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Cronus tormented Uranus, Zeus tormented Cronus, Hera tormented Hercules, Paris tormented Hera, Hades tormented Persephone, Aphrodite tormented Helen, and now the football gods have chosen to torment the Tennessee Titans. Oh, why such a bitter fate? "Poor wretches, what misery is this that ye suffer?" (Sophocles, or possibly Bonnie Bernstein from the sideline.)
They are rending garments and gnashing teeth in Nashville today, for the Flaming Thumbtacks—possessors of the league's best record and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the clear team to beat in the NFL postseason—honked to the Baltimore Ravens, becoming the sole home team to lose in the playoffs so far.
How could the football gods have allowed this to happen? The T's wandered in the desert seeking a home. They have been humble during success. Their collective head is not swelled. Their opponent, by contrast, was arrogant and showed hubris. The Ravens boasted, bragged, and preened in the week before the game. They called T's RB Eddie George a "baby." Ravens defensive linemen showed up at the stadium dressed in military fatigues. Ravens coach Brian Billick shook his fist at the crowd after his team went ahead 24-10, one of the most unsportsmanlike gestures TMQ has ever observed. Yet Tennessee was humbled, the Ravens crowned, and the outcome was clearly divine intervention. The T's completely dominated play (see Stat No. 5 below), but Baltimore won on two improbable turnover returns that appeared under the direct control of supernatural forces.
There's only one possible explanation. The Tennessee franchise is being punished for changing its name from Oilers to Titans, taking the name of the primordial gods overthrown by the Olympians, led by Zeus at the battle of the Titanomachy. The football gods, we must infer, are descended from the Olympians (obvious sports link) and, offended by the name Titans, staged a second Titanomachy. That's the only explanation TMQ can think of. It surely can't be that the arrogant, thuggish Ravens are the better team.
Mythology note: He whom the gods puff up, the gods destroy. Let's see what happens to Billick and his chief thug, Ray ("Sure I Was There at the Double Murder but Nobody Was Guilty of Anything") Lewis.
Motivational note: The early line for the NFC championship makes the Vikings a one-point favorite at the Meadowlands. Imagine the grin Jersey/A coach Jim Fassel must have broken into when he read that. Nothing could offer a better motivational tool than to be the dog in your own house.
Best Plays of Divisional Weekend: Best No. 1. Leading 17-3 and facing third and one early in the third, Minnesota called a power run. But when QB Daunte Culpepper came to the line and saw the Saints' CBs playing soft, he gave Randy Moss a hand signal that meant run a quick hitch. Moss caught it and brilliantly outran all defenders for the 68-yard touchdown that broke open the game. One reason the play worked so well was that Culpepper didn't bark an audible, which would have alerted the Saints that he was altering plays based on their alignment—Moss was the only Viking who knew the call was changing to a pass. But boy, did Minnesota ever get away with one. Because the offensive linemen still thought it was a run, they run-blocked, firing across the line rather than retreating to pass-block. When Culpepper released the ball, the entire Viking offensive line was downfield. The play should have been brought back.
Best No. 2. Leading the Eagles 17-3 in the fourth but doing nothing on offense, Jersey/A lined up with two tight ends then split both left. QB Kerry Collins play-faked and then crouch-faked, hiding the ball at his midriff. Both TEs ran posts, one shallow, one deep. The well-coached Philadelphia defense had no idea what it was looking at. Collins completed a 34-yard pass to Pete Mitchell, setting up the Giants field goal that iced the game.
Best No. 3. After Jersey/A tackle Luke Petitgout left the game with an injury, the Eagles expected their opponent to run or roll away from his replacement, unknown OT Mike Rosenthal. When a green replacement enters a game, coaches normally move the action as far as possible in the other direction. Instead the Giants ran straight behind Rosenthal's tail on his first three downs, and the Eagles were so unprepared for this move that the runs generated 33 yards.
Worst Plays of Divisional Weekend: Worst No. 1. Trailing Oakland 20-0 on the first possession of the second half, the Dolphins faced fourth and three at their 39. Dave Wannstedt sent in the kicking team. Why are you punting? Behind 20 points on the road, a team must take chances, and as chances go, fourth and three is not bad. For his faint heart, Wannstedt was punished by the football gods. The punt went 39 yards and was returned 24 yards, meaning the ball ended up about where it would have been anyway if Miami had gone for the first and missed.
Worst No. 2. On the ensuing possession—one of the fun things about football is that guys whose inseam measurements exceed their IQs say "ensuing"—the Raiders faced third and seven on the Marine Mammals'$2 14, score still 20-0. Miami had to get a stop or its goose was cooked. Tim Brown, Oakland's best receiver, went motion left. Both Miami DBs on that side ignored him, and Brown jogged out into the flat uncovered. (Miami had two DBs named to the Pro Bowl; perhaps there should be a recount.) Brown's unopposed catch put the ball at the 2. Tyrone Wheatley plowed in on the next play, and Raiderettes began calling their agents about sports-bra endorsement contracts for the AFC championship game.
Worst No. 3. On Miami's ensuing ensuing possession, the Dolphins faced fourth and eight on their 40, trailing 27-0, four minutes left in the third. Why are you punting? Punt, game over. The remaining 19 minutes were a tedious formality. At least Wannstedt could have negotiated safe passage back to the airport before announcing his surrender. Was Wannstedt worried that he had to keep the margin of defeat from getting bigger to protect his standing in the BCS? Real men go down in flames, not punting when there's still time for a last gasp.
Stats of Divisional Weekend: Stat No. 1. In its last four consecutive playoff defeats, ending the 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 seasons, Miami was outscored 144-13. Ye gods.
Stat No. 2. In three games against the Giants this season, the Eagles were outscored 51-6 in the first half. Ye gods.
Stat No. 3. New Orleans receivers dropped two third-down passes in the first half at Minnesota, when the game was close. Miami receivers dropped three third-down passes in the first half at Oakland, when the game was close. Philadelphia receivers dropped two third-down passes in the first half at Jersey/A, when the game was close. Punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt. A third-down drop forcing a punt is in effect a turnover: All three dropsy teams went on to get stomped. New Orleans also dropped two interceptions in the first half, and a dropped INT is in effect a turnover.
Stat No. 4. Tennessee lost to Baltimore despite a 317-134 edge in yardage, a 23-6 edge in first downs, and despite blocking two Ravens kicks, just as Baltimore blocked two T's kicks. The Ravens had more punts (eight) than first downs. But Flaming Thumbtacks kicker Al del Greco missed three of four field-goal attempts, and the Ravens got their two supernatural returns. In two of Baltimore's last three games, the Ravens have allowed the opposition at least twice as many yards and three times as many first downs yet won on returns.
We Also Admire Your Devotion to Duty: Giving nothing away to the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, who last week wore barely there two-piece numbers despite a kickoff temperature of 57 F, the aesthetically impressive Raiderettes (to gawk at them, click here) flounced out in two-piece outfits despite it being 58 F at kickoff. The promotional line in the NFL's current playoff commercials is "SHOW ME SOMETHING," and the Raiderettes came through!
Visible Coaches of the Year: TMQ has had his fill of sideline "reaction" shots of coaches. From these all-too-frequent views, we have learned: 1) When something good happens, coaches smile; and 2) when something bad happens, they frown. Many coach reaction shots are such zoom-ins that the information content is mainly cosmetology. TMQ and about 48 million other viewers could do with less of red-faced coaches yelling at the zebras (was there a single call in any game this year that a coach didn't holler about?) and increased camera focus on the cheerleaders, who after all are supposed to be looked at. Viewers never learned of the courage, devotion, and professionalism of the barely clad Raiderettes, for instance, because CBS only showed them flouncing in background shots while we saw close-ups of Jon "I Was a Teen-Age Coach" Gruden's really fascinating snarl perhaps 200 times. On the rare instances the networks do show cheerleaders, it is usually with advertiser logos plastered over them during "bridge" shots out of commercials. Cheerleaders spend months intensively preparing to be looked at. Why don't the networks reward their efforts? Surely not owing to taste.
Covert Coaches of the Year: TMQ heartily seconds the choice of Jim Haslett as Coach of the Year. In his first season, Haslett brought the Saints their best finish in team history, despite numerous injuries and a club left bereft of draft choices by the coming-unglued Faux Coach/Tawdry Pitchman Mike Ditka. (Remember Ditka's line that he traded all the Saints' draft choices so he could spend draft weekend golfing instead of staying up late reviewing player printouts? He meant it.) But the gentlemen Tuesday Morning Quarterback most admires are the coordinators and the position coaches, the unseen wallahs who make football happen. Here are TMQ's Covert Coaches of the Year:
Defensive Line: John Mitchell, Steelers. Pittsburgh consistently excels on defense despite a who-dat front. Honestly, can you name a Steelers DL? On draft day, every team's position coaches engage in turf fights over whose subspecialty gets the high selections. Mitchell obtains such great results from unknowns and low draft choices that the front office won't give him high picks to work with.
Linebackers: Jim Schwartz, Tennessee. The first-ranked Flaming Thumbtacks' defense has some flashy players (Jevon Kearse, Samari Rolle), but its essence is methodically efficient, well-coached LBs who are almost never caught out of position.
Secondary: Steve Shafer, Baltimore. He has the luxury of recent high first-round picks at both corners but gets the most out of them and all his DBs, both on coverage and INT returns. The Ravens' quick-strike interception scores helped keep the team winning during its midseason offensive stall.
Special Teams: Joe DeCamillis, Atlanta. The Falcons were awful except on special teams where they covered well, scored three times on returns, blocked kicks, and ran some of the classiest onsides ever. One, against the Rams in a surprise onside situation, worked like this: Of the three Falcons in the area where the onside was directed, two made no attempt to field the ball. Rather they smash-blocked any Rams out of the way so that Falcon No. 3 could fall on the rock unmolested.
Offensive Line: Jim McNally, Giants, TMQ Position Coach of the Year. As last week's column detailed, McNally molded low-paid castoffs into an excellent unit. See that silk purse over his shoulder? Used to be a sow's ear.
Tight Ends: Keith Rowen, Kansas City. Rarely is a coach hired essentially to work with a single player. This gentleman arrived at the Chiefs two years ago to work with Tony Gonzalez, and Gonzalez has been Pro Bowl since.
Wide Receivers: Todd Haley, Jersey/B. Joining the Jets in 1996 at age 29 with no playing or coaching experience, Haley has somehow made himself a capable WR tutor. Jersey/B had the league's sixth-ranked passing attacks despite its WRs being a collection of castoffs and misfits, and all short to boot.
Running Backs: Bobby Turner, Denver. Since Turner joined the Broncos in 1995, no NFL team has had more rushing yards. At first that seemed the advent of unknown low draft pick Terrell Davis. But then Davis got hurt, and unknown low draft pick Olandis Gary ran just as well. Then Gary got hurt, and unknown low draft pick Mike Anderson ran just as well. Sense a pattern? Turner relentlessly teaches a one-cut running technique—Denver RBs are allowed just one cut and then must plow forward, forbidden to make a second change of direction until such time as they may be in the secondary. No stutter steps behind the line, no "Look ma, I'm dancing." One-cut running works like an amulet. Why do so many teams let their RBs dance?
