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| The Central Limit Theorem for Subsequences in Probabilistic Number Theory
Aistleitner, Christoph; Elsholtz, Christian
Let $(n_k)_{k \geq 1}$ be an increasing sequence of positive integers, and let $f(x)$ be a real function satisfying \begin{equation} \tag{1} f(x+1)=f(x), \qquad \int_0^1 f(x) ~dx=0,\qquad \operatorname{Var_{[0,1]}} f \lt \infty. \end{equation} If $\lim_{k \to \infty} \frac{n_{k+1}}{n_k} = \infty$ the distribution of \begin{equation} \tag{2} \frac{\sum_{k=1}^N f(n_k x)}{\sqrt{N}} \end{equation} converges to a Gaussian distribution. In the case $$ 1 \lt \liminf_{k \to \infty} \frac{n_{k+1}}{n_k}, \qquad \limsup_{k \to \infty} \frac{n_{k+1}}{n_k} \lt \infty $$ there is a complex interplay between the analytic properties of the function $f$, the number-theoretic properties of $(n_k)_{k \geq 1}$, and the limit distribution of (2).
| Normality of Maximal Orbit Closures for Euclidean Quivers
Bobiński, Grzegorz
Let $\Delta$ be an Euclidean quiver. We prove that the closures of the maximal orbits in the varieties of representations of $\Delta$ are normal and Cohen--Macaulay (even complete intersections). Moreover, we give a generalization of this result for the tame concealed-canonical algebras.
| Darmon's Points and Quaternionic Shimura Varieties
Gärtner, Jérôme
In this paper, we generalize a conjecture due to Darmon and Logan in an adelic setting. We study the relation between our construction and Kudla's works on cycles on orthogonal Shimura varieties. This relation allows us to conjecture a Gross-Kohnen-Zagier theorem for Darmon's points.
| Systems of Weakly Coupled Hamilton-Jacobi Equations with Implicit Obstacles
Gomes, Diogo; Serra, António
In this paper we study systems of weakly coupled Hamilton-Jacobi equations with implicit obstacles that arise in optimal switching problems. Inspired by methods from the theory of viscosity solutions and weak KAM theory, we extend the notion of Aubry set for these systems. This enables us to prove a new result on existence and uniqueness of solutions for the Dirichlet problem, answering a question of F. Camilli, P. Loreti and N. Yamada.
| Uniquely $D$-colourable Digraphs with Large Girth
Harutyunyan, Ararat; Kayll, P. Mark; Mohar, Bojan; Rafferty, Liam
Let $C$ and $D$ be digraphs. A mapping $f\colon V(D)\to V(C)$ is a $C$-colouring if for every arc $uv$ of $D$, either $f(u)f(v)$ is an arc of $C$ or $f(u)=f(v)$, and the preimage of every vertex of $C$ induces an acyclic subdigraph in $D$. We say that $D$ is $C$-colourable if it admits a $C$-colouring and that $D$ is uniquely $C$-colourable if it is surjectively $C$-colourable and any two $C$-colourings of $D$ differ by an automorphism of $C$. We prove that if a digraph $D$ is not $C$-colourable, then there exist digraphs of arbitrarily large girth that are $D$-colourable but not $C$-colourable. Moreover, for every digraph $D$ that is uniquely $D$-colourable, there exists a uniquely $D$-colourable digraph of arbitrarily large girth. In particular, this implies that for every rational number $r\geq 1$, there are uniquely circularly $r$-colourable digraphs with arbitrarily large girth.
| Composition Operators Induced by Analytic Maps to the Polydisk
Izuchi, Kei Ji; Nguyen, Quang Dieu; Ohno, Shûichi
We study properties of composition operators induced by symbols acting from the unit disk to the polydisk. This result will be involved in the investigation of weighted composition operators on the Hardy space on the unit disk and moreover be concerned with composition operators acting from the Bergman space to the Hardy space on the unit disk.
| Bowen Measure From Heteroclinic Points
Killough, D. B.; Putnam, I. F.
We present a new construction of the entropy-maximizing, invariant probability measure on a Smale space (the Bowen measure). Our construction is based on points that are unstably equivalent to one given point, and stably equivalent to another: heteroclinic points. The spirit of the construction is similar to Bowen's construction from periodic points, though the techniques are very different. We also prove results about the growth rate of certain sets of heteroclinic points, and about the stable and unstable components of the Bowen measure. The approach we take is to prove results through direct computation for the case of a Shift of Finite type, and then use resolving factor maps to extend the results to more general Smale spaces.
| Note on Cubature Formulae and Designs Obtained from Group Orbits
Nozaki, Hiroshi; Sawa, Masanori
In 1960, Sobolev proved that for a finite reflection group $G$, a $G$-invariant cubature formula is of degree $t$ if and only if it is exact for all $G$-invariant polynomials of degree at most $t$. In this paper, we find some observations on invariant cubature formulas and Euclidean designs in connection with the Sobolev theorem. First, we give an alternative proof of theorems by Xu (1998) on necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of cubature formulas with some strong symmetry. The new proof is shorter and simpler compared to the original one by Xu, and moreover gives a general interpretation of the analytically-written conditions of Xu's theorems. Second, we extend a theorem by Neumaier and Seidel (1988) on Euclidean designs to invariant Euclidean designs, and thereby classify tight Euclidean designs obtained from unions of the orbits of the corner vectors. This result generalizes a theorem of Bajnok (2007) which classifies tight Euclidean designs invariant under the Weyl group of type $B$ to other finite reflection groups.
| On Weakly Tight Families
Raghavan, Dilip; Steprāns, Juris
Using ideas from Shelah's recent proof that a completely separable maximal almost disjoint family exists when $\mathfrak{c} \lt {\aleph}_{\omega}$, we construct a weakly tight family under the hypothesis $\mathfrak{s} \leq \mathfrak{b} \lt {\aleph}_{\omega}$. The case when $\mathfrak{s} \lt \mathfrak{b}$ is handled in $\mathrm{ZFC}$ and does not require $\mathfrak{b} \lt {\aleph}_{\omega}$, while an additional PCF type hypothesis, which holds when $\mathfrak{b} \lt {\aleph}_{\omega}$ is used to treat the case $\mathfrak{s} = \mathfrak{b}$. The notion of a weakly tight family is a natural weakening of the well studied notion of a Cohen indestructible maximal almost disjoint family. It was introduced by Hrušák and García Ferreira, who applied it to the Katétov order on almost disjoint families.
| Existence of Weak Solutions of Linear Subelliptic Dirichlet Problems With Rough Coefficients
Rodney, Scott
This article gives an existence theory for weak solutions of second order non-elliptic linear Dirichlet problems of the form \begin{align*} \nabla'P(x)\nabla u +{\bf HR}u+{\bf S'G}u +Fu &= f+{\bf T'g} \text{ in }\Theta \\ u&=\varphi\text{ on }\partial \Theta. \end{align*} The principal part $\xi'P(x)\xi$ of the above equation is assumed to be comparable to a quadratic form ${\mathcal Q}(x,\xi) = \xi'Q(x)\xi$ that may vanish for non-zero $\xi\in\mathbb{R}^n$. This is achieved using techniques of functional analysis applied to the degenerate Sobolev spaces $QH^1(\Theta)=W^{1,2}(\Theta,Q)$ and $QH^1_0(\Theta)=W^{1,2}_0(\Theta,Q)$ as defined in previous works. Sawyer and Wheeden give a regularity theory for a subset of the class of equations dealt with here.
| Global Well-Posedness and Convergence Results for 3D-Regularized Boussinesq System
Selmi, Ridha
Analytical study to the regularization of the Boussinesq system is performed in frequency space using Fourier theory. Existence and uniqueness of weak solution with minimum regularity requirement are proved. Convergence results of the unique weak solution of the regularized Boussinesq system to a weak Leray-Hopf solution of the Boussinesq system are established as the regularizing parameter $\alpha$ vanishes. The proofs are done in the frequency space and use energy methods, Arselà-Ascoli compactness theorem and a Friedrichs like approximation scheme.


