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I haven't posted on here in ages since I don't really do storytime anymore. I work in teen services now! I do have a few flannel stories to share, though, so I will post those over the next few weeks!
This story is one that I saw on Yo Gabba Gabba, and thought was so cute I wanted to share it in storytime!
Charlie C the Centipede
By Joel Trussell
Charlie C the centipede
Lived inside a walnut seed.
Today was a very special day,
He was going to buy a hat! Hooray!
So he wriggled down the road
That was squiggly and grey.
Beetle next door asked,
"Where you headed today?"
"To buy a hat," said Charlie C.
"Well then you should get one
That's round and green!"
"Hmmm, well," said Charlie C,
"We'll see which hat is the best for me."
A few rocks down and up in the sky
Was Ana Maria the damsel fly.
"I heard the hat shop is where you're going,
Why not get one with purple feathers showing?"
"I don't know yet," said Charlie C,
"But I'm going to find the right one for me!"
A few leaves down and under a tree
Was Bernie Brown, a roly poly.
"I'm excited for you to get a hat,
May I recommend one that's brown and flat?"
"Brown and flat, that does sound nice,
But I'll find the hat that fits me right!"
At the door of the hat shop stood Tony the flea.
"We've got many to choose from, come and see!"
So Charlie C scooted right on by.
He saw so many hats stacked up really high!
"Hmm, the green one isn't right you see,
And purple feathers tickle me!"
And after Charlie C had tried on 73,
He finally exclaimed "I found the one that's right for me!
It's tall, shiny, round and black."
Tony the flea said "It's called a top hat!"
"Thank you so much Mr. Flea,
I finally found the one for me!"
I don't have a pattern for it because I made it up as I went along, but you get the general idea!


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Jurgen Klopp has claimed that the reason behind Mario Gotze's transfer to Bayern Munich was the playmaker's wish to play under Pep Guardiola.
The Borussia Dortmund star looks set to move to the Allianz Arena at the end of the current campaign after the Bavarians triggered his €37.5 million release clause and Klopp admitted that the former Barcelona trainer was involved in the move.
"The reason Gotze is leaving? He is the favorite transfer of Guardiola," Klopp told reporters.
"So if it's anyones fault it's mine. I cannot make myself 15cm smaller and learn Spanish! Gotze wants to work with this extraordinary coach that is Guardiola.
"I cannot preach football of quick transitions and now start playing Tiki Taka."
Klopp also bemoaned their great rival's decision to buy one of die Schwarzgelben's best players and hinted that the German champions do not want his side to be successful.
"I did not think Bayern wanted to annoy us like this. The rivalry does not go this far.
"Somebody, whoever that might be, does not want us to be successful. But we will do whatever it takes not to let that happen.
"If you react in the right way, you can gain strength out of every situation."
The 45-year-old admitted that he wasn't happy about the move and stressed that he understands the frustrations the players and supporters will feel, he hopes it will not let it affect them in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
"I knew the day after the Malaga second leg," Klopp continued. "So I had 24 hours to be happy about that result.
"I can assure that nobody needs to worry about our focus. This is a now more important situation than it ever was.
"I hope fans take the time to get over the change properly. This game is too important an opportunity for us to miss."

subset: commoncrawl


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Bordered by pristine beaches and a network of marsh creeks, the barrier island of Isle of Palms has been a vacation spot since the late 19th century when it was only accessible by ferry. In 1929, a bridge was built, which opened up the island to more than just local residents. Today, it's the island's great fishing, beaches and golf that provide a few of the magnets for visitors. With a laid-back, easy going, resort lifestyle, the most popular fashion statement is flip-flops and a t-shirt. Isle of Palms is a great place to gear down from a hectic lifestyle. With that in mind, you should consider a spacious and comfortable vacation rental.
A comfortable and amenity-rich vacation rental is a much better option than a small, boring hotel room. After a day of cruising the area's creeks and rivers or deep-sea fishing, you'll feel rewarded when you return to a welcoming vacation rental. The magnificent stretch of beach on Isle of Palms is both photogenic and fun. Once you've done your obligatory sunbathing and beachcombing at the Isle of Palms County Park Beach, head to nearby Charleston, a 30-minute drive away, which has historic sites, landmarks, shopping districts, golf courses and family attractions like The South Carolina Aquarium and Fountain Walk, a new dining, entertainment and shopping complex nearby. For golfers, the Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms features two 18-hole courses designed by Tom Fazio and there are several more excellent layouts on the mainland, including Patriots Point and Charleston National Country Club.
Whether you decide on a villa with an ocean view, a spacious modern home, quaint cottage or cute cabin, you'll enjoy the freedom, convenience and value of a vacation rental. Imagine all the possibilities for money-saving meals you'll have in your fully equipped kitchen. You can prepare your family everything from a sumptuous grilled fish dinner to an easy, 30-minute casserole. Let's face it, you certainly can't do that in a cramped hotel room.
Hotel rooms are expensive and don't compare with the value and money-saving elements of a vacation rental. From large verandas to entertain and dine to game rooms and other amenities, vacation rentals provide much more than a hotel room. Better still, we have special deals and discounts on Isle of Palms vacation rentals in every price range in a variety of settings on the island.


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Data Gathering and Analysis is a Critical Action Step in the Development of an Integrated Plan to Mobilize State and Community Assets for a Better Rhode Island
February 20, 2013 (Providence, R.I.) - Governor Lincoln D. Chafee today joined the Sustainable Rhode Island Consortium to receive two reports analyzing Rhode Island's economic development data and conditions of social equity. The data compiled and evaluated by Fourth Economy Consulting and PolicyLink is an important move forward in efforts to build a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for Rhode Island.
The Division of Planning's Statewide Planning Program and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) coordinated the economic data collection and assessment conducted by Fourth Economy Consulting. PolicyLink's Equity Profile of Rhode Island was coordinated by Statewide Planning, the Sustainable Rhode Island Consortium, and the Sustainable Rhode Island Social Equity Advisory Committee. Both reports are critical first steps as part of Rhode Island's Sustainable Communities initiative. The data analysis also serves as the basis to help the state better understand Rhode Island's business climate rankings and find ways to improve.
Rhode Island's Sustainable Communities initiative is funded by a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Over the next two years, the multi-agency effort will develop an integrated approach for the state to land use, transportation, housing, and economic development. The work will result in a series of short-term strategic actions and the implementation of long-term, comprehensive plans over 10 to 20 years.
"As we work collaboratively to identify the most promising path to a prosperous future, we must understand how Rhode Island fits into our regional economy, what our strengths are, and where we can improve," Governor Chafee said. "Now, we have the data analysis to inform our decisions about how to use our assets wisely to improve the state's economic climate in ways that make a real difference for all Rhode Islanders."
"The economic data analysis will feed directly into our efforts to develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy that integrates economic development, land use, housing, environmental issues, and transportation," said Kevin Flynn, Director of the Division of Planning. "We have an opportunity to take a new approach that unites the efforts of multiple state agencies and community partners in order to create a stronger more equitable Rhode Island."
"Having the data to assess our state's regional performance is an important part of helping us to better direct our resources over the short- and long-term. The work of Fourth Economy Consulting and PolicyLink is a key first step as we mobilize the efforts of multiple state agencies and community partners to bring Rhode Island the best chance of success through data-driven decision making," said Bill Parsons, RIEDC Managing Director of Business Services and Community Development.
"The timing for Rhode Island to be engaging in this work is perfect," said Rich Overmoyer, CEO at Fourth Economy Consulting. "Following the great recession, many throughout the economic development sector are looking for better solutions and more sustainable approaches to supporting business and job creation. Rhode Island can learn from the collective experience and pioneer efforts that uniquely support businesses and communities in the state."
"The reinvention of the Rhode Island economy should be built upon principles and strategies for both sustainability and equity," said Dr. Victor Rubin, Vice President for Research at PolicyLink. "The process that the State is undertaking is designed to ensure that growth is tied to greater inclusion and to the creation of communities of opportunity. PolicyLink is pleased to assist the State and all its partners in this innovative effort."
Fourth Economy Consulting was selected through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process facilitated by the RIEDC and Statewide Planning. Fourth Economy was asked to compile economic data, analyze the state's regional performance, and identify strengths and possible opportunities to improve Rhode Island's business climate. Fourth Economy Consulting partnered on the project with Providence–based Britt Page Consulting and Kevin McAvey of Economic Partners, Inc.
The Equity Profile of Rhode Island, a joint project of PolicyLink and the Program on Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California (PERE), is a result of a request from Statewide Planning to HUD for technical assistance. Rhode Island is among the first four areas of the country to receive an Equity Profile through PolicyLink and PERE.
This report takes a look at the increasingly diverse demographics of Rhode Island and how economic development indicators can be used to unlock the great potential of this diversity by promoting equitable policies. The report analyzes national data sources to address the following questions: How is Rhode Island doing on measures of economic growth and well-being? How prepared are Rhode Island residents for jobs in the 21st century economy? How strongly connected are all residents to one another and to Rhode Island's assets and opportunities?


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Experienced teachers refers to those teachers who are not new to the profession (i.e., had been hired before the first day of the 2002-2003 school year) as defined in NCLB, Section 200.56.
Core academic subjects include English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.
In 2000-2001, New York reclassified its Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) from an "other content area" to an "academic content area" assessment. The state did not add or eliminate any assessments between 1999-2000 and 2001-2002.
For HEA Title II reporting purposes, alternative routes to certification are defined by the state agency, thus the reported alternative routes may differ from other sources.
NCLB defines a "highly qualified teacher" as a teacher holding, at a minimum: a bachelor's degree, full state certification (including certification and licensure obtained through alternative routes to certification) and the ability to demonstrate competency in each subject he or she teaches. For a complete definition, see Section 9101-Highly Qualified Teacher Definition of NCLB.