QB: Alex Wood, Minnesota. Yes, Daunte Culpepper is gifted, but it's been shown that gifted QBs can be turned into towers of compressed sawdust by bad coaching. Wood, a former head coach at James Madison, will be a head coach again.
Offensive Coordinator: Marty Mornhinweg, San Francisco. Football pundits shrug that the Niners consistently have great offense "because of their system." If it were just a matter of plugging in a system, everybody would have great offense. Mornhinweg is the guy who runs the Niners' system, and if he had been born Marty Monday or anything pronounceable, he'd be famous. Head coaching vacancy, please.
Defensive Coordinator: Ted Cottrell, Buffalo. Last season the Bills were the No. 1-ranked defense, then they lost Bruce Smith and three other starters to free agency. This year five more starters went down with season-ending injuries, including star Sam Cowart. Yet the Bills defense still finished third overall, a spectacular achievement considering the personnel loses. Cottrell draws no notice from the networks because his defense plays a cerebral style based on position, analysis, and discipline, not the blitzing, taunting, and preening sort of defense exulted by the media. Cottrell is also unrecognized because the sports press doesn't know what to make of—or how to pigeonhole—a black guy whose primary approach to the game is intellectual. Head coaching vacancy, please.
Covert Coach Notes: Kansas City has a coach exclusively for "nickel packages," and the Packers have no fewer than three gentlemen who coach "quality control."
We're All Professionals Here: The Giants and Eagles were a combined four of 28 on third-down conversions. On a broken play, Minnesota guard Corbin Lacina was flagged for offensive pass interference.
Stop Me Before I Blitz Again! Leading Miami 10-0 in the second quarter, Oakland faced second and eight on its 18. Down and distance favored the well-regarded Dolphin defense. It's a blitz! Six gentlemen rush, and a dinky safety-valve pass becomes a 32-yard gain keying the drive that allowed Oakland to pull away.
Blitzing does sometimes work, much as TMQ hates to admit it. Robert Tate's game-clinching INT late in the third at Minneapolis came on a six-man blitz. But note the next item.
Incredible Insider Tip: Weak defenses often try to cover their deficiencies by DB-blitzing, and it almost always backfires. Indy fell on its sword with DB blitzes at Miami in the wild card round. Minnesota sent DBs repeatedly against the Saints. The Vikes were never burned by their own blitzes, but the target was a novice QB playing in his eighth career start. Jersey/A is the sole NFL team that has consistently come out ahead this season by using DB blitzes. This means that if the Vikings try their DB blitzing in the Meadowlands, they will be running the ploy against a team that regularly sees it in practice. Giants coaches will be thinking along briar-patch lines—please throw those DBs at us.
Playoff Pressure Coaching Performance Watch: Losing players get outplayed, and losing coaches get outcoached. Form held this weekend.
In the Vikings-Saints matchup, Jim Haslett played seven or eight "in the box," committing his defense to stopping the Minnesota running game. That worked but allowed the Vikings to hit devastating big-play passes. As the contest got out of hand, Haslett lost his focus by engaging in pointless duels of sideline yakking with Vike Cris Carter. Ah well, any Cajun told before the season that Haslett would take the team to 11-7 and the divisional round would have praised Dieu.
In the Miami-Oakland matchup, Dave Wannstedt had a good game plan—come out throwing when everyone expected the power run—but saw it fail because of dropped passes and the dreadful Jay Fielder first-series INT that the Raiders ran back 90 yards for six.
In the Tennessee-Baltimore matchup, Jeff Fisher, a TMQ favorite, had two weeks to come up with something original on offense to counter the powerful Ravens defense and instead ran exactly what he's run all year, Eddie George plus dink-dunk short passes. The Thumbtacks had just one pass attempt of more than 20 yards until the game was out of hand, the same stat as too conservative Tampa Bay in its first-round loss. Because there was no deep threat, Ravens DBs choked up on receivers while Ravens coaches could put seven or eight in the box against Eddie George runs. Once Tennessee got behind by 14 in the fourth, its limited attack was so exposed that at one point, QB Steve McNair threw short safety-valve passes to George on six of nine snaps. One was the game's backbreaker, the ball that bounced out of George's hands and into Lewis' for the TD return that clinched the contest. Mitigating factor: The T's had so many WR injuries that during the fourth quarter, they were lining up rookie TE Erron Kinney as a wideout.
Coaching was about equal in the Eagles-Giants matchup, where Philadelphia's Andy Reid did what he could considering he had advanced to the quarterfinal round with essentially no one at the skill positions. Giants coaches neutralized Eagles QB Donovan McNabb by having a "spy" LB mirror his every move, preventing McNabb from scrambling. "Spy" defenses usually mean someone will be open downfield, but then the Eagles advanced to the quarterfinal round with essentially no one at the skill positions. Reid, who has been a gambler this year—he opened the season with an onside kick—went weak-kneed against the G-People. Trailing 10-0 and facing fourth and inches on the Giants'$2 39, Reid ordered a punt. Yumpin' yimminy.
Travel Agent Blunder of the Week: West Coast teams playing on the East Coast, and vice versa, are at a disadvantage owing to jet lag. The countermeasure is to arrive two days before the game, rather than the day prior. The Dolphins did not leave until late Friday morning, Miami time, for their Saturday afternoon contest in Oakland. The team landed barely 24 hours before kickoff following a six-hour flight, just shy of the longest possible within the contiguous states. The Dolphins proceeded to play as if jet-lagged.
Hardest Workin' Man in Sports Business: All NFL Web sites and tout sheets promise incredible exclusive insider dope, but usually what they print is recycled from USA Today. If you want actual fresh info, watch for anything bylined by Len Pasquarelli at the CBS Sports site. Pasquarelli is the hardest workin' man in football journalism, and all his prodigious output is available free. (I have no idea how the New Economy is supposed to work, either.) He always has correct details of contracts when others are engaged in wild speculation. In December, Pasquarelli noted on a Friday that Persons QB Jeff George had finally had his inevitable childish fit, screaming at quasiprovisional coach Terry Robiskie that he (George) could have him fired. It took until Monday for the Washington papers to notice this story, and then only with Pravda-esque wording that Robiskie had denied "published reports" of a scream-fest. Two weeks ago, Pasquarelli reported that Head Coach/Beanie Baby Wade Phillips of the Bills would be dismissed while the AP and others were reporting that Phillips was secure. Late Sunday night Pasquarelli posted the details of the firing while most sports services were still watching the Giants-Eagles game. (ESPN had it Sunday night, too.) TMQ doesn't know, but Pasquarelli appears to fit the Saturday Night Live caricature of the Internet guy who never leaves his room, just works the computer and the phone. Boy, is he good at it.
Helmet Instructions: TMQ's previous item on the true wording of NFL helmet disclaimers got enough mail that, as a public service, here are the actual instructions printed inside each helmet liner:
Insert head. Obey coach. Never "lead with your helmet" during tackling, unless you wish to receive an increased salary. Always "see what you hit," and always hit everything you see. Continue every play until such time as you hear the whistle or notice that everyone has left the stadium. Give 110 percent. (Note: If not presently giving 110 percent, ask trainer to tighten the screws in your frontal lobes.) When game completed, remove helmet. Repeat sequence until you are waived for a younger, less expensive player.
Hidden Indicator of the Week: Baltimore and Jersey/A, both winners Sunday, scored just one offensive touchdown between them but ran up four touchdowns on kick and interception returns. This is the sort of hidden indicator essential to an insider's understanding of the game, and in this case Tuesday Morning Quarterback knows what it means: It's better to be lucky than good.
Running Items Department
New York Times Final-Score Score: The Paper of Record goes 0-4 in its quixotic attempt to predict an exact final score, bringing the New York Times Final-Score Score to 0-256 for the season. Just three chances left.
Reader Animadversion: Several readers objected that the Colts-Miami wild card contest invalidated the TMQ law, Fake Kick = Victory, because Indianapolis was defeated despite faking a field-goal attempt. Ah, but the deception must be successful. (This qualifier appears in the case history of the law.) Any team, even the Bengals, can run a failed fake. The Colts' fake resulted in a tackle for a loss.
Many readers objected to a previous objection, from last week's Reader Animadversion, in which reader Cathy protested that TMQ had incorrectly calculated the permutations of 15 people at ESPN predicting each of the 12 playoff slots. TMQ said two weeks ago that the number was 180. Using factorials, Cathy came up with almost a zillion permutations, bearing in mind that dictionaries define zillion not as "one line in the federal budget" but rather "an extremely large, indefinite number."
But oh, don't cross mathematics types. Reader "johnshade1" sent in a record-setting 621-word "Fray" entry calculating the ESPN permutations by [(5*6*5)*(13*12*11/3!)]*[(5*5*5)*(12*11*10/3!)] and arriving at 1.2 billion. Reader Milt Eisner proffered this calculation, 6 * 5^5 * C(12,3) * C(13,3), yielding precisely 1,179,750,000 permutations. TMQ takes your word for it. ESPN had 1,179,750,000 chances and still whiffed.
"Statistics Nerd" and others objected to the follow-up item in which TMQ used factorials to calculate his own odds of having correctly predicted the final records of three NFL teams as "one in 1.2 thousand trillion." Statistics Nerd countered with this formula for guessing records of the 31 teams, (1/17)^C x (16/17)^(31-C) x 31! / (C! x (31-C)!), and derived slightly better odds, namely one in six. Now, TMQ lives near Washington, D.C., where in Congressional budget debates, the numbers "six" and "1.2 thousand trillion" are not considered significantly different. Anyway, my factorial self-calculation was supposed to be a joke. I deliberately generated an impossibly huge figure. I have learned my lesson—joke about Cindy Crawford in leather, not about mathematics.
TMQ Trivia Challenge: Last week's question:
One team playing in the divisional round holds an all-time postseason record no club would care to have, and the record could get even worse. Name the team and its undesired place in the history books.
Several readers suggested the Baltimore Ravens, who, as the Cleveland Browns (Release 1.0), possessed the unenviable record of the most consecutive postseason road defeats and stood to worsen the record at Tennessee. But although the Ravens once were the Browns, officially they aren't anymore. The Browns (Release 2.0) are now the Browns, according to an elaborate records-swapping deal worked out when the Browns (Release 1.0) moved. The Ravens are officially a new franchise, even though they came from Cleveland and brought all the Browns (Release 1.0) players with them. Got that?
Many readers locked in on the Minnesota Vikings, who join Buffalo in having lost four Super Bowls and who are alive for the chance to have the mark all to themselves at five losses. But the question referred to an unenviable record already held by one club alone. That record also belongs to the Vikings, with 22 total postseason defeats. The Challenge goes to Tom Scocco of Baltimore, first with the correct answer.
This week's Challenge:
Which of the following is not an actual modern era postseason record:
—Fewest yards rushing, minus 4: Detroit vs. Green Bay, 1994.
—Fewest pass completions, three: Miami vs. Oakland, 1973.
—Most career fumbles, 16: Warren Moon.
—Most career interceptions, 28: Jim Kelly.
—Worst passing percentage, 19 percent (five of 27): Bucs vs. Rams, 1979.
—Most total turnovers per game, 14: Oilers (nine) vs. Steelers (five), 1978.
Submit your answers via The Fray, titling them Trivia Answer. And include your e-mail address in case you win the 50,000 Microsoft stock options. Wait, sorry, the Federal Reserve has just informed me that owing to market conditions, the prize has been changed to having your name in next week's column.