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Between the job I started 17 months ago and family time, it is difficult to do much blogging. But when I saw this amazing work by Duane Lester I had to link it up and make sure as many bloggers as possible saw it. Duane had his work at All American Blogger taken and published in a local paper without permission and with no attribution. Unfortunately, this happens too often with blog posts being used by other blogs, newspapers and even on radio and television, without permission or attribution.
What makes Duane's story different is that he did something about it. Read his blog post about the experience from start to finish, including the legal advice he got and what he did from there, ending in a tense in person showdown that was captured on video. You don't want to miss this and every blogger should bookmark this one for future reference. Read Duane's blog post, then watch the video:

subset: commoncrawl


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For a small group of engineers from PS&S, the days after Hurricane Sandy were spent walking the streets of Lavallette.
Their task: inspect the storm-damaged homes to determine if they could be salvaged.
It was just the beginning for the Warren-based firm after it joined a state task force aimed at rebuilding from the October 2012 superstorm. And it wasn't long before PS&S executives realized they would need a permanent presence at the Jersey Shore, allowing them to tackle the untold amounts of cleanup work that was yet to come.
That landed them in Wall Township, where they found temporary space last June before opening a permanent site in September. The office not only gave PS&S the footprint it needed, but opened the door to a market that it hadn't tapped in its 52-year history — a market that was long dominated by the now-defunct Birdsall Services Group.
"I think there are a lot more opportunities that haven't hit yet," said John Sartor, the firm's president and COO, who anticipates a large volume of Sandy-related work as more federal funds become available. PS&S already has worked on the boardwalk restoration in Seaside Heights, the construction of Lavallette's new municipal building and the Department of Transportation's reconstruction of Route 35.
"And there was a void created in the market down there," Sartor added. "Birdsall had a big presence — they had a big chunk of the market, both public- and private-sector."
The design and engineering firm has quickly built a staff of 25 at its Wall office on Route 34, representing about 10 percent of its 250 total employees. And Sartor said that could grow to as many as 50 in the coming years.
For PS&S, it was largely a case of being in the right place at the right time.
Joseph Fleming, the firm's executive vice president, said discussions about opening the new office began early last year, about three months after Sandy. But he knew it could take until after the summer to make the investment properly, he said.
"So I started talking to John in February and I said, 'We could do this, but I'm really looking quite a distance down the road here.' " Fleming said. "He called me up a month later and said, 'Things are changing faster — I don't know that I can wait that long.' "
Meantime, the scandal was growing around Birdsall, the Eatontown-based engineering firm that had spent decades as a fixture in the Shore region. The 90-year-old institution and seven of its former executives were indicted in March 2013, amid charges they bundled political contributions from employees to skirt New Jersey's pay-to-play laws.
With the temporary space on the way, PS&S was ready to start looking at new hires. That included 16 former Birdsall employees who would end up at the Wall office, some of whom had prior relationships with PS&S executives.
With a roster of new professionals, the firm has since turned its attention to Sandy-related work. It already works closely with hard-hit towns such as Lavallette and Seaside Heights, Sartor said, and it's lining up projects in others such as Brielle and Toms River.
There's also the potential for work with high-density residential projects around the Shore that need reconstruction. That's not to mention infrastructure work with the power and wastewater utilities, which are seeking to fortify themselves against future storms.
It's not the first time PS&S has planted a flag to tap into a niche market. The firm has offices in Camden and Atlantic City, with four others in the Northeast and one in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
So in Wall, there's also the prospect of unlocking a wealth of private- and public-sector work that PS&S was never considered for because it didn't have a footprint in the Shore region.
"The good thing is we've hired great talent," Fleming said. "I believe by having local professional talent that's going to allow us to go from this very, very strong beginning and allow us to continue to build."
E-mail to: email@example.com
On Twitter: @joshburdnj


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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Sporting Kansas City keep making history. The LA Galaxy keep waiting for something to go right for their beleaguered defenders.
Kei Kamara exploited the defending MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield champs backline struggles with a diving header late in the first half, and Sporting improved to 5-0 — the best start for any team since MLS opened play in 1996 — with a 1-0 victory on Saturday.
Los Angeles started that first season with 12 wins in a row. That was in the shootout era, when matches could not end in draws, but their first nine victories came in regulation. This year, they're off to a 1-3-0 start and have been outscored 8-5 through four matches.
Sporting have four shutouts in five outings, meanwhile, and have outscored opponents 8-1. On Saturday, Jimmy Nielsen faced only three shots and didn't have to make a save.
The Galaxy got Landon Donovan back from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of last week's 3-1 home loss to New England, but were without David Beckham for the first time this year. The LA captain stayed home to recuperate from a nagging series of knocks that forced him to come off the bench against the Revs.
Playing before a standing-room-only crowd at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, KC came out pressing hard against a Galaxy defense that had already given up seven goals through three league matches. Sporting had 68 percent of the possession in the first half, but didn't get a shot off until Graham Zusi fired high from just outside the arc in the 20th minute.
Galaxy 'keeper Josh Saunders had to dive to his left to deny Chance Myers his first MLS goal in the 23rd minute, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Kamara's goal after getting hung out to dry by his back line.
OPTA Chalkboard: Sporting dominates LA in possession game
Convey, working on the right wing as Kamara made one of his periodic shifts to the left side, worked into space against Todd Dunivant and sent a cross toward the 6-yard box. Kamara — leaving right back Sean Franklin flat-footed three yards behind him — dove and buried the ball just inside the right post to give Convey his first assist with his new club.
On the other side of the ball, Sporting stymied the Galaxy's potent forward tandem of Robbie Keane and Edson Buddle.
Keane, who leads LA with three goals, didn't get a shot off all day — although he came close in the 82nd minute, when he was alone at the back post but couldn't get to Chad Barrett's through ball. Buddle had an even quieter day — he was lifted for Barrett in the 57th minute and twice got cleaned on textbook tackles by center back Aurelien Collin.
Mike Magee had two good chances for Los Angeles, firing wide on a counter in the 7th minute and shooting just outside the left post in first-half stoppage time, but was unable to break up Nielsen's clean sheet.