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Do you like PK Ring magic... BUT don't like wearing a ring?
The 'Dude That's Cool Magic- PK Blista' is a PK utility device that allows you to perform incredible effects seemingly empty handed. It's silent, virtually invisible and tiny enough to take up no pocket space. If James Bond used a PK gimmick, this would be the one!
With a magnetic strength comparable to a PK ring, the PK Blista has the added advantage of being significantly quieter in use, opening up a whole new world of performance possibilities!
Each PK Blista (2 x supplied)
Do you own this product? Write a review.


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By Jeff Fox
Elected leaders in Independence gave a generally upbeat review of issues and developments in the city on Friday.
Mayor Don Reimal mentioned the completion of the Little Blue Parkway this year and the soon-to-come Stoney Creek Inn, a 166-room hotel and conference center next to Bass Pro Shops. He mentioned a couple of companies that have moved to town, including Continental Siding, bringing jobs here from Virginia.
"So we're bringing in some stuff from out of town," he said at an Independence Chamber of Commerce briefing.
Officials made no major announcements but gave updates on several projects:
• Council Member Marcie Gragg, who represents the 1st District in the northwest part of the city, mentioned two clinics under construction: the 8,000-square-foot Truman Medical Centers clinic on U.S. 24 in Fairmount and the 10,000-square-foot Swope Community Center on Truman Road just east of Sterling.
"We're very grateful to have both of the health-care facilities to provide care to our seniors, and families, in northwest Independence," she said.
• Council Member Eileen Weir, who represents the 4th District in the southwest part of the city, mentioned that the Burlington Coat Factory, at U.S. 40 and Blue Ridge Boulevard on the site of the old Blue Ridge Cinema East, opens in a few weeks.
"So it's been very exciting to see the redevelopment of that Blue Ridge Crossing site," she said, adding that she expects other businesses, such as restaurants, to open there as well.
• At-large Council Member Chris Whiting mentioned plans announced this summer for a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market at the site of the current Gaslight Square at 35th Street and Noland Road.
"It's going to end up being a good thing for that part of town," he said.
• Sometimes, at-large Council Member Jim Schultz said, it's the small things that make a difference. Not long ago, it seemed every busy intersection in town was plagued with unsightly signs – often of the "We Buy Junk Homes" variety – taped on utility poles and elsewhere.
The city decided to crack down on that. So far in 2013, more than 1,000 of those signs have been removed, and chronic offenders get tickets. There have been 126 tickets – and so far 109 convictions – this year, he said.
Schultz said the city's brightest hopes for the future lay in the Harmony development on the east side of the city. In 25 years, officials project, there would be 15,000 homes and 50,000 new residents – a huge change for a city of 117,000.
"It's kind of like a mini-city within a big city," he said.
Drawing from what's called "new urbanism," the idea is to create a walkable community, with old-fashioned front porches, and homes closer to the sidewalk to "get back to the quality of life we sort of miss when we don't get out and meet our neighbors," he said.
The first phase, New Town at Harmony, gets under way this year with the aim of 50 homes by the end of 2014. The plan is for 500 to 750 homes, a school, a post office and shops. There would even be a series of small lakes, connected by small canals, so canoeists or kayayers could get around. Hiking and biking trails would tie into the Little Blue Trace Trail, which one day planners hope to connect to the cross-state Katy Trail.
"This is a big deal," he said.
Other city updates:
• Mayor Reimal said the city is requesting $18 million in grants for $23 million in safety improvements on Missouri 7 on the city's east side.
"And as soon as the federal government gets a highway bill passed, maybe we can get some money," he said.
• Weir said she's spoken with the YMCA, which abruptly closed its Independence facility earlier this year. She said the community still needs its services, such as youth sports leagues and day care.
"I really feel strongly that's not a service that can be replicated by the city or the school district," she said.
She mentioned the city's facilities on the north side of the city such the Palmer Center and the Sermon Center and noted that the Henley Aquatic Center at Bridger Middle School has extended its hours.
"But it's a long way from southwest Independence," she said.
• Plans to improve the appearance of Noland Road are still being drawn up.
"Noland is really the front door to Independence," Whiting said.
• The widening of 35th Street from Crysler to just west of Noland is on schedule to be done by late this year.
"That will be a very nice improvement for that part of the city," Weir said.
• Weir also said the city needs to look broadly at economic development issues. It would be good, she said, to get startup companies at the Independence Ennovation Center to move out into the community. Also, the city needs more housing for such people as young professionals and empty nesters.
"And I think there's a niche there that we're missing," she said.
• Gragg mentioned the plans the city has announced to expand the National Frontier Trails Museum at Osage and Sea and connect that area more visibly with the Square a few blocks to the north.
"That's one of the historic sites that a lot of people in Independence don't know exists," she said.


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Color Notes:
yummy purple, more violet than ink blue
5x10 mm
Donut- This is my basic spacer size. It is made on a 3/32"
mandrel with a 2.5 mm hole.
Other available sizes and shapes:
mm Round- A miniature sized spacer with a 1.5 mm hole.
12x13 mm in size with a 1.5mm hole.
14 mm square with a 1.5 mm hole.
3x13 mm with a 2.5 mm hole.
6x12 mm donut- A larger donut with a 2.5 mm hole.
8x15 mm Super Sized- A humungous spacer with a 3.5 mm hole. It is
perfect for stringing on leather or other thick cording.
European Charm- 5x13mm with a large hole to fit any European charm style


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Framingham High School Principal Michael Welch said he's "thrilled and honored" to be the Dedham School Committee's new superintendent pick.
Welch, in his ninth year at the helm at FHS, said he's excited about the new opportunity, even though he loves his job in Framingham, and the kids, faculty and district.
"It's all about me thinking about another possible challenge in my career," he said Friday, March 28.
In a unanimous vote Thursday, March 27, Welch, 50, was the Dedham School Committee's top choice of three finalists to succeed retiring Superintendent June Doe, starting July 1, in spite of an ongoing lawsuit filed against him.
Welch is one of three Framingham school employees facing a civil lawsuit from a Framingham High social worker, who resigned last March after he said administrators mishandled sexual assault complaints against an 18-year-old male student who allegedly assaulted two female students on separate occasions at the high school in 2012.
The social worker, Kevin Fox, names Welch, Superintendent Stacy Scott and Vice Principal Jeff Convery in the complaint, which was filed in February in U.S. District Court in Boston.
According to the lawsuit, Welch, in retaliation against Fox for being vocal about the sexual assault allegations, repeatedly asked Fox whether he planned to resign.
Dedham School Committee Chairman Joe Heisler said that no one should read anything into the lawsuit.
"I contacted a trusted member of the Framingham School Committee, and their words to me were—and of course they couldn't divulge the details—Mr. Welch had handled himself professionally and that they had no problems," Heisler said Thursday.
Heisler said the board was "mightily impressed" by Welch and looks forward to starting contract negotiations soon.
"He interviewed extremely well and his presentation was very impressive," Heisler said Friday. "He appears to be an inspiring leader who's not afraid to take on challenges and has a track record of producing results, and that is what we want and that is what we need."
After 14 years as a principal, including five in Newton South High School, Welch said he's ready for a more influential role.
"We're going to enter into some negotiations and I'm hopeful that that's going to move in a good direction," Welch said. "I'm thrilled and honored to be the pick of the Dedham School Committee."
The position, which Dedham advertised with a $160,000 to $180,000 salary range, would give Welch a slight bump in pay.
Welch was also in the running for the superintendent position in Westborough, but lost out when its School Committee picked another finalist this week. He said he had also applied, but wasn't named a finalist, back when Framingham had its last superintendent search.
School Committee Chairwoman Beverly Hugo said the Framingham school district greatly appreciates Welch's years of dedicated leadership at Framingham High.
"We wish him success as he climbs the ranks of leadership in educational administration that this opportunity affords him," she said Friday.
Superintendent Stacy Scott also offered praise for Welch.
"Mike has been a deeply appreciated administrator, thoughtful and highly regarded in his many years in the district," Scott said. "In the two years that I've worked with him I've seen him grow and watched him bring considerable strength and skill to the art of managing a large high school."
Welch said he remains "completely invested" in Framingham, where he serves as a Town Meeting member and has three kids in the school system. His oldest is now a college freshman.
He said he talked to Scott Friday, and the two plan to sit down next week.
"We haven't talked about any transition planning," Welch said. "It's still premature for that."
Scott said he would put together a committee of parents, teachers and other community members to begin the search for Welch's successor if he takes the job.
He said he'd like to attract "hopefully internal and external" candidates for the post.
Staff writer Sara Feijo can be reached at 781-433-8336 or email@example.com. Follow @s_fjo on Twitter. Like The Dedham Transcript on Facebook and follow @DedhamTranscrip on Twitter.
Framingham High Principal tapped for Dedham Superintendent
Framingham High School Principal Michael Welch said he's "thrilled and honored" to be the Dedham School Committee's new superintendent pick.


