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Recycled Cardboard Version of a Wheat Straw Tree Ornament.
Submitted by Pam on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 00:57
I love playing with wheat straw! I love the look of almost anything made with wheat straw! However, it is not readily available to everyone - not something most crafters keep in their stash. I really, really wanted to share my little wheat tree ornaments but not one alternative material worked until I asked myself the question "What would Michele use?"
Cereal boxes of course!!! I would have NEVER thought of it without her recent tutorials for everything from wreaths to baskets and garlands! Made from recycled cereal boxes!
I cut up a cereal box, glued printed sides together using Mod Podge, and when dry, cut it up into 1/8" wide strips! OMG - perfect!
Truth be told, I wasn't too sure I would like this material in this application - but it turns out - I love it!!
Then I decided to try coating one "test" tree with glitter and - beautiful! I can not get my glittery tree to sparkle in my images but take my word for it - this little beauty sparkles like everything!!
Basking in the glow of success - I decided to try using card weight scrapbook paper! Just to see if it would work! And it does work! Beautifully! I am loving this tree too! Especially how it looks like it has been decorated!
Thank you Michele! Without your lead, I would have been stuck at wheat straw forever!!!
So! Here is how to make them! With wheat, paper or cardboard! (BTW I tried chenille, but did not like the bits of sharp wires at the end of each branch. I don't recommend it - especially for kids.)
I made the tutorial while playing with wheat - but it works just as well with cardboard or paper!
The trees average between 4" and 6" tall.
1. Begin by cutting about 16 strips 1/8"wide and 2" to 6" long from cardboard or paper; and 2 strips 1/4" wide and 6" long. Precise cutting is important to the overall appearance of the tree so I recommend using a cutting board or rotary cutter.
Wonkiness works with straw - not so much with paper or cardboard!
2. Secure a piece of masking or painter's tape on your work surface, sticky side up as shown.
Two pieces of tape may work better for you!
3. Now place your paper or cardboard strips as shown. Wheat is always going to be a bit uneven, but paper and cardboard allow you to space things perfectly!!
4.Using hot glue, attach one of the 1/4" wide strips right on the center line. The tape will show through the openings between the strips and acts as a great guide.
Don't get too heavy handed with the hot glue - you just need enough to hold the strips in place.
5.Once the glue is dry, turn the tree over and carefully remove the tape.
6. Place a bead of glue using the "trunk" as your guide!
7. Place the other 1/4" wide strip right on top of the glue and maneuver it so that the edges of both "trunk" strips match up. Let dry.
8.Using a straight edge and pencil, lightly mark your tree shape.
9. Cut along the pencil lines.
10. Then trim the top and bottom of the "trunk".
11. Slip a bit of string or floss between the first and second "branches", wind around the "trunk" a couple times, tie a knot at the back, and then create a hanging loop by knotting the ends.
This may sound strange, but
Submitted by Krys (not verified) on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 17:24.
This may sound strange, but per my mother's request, there was a wheat spray (with some added fresh flowers) used as a floral spray on her casket last fall. Afterward, I didn't know what to do with it -- tossing it out seemed rather heartless -- and seeing as how I am of Swedish descent -- I am now going to turn the wheat into these neat little straw trees which hopefully will grace family holiday trees for years to come! Thanks for the great idea!
Submitted by Chris (not verified) on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 17:33.
This is SO AWESOME!!
such a brilliant idea of
Submitted by jet (not verified) on Wed, 11/14/2012 - 10:10.
such a brilliant idea of yours!!!
I love them all, but the scraps of cardboard is my fave.
but from somebody that lives in the UK we dutch love recycling of paper.LOL
Perhaps that's the anwser.
An other great tute of you. thank you for it, i love how they show hanging together like a tiny fairy xmas view.
I have left many windows empty over still, perhaps this is a great idea for me as well;-XD
These are so clever and
Submitted by Sheleen (not verified) on Wed, 11/14/2012 - 08:13.
These are so clever and looking at them I have realised how many items around my house I could use. Brilliant to recycle cereal boxes though.
Great idea for cereal boxes.
Submitted by megacrafty (not verified) on Wed, 11/14/2012 - 04:49.
Great idea for cereal boxes. This could make a great classroom version of the straw ornaments since the cereal boxes are recycled. But I have to say I adore the scrapbook paper version. The pattern does make the tree look decorated, just gorgeous. I bet this would be a fun way to recycle holiday cards into next year's ornaments too.
Pam! Your little forest scene
Submitted by Michele (not verified) on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 13:40.
Pam! Your little forest scene is brilliant; each version lovelier than the next. I'm admiring the very simple and graphic tree shape you've used (proving that simple can indeed be beautiful). I also love how you've played with all different materials to create your collection: the plain cardboard (yay!) versus the sparkly, the wheat straw versus the chenille. Well, I just love the whole thing!!!
Thank you Michele! Â I am glad
Submitted by Pam on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 16:12.
Thank you Michele! I am glad you like them! Seriously, I couldn't have ever come up with this one on my own - you inspired me to think "inside" the box!!!
What a simple and effective
Submitted by Gill (not verified) on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 08:13.
What a simple and effective ornament- I love it! We go through a good deal of drinking straws in our family, and the plastic sort could also be washed and recycled in this craft; or the paper sort could be used if you can get hold of them. (Not having a guillotine, 1/4" strips out of double cardboard sounds a little tricky to cut.)
Straws would work
Submitted by Pam on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 16:17.
Straws would work beautifully, Gill!
Ha! That guillotine is so old it is probably worth a fortune as an antique! But it still works like a champ. Double cereal boxes can easilly be cut with scissors - just carefully so the lines are straight!
Maybe i should experiment with something purposefully wonky! Might be fun! hummmmmmmm
These are great, Pam! I love
Submitted by Erin Fickert-Rowland (not verified) on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 04:55.
These are great, Pam! I love both the glittery one and the scrapbook paper one. I would love to try this- thanks for sharing it with us!
Awesome!! I just love this
Submitted by Kathryn (not verified) on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 01:59.
Awesome!! I just love this idea! :)