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Microlon CL-100 Aircraft Engine Treatment was developed primarily for use in the aviation market and has been successfully used for over three decades to treat high performance piston aircraft engines. It is the first engine metal treatment to pass the rigorous tests necessary for FAA acceptance (May 1979). It is designed for use in aircraft engines of up to 1000 cubic inch displacement.
Aircraft Treatment Instructions
See also Aircraft Engine Treatment Kits

subset: commoncrawl


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What are the most important points of difference between the major schools of Buddhist philosophy? This rich, medium-length survey offers a lively answer. The introduction, aimed at those new to Buddhist thought, sets up a dialogue between the schools on the most controversial topics in Buddhist philosophy. Jamyang Shayba was the greatest Tibetan writer on philosophical tenets. Losang Gonchok's Clear Crystal Mirror, a concise commentary on Jamyang Shayba's root text, represents a distillation of many centuries of Indian and Tibetan scholarship. Buddhist Philosophy skims the cream of Jamyang Shayba's intellect, providing a rare opportunity to sharpen our intellect and expand our view of Buddhist thought.
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"Buddhist Philosophy is a valuable publication, as it represents how indigenous Tibetan scholars categorize, correlate, and explain the essential features of Buddhist and non-Buddhist systems." —The Middle Way, Journal of the Buddhist Society
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'Pretty Little Liars' Recap: The Liars Find Themselves in a 'Grave New World'
When we left our Liars in the 'Pretty Little Liars' mid-season finale they were in Ravenswood, tracking down the mysterious Red Coat and desperately seeking their deceased friend Ali (Sasha Pieterse) at a costume gala.
Will they all survive to tell the tale in the most revealing Halloween episode yet?
This episode picks up exactly where the last one left off, with the Liars heading to the party at the Ravenswood Cemetery (resplendent in period clothing) to try and find Ali and figure out who is trying to kill her, which certainly switches up the who already killed Ali mystery.
Ezra (Ian Harding) -- who may or may not be on the A Team -- calls Aria (Lucy Hale), asking where she is. She tries to brush him off at Spencer's (Troian Bellisario) insistence but instead tells him exactly where she is -- very smart. As the girls walk away, he emerges in a military outfit with a gas mask under his arm.
The girls continue to case the party when they see someone else in a vintage army uniform (like the one Ezra is wearing, and the same costume they found in the lair Red Coat led them to) and postulate that he may be Board Shorts. They see him pulling a blonde away from the party and decide to follow.
Outside the tent, Mrs. Grunwald (Meg Foster) warns Emily (Shay Mitchell) that she and her friends need to leave, Hanna (Ashley Benson) is distracted by two little twins in red coats and Aria finds the blonde girl inside an empty grave. Said blonde informs Aria that the soldier is her cousin and that he was most certainly not the person who did this to her.
The girls meet up when they spy a blonde in a red coat (Red Coat's red coat, to be precise) run into a nearby mausoleum. They chase her, only to find that she has disappeared into thin air.
Seeing no leaves by one of the statues, they move it out of the way to discover a hidden staircase which they immediately head down. As they do, the stone door behind them shuts on its own.
Spencer leads them down the increasingly windy passageway when the lights go out. Aria turns to talk to Hanna when she finds that she isn't holding onto the hand of her friend, but another statue.
The lost Hanna finds herself elsewhere beneath the mausoleum when she sees the message "HELP ME" written on the wall in something red. As Hanna checks to see what it is, the lights mysteriously go out. Frightened, she runs until she discovers a wooden door which leads into a very nice -- if spiderweb-covered -- home. Heading further into the house, the Gas Mask soldier eerily arrives, unbeknownst to Hanna.
Caleb (Tyler Blackburn), meanwhile, is on his way via a creepy, retro bus to meet the girls when he awakens to find a young girl seated next to him who says she's on her way to see her family. Caleb and Miranda (Nicole Anderson) bond over their deceased parents, the fact that they have both grown up in foster homes and their tragic back-stories. She seems to bristle a little when Caleb mentions he has a girlfriend named Hanna.
After finally arriving in Ravenswood, they part ways, with Caleb going to find Hanna and Miranda heading to her uncle's house, who she plans to surprise with her existence.
Caleb won't find Hanna in the cemetery, though. She is inside the mysterious house, having located a rotary phone since she and her friends have conveniently no cell phone service in the creepy town. While she struggles to get a call out, she finds herself locked inside the frosted-glass rooms as several disembodied lights surround the box before disappearing.
Still searching for their missing friend, the Liars find Hanna's crushed hat and the "HELP ME" message and assume that A has kidnapped her.
Meanwhile, Miranda arrives at her uncle's, which appears to be the same creepy house that the girls are trapped in and under.
As the remaining Liars arrive in the house, a red substance drips from the ceiling and they hear a voice that is decidedly Ali's, yelling, "They'll find out. My friends know I'm here!" Excited, they rush to the door and open it to discover an empty hallway. When Aria and Emily turn back around, Spencer has gone missing as wells.
Things aren't going well for Hanna, either. Still locked inside the phone booth, she sees Ali's blurred face through the glass being drawn away by the Gas Mask soldier. Scared by the strange things she's seen, the door opens and we find Miranda standing on the other side. Things get off to a rocky start between the two girls, but they eventually form a tentative truce and agree they need to get out of the house.
They eventually find their way to a room full of coffins, and Miranda has a flashback to herself as a young child, with a man who says cryptic things about her parents' wishes and his hopes for forgiveness. This mystery will most likely be a huge part of the new series spin-off, 'Ravenswood.'
The Gas Mask Soldier accidentally reveals himself to Spencer, who goes all ninja on him and cuts him with a pair of shears, but as she tries to remove his mask he fights back and knocks her unconscious. Thankfully he doesn't kill her, and she is soon discovered by Aria and Emily.
They once again go in search of the disembodied Ali voice to discover it's been a tape recording all along. Enter Grunwald to tell them they shouldn't be there. Again. She admits that she doesn't live there but is the home's caretaker, saying that the tape was a session she had with Ali and that it had been stolen months ago.
Miranda meets back up with Caleb in the cemetery and reunites the lost lovers. A distraught Hanna runs to him and fills him in, saying that she thinks A is Ali. However, when she goes to show him the entrance to the place below the mausoleum, the statue won't move. And to add plot twist to plot twist, they find a gravestone reading "Miranda Collins" with a picture of someone looking suspiciously like Miranda on it.
Hanna receives a call that the girls are OK, and they head back to meet up with them. Worried about Miranda, who is adamant about staying in Ravenswood, Hanna and Caleb share a passionate kiss and she asks him to stay behind to watch over Miranda, thus securing his exit from 'PLL.'
The Liars are reunited, and they discover they have a flat tire and no spare when a car pulls up behind them. Out of the headlights arrives Ezra, who says he was worried and looking for Aria. He agrees to drive them all home.
When they're back at Spencer's house, though, they see a figure in a red coat standing at the side of the road. They chase the figure into the backyard, where the girl removes her hood and turns to the girls. It is unmistakably Alison (or a twin), who looks at the girls with tear-filled eyes and asks, "Did you miss me?"
The girls ply her for questions, but Ali says she is in danger, that he's coming for her and she wants to come home but she needs their help to do so. She also implores Hanna to remember what they discussed at the hospital. The reunion is cut short by the arrival of footsteps as a frightened Ali begs them to be quiet. It's Ezra, and he has Aria's cellphone. The girls are not surprised to find Ali gone, and they eye Ezra with a mixture of shock, suspicion and fear.
Back in Ravenswood, Caleb finds his name and photo on a headstone in the cemetery as the plot gets even thicker.
'Pretty Little Liars' will return on January 4, 2014, and if you cannot contain yourself until then, you can take a turn with the mystery and horror-filled 'Ravenswood.'