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Tooth resorption in cats
Oral disease in cats comprises four major conditions: periodontal disease, oral neoplasia (particularly squamous cell carcinoma), feline stomatitis and tooth resorption. Previously referred to by several terms—and recently including cervical line lesions, resorptive lesions and feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORLs)—tooth resorption is likely the most common significant oral condition affecting feline patients.
The combined gross and radiographic occurrence of tooth resorption in random populations of clinically healthy cats ranges from 29 to 38 percent.1-4 The number presenting to veterinary facilities primarily for dental disease is as much as twice as high.5,6
One of the most useful clinical classifications of tooth resorption to date is based on the gross and radiographic description of the lesions by type. Treatment is solely dependent on this type of classification, so, again, dental radiography is essential in making a final determination.
Grossly, Type 1 tooth resorption is characterized by gingivitis and periodontitis generally initiated at the junction between the cementum and the enamel. The origin is thought to be inflammatory. Cavitation defects are seen in the crown, with inflamed gingival tissue often covering the defect (Photo 1). Radiographically, these teeth have variations in density in the crown or root. A distinct periodontal ligament space is generally appreciated (Photo 2). Type 1 and Type 2 tooth resorption may be observed concurrently in individual roots of a single tooth (Photo 3). Therefore, diagnostic evaluation of each root is important to determine how each should be approached therapeutically.
Tooth roots classified as undergoing Type 1 resorption require the removal of the entire tooth root and crown by using traditional extraction techniques (Photo 4). Tooth roots for which no periodontal ligament space is readily detected and where no periodontal bone destruction or periapical lucencies exist may be treated by crown amputation and intentional root retention. In these cases, a conservative periodontal flap exposes the marginal extent of the tooth (Photo 5), and a round carbide or diamond bur on a water-cooled, high-speed handpiece is used to remove the crown and contour the bone (Photo 6) before closure with 5-0 absorbable suture (Photo 7).


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Gorgonzola & Smoked Turkey with Endive Salad
|Poultry, Nuts, Dairy, Fruits
|Day Part
|Lunch, Dinner
|Menu Part
|Cuisine Type
Source: Recipe from Chef Jim Alexander
Pretty as a picture, this salad tastes great too. The distinct flavors of smoked turkey, oranges and Gorgonzola are pulled together by a tangy viaigrette.
12 oz Gorgonzola, divided
1 oz dry sherry
2 oz heavy cream
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
30 medium Belgian endive leaves
15 jumbo seedless red grapes, halved
30 sugar toasted walnut halves
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp shallots, minced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh basil, chiffonade
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red onion, julienned
1 cup Belgian endive, julienned
3 oz chicory frisse
1 lb smoked turkey breast, julienned
2 large navel oranges, segmented
1.Puree in food processor 1 cup Gorgonzola with sherry and heavy cream. Season with pepper.
2.With a small round tip, pipe mixture into Belgian endive leaves. Top each with grape half and walnut.
1. Combine orange juice, vinegar, honey and shallots. Cook until reduced by 1/3. Add olive oil and adjust seasonings. Chill and add basil just before plating.
1. Combine onion, julienned endive, chicory, turkey, orange segments and remaining 1/2 cup Gorgonzola. Toss in dressing just before plating.
1. For each plate: on a 9-inch chilled plate, arrange salad mixture in center and add 3 stuffed endives with tips toward rim of plate.


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Almond and Honey-Butter Cookies (Adapted from Eating Well)
1 cup whole almonds, toasted and cooled
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup honey, divided
1/3 cup canola oil
4 tablespoons unsalted softened butter, divided
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
toasted sliced almonds for garnish
In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground.
Pour mixture into a medium bowl and add flours, baking powder and salt - whisk until combined.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together 2/3 cup honey, oil and 3 tablespoons butter until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. Cover the dough and place into the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll the dough into 1 1/2" balls and place onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Using your index finger, press down in the center of the each dough ball to make an indentation. Place cookies into the oven and bake until set and lightly golden on the bottom, about 11 to 15 minutes. Remove and transfer cookies onto a wire rack to cool.
In a small bowl, mix together remaining 1/4 cup honey and tablespoon of softened butter until creamy. Fill the indentations of the cooled cookies with a bit of the honey-butter (about a scant 1/2 teaspoon) and set 2 sliced almonds on top for garnish.
Makes about 36 cookies.
Just found the recipe? Click here to see where we talked about it!
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Almond and Honey-Butter Cookies
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These next two photos provide some exciting clues:
We have a location for all of the most recent photos! Shippensburg, Penn. Hooray! This all but confirms to me that the Red Bridge Park photo also was in Pennsylvania.
Next is an even more exciting clue.
Names! First and last! I found Maud Geedy and Hazel Walters at age 16 in the 1920 U.S. Census in Shippensburg (their descendants are future candidates for having a photo or two returned to them!). The Geedy family was on South Washington Street and the Walterses on North Earl Street. These streets run about parallel, after looking them up on Google Maps, and are separated by about five blocks in between.
After inspecting this photo closer, note all the American flags that are attached to the arbor in the background. Might this have been Labor Day weekend in 1915? A photo in a previous post was dated September 1915. Labor Day was first celebrated in 1912. WWI had commenced, but the U.S. isn't involved yet… (Actually, in reviewing some of the photos I've already posted, I don't see those flags in the gazebo/arbor. This photo may have been taken on a different day entirely.)


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The Authors Guild et al v. Google Inc.
Filing 254
RULE 7.1 CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. Identifying Grupo Anaya, S.A. as Corporate Parent. Document filed by Edicions Xerais De Galicia, S.A..(Micheletto, Robert)
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.


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In an email to Ashley Carson, the executive director of the Older Women's League, Alan Simpson has apologized for comparing Social Security to a cow with 310 million tits.
"I apologize for what I wrote," Simpson writes.
I can see that my remarks have caused you anguish, and that was not my intention. I certainly did not intend to diminish your hard work for the Older Women's League. I know you care deeply about strengthening Social Security, and so do I, just as deeply. I remember your testimony at our public hearing in June about the importance of retirement security for women. Over the last 40 years, I have had my size 15 feet in my mouth a time or two. To quote my old friend and colleague, Senator Lloyd Bentsen, when I make a mistake, "It's a doozy!" Progressive groups have called on Simpson to resign, and the AARP has declared that Simpson's initial remarks undermine the credibility of the White House's commission on fiscal reform, which he co-chairs.
This post originally appeared at Talking Points Memo and is republished here with permission.


