text:
| File:Cervus
|Conservation status
|Scientific classification
|Binomial name
| Cervus canadensis
(Erxleben, 1777)[1]
| File:Range map cervus
Range of Cervus canadensis
The elk, or wapiti (Cervus canadensis), is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America and eastern Asia. In the deer family (Cervidae), only the moose, Alces alces (called an "elk" in Europe), is larger, and Cervus unicolor (the "Sambar" deer) can rival the elk in size. Elk are almost identical to Red Deer found in Europe, of which they were long believed to be a subspecies; however, mitochondrial DNA evidence from 2004 strongly suggests they are a distinct species.
Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. Although native to North America and eastern Asia, they have adapted well to countries where they have been introduced, including New Zealand and Argentina. Their high level of adaptability poses a threat to endemic species and ecosystems where they have been introduced.
Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males engage in ritualized mating behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling, and bugling, a loud series of screams which establishes dominance over other males and attracts females. The bugle call is one of the most distinctive calls in nature.
Elk are susceptible to a number of infectious diseases, some of which can be transmitted to livestock. Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from elk populations, largely through vaccination, have had mixed success.
Some cultures revere the elk as a spiritual force. In parts of Asia, antlers and their velvet are used in traditional medicines. Elk are hunted as a game species; the meat is leaner and higher in protein than beef or chicken.[2]
Early European explorers in North America, who were familiar with the smaller red deer of Europe, believed that the much larger North American animal looked more like a moose, so they used the common European name for the moose, which is elk. The name elk is connected with the Latin alces, and with Old Norse elgr, Scandinavian elg, and German Elch,[3] all of which refer to the animal known in North America as the moose. The name wapiti is from the Shawnee word waapiti, meaning white rump.[4] The elk is also referred to as the maral in Asia, though this is due to confusion with the East European red deer (Cervus elaphus maral), which is a subspecies of European red deer. There is a subspecies of elk in Mongolia called the Altai maral (Cervus canadensis sibiricus), which is also known by names such as Altai wapiti, Siberian wapiti, and/or Siberian elk.
Cervus genus ancestors of elk first appear in the fossil record 12 million years ago, during the Pliocene in Eurasia, but do not appear in the North American fossil record until the later Pleistocene ice ages when they crossed the Bering land bridge.[5] The extinct Irish Elk (Megaloceros) was not a member of the genus Cervus, but rather the largest member of the wider deer family (Cervidae) known from the fossil record.[6]
Until 2004, red deer and elk were considered to be one species, Cervus elaphus, based on fertile hybrids that have been produced in captivity. Recent mitochondrial DNA studies, conducted on hundreds of samples from red deer and elk subspecies as well as other species of the Cervus deer family, strongly suggest that elk, or wapiti, form a distinct species C. canadensis.[7] The previous classification had over a dozen subspecies under the C. elaphus species designation; DNA evidence concludes that elk are more closely related to Thorold's deer and even sika deer than they are to the red deer.[7] Though elk and red deer can produce fertile offspring in captivity, geographic isolation between the species in the wild and differences in mating behaviors indicate that reproduction between them outside a controlled environment would be unlikely.[8]
There are numerous subspecies of elk described: six from North America and four from Asia, although some taxonomists consider them different ecotypes or races of the same species (adapted to local environments through minor changes in appearance and behavior). Populations vary as to antler shape and size, body size, coloration and mating behavior. DNA investigations of the Eurasian subspecies revealed that phenotypic variation in antlers, mane and rump patch development are based on "climatic-related lifestyle factors".[9] [[File:|thumb|Audubon's "Eastern Elk" which is now extinct]] Of the six subspecies of elk known to have inhabited North America in historical times, four remain, including the Roosevelt (C. canadensis roosevelti), Tule (C. canadensis nannodes), Manitoban (C. canadensis manitobensis) and Rocky Mountain (C. canadensis nelsoni).[10] The Eastern Elk (C. canadensis canadensis) and Merriam's Elk (C. canadensis merriami) subspecies have been extinct for at least a century.[11][12] Classification of the four surviving North American groups as subspecies is maintained, at least partly, for political purposes to permit individualized conservation and protective measures for each of the surviving populations.[13]
Four subspecies described in Asia include the Altai Wapiti (C. canadensis sibiricus) and the Tianshan Wapiti (C. canadensis songaricus) . Two distinct subspecies found in China and Korea are the Manchurian wapiti (C. canadensis xanthopygus) and the Alashan wapitis (C. canadensis alashanicus).The Manchurian wapiti is darker and more reddish in coloration than the other populations. The Alashan wapiti of north central China is the smallest of all subspecies, has the lightest coloration and is the least studied.[8] Valerius Geist, who has written on the world's various deer species, holds that there are only three subspecies of elk. Geist maintains the Manchurian and Alashan wapiti but places all other elk into C. canadensis canadensis.[13]Manchurian wapiti (Cervus canadensis xanthopygus) is clearly distinct from the Siberian forms, but not distinguishable from the Alashan Wapiti. The Chinese forms MacNeill's Deer, Kansu red deer, and Tibetan red deer belong also to the Wapitis and were not distinguishable from each other by mitochondrial DNA studies.[7]
The elk is a large animal of the artiodactyle ungulate order, possessing an even number of toes on each foot, similar to those of camels, goats and cattle. It is a ruminant species, with a four-chambered stomach, and feeds on grasses, plants, leaves and bark. During the summer, elk eat almost constantly, consuming between 4 and 7 kg (10 to 15 lb) daily.[14] In North America, males are called bulls, and females are called cows. In Asia, stag and hind, respectively, are sometimes used instead.