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Photo Real Destin/Fort Walton, FL is a ground texture replacement package
that overlays the default terrain with high quality, satellite image textures.
This scenery encompasses a very large area of some of America's most beautiful
beaches. Destin and Fort Walton Beach, Florida are home to the sugar-like sand
and pristine turquoise waters. This scenery not only replaces ground textures,
it has a beautiful water mask that displays photo real water and the sand
beneath it.
-Day, Night, Dusk, and Dawn satellite images
-A water mask that displays photo real water (actual FSX water, not just a flat
surface picture of water)
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-Beautifully outlined beaches that meet the Gulf of Mexico
-A blend mask so that the Photo Real textures blend with the default scenery for
a smooth transition back to default scenery (as seen in a screenshot)


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The webinars and courses available for professionals have elevated the resources I can provide to fellow blind adults.
— Charles, MS, 2015
Hadley Institute for Professional Studies (HIPS) is a unique distance education program that provides a convenient and affordable alternative to traditional professional continuing education. HIPS is perfect for busy professionals and paraprofessionals who want to build or refresh their skills to work more effectively with clients and students. HIPS also allows you to earn Continuing Education Credit.
HIPS courses are available to anyone who works directly with blind or visually impaired individuals in a work, school or community setting, whether as a paid employee or volunteer. Students currently enrolled in a college or university program preparing for a career in the blindness field may apply for enrollment, as well.
Study in the comfort of your home or office, at a time convenient to your busy schedule. Receive individualized attention from highly trained instructors. What could be better? Enroll online today!
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Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired has maintained uninterrupted accreditation since 1958. The school regularly undergoes a comprehensive study and peer review that demonstrates Hadley has met established standards. Accreditation of Hadley's programs ensures that Hadley delivers the quality of courses it claims to offer and assures the students that the school operates ethically, utilizes qualified instructors, advertises truthfully, plans for continued school improvement and measures for educational effectiveness.
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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Total Score: 57,300Boo-Yah!
Griffith (No More), if you wanna talk about speed, why don't you try beating my 24 Second record?
To do that I'd have to believe it's real first.
LOL Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Well, I beat the level in under 10 seconds... Technicaly I didn't cheat, but the method results in nil rings....
Spin dash start,
cross the bridge and then I drop and spin dash left into the spring. It sends me right fast and up to the next "floor" and I fly back in the air to get the shoes (it's a tad faster then just hopping directly to the shoes).
Then I run up the ramp, go through the loop (the one with invincibility on top) or over, and cross the loopy bridge. Fly up, land and jump, if I time it all right I should get all three boxes (invincibility, and 20 rings).
Then run along the loop tops until the spring bounces me up to the next top "floor." From here it's just a matter of jumping over the last yellow spring that'll launch you backwards.
Okay, what method you cryptic bastard?
Same here, hmm thats strange. Our methods are almost identical. It must be a couple of small things.You have to do it perfectly.
Yeah, it was a few subtle nuances I thought I could improve on that did it. But even still it felt like I wasted time though, so we should keep at it.
Well done, but I don't think it's possible to get less than 24 seconds. We can try but I doubt it.


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In The Last Dragonlord and Dragon and Phoenix Joanne Bertin created a worldunlike our own, where Dragonlords soar in the skies above the many realms of the land.The Dragonlords' magic is unique, giving them the ability to change from dragon tohuman form; to communicate silently among themselves; and other abilities not knownto mortals.
For many millennia, the Dragonlords have been a blessing to the world, with theirgreat magic and awesome power. And though they live far longer than the humans whothey resemble when not in their draconic state, these fabled changelings are still loyal totheir human friends. Now in Bard's Oath, their magic is not the only power abroad in the world. And not all the magic is as benign as theirs.
Leet, a master bard of great ability and vaulting ambition, has his own magic, but of a much darker nature. Years ago, death claimed the woman he loved, setting him on a course to avenge her death, no matter the consequences. Now, mad with hatred and consumed by his thirst for revenge, Leet has set in motion a nefarious plot that ensnares the friend of a Dragonlord, using his bardic skills . . . and dark powers only he can summon, to accomplish his bitter task.
Raven, a young horse-breeder friend of the Dragonloard Linden Rathan, is ensnared by Leet and under the bard's spell, is one of the bard's unwitting catspaws. When accused of a heinous crime, Raven turns to Linden, and while Dragonlords normally do not meddle in human affairs, Linden comes to Raven's aid, loath to abandon him in his time of desperate need.
But Raven, and others victimized by Leet, are at the mercy of human justice. Can even a Dragonlord save them from a dire fate before it is too late?


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The Kamen Riders are entering a new battle in Chou Climax Heroes. The new game comes with more Riders and more battle modes.
The new characters such as Wizard, Gills, Cosmic Stage and many others will show their fighting powers. The Riders also has many more forms and new skill sets. Come test them out in the challenging missions.
The new battle modes include a Free-Run battle system, where gamers can run forward or retreat, giving their players more room to act. Receive points at the end of every battle so that you can upgrade your rider. During the battle, gamers can activate the super powerful skills they have seen in the TV series, fly the Rider to the air to shoot down at the enemies or release the Magna Blaze.