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Pakistani Kite Flying Competition Disaster
Post general kiteboarding discussion topics here!
Moderator: BayAreaKite
10 posts • Page 1 of 1
Pakistani Kite Flying Competition Disaster
Interesting co-incidence, as my girlfriend just finished reading and gave to me a novel called "Kite Runner" about 2 Pakistani boys growing up focused around this tradition. Seeing this news article really makes the book seem that much more poignient.
Is it a good book that you'd recommend?
That's OK, every book I read usually has little to do with kites, I just like to hear what other people are reading...
Good books
Ollie - some good books I've read recently:
1. Blink - a book about our minds, how decisions are made.
2. Life of Pi - great book, about survival in the ocean.
Good wind + waves, Zeev
Excellent. I've seen both of those around lately. I just finished A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson and starting one called In Praise of Slowness, How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed, a book about, you guessed it, slowing down in life.
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Warner Wraps Up Chapel Talks on Gentleman's Ruleby Howard Hewitt • September 18, 2008 Share:
Associate Dean of Students Rick Warner implored Wabash students to defend the Gentleman's Rule and make it stronger. Warner's Thursday Chapel Talk was the third and final in a series designed to get students thinking about the College's only governing rule.
Warner, who gave up his sabbatical year as a History Professor to fill the associate dean's job for a year, followed President Patrick White and Dean of Students Mike Raters to the Chapel lectern.
"I say the rule is a verb," Warner suggested, "because it demands we always think about what's right. The Gentleman's Rule challenges us to think critically. How can I be a gentleman? How can I be a responsible citizen?"
Warner told students, faculty and staff his approach might be more academic than the previous two talks. He mixed history and philosophy and used examples from both to equate the Gentleman's Rule to centuries of thought about justice, rules, what's right and wrong.
"The freedom you have as Wabash men, a freedom other college students do not have, comes with a continuing sense of responsibility," he said. "I implore you to defend the rule."
He laid out a few specifics for the young men that clearly will earn them a trip to the Dean's office. Those included plagiarism, fist fighting, and failing to follow cease and desist orders. Those orders result from illegal downloads of music.
"I've learned in a short period of time that if an issue needs to come to the Dean's Office, either its egregious or the Rule has failed us," he said. And he made it clear the rule works best when enforced by students.
Warner also took the time to thank the Wabash community for the support they've offered while he takes on the new challenge. He encouraged the young men, faculty and staff to participate in the fundraiser for Bon Appetit's Bill Melvin, which followed the Chapel.
Warner's entire Chapel Talk can be heard on iTunesU by clicking here.
The Melvin fundraiser was to help support him while battling esophageal cancer. Bon Appetit provided hamburgers, hot dogs, and sides for the cookout on the mall. Melvin has worked at the College for more than 30 years. See a photo album from the cookout here.
Bon Appetit General Manager said she had a preliminary total of $1,700 in donations. She thanked the entire Wabash Community for supporting the Melvin family.


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You are here
Potto, Nigeria (USNM 377274)
Lorises are primates and are more closely related to humans, apes,Old World monkeys and New World monkeys than any other living nonhuman primate group. The Smithsonian Institution's Division of Mammals (http://vertebrates.si.edu/mammals/) houses many Lorises in its scientific collections.
This specimen, USNM 377274 (http://collections.mnh.si.edu/search/mammals/?irn=7036160), is a female Calabar potto (Arctocebus calabarensis) from Nigeria. This individual was collected in 1966 by H. J. Herbert near Calabar. This individual weighed 346 g, had a total length of 270 mm, a tail length of 12 mm, a hind tarsus length of 40 mm, and an ear notch length of 25 mm.
This is a CT scan of the mandible of USNM 377274. These three-dimensional scans are made publicly available through the generous support of the Smithsonian 2.0 Fund, provided from the annual gifts of the Smithsonian National Board to the Secretary to use at his discretion (http://smithsonian20.si.edu/fund.html), and the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund.
The main goal of this joint initiative between the Human Origins Program and the Division of Mammals is to make the NMNH's scientific collections of our closest living nonhuman primate relatives available in 3D for education and research.


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What this site is about
This site is a biographical and informational site, maintained by her family. We are also interested in locating her artwork. If you own one of her paintings or drawings, we encourage you to let us know that you own it so that we can maintain records of her artwork.
Dana-Farber Cancer Research Institute
Barbara Stadtlander fought a four year battle with breast cancer, eventually passing away due to the illness in August of 1987. It is our wish that this tragic disease be eradicated and you can help by giving to the Dana-Farber Breast Cancer Research Institute. Every dollar, no matter how small can help.
Random from gallery
Here are three random photos from the gallery.
Latest from News
Here are some recent news bits regarding Barbara.
Work to show in Exhibition
Barbara's artwork was featured in a traveling exhibit sponsored by Smith Kramer Traveling Exhibits... Read more
Boston MFA to restore 3 paintings
The Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) has agreed to restore three of Barbara's paintings in exchange... Read more


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10 Hot Dogs You Can Hang On Your Wall
If we told you how much we love meat in tube form and explained what lengths we've gone through in the past to secure the most delicious ones, well, you'd probably judge us. No matter if you're a fanatic like us or just like an occasional wiener (insert snickering here) these hot dog art prints are flat out fabulous.
For those of you who might have taken a gander over at Serious Eats, you might have noticed their Hot Dog Of The Week. Each week a new dog across the country is eaten, visited, photographed and best of all... had an art print made describing the assorted dog toppings.
Now the idea of hanging 2' hot dog prints on your wall isn't for everyone, we get that, but we also know Hawk Kralls hand painted pieces are simply the best. They actually make us want to try the hot dog at hand more so than the actual pictures sometimes! You can pick up original painted pieces for $250 or a more pocketbook friendly print for $27 (or 4/$100).
Hung individually or together in a group, we love the idea, the art form and most importantly, the subject matter. Make sure to hit up Kralls shop, as well as his newly released prints to see which ones are still available.
• Related: How to Prepare Chicago Style Hot Dogs
(Image: Hawk Krall for Serious Eats)


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Japan's weak quarterly GDP reading on Monday served to highlight some of the problems that the economy is facing. And unlike the U.S. and its fiscal cliff, Tokyo is facing a \"monetary cliff\" that could cause trouble.
Data out Monday showed that Japan's economy shrank by 0.9% in the July-September quarter, with the figure meeting gloomy economist expectations.
"The extent of the weakness was in line with September industrial production and other data, and should lend credence to the view that Japan is headed for a recession, in our opinion," economists at Nomura said after the data.
Japan's economy has suffered this year from a strong currency and a tight monetary policy (by Japanese standards, at least), according to Credit Suisse global equity strategists.
This is set to continue, they believe, with Bank of Japan's monthly asset purchases to fall to 1.25 trillion yen ($15.7 billion) from ¥2 trillion a month by the end of December.
"We had hoped that the threat of severe fiscal tightening would … lead to the Bank of Japan pursuing a looser monetary policy," they said. But they no longer expect policy to significantly loosen until the middle of 2013 at the earliest and recently downgraded their view on the Japanese equity market to benchmark from a small tactical overweight.
While they did note that Japanese stocks are a late-stage play on the economic cycle, the strategists said they would prefer to play a cyclical upswing via global emerging markets.
At the same time, the Japanese equity market is now cheap on all the major valuation metrics, they noted. The Nikkei Stock Average has fallen 2.5% so far this month and 1.9% quarter-to-date, according to FactSet.
"On a 12-18 month view, we favor some of the domestic reflation plays (for when the Bank of Japan becomes more aggressive). This would favor housing plays and REITs. Otherwise, we stick to favoring exporters but largely avoiding consumer electronics," the strategists said.
— Sarah Turner
Follow The Tell on Twitter @thetellblog