Elk are more than twice as heavy as mule deer and have a more reddish hue to their hair coloring, as well as large, buff colored rump patches and smaller tails. Moose are larger and darker than elk, bulls have distinctively different antlers and moose do not herd. Elk cows average 225 kg (500 lb), stand 1.3 m (4½ ft) at the shoulder, and are 2 m (6½ ft) from nose to tail. Bulls are some 25% larger than cows at maturity, weighing an average of 320 kg (700 lb), standing 1.5 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and averaging 2.5 m (8 ft) in length.[15] The largest of the subspecies is the Roosevelt elk, found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington, and in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Roosevelt elk have been reintroduced into Alaska, where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg (1,300 lb).[16]
Only the males have antlers, which start growing in the spring and are shed each winter. The largest antlers may be 1.2 m (4 ft) long and weigh 18 kg (40 lb).[17] Antlers are made of bone which can grow at a rate of 2.5 cm (1 inch) per day. While actively growing, the antlers are covered with and protected by a soft layer of highly vascularised skin known as velvet. The velvet is shed in the summer when the antlers have fully developed. Bull elk may have eight or more tines on each antler; however, the number of tines has little to do with the age or maturity of a particular animal. The Siberian and North American elk carry the largest antlers while the Altai wapiti have the smallest.[8] The formation and retention of antlers is testosterone-driven.[18] After the breeding season in late fall, the level of pheromones released during estrus declines in the environment and the testosterone levels of males drop as a consequence. This drop in testosterone leads to the shedding of antlers, usually in the early winter.
During the fall, elk grow a thicker coat of hair, which helps to insulate them during the winter. Males, females and calves of Siberian and North American elk all grow thin neck manes; female and young Manchurian and Alashan wapitis do not.[13] By early summer, the heavy winter coat has been shed, and elk are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. All elk have small and clearly defined rump patches with short tails. They have different coloration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with gray or lighter coloration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish, darker coat in the summer. Subspecies living in arid climates tend to have lighter colored coats than do those living in forests.[19] Most have lighter yellow-brown to orange-brown coats in contrast to dark brown hair on the head, neck, and legs during the summer. Forest-adapted Manchurian and Alashan wapitis have darker reddish-brown coats with less contrast between the body coat and the rest of the body during the summer months.[8] Calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and they lose their spots by the end of summer. Adult Manchurian wapiti may retain a few orange spots on the back of their summer coats until they are older. This characteristic has also been observed in the forest-adapted European red deer.[8]
Modern subspecies are descended from elk that once inhabited Beringia, a steppe region between Asia and North America that connected the two continents during the Pleistocene. Beringia provided a migratory route for numerous mammal species, including brown bear, caribou, and moose, as well as humans.[20] As the Pleistocene came to an end, ocean levels began to rise; elk migrated southwards into Asia and North America. In North America they adapted to almost all ecosystems except for tundra, true deserts, and the gulf coast of the U.S. The elk of southern Siberia and central Asia were once more widespread but today are restricted to the mountain ranges west of Lake Baikal including the Sayan and Altai Mountains of Mongolia and the Tianshan region that borders Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and China's Xinjiang Province.[21] The habitat of Siberian elk in Asia is similar to that of the Rocky Mountain subspecies in North America.
