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The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
-Albert Einstein
If my wife and I ever decide to traverse the Old Country, I'll be sure and pack a special bag for France, one containing all the necessary accoutrements to blend in seamlessly into le haute couture. Decked out in my Texan Lucchese cowboy boots, an oversized stars & stripes belt buckle, my NRA ballcap and a George W. Bush high-fiving Jesus t-shirt, I'll gladly mortify my better half by munching on a quarter-pound…er…royale w/cheese while asking everyone in earshot for directions to the Paris Hilton from the rolled-down window of a rented Hummer H2.
"Excusay-moi, monseniors. But do y'all happen to speak German?"
"Non, monsieur. We do not."
"Yer welcome!"
Have they forgotten their own history? Or more importantly, are we doomed to repeat it for them?
Over the past six years, an outbreak of European birdbrain flu has slowly but steadily made its way across the pond, fueling an intellectual insurgency that's raging through the fever swamps within our universities, newsrooms, and bookstore coffee bars. Those terminally infected are still relatively small in number, though in a reverse-quarantine they command immediate attention from media televirologists the world over whenever and wherever they surface to spread their contagion.
Europe's gunboat diplomacy of yore has gone out of favor, out of style, and out of date, replaced with a nouvelle vague don't-rock-the-boat disability. Which is convenient, considering that over the previous decade the Old World combined has budgeted less for military hardware upgrades than we have on targeting software updates alone.
Still, the domestic Barnes & Noblesse oblige crowd -- with their claptrappucchinos and their sophisticated taste for yellow (dog) journalism -- are hardly the world-weary isolationists they pretend to be. American interventionism did not appear particularly troubling to these citizen-skeptics during the previous decade when it pertained to solely humanitarian impulses; but add American security to the mix and suddenly their travel mugs spilleth over. Within the span of one electoral cycle any prevailing charitable impulses evaporated, leaving nothing but a naked desire for America and its military might to be knocked off its pedestal; to be sent packing from the Middle East with its tail between its legs, humiliated and discredited before an Islamic world that respects only strength and routinely mistakes kindness for weakness.
To believe as such is assuredly their prerogative as Americans. But with any civil liberties come civic responsibility. True, our hard-won freedoms protect the right to march on Washington, spin elaborate webs of intrigue about the powers that be, and rudely shout down invited speakers at commencement addresses. But they also protect the right to drink Zima, name your children after fruit, and wear socks with sandals. Just because you can do it doesn't always mean it's a good idea.
Take the liberal pullout method as it relates to the war -- cynical sixties defeatism at it's worst. (And who would've guessed there were still so many G'n'R fans out there?) The same people who scoff at the idea of abstinence being taught to our children deem it perfectly reasonable for the main plank of our foreign policy platform. (In reality, they'd just as soon abort the effort as we enter the third trimester, but so far we've made up our minds, we're keeping our baby.) "There are ideas so absolutely stupid that only an intellectual could possibly believe them," said Orwell, the ideological ancestor of the House of Blair. "The notion that you can somehow defeat violence by submitting to it is simply a flight from fact." Indeed, a Concorde-speed flight from fact that would behoove us to impress upon the modern antiwar Left. Representative Murtha, call your office.
We all draw our own conclusions, some just use crayon and have trouble staying inside the lines.
Hey Gray Lady, Le Monde's on the horn. They want their knee-jerk reportage back. For all you stubborn Luddites who insist on sticking with Old Media, go right ahead. Peruse your illusions. As for the rest of us, there's been few sources of pepto dismal for this chronic casus belliaching other than the League of Extraordinary Amateurs. The meteoric rise of the milblogs has provided a notable reprieve from the mendacious mediacrity of previous American conflicts: spotlighting erroneous reporting; outing phony Ft. Braggart veterans; highlighting troop heroics that in another era would already have been greenlighted into John Wayne trilogies. Someone must have told Hollywood producers circa 1968 that discretion was the better part of valor, because they've certainly taken it to heart and never looked back.
What can we do?, you ask. We're but a silent majority, cowed by a vocal insanity. Know thine enemy. Venture forth into the Democratic Underground lairs -- the chant rooms that drip with bile and venom. Sample the moonbat-out-of-hell message boards that seethe with hatred for all things conservative, military, traditional, patriotic, or anti-anti-American. The New England expatriates and Jon Stewart Mills ("War is a funny thing, but not the funniest of things…"); the nationalism = Nazism Kos-heads and Huffington Post-er children for Bush Derangement Syndrome -- they're not just left-of-center. They're left of Darth Nader.
We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Nations General Assembly. And to the collectivist utopia for which it stands, One World Government, under (non-denominational moment of silence), dependent on the state, with licentiousness and social justice for all.
While we're preoccupied with fostering tolerance and liberty abroad, at home it is being undermined by our own American madrasas; spreading self-hatred for our origins, our history, and the long-held traditions of our dominant culture. Mission fait Accompli!
"Incurious" minds want to know: Is our children learning? Or are they still trying to figure out what the meaning of "is" is?
If you are unaware of what precisely is being inculcated into your kids' fuzzy little heads, go ahead, ask them sometime. (Assuming you can tear them away from the X-box long enough to hold a two-way conversation.) Quiz them on what they've learned in school or at that really expensive college your tuition money is paying their bar tabs for. Ask them what they learn when they're plugged into the Matrix that is our current American education system. Ask them what they think about the ideals upon which this country was founded and what they continue to mean today. Ask them what it is that we're memorializing on that three-day weekend that falls at the end of every May.
For grades K through 9, expect to get a blank stare. The Anointed Ones view unapologetic patriotism as indoctrination bordering on religion (and we all know how welcome that is in the public schools.) Besides, the teacher's unions take advantage of these formative early years to quote/unquote: "format the hard drives." But for the learner's permit crowd and above who've actually read their unreadable history texts: if you find yourself on the receiving end of some bizzaro emotionally-charged rant elaborately weaving the Halliburton Address to the military-industrial complexity of the environmental destruction of the endangered wetlands habitats due to the increased human traffic from the underground undocumented workers railroad run by proto-feminist Sacagawea as she exercised her Womyn of Color's Right to Choose to prevent transnational robber barons from pillaging the Native American coastal oil reserves…
Don't write me, write your congressperson. That is, unless you happen to reside and vote in either the Uncommonwealth of Massachusetts or the People's Republic of California. (In which case, you're probably better off writing someone else's).
19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer revealed all truth to pass through three stages: "First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. And third, it is accepted as being self-evident." The American idiotocracy worships anyone they feel speaks "truth to power," believing in their heart of hearts they remain founding members of the counterculture club for Boomers without Borders. To ex-Peace Corps commandos like Hardball's Chris Matthews, the Woodwards & Bernstein legacy is one of forever young dynamic duos of Davids hitting below the Beltway against real or imagined goliaths. But the very truths they hold dear are often illuminating in the lies of the beholder.
Need an easy to remember yardstick for measuring the military's progress in the Middle East? Repeat after me: "No news is good news." This works on two levels. One: very little of what is reported will ever be good news, and two: good news for us but bad news for them is the inability to dream up anything "fake but accurate" to report that day. But just when you think the irrational exuberance of the Loony Tunes Left is on the verge of bursting their own conspiracy bubbles, they're saved by those pesky bellwethers of Ba'athist belligerence whose die-easy nature belie their die-hard intent.
But even many of the remnants of Vichy Iraq not actively fighting us are content to sit back and watch as fellow Muslim instigators foment chaos within their country, about which they do little or nothing. Some are active collaborators, others simply too afraid to get involved. But involved they already are. While we don't expect all of them to pick up a gun, we do expect them to pick up a phone.
There can be no impartiality regarding an enemy that makes no distinctions between uniformed personnel and civilians. How do I know this? Osama bin Laden said it back in 1998, the Year of 'That Woman': "We do not differentiate between those dressed in military uniforms and civilians." In other words, banning ROTC from the WTC would not have lessened the KIA from bin Laden's live-to-tape remake of Gone in 60 Seconds one iota. Could anything have? The FBI? CIA? INS? U-S-A? S-O-L.
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises, maintain their neutrality.
Hotter than even the Middle East? That's a level of warmth I never want to experience. Then again, I'm betting Dante never had to survive a Mesopotamian summer dressed up like a samurai.
Of the hundreds of myriad conflicts around the globe at any given time, Muslims are usually involved on one side or the other, or in most cases, both. Is this the ripened fruit of their once magnificent civilization? Is this all they have to offer the world? The Hammurabic code, the numeric zero, then rioting, religious war, street violence, death threats, kidnappings, beheadings, fear, loathing, and fatwas? Is there anything in the last seven hundred years they can point to and say, "Look, we did this" -- other than the Islamic Enfrightenment?
Hyperventilating over cartoon drawings only further cements the hyperviolent caricature to which the Islamic religion has in recent year succumbed. Without the West, those precious Middle Eastern oil deposits would still be just a sticky black worthless goo thousands of feet below ground. But on their own merit alone, their societies haven't produced so much as a toaster oven.
Don't get me wrong. I genuinely like the majority of the Iraqi people I've met. Many of them are no different than you or I. But they are a complex lot, these Iraqis. For every Jalal Talibani or Ali al-Sistani there's a Moqtada al-Sadr or a what's- his-face. But our nation has given Iraq a unique chance to start over. A rare opportunity to build up and create rather than tear down and destroy. And every so often they seem to insist on flushing it all away.
Let every nation know, whether they wish us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to ensure the survival and success of liberty.
Identifying with those words four years ago on a marble gravemarker in Arlington overlooking an eternal flame, I wondered at the time if they were the anachronism -- or I was.
I'll admit I'm not always as confident in Iraq's future as I may seem. There are times when I feel our nomex-gloved hands that've been rocking the cradle of civilization have developed carpal tunnels. There are some days when I would be glad to leave this part of the world tomorrow and watch from the comfort of my living room as the country self-destructs on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, the BBC... If nothing else, it'd be almost worth the price of admission of failure just to watch those jackals try and top their own hysterical news reports of the past three years. "This just in: Iraq really is a quagmire! And this time we're not totally full of [bleep]!"
The northern Kurds are similarly fed up with the inexplicable unrest in their nation's southern Koran Belt. "We should just seal ourselves off from the rest," I've often been told by our U.S.-contracted interpreters from Dohuk. "In Kurdistan we are safe, we are free, we are prospering. Let the Shia and Sunnis fight amongst themselves. Let them all go kill each other if that is all they know to do."
The leading cause of violent death for Iraqis is overwhelmingly Muslim on Muslim. A tennis coach and a few of his players were recently gunned down on the streets of Baghdad for the blasphemous crime of wearing shorts. (But presumably, not socks with sandals.) Which of course begs the question: What exactly were Mohammed's views on proper tennis court attire?
But an American army doesn't quit simply because something is difficult. When has war ever been easy? Like Iraq's fledgling democracy, we also were born out of wedlock and nearly died during delivery. But we improvised. We adapted. We overcame. We out-Darwinned Darwin. Our own founding four-star believed that "perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages." Perhaps it's cornball to admit, but many of us still believe that. The military ranks may be chock full of cynical optimists, but no one mocks our own anachronistic idealism better than we do.
Any Middle Eastern nation replete with palaces but sans parliament buildings will never get the memo that Israel is not the source of their frustrations and America is not the appropriate outlet for their anger. Those who cannot petition their government for a redress of grievances will instead they take them out on us. The Iraqi people had been ritually abused and raised under a climate of fear for three decades. It may be that this cycle of violence can never be unlearned by those who have internalized it. But it can be broken. The next generation of Iraqi children will not despise the West in lieu of their own self-loathing, like their parents before them. Our camouflaged ambassadors -- likely the only Americans they will ever meet -- have seen to that personally.
If a future prosperous Iraq never throws a parade in our honor, never remembers the sacrifices of those who paved the way for their newfound freedom and prosperity; if the greater Middle East fails to note which country has been the most relentless defender of Muslims worldwide in the history of the world -- Lebanon, Kuwait, Somalia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan... Even if 40 years hence the Mid East pulls a Japan on us and starts building better cars, exporting more electronics, and buying up all the primo real estate on our own shores -- bully for them. We don't work for tips and we don't need anyone's gratitude. Veterans know what they did and why they did it; they don't need to wait around for Tom Brokaw to write a new bestseller in order to feel proud of their service.
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day that my child may have peace...
Less than one one percent of the American voting populace currently serves in the combat arms, about the same percentage as the tiny sliver of troop misconduct that white-collar memesters delight in painting the rest of us with the same tainted brush. (Haditha: Coming soon to bumper stickers everywhere).
But as we approach the one millionth uniformed customer of the three-year-old war ("Iraq: over a million served"), it bears reiterating that our nation's most basic responsibility is to provide for the common defense by supplying the manpower needs of its military. (That includes you too, 90210.) The government's job is just to sign the checks. Yet recruiters continue to be harassed off campuses and embattled in public venues even as our so-called elites prattle on about enlistment shortfalls and the need to bring back the draft for thee but not for me.
I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy...
We fully realize that you don't want your children to have to face the prospect of dying in some far-off foreign land. You know, we don't particularly relish the idea ourselves. But we also don't want to see any more of our fellow citizens being incinerated, perhaps next time by a French-made Airbus piloted by French-bred Arab immigrants who received their terrorist training in French-fubarred Algeria. That's why we're serving now during this unusually turbulent era: so that our own families will not have to face that prospect thirty years hence at the mall or in a high-rise office building or on their way to work in a subway tunnel. If America's building safety codes are updated in the near future to reflect a new parachute and gas mask requirement, then you will know we have failed.
One can't help but wonder what percentage of French schoolchildren -- or French adults, for that matter -- could identify the significance of June 6th in the annals of our two nations. (For those of you scratching your heads, wondering what Father's Day could possibly have to do with the only country glad to see Lance Armstrong retire -- you owe your American heritage approximately 2,500 pushups. Start now.) Ditto for Omaha and Utah Beaches, the 101st Airborne, the Marshall Plan... I wonder how many realize that a brigadier general and son of a former American president landed with the opening waves of Allied troops on D-Day, earning the Medal of Honor for rallying his men to press in the face of murderous enemy fire? Cricket, cricket...
Following the Second World War, both Germany and its snooty neighbor lived under the umbrella of America's protection for nearly half a century. We didn't birth them, but took them in when no one else would and with the Soviet bear salivating at the door. For fifty years we nurtured, protected, and ultimately, spoiled them. And like any overindulged teenagers, naturally they came to hate their guardians. "You're not our real parents!"
Some things never change.
Lucky for human freedom, America never will:
It is not in our nature to seek out wars and conflicts. But whenever they have come, when adversaries have left us no alternative, American men and women have stood ready to take the risks and to pay the ultimate price.
People of the same caliber and the same character today fill the ranks of the Armed Forces of the United States. Any foe who might ever challenge our national resolve would be repeating the grave errors of defeated enemies.
Because this nation loves peace, we do not take it for granted. Because we love freedom, we are always prepared to bear even its greatest costs.
President George W. Bush
Memorial Day Address, Arlington National Cemetery
May 28, 2001