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This American Handgunner extra is also a Web Blast for
the cover article J! S&W's Most Popular Handgun
Lessons from the Backup Gun Championship
of the World — And the Known Galaxy
Shoot What You Carry…And What Better Way Could You Assess
Your Skills Than To Shoot That Same Gun In Competition?
By Massad Ayoob
Deon Martin, left, is congratulated on his first place-winning
accuracy and speed by match director Lance Biddle, right.
You turn around in the dim light, and find yourself looking down an alley. There's only one guy there, and he doesn't seem hostile, and you can see that his hands are empty. As you walk in his direction, though, another man drops down from above, and he's holding something. GUN!
You move back to cover as you draw that little gun you carry on "light days," and fire on the move. You see two bullets hit your antagonist in the chest, and realize he's done. But if the tunnel vision got you, you didn't notice that the first guy's hands were empty, but now he's pointing a gun at you. If you don't nail him, you're toast … and because you were carrying the little gun, you have only three shots left to do it with, since it only had five rounds in it to start…
Third overall, Jon Strayer was top wheelgunner and laser man,
using a J-frame S&W with CTC LaserGrips.
Back-Up Nirvana
You've just had a taste of the fiendishly clever course design that is the trademark of Lance Biddle, the director of this particular match and the Florida area coordinator for IDPA, the International Defensive Pistol Association. He agrees with a concept that our editor Roy Huntington has been crusading after for some time: people who carry small guns should shoot those guns, at least sometimes, and the more stressful and challenging the conditions under which they shoot, the better they'll be with those wee weapons if and when they're needed for their intended, life-saving purpose.
Huntington is happy to see that Floridians are taking his advice to heart. Famous for heat and humidity, the Sunshine State often drives its many armed citizens to small guns that fit a wardrobe that's frequently shorts and a tee-shirt. J-frame snubbies. Small autos. That sort of thing.
Local IDPA clubs have gotten into the act, more enthusiastically than in most other parts of the country. I've seen BUG (Back-Up Gun) stages at National IDPA Championships, but they're particularly popular in Florida. For instance, the excellent club that shoots out of the Gateway range complex in Jacksonville (www.firstcoastidpa.com) has multiple matches a year that are all BUG, and there's an optional BUG stage at about half of the rest of their popular monthly shoots.
Biddle, who runs monthly shoots out of the modern indoor ranges at The Gun Shop in Leesburg, not far from Orlando, took a slightly different approach.
Practicing what he preaches, Lance Biddle competes with his "baby"
Glock 27 and the fanny pack in which he carries it.
Not just at this match, but always, Mack Rudisill
shoots IDPA with his carry gun, this S&W 649 five-shot…
…refilled with speedloader as here, or with Speed Strips…
…and as you can see, he's accurate with it as well as fast.
The Shoot and the Rules
With more whimsy than anything else, Biddle titled the match "The Second Annual Back-Up Gun Championship of the World." Shooters signing up got into the spirit, and by match day it was "The Second Annual Back-Up Gun Championship of the World, the Known Galaxy, Or At Least, Leesburg, Florida." It drew 28 shooters, roughly double the attendance of monthly matches at The Gun Shop IDPA Club (www.gunrange.com). I don't think any of them came because they thought they had a shot at becoming a real world champ. They came for the same reasons Biddle and Huntington endorse the concept: they wanted to see how well they could do with the little guns they actually carried.
I came for another reason: this match was carefully billed as non-IDPA-approved, because even though it used IDPA scoring, it allowed some rules to bend. The BUG definitions of IDPA remained: revolver with barrel no longer than 3″, and auto with no longer than 3.8″ barrel, neither loaded with more than five rounds at any one time.
However, IDPA does not allow guns to be drawn from ankle rigs, pocket holsters, cross-draws or fanny packs in approved matches. In the spirit of "the guns we carry, the way we carry them," all those holsters were allowed at this match, and all saw use there.
Most BUG matches in sanctioned events consist of five-shot strings. Here, just as in real life, some of the tests ran to more rounds. Shooters were given the option of reloading or going to second weapons, the long-proven New York Reload. It's a rare match of any kind that allows this, and it gave those who shot at Leesburg a useful test-bed for comparison in reloading strategies.
Finally, lasers are normally banned in almost every competitive discipline from bulls-eye to standard IDPA. Some shooters told Lance, "The guns we carry are J-frames with LaserGrips," and the match director relented, allowing them to be used, but scored in a separate category. The laser sight is at its best with guns that come with sights which are hard to see: the J-frame snub, of course, but also the increasingly popular mini-380s such as the Ruger LCP, and the Kel-Tec P3AT. See John Taffin's article "The Red Light District" on page 34 of the March '09 issue of our sister magazine Guns.
Chris Christian's laser dot and 3″ GP-100 are centered on this target.
So are his shots: he finished in top 5.
Chris Christian bypasses "friendly" target signified by empty hands, right,
and focuses on picture target with weapon at left. Laser dot is on target, as are his bullets…
…but as Bad Guy falls, so does good guy at right, revealing armed bad
guy behind him. Chris gets deeper into cover and engages: note laser dot.
Twenty-five of the 28 attending shooters completed the seven-stage event. Round guns and square ones shot straight up against each other, not separated by the usual IDPA gun divisions. Three autos and two revolvers wound up in the top five.
Overall winner — both the fastest shooter and the most accurate — was Deon Martin, who a few months before had won the Stock Service Pistol title at the Florida IDPA State Championships in Clearwater. His choice for the BUG shoot was a Glock 26 subcompact 9mm, with out of the box factory sights. His time was 73.09 seconds, with only nine points down from a perfect hit value.
In second place was David Brackett with a 79.90 adjusted final time that included 23 points down. I didn't get to see him in action, but was told he was shooting a Kimber Ultra CDP short barrel 1911 .45 auto, with conventional sights. Third overall was the high revolver shooter and high laser user, Jon Strayer. Jon had three J-frame Centennial lightweights about his person, all loaded with 158 grain .38 Special and equipped with CTC LaserGrips. Strayer went for gun exchange rather than reload every time, and finished with 80.23 seconds, 15 points down. I placed fourth, using a stock Springfield Armory EMP subcompact 9mm with factory night sights, ending up at 84.07 seconds and down 11 points. Rounding out the top five was outdoor writer and seasoned competitor Chris Christian. Chris used a 3″ Ruger GP-100 with Crimson Trace, and alternated between speedloading it with a Safariland Comp-III and backing it up with a little Ruger LCR .38 from the left side pocket of his jeans, and finished with a time of 87.35 seconds, 16 points down.
All the auto shooters I saw in action chose to reload rather than reach for a second gun. Top wheelgunner Strayer knows how to reload a cylinder: he's won Florida State and Florida/Georgia Regional champion titles with the Enhanced Service Revolver. He's one of the few Five-Gun Masters in the sport, and used HKS speedloaders and a single Model 642 J-frame to win the Snubby Summit match against belly gunners from all over the country back in '05.
With one backup in a mirror image Don Hume belt holster on his left side and another on the inside of his left ankle, Jon — never needing more than two guns — simply found the gross motor movements of another draw to be quicker than the fine motor movements of putting five torpedoes in five launch tubes all at once, especially in dim light. Conclusion: as the NYPD Stakeout Squad found out for real so long ago, it's simply faster to go to the second gun than to reload the first … with a revolver. With an auto and magazines where you can reach them, a simple speed reload may be slightly faster.
Top female Terri Strayer shoots below line of sight, trusting LaserGrip
on her S&W Model 60 to index her shots. It worked.
Laser versus conventional sights? Only three contestants went the laser route, but all three were good shooters. Two of the three, as noted, made it into the top five and the third, Terri Strayer, was high female using a Model 60 with CTC. Jon and Chris are Masters, and Terri is a former Florida State Woman's Champion. While Jon used his sights mostly and only relied on the laser in the darkest stages, Terri shot below line of sight and was clearly aiming with that red dot downrange. She proved faster than her competition, current Florida Woman Champ Gail Pepin, who used iron sights on a 9mm XD Compact from Springfield Armory. For what it's worth, the laser shooters averaged 103.83 seconds over the seven stages, and the iron sight folks averaged 122.92 seconds. However, the folks with the irons ran from Master to Novice, while the laser blazers were all top guns to start with.
It was noted that while the pocket holster beats everything else if you can surreptitiously slip your hand onto it and have it in a ready to draw position when the fight begins, that wasn't allowed here. Hip holsters proved much faster whenever there was a "hands-off start."
Devilish cleverness of match design is seen here. Bud Deese
drapes fall-off "I'm a good guy" hands on right target…
…shooter engages drop-down bad guy target on left in Blind
Stage "alley." However, dropping down of that target…
…has pulled empty hands away from the first target,
revealing a gun that signifies armed attacker…
…who must now be engaged by shooter, who has been
backpedaling toward cover as he fires the whole time.
Bottom Line
Twenty-five people shooting seven scenarios do not constitute a comprehensive, ultimate-answer comparison test. However, there were lessons to be learned. It seems the carry of a second weapon, and the usefulness of laser sights, were both validated. The subcompact 9mm and .40 autos, had they been loaded to their ten- or eleven-shot capacity, would have swiftly outpaced the revolvers since they would have required no time lag for reloading or "New York Reloads."
The shooter who impressed me most there was Mack Rudisill, who always shoots IDPA with his "always gun," a stainless five-shot S&W Bodyguard backed by a single speedloader and/or a couple of Speed Strips. He's the guy we were all emulating when Lance Biddle lived up to Roy Huntington's advice and put on a test of skill with those little guns we all carry at least sometimes. Congratulations to all involved.
Author shot Springfield Armory Enhanced Micro Pistol in 9mm with night sights, came in 4th.
Instructor Jim Clark shot the course with this S&W Centennial with XS Big Dot sights.
Side pocket proved not to be fastest draw method if hand couldn't
surreptitiously be on the gun at the start of the action.


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8 Becky Reeves
|Forest Hill, Md.
|High School:
|North Harford
|Elementary Education
2010: Opens her senior campaign in the Spartan uniform … named a captain for this season … is an overall solid student-athlete … a vocal leader who teammates trust … brings intelligent play … very dependable and consistent … has a calm and controlled persona which aids the squad both on and off the field.
2009: Played in all 22 Spartan games … started 20 of those contests including each of York's final 19 … was a strong and consistent defensive presence … recorded one goal and one assist … scored against Neumann on October 19 in the Spartans' 3-1 non-conference triumph … posted her assist in York's 5-2 win over Albright on October 1.
2008: Appeared in 14 contests, drawing 11 starts … posted six shots on the season including three against Hood on September 9 … gave the Spartans a quality young, defensive-minded player.
2007: Played in 18 contests as a rookie … started nine games … her lone shot of the season came against Frostburg St. on October 25.
Personal: Is an elementary education major … is the daughter of Kevin and Laurie Reeves … born on July 30, 1989 … owns a 3.88 cumulative GPA … has made the Dean's List in each of her six semesters … names her mom as the person she most admires … hobbies include working out and meeting new people … chose York because "it's a great school!" … lists completing a half-marathon and scoring a goal in college as her most significant athletic achievements … lists York scoring against Salisbury in the beginning of the game as her most memorable athletic achievement while with the Spartan program … after graduating from college plans to teach elementary school in the inner-city and stay active and involved.