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Why are we pressuring the Boy Scouts of America with declaring their sexuality?
Why are we pressuring the Boy Scouts of America with declaring their sexuality?
When I was a Scout, we never gave a thought about this subject. We were just focusing on being a good Scout.
I believe that this is an issue being promoted by the gay activist adult agenda. It's a shame that the mass media doesn't have the courage to say what it is. The Boy Scouts of America is a wonderful innocent organization of young boys trying to put their best foot forward.
How about the mass media defending the Boy Scouts in their innocence?
Adolph DeBeauvernet
While Congress diddles around, nickel-and-diming us to death over the victims of Sandy, how much money has left the USA in the form of so-called foreign aid?
Could the recipients possibly spare a billion or so for our citizens?
Good question, isn't it?
Margaret Adamo
Many flaws have been pointed out in the new "safe act" anti-gun law enacted in New York state. It was poorly conceived and poorly written, obviously without a review by people who are knowledgeable in the subject of firearms.
One flaw I have not seen publicly identified yet concerns ammunition. There is a background check requirement for purchasing ammunition, and by using the term "ammunition" and making no exceptions that I could find in the law, they are including the components for muzzle-loading firearms and collectable antique ammunition.
A person who collects Civil War memorabilia and wants to buy a paper cartridge or perhaps an outside primed metallic cartridge, even a percussion cap, or who hunts with muzzle-loaders, shoots targets, or just shoots blanks at a Revolutionary War re-enactment must meet the same requirements as if he were buying modern high-power cartridges.
Thanks to Gov. Cuomo and his "sensible" law, we will all be safe from terrorists using their weapons of choice, flintlock and percussion muskets. Was this just another stupid oversight or intentional harassment? I guess political correctness trumps quality legislation. Maybe none of the "yea" voters read the bill — that might be an honest excuse.
Robert Fisch


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From how the operating system handles your requests through design principles on how to use concurrency and parallelism to optimize your program's performance and scalability. We will cover processes, threads, generators, coroutines, non-blocking IO, and the gevent library.
How processes, threads, coroutines, and non-blocking IO work from the operating system through code implementation and design principles to optimize Python programs. The difference between parallelism and concurrency and when to use each.
The premise is that to make an informed decision you need to know what is happening under the hood. Once you understand the low level functionality, you can make the correct decision in the design phase.
The emphasis is on practical application to solve real world problems.
United States United States, Santa Clara
7th–15th March 2012


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Keep NH death penalty: No good reasons to repeal itEDITORIAL
April 05. 2014 12:11AM
There is no reason for New Hampshire to repeal its death penalty. There are plenty of reasons to leave it in place.
Manchester police Officer Michael Briggs is one such reason. His murder at the hands of a cold-blooded killer remains fresh in the minds and hearts of his fellow law enforcement officers and of the citizens he was sworn to protect. Because of this, note the "except for Addison'' position of certain death penalty opponents, notably Gov. Maggie Hassan.
Even though the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, and public opinion agrees, that the death penalty is not "cruel and unusual punishment,'' its foes claim that it is.
If that is so, isn't it particularly "cruel and unusual punishment'' for Michael Addision to spend years knowing that New Hampshire isn't going to put anyone to death, except him?
What would be cruel and unusual is for the police who risk their lives to protect us to know that the public and our elected representatives no longer have their backs when it comes to something so important as the ultimate penalty for one who murders them.
Other "repeal'' arguments were trotted out last week at a Concord hearing. One holds that there is no evidence that the death penalty deters a murderer. Well, no, that is not exactly so. The death penalty deters a dead murderer.
Another argument, from certain religious leaders, is that putting someone to death leaves no room for personal redemption. We are not certain how much room is needed for this, but we know that the murderer's victim has no time, no room, nothing.
The least credible argument is that of monetary cost. It costs more to try a capital murder case, it is said, than to keep an inmate imprisoned for life. Perhaps so. But that doesn't say much for the worth of a police officer, does it? And how many cases have there been where "imprisoned for life'' meant something else to a judge years later?
Finally, there is something to be said for the old Yankee expression, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
New Hampshire, which has had the death penalty on its books for as long as it has had those books, has rarely had occasion to use it. The last time was 75 years ago.
That is just as good an argument for retaining it as for repealing it and reaping an unknown whirlwind.


text: This document, prepared for the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, serves as a plea to President Kennedy and a legal brief. The plea is to use the centennial as an opportunity to "rededicate" the nation to the principles embedded in the Emancipation Proclamation; to make an executive order to end all statutory segregation and discrimination in the states; and to exercise full leadership protecting civil rights, including the use of force, if nonviolent methods fail. It provides a lengthy survey of case law and statute that show the progress to date in rejecting states' segregation statutes. Other Civil Rights Movement documents, such as the Southern Regional Council report recommendations, are affirmed to support a case for strong Presidential leadership in desegregating housing, transportation, public parks, etc. The appendix argues for federal authority to use physical force to enforce the Civil Rights Act.


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The finalists for the 2012 Milward Simpson Award have been announced.
The award is considered to be the highest honor that an athlete can receive, because they excelled in multiple sports in all four years of their high school career.
Sheridan's Hailey Ligocki is one of the female finalists.
The other finalists for the girls award:
Madison Legerski – Laramie (Volleyball, basketball, track)
Lexi Erickson – Star Valley (Volleyball, basketball, track)
Kassidy Scott – Douglas (Volleyball, basketball)
Shanda Post – Lander (Volleyball, basketball, track)
Boys finalists
Game 1 Wheatland 9 Troopers 6
Game 2 Wheatland 11 Troopers 1
Troopers now 7-7 overall 1-0 in conference play. Next up is a conference game in Gillette Tuesday night.
2013 HOOP JAM - The annual 3 on 3 Hoop Jam basketball tournament starts it's two day run in Sheridan tomorrow.
For several year the tournament was played on Main street and Grinell Plaza downtown, a move to Whitney Plaza took place a few years ago and has worked much better for the organizers and contestants and nearly 150 teams will be competing this year event organizer Amanda Monterstelli.
2013 Wyoming Soccer Cup U12 gold division state champions.
Front row left to right:
Carter Wells, Jacob Boint, Quinn Heyneman, Matthew Roma, Garrett Coon, Liam Shannon, & Tristan Bower
Back row:
William Brown, Ethan Willey, Nate Roe, Eli Johnston, Elliot Boley, Jaron Brewer
Coaches:Cody Coon & Jennifer Bower
FOOTBALL - We've heard this week from the Sheridan Bronc football program as they prepare for their team football camp at Black Hills state summer is the time for youth sports camps especially June and July.
The Bronc football team and Gillette will get together in Sheridan next Tuesday evening for Pre scrimmages as both programs get ready for their team camp at Black Hills state.
On Monday the University of Wyoming football program will hold their one day Cowboy camp at Homer Scott stadium.
The Big Horn Wild and Scenic Trail Run is coming up on June 14th and 15th.
The good folks at the Sports Stop put on the race and they have been very good supporters of the ski club. They always make a large donation to our club for our members help with the trail run.
Last year owners, Karen and Mike Powers donated a used Skidoo Skandic to the club for trail grooming. As most of you know in the past, I have solicited your help with the run.
The University of Wyoming tennis camp will be held at the Sheridan high school courts next week.
Since it is so close to starting, if you wish to attend, t call Bronc / Lady Bronc tennis coach Bob Faurot at (672-6323) so they know numbers to expect and can have enough coaches and then pay upon arrival the first day.
The adult clinics on Mon, Tues, and Wed evening 5-6:30. $20/person/night payable at the courts.No sign up necessary for the adult clinics.
BRONC FOOTBALL - The Sheridan Bronc football program continues preparation this week for their only team football camp of the off season which will be at Black Hills state in 10 days.
Bronc's Head coach Don Julian is encouraged by the numbers as 72 players from incoming freshmen through seniors will make the trip.
And Julian says it's been a good experience so far with the younger Bronc players.