Throughout their range, they live in forest and in forest edge habitat, similar to other deer species. In mountainous regions, they often dwell at higher elevations in summer, migrating down slope for winter. The highly adaptable elk also inhabit semi-deserts in North America, such as the Great Basin. Manchurian and Alashan wapiti are primarily forest dwellers and their smaller antler sizes is a likely adaptation to a forest environment.
The Rocky Mountain elk subspecies has been reintroduced by hunter-conservation organizations in the Appalachian region of the eastern U.S., where the now extinct Eastern elk once lived[22] After elk were reintroduced in the states of Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee, they migrated into the neighboring states of Virginia and West Virginia, and have established permanent populations there.[23] Elk have also been reintroduced to a number of other states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. As of 1989, population figures for the Rocky Mountain subspecies were 782,500, and estimated numbers for all North American subspecies exceeded 1 million.[24] Prior to the European colonization of North America, there were an estimated 10 million elk on the continent.[15] Worldwide population of elk, counting those on farms and in the wild, is approximately 2 million.
Outside their native habitat, elk and other deer species were introduced in areas that previously had few if any large native ungulates. Brought to these countries for hunting and ranching for meat, hides and antler velvet, they have proven highly adaptable and have often had an adverse impact on local ecosystems. Elk and red deer were introduced to Argentina and Chile in the early 20th century.[25] There they are now considered an invasive species, encroaching on Argentinian ecosystems where they compete for food with the indigenous Chilean Huemul and other herbivores.[26] This negative impact on native animal species has led the IUCN to identify the elk as one of the world's 100 worst invaders.[27] Both elk and red deer have also been introduced to Ireland and Australia.[28][29]
The introduction of deer to New Zealand began in the middle of the 19th century, and current populations are primarily European red deer, with only 15 percent being elk.[30] These deer have had an adverse impact on forest regeneration of some plant species, as they consume more palatable species which are replaced with those that are less favored by the elk. The long term impact will be an alteration of the types of plants and trees found, and in other animal and plant species dependent upon them.[31] As in Chile and Argentina, the IUCN has declared that red deer and elk populations in New Zealand are an invasive species.[27] There are over 250 individuals in captivity.
Adult elk usually stay in single-sex groups for most of the year. During the mating period known as the rut, mature bulls compete for the attentions of the cows and will try to defend females in their harem. Rival bulls challenge opponents by bellowing and by paralleling each other, walking back and forth. This allows potential combatants to assess the others antlers, body size and fighting prowess. If neither bull backs down, they engage in antler wrestling, and bulls sometimes sustain serious injuries. Bulls also dig holes in the ground, in which they urinate and roll their body. The urine soaks into their hair and gives them a distinct smell which attracts cows.[32]
Dominant bulls follow groups of cows during the rut, from August into early winter. A bull will defend his harem of 20 cows or more from competing bulls and predators.[33] Only mature bulls have large harems and breeding success peaks at about eight years of age. Bulls between two to four years and over 11 years of age rarely have harems, and spend most of the rut on the periphery of larger harems. Young and old bulls that do acquire a harem hold it later in the breeding season than do bulls in their prime. A bull with a harem rarely feeds and he may lose up to 20 percent of his body weight. Bulls that enter the rut in poor condition are less likely to make it through to the peak conception period or have the strength to survive the rigors of the oncoming winter.[32]
Bulls have a loud vocalization consisting of screams known as bugling, which can be heard for miles. Bugling is often associated with an adaptation to open environments such as parklands, meadows, and savannas, where sound can travel great distances. Females are attracted to the males that bugle more often and have the loudest call.[34] Bugling is most common early and late in the day and is one of the most distinctive sounds in nature, akin to the howl of the gray wolf.
Female elk have a short estrus cycle of only a day or two and matings usually involve a dozen or more attempts. By the fall of their second year, females can produce one and, very rarely, two offspring, though reproduction is most common when cows weigh at least 200 kg (450 lb).[35] The gestation period is 240 to 262 days and the offspring weigh between 15 and 16 kg (33 to 35 lb). When the females are near to giving birth, they tend to isolate themselves from the main herd, and will remain isolated until the calf is large enough to escape predators.[36] Calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and they lose their spots by the end of summer. Manchurian wapiti may retain a few orange spots on the back of their summer coats until they are older. After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd and are fully weaned at two months of age.[37] Elk calves weigh as much as an adult white-tailed deer by the time they are six months old.[38] The offspring will remain with their mothers for almost a year, leaving about the time that the next season's offspring are produced.[34] The gestation period is the same for all subspecies.