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Dreamy Austin living, in town, on Lake Austin. And no, that's not the house – it's just the boat house.
When the high tech industry landed in Austin, bringing with it untold wealth, the architecture of Austin changed drastically. The town's official motto "Keep Austin Weird" barely applied anymore to the neighborhoods overlooking the numerous lakes in the area. Once, Austin's neighborhoods were a mix of cottages and bungalows, along with bigger, more traditional houses; while the houses on the lakes tended to be soft contemporary or mid century modern mixed in with Willie Nelson ranch. With the new influx of a young and wealthy population, huge monstrosities starting appearing in the hills overlooking the beautiful Lakes Austin, Travis and Town (or rather Lady Bird Lake – I'll never get used to calling it that.) The Barton Creek area was hit especially hard by the massive faux- half Tuscany, half Texian mansions, along with faux Versailles. For sure, there is some great modern architecture coming out of Austin, helped fueled by the University of Texas School of Architecture. It is cutting edge contemporary and many of these custom homes are also lessons in green living, of course. The dreaded Austin faux mansion is not those works of art. Instead the dreaded faux mansion is all Texas limestone and dark iron sconces and columns and arches and huge wine rooms and exercise rooms and 12 car garages and gift wrapping rooms. It's pure indulgence. If you've got it flaunt it.
Faux French – The bigger the better, right?
I miss the old Austin with its quirky student housing, cozy bungalows that we all rented while attending UT. Some of the cutest places I've lived in were in Austin. There was a small apartment complex with shutters for doors and Mexican tiled floors with a fireplace and cypress wood paneling. Then there was a tiny cottage with one bedroom and a huge ancient stove, no garage, but instead a darling garden out back. That house has since been torn down, what a shame. Once, for a short time, there was a quasi modern duplex, with a slanted roofline. Today students live in fancy condos and fake lofts that have sprung up everywhere. While wading through Austin real estate brochures, it's hard to find much that appeals, money being no issue in this pretend game. For sure if you have 10 children, there's plenty available, but I doubt that any of those houses ever fill up their numerous bedrooms. Prices are crazy. Try to find a bungalow or 50s ranch for under $600,000. Slim pickings. The lake houses seem to start at $1,000,000 regardless of its condition or desirability.
Stunning. This is a cliff house – built separately from the main house just to take in the magnificent view over Lake Austin. Some of Austin's new contemporary architecture is incredible.
Many houses are refurbished since the land costs have skyrocketed. Here, mid century is brought up to date for today.
New architecture can still be charming without going Disney World. Combining the Texas Ranch look with contemporary. Beautiful!
Even excess can be gorgeous. Overlooking Lake Austin through stone columns, this porch sits under an iron and wood pergola, next to a row of steel doors. It might be one of the prettiest in recent memory.
But, I miss quirky Austin. It's still there, just harder to find. This house located in the first fire station built in Austin is the antithesis of the porch shown above. On game day, I'll bet this gravel yard is filled with Lone Star beer drinkers all dressed in burnt orange waiting to walk over to the stadium. Hook 'em! Or, maybe, they hate football, and just sit around listening to a friend play the guitar. The car is too cute.
New Austin Architecture: Is it Tuscany? Or is it a ranch? The lines are being blurred all over the city.
For decorating, one of my favorites in Austin is Shabby Slips. The small store was started by the Houston shop of the same name, but ownership is different.
I always stop by whenever I'm in Austin. The shop is small, but filled with wonderful furniture, new and old. Their slipcovers are the best there are. The Austin shop is owned by interior designer Sara Scaglione. In case her name sounds familiar, she designed one of the prettier houses shown in House Beautiful last year. Remember this:
The house is Austin that Sara designed was all white paint, slipcovers and seagrass – my favorites! Mixed in were gorgeous antiques like the chest and mirror. The house is quietly elegant, not a piece out of place. Shabby Slips makes the best pillows, so plump and big. Sara talked about her store and slipcovers in her House Beautiful interview:
" I opened my Austin store, Shabby Slips, in 1994, and the look back then was oversize, loose, puddling onto the floor. Now we've gone to a much more refined, fitted, classic look. In the family room we did fitted slipcovers for the sofas."
In the sunroom, Sara added this antique French desk with a modern lamp.
The dining room has an Italian light fixture and antique rug.
The family room has simple striped pillows – the only pattern in the room.
Another view of the family room and the sunroom behind it. I wish these pictures were bigger!!!
The master bedroom pops the creams with delicious dark walls. Sara Scaglione can be reached at the Shabby Slips Austin web site HERE.
Another Austin designer whose work I admire is Fern Santini. This house was also published in House Beautiful in December 2007. The house is one of the larger ones in Austin, on a cliff overlooking Lake Austin. But instead of being ostentatious, the house is subtle and gracious – helped by Fern's design.
The dining room's ceiling is a different pattern than the living room. Beautiful chandelier and mirror.
A trio of exotic lanterns hang over the kitchen's island. The focal point is the wonderful range hood, which resembles a fireplace.
The bedroom, all in blues and touches of pink.
Of course there is a swimming pool overlooking Lake Austin below.
Standing the test of time: The first time I was aware of Fern's work was this house in Austin. It was published over 11 years ago and the room still looks amazingly fresh, due to the use of antique French furniture.
Fern Santini has a web site if you are interested in seeing more of her work in Austin. HERE.
Looking at available Austin real estate, I found two houses that caught my eye. Both houses are two of the most expensive for sale right now, but this is a game, where Monopoly money is used. This house, at slightly over 6,000 sq. ft. has six bedrooms. It is located on a town lot, not overlooking the lake.
The living room has a baby grand piano and a mix of contemporary and antique furniture. The light fixture is Fortuny.
It's not a mirror! It's a wheel.
The dining room has another fireplace, more seagrass, white walls, white curtains and a wonderful painted console! Love the table.
Look who was hiding behind the chandelier!
This pretty rug is a great alternative to seagrass – so light and washed out looking, I really like it.
Here you can see the muted colors in the rug – light blues and peaches. Ikat pillows pick up the blue.
White and black kitchen. Great stove and hood.
Contemporary leather chairs, lantern, French tin top table, cute.
I really love the study – the worn Chesterfield, the contemporary desk, the deer, and I love love the wall color and matching curtains. The deep gray color works so well with the cognac colored furniture and leather. Notice how the computer bag even matches!!!
My favorite room in the house is the master bedroom. I am so in love with blue walls and white bedding these days. It's my favorite I think. I love the bed, the seagrass, the blue curtains, the gold touches. Perfect!!!
Beautiful! I love the white lamps and the taffeta curtains.
One more view, this time with an accent rug.
The daughter's room is precious with the vintage sofa redone in pink! What a great idea!! And I love her faux deer.
The nursery is so cute for a little boy. It has the wonderful Stark Antelope rug wall to wall and that great picture of a Texas longhorn. Love the crib's light aqua paint.
And finally, the media room – off the gray study and the exercise room. I thought about this room and think it's a perfect furniture set up for a media room. Two leather chairs and ottomans for the mom and dad and a large sectional for the kids to all watch a football game on TV.
I really enjoyed looking at this house's interiors and wonder who the designer is? I have a few ideas, but I would love to know for sure!
The front door is right next to the garage. All the magic is in the back of the house, on Lake Austin.
I love all the vines and the driveway, what is it made of???
The second house today is located on Lake Austin, on the town side in Tarrytown. Built in 1999, it is very large at just over 10,000 sq. ft. Although it's a huge one, all stone and iron, it doesn't read kitschy. Its interiors are wonderful and the furniture is antique in a slightly rumpled, definitely warm and comfortable manner. In other words, I could be very, very happy here!
To the left of the front door, a walkway leads to a courtyard, then up a few set of steps. I love all the small windows.
Walking into the house, the living room is down the hall, while a smaller living space is across the hall on the left. The ceilings are all beamed, the walls are stucco and the floors are rustic wood.
While the house looks like an old castle in Spain or Portugal, it reads authentic, not someone's version of pretend. The living room, one of 4 living spaces, has a gorgeous fireplace. The rug is incredible. The space, rather than pretentiously fancy, is cozy and welcoming. I wonder if they had an interior designer, did they furnish this themselves, adding one antique after another when they happened upon it?
The smaller living space across the hall shown above. There is a fireplace in almost every room.
In another living space, this room has an unusual barley twist mantel and lots of antique textiles, including the rug.
In the dining room, the floor is a rough slate, the ceiling is beamed, and again, the atmosphere is very casual. To the right, is a hallway that is several steps down from the dining room.
A close up of the dining room showing the fireplace and antique desk. I love the painting.
The hall off the dining room. To the right, up the steps, past the iron railing, is the actual dining space. I love all the steps and changes in elevations throughout the house. Notice too, the wood window shutters throughout the house and all the lanterns and sconces that light the way. Notice too how each hallway ends in a focal point. Here, an arched door with a painting above is the focal point at the end of this very long walkway.
The eat in kitchen has a huge stove, next to which are tables instead of cabinets.
The other side of the kitchen overlooks Lake Austin in the back.
Leading off the hall that runs through the dining room is this series of stairs. The detailing is so great, the sconces that line the halls, the lanterns, the arches, the iron railings, and the small windows with even smaller wood shutters.
At the end of this hall is the master bedroom, with a guitar waiting, just in case!
The bedroom has a balcony through the doors, a fireplace, and a pitched wood ceiling. Notice the open upper window next to the fireplace. I would dress this up a bit, but what great bones!!!
The master bath, more charming windows, and more antique rugs!
Only in Texas would the homeowner's cowboy boots be included in the real estate brochure.
Each hall ends in such a pretty view. Here a small set of stairs led down to a balcony with a piano. The painting looks like a John Alexander.
The guest room, with the tiny window that overlooks the front courtyard.
Even the exercise room is charming!!!!
The outdoor kitchen off the main kitchen, overlooks the backyard.
This porch is off the master bedroom (I guess!)
The swimming pool.
The back of the house overlooking Lake Austin.
There's even a cactus garden. Notice the stone steps and wooden gate.
And finally, there a boat dock with room for 7 boats. Dream.
Remember, there's a giveaway going on at The Skirted Roundtable!
We are giving away a large gift certificate.
Go HERE to listen.
This coming week we have Kathryn Ireland on as a guest – be sure to listen!!!

subset: commoncrawl


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The Accounting program is designed to provide students with skills and knowledge required for entry-level positions in industry, government, financial institutions, and small businesses.
The program encompasses classroom instruction and extensive hands-on application with both manual and computerized accounting systems. Cabrillo College offers a Certificate of Proficiency and an Associate of Science degree.
Accounting graduates set up accounting systems which allow businesses or individuals to organize, maintain, and audit financial records. In their work, accountants may be involved in preparing tax returns, budgets, and financial statements, recording business transactions, advising businesses on accounting systems, and/or auditing financial records. Employment opportunities in accounting are plentiful, and are expectd to continue to grow in the foreseeable future.
The following links provide information regarding job opportunities and growth in the Accounting field:
|Accounting & Finance
|Mo Hassan
|Room 301


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The name Tiu is a Norse baby name. In Norse the meaning of the name Tiu is: God of war.
People with this name have a deep inner desire to create and express themselves, often in public speaking, acting, writing or singing. They also yearn to have beauty around them in their home and work environment.Expression Number: 5
People with this name are excited by change, adventure, and excitement. They are dynamic, visionary and versatile, able to make constructive use of freedom. They fight being restricted by rules and conventions. They tend to be optomistic, energetic, intelligent, and to make friends easily. They may be changeable, restless, untidy, and rebellious.
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Bar Chair
Bar Chair
Model #: 2860-3500-BR
Collection Name: Fusion
The Fusion Bar Chair features a uniform and textural pattern that weaves the entire form into a solid structure. This innovative and contemporary design evokes an attitude of couture furniture while its bold profile generates international appeal. The modern look of Fusion successfully blends the cultural elements of European materials, American design, and Asian craftsmanship
Style: Transitional
Collection Name: Fusion
- Width (in): 23
- Height (in): 44
- Arm Height (in): 36
- Seat Height (in): 28
- Weight (lbs): 34
Also Available:
2860-3500-PH BarChair (Parchment Weave)
2860-3501 Seat Pad


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IRS rules $720M in NH bonds taxable in dispute over accounting rulesBy DAVE SOLOMON
New Hampshire Union Leader
January 09. 2014 9:40PM
CONCORD — The state agency that sells bonds to finance education and health care in New Hampshire decided last summer to forego a voluntary settlement with the IRS over an accounting dispute, and take its chances on an audit.
IRS examiners issued their decision on Dec. 11, and determined that $720 million of bonds issued by the New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities Authority from 1998 to 2011 should not have been tax-exempt.
An attorney representing the state agency said the ruling was expected, and that the matter will now go before the IRS Appeals Office.
"We understood that it was unlikely we would be able to resolve the dispute over the tax-exempt bonds, that the IRS examiners would issue this determination, and that we would then take the case to appeals," said Bradley Waterman, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney representing the agency.
The New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corp. could have to pay millions of dollars to settle the dispute on behalf of bond investors who theoretically should have been paying taxes on the interest they earned from the bonds at issue.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency recently paid $12.3 million to resolve similar IRS allegations in connection with $250 million in student loan bonds, as part of a voluntary settlement.
"Our exposure is nowhere near the amount that Pennsylvania paid," said Waterman. "It should be a modest amount of money, if any money is part of the settlement."
The dispute is being followed closely in the tax-exempt bond market, since New Hampshire is the first state to refuse to settle voluntarily with the IRS, and take its case to appeals. Most of the bonds at issue have been paid off, and the federal government took over the guaranteed student loan program in 2010.
"This will not in any way impair the ability of the state or the state's agencies to issue bonds at favorable rates," Waterman said. "It's inside baseball."
The dispute revolves around what is known in the bond industry as "loan swapping," in which student loans were allocated to bonds other than the ones used to finance them.
The IRS and the state agency were close to an agreement, but the IRS insisted that the agency admit it ran afoul of accounting rules. "The requirement that the corporation admit that it acted improperly was unacceptable," Waterman said.