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BEDFORD, Ky. – Clarence Riffe, Jr., 82, of Bedford died Saturday, July 12, 2008, at his home.
Funeral services are 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, July 16, at Ransdell Funeral Home in Bedford, with the Rev. Carl Rucker officiating. Burial will be in Valley of Rest Cemetery, La Grange, Ky. The American Legion Post 9 of Carrollton will conduct military honors at graveside.
Visitation is until the time of service today at the funeral home.
Mr. Riffe was born March 8, 1926, in Iaeger, W.Va., to the late Clarence Sr. and Ethel Rippeth Riffe.
MADISON, Ind. – Graham Dwight Heath, 83, of Madison died Friday, July 11, 2008, at the Waters of Clifty Falls, Madison, Ind.
Funeral services are 2 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at Morgan and Nay Funeral Centre, 325 Demaree Drive, Madison, with the Revs. John Scudder and Randy Jungkurth officiating. Full military honors will be conducted at the graveside by Jefferson Post 9 of the American Legion.
WABASH, Ind. – Billy Dan Patton, 48, of Wabash died Saturday, July 5, 2008, at his home.
Funeral services are 10 a.m. today, Wednesday, July 9, at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Ave., Wabash, with Pastor Rob Barton officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash.
Mr. Patton was born Feb. 21, 1960, in Wabash to the late Billy Scott and Oueda (Meadows) Patton.
CARROLLTON, Ky. – Magnolia G. Perry, 90, of Carrollton died Monday, June 30, 2008, at Norton Audubon Hospital in Louisville, Ky.
Funeral services were held Thursday, July 3, at Tandy-Eckler-Riley Funeral Home, 809 Highland Ave., Carrollton, with the Rev. Joe Kindoll officiating. Burial was in English Cemetery.
Mrs. Perry was born June 20, 1918, in Bedford, KY., to the late Walter F. and Gertrude Ball Proctor. She was a homemaker and member of Cove Hill Baptist Church.
Copyright © 2019
The News-Democrat is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Carroll County, KY and the surrounding area.


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(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that's happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)
Nashville is bringing in some genuine Nashville talent for its first season. Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Brad Paisley's wife, is going to be on multiple episodes of the new ABC drama. According to Deadline.com , she'll play the part of Peggy Samper, the ex-girlfriend of Teddy Conrad, who is currently married to Rayna Jaymes. Jaymes, played by Connie Britton, is the country music superstar at her peak but whose popularity is waning. And from what I gather from the show's official website, Jaymes' label is forcing her to go on tour opening for a "disrespectful, untalented, little vixen." Meanwhile, Conrad is going to run for mayor of Nashville. You still with me? I know it's complicated. But what I'm hoping is that having Williams-Paisley play the important role of the ex means that there will be plenty of opportunities to feature country songs about exes, (Miranda Lambert's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"), love gone wrong (Dierks Bentley's "You're Dead to Me") and looking back on first loves (Paisley's own "Letter to Me").


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Larger size available: CHI Nourish Intense Fine Silk Masque 16 oz. .... $42.95
Replace hairs moisture and hydration with CHI Nourish Intense Fine Silk Masque. The Hydrasilk Complex delivers deep, intensive nourishment to fine, thin hair without weighing it down. Essential ingredients and emollients nourish and replenish dry, damaged hair while adding softness, shine, and incredible body. Recharge your fine, delicate strands with CHI Nourish Intense. Hydration, shine, and body? We'll take that any day.
Product Features:
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- Part of CHI's 2-Step Hydration System
Directions on Usage: After washing hair with CHI Nourish Intense Hair Bath Hydrating Silk Shampoo, apply desired amount of CHI Nourish Intense Fine Silk Masque. Rinse out. Style as usual.
Additional Info


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Showroom products encompass Robert Allen, Beacon Hill,
Robert Allen Contract, and Robert Allen@Home branded fabrics, along with a complete
array of fine home furnishings and decorative accessories from a selection of the
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The fabric collections and home furnishings available at our showrooms can be purchased
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text: Fewer topics; more articles. That's the deal for this week's Media Monitoring News as we cover a few topics in greater depth with links to more articles. We've selected six widely varying articles from widely differing perspectives about The Susan G. Komen Kerfuffle to provide a cross-section of analysis and insight on policy decisions and reputation management. And, as a diversion, we've chosen multiple articles about the Super Bowl Commercials including a link to all 50 commercials.


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Cumbo said there are too many dangerous roads in Brooklyn, including Eastern Parkway and Atlantic Avenue, and that children should not be killed crossing a street.
"Their lives could have been saved through safety improvements such as the ones proposed by
Mayor de Blasio's vision zero action plan," she said.
Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said the agency is working hard to address this problem, and recently approved 50 new safety projects, including one for Atlantic Avenue.
She called on the community needs to come together and help solve the growing problem.
"Vision Zero is really about our collective efforts" Trottenberg said.
NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas Chan recently spoke with executive officers across the five boroughs and stressed how important it is to enforce infractions like not yielding to pedestrians, disobeying signals and improper turns.
Like Trottenberg, Chan said they are looking for support in the community.
"As a department, we can't enforce our way out of this situation," he said.
Noah Budnick of Transportation Alternatives noted seniors and children are affected the most.
"The penalty for a kid chasing a ball into the street shouldn't be death," Budnick said. "When you make streets safer for seniors and kids, it's going to make them safer for everyone else."
Resident John Longo spoke about his near-death experience on Atlantic Avenue. Longo owns a restaurant on the busy street and lives nearby, so he typically crosses the street about four times a day. On December 6, he was blindsided by a car.
He landed on the hood of the car and was thrown 15 feet in the air. He fell on the back of his head and initially thought he was oaky, but broke three vertebrates.
"I never even saw the car," he said.


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Bostonkenny needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 71 designs submitted by 12 freelance designers.
Mezzi Foundation Inc.
This is for a client of mine, and I am doing this for pro bono work
The mission of the Mezzi foundation is to provide food, water, clothing, adequate housing and health care to people in need of it.. The current population is approximately 9,035,536 and more than one-third of Haiti 's population is sick as a result of malnutrition and being chronically hungry. The world produces a surplus of food yet chronic hunger afflicts more than 850 million people worldwide.
The vast majority of the people in Haiti live on approximately $1 per day and some have to make ends meet with even less. In our efforts, we will be working to partner up with a company called water is life that has created small portable water filters that provides clean drinking water to a family for up to a year. Furthermore, we will support already established schools to provide children with the necessary scholarships to attend school while also supporting hospitals that provide health care to all who can not afford it. I believe that food, water, clothing and shelter are basic human rights and a prerequisite for improving the health of people in Haiti 's poor communities.
In the next two to five years we hope to establish some new viable businesses that create jobs for so many of the unemployed families. I hope to empower a new generation of leaders that realize that "To whom much is given, much is required." It is so easy to get complacent and forget what is going on in the rest of the world but the truth is we have a duty to help those in need.
This is an open design contest. Let's create a cool logo for this new non-profit organization.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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California Department of Transportation
March 29, 2011
District: Headquarters
Contact: Matt Rocco
Phone: (916) 654-5467
Sacramento – Caltrans announced today that it has awarded $78 million to 130 public transit and air quality projects across California. All of the funding comes from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, which includes $3.6 billion to improve public transit in California.
"These projects will reduce traffic congestion and transportation-related pollution, improving our air quality, and bringing us another step closer to reaching our emissions-reduction goals," said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim.
Some of the more noteworthy projects awarded Proposition 1B funding include:
Bay Area
- $9.1 million to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Most of the funding will be used to modernize 143 light rail vehicles currently in service, enabling the vehicles to remain in service an additional 25 years.
- $20 million to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to rehabilitate several transit systems, including replacing 80 diesel-powered buses with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, which emit far less pollution than diesel or gas-powered buses, and purchase 90 hybrid paratransit vehicles to increase service and ensure compliance with California Air Resources Board standards.
Central Valley
- $1.8 million to Fresno to repair 20 CNG buses.
- $700,343 to Kern County to purchase six new buses, replacing older buses that have been in use years beyond their usual length of service. The new buses will cost much less to maintain and will not stall or breakdown as frequently.
- $263,392 to Tulare County to purchase two CNG powered buses. These buses will replace two existing gas-powered buses, reducing particulate matter emissions by 75 percent.
Greater Los Angeles
- $1.32 million to Culver City to buy 20 CNG buses and perform construction work on the Intermodal Aerial Station, which will be the terminus of phase one of the Exposition Light Rail Line Extension.
- $1.8 million to Torrance to purchase 12 hybrid gas-electric buses to replace diesel-powered buses currently in service.
- $1.5 million to Santa Monica for the Big Blue Bus service to purchase 20 natural gas-powered buses, replacing existing diesel-powered buses.
- $8.23 million to the Ventura County Transportation Commission to acquire five CNG buses and three Dial-A-Ride buses, modernize and expand a CNG fueling facility, and make various other transit improvements.
- $800,000 to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments for the Automated Farebox Upgrade Implementation, which will improve transit bus reliability and service throughout the city of Elk Grove.
Northern California
- $380,596 to the Redding Area Bus Authority for the Downtown Transit Center Expansion, which will provide additional routes and intercity service. The funding will also pay to increase park and ride capacity.
San Diego
- $3.2 million to the San Diego Association of Governments to purchase 57 new replacement vehicles for the Blue Line Light Rail, increasing capacity and improving transit throughout San Diego.
For a comprehensive list of all projects that received funding, please visit: http://www.dot.ca.gov/docs/prop1Btransitairqualityprojectsmarch2010.pdf
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Welcome to Indian Vegetarian Kitchen!
December 10, 2010
Sweet Corn Chaat
Frozen sweet corn - 1 cup
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - a pinch
Garam Masala/Chaat Masala - a pinch
Ground pepper - a pinch
Boil corn in water for 5 minutes.
Drain and mix in other ingredients and enjoy!
19 comments:
Lovely snack healthy too.ReplyDelete
Simple dishes are very tasty. Lovely color.ReplyDelete
That's a lovely, instant, heathy snack!ReplyDelete
Wowww feel like finishing rite now..ReplyDelete
reminds me of the yummy corn in Hyd malls.ReplyDelete
A good and hygenic home prepared chaatReplyDelete
very delicious looking corn chaat Mahima...this is my daughter's favorite. She likes the butter corn version and now growing up likes this masala version too with the added flavor of the chaat masala. Nice pic.ReplyDelete
lovely corn chat dear...ReplyDelete
Dish Name Starts with C: - Main Dishes & Cakes
Dish Name Starts with C: - Snacks & Sweets
Dish Name Starts with C: - SideDishes & Beverages
Event: Dish Name Starts with D
Yum!! My favourite!!ReplyDelete
My fav chat looks perfectly doneReplyDelete
Wow....cool! Very easy :)ReplyDelete
Looks so very delicious.ReplyDelete
US Masala
wow delisiousReplyDelete
Wow, nice post.. I was looking for same content. Indian Spices do great and make meal delicious.
Very easy and yummy dear...ReplyDelete
wow looks delicious .......ReplyDelete
What a lovely and healthy snack!ReplyDelete
This blog is really great. Can you put more information at email@example.com
I love the idea of making seasoning blend. I made some about a month ago and I really do use it, I am out of it and ready to make some more. Thanks all for the great idea.ReplyDelete
Organic Spices