Elk live 20 years or more in captivity but average 10 to 13 years in the wild. In some subspecies that suffer less predation, they may live an average of 15 years in the wild.[39]
Male elk retain their antlers for more than half the year and are less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. Antlers provide a means of defense, as does a strong front-leg kick, which is performed by either sex if provoked. Once the antlers have been shed, bulls tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to work cooperatively at fending off predators. Herds tend to employ one or more scouts while the remaining members eat and rest.[34]
[[File:|thumb|left|200px|Illustration of a cow elk being killed by an American black bear, from The Natural History of Quadrupeds by Frederick Shoberl, 1834]] After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals. Newborn calves are kept close by a series of vocalizations; larger nurseries have an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers. Guttural grunts and posturing effectively deter all but the most determined predators. Wolf and coyote packs and the solitary cougar are the most likely predators, although brown and black bears also prey on elk.[34] Coyote packs mostly prey on elk calves, though can sometimes take a winter-weakened adult.[40] In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem which includes Yellowstone National Park, bears are the most significant predators of calves.[41] Major predators in Asia include the wolf, dhole, brown bear, Siberian tiger, Amur leopard, and snow leopard. Eurasian lynx and wild boar sometimes prey on Asian elk calves.[8] Historically, tigers in Baikal fed on Manchurian wapiti, and continue to do so in the Amur region.[42]
As is true for many species of deer, especially those in mountainous regions, elk migrate into areas of higher altitude in the spring, following the retreating snows, and the opposite direction in the fall. Hunting pressure also impacts migration and movements.[43] During the winter, they favor wooded areas and sheltered valleys for protection from the wind and availability of tree bark to eat. Roosevelt elk are generally non-migratory due to less seasonal variability of food sources.[34]
Elk are ruminants and therefore have four chambered stomachs. Unlike white-tailed deer and moose which are primarily browsers, elk have a similarity to cattle as they are primarily grazers, but like other deer, they also browse.[44][45] Elk have a tendency to do most of their feeding in the mornings and evenings, seeking sheltered areas in between feedings to digest. Their diets vary somewhat depending on the season with native grasses being a year round supplement, tree bark being consumed in winter and forbs and tree sprouts during the summer. Elk consume an average of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of various foodstuffs daily.[46] Particularly fond of Aspen sprouts which rise in the Spring, elk have had some impact on Aspen groves which have been declining in some regions where elk exist.[47]
Range and wildlife managers conduct surveys of elk pellet groups to monitor populations and resource use. [48][49]
At least 53 species of protist and animal parasites have been identified in elk (Table 62, p. 368).[50] With a few exceptions, these parasites seldom lead to significant mortality among wild or captive elk.
Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (brainworm or meningeal worm) is a parasitic nematode known to affect the spinal cord and brain tissue of elk and other species, leading to death.[51] The definitive host is the white-tailed deer, in which it normally has no ill effects. Snails and slugs, the intermediate hosts, can be inadvertently consumed by elk during grazing.[3]
Chronic Wasting Disease affects the brain tissue in elk, and has been detected throughout their range in North America. First documented in the late 1960s in mule deer, the disease has affected elk on game farms and in the wild in a number of regions. Elk that have contracted the disease begin to show weight loss, increased watering needs, disorientation and listlessness, and at an advanced stage the disease leads to death. The disease is similar to but not the same as Mad Cow Disease, and no risks to humans have been documented, nor has the disease been demonstrated to pose a threat to domesticated cattle.[52] In 2002, South Korea banned the importation of elk antler velvet due to concerns about chronic wasting disease.[53]
Brucellosis occasionally affect elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the only place in the U.S. where the disease is still known to exist. In domesticated cattle, brucellosis causes infertility, abortions and reduced milk production. It is transmitted to humans as undulant fever, producing flu-like symptoms which may last for years. Though bison are more likely to transmit the disease to other animals, elk inadvertently transmitted brucellosis to horses in Wyoming and cattle in Idaho. Researchers are attempting to eradicate the disease through vaccinations and herd management measures, which are expected to be successful.[54]
A recent necropsy study of captive elk in Pennsylvania attributed the cause of death in 33 of 65 cases to either gastrointestinal parasites (21 cases, primarily Eimeria sp. and Ostertagia sp.) or bacterial infections (12 cases, mostly pneumonia).[55]
Some parasites, such as Fascioloides magna or Dictyocaulus viviparus are commonly found in elk, though they are usually of little clinical significance in this species (but see[56]). Since infection of some commercial livestock species by either of these parasites is often fatal,[57] their presence in elk herds is of some concern.