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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Sunday offered troops a rare glimmer of hope on the department's financial woes, saying a possible budget agreement back home could ease the automatic spending cuts that have hit the military hard.
Wrapping up a two-day visit to Afghanistan before stopping in Pakistan on Monday, Hagel told Marines at Camp Leatherneck that an emerging deal would restore some money to the Pentagon this budget year.
Hagel's time in Afghanistan was perhaps most notable for something he did not do — meet with President Hamid Karzai, who has rankled the U.S. by refusing to sign a bilateral security agreement before year's end.
The visit to Pakistan will be significant, too — the first by an American defense secretary since Robert Gates in early 2010. Relations between the two countries have seesawed over tensions about drone strikes and military operations along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Service members repeatedly have quizzed Hagel about the budget and the potential effect on the military. But his response to a questions Sunday sounded a more optimistic tone than he has used for months.
At the same time, he said that whether or not the deal goes through, insuring that troops are ready for combat will continue to be a priority.
The automatic spending cuts, if they continue unchanged, would slice $52 billion from the department's budget in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.
Officials have said U.S. lawmakers are negotiating a deal that could restore between $10 billion to $25 billion each year, for the next two years, to defense spending.
Hagel said the possible deal could give the department two years of budget certainty. Defense and military officials have complained often that the past two years of congressional wrangling over the across-the-board cuts has made it difficult for the Pentagon to plan or handle contracts.
"I want to reassure you that we will take care of our troops first, our families, we will fund completely the priorities of our missions and you will get everything you need to do your mission," Hagel told the Marines.
Hagel traveled to southern and southwestern Afghanistan, meeting with commanders and local Afghan leaders for updates on the fighting season and the transition of the nation's security to Afghan forces.
He spoke to about 150 troops at Camp Leatherneck and to about that many soldiers at the huge U.S. military base in Kandahar.
Karzai visited Iran on Sunday, but he was in Kabul, the capital, when Hagel arrived Saturday. The slight by a senior U.S. official made clear the Obama administration's pique over Karzai's unwillingness to sign the stalled security agreement.
Karzai is holding up a pact that Washington and NATO officials say is critical to the plan to keep thousands of forces in Afghanistan after 2014 for a training and counterterrorism mission. He says he wants his successor to decide after Afghanistan's April elections.
Explaining his decision, Hagel said he did not think there was much he could add to what is already a straightforward U.S. message. The U.S. wants the agreement signed by year's end, although Hagel suggested a cutoff date could come as late as February when NATO ministers gather for a meeting in Brussels.
According to a senior defense official, Afghan leaders and military commanders told Hagel during his Sunday meetings that they want the agreement signed promptly because they need continued U.S. and coalition assistance.
The Afghans now conduct the bulk of the fighting missions, with the U.S. and coalition troops watching, giving advice and training and providing needed logistical and medevac support.
The Afghan leaders told Hagel that while they have much of the equipment they need, they rely on the coalition to provide the training and infrastructure for repairs and maintenance, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the private meetings publicly and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Karzai tentatively has endorsed the agreement and a council of tribal elders, the Loya Jirga, has said it should be signed by Jan. 1, as the U.S. has demanded.
Without a signed agreement, all U.S. troops and foreign forces would leave at the end of next year.


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We've already taken a look at the 24 games we feel deserve recognition as the best titles of 2012, but now's the time to pick our favourite 10 and, more importantly, crown a single game as VideoGamer.com's Game of the Year 2012. You can jump straight in to the Top 5 in video form below, or take a look further down the page for the complete top 10.
10. Hotline Miami (PC)
What we said: "You can only be shocked so many times by the brutality of it all, and once you sink deep into the guts of the game, constantly refreshing and restarting every single part of it, you hit that zen-like trance that the best mechanical games always create. Hotline Miami is Super Meat Boy, it's Geometry Wars, it's Trials HD; it's five seconds of action that you can lose yourself in for five hours."
9. Diablo 3 (PC)
What we said: "It's a dungeon crawler that simply refuses to crawl, and Blizzard has designed a game so taut it lends itself perfectly to those simple ludic pleasures I sometimes worry the industry is quick to forget. Any ounce of fat on the series' bones has been sheared off, leaving you with a game that places you instantly and permanently within its loops of tight combat and expansive levelling economics."
8. Far Cry 3 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)
What we said: "Far Cry 3 shines in its campaign, which is more layered and compelling than any game proffering a power trip through escapist ultraviolence has any right to be... This is a game where its component mechanics are functional and entertaining, but all serve as a chorus to accompany the melody of the game's massive, engaging world, characters and context."
7. XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)
What we said: "Losing a valued marine is a genuinely sombre moment, enough in many instances to prompt a complete restart. You might be prepared to sacrifice the odd rookie, but it's a good deal harder to carry on when you're saying goodbye to a leader of several missions' standing."
6. Trials Evolution (Xbox 360)
What we said: "Compared to 2009 darling Trials HD, though, the difference with Finnish developer RedLynx's latest effort is that it does a lot more to reassure you that these death-defying leaps, twitchy hops and near-vertical climbs are a perfectible art form as opposed to simple luck or the reward for dogged perseverance. How is it fun? Because the success tastes so sweet."
5. Mass Effect 3 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, PC)
What we said: "Somewhere at BioWare there's an enormous flow chart with every decision branching off in another direction, circles and lines headed every which way, keeping track of how it all slots together. It's a remarkable achievement and it helps make every player's journey feel personal."
4. Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)
What we said: "On paper, this sequel reads much the same as the original. But it's not - it's a vastly superior game with a sharper focus, better quests and more enjoyable blasting. Borderlands 2 is a gamer's game, so if you like shooting things, levelling up and exploring every cubby hole across a massive, varied world - if you love games, basically - then it's definitely for you.
3. Max Payne 3 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)
What we said: "It's fair to say that at first you, and Max, find it hard to feel emotionally engaged with the crowded entourage of melts you're expected to protect - but by the time you hit the third act the story has kicked into gear. It's a narrative with a long fuse, but one made perfectly palatable by a superb script that moment-to-moment certainly tops Remedy's creations. When Max laconically observed he had 'the liver of a French goose', I almost stood up to applaud."
2. The Walking Dead (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, iOS)
What we said: "Whatever choices you made along the way, Telltale's Walking Dead is one of the year's best games, even when it forgets to hand over the controller and let you have a turn."
1. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)
What we said: "One fact is clear: this is no longer Bungie's Halo, but much of what made the series such an irresistible proposition has remained intact for this new beginning. Rich, lavish and often spectacular, Halo 4 is an encouraging first effort from 343 Industries and a deserving entry into one of gaming's most beloved franchises. Master Chief didn't need to reawaken so soon, but I'm certainly glad he did."
Do you agree with our top 10? Head through to the VideoGamer.com Community Game of the Year to find out which game was voted your favourite game of 2012.