text:
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CHARLESTON, S.C. (Nov. 16, 2008) -- With its win on Saturday, the ETSU men's basketball team will play the winner of Hofstra vs. Western Michigan Sunday at 1 p.m. in the fifth place game of the Charleston Classic. The game will be available live on the MSHA Buccaneer Sports Network.
For more on the game and up to date statistics, see the game notes below or click on the game notes link.
Buc Shots
A seven-time NCAA Tournament and two-time NIT participant, the ETSU Buccaneers enter the 2008-09 season having come up just one win shy of the 20-win mark in 2007-08 and looking to avenge a hard fought loss to Belmont in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament ... With a 19-13 overall mark and a third place finish in regular season league action (11-5) a year ago, the Bucs return their top two and three of their top six scorers from a year ago, led by first-team All Atlantic Sun selection Courtney Pigram (Memphis) ... The 6-1 guard will begin his senior campaign with 1,445 career points after having averaged a team-leading 15.8 points, 3.4 assists and 1.4 steals a game last year .... Pigram will be joined by senior forward Kevin Tiggs (Flint, Mich.), who helped power the offense with 14.6 points and a team-high 2.9 offensive rebounds a game last season en route to earning second team All A-Sun honors.
The series against Western Michigan/Hofstra
This will be the first meeting between the Bucs and either Western Michigan or Hofstra.
Last time out
CHARLESTON, S.C. (Nov. 15, 2008) - Several defensive stops in the final minutes, a critical steal and two important defensive rebounds by junior guard Mike Smith (Vandalia, Mo.), and a double-double from senior guard Courtney Pigram (Memphis) led the ETSU men's basketball team to a 65-62 win over SIU Edwardsville in the second round of the Charleston Classic Saturday afternoon inside the Carolina First Arena ... Leading 58-50 with 6:50 remaining, the Buccaneers watched the Cougars chip away at their lead and come to within one point at 58-57 with 2:28 left. However, from there Smith hit a clutch 3-pointer, later stole a pass that led to another score, and he grabbed two defensive rebounds - including the final one of the game which came when SIUE's Aaron Garriott's game-tying 3-point attempt clanked off the rim with two seconds left in the game ... Smith finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, and was one of three Buccaneers in double figures scoring. Pigram finished with a double-double, posting 12 points and 12 rebounds, while senior forward Kevin Tiggs (Flint, Mich.) scored a game-high 19 points ... Defensively, the Bucs were in their fullcourt press early and often, ultimately forcing 16 turnovers on nine steals. ETSU's tough man-to-man held SIU Edwardsville to just 36 percent shooting from the floor and 23 percent (6-of-26) from 3-point range. On the boards, ETSU held the advantage 49-36 ... In the first half, the game started in a similar fashion to the Bucs first game of the tournament against Temple, with the ETSU offense struggling to find a rhythm and score points. Those struggles led to SIU Edwardsville leading for much of the first 10 minutes, but the Bucs recovered and a 9-0 run was capped by a Pigram layup to make it 31-23 with 5:37 left. From there the Cougars slowly came back and a jumper by guard Mark Yelovich with two seconds left in the half made it 40-35 at the break ... ETSU shot 50 percent from both the field and beyond the arc in the first half and out-rebounded the Cougars 24-14 before the break ... For SIUE, Yelovich led the way with 15 points, while guard Aamir McCleary pitched in 12 points and forward Berry Wellington added 10. The Cougars did force 20 ETSU turnovers.
Bartow eyeing 200 career wins, 100 ETSU victories
ETSU head coach Murry Bartow is just one win shy of 200 for his career and needs just four more wins to reach 100 in his time at ETSU ... Bartow, the son of legendary coach Gene Bartow, is 199-145 (.578) in his career and 96-62 (.608) at ETSU ... In his previous five seasons at ETSU, Bartow has averaged 19 wins a year.
Ward to be redshirted
Head coach Murry Bartow announced this weekend during the Charleston Classic that he plans to redshirt true freshman forward J.C. Ward (Marietta, Ga.) ... The 6-6 post had seen playing time in both of ETSU's two exhibition games, but did not play in the opener against Temple and was in street clothes for the SIU Edwardsville game.
Injury bug early on
As the preseason unfolded over the last three weeks, the Bucs have dodged their share of injuries, but will still be without a key starter heading into the season ... Senior guard Jocolby Davis (Meridian, Miss.) will miss at least two months with an injured wrist suffered during an attempted car jacking in Atlanta ... Davis' injury means that freshman point guard Adam Sollazzo (Tampa) will be forced into the starting role at the point against Temple ... Meanwhile, freshman post Seth Coy (Montgomery, Ind.) was slowed with an injured foot for much of the preseason and just returned two weeks ago, while sophomore post Tommy Hubbard (Boston) is still nursing a sore elbow and actually missed the SIU Edwardsville game with an injured toe.
ETSU picked among nation's best "Prestige" programs
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (July 22, 2008) - Since the beginning of the modern era for NCAA Division I-A basketball - marked by the expansion of the NCAA Tournament field to 64 teams in 1984-85 - the ETSU men's basketball program ranks in the Top 30 percent of the 300 programs that were eligible for the postseason at that time, this according to a new "Prestige" ranking released by ESPN.com ... The Buccaneers, who have enjoyed six NCAA Tournament trips, one NIT berth, seven 20-win seasons, and a slew of conference regular season and tournament championships since 1984-85, ranked tied for 82nd out of 300 teams, meaning they were in the Top 27 percent of schools making the list. ETSU was ranked ahead of every current Atlantic Sun Conference team, as well as former Southern Conference rivals Appalachian State, Western Carolina, Georgia Southern and UNC Greensboro. The Bucs also were placed ahead of every current member of the Colonial Athletic Association with the exception of Old Dominion ... In addition, the Bucs ranked ahead of SEC schools such as Tennessee, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Georgia, Mississippi and Auburn, as well as other major programs such as Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, DePaul, Bradley, Clemson, California and Florida State.
Getting defensive and stopping 3-pointers
During the offseason, ETSU head coach Murry Bartow renewed his team's commitment to the defensive end of the floor, promoting assistant coach Scott Wagers to defensive coordinator and empowering the ninth-year assistant to lock down ETSU's opponents ... The main concerns in recent years have been perimeter defense, as a year ago the Bucs averaged a hefty 78.6 points per game, but allowed 77.2 a contest ... Most notably, the Bucs were dismal defending the arc, giving up a school single season record for 3-pointers with opponents breaking the mark for makes (295) and attempts (841).
Pigram named preseason POTY; Bucs picked second
MACON, Ga. (Oct. 8, 2008) - For the second straight year, ETSU guard Courtney Pigram (Memphis) is the preseason pick by both coaches and the media to be the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year. Meanwhile, Pigram and the Buccaneers were picked to finish second by the coaches and third by the media in preseason A-Sun voting released Wednesday by the conference office ... Pigram, a senior shooting guard, was the 2007 A-Sun player of the Year and is a two-time All A-Sun First Team Selection. He has scored 1,445 points in his career and led the Bucs in scoring last season with 15.8 a contest ... While Pigram topped the preseason's individual list, an unprecedented three straight conference championships and nine returning letter winners earned the Belmont Bruins the nod from both the coaches and the media as the preseason pick to win their second consecutive Atlantic Sun regular-season title as well as a fourth straight conference championship ... Meanwhile, ETSU's roster features a talented group of players including Pigram, who needs 555 points to join Centenary's Willie Jackson as just the second player in conference history to accumulate 2,000 points. Pigram and Kevin Tiggs (Flint, Mich.) represent one of the top returning duos in the conference. The two seniors combined to average over 30 points per game.
Non-conference home win streak at 15
Over the last four seasons, the Bucs have fared well against non-conference opponents within the confines of Memorial Center ... In fact, the Bucs have won 17 straight non-conference home games since losing a 90-73 contest to Fresno State back on Nov. 27, 2004 ... ETSU has wins over teams such as Marshall (twice), Tennessee Tech (twice), Chattanooga, Central Michigan, Morehead State, UNC Asheville, Eastern Kentucky, Radford and Appalachian State during that time frame.
Home Sweet Dome
Since the 1996-97 season, the Buccaneers are an amazing 118-38 inside Memorial Center, good for a winning percentage of 76 percent ... The Bucs had won five straight at Memorial Center during the 2006-07 season before a loss to Belmont (1/2) ... The Bucs then rattled off 10 straight at home to stand at 15-1 on the Memorial Center floor that season, but fell to Belmont in the championship of the A-Sun Tourney... In 2007-08, the Bucs were 11-2 at Memorial Center.


text:
Photo of Louis Caputo courtesy of Harvard Athletic Communications.
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. – Three Harvard
wrestlers had their hands raised at the Crimson fell to Columbia,
30-15, Friday night at University Gym.
Senior co-captains Louis Caputo and J.P. O'Connor both scored six team points for the Crimson with their wins Friday night. Freshman Paul Liguori picked up his sixth wins of the season in just his third match since December.
Liguori picked up a 9-8 win over Steve Santos at 149 pounds to improve to 6-7 overall. Liguori held a 7-2 lead after the first period after a pair of takedowns and three points on back points, but Stantos scored a takedown in each of the next two periods to close the gap.
O'Connor earned his team-leading fourth fall of the season over Jake O'Hara. The top-ranked wrestler at 157 pounds scored a quick takedown and turned O'Hara for another three points. The Oxford, N.Y., native is 25-0 on the season and 14-0 in dual action.
Harvard travels to No. 6 Cornell for its final dual meet of the season. First bout is slated to start at 3 p.m.