Elk have played an important role in the cultural history of a number of peoples. Pictograms and petroglyphs of elk were carved into cliffs thousands of years ago by the Anasazi of the southwestern U.S. More recent Native American tribes, including the Kootenai, Cree, Blackfeet, Ojibwa and Pawnee, produced blankets and robes from elk hides. The elk was of particular importance to the Lakota, and played a spiritual role in their society.[58] At birth, Lakota males were given an elk's tooth to promote a long life since that was seen as the last part of dead elk to rot away. The elk was seen as having strong sexual potency and young Lakota males who had dreamed of elk would have an image of the mythical representation of the elk on their "courting coats" as a sign of sexual prowess. The Lakota believed that the mythical or spiritual elk, not the physical one, was the teacher of men and the embodiment of strength, sexual prowess and courage.[59]
Neolithic petroglyphs from Asia depict antler-less female elk, which have been interpreted as symbolizing rebirth and sustenance. By the beginning of the Bronze Age, the elk is depicted less frequently in rock art, coinciding with a cultural transformation away from hunting.[60]
The Rocky Mountain Elk is the official state animal for Utah. An image of an elk and a moose appear on the state flag of Michigan.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) chose the elk as its namesake because a number of its attributes seemed typical of those to be cultivated by members of the fraternity. The founders of the Order felt that the elk was a distinctively American animal. A representation of the majestic head of the male, with its spreading antlers, was adopted as the first badge of the Order; and is still the most conspicuous element of its copyrighted fraternal emblem.[61] A prized possession of many members of the B.P.O.E. are jewel encrusted, gold mounted elk teeth [62] - which are actually ivory. [63]
Although breakdown figures for each game species are not available in the 2006 National Survey from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hunting of wild elk is most likely the primary economic impact.[64]
Elk are held in captivity, or farmed, for hunting, meat production and velvet collection. What is known as a canned hunt is where a hunter pays a fee for an essentially guaranteed chance to shoot an elk in an escape-proof range. They are not generally harvested for meat production on a large scale; however, some restaurants offer the meat as a specialty item and it is also available in some grocery stores. The meat has a taste somewhere between beef and venison and is higher in protein and lower in fat than either beef or chicken.[65] Elk meat is also a good source of iron, phosphorus and zinc, but is high in cholesterol.[66]
A male elk can produce 10 to 11 kg (22 to 25 lb) of antler velvet annually and on ranches in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, this velvet is collected and sold to markets in east Asia, where it is used in medicine. Velvet is also considered by some cultures to be an aphrodisiac.[53] However, consuming velvet from elk in North America may be risky since velvet from animals infected with chronic wasting disease may contain prions that could result in a human getting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. [67]
Antlers are also used in artwork, furniture and other novelty items. All Asian subspecies, along with other deer, have been raised for their antlers in central and eastern Asia by Han Chinese, Turkic peoples, Tungusic peoples, Mongolians, and Koreans. Elk farms are relatively common in North America and New Zealand.[30]
Elk hides have been used for thousands of years for tepee covering, blankets, clothing and footwear. Modern uses are more decorative, but elk skin shoes, gloves and belts are not uncommon.[15]
Since 1967, the Boy Scouts of America have assisted employees at the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming by collecting the antlers which are shed each winter. The antlers are then auctioned with most of the proceeds returned to the refuge. In 2006, 3,200 kg (7,060 lb) of antlers were auctioned, bringing in almost $76,000. Another 980 kg (2,160 lb) were sold directly for local use, restoring some decorative arches in the Jackson Town Square.[68]
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Middle English elk < Old English eolc < Old Norse elgr or Middle High German elch, both < Proto-Germanic *elkh- < Proto-Indo-European *ol-/ *el- ("'red, brow'").
elk (plural elk or archaic, elks)
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text:
MSNBC host gives shout-out to Homegrown Comfy Chicken Biscuit
Looks like everyone wants to get comfy...
Looks like everyone wants to get comfy...
Becca J. G. Godwin The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3:34 p.m Wednesday, April 12, 2017 Neighborhoods
...The breakfast and lunch spot — which has been considered Atlanta's favorite place to get biscuits — has gained a loyal base since opening in June 2010. Celebrities such as John Hamm and Bill Clinton have dined there, and Jerry Seinfeld stopped by last week before his show at the Fox Theatre.
