemi slightly eclipses those values with 395 hp, 407 lb-ft, while Nissan Titan works more like a truck engine with 317 hp and 385 lb-ft at the lowest revs of any half-ton V8. GM is offering a new 6.2-liter V8. Ford has two big engines, a 6.2-liter V8 with 411 hp, 434 lb-ft, and a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 dubbed EcoBoost that brings 365 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque at just 2500 rpm. Many users find Ford's 5.0-liter V8 and 3.5-liter turbo V6 get the same mileage in real-world use.
On the road, power delivery from any Tundra engine is linear, and commendably strong at low engine speed. This is especially so in the 5.7-liter, where 90 percent of the torque is on tap from 2400 rpm to 5500 rpm. We find the 5.7-liter V8 a solid powerplant, very responsive when quick acceleration is needed, smooth and powerful when cruising.
Maximum towing capacity of 10,400 pounds applies to an unloaded Tundra Regular Cab 2WD 5.7 V8; the top-line CrewMax 4WD rates 9,000 pounds. Maximum on F-150 is 11,300 pounds, the new GM's will probably exceed the Tundra 10,400 max, the top Ram is similar and the Titan a bit lower. However, the Tundra rating is the only one quoted to SAE standard J2807 that all manufacturers said in 2011 would apply to 2013 models. Only Toyota lived up to the pledge, so no apples-to-apples comparison can be made.
For towing trailers in the 4,000- to 7,000-pound range the Tundra does a good job. Overkill with tow rigs is nice on long nights, in inclement weather, during strong winds or dealing with hilly country. For routine towing of trailers anywhere near 10,000 pounds you'd be better served by a heavy-duty pickup from Ford, GM, or Ram.
Unlike some other half-ton pickups, the Tundra does not offer an integrated trailer brake controller. We'd prefer that it did, but a host of aftermarket controllers do the job well.
Overall, both the 5-speed and 6-speed automatic transmissions work well. Gear changes are smooth, though more apparent when trailering. Automatic downshifts during braking on downhill grades are well managed, properly timed and helpful. In sum the Tundra's transmissions are unobtrusive, which in a truck is usually the best compliment because in a truck if you frequently notice how the transmission is doing its job, it probably isn't doing it as well as it could. The Tow/Haul mode is designed for better trailer towing operation and improved transmission durability for loads more than approximately half rated towing capacity.
Ride and handling in the Tundra are both up to snuff. Steering response is sure and certain, though perhaps not as advanced as an F-150 with any engine except the 6.2-liter. Somehow, Toyota's suspension engineers have delivered a setup that leaves no doubt the driver is operating a truck, but isn't reminded of it at every bump and dip. Over severely uneven pavement, the solid rear axle makes its presence known with a slightly skippy feeling, but the Tundra's unladen rear end feels less skittish than some other max-rated pickups, and there is rarely any disruption that even instantaneously moves it far off the driver's intended path. As with most pickups, the ride gets bouncy on bumpy freeways with an empty bed; any pickup may have the wrong wheelbase to avoid tiring bobbing on expansion joints so do your test-drive on a variety of road surfaces.
Braking is solid, with firm pedal feel. The Tundra's standard four-wheel discs are among the biggest in the segment, as is the rear differential. The ABS includes electronic balancing of brake force and electronic stability control is standard on every Tundra.
The TRD Off-Road Package delivers excellent handling on pavement, and it's especially noticeable when Tundras so equipped are driven quickly on winding, two-lane roads. New Michelin branded tires are a good compromise between off-highway traction and on-highway grip and quiet.
Tundra 4WD does not offer an all-wheel drive setting for on-pavement use in inclement weather, but that makes no difference to braking in the snow. For more severe four-wheel-drive use, the Tundra offers decent articulation and good low-range gearing. When enabled, the traction control can be intrusive. Unlike many pickups, the Tundra 4WD has a switch that backs off the thresholds for deploying the side-curtain airbags. This can be helpful on side-angle trails and ditches that might otherwise trigger an unwanted side curtain deployment.
Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup in every sense of the term, and is competitive with those from Ford, Chevy, GMC, Ram, and Nissan. The Toyota delivers power, payload and tow ratings to handle all but the heaviest loads or the largest trailers. Tundra is quite comfortable, and it's easy to drive. Tundra shoppers buying as a second car should first consider cab style and seating space. Those buying for truck use will first consider payload and cost. The next choice is either the V6 or one of two V8 engines, and finally the trim package or level of standard equipment. The Tundra offers models to suit the needs of the majority of buyers.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent G.R. Whale reported from California and Pennsylvania; with Mitch McCullough in California; J.P. Vettraino in Detroit; and Tom Lankard in Louisville, Kentucky.