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I FOUND has officially anounced the launch of a complete outerwear division for the 2013-14 season. After it's global expansion over the last 7 years in the headwear market, I FOUND has now revealed what they have been secretely working on for the last 12 months. The new collection will be presented at knowshow Vancouver, SIA in Denver, ISPO Munchen and Japan Interstyle.
With a solid headwear program represented since its foundation by guys like Louif Paradis, Frank April, Nic Sauvé, Yale Cousino, Will Lavigne, Jason Dubois, Nic Droz, and Alex Cantin, they are now ready to promote upcomers such as Frank Bourgeois and Guillaume Marquis to our outerwear team, meanwhile supporting freeride veteran like David Melançon.
"At first it was a whole new challenge for us because it's far from the conventional beanie design. With the outerwear, the possibilities seemed to be infinite. We have developed different styles of jackets that could adjust to anyone taste. Some are more traditional snowboard oriented while others reflect more our street tastes. For the pants we decided to offer all our models in regular and slim fit to accomodate our customers. We also jumped into the real denim fabrics, offering them in four different washes."
- Mat Laroche, art director.
"The headwear will remain a large part of our program, stay true to it's design roots and will still be represented by it's original team riders. With the outerwear team, we will do the same thing as when we first started, hooking up the new best upcomers, and grow with them troughout their progression, while we keep supporting our valuable industry vets . This will allow I FOUND to take more space into our retailer's floors, generate significant sales increase and become a priority brand for our INTL distributors."
-Guillaume Brochu, Sale & Marketing director.
The co-operative based out of Quebec city, specialised in beanies, was founded in 2005 by former professional Guillaume Brochu, artist Mat Laroche and Sugarshack producer Ezekiel Lebrun. I FOUND means the moment when you find out how you turn from negative to positive. This is why they name their riders, friends, customers and associates, under THE POSITIVE GROUP. The brand has been distributing products across USA, Canada, Japan, S. Korea, Germany, France, Switzerland, Iceland, Austria, Australia and New Zeland.


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I'm taking a page out of John Schneider's playbook tonight and watching Percy Harvin highlight videos on Youtube during the draft, with it on the TV in the background. Still gotta keep the TV on though because you can never sleep when John Schneider and Pete Carroll are at work, just ask Russell Wilson, apparently he's got notimeforit. One minute you could get up and walk to the pisser for not quite a piss and by the time you come back the Seahawks will have traded up to the #13 spot, drafted some kid you never heard of, gotten a half sweetheart/half jedi mind trick deal of a trade in the process, and already gotten canned by Mel Kiper and some dude from Bleacher Report.
In all seriousness though, this is a great day. It's a draft where the Seahawks won't have a 1st round draft pick but don't even need one. This draft is filled, almost loaded with future solid NFL contributors, despite being void of many sure-thing superstars. It's the 1 draft to NOT have a 1st in, especially #25. To get Percy Harvin for the #25 pick in THIS YEAR'S DRAFT, looks even more amazing. I wasn't a huge fan of trading for Percy the person, but Percy the player is definitely worth the #25 pick in this draft for what he brings to the team. No question about it, in my opinion.
So on this day, what will all you fine folks be doing to celebrate the rise of your Seattle Seahawks? Let it sink in. The Hawks don't have a first round pick in this year's draft, and you could hardly care less. You share the same enthusiasm for the season to start tomorrow as the player's, coaches, and front office people do. It's an amazing thing that's been built here and what makes it feel so great is that it was built from scratch. "The right way." The job isn't done but I'm gonna take today to just chill and hang out with other Hawks fans at Carlow East in NYC for their draft party (any 12's in the area should stop by, should be a good time) and just gush about the future and how bright it is and how much I love this team and all the endless possible formations on offense and defense we'll see next year... ahhh... like Golden Tate said, it's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it!
So how's everyone else going to be celebrating how great it is to be a Hawks fan/rooting for the Niners to absolutely blow their draft. If there is an AJ Jenkins in this year's draft... may he reveal himself in Red and Gold tonight!


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Congregational Church rummage sale in Amherst
April 03. 2013 8:01PM
AMHERST - A rummage sale sponsored by the Women's Association of the Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC will held on Friday, April 12, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to noon.
The church is located at 11 Church St. Use the side entrance.
The sale will feature clothing, jewelry, toys, games, puzzles, books,? linens, small household items and home decorations.
On Saturday morning, all remaining items will be available at $5 a bag.
Contact the church office at 673-3231.