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Plant Sales
Spring Plant Sale
Date:Saturday May 26th
Time: 9am
Location: The parking lot of Dufferin Mutual Insurance, 712 Main St. East
There will be a selection of hardy perennials that are acclimatized to the Shelburne area.
Typical plants that you might find are: Hostas, Heuchera, Iris, Phlox, Day Lilies and ground cover.
Do you have some gardening questions? Not sure where to start?
Come out and meet some of our members and get your questions answered.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Distinguished Company
By Bruce Britt
Leave it to Leonard Cohen, perhaps contemporary music's greatest living musical poet, to sum up the spirit of the Special Merit Awards Ceremony during his Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech Saturday at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. Dressed in a black suit and speaking in his trademark vampire baritone, the stubbly singer/songwriter thanked The Recording Academy for allowing him to be a part of "this distinguished company…as we make our way to the finish line that some of us have already crossed."
Sobering words. If we are to take away anything from Michael Jackson's senseless, unexpected death last year at age 50, it's that we must appreciate our heroes and loved ones before, and after, they cross over into the unknowable beyond. Appreciation is exactly what the annual Special Merit Awards are all about, and The Academy honored 12 legendary artists, innovators, companies, and behind-the-scenes technicians whose timeless works have helped improve the quality of lives worldwide.
Though Cohen's poetic, fateful words resounded throughout the event, other recipients delivered insightful stories and jokes that appealed more to the funny bone. A frail Clark Terry had to be helped to the stage, but not even illness could dampen the trumpeter's indomitable comic spirit. Hobbling down the stage in his wheelchair, the iconic jazz trumpeter joked that he was going to "keep doing it" until he got it right. Summing up his career, Delta blues singer/guitarist David "Honeyboy" Edwards stated that he "played a lot of blues out there…and I'm still 'knocking 'em dead." The son of late Scepter Records founder Florence Greenberg, who was there to accept a Trustees Award on her behalf, reminisced that "if you called her 'mother' at the office, our pay got docked."
Accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award for the late Bobby Darin, Dodd Darin struggled to compose himself as he remembered his dad. Flanked by his two school-aged daughters, Dodd shared how his multi-talented father was outraged that blacks were not allowed to perform at New York's legendary Copacabana, and recounted how he insisted black comic George Kirby open his show at the nightspot. The club's owner balked at the request, but Darin stood his ground and prevailed.
When the ancestors of phonograph inventor Thomas Alva Edison and country singer Loretta Lynn took the stage to accept awards for their famous elders, you couldn't help but think of their distinguished heredity. A Technical GRAMMY Award was given to pro audio company AKG Acoustics, the award-winning subsidiary of Harman International. Classical conductor/pianist André Previn (accepting his award via video presentation), country producer/guitarist Harold Bradley, and longtime GRAMMY telecast producer Walter C. Miller jammed the hilarity meter with their wry speeches.
Finally, former Michael Jackson manager Frank DiLeo took the stage to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award for his late client. Accepting the award for Jackson's three children, DiLeo told the hushed crowd the King of Pop had a tremendous sense of humor, which the singer would reveal when he watched the GRAMMYs. As DiLeo recalled, Jackson would phone him after a particularly weird acceptance speech and say, "Do you believe what that guy just said?"
"Then he would laugh and hang up," DiLeo said.
While Jackson has crossed Cohen's proverbial finish line, his work — along with that of the rest of this year's Special Merit Awards class — will be appreciated and celebrated for many years to come.
(To view photos from the Special Merit Awards and other GRAMMY Week events, click here.)