text:
The Washington Post, the most long-established political daily published in Washington DC and followed worldwide, pointed out Harun Yahya's effect on the column titled "How Will the Arab Spring Affect Religion and Science?" on its web site dated May 10th, 2011. The article, which focused on science in the world of Islam, it was noted that with the arrival of Harun Yahya's work called Atlas of Creation to educational institutes, teachers were left in a difficult situation in the face of students' objections against evolution. The article, which was another example of the panic caused by the Atlas of Creation in Darwinist circles, these lines were noted:
… The scientists said a hot topic of late has been creationism, apparently fueled by a controversial, colorful Turk named Harun Yahya who has sent thousands of enormous, glossy picture books making his case to Western schools… They characterized his movement had resonated among young Muslims attracted to its ideas about numerology and miracles allegedly presented in the Koran. Bruno Guiderdoni, director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, said the controversy of Yahya's books played out a particular way in France, where a strongly secular culture left high-school teachers totally unprepared about how to talk about the subject.


text:
A six-sided grooved anvil keeps the cutting
stock centered as you notch it. If the anvil wears
over time, you can rotate it to one of the other
five grooves.
If the blade should dull, you have
two spares for replacement. The only poorly
functioning part of this tool is the bypass pruner
Do not expect it to make the kind of cuts
you are accustomed to. Fortunately, the rest of
the tool more than compensates.


text: If only one good thing will come out of Disney's goofy-looking John Carter, it's that #33 Taylor Kitsch will be turning up in a lot of places to promote it. It's a shame Riggins cut his hair, but, luckily, his power seems to lie in his perfect perfect face and his ability to make the most banal interview seem totally charming. Texas forever.


text:
Yaya Toure: United Are Struggling
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure says arch-rivals Manchester United are 'really struggling' to retain their title.
The Red Devils swept to the Premier League crown in 2012/13, offering the perfect send-off to outgoing boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
A changing of the guard at Old Trafford has not run smoothly, though, with new manager David Moyes enduring a baptism of fire.
There have been signs in recent outings that the tide is turning, but a slow start has left the defending champions eight points off the pace.
Toure feels United will find it difficult to bridge that gap, with Liverpool considered to be a greater threat to the usual suspects in the battle for top flight supremacy.
He said in The Sun: "United will find it hard to defend the title since they have a new manager and are really struggling.
"Liverpool are a big threat at the moment because they have a strong squad and their strikers – Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge – are scoring goals at will."
City ended their latest outing empty-handed, leaving them just two points better off than United and with goalkeeper Joe Hart coming in for renewed criticism.
The England man endured an afternoon to forget during a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Sunday, but Toure is convinced he remains the right man to provide City's last line of defence.
He added: "Joe is a top keeper who gives his all to the team." – Sportinglife


text:
How To Swap a Two-Prong for a Three-Prong Outlet
It's rare to find two-prong outlets in homes these days. Landlords and home owners have slowly switched over to three-prong outlets as more and more devices and appliances need them to power up. Occasionally though, you move into a place that doesn't have a three-prong outlet where you need one, so how do you remedy the situation?
You switch out your two-prong for a three-prong, but there's a lot to consider before you start rewiring your apartment.
Before you start, have an electrician come over to tell you if your building's fuse box has been grounded at all. This will decide what type of outlet you buy. If all your outlets are two-prong than you can easily assume that the building has not been grounded, but if you have a few three-prongs in the mix (say behind your fridge) then your building's wiring may be grounded but your landlord hasn't put in the time and money to convert all the outlets to grounded three-prongs. Either way, it's best to have an expert tell you what's been done and what the safest way to modify is.
What You NeedTools
- A drill or screwdriver
- Flat head bit
- Phillips head bit
- An extended Phillips head bit
- Outlet tester
- Grounding wire, if needed
- Needle nose pliers with rubber or non-metal grip
- New wall outlet — a standard three prong if you're building is grounded or a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) if it's not
1. First and foremost, turn off electricity to the circuit you're working on. To make sure you turn off the right circuit, plug a lamp into the outlet you want to replace and turn it on. Flip the circuit breaker switch to "OFF" and your lamp should turn off. Make sure both receptacles on the outlet are no longer conducting electricity, as some outlets have two circuits and others may have a wall switch that controls the top or bottom of a double/duplex outlet.
2. Unscrew the top plate. Most outlet plates are in place via a single flathead screw in the middle. You can use a screwdriver or drill to remove it, just make sure that whatever you use has a rubber or other non-metal grip — even though you've turned off the power to the circuit you're working on, it's better to be safe than sorry.
3. Remove the outlet from the electrical box. Traditionally there are two screws that attach the outlet to the electrical box. Unscrew both of these and carefully pull the outlet out of the box. Each side of the outlet's mounting bracket will have a pair of color coded wires attached to it. The "hot" (usually black or red) will be connected to the side of the outlet with the shorter plug slot and may be in place via gold colored screws. The "neutral" white wires will be connected to the side with the taller slot via silver screws. If your outlet was already grounded you'll see a bare-copper or green wire coming from a single screw in the back of the electrical box to a green ground screw on the mounting bracket.
4. Move the wires from the old outlet to the new. Carefully unscrew one set of wires (pick either neutral or hot and stick with it until you're done with that side) and connect them to the appropriate screws on the new outlet. Remember, hot wires go on the side with the short slot and neutral wires go on the side with the long slot. Make sure you follow which wires attach to which screws (top or bottom) for both neutral and hot. Generally you can follow where they were placed on the previous outlet as a guide, but the logic goes, wires that come from the breaker panel need to be attached into the screws designated "load" on the mounting bracket and wires that go to the rest of outlets in the circuit need to be attached to the screws labeled "line". To help manipulate the ends of the wires to fit around the screws properly you can use needle nose pliers to curl the wires clockwise so they catch easily when you tighten the screws.
5. Ground them outlets. If your electrician told you that your home's wiring has been grounded all you need to do to ground your newly wired outlet is to run a grounding wire from the green screw on your new outlet's mounting bracket to the grounding screw in your electrical box. Use an extended bit (3.5 inch is what we used) to get access to the grounding screw at the back of your electrical box. This added length will make it easier to tighten the screw.
6. What to do with an open ground. If you're house was built long, long ago and you're not sure if your wiring is grounded or an electrician tells you it's not, the easiest and safest thing to do is to install a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter). These are the outlets you often see near sinks in kitchens and bathrooms that have two buttons on them — "reset" and "test". GFCI's will detect any change in current between the hot and neutral wires and will disconnect power if the levels aren't equal. To resume power you'll have to hit the "reset" button. Installing a GFCI is similar to a grounded outlet, but you can skip step 5, where you add a grounding wire to the back of the box. You will want to tape the sides of the mounting bracket (where the screws are) with electrical tape. This will prevent the screws from hitting the metal electrical box and tripping the GFCI.
7. Put everything back. Once you've moved all the wiring to the new outlet, reinstall it in the electrical box. We suggest you tighten each screw that goes from the bracket to the electrical box little by little, alternating between the two. Because electrical wires are so stiff, this will make it easier to get the bracket back on without leaving any screws cockeyed in the wall. Use a screwdriver to reattach the cover. Using a drill can cause you to over-screw, leading the outlet cover to break.
8. Test your work. Once you've reinstalled the outlet cover, head back to the circuit breaker and turn it on. Back at the outlet use an outlet tester to make sure everything's working correctly. The tester's coded lights will let you know if somethings' haywire with your installation.
Additional Notes: Don't install GFCIs into electrical boxes that power on refrigerators, garbage disposals, trash compactors, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, or home heating and cooling systems. These are known to often trip GFCIs and are often in areas that are hard to get to if you need to hit the reset — don't want to have to pull out your dishwasher every time you need to reset the outlet.


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New clients at food banks
Not long ago, local soup kitchens, food pantries and other organizations and agencies that help the hungry predominantly assisted single-parent households and the long-term unemployed. Those who repeatedly relied on such entitlements were part of a permanent welfare class, critics sneered.
These days, as reporter Izaskun E. Larra�eta related in an article Sunday, "Making ends meet a complex pursuit for some local families," a growing number of working couples and others who suddenly find themselves without a paycheck are forced to turn to charities and social services to help put food on the table.
"What we are finding ... is that people are underemployed," said Nancy Rossi, managing executive of the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center. "Folks that come to our feeding sites or food pantries are a paycheck away, a car payment away from a financial crisis. Some things we hear is that they had an unexpected bill, an unexpected illness, or cutback in hours. ... Those are the things that can upset already fragile finances. They are making decisions to either feed their families or themselves or pay a bill."
The New London-based center, one of three food banks in the state, distributes more than two million pounds of donated, surplus food to 96 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, child care centers, community meal sites, and programs for the elderly. These groups in turn provide food and meals to 20,000 men, women and children throughout New London County each month.
According to the food center, one in six children in southeastern Connecticut is "food insecure," meaning their access to food is limited or uncertain. In addition, a U.S. Census Bureau study indicates that 19,000 people in the region are living below the poverty level. Yet another report found that one in eight households in New London County cannot always afford the food they need.
These statistics are even more troubling in light of a new government study that found the gap between the haves and the have-nots is now wider than ever.
Jason Martin, social services manager at the Thames Valley Council for Community Action Inc., a regional social service agency, noted the declining economy has created greater demand for public services. Now that winter is approaching and with it, rising heating bills, food pantries can expect to be busier.
"It used to be that people would go to a food pantry in an emergency, but now they are using it as a subsidy," he said.
In this era of a fragile job market made more uncertain because of the ongoing partial shutdown of the federal government, groups such as TVCCA and the Gemma Moran Center must take on a heavier load.
This shifting trend underscores the need to expand support for such groups, and to adjust public attitudes toward poverty. Few people ever choose to go hungry.
Most simply need a helping hand, which society has an obligation to offer.
The Day editorial board meets regularly with political, business and community leaders and convenes weekly to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Pat Richardson, Editorial Page Editor Paul Choiniere, retired Day editor Lisa McGinley, Managing Editor Tim Cotter and Staff Writer Julia Bergman. However, only the publisher and editorial page editor are responsible for developing the editorial opinions. The board operates independently from the Day newsroom.