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Self PortraitPosted February 1st, 2012 by & filed under Top News, Art Therapy/Counseling at SWC.
by Deb Schroder, Copyright 2010
3 canvases, mixed media (collage, watercoler, acryllic), 3' x 4'
I'm happy to share my tree images – they were meaningful to me as a process and visually satisfying to me as a finished piece.
I like to hang on to the art that I create during Open Studios and…
Continue reading


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Banana-Coconut Custard
It is often difficult to come up with an appropriate dessert for an Asian-inspired meal, but look no further than this not-too-sweet Banana-Coconut Custard. The custard takes little work and bakes up quickly in a water bath. A drizzling of warm chocolate sauce adds a Western touch.
Prepare a water bath by placing a large rectangular baking dish on the middle rack of the oven and filling with 1-inch of boiling water. Place the cake pan in the water and bake 30-45 minutes, until center is only slightly jiggly. Place servings of the custard on dessert cups and drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce before serving. (The custard can be served warm or cold.)
Makes 8 servings.


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Its easy to imagine these photos of Earth hanging in a modern art exhibition. Taken via satellite, these images are part of a series called Earth As Art from the U.S. Geological Survey and offer fresh and inspiring glimpses of different parts of our planets complex surface.
I'd pay more for any of these than I would for "Rhine II."
Gursky has already been there and done that...
True, he didn't build a rocket and launch himself into space to take those pictures.
(Not sure why you guys are so down on Andreas Gursky.)
As for Andreas Gursky... He may have sold his soul, ...
Presumably you mean that Andreas Gursky must have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for artistic genius?
Who needs a camera?
Sometimes, where the lens points, where the frame cuts, does make a difference ;-)


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Fair, Santa workshop is Dec. 8 at YMCA
On Saturday, Dec. 8, Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit Kent County YMCA. The event, which is free to the public, will include crafts and games for the whole family. Also included in the event is a holiday fair, which will have local vendors displaying gift ideas for the upcoming season. The fair runs from noon to 4 p.m. and Santa's workshop goes from 1-4 p.m. For more information visit the Y website at http://ymcagreaterprovidence.org.
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U.S. Sen. Chris Coons will host the second annual Opportunity: Africa, a conference on sustainable development and trade with Africa at Delaware State University in Dover on Monday.
It has not been lost on U.S. Sen. Chris Coons that most of the press coverage of Africa has tended to focus on starving children in Mali or Ethiopia, wildlife being massacred or national security concerns.
Those are compelling stories to cover, to be sure, with the recent hostage situation in Algeria suggesting America has legitimate national security concerns in Africa, said Coons, a Delaware Democrat.
But, too often, the immense economic potential of Africa has often been lost in the shuffle, Coons told the Dover Post Wednesday.
Across this vast continent there are countries with growing middle classes eager to buy American products, Coons said. He credited the work done by the former Bush administration in its nation building efforts for this 21st Century phenomenon.
For the past two years, Coons has worked hard to make sure this opportunity for the U.S.A. does not pass by.
As such, Coons will host the second annual Opportunity: Africa, a conference on sustainable development and trade with Africa at Delaware State University in Dover on Monday. He hopes the daylong conference, complete with talks from experts on Africa, is comparable to the turnout of last year's inaugural event, which drew 500 to the University of Delaware's Wilmington campus.
Coons is chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs. He traveled to Africa last year.
Opportunity: Africa is free and open to all, he said. Coons' message is simple for Delawareans and Americans in general wondering why they should care about Africa. An increased American economic presence in Africa could lead to more American jobs, he said.
"Africa is a continent of economic opportunity," Coons said. "Yet, we're letting the Chinese, Brazilian and Russians pass us by as Africa's leading trading partners. Opportunity: Africa is a chance for us to focus on the expanding opportunity to grow American exports and thus create American jobs.
"From DuPont to Procter & Gamble, there are dozens of companies large and small looking to export their products to Africa," he said. "For instance, on my recent trip to Africa I stopped in Zanzibar at the import plant of Perdue, which has chicken farms in Delaware."
The U.S. already imports more oil combined from Africa, including Nigeria, Angola and Libya, than the Persian Gulf, Coons said. Then, the U.S. exports a variety of finished goods to Africa.
However, China surpassed the U.S. in 2009 as the lead trading partner for Africa, Coons said.
"And the Chinese are concocting a strategy to lock down access to African lands and resources for decades to come," Coons said. "I'm concerned that we as a country will face this competition too late."
At Opportunity: Africa, Elkanah Odembo, Kenyan ambassador to the United States, and Michael Gerson, author, nationally syndicated columnist and policy fellow with the ONE Campaign, are scheduled to be the keynote speakers.
Coons is also scheduled to speak.
It is not too late to register for the event, Coons spokeswoman Meredith Rosenthal said. The conference can host about 500 people.
WHO U.S. Senator Chris Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs
WHAT The Opportunity: Africa conference will give Delawareans a seat at the table with some of the nation's leading voices on sustainable development and trade with Africa, looking closely at how Delaware's businesses, faith communities, and individuals can engage with Africa.
WHEN 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11 (includes continental breakfast at outset and lunch at 12:30 p.m.)
WHERE Delaware State University in Dover.
CONTACT To register, go to http://www.coons.senate.gov/opportunityafrica/


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I absolutely loved reading Christina Tosi's Milk Bar cookbook. I loved reading about the development of her recipes as well as the process of creation through necessity. I will use much of the information as inspiration for my own experiments in the kitchen.
The book was like a glimpse into the mind of a sugar-fueled pastry savant. I actually read this cookbook from cover to cover. I read the forward and introduction. I read all the head notes, side notes and foot notes. I read through a lot of the recipes too. The book is organized into sections based on what Tosi calls "mother recipes".
Even though the mother recipes are not complicated, the sheer number of different components that can go into making any final completed dessert can be a bit overwhelming.
This chocolate malt cake is a perfect example of using multiple components to create a final product. Making milk crumbs to go into the berry and cream cookies was just one tiny step beyond making cookies without the milk crumbs. Making the oatmeal cookies from scratch to grind for the crack pie crust was just one tiny step beyond using commercial cookies to grind for the crust.
This chocolate malt cake has many tiny steps. Chocolate brownie-like cake layers are soaked with malted chocolate syrup, and then layered with a malt-fudge sauce, milk crumbs and toasted miniature marshmallows to create an over-the-top mess of sweetness. Thank goodness Tosi is fine with store-bought commercial marshmallows otherwise I would've made marshmallows from scratch too.
I made this cake (all the components and the assembly too) in one afternoon which may have contributed to feeling overwhelmed. But many components can be made ahead of time which is what I should have done. I forgot to add the Ovaltine to the milk crumbs so they are a bit pale. My cake layers sunk in the middle and it was hard to cut my finished cake into neat slices. But most of Tosi's desserts are not about the way they look. It's about the taste and a childlike sugar addiction!
This cake was sweet. And chocolaty. And malty. And totally excessive which can be a good or bad thing. I actually felt a little gross after eating a small slice. But I tend to get that way when having too much Ovaltine or other malted milk products. But if you're into this kind of thing (the sweet-chocolaty-malty-excessive part not the feeling gross part) then I suggest trying it out.
Alpineberry note: I actually made this cake using a recipe on the Bon Appetit magazine website before the Milk Bar cookbook was released. So the recipe below varies from the one in the Milk Bar cookbook.
Chocolate Malt Cake
(recipe as published in Bon Appetit not the Milk Bar cookbook)
Bon Appetit notes: Brownie-like cakes are layered with malt-fudge sauce, chocolate-malt crumbs, and charred marshmallows in this Dr. Seuss-like dessert. To help support the sweet structure, the dessert is assembled in a springform pan. Timing note: The assembled cake needs to chill overnight and has to stand at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Chocolate-Malt Crumbs
* 2/3 cup Milk Crumbs (recipe below)
* 6 tablespoons Ovaltine Chocolate Malt Mix
* 1 1/2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped
Malt-Fudge Sauce
* 1 1/3 cups Ovaltine Chocolate Malt Mix
* 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped
* 1 teaspoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
* Pinch of coarse kosher salt
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1/2 cup light corn syrup
* 1/4 cup sugar
* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped
* 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 3 large eggs
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ovaltine Milk
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* 3 tablespoons Ovaltine Classic Malt Mix
* 2 cups mini marshmallows
Special Equipment
* 3 8-inch cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides
* 8-inch springform pan
* Kitchen torch
Chocolate-Malt Crumbs
Mix Milk Crumbs and Ovaltine in small bowl. Place white chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15-second intervals just until melted, stirring occasionally. Drizzle chocolate over Milk Crumb mixture; toss to coat.
Malt-Fudge Sauce
Place first 4 ingredients in medium bowl; set aside. Combine cream, corn syrup, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour cream mixture over chocolate mixture in bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Whisk until sauce is glossy, about 1 minute. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Cool completely. Cover and chill. Rewarm just until pourable before using.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of each pan with parchment round; coat parchment with nonstick spray. Place chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Melt in microwave in 15-second intervals just until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and coarse salt into medium bowl. Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs; beat on low speed to incorporate, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add melted chocolate. Beat until blended, about 1 minute. Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium-high speed until pale brown, about 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients; beat on low speed just until blended, about 45 seconds. Divide batter among pans; smooth tops.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks.
Stir milk and Ovaltine in small bowl. Invert 1 cake from pan onto flat plate or tart pan bottom; peel off parchment. Place cake, top side down, in 8-inch springform pan. Brush cake with generous 2 1/2 tablespoons Ovaltine-milk mixture. Let Ovaltine-milk mixture soak into cake. Drizzle 1/3 cup malt-fudge sauce over cake; spread evenly over top. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate-malt crumbs over sauce. Drizzle 1/3 cup malt-fudge sauce over crumbs. Scatter 1 cup mini marshmallows over. Using kitchen torch, toast marshmallows. Repeat with second cake layer, Ovaltine-milk mixture, malt-fudge sauce, chocolate-malt crumbs, malt-fudge sauce, and marshmallows. Remove third cake from pan; peel off parchment. Place cake, top side down, atop marshmallows on second cake layer. Brush with remaining Ovaltine-milk mixture (assembled cake will rise well above edge of pan). Cover cake with plastic wrap; chill overnight. Cover and chill fudge sauce.
Run thin knife around sides of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides. Place cake (still on springform pan bottom) on plate. Rewarm sauce just until pourable. Pour over top of cake, allowing sauce to drip over edges. Mound handful of marshmallows in center of cake. Using kitchen torch, toast marshmallows. Sprinkle remaining malt crumbs over cake. Let cake stand at room temperature 3 hours before serving.
Cut cake into wedges and serve.
Milk Crumbs
(Makes about 2 cups)
* 3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
* 1/2 cup all purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 275°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Combine milk powder, flour, sugar, cornstarch, and coarse salt in medium bowl; toss to mix evenly. Add butter; stir with fork until clusters form. Spread mixture evenly on prepared sheet. Bake until crumbs are dry and crumbly but still pale, about 10 minutes. Cool Milk Crumbs completely on sheet. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)
Recipe sources:


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KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (AP) - July 6, 2009 --Anna Kournikova was sparkling brighter than usual. Kournikova, who has long been linked to singer Enrique Iglesias, showed up for Monday night's World Team Tennis match with a huge diamond ring on her left ring finger, the finger normally reserved for engagement rings.
When asked the significance of the ring by The Associated Press, Kournikova replied, "I thought you were the good press." The former Grand Slam doubles champion put her hand behind her back and did not elaborate.
Kournikova was scheduled to play for the St. Louis Aces. She will miss the season with a wrist injury, and wore a protective wrap on her left hand.
She still participated in a kid's clinic, signed autographs and cheered on her teammates.
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text:
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Root Canals
Losing a temp filling
I just had a root canal yesterday and I haven't chewed on that side, but part of my temporary filling has already come out. Should I be worried?
It is common for part of a temporary filling to come out. It is usually fine as long as the bulk of it is still there. If you are concerned, you should speak with your endodontist or dentist.
Melissa McCartney Drum, DDS, MS
Assistant Professor of Endodontics
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University


text:
Perhaps you recall the Nobel Peace Prize being given as a group award a few years back to Al Gore and the 1,200 scientists who contributed to the IPCC climate change report (though, strangely, I know several people who were part of the IPCC process and whose names are in the report, but who never saw any of the Nobel cash—seems Al Gore and the IPCC top bureaucrats kept it all, surprise, surprise). Well, this week we are compelled to emulate the Nobel committee and give out Power Line's coveted Green Weenie Award to . . . just about everybody in sight.
The only people who had a bigger meltdown than Chris Matthews last week were environmentalists everywhere who were shocked and appalled that the subject of climate change came up . . . not at all during the Republican convention. Hmmm, maybe Republican leaders have figured out what environmentalists haven't—namely, that no one cares about this issue any more.
The New York Times huffs that the Republican platform has the gall to oppose the UN's goofy Agenda 21, while the greenies at Grist.org are in a huff about the entire energy/environment section of the platform (They said what?—is Grist's headline).
Worse, Romney treats climate change like a punchline! But rising sea levels are not funny, whines Steve Benen on Rachel Maddow's MSNBC blog, which is pretty funny in itself if you think about it. The New Republic's Tim Noah is aghast at Romney's climate "nihilism." Who knew environmentalists would come to replace feminists as the punch line in the old light bulb joke. (How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb? "That's not funny!" Move over feminists—you've got company.)
Guardian columnist George Monbiot is clearly off his meds again, with his column the other day entitled "The Day The World Went Mad": "Yesterday was August 28th 2012. Remember that date. It marks the day when the world went raving mad." The ice caps are melting, and a hurricane just missed the Republican convention! "The Republican party's leading lights either deny climate change altogether, or argue that people can adapt to whatever a changed climate may bring, so there's nothing to worry about."
The New York Times moans "What Will It Take" to get the United State to, you know, "wake up" on climate change? Thank God the League of Democratic Conservation Voters have stepped up with a petition drive: "So what will it take to start a debate on climate change and government efforts to address it? The League of Conservation voters has started a petition drive calling on PBS's Jim Lehrer, the moderator of the first presidential debate, to force the candidates to answer questions about climate change." That's sure to do the trick.
My guess is that climate change will hardly come up at all from the podium at the Democratic National Convention this week. Perhaps I'll have to get a second intern to run a clicker for mentions of the issue. The greens, being the cheap dates of the Democratic Party, will be bought off cheaply enough with lots of language in the platform.
Fortunately, we only have to put up with this drivel for another few months. Steven Goddard of the Real Science website reminds us that NASA's James Hansen said back in January 2009 that President Obama only had four years to save the planet from global warming. So even if Obama is re-elected, I'm glad that we can look forward to Hansen and his like shutting up, since time will be up. . . What's that? You mean I won't be able to retire the Green Weenie?


text:
The Supreme series of sticks from Bauer is all about strength and power. The mid-kick flex profile and the Supreme power taper are attributes that are found throughout the line and are engineered to boost energy output. The NXG stick was designed to feel more like the One95 but with performance attributes of the TotalOne. Bauer uses the best stick technologies that they have to offer to create a stick that allows you to fully maximize the power behind your shot.
The true one-piece NXG is among the lightest sticks on the market and that's one of the first things that you'll notice when you pick one up. Bauer uses a single molding process, or Monocomp technology, which allows them to remove excess material all while improving balance and performance consistency. Weight is further reduced in the NXG through a lighter resin system and through the use of Bauer's exclusive TeXtreme® technology, which is a strong carbon fiber that is 20% lighter than conventional carbon.
The eLASTech resin system enhances durability by adding reinforcements in the resin that help reduce the spread of micro-fractures and helps extend the life of the sticks "pop". The square shaft shape with double-concave walls is preferred among pros, plus the addition of Tac-Spiral ridges provides a super-secure grip no matter what shot you are taking.
This stick has the Supreme power taper, which means a little more thickness in the hosel of the taper which is typical of a mid flex stick and allows you to maximize the load through the amplified mid-kick point. This taper in conjunction with the expanded throat of the Pure Shot Blade Profile means less torqueing and twisting, thus improving accuracy and blade control.
The NXG uses Bauer's Power Core 4 blade. This is a patented dual-density construction which consists of Aero Foam II in the heel, providing torsional stiffness and improved balance, while the Power Core 4 material in the blade enhances feel and reduces weight. The blade also includes durability stitches, which creates better adhesion between the core materials and the blade wrap. The TeXtreme® technology is also visible in the blade and there is also a bit of texture to the outer coating, so if you are someone who only tapes a portion of the blade, that texture is going to provide an extra bite on the puck.
Loaded with Bauer's best stick technologies, the Supreme TotalOne NXG has been engineered to add more power to your shot. It's available in a nice matte finish, or in the slightly different graphic of the Griptac finish. Check one out today.


text:
This is my translation. Brace yourselves.
Jupiter put on our two wallets:
Our own wallets having been filled with faults after he puts them back,
He hung up with grave vices belonging to another before our heart.
We are not able to see these evil things;
The others fail as soon as, we are censors.
It makes little sense, and I was told to begin with Phaedrus because he's one of the easier ones. *sigh* Can someone please help me work this through?