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Topology and Its Applications
Topology and Its Applications
Nov 2006
384 pages
In Stock
DescriptionDiscover a unique and modern treatment of topology employing a cross-disciplinary approach
Implemented recently to understand diverse topics, such as cell biology, superconductors, and robot motion, topology has been transformed from a theoretical field that highlights mathematical theory to a subject that plays a growing role in nearly all fields of scientific investigation. Moving from the concrete to the abstract, Topology and Its Applications displays both the beauty and utility of topology, first presenting the essentials of topology followed by its emerging role within the new frontiers in research.
Filling a gap between the teaching of topology and its modern uses in real-world phenomena, Topology and Its Applications is organized around the mathematical theory of topology, a framework of rigorous theorems, and clear, elegant proofs.
This book is the first of its kind to present applications in computer graphics, economics, dynamical systems, condensed matter physics, biology, robotics, chemistry, cosmology, material science, computational topology, and population modeling, as well as other areas of science and engineering. Many of these applications are presented in optional sections, allowing an instructor to customize the presentation.
The author presents a diversity of topological areas, including point-set topology, geometric topology, differential topology, and algebraic/combinatorial topology. Topics within these areas include:
- Open sets
- Compactness
- Homotopy
- Surface classification
- Index theory on surfaces
- Manifolds and complexes
- Topological groups
- The fundamental group and homology
Special "core intuition" segments throughout the book briefly explain the basic intuition essential to understanding several topics. A generous number of figures and examples, many of which come from applications such as liquid crystals, space probe data, and computer graphics, are all available from the publisher's Web site.
I. 1 Preliminaries.
1.2 Cardinality.
1. Continuity.
1. 1 Continuity and Open Sets in Rn.
1.2 Continuity and Open Sets in Topological Spaces.
1.3 Metric, Product, and Quotient Topologies.
1.4 Subsets of Topological Spaces.
1.5 Continuous Functions and Topological Equivalence.
1.6 Surfaces.
1.7 Application: Chaos in Dynamical Systems.
1.7.1 History of Chaos.
1.7.2 A Simple Example.
1.7.3 Notions of Chaos.
2. Compactness and Connectedness.
2.1 Closed Bounded Subsets of R.
2.2 Compact Spaces.
2.3 Identification Spaces and Compactness.
2.4 Connectedness and path-connectedness.
2.5 Cantor Sets.
2.6 Application: Compact Sets in Population Dynamics and Fractals.
3. Manifolds and Complexes.
3.1 Manifolds.
3.2 Triangulations.
3.3 Classification of Surfaces.
3.3.1 Gluing Disks.
3.3.2 Planar Models.
3.3.3 Classification of Surfaces.
3.4 Euler Characteristic.
3.5 Topological Groups.
3.6 Group Actions and Orbit Spaces.
3.6.1 Flows on Tori.
3.7 Applications.
3.7.1 Robotic Coordination and Configuration Spaces.
3.7.2 Geometry of Manifolds.
3.7.3 The Topology of the Universe.
4. Homotopy and the Winding Number.
4.1 Homotopy and Paths.
4.2 The Winding Number.
4.3 Degrees of Maps.
4.4 The Brouwer Fixed Point Theorem.
4.5 The Borsuk-Ulam Theorem.
4.6 Vector Fields and the Poincare' Index Theorem.
4.7 Applications I.
4.7.1 The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra.
4.7.2 Sandwiches.
4.7.3 Game Theory and Nash Equilibria.
4.8 Applications 1I: Calculus.
4.8.1 Vector Fields, Path Integrals, and the Winding Number.
4.8.2 Vector Fields on Surfaces.
4.8.3 1ndex Theory for n-Symmetry Fields.
4.9 Index Theory in Computer Graphics.
5. Fundamental Group.
5. I Definition and Basic Properties.
5.2 Homotopy Equivalence and Retracts.
5.3 The Fundamental Group of Spheres and Tori.
5.4 The Seifert-van Kampen Theorem.
5.4.1 Flowers and Surfaces.
5.4.2 The Seifert-van Kampen Theorem.
5.5 Covering spaces.
5.6 Group Actions and Deck Transformations.
5.7 Applications.
5.7.1 Order and Emergent Patterns in Condensed Matter Physics.
6. Homology.
6.1 A-complexes.
6.2 Chains and Boundaries.
6.3 Examples and Computations.
6.4 Singular Homology.
6.5 Homotopy Invariance.
6.6 Brouwer Fixed Point Theorem for Dn.
6.7 Homology and the Fundamental Group.
6.8 Betti Numbers and the Euler Characteristic.
6.9 Computational Homology.
6.9.1 Computing Betti Numbers.
6.9.2 Building a Filtration.
6.9.3 Persistent Homology.
Appendix A: Knot Theory.
Appendix B: Groups.
Appendix C: Perspectives in Topology.
C.1 Point Set Topology.
C.2 Geometric Topology.
C.3 Algebraic Topology.
C.4 Combinatorial Topology.
C.5 Differential Topology.
"…a welcome addition to what is now a long list of good undergraduate topology books." (CHOICE, August 2007)
"..a celebration of topology and its many applications. I enjoyed reading it and believe that it would be an interesting textbook from which to learn." (MAA Reviews, January 12, 2007)


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Genuine Kyocera Mita KM2530 Toner. Yield on this product is - 32,000 pages. Yield is based on industry standard coverage of 5% for black and 15% for colour. Different page yields will be achieved with different coverage...
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Hanukkah Songs Collection (Chanukah songs)
Alto Saxophone
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This is an exclusive arrangements for alto saxophone & piano of EASY skill level from the original composition by Miscellaneous. This title is available as instant sheet music download. Contents: oh hanukkah, o hanukkah, oh chanukah, o chanukah, maoz tsur, ma oz tsur, rock of ages, okh bin a kleyner dreydl, i have a little dreidel, little dreidel, sevinon, sov, ner li, i have a candle, manurah, candle, mi yimalel, who can retell, al hanisim, thank you for the miracles, birchat, chanukah blessings, hanukkah blessings, banu choshech legaresh, we come to chase the dark away, etc.
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Henrik Nejezchleb didn't set out to make custom cycling clothing. When Curve was launched in 1991 in Boulder, Colorado, the company was making bike parts: skewers, cantilever brakes, brake stiffeners. But after dabbling in soft goods in 2000, Nejezchleb soon found himself making private label clothing for big brands like Trek and Cannondale as well as companies like KTM motorcycles. Today, Curve makes custom clothing for a huge range of cyclists, from top pros to former NFL players to local teams.
Custom clothing is a crowded market these days, with dozens of companies offering sublimation on everything from the standard bibs and jerseys to warmers, hats, jackets and shoe covers. Curve's Scott Tietzel says the Boulder company differentiates itself from the crowd with high-quality garments, low minimum-order requirements and an almost overwhelming amount of choice in fabrics and design.
Thor Hushovd in a Curve base layer
"Our clothing is real Tour de France quality that guys that are actually riding in the Tour de France," Tietzel said, pointing to riders like Chris Horner (hat), Thor Hushovd (base layer) or Alberto Contador (El Pistelero socks).
"Besides the low minimums [11 pieces to place an order], we have lots of options in material, patterns, chamois pads and stitching," he said. "Once you get past the idea that 'custom is all the same Lycra, what's the best price?' you realize there are huge differences in quality."
Different fabrics can be chosen for the the chest, back, shoulders and side panels
Curve offers two categories of clothing. Curve Team Custom is good quality and reasonably priced clothing made in Eastern Europe. Curve Proline is the top-end line made in Italy. Sublimated Curve Team Custom jerseys cost about $55 and bib shorts are about $75, depending on quantity ordered. The Curve Proline jerseys range from $65 to $140, and the bibs are between $80 and $150, depending on the types of fabrics and the quantity ordered. Within a single team order, riders can choose different types of chamois inserts without an upcharge.
Although Tietzel won't name the factory, it seems clear that Curve uses MOA, a high-end company that produces many pro teams' clothing. "We have crusty old Italian folks that have been making riding clothing for decades. So the fit is just great. The pockets are in the right place; there are no no cute new designs," he said.
In addition to custom graphics, Curve also offers custom sizing cuts on clothing in the Proline. For example, Curve made clothing tailored for Ariel Solomon, a former offensive linemen for the Pittsburgh Steelers (read: not a little fellow).
"The [Proline factory employees] come from a tailor background, they make their own patterns and there is so much experience in their background," Tietzel said. "They can just do custom adjustments no problem. They are not just people running sewing machines."
Elbowz Racing in Curve clothing
A fully custom one-off time trial suit with custom measurements, for example, would run you $250-$350, depending on materials.
Much more common is teams coming to Curve looking for standout clothing. "As an example, one team wanted more texture. We have a book of fabric samples from our factory. So we sat down with these customers and made something that we've never made before, with Eschler fabric on the shorts."
Curve offers a deep selection of accessories, many with options within options. There are 12 different short sleeve jerseys alone — plus you can specify the type of side, front and shoulder panel material.
For more information check out Curve's website.
Options abound for bibs shorts with seemingly limitless choices of fabric, grippers, chamois and stitching


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Vacation in the Rocky Mountains
Here is where everyone should spend some time to just unwind and relax. I love bluegrass music. After finding out about an annual festival in Westcliffe, CO I made reservations for my wife and I to attend the 2009 High Mountain Hay Fever festival, July 9-12. We had a difficult time getting housing but finally found a cabin about 9 miles into the mountains at a place called Alpine Lodge. Wonderful scenery in all directions. This lodge operates a small restaurant and their food is superb. They mostly serve dinner either indoors or on a patio overlooking the valley below.
Our travel from Florida to Denver, CO was by Amtrak. We had our own private sleeper compartment with all meals provided. After arrival in Denver we visited with a friend over breakfast and rose early the next morning for a 3 hr drive to Westcliffe. The picture above was taken just a few minutes outside of Westcliffe along a narrow two lane road.
I will be posting more pictures in later additions to my blog.
Now it is time to head for the bluegrass presentation to hear such groups as Dry Branch Fire Squad (my favorite), The Sullivan Family, The Country Gentlemen, and others. The weather is so conducive to good times...about 50 degrees at night and about 80 degrees in the daytime.
We are here to relax and enjoy the time away from the rush-rush of our everyday life in Lakeland. Will be back in FL about July 25th.