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The following area fishing information is provided by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation:
Lake of the Arbuckles: November 24. Elevation 4 3/4 ft. below normal, stained, algae bloom present on calm days. Bass being caught on shaky head jigs, bass jigs and crankbaits in 6-15 ft., also good around outer edges of hydrilla beds. Crappie good at 25 ft. of water around brush piles, crappie slow around docks. White bass excellent. White bass fair to good on small grubs and CC spoons in 35 ft. water near creek channel bends. Report submitted by Jack Melton.
Blue River: November 27. Elevation normal, water 49 and clear. Fly fishing excellent on elk hair caddis flies, zebra nymphs and San Juan worms. Smallmouth and spotted bass fair on soft plastics in deeper pools around structure. Channel catfish good on stinkbait, minnows and cutbait. Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area. - Trout good on in-line spinners, garlic powerbait, and mealworms around current. Approximately 4,810 Rainbow trout were stocks on November 20.
Broken Bow: November 26. Elevation normal, water 67 and clear. Smallmouth and spotted bass good on soft plastics around cover in deeper pools and around waterfalls. Channel catfish good on chicken liver and stinkbait around current in larger deeper holes. Report submitted by Matt Gamble, biologist at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area.
Eufaula: November 25. Elevation 4 1/2 ft. below normal, water clear. White and black bass slow. Blue catfish good on a variety of baits in the shallow flats. Crappie good on minnows and jigs around boat docks and along riprap areas. Report submitted by Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County.
Konawa: November 25. Elevation 1 ft. below normal, water 63 and clear. Largemouth bass good on plastic worms at 4-8 ft. around points and weed beds. All other fishing slow. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County.
Lower Mountain Fork River: November 25. With the growing moon and clear skies, fishing has been tough. Try these flies: Zone I Light Cahills - size 22 and 20; Yellow and Hare's Ear Soft Hackles - size 20; Miracle Midges - size 20; BWO's - size 18 and 20; Pink egg patterns - size 12. Try trailing the miracle midges under a pheasant tail nymph, stimulator or other dry fly. Zone II and III Wooly Buggers (olive) - size 12 Report Submitted by Jesse King Owner, Three Rivers Fly Shop.
McGee Creek: November 25. Elevation 7 1/2 ft. below normal, water 60 and clear. Black bass fair on soft plastic baits at 6-20 ft. Crappie fair on minnows at 12-20 ft. over cedar brush piles at in creek channels. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County.
Pine Creek: November 25. Elevation below normal, water clear. Bass good on jigs around creek inlets. Catfish good on cut shad on trotlines. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County.
Robert S. Kerr: November 27. Bass fair on crankbaits and stick baits off points and along creek channels. Crappie fair around deeper submerged brush. White bass and striped bass good on minnows and shad colored crankbaits up river in deeper holes and around rock ledges. Channel and blue catfish excellent on trotlines and juglines baited with cut bait at 12-20 ft. close to creek and river channels. Report submitted by Allen Couch, game warden stationed in Haskell County.
Sardis Lake: November 22. Elevation 2 ft. below normal. Largemouth bass good on stick baits and crankbaits at 4-6 ft. in creek channels. Channel and blue catfish good on cut bait. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 10-14 ft. Walleye fair trolling at 8-14 ft. Report submitted by Dane Polk, game warden stationed in Pushmataha County.
Texoma: November 25. Elevation 5 3/4 ft. below normal, water 64 and clear. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fair to good on plastic worms and crankbaits at 5-15 ft. in the creek channels. Striped and white bass fair to good on live bait, sassy shad and slabs at 10-30 ft. in river channels. Channel and blue catfish fair to good on minnows, worms and cut baits at 10-15 ft. from the Washita River to Platter Flats. Crappie fair to good on minnows and jigs at 5-15 ft. around underwater brush and fish attractors. Sunfish fair to good on worms and small tube jigs at 5-15 ft. around the fishing docks. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Choctaw County.
Wister: November 25. Elevation 1 1/2 ft. below normal, water murky. Largemouth bass good on silver crankbaits and fair on black/blue plastic worms. Crappie fair to good on white-tail grubs at 15-20 ft. Catfish fair on juglines and trotlines baited with cut bait and liver. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County.


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Project Description
This project further develops and demonstrates the sensor technology developed under a previous project, "Real Time Flame Monitoring of Gasifier Burner and Injectors" DE-FC26-02NT41585. GTI developed a reliable, practical, and cost-effective means of monitoring coal gasifier feed injector flame characteristics using a modified version of an optical flame sensor. The present work begins with modification of the sensor software to enable real-time temperature data acquisition, data processing, and provision of the collected gasifier temperature information to the gasifier operators. A new purging system will be developed to eliminate or significantly reduce the deposition of fine black powder on the optical probe window during sensor operation with the goal of increasing the period of continuous deposit-free operation to six months. The modified gasifier sensor will be installed at the Wabash River commercial gasifier in Vigo County Indiana and tested over a six-month period to evaluate the sensor's accuracy and durability. The project team will prepare a commercialization plan describing the product, the market, and the business activities required to make this new technology available for industrial use.
Project Benefits
Gasification is used to convert a solid feedstock, such as coal, petcoke, or biomass, into a gaseous form, referred to as synthesis gas or syngas, which is primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide. With gasification-based technologies, pollutants can be captured and disposed of or converted to useful products. Gasification can generate clean power by adding steam to the syngas in a water-gas-shift (WGS) reactor to convert the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide (CO2) and to produce additional hydrogen. The hydrogen and CO2 are separated—the hydrogen is used to make power and the CO2 is sent to storage, converted to useful products or used for enhanced oil recovery. In addition to efficiently producing electric power, a wide range of transportation fuels and chemicals can be produced from the cleaned syngas, thereby providing the flexibility needed to capitalize on the changing economic market. As a result, gasification provides a flexible technology option for using domestically available resources while meeting future environmental emission standards. Polygeneration plants that produce multiple products are uniquely possible with gasification technologies. The Gasification Systems program is developing technologies in three key areas to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of producing syngas: (1) Feed Systems, (2) Gasifier Optimization and Plant Supporting Systems, and (3) Syngas Processing Systems. Gasifier Optimization and Plant Supporting System technologies under development are targeted at increasing gasifier availability and efficiency, improving performance, and reducing the capital and operating costs of advanced gasification plants. Ongoing R&D projects are developing more durable refractory materials, creating models to better understand the kinetics and particulate behavior of fuel inside a gasifier, and developing practical solutions to mitigate the plugging and fouling of syngas coolers. Future work will focus on the development of cutting edge gasifier technologies, which will start with multiple competing concepts and continue with support of the most aggressive and successful technologies being developed, both in the Gasification Systems program and other DOE programs, to reduce the cost of coal gasification. Future work will also aim to reduce the amount of water used in gasification plants and integrate technologies throughout the plant and beyond in a holistic approach to increase efficiency and reduce costs (e.g., the optimization of gasification plants to sell CO2 for EOR applications). This Gas Technology Institute (GTI) project focuses on improving flame sensors' design, reliability and sensitivity. Flame sensors, which are used to monitor gasifier flames in order to determine when maintenance is required on feed injectors, must function in the harsh gasification environment of high temperatures, high pressures, a highly reducing atmosphere, and the presence of ash or slag. Improved flame sensors will enable better control of gasifier operation, and potentially leading to increased efficiency and decreased downtime associated with gasifier maintenance. This project is a follow on to a previous project which developed and demonstrated GTI's sensor technology; see "Real Time Flame Monitoring of Gasifier Burner and Injectors" DE-FC26-02NT41585.
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Conservationists watching lawmakers' actions
ST. PAUL - Conservation and environmental advocates are watching Minnesota lawmakers to make sure they properly spend tax money that is dedicated to the outdoors.
Proponents of the voter-approved constitutional amendment dedicating a statewide sales tax increase to the outdoors, parks and the arts said Thursday that they generally like how legislators are preparing the amendment's first spending package.
However, they warn that in the legislative session's closing weeks there could be attempts to change the spending plans and to cut traditional outdoors funding sources because of the new dedicated dollars.
The state will begin collecting the proceeds of a 0.375 percent sales tax increase July 1, following voter approval last November of the amendment that committed the sales tax revenue to habitat projects, water cleanup efforts, parks and trails and the arts. It is estimated to generate $234 million in the first year.
Lawmakers must agree on how to spend that dedicated revenue, in addition to reaching a deal with Gov. Tim Pawlenty on a new two-year state budget.
Steve Morse of the Minnesotan Environmental Partnership said environmentalists are concerned that Pawlenty's state budget proposal includes a larger funding cut to conservation and environment programs than to other state programs.
"That looks like a substitution," he said.
But Morse and others admit they will not be able to fully assess how conservation and outdoors programs fared until Pawlenty and lawmakers reach a budget deal and the dedicated-fund plans are approved.
An advisory panel of citizens and legislators - called the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council -- has proposed about $69 million in dedicated-fund spending next year on wildlife and aquatic habitat preservation. Duluth resident Dave Zentner of the Izaak Walton League, who pushed for the amendment's passage, said he approves of the advisory panel's work in recent months.
Zentner said he is hopeful that lawmakers will follow the council's recommendations.