text:
Wendell Barnhouse is a nationally-known and respected columnist who has spent over 20 years covering collegiate athletics. He has reported from 23 Final Fours and more than three dozen bowl games and has written about the Big 12 and its schools since the conference's beginning. Barnhouse will be updating the Big 12 Insider on happenings and behind-the-scenes information about the conference.
July 2010
|Friday, July 30
Three Big 12 towns make a "favorites" list
Msnbc.com, along with IndependentTraveler.com, listed its nine favorite college towns. Three from the Big 12 Conference made this list. Here's what the web site had to say about the trio.
Austin: Visit the capital of Texas and it won't be long before you see a T-shirt or bumper sticker bearing the slogan "Keep Austin weird." That sums up the celebration of all things independent, progressive and quirky in this city of 757,000, home to the University of Texas.
Austin is justifiably famous for its local music scene, and there are nearly 200 live music venues where you can tap your foot to everything from indie rock and country to Tejano and gospel. Don't miss a stroll through the SoCo (South Congress) neighborhood, one of the best spots in town for shopping and dining.
Also worth a visit are the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and the Harry Ransom Center (home to the Gutenberg Bible and the world's first photograph). For outdoor adventures like water skiing and sailing, get out of town to the nearby Highland Lakes.
Lawrence: Home to the Jayhawks of the University of Kansas, Lawrence enjoys a riverfront location and a downtown core that harks back to a time gone by.
Don't miss a walking tour through Old West Lawrence, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city is also a thriving arts community, with dozens of museums and galleries as well as some 30 sculptures and murals around town.
Massachusetts Street is worth a visit for shopping and dining - or, if you're a more outdoorsy type, head to Clinton Lake for swimming, boating, hiking, biking or fishing.
Boulder: Home to the University of Colorado, Boulder enjoys one of the most breathtaking locations of any college town, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Locals embrace the great outdoors, and you can too; hiking, skiing and mountain biking are all popular pursuits to try here.
Downtown, start your explorations with a wander down Pearl Street, a pedestrian mall. Here you'll find yourself shoulder to shoulder with the whole range of Boulder's population, from families and college kids to street performers and older folks out for a stroll.
Don't miss a stop at Boulder Book Store, a local institution. Take a break from your shopping at one of many sidewalk cafes lining the street. If you're visiting in the summer, catch an evening concert at Chautauqua Park - which is also a great place to hike.
Quotes to note
If these are leftovers, then they're delicious morsels. Here are some overlooked comments gathered from three sessions at Big 12 Football Media Days earlier this week:
* Missouri senior running back Derrick Washington, whose 865 yards rushing last season was a drop from his sophomore season, was one of 12 Tigers required to lose weight. Washington is at 215 pounds after dropping about 10 "lbs." Washington said his fellow dieters bonded. "The dirty dozen. I think all of us made it. We all had to be a certain weight by a certain date, and if we were a pound over, we'd have to get on the elliptical and do the work."
* Kansas senior offensive lineman Brad Thorson on new coach Turner Gill's "no cussing" policy: "It's not a problem. It's a little bit weird when you first get out on the field, but you just find that if people around you aren't cursing then you don't. It's just not part of your lexicon. It's a little different, but we take to change pretty quickly."
* Colorado players believe the media got it right in selecting Buffs wide receiver Toney Clemons, a transfer from Michigan, as the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year. Colorado wide receiver Scott McKnight: "Toney could very well be in position to be a first-day, first-round draft pick. He's got all the intangibles scouts are going to go crazy about. And he's got the mental side and leadership, too. ... When you've got a guy, who if you call a 9 route and he's singled up can just go up and he's going to get it, that makes it a lot easier."
* Texas coach Mack Brown on the Longhorns re-emphasizing the running game: "We will go back and work harder to get the ball downhill from the tailback spot. We'll have the quarterback under the center more. We did a lot of self study and found out that we had more explosive plays when the quarterback was under the center in the running game as well as the tailback being right behind the quarterback."
* Brown on when and how he'll stop coaching at Texas: "I think I'll pull a Bobby Johnson (the Vanderbilt coach who resigned two weeks ago). I'll coach until I wake up and don't feel like I'm having any fun. I'll go in and tell (Texas athletic director DeLoss (Dodds), (school president) Bill Powers and (defensive coordinator/head coach in waiting Will (Muschamp) on the same day. I'm not near that close (to retiring). I'm happy, and things are working. ... When it's not going well, you want to fix it. When it is going well, you don't want it to end. ... Nothing changes at our place until I decide to quit,"
* Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops on how the Sooners plan to use senior running back DeMarco Murray, whose previous three seasons have been hampered by injuries: "We're hoping in the line similar to a guy like Adrian Peterson. He needs support, but I really believe our offensive line has a chance to be better than what people think. If that happens, DeMarco has a chance to have a really good year, and I believe he will. ... He's had some unfortunate luck with some odd, different injuries. I really believe coming into this year, with his experience, his ability to not only run but to catch the ball out of the backfield, we really anticipate him having a really big year for us."
* Stoops, asked if a 10-team Big 12 would make it easier for Oklahoma and Texas to win the league championship, disagreed: "I wouldn't be one to say that. In the end, I don't take it for granted like the media does. We have to play. So, we've got nine teams to beat. Just beating (Texas) doesn't do it. You've got to beat them all to have a chance to be champs. We've done that a fair amount of times. It's not just that game, and it's not just on us two."
* Missouri junior quarterback Blaine Gabbert, despite an outstanding sophomore season, still believes he has lots to prove: "When people doubt you, you've got to have a chip on your shoulder and prove them wrong. That's kind of how it's been my whole life. No one ever really gave me a chance after Brad" Smith "and Chase" Daniel. " 'You're never going to throw for 4,000 yards or play in the Cotton Bowl.' Well, we'll see. It's just all about proving people wrong."
* Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy on hiring offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and switching to a four-wide receivers offense: "I felt like the number of players we could recruit to fit this system was greater than for the system we had competed with in years before. For the (geographic) areas we recruit, most of the offenses have a number of wide receivers who can make plays and running backs. There's not as many tight ends, (and) there's not as many fullbacks to recruit."
Deep (?) thoughts
Big 12 football media days have come and gone. Your Humble Correspondent managed to get through three days of anchoring coverage on Big12Sports.com without cussing on the air. I think that also qualifies me as a Kansas football recruit because new coach Turner Gill has a policy of no curse words.
While doing a cell phone interview with a Houston radio station, the host made the point that Your Humble Correspondent could be interpreted as being the correspondent for Humble, Texas. YHC had never thought of that.
Speaking of interpretations, YHC was shocked early in the conversation with Baylor offensive tackle Danny Watkins. A native of British Columbia and a former hockey player, Watkins pointed out that YHC looked like Don Cherry, host of the iconic Hockey Night in Canada.
Don Cherry is famous for his loud sports coats and louder opinions.
Last year in Lubbock, YHC discovered Texas Tech offensive lineman Brandon Carter said that YHC resembled actor Harvey Keitel.
OK, so pictures are provided for your perusal and assessment. YHC's mug along with pictures of Cherry and Keitel.
And YHC wonders why nobody ever says he looks like this guy.
Links for a Friday
Dave Sittler of the Tulsa World admits it's a long shot but he thinks that Oklahoma receiver/returner Ryan Broyles should be on the list of Heisman Trophy candidates.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops answers questions about having a "Texas problem" by pointing out how many Big 12 championships the Sooners have won.
Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal-Star writes that new Kansas coach and former Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill is a throwback.
ESPN.com's Summer Buzz series, which takes a detailed look at the top teams for the upcoming college basketball season, focuses on Baylor.
|Monday, July 26
Monday morning links
Monday is the first of the three-day Big 12 Football Media Days in Dallas. Your Humble Correspondent will be anchoring comprehensive coverage on www.Big12Sports.com. If you want to keep up with what's happening as football starts to take center stage, it's the place to be. And to whet your appetite, here's a serving of links:
If you're interested in knowing more about Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe and the role he played during the recent conference realignment issue, here's the story for you.
Great move, great news: The United States Basketball Writers Association will co-sponsor a freshman of the year award that is named in honor of former Oklahoma All-American Wayman Tisdale. He died of cancer in May of 2009.
In his Big 12 Summer Countdown, Dave Matter of the Columbia Daily Tribune predicts the top story lines for the upcoming season.
Nebraska fans are pointing to one game this season - the Texas game Oct. 16 in Lincoln.
In this Q and A with the Kansas City Star, new Kansas football coach Turner Gill says that one the things that matters most to him is character.
Tom Shatel of the Omaha World-Herald writes that Nebraska coach Bo Pelini figures to field as many questions about the Huskers' move to the Big Ten as he does about this year's top 10 team.
End-of-the-week links
Nebraska senior Alex Henery is one of the nation's best kickers but you'd never know it by talking to the shy, unassuming student-athlete.
Courtney Linehan of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal takes a look at how Texas Tech could boost attendance at men's basketball games this three-part series.
Going into his 12th season as Oklahoma's coach, Bob Stoops offered his thoughts on the 2010 season in this Q and A with the Tulsa World.