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Accommodations in Oleszno, Poland
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Where to stay in Oleszno
Where to stay in OlesznoWhether you're planning to stay for a night or for the week, the area around Oleszno has accommodations to fit every need. Search for hotels in Oleszno with Hotels.com by checking our online map. Our map displays the areas and neighborhoods around all Oleszno hotels so you can see how close you are from landmarks and attractions, and then refine your search within the larger area. The best Oleszno hotel deals are here with our lowest price guarantee.
When to visit OlesznoWhen planning your trip, you may be wondering when is the best time of year to visit. Here are the seasonal norms to help you decide when to go:
Seasonal temperature averages
- • January-March: 49°F day, 19°F night
- • April-June: 73°F day, 32°F night
- • July-September: 74°F day, 42°F night
- • October-December: 61°F day, 25°F night
- • January-March: 0.12 inches
- • April-June: 0.31 inches
- • July-September: 0.39 inches
- • October-December: 0.12 inches


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|Cheryl Calm
|| Print |
ABdFC National Specialty Sweepstakes 2007
Judges comments:
The huge thank you to the show committee for the invitation - and to the exhibitors for the lovely entries in the puppy and veteran sweepstakes at the 2007 national specialty. Judging is an experience every serious breeder and exhibitor should have. It's a whole different deal to walk in that ring and have the decision making all yours. I felt I owed it to each entry and every exhibitor to know and apply the standard - and put aside any personal preferences. The Bouvier standard is a fairly complete one. Anyone serious about dog shows and breeding should memorize it - and read standards for other breeds to appreciate our standard - and to better understand what makes the Bouvier distinct from similarly built breeds. We should all be able to name the three things severely penalized under our breed standard - and have enough respect for the standard that dogs with those problems just have a happy life outside of a show ring.
The puppies were very well trained and behaved (for the most part) and all the temperaments sound. I was glad I didn't have to eliminate any from consideration because examination and movement was difficult or impossible - because puppies being puppies - that can happen. The veterans are a very special group. We should all take notice of those lines that hold together for the long haul.
My goal was to sort to the front the dogs with the breed type pieces of squareness, width and depth of body combined with bone, correct outline, good head, bite and coat (with allowances for puppy coats and the older veterans.) I was pleased to find the majority of the entries with short backs, good bone and rib spring. I also found a lot of good toplines and tailsets, and overall, correct head proportions and bites.
I was looking for good shoulders - and was disappointed to find in the minority the "slightly more than 90 degrees" shoulder called for by the standard. A good shoulder is something we should treasure and protect as breeders - because once we lose that proper front end angle - it's one of the most difficult pieces to bring back. We also need to pay attention to equal layback of the scapula and humerus. While some of the dogs with a steep scapula and well laid back humerus can compensate into decent movement, loss of balance in front end angles will bring trouble in later generations. I was pleased to find most of the entries had shoulder bones of equal length, with few short forearms.
There were many good rears in the sweepstakes entries. Our breed appears to be moving away from the over angulated rears that were easy to find ten years ago - with the wasted-motion high kick that went with them. Hock length is also better. I found very few long or poor hocks. Many solid rear assemblies.
I was glad to see a ring of good size so that everyone would have a chance to show their movement. I was hoping to find many with the balanced and free movement called for by the standard. Restricted motion was easier to find than free movement. Balanced and free movement is critical for our breed because it's what allows the breed to work a long day without tiring. The dog with correct movement is easy to spot. They move with such ease and efficiency there's no question they can move like that all day. Legs and shoulders extend fully without lift. You can draw an equilateral triangle - across the ground through each extended leg with the upper point of the triangle directly above the center of the back. This is the movement we need to preserve for future generations. That thought was foremost in my mind as I made my selections. I was also looking for the firm and flat back in motion called for by the standard.
It was very interesting to see the Bouviers that I judged on Wednesday back in the ring in the days following - some with different handlers. A few dogs that showed me their best faded in the heat and humidity and many days of shows. Others didn't - and some got stronger as the week went on. Judging is truly "on the day." Several of my classes were hard decisions between the top two - and same dogs/different day - the outcome could easily switch.
I thoroughly enjoyed the assignment and getting my hands on some truly lovely Bouviers. Thanks to my ring steward Pat Dowling who had everything in order from the first minute to the last and to the show committee for all their hard work that brought a smooth running and very enjoyable show.
Cheryl Calm
|Last Updated on Monday, 17 January 2011 00:08
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2018 Wabash Student Summer Work
This is an internal page for the Wabash College community
Wabash College On-Campus Internship Employers and students will use this site to indicate Wabash students who have accepted an on-campus summer internship or other on-campus summer job at Wabash.
Employers: Once you have selected a Wabash student to hire for your internship or on-campus summer job, log in below to provide information about your job and the student you hired. You can also log in to view a list of all students who have accepted a summer position.
Students: If you received an email directing you to this site to accept
an internship or on-campus summer job, log in below to indicate whether
you will accept the position.


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Charlie Hunnam Is Shirtless Sexy for New Calvin Klein Campaign
We've always known how hot Charlie Hunnam is, but he's taking it to a whole new level for this new Calvin Klein Reveal campaign!
The 34-year-old actor went shirtless alongside model Doutzen Kroes for the new ad and he is letting us know what we are missing by him not starring in the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey movie.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Charlie Hunnam
Charlie has recently been hard at work on the final season of his hit series Sons of Anarchy. He was spotted on set last week and made sure to pose for photos with fans.
He will have to shed his biker boy look after filming wraps when he goes to shoot the upcoming movie Pacific Rim 2!
Bigger picture inside…


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MIDLAND CITY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama man whose property is surrounded by police after a school bus shooting had been due in court on a charge of threatening neighbors.
Investigators have not released the suspect's name. Neighbors said the rural property near Dothan at the heart of the standoff Wednesday belonged to Jimmy Lee Dykes, a man in his 60s.
Court records showed Dykes had been scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning to face a charge of menacing some neighbors as they drove by his house last month. The neighbors said he yelled and fired shots over damage he claimed their pickup truck did to a make-shift speed bump in the dirt road.
The standoff started Tuesday after a gunman boarded a stopped school bus, shot the driver and took a 6-year-old student.


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Paul A. Volcker served two terms as Federal Reserve chairman under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. While some of Volcker's policies during that time, including rapid increases in interest rates, were considered unpopular, he is credited with helping tame the United States' inflation problems of the 1970s.
Following his leadership role in the Fed, Volcker had been tapped in 2004 to research possible corruption in the United Nations Oil for Food Program. Volcker's latest appointment comes as chairman of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board under President-elect Barack Obama.
Born in 1927 in Cape May, N.J., Volcker earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton and a master's from the Harvard University Graduate School of Public Administration. Before leading the Federal Reserve, he served as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.


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A BlankTV Premiere Presentation:
Riviera - "Away"
Artist Bio:
A band of 4 friends who love to play music and party. From a small city in the UK we aim to impress with our original and somewhat familiar sound; utilizing pounding rhythms, majestic lead lines, soaring clean vocals as well as passionate screams, we hope to grab your attention.
This video was made completely DIY, what we set out to showcase in this video is how close we are as friends.
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CRESTVIEW � Renovation of a 1920s Main Street commercial building temporarily halted upon the discovery of cracks in the building's fa�ade and foundation.
CRESTVIEW � Renovation of a 1920s Main Street commercial building temporarily halted upon the discovery of cracks in the building's fa�ade and foundation.
Cracks in the three-course-thick brickwork were discovered as workers stripped 1970s vinyl siding from a building on Main Street�s 200 block that houses Brad Stewart�s law offices.
"There's a pretty prominent crack in the front of the building," Stewart said. "The corner is actually slightly tilted. We needed to engage an engineer for structural soundness."
Stewart said the engineer did not find foundation or structural problems and approved the project to continue, but the work�s scope expanded to repair the cracks, moving the expected completion date later than planned.
The building�s Main Street face will receive "age-specific" brick, while the alley fa�ade likely will have a mural depicting the building when it was new, Stewart said.
Meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board, the Crestview City Council unanimously approved Stewart's request for an extension to fa�ade improvement work on the historic building. He had received a $9,000 grant from the CRA for the restoration project.
Under CRA rules, businesses that receive fa�ade improvement grants � which can be as much as $10,000 � have six months to complete the approved work.
Praising Stewart�s efforts toward preserving Crestview's historic downtown, the board unanimously approved his request for an extension.
Stewart said the work would end within the extended period, and said he would preserve a "butterfly door" uncovered on the building's north side.
The door features a 1960s butterfly motif and was preserved beneath the vinyl siding. It will become an interior door, Stewart said.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.