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Peter stewart
Once the second TA Lehmans ever hired in London back in 1988 when no one in UK had heard of Technical Analysis. Predicted the EXACT day 2007 high and day of low in 2009. All because of WDGann, greatest TA who ever lived. @majormarketsconfidential.com
- Member since March 23rd 2017


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Things to Do in Minnesota's North Woods
Escape to the north
In the woods and on the water of Minnesota's Arrowhead region, solitude reigns supreme. Voyageurs National Park (pictured) hugs the Canadian border—a 218,000-acre, 30-lake wonderland without roads. In the million-plus acres of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, visitors travel by paddle and portage their canoes. Bikers traverse the Mesabi Trail, which stretches from Grand Rapids toward Ely. Even when snow blankets the region, travelers explore on skis, snowmobiles and dogsleds.
In the Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota's mining lives on. Many of the miners were immigrants, and communities here show their strong ethnic roots in crafts, architecture, stories, festivals and foods. You can see a working mine at Hull Rust Mahoning Mine and travel deep into the earth at Soudan Underground Mine State Park.
Click ahead for details on these experiences and other destinations in Minnesota's North Woods. Want to share your favorites? Leave a comment below!
More information: (800) 362-7405; visitcranelake.com | (800) 777-7281; ely.org | (218) 262-3895; hibbing.org | (800) 777-8497; ironrange.org | (800) 524-9085; kabetogama.com | (800) 325-5766; rainylake.org
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
At the northeastern tip of Minnesota, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness qualifies as a backpacker's paradise, where paddles and boots replace motors, campfires replace ovens, and loons provide the background music. Travelers paddle from lake to lake, portaging gear in between. Solo trips are common, but outfitters in getaway towns, including Ely, Crane Lake, Grand Marias and Tofte can provide able guides and supplies to orchestrate the trip. Sharp-eyed visitors spot moose, black bears and bald eagles. (218) 626-4300
Voyageurs National Park
How do you get around a 218,000-acre national park that doesn't have any roads? The answer is the main reason people visit this park on the Canadian border: boats.
To explore Voyageurs' 30-some lakes (Rainy and Namekan are the biggest) and find the solitude this park is famous for, you need something that floats. Some folks spend a day on a guided walleye-fishing trip and stay at a resort in one of the shore towns of International Falls (population 6,357) or tiny Ranier (population 606). Others motor around on houseboats, watching for moose by day and anchoring at a different island each night for sunset and a campfire.
Pictured: Rainy Lake's numerous bays and islands provide plenty of private berths for houseboats and campers.
More information: (800) 325-5766; rainylake.org | (800) 524-9085; kabetogama.com | (218) 283-6600; nps.gov/voya
North American Bear Center
Minnesota's largest known bear and several other big 'uns reside at the North American Bear Center in a forest setting in Ely. Observe the bears; also, explore myths and truths through interactive exhibits. Experience a bear's strength, study a bear skeleton, and watch videos of bears playing, digging a cave and hunting for food. (877) 365-7879
Hull Rust Mahoning Mine
The "Grand Canyon of the North" in Hibbing shows the scale of mining on the Mesabi Iron Range. At Hull Rust Mahoning Mine, visitors see what is billed as the biggest operating open pit iron ore mine in the world -- more than 3 miles long, 2 miles wide and 535 feet deep. A walking trail, observation building and mine exhibits round out the experience. Free. (218) 262-4166
International Wolf Center
This impressive interpretive center near Ely lets you watch the resident pack up close. Observation windows at the International Wolf Center allow you to look into a 1.25-acre enclosure that serves as the wolf pack's home. Because the wolves are accustomed to visitors, they often come up to the glass. The center also offers great programs (learn how to howl!) and learning vacations. (218) 365-4695
Mesabi Trail
A rail-trail conversion through the Iron Range mountains, the paved Mesabi Trail starts at Grand Rapids and runs toward Ely through communities such as Keewatin, Hibbing, Chisholm, Mountain Iron and Virginia. When completed, it will connect more than 25 communities along 132 miles. It's designed for hiking and biking; some sections are open in the winter for snowmobiling. Check the website for the current status of trail construction and for a list of nearby activities. (877) 637-2241
Soudan Underground Mine State Park
The park, 20 miles southeast of Ely, offers two rare and fascinating tours: Underground Mine and the University of Minnesota's High Energy Physics Lab. Venture by elevator as you descend 2,341 feet below ground and then ride a battery-operated train to visit the Soudan Underground Mine, the first, deepest and richest iron-ore mine in Minnesota. The physics lab tour takes you to a football field-size cavity where high-energy experiments are conducted. (218) 753-2245
Photo Courtesy of Soudan Underground Mine State Park
Minnesota Discovery Center
This museum and cultural center celebrates Iron Range history and the heritage of its miners' home countries. Learn about taconite mining, hear stories of miners' working conditions and see a Depression-era shanty. The Iron Range History Players at the Minnesota Discovery Center give 20-minute interactive presentations on the history of northeastern Minnesota on summer Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Also in the summer, antique trolleys (pictured) circle the rim of Glen Mine, now a deep, spring-fed canyon. (218) 254-7959
Photo Courtesy of Minnesota Discovery Center
Dorothy Molter Museum
This little Ely attraction pays tribute to one of the area's legends: The Root Beer Lady. Dorothy was the last resident of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and was known for offering root beer and first aid to travelers. (218) 365-4451


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Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - Honza and Jan - FULL CONTACT
Latest Sets at WilliamHiggins.com
We brought Honza Solar together with Jan Sadecky for a very good duo. Honza is kneeling on the bed, looking at himself in a mirror, as he rubs himself and feels his body. He is enjoying the view, and turning himself on. Honza removes his shirt and continues to feel himself. We now see Jan standing close by the mirror, watching Honza. He removes his shirts to and runs his hand over his body and groping his cock. Honza is now wanking on his cock and as he does so Jan opens his jeans and pulls out a long hard cock. Honza is now rock hard too. Jan moves over to him on the bed and feed him some of that big cock. Honza's mouth encloses Jan's cock and begins sucking on it. Jan's hand is resting on Honza's head as the cock is being sucked. Jan's jeans come down a bit and Honza begins to lick his big balls too. Licking up the shaft he starts sucking again as Jan's jeans are removed. Honza stands and the guys kiss as Jan takes both cocks in one hand and begins to wank them. Then they lay down on the bed and Jan starts to suck and wank on Honza's rock hard cock. He takes it in his mouth and works up and down on it. Then as Jan holds his mouth on the cock Honza fucks his cock in and out of it. That cock is so hard and the balls are so tight against the base of the shaft as Honza rams it in Jan's mouth. Jan is wanking himself hard as his face is being fucked. Honza then moves down the bed and Jan lifts a leg, his ass exposed. Honza happily rims that waiting hole, his tongue lapping at it. The guys wank themselves while Honza feasts on that ass. But Jan wants some ass too and Honza obliges by sitting down on that rampant dick. He rides it, up and down as long as he can and then holds himself in place for Jan to take over the fucking. His dick rams deep into Honza's hole, fucking him nice and hard. Honza twists to kiss Jan while is ass is stuffed with that cock. They change to doggy and Jan continues to deep dick that willing hole. He slams his cock in and out of that hole, stretching it as much as possible. Then they change to missionary and Honza wanks himself furiously as Jan continues to fuck him. Soon Honza is past the point of no return and lets his cum fly. He dumps a nice big load and Jan is ready to go too. He moves up and shoots his cum over Honza's chest and then lowers his head to kiss him again to end the scene. Well what a lovely time they had, and what enjoyment they created for us.
Michal Valko is a very handsome guy who we wanted to do more than just a solo with. We invited him in for a nude submission wrestling match, and paired him with Jan Pribyla, a handsome, big dicked guy. They start off, in their undies, warming up and helping each other with their stretching exercises. The first round goes quite quickly, with Jan taking the point. Then the guys remove the undies and carry on with the match. The grapple, with bodies beautifully entwined as they try for supremacy. It takes a while but eventually Jan takes the second round too. Despite his best efforts Michal doesn't seem quite able to gain an advantage and Jan takes the next 3 rounds to lead 5-0. The pattern continues, with Jan appearing unbeatable despite a massive effort by Michal and soon he is leading 8-0. As he stands at the end of round 8 Jan's cock has swollen measurably and looks glorious as he holds the score card in the air. Michal then, with a supreme effort manages to get his first score on the board. But his joy is shortlived as Jan comes back to take the next two rounds. With cocks flapping about as the strive to master each other Michal takes the 12th round. With Jan leading 10-2 he quickly takes the next round too. Then the guys oil each other's bodies, giving a brief respite from their exertions, before they start again. The slippery bodies hasn't affected Jan's determination and he takes the final 4 rounds to win very impressively at 15-2. Michal is gracious in defeat and they settle down for a wank-off. They get their cocks nice and hard and then wank each other for a while. Jan then bends over and sucks on Michal's cock too before wankign again. Soon Michal is ready and shoots his load for us. He then sneaks quick glimpses at Jan's big cock as he cums as well. They clean each other up to bring a very good match to an end.
Martin Poupa is aged 18 and lives in Brno. He is a student who enjoys sports, particularly ice-hockey. Martin has a beautiful face with really lovely eyes. After his interview he starts to feel himself, lifting his shirt to show us some skin. He massages his groin with one hand and removes the shirt completely. Then as a hand runs over his body he opens the top of his jeans and slips a hand inside. It's not long before he opens the jeans completely and pulls a nicely engorged cock out. Looking into the camera Martin wanks on his cock and pulls on his balls as his other hand feels his chest. We have a lovely view from above his shoulder, with his head turned towards us as his cock stands proud. Martin turns over and we see a perfectly rounded ass. His hands spread the cheeks as a helping hand arrives, and begins to remove Martins shoes, socks and jeans. When he has Martin fully naked the hands then drips oil onto that sexy body and begins to massage. Then a hand reaches down to feel Martin cock, between his legs, as his ass hole is in perfect view. Some oil is dripped onto the hole and the helping hands rub it over that ass. Soon a finger slips into that tight pucker hole. Having tested the water the hands then get Martin onto his knees and wanks on his cock, getting it nice and hard. Once it is hard the hands begin to work on his ass again. A vibrator is gently eased into Martin's ass and fucks in and out, while his cock is being wanked. Martin is very compliant and takes it well. He then turns over and lifts a leg, with the helping hand wanking him and using the vibrator on that ass. Having gone far enough the hand then discards the vibrator and wanks Martin until he shoots a nice, creamy load for us. Having cum Martin is then sent off to the shower to clean up. What a beautiful guy he is and he certainly did very well in this video.
Jan Rakas is aged 22 and lives in Ceske Budjovice. He works as a car salesman and enjoys fitness, football and movies. What a handsome guy Jan is and, as he strips off, we see that he has a very nice body too. First his top comes off revealing a nice chest. Then his jeans are opened to reveal a soft cock. But it does stay soft for long. Jan adopts some very good poses, with his cock nice and hard. He then turns to show us a very sexy ass, with a covering of silky looking hair. Martin goes through a series of poses to ensure that we see every inch of him in this stills shoot. Very good he looks too. I will be looking forward to seeing how he gets on in his erotic video.
Jan Sadecky is 18 years old and lives in Ostrava. He is a student who enjoys sport, fitness and basketball. Jan is a very handsome guy with a great body. Jan has done some wonderful full contact shoots for us over the past couple of months. But today we present a second solo shoot with him. He looks great as he stands and poses with his clothes, gradually removing them. As the tee-shirt comes off we see that beautifully formed body. He poses for us before opening the jeans and letting a rather large cock out. Then as the jeans are shucked down a bit we get a sideways view of that big dick. Jan then treats us to that sexy ass, with the cheeks spread. When Jan gets his cock hard we see just how big and beautiful it looks, a wonderful sight to behold. Jan then takes us through a series of further poses, ensuring that we see everything he has to offer. A most engaging sight. Jan is a great model and a very nice guy too. I hope we will do much more work with him.