Taylor Manning has transferred to play volleyball at Kansas, the school where her father Danny became one of the school's greatest basketball players and is currently an asssistant coach for the Jayhawks.
|Wednesday, July 21
Baylor voice John Morris OK after bike accident
Your Humble Correspondent has been doing a number of radio talk show interviews this week to talk about next week's Big 12 Football Media Days. Wednesday afternoon, YHC was a guest on John Morris' radio show in Waco and YHC was thoroughly pleased and happy to do so.
Thoroughly pleased and happy.
That's because Morris, voice of Baylor athletics, was lucky to be behind the microphone. Tuesday morning while riding his bicycle, Morris was hit by a tractor-trailer rig. Those sorts of collisions typically don't turn out well for the cyclist.
Morris, though, sustained only minor injuries that required him to be treated and released at a Waco hospital.
"Man, I was blessed," Morris told the Waco Tribune-Herald. "I don't normally wear a helmet, but I sure will now. Lesson learned."
Kansas State's top JUCO recruit has back injury
Kansas State might be without its top junior-college recruit this season. Defensive end Adam Davis, rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, apparently is facing back surgery. Davis, in an interview with the Charlton County Herald in Georgia, told the paper that he injured his back last season playing for Hutchinson County Community College.
"I have a slipped disk and pinched nerve and it got my whole left leg numb and it shoots pain from my back to my ankle," Davis told the newspaper. "What they going to do is remove the disk and fuse it with a block or whatever they call it. I will recover but they don't think football is the best option for me because how badly damaged my back is."
Davis played two seasons at Hutchinson CC and earned second-team All-American honors last season.
Links worth clicking
Andy Katz of ESPN.com writes that Baylor's basketball team, which game within a few minutes of the Final Four, is hoping to complete the journey and make it to Houston next season. To help motivate the Bears, the school rented last year's Reliant Stadium NCAA Regional court for two months.
B.G. Brooks writes that Colorado is working on either/or scheduling scenarios - as members of the Big 12 or Pac-10 - for the 2011 season.
A former Nebraska football player, now owner of a travel agency, remembers when the Huskers used to bus to Big Eight Conference games. The school's move to the Big Ten Conference will likely mean more air travel to football games.
Kansas State senior guard Jacob Pullen isn't awe struck about competing against Team USA this week in Las Vegas.
Rankings are a mainstay in college sports. Rivals.com decided to rank the top schools based on their success in football, men's basketball and baseball during the Bowl Championship Series era. The Big 12 had four schools finish in the top 25, including the overall No. 1.
|Friday, July 16
Conspiracy theorists: Seek another conspiracy
Your Humble Correspondent understands how the media loves a good conspiracy theory. YHC loves a good conspiracy theory. After all, part of a journalist's job is to doubt, to be cynical, to read between the lines of a press release and ask, "OK, what's the real story?"
When the Big 12 announced the schedule for its upcoming football media days July 26-28, a few media folks went into Grassy Knoll Mode and wondered if something sinister was afoot. That's because Nebraska is scheduled to appear on Monday, July 26 and Texas is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28.
A long-simmering feud/disagreement/rivalry between Nebraska and Texas boiled over last month when Nebraska announced it was leaving for the Big Ten Conference - an announcement that pushed the Big 12's existence to the brink.
With the apparent bad blood between the Huskers and the Longhorns, the speculation was that the Big 12 office made sure that Nebraska and Texas were scheduled to appear on opposite ends of the media days spectrum.
Wrong, wrong, WRONG. While part of a journalist's job is to doubt, a bigger part is to seek the facts before writing. Here are the facts about the football media days schedule:
1. Four teams appear each day. The schools request the day they wish to appear. The conference office tries to accommodate those requests.
2. The schools submitted their requests up to six months ago. Most were e-mailed to the conference office in January or early February; one school submitted its request last December.
3. The media days schedule was finalized a full three months before the events that took place in June.
The bottom line on Nebraska appearing on Day One and Texas on Day Three: No conspiracy, no last-minute change to avoid conflict ... no reason to mention it.
Hot links, served fresh
Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star offers this excellent overview of the current Big 12 and its future as a 10-team conference.
Linebacker Tahrick Peak signed a letter of intent with Virginia Tech in February but when he was denied admission there, he wound up becoming eligible at Texas Tech.
Colorado senior offensive lineman Nate Solder, who is described as a "skinny 300-pounder," is primed for his best season.
Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com writes that Kansas junior forward Marcus Morris has matured and will be the focal point of next season's Jayhawks team.
Thursday, July 15
Links for your Thursday reading pleasure
Mike Jones of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes that Texas A&M basketball coach Mark Turgeon believes he can make the Aggies a nationally competitive program.
Kansas State senior guard Jacob Pullen is being recognized because of his outstanding play ... and his distinctive beard that his mother would rather disappear.
Missouri junior forward Kim English is making an impact in the Twitter world thanks to his wit and writing skills.
In his Big 12 Summer Countdown series, Dave Matter of the Columbia Daily Tribune ranks the Conference's top 12 assistant football coaches.
|Tuesday, July 6
Links to start a short work week
The Kansas City Star's Blair Kerkhoff crunches the revenue numbers to show how and why the revamped Big 12 can be successful.
Interesting and informative Q and A with Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton, the new chairman of the Big 12's board of directors.
New Kansas coach Turner Gill and Chuck Long, his offensive coordinator, were star college quarterbacks and are imparting that experience to the Jayhawks' QBs.
With help from his mother and Sooners fans, former Oklahoma wide receiver Corey Wilson continues to battle back from being paralyzed in a car accident.
In the wake of the recent conference realignment crisis, Baylor wants to get more fans to attend its football games.
|Thursday, July 1
Self likes Kansas' chances
Kansas loses three starters _ Cole Aldrich, Sherron Collins and Xavier Henry - from last year's Big 12 champions. All three were key contributors. Coach Bill Self, though, believes that juniors Tyshawn Taylor and Marcus Morris along with freshman point guard Josh Selby should be three of the top players in the Big 12.
"The team two years ago that performed at a pretty high level - Sherron was the only kid back in the top seven," Self said of the 27-8 Big 12 champion and Sweet 16 team. "There were question marks about that team as well. You knew you had Sherron. You knew you had Cole that had a chance to be good anchors. This team is a little more of an unknown, although I do believe that Tyshawn (Taylor) and Marcus Morris and Josh Selby will be three of our best performers in our league.
"I like our talent level. We're just young and won't know what we're doing for a while. Hopefully we'll figure it out. This is going to be a very athletic, quick ballclub, probably quite a bit more athletic than last year's team."
Basketball injury updates
Josh Selby, Kansas: The incoming freshman point guard broke the little finger on his left (non-shooting) hand during a pick-up game on June 7. "He's got about another week and a half probably in the splint," KU coach Bill Self said. "And if everything looks good, which we anticipate it will, he'll be able to do noncontact stuff. He's just three to four weeks away from being full speed, full contact."
Ray Penn, Oklahoma State: The point guard missed the second half of his freshman season when he suffered a stress reaction in his right knee. Coach Travis Ford said that Penn has fully recovered. "He's 100 percent," Ford said. "His conditioning is looking great. With the time off, he was able to concentrate on weight training to improve his strength."
Justin Safford, Missouri: The forward, who will be a senior, suffered an ACL injury near the end of last season and his injury hampered the Tigers' front court in the postseason. "His progress has been very good," Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. "He's doing a little jogging and lifting weights. We think by the time we get going in the fall that he'll be ready to go."
Shawn Williams, Texas: The forward missed his freshman season with an ankle injury. He was cleared to start playing pick-up games with the rest of the team.
Varez Ward, Texas: The guard tore a thigh muscle three games into the season and is still rehabbing. He'll be a sophomore this upcoming season but coach Rick Barnes doesn't think that Ward will be going full speed until practice starts in the fall.
Dogus Balbay, Texas: He suffered an ACL injury late in his junior season. Like Ward, Balbay's rehab has been progressing well but he's not expected to be 100 percent until preseason practice starts.
Interesting statistic
Again, let's emphasize that nothing has been decided regarding future basketball scheduling in the new-look, 10-team Big 12. But during Monday's summer teleconference with the conference's coaches, a popular topic was the possible move to an 18-game, round-robin league schedule.
The Kansas City Star researched recent national champions and found that the last school to win it all after playing an 18-game conference schedule was Connecticut in 1999. The Huskies went 16-2 in the Big East Conference. Interestingly, Syracuse and Connecticut won titles in 2003 and 2004 in seasons where the Big East played a 16-game schedule. Each champion since 2000 has played in a conference that played 16 league games.
Hot links, served fresh
The United States team, coached by Oklahoma's Jeff Capel, won the gold medal in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship Wednesday night in San Antonio.
According to Bloomberg News, schools (like Texas and Texas A&M) that invested money in their football programs are making money while the economy continues to sputter.
Texas football players Sam and Emmanuel Acho have spent time this summer doing mission work in Nigeria.
Courtney Linehan of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal writes that Texas Tech's Mike Singletary is still losing sleep thinking about the Red Raiders' loss at Ole Miss in the NIT quarterfinals.
Baylor basketball coach Scott Drew was roasted Tuesday night in Waco to benefit the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Iowa State defensive end Rashawn Parker has returned from his season-ending knee injury and is excited about closing out his Cyclones' career.