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ST. LOUIS — Disney calls them "ear hats." You can buy one in pink or lime, or topped with a tiara or bow tie.
But the traditional hat is all-black, adorned with nothing but the ears that Adrian Gonzalez mimicked the other day. That is only fitting, because the bad guys wear the black hats.
The Dodgers ought to go all in on their new image as fun-loving, free-spending bad boys. Embrace it. Own it. This is the second coming of the Big Blue Wrecking Crew, this one wrecking old-fashioned decorum on the quest for October glory.
The Dodgers field a team with such distinguished players as Gonzalez, Clayton Kershaw and Hanley Ramirez, but mercurial rookie Yasiel Puig leads in jersey sales. Puig hits the ball a mile, throws the ball almost as far, puts hands on hips to stare at umpires, points to the sky and gestures in celebration whenever he gets a hit.
The Dodgers clinched the National League West in Arizona, then jumped in the Diamondbacks' pool. They invited comedian Will Ferrell to announce the starting lineup Wednesday, before Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, and he introduced Zack Greinke as "today's winning pitcher."
In the third inning, Gonzalez hit a home run, flipped his bat, then trotted around the bases with mischief on his mind. After Game 3, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright had accused him of "Mickey Mouse" heckling from third base, a charge Gonzalez denied but did not forget. As he trotted back to the Dodgers' dugout, he put his thumbs atop his helmet and wiggled his fingers.
An ear hat. Mickey Mouse ears.
"I'm going to retire them," Gonzalez said.
"Once you start it, you've got to keep it going," Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford shot back.
These are the emotions of October, and the Cardinals let out a scream every now and then too.
"I think there needs to be more of that," Dodgers utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. said. "We're not playing Game 137 in August. This is the playoffs. Both teams are trying to get to the World Series.
"People are paying a lot of money to see these games. It's not just the games. This is entertainment. It's good for the game."
The Dodgers are paying more money to their players than any team in baseball history. That alone gets them the black hat. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch presented its series preview with this headline: "The Cardinals' Way vs. the Dodgers' Pay," with the rich uncle from Monopoly as the Dodgers' mascot.
"We do not ever have as one of our goals being a team people love to hate," Dodgers President Stan Kasten said. "If you have the highest payroll, we know some of that happens naturally."
TMZ cameras already trail Puig whenever he goes out in L.A. This could be Hollywood's team, a reality show in cleats, flattening the Diamondbacks, annoying the Cardinals, not caring whether you see enthusiasm or arrogance in their actions.
"We do not shy away from any of that," Kasten said. "We have made no apologies. We think everything that has happened so far has been appropriate.
"But we don't want to do anything that is artificial or contrived in general. As long as whatever we see is spontaneous and natural, that's a positive."
In other words, while the Dodgers might be fine with Puig on the field, they won't be selling action figures of a miniature Puig thrusting his fists into the air, or T-shirts depicting players with Mickey Mouse ears.
"The Diamondbacks need to get over it. Maybe the Cardinals need to get over it," said David Carter, executive director the USC Sports Business Institute. "But the Dodger brand is too important to allow it to be demeaned by an erosion in credibility."
Andy Dolich, a veteran sports marketing executive who implemented the "Billy Ball" campaign when Billy Martin managed the Oakland Athletics, said the Dodgers would be wise not to adopt a marketing strategy based on "the immediate nanosecond" of a few late-season antics.
Besides, he said, the Dodgers do not need a gimmick, no matter how creative.
"The ownership has shown, in a most serious way, it will do anything in its power to win," Dolich said. "That's the greatest marketing campaign you can have."
If the Dodgers win Game 6 of the NLCS here Friday, and then Game 7 on Saturday, the World Series will return to Dodger Stadium for the first time since 1988.
It would be quite a sight if 50,000 fans got a Dodgers cap affixed with mouse ears. As Gonzalez said after Wainwright's accusation: "Mickey Mouse is only an hour away. It fits us."
Officially, the Dodgers say they are above such marketing mirth. But one club executive had a twinkle in his eye when we asked whether the Dodgers would consider giving away a blue cap with the team logo and mouse ears.
"No," he said. "We're going to do a swimming contest when we get a pool."
twitter: @BillShaikin


text: The NIKON M-223 3-12x42 SF Rifle Scope, BDC-600 Reticle, Matte Black (8489) with side focus parallax adjustment lays down a serious power range for your most extreme shooting. For long range shooting speed and precision, this model riflescope helps you take full advantage of the performance of the .223 round - from zero out to 600 yards. Nikon has engineered the Ultra ClearCoat optical system to provide the shooter with a bright, sharp, incredibly flat sight picture and light transmission up to its theoretical maximum - 95%. With an impressive 4-time zoom range and four inches of constant, non-critical eye relief, the M-223 riflescope features massive ocular lenses that deliver a huge, exceptionally bright, high-resolution sight picture. The M-223 rifle scope features smooth zoom control - magnification reference numbers are viewable from the shooter's position. This model scope has a one-piece main body tube for minimum weight and maximum strength and durability. Developed specifically for the trajectory of the .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO round with 55 grain polymer tip bullet, the BDC 600 reticle offers shooters unique open circle aiming points at 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 yards with additional hash-marks at 250. 350, 450 and 550 yards. In addition, the Nikon M-223 riflescope is waterproof, fogproof as well as shockproof. It is nitrogen filled and O-ring sealed. The M-223 3-12x42 SF Riflescope is covered by Nikon's Full Lifetime Warranty. Price: $399.95


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Katie's Secret Garden
Name: Katie
Location: Chicago, Illinois
In the late summer of 2010, the very generous owner of the lot next door to our home handed us some seeds, a new hose and the keys to a full tool shed for us to begin rehabilitating this gorgeous piece of land! We felt like we had won the lottery, despite the massive amount of hard work that lay ahead of us.
This lot had been abandoned for about ten years, and a large mafia family of rats had been happily living there for some time. The pond was filled with garbage, the raised beds were fields of weeds and garlic chives, and the soil was heavily compacted and nutrient depleted.
With the help of some friends we were able to clear the overgrown ivy, chives and weeds. We decided to cut down a large crabapple tree that was shading out the garden, and providing a messy food source for rats. One hour after this decision, my Dad and brother showed up with a pickup truck and a chainsaw, and that puppy was down! We've since found fun ways to reuse the wood from the tree and the stump currently holds our birdbath.
A fence surrounds the perimeter of the garden, which makes for an easy hop-over, but an agonizing afternoon of lifting heavy compost four feet into the air. We call our garden the Secret Garden.
My partner and I have been able to grow food for ourselves and friends and enough to preserve through the winter. We love having our friends over to make pizzas topped with the vegetables growing in our garden.
Thanks, Katie!
(Images: Katie)


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The Humdrum Toolkit provides a set of free software tools intended to assist in music research. The toolkit is suitable for use in a wide variety of computer-based musical tasks. This site contains a comprehensive collection of over 200 web pages providing both detailed and summary information concerning all aspects of the Humdrum Toolkit.
- Newcomers and browsing visitors often find it helpful to see a short list of sample problems that can be solved using Humdrum, or read brief descriptions of research projects that have been carried out using Humdrum.
- If you have some general questions regarding Humdrum, you might consult the Frequently Asked Questions document.
- If you would like a longer (8 page) introductory overview of Humdrum, Chapter 1 from the Humdrum User Guide is recommended.
- You can download Humdrum as a package, or as invididual tools.
- The index to on-line musical scores provides an idea of the volume of music encoded in the Humdrum format. The Kern Scores site provides public access to music encoded in the Humdrum Kern representation.
- A course on using Humdrum is offered at the Ohio State University; most of the materials for this course are available on-line, including exercises and assignmentswith answers included.
- The Humdrum Community Pages support the community of Humdrum users, and provide links to user-contributed Humdrum software.


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Tag Archives for Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice
Craig Berry debates the Minister for Pensions Steve Webb MP & other events this week
It's been another busy week for the SPERI team. On Monday 10th February SPERI Research Fellow Craig Berry debated pensions with the Minister for Pensions Steve Webb MP. At the event held by the International Longevity Centre (ILC) UK entitled Linking state pension age to longevity: Tackling the fairness challenge, Ben Franklin presented a new report which outlined issues surrounding the steadily … Continue reading →
13 February 2014 by Sarah Boswell
Categories: Craig Berry, Events, Research Fellows | Tags: Age UK, Bank of England, Banking, Ben Franklin, Camilla Williamson, Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice, Craig Berry, CSSGJ, ILC UK, Institute of Employment Rights, International Longevity Centre, Jeremy Green, John MacInnes, Neoliberal banking, pensions, Pensions minister, Steve Webb, the Fed, University of Edinburgh, University of Nottingham | Leave a comment


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Born at noon on Tuesday, January 15, 1929 at the family home in Atlanta, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the first son and second child born to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Also born to the Kings were first-born Christine, now Mrs. Isaac Farris, Sr., and the King's third child Reverend Alfred Daniel Williams King, now deceased.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s maternal grandparents were the Reverend Adam Daniel Williams, second pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Jenny Parks Williams. His paternal grandparents were James Albert and Delia King, sharecroppers on a farm in Stockbridge, Georgia.
He married Coretta Scott, the younger daughter of Obadiah and Bernice McMurry Scott of Marion, Alabama, on June 18, 1953. The marriage ceremony took place on the lawn of the Scott's home in Marion, Alabama. The Rev. King, Sr. performed the service, with Mrs. Edythe Bagley, the sister of Coretta Scott King as maid of honor, and the Rev. A.D. King, the brother of Martin Luther King, Jr., as best man.
Four children were born to Dr. and Mrs. King:
Yolanda Denise (November 17, 1955, Montgomery, Alabama)
Martin Luther III (October 23, 1957, Montgomery, Alabama)
Dexter Scott (January 30, 1961, Atlanta, Georgia)
Bernice Albertine (March 28, 1963, Atlanta, Georgia)