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Keith Hadley
The economic attractions of the South extend beyond manufacturing employment. African-American migrants are also drawn to an overall lower cost of living in the region, as well as thriving middle-class communities and career opportunities. The Houston family washes one of their vehicles in front of their home in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Doris and Julia moved from Chicago.


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BEIJING — For most of the last two decades, director Lou Ye has angered Chinese authorities by making movies that touch on sensitive subjects like sex and politics and then by screening them at foreign festivals without official approval. He's had multiple films banned, and was barred for years from even practicing his craft.
His newest work, the dark melodrama "Mystery," looked like a chance for the 47-year-old to come in from the cold. Lou received approval from China's censorship body before screening his movie at the Cannes International Film Festival in May. After the festival, he registered the $2.6 million noirish tale, made with 20% French financial backing, as an official French-Chinese co-production.
But weeks before the mid-October opening of "Mystery" in Beijing, Chinese authorities told Lou to edit two scenes containing sex and violence. They also asked him, without explanation, to cancel the co-production agreement.
PHOTOS: U.S.-China box office comparisons
In China, the world's second-largest and fastest-growing movie market, friction between filmmakers and government regulators is a regular occurrence, yet often, the difficult back-and-forth takes place behind closed doors. This time, Lou took the fight public, posting documents online and blogging for weeks about each interaction and negotiation with authorities. The skirmish raises unsettling questions about Chinese officials' willingness to scuttle business deals and impose new censorship requirements, even after issuing approvals.


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Raeburn Likes Effort in First Days of Football Campby Howard Hewitt • August 19, 2010 Share:
Successful and winning athletic programs reload. The Little Giant football team returns nine starters, five on offense and four on defense, but plenty of playing experience to keep expectations high.
A challenging schedule opens with Wooster Sept. 11 and finishes with a trip to Wittenberg and hosting DePauw the last two weeks of the season.
A freshman class of more than 60 bolster Little Giant hopes for the future, but it's those key returning veterans who must set the pace in pre-season practices. The Little Giants are toiling in the August heat getting ready for the Scots and the dedication of the refurbished football field.
Even though the offense returns more starters much of the offensive line is gone. Head coach Erik Raeburn and the lone returning starter Nick Durm talk about the O-line in the video below.
The defense has more returning players with experience and will be expected to set the tone.
"We're going to have a defense that will be able to fly around and make plays," said senior defensive back Jake Martin. "We're solid at all positions. We're having competition at every spot. It just brings out best in everybody."
Pat Clegg, a sophomore defensive lineman who started some last year but played a lot, has found things much easier the second time around.
"One of the big things coming in as a freshman is you don't know anyone," the 6-foot, 2-inch Illinois native said. "I have friends on the team so that's a big help. It's a huge comfort compared to last year knowing the plays, what to expect - you don't have to adjust as much."
With all the focus on the newcomers and on those who step up, the handful of seniors on the 2010 roster are realizing it's their last go-round.
"Right now you just want to take advantage of every opportunity you get out here," Martin said. There's a very good chance this will be last year I have a chance to suit up. It kind of stinks at times but you have to go out and enjoy it. I enjoy every moment. I don't always think about it (being my last year) but it is in the back of my mind."
Follow Coach Raeburn's daily comments about pre-season camp on Twitter: @ErikRaeburn


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Twice a year, Sun City residents have the opportunity to purge their closets, garages and storage spaces of unused or old trinkets, clothes and furniture and sell them at a community-wide yard sale.
That opportunity is coming again with the Fall Parking Lot Sale on Saturday from 8 a.m.–noon, Sun City Lane will be packed with residents selling their goods from more than 300 tables, and hundreds of residents and guests buying unwanted treasures.
The semi-annual event, which has been held for at least 10 years, is popular. Sun City Hilton Head expects at least 3,000 attendees. During past Parking Lot Sales, more than 700 cars have come through the front gate, according to Jackie Bates, the Lifestyle Services Director for Sun City Hilton Head.
Community rules prohibit Sun City residents from holding individual garage sales. The spring and fall Parking Lot Sale give residents the opportunity to sell their old wares and treasures to neighbors and the surrounding community, Bates said.
"It's a great opportunity to get rid of older items to make room for new, or to simply scale down," she said.
New safety procedures will go into effect during this Parking Lot Sale. Guests will enter through the Sun City North gate and be routed to Sgt. William Jasper Boulevard into the Town Square parking lot. By directing all guest traffic into
the Town Square parking lot, the Sun City property surrounding Town Square will be better protected.
Sun City Lane will close at 8 a.m. on Friday through at least 2 p.m. on Saturday. Only those residents who have purchased tables and have parking passes will be allowed to drive on Sun City Lane during the designated times. By eliminating both foot traffic and vehicle traffic on Sun City Lane the morning of the Parking Lot Sale, the Community Association and Safety & Services anticipates a much safer environment for both residents and guests, Bates said.
Residents selling items can set up between noon and midnight on Friday. Security will monitor Sun City Lane overnight. Trucks will no longer pick up unwanted belongings after the Parking Lot Sale. This year, all residents with goods for sale will be responsible for bringing their trash and donations to a designated spot in the Magnolia Hall parking lot or face a fine.
"The Community Association along with Safety & Services hopes that these changes will enhance the safety of all attendees and participants in the upcoming Fall Parking Lot Sale," Bates said.
But the Parking Lot Sale is more than just an opportunity for residents to get rid of treasures that are collecting dust. It's also an event that allows non-profit groups to raise money. Lifestyle Services reaches out to nonprofit organizations every year to collect unwanted and unsold items at the end of each sale. Last year, Lifestyle Services recruited several non-profit Resident Community Groups to sell food during the Parking Lot Sale. Groups such as Second Helpings, Habitat for Humanity and the Hearing Loss Association have benefited from this welcomed addition to the sale.
Residents also use the Parking Lot Sale to raise money for their groups. Take the Sun City Coupon Clippers, for example. This group of women accepts donations from other residents, that they sell and use the proceeds to send clipped coupons to soldiers stationed on military bases in Fort Stewart, Ga., Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. and to Incirlik Air Force Base in Turkey.
"We are raising the money to pay for the postage for the boxes of coupons we mail," said Deb Gregory, one of the leaders of the Coupon Clippers. "We choose the parking lot sale because we know other Sun City groups have been successful with raising funds (there)."
The Parking Lot Sale is sponsored by the New River Auto Mall.
On Saturday, Pinckney Hall, Magnolia Hall, Yemassee Crafts Center, Purrysburg Fitness Center, walking trails, playground, Barataria Pool, Pavilion, putting green and the tennis, Bocce and croquet courts, will not open until 2 p.m. Parking in Town Square will also be prohibited except for those attending the sale until 2 p.m.
What: Sun City Parking Lot Sale
When: 8 a.m.-noon Saturday
Where: Sun City Lane, Sun City