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The White Forest
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Region for Sinespace Winter Festival 2018
Unfortunately this region is too large to be visited in a Web Browser. You will need to download a client.
This requires access to our beta sinespace mobile app. Register and contact us for a test client, availible for iOS and Android.
This region doesn't have any public screenshots - why don't you visit and take one?
You can create and visit regions like this as part of our community. If you want to check it out, signing up is free, and we have a fantastic set of virtual world developer tools to play with!
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Item # MIC0040Item # MIC0040
You're covered –in mud, that is.
Just watching any cross race taking place in rain and cold churns in us the urge to join in on the mess. The Michelin Cyclocross Mud 2 Tire provides us proper traction to do just that. The tire is offered in 700x30, and has a beefier tread pattern than the other tires. More aggressive tread throughout, offering loads of traction for muddy conditions. Any additional confidence in the slick can help you be less weary when the weather turns, this tire provides that edge.
- Low, evenly-spaced blocks help you scream through the flats, but grip in muddy corners, too
- Race-level supple casing absorbs impact and rolls over debris to give you a stable, fast ride
- 30mm width gives you enough cushion, but doesn't cost you speed or handling
View more Cyclocross Clincher Tires
Reviews & Community
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
Put these on my road bike for some winter gravel riding. They say 30mm...but they compare to other folks' 35-38mm. They are big. Lots of surface area. Seem good on snow and ice. Really good on gravel and mud.
Can you run these Mud 2's tubeless?
Good do all cross tire
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I've ran these tires in some dry hard pack to greasy muddy conditions and haven't been let down. They are a high volume tire that runs way wider than the claimed 30c.
Great all purpose 'cross tire
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
I don't really want to run a full quiver of tires for cyclocross so I picked this up as a great "do it all" tire. It isn't the fastest rolling tire, but as an all around combo of speed, grip, and mud clearing ability, it really can't be beat. Don't be fooled by the 30c definition. This tire runs very wide, as wide as some 35c tires.
Gold Standard
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
These are my favorite cyclocross clinchers ever. I have been using them for years in all kinds of conditions.
Can I mount these on the Stans Alpha 340...
Can I mount these on the Stans Alpha 340 rim?
Yes, this is a popular tire for the Stan's tubeless rims.
Hey...so the tires I run are 32c, and this...
Hey...so the tires I run are 32c, and this Michelin tire is a 30c. Is there a big difference here? Or is this tire designed a certain way to make up the difference? WIth my size, 32c's are pretty much my jam, but I wanted to give this one a shot too. Thanks.
There is not a whole lot of difference between 30 and 32mm tires per say.... When looking at two different tires with different tread patterns and casing and such then you can't really compare widths alone.... in my opinion.
These knobbies are designed for dirt-to-mud, they are high quality and supple. They may behave slightly 'wider' than a cheaper 30mm tire would.
These 30c tires are more like a 33 or 35 tire. The are definitely considerably wider than the standard 30c tire.


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We have no way of verifying the authenticity of these two images, but it appears to be of the upcoming Nokia Lumia 'Catwalk', a follow up to the Lumia 920 that reportedly sports a new aluminum chassis to help reduce the size and weight. The images showed up on the popular Chinese social network Sina Weibo.
No other details were given, but earlier information about Catwalk stated the device as having 4.5" display with an OCTA display, S4 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 16GB of storage (down from 32GB), 2000mAh battery and an 8.7MP OIS camera with LED flash.
As a result of the new body, the device is 50 grams lighter (just 132g) than the current Lumia 920 and is supposedly about 2.3mm less in thickness (8.4 versus 10.7mm on the 920).
From the image, we can see that the microSIM door on top matches the Lumia 720's and indeed, it has the same "three dots" on the back for a wireless charging backplate. While moving the microUSB (or is it an HDMI out port?) to the top may seem unusual, we must remember that it is not a requirement that it be on the bottom of the device and OEMs can move things around.
The timing of the device was reported to be for a May 15th announcement with a late June availability. T-Mobile US is expected to pick up the device as well as other international carriers.
Verizon will launch a similar, but non-aluminum device called the Lumia 928 aka 'Laser' in the coming weeks.
Update (5:25PM ET): We have spoken to someone familiar with this alleged device who can confirm that it is indeed, accurate. Because of that we've bumped the rum'o'meter from an initial '5' to an '8' (from an early corroboration) to a '10', meaning we have very high confidence in these images. Whether or not they are early or late prototype, we don't know.
Source: Sina Weibo, Baidu; Thanks, AIKON, for the tip!


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The theme: Chocolate – interpret this in any way you wish: it could be dark, milk or white chocolate, chocolate icing, chocolate sponge, chocolate chips…let your imagination run wild!
Entry requirements – 12 cupcakes made to the same recipe. This is to ensure there are enough cupcakes for the judges and spectators to taste! If you wish to enter more than one variety of cupcake please do – the more the merrier!
The time: 6.30pm – 9pm
The date: Monday 1 June 2009…this gives you all lots of time to rustle up your divine creations over the weekend!
The place: The Barrow Boy and Banker, which is located on the South side of London Bridge, practically opposite London Bridge Station. Please click HERE for a map.
The prize: A chocolate themed goody bag including a chocolate fountain, recipe cards, DVD and lots more. Plus, of course, the coveted winner's rosette and certificate…dazzle your friends with proof of your baking prowess!
Admission fee: £5 - this applies whether you're entering a cupcake or simply coming along to sample the delights on offer, and covers tea and coffee. Any other refreshments can be purchased at the bar. Please note that if you are entering more than one type of cupcake, you will still only be charged £5.


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Make the Most of Data This Fall with Precision Ag Tools
Analyzing harvest data with Pioneer® Field360™ Select software will help prepare for next season's decisions
DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 3, 2013 – Understanding what worked this past growing season and what didn't is vital in planning for next year. To help turn data into management decisions for the next season, DuPont Pioneer experts are available to help growers analyze their harvest data with Pioneer® Field360™ services.
"Because our software is compatible with most manufacturers' equipment, growers can have their harvest data analyzed by our sales professionals," says Justin Heath, DuPont Pioneer new services manager. "The analyses will help growers turn data into information they can use for next season's management decisions."
After taking the data card to a Pioneer sales professional, growers will receive yield summaries and harvest maps in a quick and timely manner via Pioneer Field360 Select software. Because this program provides field-level information anytime, anywhere through a web browser, growers are able to refer back to the summaries throughout the next season when making vital decisions.
By using as-planted maps and harvest data, sales professionals are able to provide growers with hybrid comparisons and performance data field-by-field and soil type-by-soil type to help growers understand what products succeeded and what didn't.
"With this information, growers are also able to see how soil types, fungicide application timing, hybrid selection and many more items impacted their overall crop performance," Heath explains. "It allows them to determine a field's ideal combination for the following year."
A single season's field summary is good, but multiple seasons of data are better. Subscribing to Pioneer Field360 Select software in subsequent years allows sales professionals to combine historical data and perform multiyear analysis. These analyses provide even more information to help growers and sales professionals make the best management decisions, such as hybrid and variety selections and positioning, as well as seeding rate decisions on a field-by-field basis.
"Understanding information at the field level and soil type level is becoming critical in ag today," Heath reports. "By utilizing agricultural analysis tools like Pioneer® Field360™ services, growers are able to have their sales professional review and summarize their information for them. They are also able to view their information anytime, anywhere."
With so much data at growers' fingertips, Pioneer sales professionals can help them maximize it so they can use it to make important management decisions for the next growing season.
To learn more about Pioneer Field360 services, visit pioneer.com/360 or contact a local Pioneer sales professional.
DuPont Pioneer is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success®.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.
# # #
|Jerry Harrington
800-247-6803, ext. 56908
The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, Science with Service Delivering Success®, Field360™ and Pioneer® are trademarks or registered trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.