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For all the burdens technology is supposed to alleviate, we're busier today than we've ever been as a society. Social media, at its best, can be a great way to keep up with friends and stay current on news and information in a rapidly changing world.
For all the burdens technology is supposed to alleviate, we're busier today than we've ever been as a society. Social media, at its best, can be a great way to keep up with friends and stay current on news and information in a rapidly changing world.
But it also comes with a downside. We spend so much time on social media that we often forget that the people we're talking to, or about, aren't simply their photos. They're real people.
They have mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters and friends. They experience joy, pain, sadness, excitement and every other emotion that you or I do.
But on social media, we often don't treat people that way, especially on Facebook pages like the Register Star's.
We see a photo, a string of life events and some stories they've shared, and we create perceptions based on a limited set of information. And then we interact, often in mean-spirited and terrible ways.
I've seen Facebook conversations about roundabouts turn into "shouting" matches, with grown adults calling names and insulting each other's intelligence.
I've seen people curse each other because they disagree on whether a new grocery is a good idea.
I've seen people who insist on saying something nasty or negative on almost every Facebook status we post, simply because they can.
Several people were banned from the Register Star's Facebook page after a mother was arrested and charged with murdering her 8-year-old son. The things they advocated doing to the woman were unrepeatable.
I often wonder if the people who tell us to sell our presses for scrap because we are so worthless, resign because we are a cancer to the community, or go so far as to suggest that Rockford would be better if some Register Star employees were dead consider the fact that the people they're talking about go home with those insults on their minds as they tuck their children in at night.
I wonder if they realize that the people they sparred with in our forums are, in so many ways, no different from their own friends and family, fellow church members and neighbors — even themselves.
I wonder if they'd be comfortable saying to someone's face the things they're willing to say in these public spaces.
For our part, we attempt to keep the conversations civil. Disagreements can be constructive and give us new insights and perspectives on issues, but there's no value in bullying.
We insist on civility and will remove any profanity or comment we perceive as intimidation or personal attack. There's just no place for it on our forums.
If the attacks continue, we will remove a person from our Facebook page or remove their ability to comment in the forums attached to our stories on rrstar.com.
Perhaps that alienates readers. And maybe some of them cancel subscriptions or never come to our website again.
That's OK, because doing nothing would be condoning that type of behavior in the forums we facilitate.
What we say may not be able to get these folks to change the way they treat others, but maybe if they see that others aren't willing to listen to or put up with their bullying, they'll get the hint.
Brian Wallheimer is digital editor at the Rockford Register Star. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com or 815-987-1344.
Cyberbullying: Special section
Using the Web as a bully platform not just a teen phenomenon
Bullying is prevalent because we're more socially connected
Rockford schools fight cyberbullying with face-to-face mediation
Our View: Social media can be used to hurt your children


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
Researchers from around the world gathered this week in Bristol, UK to talk about some well-dressed birds. Peter Barham, one of the organizers of the Eighth International Penguin Conference, describes the meeting and some of the questions penguin researchers want to answer.


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Cleary staying in Detroit, signs one-year deal
Detroit, MI – The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Daniel Cleary to a one-year contract on Thursday.
The signing, worth a reported $1.75 million according to the Detroit Free Press, ends a chaotic 48 hours for Cleary.
On Tuesday, the Free Press reported that Cleary agreed to a deal with Philadelphia that was worth $2.75 million per year. However, on Thursday morning the paper first reported that Cleary changed his mind and decided to stay in Detroit.
According to the paper, Cleary had a miserable Tuesday when it sank in that he would be leaving his wife and two kids back in Detroit for three years. He then reached out to Red Wings general manager Ken Holland and head coach Mike Babcock and worked out a new deal.
"I'm back. Signing deal tonight," Cleary was quoted as saying to the paper on Thursday morning.
Cleary has spent the last eight seasons in Detroit and helped the Red Wings to their last Stanley Cup in 2008. The 34-year-old had just nine goals and 15 points in 48 regular-season games last year, but was the team's second-leading scorer in the playoffs after notching four goals and six assists in 14 contests.
The 15-year veteran, who has previously played with Chicago, Edmonton and Phoenix in addition to the Wings, has amassed 160 goals, 217 assists and 455 penalty minutes in 869 career games. Cleary's best season came with Detroit in 2010-11, when he recorded personal highs of 26 goals and 46 points.


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The Vampire Diaries' hunt for the cure is officially on when the gang departs to the coast of Nova Scotia in this Thursday's episode (The CW, 8/7c).
But Damon, determined to get the mystical fix-it for Elena, may lead himself directly into a literal dead end — as the following exclusive February sweeps poster for the CW series suggests.
RELATED | Vampire Diaries Spin-Off Adds The Game Actor
"Give him enough rope…," it reads, and… he'll hang himself to save the girl he loves?!
After all, the elder Salvatore is so in love that despite not wanting Elena to take the cure, he's going after it simply because "it's really what she wants," Ian Somerhalder told TVLine. Will that journey end with a sacrifice when Damon has a bloody run-in with a hunter (guest star Charlie Bewley) in the Feb. 14 episode?
Check out the poster below (click the image to view the full size), and then hit the comments with your thoughts.Follow @VladaGelman


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Billy Bob Daughter - The estranged daughter of actor Billy Bob Thornton has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 2008 death of a child in her care.
Amanda Brumfield, 32, was convicted of manslaughter earlier this year.
Authorities say Brumfield killed her best friend's daughter during an overnight stay in October 2008.
Brumfield says 1-year-old Olivia Madison Garcia was trying to climb out of a playpen and hit her head. The defense suggested the fall may have aggravated a previous injury, causing her death.
Prosecutors say it's impossible that a fall from that height caused a three-and-a-half inch (9-centimeter) fracture on the back of the girl's skull and the bleeding and swelling found in her brain.
Brumfield's father, Billy Bob Thornton, is best known for the movie "Slingblade" and his marriage to Angelina Jolie.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/10/06/billy-bob-thorntons-estranged-daughter-sentenced-to-20-years-for-killing-one/#ixzz1a5jwIF8I
Billy Bob Daughter
Friday, October 7, 2011
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JMU a national leader in study abroad
Students in one of JMU's summer study abroad programs in Costa Rica.
James Madison University remains one of the top master's-level institutions in the country in study-abroad participation, according to a report released this week by the Institute of International Education.
The Open Doors 2013 report, which covers the 2011-12 academic year, ranks JMU second nationally in the total number of students who studied abroad (1,071) and second in participation in short-term programs (710), which are generally offered in the summer.
Additionally, JMU is 7th in semester-long programs — up five spots over the previous year — and 12th in yearlong programs, up from 15th.
Dr. Lee Sternberger, associate provost of academic affairs and executive director of international programs, said as of Nov. 1, study-abroad applications at JMU were up 21 percent, "again demonstrating the interest of our students and faculty, and the importance of global experiences."
Study-abroad participation in the U.S. jumped 3 percent to a record 283,332 students in 2011-12, according to the report. More U.S. students went to Latin America and China, and there was a rebound in those studying in Japan as programs there reopened following the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.
From its inaugural Semester in London in 1979, JMU's study abroad programs have grown and flourished. Today JMU students enjoy literally a world of opportunities for international study, including semester programs in Antwerp, Belgium; Salamanca, Spain; Florence, Italy; Beijing; and London; graduate programs in Florence and Malta; and more than 60 short-term programs spanning the globe.
For more information on JMU study abroad programs, click here.
Nov. 13, 2013
Published: Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Last Updated: Thursday, October 20, 2016