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The older sister
She's the super-successful one with the big--time job and awesome apartment in SoHo. You're working on a one-act play and staying with four people in a two-bedroom apartment. She just broke up with one of the Franco brothers. You just made out with a guy who looks like a Baldwin--and not the good one. You actually don't have any issues with each other ... until you get home. Then it's a flashback to 1992 and you two are fighting about who gets to ride shotgun with your dad to the grocery store.
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Can you imagine the second half of the "Harry Potter" saga without Ron Weasley? J.K. Rowling apparently did, at least briefly.
The author says that midway through the phenomenally successful series of novels, when she "wasn't in a very happy place," she for a short time thought about killing Harry's best friend and Hermione's true love, played by Rupert Grint in the movies based on her books.
The revelation comes in a feature on the home-video release for


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(Fairfield, CT) – Three members of the Sacred Heart Men's and Women's Track and Field teams were honored this week by the NEC for their performances this past weekend at the Morgan State University Legacy Meet. Chase Petrucci (Harvey Cedars, NJ) won NEC Men's Field Athlete of the Week, Brandon Hutchinson (Bay Shore, NY) took NEC Men's Rookie of the Week, and Bonnie Kilis (Marlborough, CT) was awarded NEC Women's Field Athlete of the Week.
Petrucci set an outdoor personal record in the shot put with a throw of 16.34m (53' 7.5"), earning him a silver medal and catapulting him to the top of the NEC performance list. Petrucci's second-place effort accounted eight of the Pioneers' 98 team points, leading the Men's Track and Field team to a six-point first place finish over Pittsburgh. Petrucci also qualified for the IC4A Championships with his performance at Morgan State, and now holds a one-centimeter lead over Central Connecticut's Rashad Williams on the NEC shot put performance list.
Hutchinson took fourth out of 18 in the long jump with a leap of 6.94m (22' 9.25"), placing him fifth on the NEC leader board. He already ranks fourth overall on the NEC's list of triple jump performers as well. The five points Hutchinson contributed helped lead Sacred Heart to their first-place finish.
Kilis scored 4,802 points in the heptathlon, moving into first place on the NEC performance list. Her point total is 180 points better than previous NEC leader Lindsey Walsh of Monmouth scored at UCLA on April 7. Competing in a field of 11, Kilis won the javelin throw and high jump events with marks that rank amongst the NEC's top-10 leaders. Clearing 1.65m (5' 5") in the high jump, Kilis moved into a tie for second place on the conference leader board. Although short of her seasonal best in the javelin, which currently ranks fourth in the NEC, Kilis' javelin mark of 38.95m is the sixth best in the conference. Kilis' overall heptathlon point total ranks her first in the NEC, sixth in the ECAC, and 24th in the NCAA East Region.


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A. F. Weaver Collection - 3 Matching Results
Search Results
- [The First Air-Mail Service to Mineral Wells]
- The first batch of airmail arrived in Mineral Wells, 1947, 6:30 pm. Individuals from left are: John Chamberlain, Manager of the Chamber of Commerce, Fred Parnell, Bill Cameron, of the Index, Fred Brown, Manager of the Baker Hotel, Mayor John Miller, an unidentified pilot, D.C. Harris, Postmaster (holding the mail bag) and R. T. Jones. The airplane in the background, a Cessna 190, was probably the one used to transport the mail. It appeared to be a cold day, as the officials are all wearing coats. (A negative accompanying this picture depicted a "Christmas rush at the old Post Office")
- [A High School Coronation, 1947]
- The High School Coronation of 1947 had its picture taken in the Convention Hall. The photograph was taken by Du-Caan Studios, Mineral Wells, Texas. The people involved--with two possible exceptions--are not known. [written on the back in pencil: Barbara Bowman Barbara Weaver]
- [The W.O.W. (Woodmen on the World) Drill Team]
- This picture shows the Woodmen of the World Drill Team, taken on June 19, 1947. A caption on the back of the photograph reads: WOW DRILL TEAM 6-19-47---- Herman Tolbert, Capt.--LEFT TO RIGHT: Front row: Walter Carter, Gene Lee, Jimmy Brandenburg, Charlie Davis, Bill Teichman, Idys Cox, Jr., Boyce Harvey, Billy Brooks. Back Row: Melton Brewton, Walter Moore, Hayden Hughes, Bazil Brewton, Unknown [heavily underlined, with small lacuna, also underlined, following] Roy Alderson, Roy Brewton and Eldred Fryer. A further caption, rotated 90 degrees to the first reads: "Picture taken in Convention Hall." On the front of the photograph is handwritten: "phillips [sic] photog-aphic [sic] Service Abilene, Texas" in white ink. The photograph appears in A.F. Weaver's "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells" on page 165.


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According to a newsletter posted by PWInsider, Steve Blackman is scheduled to be in WWE '13.
The Lethal Weapon
If he's in that would be awesome. The guy is (imo) a hardcore legend. His match against Shane McMahon was legendary! I also hope to see Raven. He was always fun to watch too!
Steve Blackman is dangerous, I would never want to get into a fight with him lol
Yes Yes Yes lol
sounds better and better with each announcement
Yeah if he's in the game great, same with Kurt angle, but if the gameplay isn't fun, which wwe12 wasn't, these announcements mean nothing.
we should be hearing more real soon
Considering that WWE 13 is supposed to have an Attitude Era theme, Steve Blackman being in is definitely possible.
One guy I really want in is Ahmed Johnson.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It's part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today's pop culture.


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Let's just start with the cold and harsh facts Microsoft refuses to acknowledge. One, the two major mobile platforms - Android and iOS - support IMAP/CalDAV/CardDAV. Windows Phone and Windows 8 do not. That's Microsoft's own fault. Second, EAS is a closed, royalty-bearing standard, patented up the wazzoo. Phasing out its use saves Google money. This, too, is Microsoft's own doing.
The solutions are staring Microsoft in the face, and they are pretty obvious. First, Microsoft should have been smart and included support for CalDAV and CardDAV from the beginning. Gmail is huge, and Microsoft should have done the math. They should at the very least implement it now. Second, I can't imagine EAS is that much of a money maker - open it up, Redmond. Money, mouth.
The blog post doesn't mention any of this, which doesn't bode well. In fact, the post is highly misleading in that it doesn't mention CalDAV and CardDAV at all, only stating that IMAP doesn't support calendars and contacts. While technically true, it's very misleading.
Now, is Google doing any of this for our greater good? Of course not. However, if their corporate interests happen to align with consumer interests - open standards for something as elementary as syncing seems self-evident to me - then yay for them, and by extension, yay for us.
It seems like Microsoft still thinks it's the number one technology company, with the ability to dictate the industry. Those days are gone, and Microsoft will have to learn to adopt other people's technologies - without being forced.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Contrasting financial results and news from three tech giants on Thursday — Google Inc., IBM Corp., and Microsoft Corp. — illustrate how the power has shifted in the tech business in recent years.
Internet search and advertising behemoth Google's GOOG, +0.43% better-than-expected second quarter results were in direct contrast with results from IBM IBM, +0.71% Google reported second quarter revenue growth of 22% and saw one of its biggest quarterly jumps in head count in the quarter, adding 2,240 new employees in the quarter. Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette told analysts on a call that the hires were mostly in engineering and research.
At the same time, IBM said its second quarter revenue fell 2% with an overall 11% decline in hardware systems revenue. However that was an improvement from the first quarter, when revenue in hardware fell 23%, in part due to a big decline in mainframe system sales. In recent quarters, IBM has seen hardware sales slow in China due to a new economic reform plan and a move by some Chinese banks and other corporations to adopt technology offerings from Chinese companies.
And while Microsoft Corp. MSFT, +0.89% MSFT, +0.89% MSFT, +0.89% was once the young software company to be afraid of, it announced earlier on Thursday that it was laying off an unprecedented 18,000 employees, many of them in the Nokia handset business acquired by Microsoft in April. Microsoft has been struggling to make a bigger dent in the mobile business, where Google's Android operating system is now dominant. Its new CEO Satya Nadella said in an internal email that the company will focus even more on its Windows Phone operating system for mobile devices.
"We really are living in a multi-screen world," Pichette told analysts on a call.
IBM too is now looking to get more involved in the mobile business, at least on the corporate end. On Tuesday it announced a deal with Apple Inc. where it will develop apps for Apple devices designed for specific industries.
For tech investors, it is indeed a brave new world.
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Don't Sleep On Saint Mary's in the WCCPosted by AMurawa on January 2nd, 2012
Andrew Murawa is the RTC correspondent for the Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences. He filed this report from Saturday's game between Saint Mary's and Pepperdine.
When you talk about the West Coast Conference, generally the beginning, middle and end of the conversation revolves around Gonzaga – and rightfully so, as the Bulldogs have now won at least a share of 11 straight conference titles. And with the addition of BYU to the WCC this offseason, the Cougars jumped right to the top of the list of the biggest challengers to the Zags' throne. But there's that little school in Moraga, you know, Saint Mary's, the one that most recently made a Sweet Sixteen run itself in 2010, and this week served notice that they're a force to be reckoned with and every bit as likely to win the conference title as their other two, more famous, competitors.
Thursday night, BYU kicked off its stay in the WCC by traveling to McKeon Pavilion and promptly getting taken apart by the Gaels. While the Cougs' talented forward Brandon Davies took advantage of the SMC frontline to the tune of 28 points on 18 field goal attempts, Gael senior forward Rob Jones went a long way toward counteracting Davies' performance, tossing in 24 points of his own while grabbing 15 rebounds and handing out four assists. But it was the Gael backcourt that shone the brightest this weekend, not only in the win Thursday, but in their 29-point takedown of Pepperdine in Malibu on Saturday. Against BYU, the three-man backcourt of junior Matthew Dellavedova and sophomores Stephen Holt and Jorden Page combined for 52 points, 18 assists and 11 rebounds, while hitting 9-of-17 from deep. On Saturday it was 44 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds on 7-of-14 from three. Given that the trio of guards are really the only guards on the Gaels' 11-man roster, head coach Randy Bennett needs to make sure he can get consistent production out of those three. And so far he has.
Page got his first chance to start for the Gaels this week, as senior forward Clint Steindl injured an ankle against Missouri State just before Christmas and remains out, but the Gaels didn't skip a beat. Page was impressive throughout the weekend, but especially against Pepperdine he provided an early spark for the team, hitting two threes on the Gaels first four possessions and never looking back from there. Not only can he knock down the long balls, but he is terrific off the dribble, either creating for himself or finding his teammates spotting up. "He's just touching the surface of what he can do," Bennett said after the game Saturday. "We see him in practice, so we know what he can do, but he's a guy that needs minutes. He's at his best when he can get loose a little bit, make shots, and have some freedom. And with Clint out, he's been able to do that."