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And what an opportune time for the Kremlin to set up a Twitter account -- the day before President Obama continued the tradition of bringing important heads of state to fastfood restaurants. Indeed, following his attempt to further ruin French-American relations by bringing President Sarkozy to that slop house known as Ben's Chili Bowl in March, yesterday Obama brought Russian President
Seriously, what is Obama trying to prove with this habit? Sure, the burgers at Ray's might be what we can scientifically categorize as "f*cking delicious," but still! Ray's wouldn't be my first choice of place to bring a Russian head of state to. I mean, it's a HAMBURGER. And furthermore, I DON'T SEE ANY DILL OR MAYONNAISE ON THAT F*CKING TABLE!
Not to mention, Barack, but didn't your wife declare war on childhood obesity not long ago?
I say take Medvedev to Sweetgreen! They totes have a really good hun-cal fro-yo there and, dammit, EVERY GUY SHOULD HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF IT!
Then again, Medvedev, whose lifeblood depends on the consumption of cured fat and sour cream, probably considered the burger a healthy change of pace...
Meh, whatever. Healthy role models are for pansies anyway. (I, for one, look up to Lindsay Lohan's liver.)
Health-shmealth aside, though, what really bugs me about this jaunt out to Ray's is that it's located in Virginia. Honestly, that truly gets my goat. (Seriously, my pet goat is super pissed over here.)
Or hell, I have a grill! Call me up next time, Barry! I have enough mayonnaise in my fridge to keep even the most Yakov Smirnoff-iest of Russians happy. I'll even get commie with it and throw in some extra dill for free. I look forward to hearing from you, comrade.
*Why are references to dill and mayonnaise funny? Because Russians love dill and mayonnaise. I've seen them use both to top a pizza and fill a sushi roll. Indeed, my ancestors were a sick people.
[Photo credits: The Kremlin]


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Thursday, April 08, 2010
Steak in Front of a Starving Dog
2 comments:
- EJReagan said...
Dude! I'm in the same boat with an adductor injury that has been lingering for a few months. Although a runner first I've been on the mountain bike since january and the road bike since last month, although I prefer the trails. Falling is part of the game as are a lot of cuts and scratches. Have fun staying in shape.
- Laurel said...
The first time I rode some really technical single track, the rider I was with was hopping over fallen trees and jumping off stumps and riding over narrow boards and logs, without ever putting a foot down. Since I was following I tried to do the same. Once in a while I'd make it and he'd say, "wow I can't believe you did that." Most of the time I landed on the ground in a bloody heap. I still have the scars. But what fun. I am completely addicted to mountain biking now. Oh...and that expert rider I took my first ride with...I've agreed to marry him.


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Portsmouth, Va., Bail Bondsman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Bribing Public Officials
A bail bondsman in Portsmouth, Va., was sentenced today to serve 30 months in prison for bribing public officials in exchange for receiving favorable treatment, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department's Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride.
Ulysses "Tugger" Stephenson, 51, of Portsmouth, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith in the Eastern District of Virginia. In addition to his prison term, Stephenson was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release.
Stephenson pleaded guilty on July 26, 2012, to one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and one count of federal programs bribery.
According to court documents, Stephenson earned money as a bail bondsman by charging arrestees a percentage of the amount of bond set by a magistrate. In order to obtain additional clients and thereby maximize his profits, Stephenson gave cash and gifts to Deborah Clark – a Portsmouth magistrate who pleaded guilty to bribery and was sentenced last month to 12 months in prison – in exchange for her referring arrestees to him as prospective clients and accepting his advice on the amount of bond to set in particular cases. From January 2009 through February 2012, Stephenson gave Clark up to $150 per month as well as expense money for trips and numerous cash payments for gas and meals. Additionally, according to court documents, from January 2009 through July 2010, Stephenson made cash payments of up to $150 per week to an employee of the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office in exchange for referrals.
Stephenson is subject to prosecution for bribery under a federal statute because the two people he admitted to bribing were agents of an organization or state receiving annual benefits in excess of $10,000 under federal programs involving grants and other forms of assistance.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorneys Peter Mason and Monique Abrishami of the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.


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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Pickled Butternut Squash with Burrata
To begin, you should pop the tomatoes in the oven since they slow-roast for three to four hours. Of course, this can be done in advance, and the tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator. Halved tomatoes were sprinkled with salt and pepper and roasted at 250 degrees F until shriveled with concentrated flavor. For the pickles, sugar was combined with red wine vinegar, a bottle of dry, white wine, some bay leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, a bunch of thyme, and a hot chile. The mixture was warmed until the sugar dissolved while the butternut squash was seeded and sliced. The peel was left on the squash to keep the thin pieces intact while cooking. The squash slices were placed in the pickling liquid where they simmered for about an hour and then were allowed to cool. I picked the squash pickles out of the liquid and strained the liquid back over the pickles before storing them in the refrigerator. Readying the tomatoes and pickles took some time, but it was mostly waiting time. Then, putting together the salad was a breeze. The dressing for the salad was a mix of fresh oregano leaves chopped with some salt and combined with lemon juice and olive oil. The pickled squash and roasted tomatoes were arranged on plates and topped with burrata, that was drizzled with the oregano dressing, and then aged balsamic was dribbled on the plate.
This was my kind of salad since I like just about any kind of pickle. The butternut squash slices had softened a little but retained some texture, and you could cook them more or less to achieve whatever level of crispness you prefer. As they were, they provided nice textural contrast with the roasted tomatoes and burrata. And, there were plenty of leftover pickles. They're great for snacking straight out of the refrigerator.
Posted by lisa is cooking at Tuesday, October 19, 2010
28 comments:
That is such an original combination! I love burrata.ReplyDelete
what a lovely idea this is. i would really love to try this recipe. sounds so good. thank you for sharing this. *hugs*ReplyDelete
Oh my gosh! This is SO up my alley. I have to confess to butternut squashing my husband to death every fall. Apparently I've already overdone it for the year - he says no more. But I will make this for myself happily. What a gorgeous recipe. Thanks for sharing and I can't wait to check out the book.ReplyDelete
wow This is a very autumny salad! I love the combination.ReplyDelete
MMM this looks so good. I just tried burrata for the first time a couple weeks ago. Where has it been all my life?!ReplyDelete
I saw some burrata in the market the other day too. This is really an interesting recipe. I've never pickled squash, but it sounds wonderful. I do know that tomatoes roasted that way are amazingly flavorful.ReplyDelete
It looks good for sure. I've never pickled a squash but it is an interesting new way to eat it (new for me at least!) Looks delicious!ReplyDelete
I've been eating butternut squash for the past 2 days (will probably post it later in the week). I hadn't thought about pickling them but they're so delicious and versatile, I don't see why not.ReplyDelete
This looks and sounds amazing! I haven't seen butternut squash down here yet, but as soon as I get my hands on one I'll try this.ReplyDelete
You are such a great inspiration for the amateur cook :D
Hmm, pickled butternut sounds really interesting. I need to try my hand at pickling.ReplyDelete
The sounds of pickle has already made my mouth water. Loving butternut squsah very much !ReplyDelete
A gorgeous combination of colors! It sounds so flavorful.ReplyDelete
I will eat anything and everything that has burrata on it. Had this great dish at Trattoria Mozza in Los Angeles that mimics the flavors you have here. Only, instead of squash being pickled, it was leeks, roasted till caramelized, then dressed with a sharp vinaigrette. Was astounding against the creamy, milky burrata.ReplyDelete
Burrata Burrata. Oh what a wonder. It simply is the best thing! This dish is simply gorgeous! YUMM!ReplyDelete
I was just espousing the deliciousness of burrata last night! Isn't the best isn't it! :DReplyDelete
I had pickled squash on a cruise this past summer and it was actually the only thing I enjoyed eating! I am so glad you shared this because I have been meaning to recreate it. Love the sound of it with the burrata!ReplyDelete
They remind me of melons. Pickling butternut squash is new to me, very interesting combo!ReplyDelete
Pickled butternut squash? That is really new to me.ReplyDelete
Wow Lisa, this is different & interesting. I do love burrata so pickled pumpkin flavours mixed together sounds fabulous.ReplyDelete
Very interesting recipe. Sounds delicious.ReplyDelete
I've never pickled pumpkin or butternut squash, but this looks absolutely divine. DIVINE! Starving now...ReplyDelete
This sounds like a fabulous seasonal dish. What a great combo of flavors. I've never pickled any form of pumpkin or squash but am intrigued by the concept!ReplyDelete
Love the combination! A perfect salad for the season!ReplyDelete
how impressive. i've certainly never pickled my squash, but it's an interesting idea! and that burrata--awesome. bonus--it's fun to say with rolled r's. :)ReplyDelete
What a lovely and impressive dish - such a cool idea to pickle squash!ReplyDelete
This headline had me on my knees -- seriously. Pickled butternut squash? And burrata? How ingenious -- and how decadent. I do believe you're my current hero!ReplyDelete
Never would have thought of pickling a pumpkin, and yes it has a lovely ring in those 2 words. It sounds really wonderful!ReplyDelete
What an intriguing recipe, I cannot wait to try. I'd never thought of this combo in a million years yet it sounds just wonderful and right up my alley too.ReplyDelete