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The University of Central Arkansas's College of Fine Arts and Communication will hold its biennial fundraiser, BRAVO!, Friday, March 21, with special guest Bruce Adolphe.
Adolphe is a well-known composer, educator, performer and author perhaps best known for his weekly appearances as the "Piano Puzzler" on American Public Media's radio program Performance Today.
BRAVO! is put on by CFAC to raise funding for students traveling to professional conferences, competitions and workshops in the U.S. and abroad. This year, BRAVO! will support students in the UCA Music Department. In 2012, the event hosted travel writer Rick Steves. With the help of sponsors and guests, the event raised $10,000, and 20 writing and li
nguistics students were able to attend various conferences, such as the International Conference for the Short Story and ones related to native and endangered languages.
"We had such a wonderful time two years ago with Rick Steves,"said professor and associate dean Dr. Gayle Seymour. "This year, too, will truly be memorable with such a distinguished guest as Bruce Adolphe."
In addition to his role as the "Piano Puzzler," Adolphe is an outstanding composer in his own right, and leading orchestras and artists from around the world have commissioned and performed his music. Adolphe is also the resident lecturer and director of family concerts for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (since 1992); composer-in-residence at the Brain and Creativity Institute in Los Angeles; and the founding creative director of The Learning Maestros. He is the author of three books on music, including The Mind's Ear: Exercises for Improving the Musical Imagination for Performers, Listeners, and Composers (Oxford University Press). In the midst of all his work with writing and music, he is also a professor. He has taught at Yale, Juilliard, and New York University.
This year's gala will consist of a meet and greet reception with Adolphe at 5:30 p.m. at the home of Dr. Brad and Suzanne Banister, sponsored by Table Mesa. Following the reception, there will be a seated dinner and private concert, including "Puzzlers," on the Reynolds Performance Hall stage at 7 p.m., sponsored, in part, by ARAMARK. Guests will also enjoy a performance of selections from Adolphe's most recent new work, commissioned by UCA, Mary Cassatt: Scenes from her Life, which was inspired by works of art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Tickets are on sale now and are $100 a person. This includes both the meet-and-greet and the private dinner. There is a limit of 100 people. To purchase a ticket, email Joshua Miller at email@example.com or call him at (501) 450-3293.
For more information, contact Seymour at (501) 450-3295; email@example.com.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Communication, Mass Communication and Theatre, Music and Writing. The college's primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call (501) 450-3293.


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As the dust settles after yesterday's MLS SuperDraft, pundits nationwide are calling New England a draft-day winner. Each outlet and author has something different to share, so check out the pieces below for more on the Revs' three picks.
"'I think my motivation when I go into camp is to be the best player I can be,' Mullins said in a conference call. 'I believe that my skill and what I do well will translate to the next level and I'm excited to prove that.'"
"Last season, the Revolution developed the identity of a young, creative team that was fun to watch in the attack. On Thursday at the 2014 MLS Superdraft in Philadelphia, Head Coach Jay Heaps built upon his team's new identity by snapping up three of the best offensive and midfield college products in Steve Neumann, Patrick Mullins, and Alec Sundly."
Boston Herald
"The first three picks in the MLS SuperDraft left the Revolution with a choice to make between Georgetown forward Steve Neumann and Maryland forward Patrick Mullins with the fourth overall selection. They adopted a novel approach to the situation: they drafted both of them."
"'When we came into this, we were looking to add some pieces in different areas of the field,' Burns said. 'The attacking area of the field was our primary focus. Just speaking really honestly, we didn't feel we were going to get both Steve and Patrick.'"
ESPN Boston
"Many pundits predicted Mullins, who put together an impressive performance at the Combine, would go inside the top 5. But even though he had to wait until the 11th spot to hear his name, Mullins won't be playing with a chip on his shoulder when joins the Revolution for the preseason next week."
"Although Revolution may have been quiet on the offseason transaction scene, the selections of Neumann, Mullins and Sundly suggest they came away from it all as clear winners."
"One reason [Mullins is] excited about the destination is because he's going to New England with a player he knows well: Georgetown senior midfielder Steve Neumann. The Revs picked Neumann with the fourth overall pick, arguably leaving the draft with the most seasoned and successful college players on the board."
"The New England Revolution also made some of the biggest waves of the day by taking arguably the best two offensive players in the draft."
"'I had a good meeting with them at the Combine,' Neumann said of his new club. 'Right when my name was called, I immediately remembered our interview.'"
"Mullins was headed to the Revolution. So was he surprised by the turn of events? 'Surprised? No, this is draft day," Mullins exclaimed with a laugh. "Anything can happen.'"
"New England Revolution: Came into the draft needing forwards and walked away with two accomplished players who were undervalued because of questions about their ideal positions."
Sun Chronicle
"'There's a lot of young talent (in New England) with buys like (Diego) Fagundez and Kelyn Rowe,' added Neumann. 'It's the right fit for me. It's unique from from the college game where you are the big man on campus to being a rookie. I think that I can help out with the attack, with my work rate.'"
'We were just sitting there today and thinking about what a week it has been,' Mullins said. 'It's the cherry on top of the cake knowing that I'm going to a great place like New England, and I think it's been a perfect week. I couldn't have asked for it to be much better.'"
The Intelligencer
"Neumann is looking forward to getting on the field with the Revolution and seeing his skills fit into their system. 'I think I'm versatile enough and my skill set us versatile enough that I can play anywhere in the midfield or up top,' he said. 'I'm very confident in my game, and I'm confident that I can step in and make an impact right away.'"
NBC Sports ProSoccerTalk
"The emotional pull for Mullins was strong; coming out of the University of Maryland, he reminded Revs supporters of another Terrapins striker drafted for duty at Gillette Stadium – one who turned into a pretty darn good player: Taylor Twellman."