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Say "Gibson Les Paul" to most guitarists, and they'll immediately think of two (or even three) pickups – whether they are retro P-90s or roaring humbuckers. But, to some, a single pickup Gibson is the ultimate rockin' machine. Gibson has been producing single p'up Les Pauls for decades, and the stripped-back, raw appeal remains. Here's a quick guide to the most lauded Gibson Les Paul "singles"…
Les Paul Junior
Introduced in 1954, the Gibson Les Paul Junior was aimed at beginners. Then-Gibson President Ted McCarty made no bones about the company's thinking. "You have all kinds of players out there who like this and that. Chevrolet had a whole bunch of models. Ford had a whole bunch of models. So did we."
The Junior's outline shape was the same as the Gold Top and Custom of 1954. It had a sweet orange-brown sunburst finish. But, as a guitar, it was way simpler than a Gold Top. Its body was a flat-topped slab of mahogany (no maple cap) and was loaded with one single-coil P-90 pickup and a wrapover bridge. There were two controls only: volume and tone.
The Junior was kinda punk rock before punk rock even existed, and an instant hit. At $99.50, it put electric guitars in the hands of '54's wannabe players who couldn't afford $225 on a Gold Top or $325 on a Custom.
The raw sounds of the Junior have found favour with many diverse players over the years, from The Small Faces' Steve Marriott to Paul Westerberg, the New York Dolls to Mountain's Leslie West, The Clash's Mick Jones, and more.
"We called them 'automatic guitars,' like a car with an automatic transmission – easy to use," The New York Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain told Gibson.com. "The Les Paul Junior had two knobs and one pickup. You didn't need to control two volumes at the same time. It was the perfect guitar for the New York Dolls because it was stripped down – like the band was and like our songs were."
In blues-rock circles, West was perhaps the most-influential user, and he owned a few: "I gave one to Pete Townshend [in the '70s] and I traded about four."
West didn't however, like the double-cutaway versions of the Junior. "The single-cut guitars were always easier for me to play. I kept buying the double-cuts anyway. Every time I bought a double-cut and it didn't work out, it became a slide guitar."
In more recent years, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong has been a high-profile Junior fan. His white model, known as Floyd, was recreated in a signature Billie Joe Armstrong Signature model in 2007. It's now available in sunburst and ebony.
Les Paul TV
The Les Paul TV of '56 was near identical to the Junior, but came in a yellow/beige finish. Of all Gibson's electric guitars over the years, the TV is possibly the most "basic" Gibson Les Paul ever made, more akin to the Melody Maker than the maple-capped Les Paul Standards. The TV Special came with double-pickups, but the basic single-pickup double-cut Les Paul TV (from '58) was stripped-back, simple and loud. And that name? Folklore has it that white guitars caused too much glare on early black and white TV broadcasts – the "TV" yellow guitars would not cast such a glare.
Doomed punk hero Johnny Thunders is perhaps the most notable TV-toter. His first Les Paul TV, which he acquired while playing in the New York Dolls was stolen in early 1980 while he was touring with Gang War, alongside the MC5's Wayne Kramer. Thunders bought another TV towards the end of 1980 in New York to replace his original. Both were '58 double-cuts, with tortoise-shell pickguards, instead of the more common black. Here is Thunders playing "In Cold Blood" on TV… on one of his TVs.
Early TVs are still highly collectible to different players, despite their relatively basic appointments. For the first year or so of production, the Les Paul TV model was actually 3/4 scale and used a maple body. By 1955, the model went to full-scale but still retained the maple body. By 1956 the body was mahogany and full-scale. Such changes make certain models sought-after. The late 1955 and later full-scale mahogany versions are arguably most desirable – the sound is fuller, to some players, with its mahogany body. The TV may be the most-non-looking "Les Paul" of all Gibson Les Pauls. But as a raucous rockin' machine, they work.
A 1958 Les Paul Jr Double Cut VOS reissue is still available. Simple, "basic," but damn good: a double-cut single-p'up Les Paul TV is a rock 'n' roll guitar at its most raw.
SG Les Paul Junior
When the Les Paul shape changed to "SG" in 1961, the Junior line was retained. Hence there was the SG-shape with just one pickup. The single-coil P-90 and a stopbar bridge (instead of the Tune-o-Matic bridge) again made it more affordable. Again, various changes make some more collectable.
It was only a "Les Paul" model until 1963: thereafter, it was simply the SG Junior. From 1965 to 1971, it had a generic SG pickguard with a soapbar P-90 rather than the original dog-ear pickup, and was discontinued in 1971. The late 1960s version has been re-issued by Gibson since 2003. Warning! Particular collectors get hung-up about the exact shape of the pickguard (which changed over the years).
Single-Pickup Gibson Les Pauls Now
Gibson still makes single-pickup Les Pauls. Reissues of Les Paul Juniors are still made. There were a few maple-top Les Pauls made recently (no pickguard, no neck pickup) that are now no-doubt collectable. Fans have long debated the aesthetic – are they right or wrong? Or do you favor the SG Junior?
At Gibson's sister company Epiphone, you can get the classic single p'up vibe via the Epiphone Les Paul Junior. Single-pickup Les Pauls may not be for everyone. But for some, they are the core of a hard-rockin' electric guitar.
Ask Leslie West. "Why do I like the Junior?" he mused. "To me, it was like a piece of wood and a microphone."
Related features:
More Mountain and Leslie West
Gibson Les Pauls and punk rock
Epiphone's #1 selling electric – the Les Paul Junior


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|Charleston, S.C.
|High School:
|Ashley Hall
2012-13: Lettered as a first-year.
2011-12: Finished her rookie season with a 15-5 record in singles and 21-4 mark in doubles play … collected first team all-conference honors at No. 2 singles and at No. 2 doubles with partner Cameron Dorsey … concluded the season ranked 18th in the region … won Flight 2 at the ODAC Singles Tournament in the fall … went 9-2 in singles and 11-4 in doubles in the spring … dropped just one match in the spring when teaming with Dorsey (7-1).
High School: Four-time tennis letterwinner at Ashley Hall ... helped lead the team to three state championships and one runner-up appearance ... collected all-state accolades over three seasons ... named the All-Low Country Player of the Year in 2010 ... voted Team MVP as a senior.
Personal: Graduated as valedictorian of her high school class ... member of the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society ... undeclared major.


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Style # 217427
AVAILABILITY: Unavailable for immediate shipment.
Whether it's a jog or cycling class, this pair of stylish bebe leggings are the ultimate way to amp up your activewear collection. Made from comfy, fast-drying and moisture-wicking fabrics.
- 77% nylon, 23% spandex
- BE-FIT fabric
- Rise: 8" (20 cm)
- Inseam: 26" (66 cm)
- Leg opening: 8" (20 cm)
- Machine wash according to care label
- Made in USA with imported materials
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Colorblock Leggings is rated out of 5 by 2.
Rated 2 out of 5 by Sylvie from Runs big & See through: cheap material I always ordered bebe sport pants in medium- these are too big and the material is thinner and see through. Love the purple color and the style though. Bring back the old bebe sport material and the sizing.
Date published: 2013-09-10
Rated 5 out of 5 by Patricia78 from 10 I love bebe sport models - but the only flaw is the fabric - not like before
Date published: 2013-04-21


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Moonfury and Earth and Moon down to 3 ranks from 5, but keeping the same overall benefit. That buys you 4 extra talent points to get more utility or fun talents.This is a good change. I didn't expect them to change Earth and Moon since it is a tier 9 talent but I don't care where the points are shaved from as long as I get them.
As an epilogue, here are our feelings on bloat. The problem with the Balance tree was that druids had to spend nearly all their points just on pure damage. It's hard to justify giving up damage for utility, PvP or fun talents in a raid scenario. Ideally you should be trading those talents off against each other ,not against your damage (or healing or mitigation).For the most part I agree with this comment. I fully support having different talents in a tree that support different play styles, like the Bear vs Cat example. A broader example would be having different talents that support a more PvP style, PvE raiding style, or a PvE solo style. The problem with the balance tree is that there are so many talents to that don't lend themselves to a particular style of play other then PvE raiding.
Bloat (in our dictionary) does not mean there are more talents you want than you can afford. That's a *good* thing. If there were a bunch of talents you'd never ever get, now *that* would be a problem. As a contrast, we don't think Feral is bloated -- or rather in this case we bloated it on purpose so that you couldn't be the best cat in the world and the best bear in the world with the same spec.
If I had to choose a new spec right now for level 80, this spec would probably be it. I'm happy that I'm able to pick up Force of Nature, Gale Winds and a point of Dreamstate, but lets look at the talents I have to give up.
For Brambles, Owlkin Frenzy, and Typhoon it is becoming clear to me that these talents are entirely meant for PvP. All three have uses in PvE, but they are situational and their PvP benefits are much more substantial then their PvE benefits. Therefore, I can handle giving up these three talents.
From a PvE perspective thise are the talents I have to give up. Genesis, Dreamstate (2pts), Imp Faerie Fire, and Eclipse.
I think I can do without Dreamstate. Many people from the PTR and Beta are saying that they are having very few problems with mana. I only put one point here because I could think of a better place for it.
It is a little hard to pass up Genesis because it is a damage increase, but unfortunately a minor one. Never the less, it is a talent that is guaranteed to increase our damage that we have to pass on.
Imp Faerie Fire is a good talent on a bad spell. What I mean by that is that it provides some nice buffs, but they are applied in a way that makes them worthless. If they ever increase the duration of Faerie Fire then this will be a must have talent, and I will be forced to drop Gale Winds and Dreamstate (1pt).
Eclipse is obviously intended to be a PvE talent, but currently doesn't provide and significant buffs to the way Moonkin will be played in a PvE situation. However, GC has mentioned more buffs, but more on this later.
To sum all this up, I am very pleased that they are planning to drop 4 talent points out of the tree, but I think it should be a little more. As it is we are still forced to exclude several decent talents that provide little or no benefit to a play style other then PvE raiding.
We are also going to buff Eclipse's damage a little so that you feel you're paid back for the extra proc-watching (and so I won't feel so lonely when I tell you I think it's fun).I recently did some math on Eclipse, and my findings agreed with everyone else's. Eclipse is currently useless. There was no benefit to switching to Wrath from Starfire if you get the proc, and there is no benefit to precasting Wrath for the Starfire buff.
That being said it will be interesting to see what changes they make. They would have to buff it a lot to make us switch to Wrath from Starfire, but they don't have to do a whole lot to make a case for precasting Wrath for the Starfire buff. However, I feel that no change they could reasonably make would be enough. There just isn't enough points to go around as it is, and I don't think anyone wants to worry about a marginal talent, which Eclipse most likely will be.
Starfire Glyph:
We're going to leave the Starfire glyph as is for now, since one of the reasons we added it was to buy you back some brain time if you were watching Eclipse too much.This is good to hear, but to be honest, I'm a little worried that it was even mentioned. The Starfire and Moonfire Glyphes are probably the best part about a moonkin build at the moment. If blizzard changes how these glyphs work and interact, don't be surprised to see an angry mob of feathers and horns show up on your doorstep. DO NOT TOUCH THIS GLYPH!!!!
Force of Nature:
The treant health is still something on the list to look at too. I suspect it just hasn't scaled well.
I am a little confused by this, because I don't have any experience with the beta. Are the trents relatively weaker at 80 then they currently are at 70, or are they considering making them stronger across the board to make them more useful? Either way the change is welcome.
Well that's it for now. Let me know what your reaction is to these changes.