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- Longmont's Spangler celebrates end of 50 years as school
- Heritage, Loma Linda begin to blend
- Spangler fifth-graders honor school with mural
- Johnnie St. Vrain: Spangler Elementary School will be sold or scraped
- St. Vrain K-8 schools' remodeling on track
- New St. Vrain K-8 schools get names, mascots
- St. Vrain Valley School District approves one-building K-8
- St. Vrain Valley School District staff likes one K-8 building
- K-8: A new school option coming to SVVSD
- Longmont's Heritage, Loma Linda schools could be joined at the library
- Frederick Elementary principal looks forward to leading new K-8 school
FREDERICK -- When Romi Cardenas first came to Frederick Elementary School, the older kids warned her: watch out for the wrong kind of school spirit.
"They said you can hear screaming in the old gym, which is a total lie," said Romi, now 11 and in fifth grade. "But they used to freak me out with all those ghost stories."
Now the stories -- though hopefully not the ghosts -- are going to be moving down the road a bit. On Thursday evening, Frederick Elementary's families, friends, students and staff gathered to say goodbye to the school, which will be replaced by Thunder Valley K-8 next year.
Thunder Valley, as it happens, is within walking distance, built inside the old Frederick High School. But a short move still leaves memories.
"It's an exciting time, certainly," said principal Karen Musick, who will remain principal at the new school. "But it's bittersweet."
Frederick Elementary opened in 1977, a replacement for an older school that went back to the 1950s. (The "haunted" gym, incidentally, is even older, built for the now-gone Frederick School in 1936.) Like many grade schools of the '70s, it was built to an "open" plan, without walls separating the classrooms -- and like many of those grade schools, it later re-walled the rooms when the design proved less than ideal for concentration.
That helped everyone's focus, Musick said. But it also cut down on the natural light. That made a difference during her first power outage.
"We had to bring the kids in to where the skylights were," she said. "I learned to make sure I had a flashlight in the office."
The redesigned school also made for some interesting routes, fourth-grade teacher Dana Vanderhoeven said.
"In order to get to the art room, you have to cut through either my classroom or my teaching partner's classroom," she said. "So I'm looking forward to not having that."
A liberated time capsule on display gave an idea of just how much time had passed. According to the information inside, the minimum pay for a Frederick Elementary teacher in 1977 was $9,200; one with a doctorate could max out at $20,700.
"It was a fun time," said former librarian Liberta Hattel, who worked for the school and its predecessor from 1970 to 1986. "It was like a family, it was really nice."
It was also, she admitted, a little easy to get lost.
"When we came here (in 1977), we had to always go in through the same door," Hattel said. "Otherwise, we couldn't find our way!"
First-grader Katrina Brazitis, 7, had some doubts about moving to a kindergarten through eighth grade school. Frederick Elementary was K-5.
"I don't want older kids in my school!" she said, drawing chuckles from her mother and grandmother.
For Romi, part of the last class to go all the way through Frederick Elementary, the new school sounded exciting -- "we get our own lockers!" -- but the old school held a lot of ties.
"It was like my whole life was here," she said. "It was amazing here."
Scott Rochat can be reached at 303-684-5220 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Postpartum Depression
The first step in battling the severity of postpartum depression is knowing how to spot the symptoms.
By Kathryn McGrath, MSW, LSW, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE
Postpartum depression is a part of pregnancy for which most women are unprepared. Our culture tends to downplay the difficulty of the early weeks, telling us we should be thrilled with motherhood and grateful for the experience. However, the reality is that the postpartum period is a mix of joyous and difficult moments. The unpredictability of each day, the lack of control over your schedule, the sleep deprivation, the fact that the baby can't tell you what he or she wants and the sheer amount of work, all on top of a host of dramatic physical and hormonal changes, make for a challenging situation.
Nobody expects to feel sad after the birth of a baby, but in fact, many women do. Approximately 15 percent to 20 percent of all new mothers develop a postpartum mood disorder (PPMD), the best known of which is postpartum depression. A PPMD can affect any new mother, with any health history, in any circumstances. Although a PPMD most commonly begins during the first three months after birth, it can start any time within the first postpartum year.
The vast majority of moms with a PPMD are wonderful, loving mothers who are unfortunately experiencing a medical illness that is no fault of their own. While you can't prevent PPMDs, the good news is that they are treatable, and you may also be able to lessen their severity by knowing how to spot the symptoms. Getting help early on and not waiting for the condition to reach a crisis point usually means a more rapid recovery and a happier, less stressful time for everyone.
The difference between normal postbirth emotions and postpartum depression is not always clear-cut. A majority of women (60 percent to 80 percent) experience the "baby blues" in the first or second week after birth: They feel occasionally weepy, irritable and perhaps a little anxious, and these feeling come and go. What you need if you're experiencing the blues is usually a hug and a nap. By the end of the first or second week, the blues should be gone. Symptoms that extend or worsen after that time are more likely to be signs of postpartum depression.
Most women with a postpartum illness know that something isn't right - they just don't feel like themselves - so trust your instincts. PPMDs affect each woman differently, but some of the more common symptoms include a persistent sad or "down" feeling, tearfulness, a poor appetite, sleeplessness (even when the baby is asleep), and feeling guilty, overwhelmed and hopeless. Women with postpartum depression often find it difficult to get through the day because they feel like everything is an effort. Not much - not even the baby - brings them joy. Some women feel postpartum illness in a different way: They feel anxious, "sped up" and worried about everything.
If you have been experiencing several of these symptoms listed for 2 weeks or longer, and nothing you or your partner are doing is providing relief, it's time to call for help. Usually the best place to start is with your doctor, midwife or childbirth educator. They should be very familiar with the signs of a PPMD and know where to refer you. A therapist who specializes in women's mental health would also be an excellent person to turn to. Of course, if you are having any thoughts about harming yourself or your baby, you should immediately call 911 or go to the emergency room.
There is no way to accurately predict who will develop postpartum depression, but there are some factors that seem to make it more likely. These include a personal or family history of depression or another mental health disorder; an unhappy or stressful childhood; stressful life circumstances (such as financial difficulties); and a lack of support from your partner, family and friends. If you think you might be at risk for a PPMD, discuss your concerns with your health-care provider before you give birth so that you can both be on the lookout for symptoms.
A disappointing or difficult birth might contribute to PPMD as well. Mothers who have to face extra challenges in labor tend to have a more difficult time processing their birth experience, since they may harbor feelings of anger or disappointment. If you have negative feelings about the birth or your baby, find a supportive, nonjudgmental person to talk to. If, over time, you find that these feelings are not subsiding or are getting in the way of enjoying your baby, seek professional help.
PPMD treatment varies from person to person and according to your symptoms. The most common treatment options include some form of talk therapy or medication, but some new methods, such as light therapy, are becoming more widely available. Discuss the pros and cons of each approach with your health-care provider or therapist. With treatment, an average PPMD episode lasts 6 to 8 weeks. Without treatment, it can take up to a year or longer to resolve.
During the recovery phase, you need to be sure to take extra good care of yourself. The following measures may be basic, but they can help new mothers who are dealing with a PPMD help themselves.
- Seek out friends, family or hired help, such as a postpartum doula, to ease your workload so that you can get much needed rest and save your limited energy for when you need it most.
- Maintain a healthy diet and don't use coffee, tea or other sources of caffeine as a pick-me up - they will only worsen anxiety and depression.
- Try to fit exercise into your day, even if it's just a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood with your baby in his stroller. Studies have found that the endorphin release from exercise actually promotes a sense of well-being and can lessen feelings of depression or anxiety.
- Occasionally take breaks from baby care.
- Talk with other moms, sympathetic friends and loved ones about your feelings and what you're experiencing. There are also Web sites where you can chat with other new moms with PPMDs, such as Postpartum Support International or Post Partum Support Group.
Above all, be gentle with yourself. You didn't choose to have this illness. Give yourself credit for doing the hard work of labor and stay hopeful. The postpartum period doesn't last forever. It takes time and patience, but with help you will soon see an improvement and ultimately a full recovery.
For More Information:
- Postpartum Support International
- Postpartum feelings – March of Dimes
- Depression in women of reproductive age - CDC