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A simple guide for parents of children ages 3-9, to help their children read with confidence in two languages. In English and Urdu.
Also available in English and other languages. The other languages include: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Panjabi, Portuguese, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Somali, Tamil or Turkish.
Ideal for use in a multicultural family literacy program.
If the language you need is not listed on the website, please phone or email to order.
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Although they are considered classics now, many of country's most beloved songs stopped shy of No. 1 on Billboard's country chart. In no particular order, here are 10 memorable tracks that missed the top spot yet remain entrenched in country music history.
"Crazy," Patsy Cline
Cline's magnificent rendering of a ballad written by Willie Nelson stands as one of the most beautiful country songs of all time. It made its way to No. 2 in 1961.
"God Bless the USA," Lee Greenwood
For nearly 30 years, Greenwood's patriotic number has been sung in sporting events, social functions and stages across America. "God Bless the USA" climbed to No. 7 in 1984.
"Go Rest High on That Mountain," Vince Gill
Gill has comforted countless souls with this heartfelt hymn. Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs provide gorgeous vocal harmonies. It ascended to No. 14 in 1995.
"Love Can Build a Bridge," the Judds
Mothers and daughters sometimes struggle to understand each other, but the Judds reminded us that nobody's heart is out of reach. "Love Can Build a Bridge" topped out at No. 5 in 1991.
"Independence Day,"
Martina McBride
With her commanding vocal presence and a storyline that instantly seized your attention, McBride's day of reckoning had finally arrived. "Independence Day" peaked at No. 12 in 1994.
"Coat of Many Colors" Dolly Parton
Every time I've heard a reporter ask Parton about the favorite song she's ever written, she always cites this autobiographical tune. The classic zipped to No. 4 in 1971.
"Blue," LeAnn Rimes
Rimes was just a cute kid from Texas when she recorded this retro number intended for Patsy Cline. Boom! Instant stardom. "Blue" landed at No. 10 in 1996.
"Amarillo by Morning," George Strait
Country fans everywhere responded to Strait's fiddle-drenched story of a cowboy who's running out of luck on the rodeo circuit. "Amarillo by Morning" roped in the No. 4 spot in 1983.
"Delta Dawn," Tanya Tucker
A child star with a sexy rasp, Tucker made her first impression on country fans with this tale of a delusional woman and her faded flower. "Delta Dawn" rose to No. 6 in 1972.
"Family Tradition," Hank Williams Jr.
Spend a night in Nashville's honky-tonk bars, and you'll get to sing along with this rowdy number at least a dozen times. "Family Tradition" peaked at No. 4 in 1979.


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Forum rules | FAQ | Technical help | Announcements | New members start here
I find it kinda handy. Good way to stock up, a little at a time. Plus the more items you have the more you save.Big dark cloud opened up here......... . Wanut pickin has shut down.
Yeah it is though what I'm looking at runs about $40 for the both. 10 lb. Quinoa, 3 lb. Farro. Got to check out the Farro a little more, might be able to get a bundle for less per pound.Cloudy here but no rain, yet.
Over the weekend we harvested honey—almost 400 pounds!
Good one, Knecht.
Now imagine what I could do with my native language


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Earlier Vaccination Could Cut Whooping Cough Deaths
Nov. 4 --
MONDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Giving infants a routine pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine two weeks earlier than normal could prevent at least 1,236 cases of pertussis, 898 hospitalizations and seven deaths each year in the United States, a new study finds.
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt University reported their findings in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.
"Rates of pertussis, which can be life-threatening to infants, are increasing. Pertussis vaccine has been highly effective in defending children against the disease, and we find that modest adjustments in the timing of vaccine administration may offer enhanced protection to very young infants who are especially susceptible to severe disease," co-lead author Dr. Timothy R. Peters, assistant professor of pediatrics at Brenner Children's Hospital (part of Wake Forest), said in a university news release.
In 2003, 13 children in the United States died from pertussis.
Current recommendations suggest five doses of the vaccine at two, four and six months of age, with booster shots at 15 months to 18 months and four years to six years. The recommendations also allow for administration of the first dose at six weeks of age, with the second and third doses at 3.5 months and 5.5 months.
In this study, the researchers analyzed existing national data to determine the benefit of giving the first vaccine dose at six weeks instead of two months.
"While two weeks may seem negligible, this change would reduce the time that a two-month-old infant is completely without pertussis vaccine protection by 25 percent. Because pertussis so greatly threatens very young infants, the benefit of earlier vaccination may result in a significant decrease in severe pertussis disease nationally, and may be an especially useful approach during outbreaks of pertussis," Peters said.
Along with the conclusion that giving the first dose earlier could prevent illness and death, the researchers determined that giving the second and third doses two weeks earlier could prevent an additional 923 cases, 520 hospitalizations and two deaths a year.
More information
The Nemours Foundation has more about pertussis.
SOURCE: Wake Forest University, news release, Nov. 3, 2008


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Legion to celebrate 95th birthday
March 15, the designated birthday of The American Legion, is the day in 1919 when the first American Legion caucus, held by members of the American Expeditionary Force, convened in Paris. Much as the birthday of the United States is celebrated on July 4 – for the day in 1776 when rebelling patriots declared the independence of the British colonies and the spirit of America was born – March 15 is the day on which the Legion came to life.
Each year, Legion posts across the country hold events – public, private or both – to commemorate this anniversary. A guidelined speech has been drafted by the Legion's Media & Communications Division staff members as a way for Legionnaires to emphasize what the organization represents, both to themselves and to the community at large. They are not meant to be recited verbatim; members are encouraged to amend them to taste and audience. The birthday speech can be downloaded for free online here.
Members of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club (TALARC) will operate a special event station to commemorate the Legion's 95th birthday. Operating from the radio room at National Headquarters in Indianapolis, ham radio operators at club station K9TAL will celebrate the Legion's 95 years of service to America's veterans with both members and non-member amateur radio operators around the world on Saturday, March 15. Learn more about the event here.
Posts are encouraged to upload recaps and photos of their birthday celebrations (and other community activities) online at www.legiontown.org. Legiontown is a place for Legionnaires to tell the stories of all the good they do every day, and to see how other Legionnaires across the country are doing the same. Some posts are also posting event plans ahead of time using the calendar on the Centennial Celebration website.