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Emirates Australian Open, Advantage to Broomsticks in the Wind. December 09 2012
Peter Senior / The Daily Telegraph Veteran Aussie, 53 year-old Peter Senior won the Emirates Australian Open, leaning on his broomstick in the gale force winds. Peter achieved his win shooting par in the last round to win by one shot at -4 under par. In second place was Brendan Jones at -3 under par, also another of the Broomstick brigade. If you have ever had any doubts about the advantage gained from using a Broomstick, this tournament was a glaring example of the advantage in windy conditions. It was plain to see that both players were standing steady on the greens over their putts, anchored to the ground before stroking the ball. Peter said after his round; " These are the conditions I thrive in, if the conditions were good, the really good players would have shone this week," Peter becomes Australia's oldest winner of the Stonehaven Cup, surpassing the great Peter Thomson, who won as a 43-year-old in 1973. Cameron Percy was in third place at -2 under par with world number four Justin Rose finishing tied in fourth place with Kieran Pratt and Kim Felton. Justin Rose struggled with the putter in the terrible conditions, so bad were the winds that play had to be suspended for over three hours. The howling wind blew over a television tower and a marquee got crushed during the mayhem, which finished in near darkness, Justin Rose summed it up; " It was like a day-night match, I've never played a hole with shadows from a spotlight."


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G4980, New October 2013
Cellulosic biomass is among the most promising renewable energy sources being researched and considered in Missouri. Two crops, switchgrass and miscanthus, could partially supply the cellulosic material to make the renewable energy. The purpose of this guide is to help Missouri producers understand the financial rewards and risks of the decision to plant one of these grasses. A producer also needs to weigh growing these perennial grasses against the opportunity of growing other crops or using the land as pasture.
Both switchgrass and miscanthus are C4 warm-season perennial grasses. They grow in Missouri's climate and soils, offer ecosystem benefits associated with growing a perennial crop, have similar cellular structures and require similar amounts of inputs. When these grasses are grown for bioenergy, management practices and necessary equipment are also quite similar.
Both crops require minimal inputs compared to annual row crops. Suggested fertilizer rates for both miscanthus and switchgrass are similar. Herbicides may be required during establishment years; after that, an established stand should outcompete any weeds. Soil amendments like potassium, phosphorus and lime may be required before planting, depending on field conditions.
Making a sound financial decision will require understanding the differences between the two grasses. Table 1 highlights four important differences that affect the financial outcomes of these two cropping systems.
The yield potential is greater for miscanthus than for switchgrass. Estimates from southern Illinois show miscanthus yields to be about three times that of switchgrass. Research in Missouri has shown miscanthus yields of about twice as much biomass as switchgrass. The estimated yields in Table 1 are based on research plots at the University of Missouri. Yield variance was due to weather conditions. Greater yield per acre translates into greater revenue per acre and potentially more profit.
The end-market for cellulosic biomass for bioenergy is not a fully developed market. Therefore, finding a reliable buyer could be problematic. Although switchgrass yields less per acre, it does have some value as a forage grass. Selling switchgrass as forage gives a producer an alternative market if bioenergy flounders or if prices for forages are greater. Miscanthus is a dedicated energy crop and is unlikely to be sold as forage crop.
Differences in propagation affect establishment costs. Switchgrass seed currently costs less on a per acre basis than miscanthus rhizomes. Switchgrass seed can also be planted with standard equipment, whereas miscanthus rhizomes are planted most efficiently with a specialized planter.
Perennial grasses are a multiyear investment in which significant costs occur during the establishment phase. Being able to amortize those costs over more years increases the overall profitability. A stand lasting 10 years is not as profitable as a stand lasting 20 years, everything else equal. Agronomic studies indicate that a stand of switchgrass can last beyond 10 years if properly managed. However, these studies do not state an upper bound. A miscanthus stand planted 25 years ago in Denmark for bioenergy is still productive. However, stands in Japan have lasted only five years when grazed. In determining the time frame for financial planning purposes, 10 years is standard even though it most likely underestimates the longevity and the future revenues.
Table 1
Key differences between switchgrass and miscanthus.
Energy markets are closely tied to policies. Changes in policy at the local, state or national level or through a judicial ruling can result in different prices, management practices and even more significant changes in the overall market. Although local and state regulations and targets exist and are important, two federal programs require in-depth explanation.
The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates production levels of different renewable transportation fuels — such as ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and other advanced biofuels — until the year 2022. These fuels are blended with gasoline to power automobiles, airplanes and other transportation vehicles. Each year starting in 2010 and continuing through 2022, RFS mandates increasing amounts of cellulosic ethanol and advanced biofuels.
Despite RFS having been signed into law, there is uncertainty about it. Mandates have been relaxed in past years as production levels of cellulosic ethanol and advanced biofuels have not been met because of technical difficulties, hesitant investors and a lack of infrastructure. In the future, if those mandated production levels are held firm by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the price of any cellulosic material, including biomass from miscanthus or switchgrass, is likely to increase as companies will want to produce cellulosic ethanol, an advanced biofuel. Alternatively, if the cellulosic ethanol mandate is reduced or eliminated, the price of that biomass will likely decrease.
The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) was created in the 2008 Farm Bill to help meet the goals of the RFS. This program works with an aggregator and producers to help establish cellulosic-based energy in general and, more specifically, advanced transportation fuels. Under approved BCAPs, producers are reimbursed for 75 percent of establishment costs, receive annual per acre rental payments for the first five years of production, and receive matching payments for biomass delivered to ethanol production facilities.
Because growing biomass for energy production is an emerging economic activity, many of the marketing and production aspects are being decided over time as experience reveals new concerns and opportunities. Depending on the aggregator or end user, emerging activities are often fostered via contractual relationships. The contract specifies the division of responsibilities, rewards and risks. Below are a few current contractual considerations that producers need to understand before growing biomass.
Switchgrass and miscanthus stands are expected to last for 15 years. Some biomass contracts are for fewer years. This difference means that once the contract expires, a biomass stand may still be productive, but the market diminished. Accommodate this risk by assuming that the life of productive stand is the length of the contract. Shorter contracts will cause the amortized cost of establishment to increase; longer contracts will reduce this cost.
Switchgrass stands are usually owned by the person planting the seeds. Miscanthus though, because it is a rhizome, may be owned by the one who supplies the rhizome. Understand the contract limitations on what can be done with seed or rhizomes produced on your land and what happens to the rhizomes at the end of the contract. Consider the implications of ownership of plants for eradication when the field is converted out of biomass production.
Biomass harvesting equipment is similar to that used for hay. But the specific dimensions and weights of the bales may be based on storage and transportation issues. Be sure that you own or have access to the proper equipment for harvest.
Biomass is usually harvested once a year but will be used to produce energy throughout the year. Determine where the product will be stored, who has the responsibility for maintaining quality, and who decides when the product will be delivered or taken to be used for energy generation. Also, understand who will pay for the transportation from the field to storage or processing plant.
Energy produced from biomass may generate revenue in addition to the sale of the biomass in the form of green energy premiums or carbon credits. Understand how they will be distributed to the growers, aggregators and energy companies.
Consider what your options are if the company with which you currently contract ceases to do business and the next closest market is some distance from your farm. Identify other uses or markets for the biomass produced.
Biomass will most likely be priced on a per ton basis. However, some scenarios show it being priced on a per acre basis. Evaluate the price an aggregator or end user is offering based on your estimated costs of production.
Tables 2 and 3 provide estimates of the costs and revenues associated with switchgrass and miscanthus production, respectively. They provide estimates for the first and second years, which are considered establishment years; Years 3 to 5, which have a BCAP payment not available after five years; and Years 6 and beyond (6+), when production is established and no BCAP payments are received.
Table 2
Projected financial returns for growing switchgrass for biomass.
Table 3
Projected financial returns for growing miscanthus for biomass.
More information on bioenergy grass production is available on the Commercial Agriculture Program's Missouri Crop Resource Guide website at http://crops.missouri.edu/bioenergy.
Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.


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Family of man killed while riding bike to work encourages others to become organ donors
PORTLAND, Ore. —
The family of a 21-year-old man who was killed one year ago while riding his bike to work is encouraging others to become organ donors just like Robert Esparza.
They spoke out during a "ghost bike" ceremony for Esparza.
After his untimely death, Esparza gave the gift of life to at least four people and donated tissue to 13 others.
"There's a person in Seattle who got his heart, three people in Oregon got two kidneys and his liver, three people had their vision restored I got a letter from Ohio from a lady who got her knee replaced... she likes riding horses and being active, and she's active again because of that," Esparza's father Simon said.


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Senator Sanders Introduces Medical Innovation Prize Bills
from the alternatives-to-funding-drugs dept
Of course, this isn't the first time Senator Sanders has suggested such a thing. Four years ago, he introduced a similar effort. As we noted at the time, there's almost no chance that this goes anywhere, because it's a plan that's simply too radical and would upset way too many special interests. That said, while I do think that this would definitely be significantly better than what we have now, I'm not at all convinced it's a good plan overall. To make this easy, I'll just repost what I said four years ago:
If the plan actually worked, and created new, more affordable drugs that saved many more lives, you could make a compelling argument that the net benefit to the economy would far outweigh the $80 billion (see Murphy and Topel's research for support on that). However, it's still not going to be easy to get people to buy into it. More importantly, it's not entirely clear how you'd allocate this money fairly. Any system like this where the gov't is giving away money is going to be gamed by the pharma companies in one way or another. It'll be so lucrative that it will be nearly impossible not to have the system gamed -- especially when it's going to involve a bunch of bureaucrats trying to determine the value of a specific drug. Finally, the bill seems to be entirely focused on pharmaceuticals -- which is part of the problem today. With so much healthcare policy focused on pharma, people forget that new technologies may start to make pharmaceuticals obsolete. Then we're left with an $80 billion subsidy for an industry that should be going away. I'm all for the economic incentives that come from innovation prizes, but building a huge mis-targeted gov't bureaucracy around them seems risky. Really, it seems to just be replacing one system of gov't subsidies with a different one, and that hardly seems likely to fix the problems currently facing the healthcare space.Again, this would definitely be better than what we have now, but I think it just replaces one market-distorting government subsidy setup with a different one.