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NEW YORK (AP) — Reinforcements have arrived for the upcoming cast of "Macbeth" and some big names are joining Ethan Hawke and Anne-Marie Duff.
Lincoln Center Theater said Tuesday said the production will have John Glover, Brian d'Arcy James, Malcolm Gets, Richard Easton, Byron Jennings and Daniel Sunjata among the 27 actors. Hawke and Duff play the doomed couple at the heart of the Scottish play.
Bianca Amato will play Lady Macduff, Easton plays Duncan, James will be Banquo and Sunjata plays Macduff. The most intriguing casting was getting Gets, Glover and Jennings to play the Three Witches. Jack O'Brien will direct the cast. Scott Pask will do the sets and Catherine Zuber makes the costumes.
Previews begin Oct. 24 and the show opens on Nov. 21 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.
The Shakespeare tragedy will mark a reunion for Hawke and O'Brien at Lincoln Center Theater, where he starred in "Henry IV" and "The Coast of Utopia," for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.
"Macbeth" had its latest incarnation on Broadway in a one-man show by Alan Cumming, which closed this summer. Patrick Stewart led another cast in 2008 and Kelsey Grammer another in 2000.
Online: http://www.lct.org
Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits


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MIT's Solar Electric Vehicle Team Crosses the Country with RF Modules
Some of the most creative applications of our products come from students. Every year, we are involved with student-led projects that are breaking new ground in industries like automotive, solar power, smart energy, and more. We support these efforts as it leads to insightful feedback on our products and fuels a talented workforce. Here is one of the many projects Digi is helping to support.
The SEVT is a student organization at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dedicated to designing, building and racing solar powered electric vehicles in long-distance, international competitions. Their upcoming race, the American Solar Challenge, starts in Austin and the team will travel north all the way to Minneapolis.
The crew is using two XTend RF modules. One module is used to send data to a strategy computer and another connects to the telemetry computer. The strategy computer is used to optimize the energy budget for each day and calculate the velocity that will produce the highest efficiency. The telemetry computer offers an in-depth view into the the car's entire electrical system that enables the team to identify anomalies and debug problems on board the vehicle. The team's current vehicle model, Valkyrie, can cruise for two hundred miles on a full battery and with the solar array, it can cruise indefinitely as long as it is under full sunshine.
The American Solar Challenge starts on July 21, 2014 in Austin. Over the following week, the teams will cross the country and arrive in Minneapolis July 28, 2014. We'll have a follow-up post after the race. Wish them luck!
Are you student working with Digi products? Let us know how you are innovating on Twitter, our Facebook Page, or in the comments below. And check out the other student projects we are a part of here.


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I've been thinking, what about some kind of projects forum where people can share their ongoing projects, such as helpful programs, start new projects on their own, and even work on things for AO and promote community mentoring in learning and trying out new things, as well as displaying current skills.
I think it would be a good idea for things such as the portal project that was discussed, even though it never went into effect. Gurl made a great version of notepad, I just think a dedicated forum would give more organization and people who are willing to teach and help out with certain projects could have a place to share their skills with others.
What do you think?


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From 28 June to 2 July 2009, UNITAR teamed up with the Global Environmental Governance Project, a joint initiative of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the College of William and Mary, and the United Nations Environment Programme, in organizing the Global Environmental Governance Forum: Reflecting on the Past, Moving into the Future, Montreux, Switzerland.
Given the unsuccessful conclusion of consultations of the 63rd General Assembly on the institutional framework for the United Nations' environment work in 2008, the development of new and visionary options to strengthen global environmental institutions has become more pertinent and timely than ever. Carlos Lopes, Executive Director of UNITAR points out that "the Forum has a great potential to revisit past visions and generate new knowledge relevant for developing a more effective and coherent international environmental governance architecture". Mr. Lopes also announced that UNITAR will be pleased to build upon the momentum generated by the Forum and offer seminars for the diplomatic community on the subject in Geneva and New York in the fall of 2009.
The Global Environmental Governance Forum brought together past, present, and future architects of the environmental governance system to devise options for a blueprint for reform of the contemporary international environmental institutions, in light of the original vision for the system's form and function. It seized a unique opportunity to learn directly from the individuals whose ideas and aspirations formed the international institutions dealing with the environment. Former and present Executive Directors of UNEP who participated include Mostafa Tolba, Maurice Strong, Klaus Toepfer and Achim Steiner. The outputs generated through the Forum are expected to make a constructive input to future international policy discussions to develop a more effective and coherent international environmental governance architecture.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Ivanova
Director, Global Environmental Governance Project
Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, New Haven, CT
At UNITAR, please contact:
Achim Halpaap
Associate Director, Training Department
Head, Environment Unit
Palais des Nations
1211 Geneva 10


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Dave D'Onofrio's Patriots Notebook: Not half bad
December 02. 2013 10:20PM
AS the Patriots like to point out with their mouths — and prove with their play — the duration of a regulation football game is 60 minutes. It matters not when or how the points are scored within that period, but only which team scores more. And thus far this season that team has been the Patriots nine times, and their opponents only thrice.
So it hasn't hurt them that they've been limited to one score or fewer in the first half of four of their past five games, and that in the lone exception they found themselves in a tie game with three minutes to play in the third quarter. They're 4-1 in those contests. They've extended their lead atop the AFC East. They've put themselves in position for a first-round postseason bye.
And they've begun to suggest that their struggles to make in-game offensive adjustments early in the year were the product of personnel limitations, not coaching inability, and that when afforded the full complement of his team's talent, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is capable of counteracting opponents' adaptations in such a way that gives New England's offense a chance to come back from sizable deficits in the second half.
There were legitimate questions about that capability earlier this year, when the Patriots managed to score a total of just nine points in the third quarters of their first seven games. They kept themselves competitive enough based on their preparation and their pre-game planning, but when the enemy surged in the second half, the Pats had trouble counter-punching.
However, that track record began to turn in Week 8 against the Dolphins — which, probably not coincidentally, was the first time the Pats had both Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski on the field at the same time.
That afternoon, with the team facing the prospect of losing for the third time in four games, New England trailed 17-3 after the first half, then didn't help itself by going three-and-out on the first series of the third quarter. But it proceeded to score on four of its next five possessions. And the team's second-half productivity really hasn't slowed since.
In their past five games, the Patriots have scored 37 points before halftime (highlighted by 24 against the Steelers), and 133 after the break. That includes at least 17 points in every contest, and broken down per possession, they're scoring triple the number of points every time they touch the ball — 3.9 to 1.3 — in the third and fourth quarters as opposed to the first and second.
For the season the Patriots are averaging 2.1 points per possession, so their after-the-half scoring over the past five games is nearly twice as productive as they've typically been throughout the year. And it's not a mystery as to why. In terms of running the ball, little has changed in terms of efficiency; the Pats are averaging 4.4 yards per carry in those second halves, but are gaining 4.1 per haul in the first half, and 4.2 for the season.
The difference is dramatic in the air. Over the first seven games, Brady completed 51.8 percent of his second-half passes, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt, and accounting for just two touchdowns and four interceptions. His passer rating was well below-average, at 63.9.
However, over the past five tilts, Brady is connecting on 68.5 percent of his throws. He's picking up 8.9 yards per toss, with eight scoring strikes and just a single pick. His passer-rating is 117.2, which isn't merely above average, it would be the best in the AFC this season.
"I think there were some situations where they found the mismatch," Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson told reporters after the Patriots scored 27 points after Sunday's halftime to take a 34-31 win. "That is the thing with their offense. They are definitely looking for the mismatches to exploit. A couple of times with a couple of calls, we knew what we were going to get and we weren't able to prevent it."
Some of the difference is certainly attributable to Gronkowski, not only because of the attention he commands, but because since returning he's played at a level equivalent to 99 catches, 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns when projected out over a full season. But the big tight end has been available to the Patriots in the first half of these recent games, too, four of which the Pats have returned to the locker room trailing by at least two scores.
So has Amendola, so has Julian Edelman (and his team-leading 70 catches), and so has at least one of the team's rookie receivers. The availability of the Patriots' preferred personnel certainly explains the uptick in overall production, and accounts for the fact that despite their slow start the Patriots were once again up to ninth in the NFL in yards per game, as well as seventh in points.
But the numbers say something has been changing within the games, too — and so when Houston defensive end Antonio Smith suggested after the Patriots beat his team for a third straight time on Sunday that it was as though someone was spying on the Texans, saying there was something "fishy" about the way New England seemed to know what the defense was about to do, McDaniels should've been flattered.
There may be no bigger compliment from a defensive player to an offensive coordinator than that, the suggestion that espionage is the only explanation for a game plan so impressively adapted and adjusted to what the opponent was doing. No doubt, it was a comment born of frustration from Smith — and it is a frustration felt likewise by the Dolphins, Steelers and Broncos, all of whom have been victimized recently as McDaniels and Brady, with all their weapons finally at hand, have figured out what the Patriots need to win with their offense.
And if they can ever manage to do it for the full 60 minutes, that offense just might be unstoppable.
Dave D'Onofrio covers the Patriots for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. His e-mail address is email@example.com.