And now chef Kevin Clark's pimento cheese is developing some standalone recognition as a retail product, recently expanding into Georgia. It became available for purchase at many metro Atlanta Krogers in late March.
For three hours you will be on a tour like no other. Every location will evoke a time and period of Civil Rights, including Ralph Abernathy's West Hunter Street Church, the mural of John Lewis on Auburn Avenue and the office on Auburn Avenue where MLK, Abernathy, Andrew Young and Hosea Williams made decisions that changed the world.
Learn more! http://civilrightstour.com/
Our pimento cheese is finally going on sale! Locations will continue to grow but check the link below to find where you can buy it today!
Or come in and check it at Home grown!
It wasn't until Kevin Clark opened Home Grown GA that he came to like this Southern classic, which can easily turn thin and soggy. What's his secret? Slice the tomatoes no less than ¼ inch thick, then salt and pepper them generously about five minutes before frying. Give the slices several good tosses to evenly distribute the seasoning. And instead of the traditional cornmeal, he uses panko Japanese breadcrumbs.
Homegrown, nestled between overgrown lots and a body shop, doesn't look like a place for a superior breakfast. Neither does their trademark comfy biscuit, a messy, chaotic jumble of fried chicken and sausage gravy, garnished with an ironically thin orange slice. And yet, this is the dish that helped earn the diner city-wide acclaim."It's just simple Southern food," says Kevin Clark, chef and owner of Homegrown. "It's comforting. It feels like you're at your grandmother's house."
Everyone loves Home Grown, Atlanta's favorite local-fresh-homemade haven of breakfast and lunch. We invited our friends, owners Lisa and Kevin to compare notes on these two very different businesses. Where the Vortex walks the gritty line between debauchery and charm, Home Grown glistens like a beacon of light in the darkness. You'll want to sop up every last bite of this episode with a hot buttermilk biscuit. - Vortex Radio
Tweet us @askthevortex
Big thanks to our friend Candye Cane for our intro and out music!
Listen to this Podcast on Soundcloud or YouTube!
Now Subscribe on iTunes !!!
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Listen to it here! ---------------------►

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Newspaper article St Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
Treasurer Candidate Keeps Eye on Dollar Good Money Management, Not Partisanship, Should Be the Issue, She Asserts
Article excerpt
Nancy Drew Sheehan tries to get the point of her campaign across to strangers by pulling out a dollar bill.
"I ask them to show me where on there it says anything about Democrats or Republicans," said Sheehan, the partisan Democratic candidate for what she sees as a really nonpartisan post of state treasurer.
The job is managing a lot of those dollar bills - billions actually - in a way that earns the most interest and stimulates the most economic growth.
"We've got to stop looking at the state's money management as a Democratic or Republican issue," Sheehan said during a recent campaign swing through the Metro East area.
It isn't that there's anything wrong with her Republican opponent, state Sen. Judy Baar Topinka; it's just that Sheehan sees herself as comparatively more qualified, she said. Years ago it might not have mattered so much, but in today's competitive economic markets, knowledge of economics is imperative, said Sheehan, who studied at the London School of Economics.
It might be possible for an office holder to hire an expert, she allowed, but added, "The manager has got to lead by example. You've got to be a part of the change."
At 51, Sheehan, of Chicago, is an elected trustee of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and one of few Illinois politicians to garner more than a million votes without running for a statewide office. As its finance chairwoman, she oversees a $750-million-a-year budget to provide sewage service to 5 million people and an industrial equivalent of 5 million more.
But like Topinka, who is from Riverside in suburban Chicago, Sheehan is relatively unknown in Southern Illinois and running for a job that doesn't usually fire much excitement in the electorate. …


text:
Q. Why won't the ETs communicate with me?
A. Many humans are in a deep state of fear during an Encounter Experience with the ET Visitors. Even if you aren't scared, the Greys have such a strong energy field themselves that their presence alone can affect a human body physiologically, causing the heart rate to rise, sometimes quite dramatically, and the whole body to tremble. This trembling sensation seems to emanate right from the core of your being, and can take some time to abate. One of the tall Greys we communicate with has sometimes had to cut his visits short if this sensation becomes too much for those present.
During Encounters with the Greys, it is more to do with the Experiencer's own fear (or anger) that stops any communication taking place. The Greys generally communicate telepathically, and to pick up on this accurately you need to be at least in a calm alpha state, which is impossible when you're frightened or upset in any way. For an ET to try to communicate with a terrified or angry human is the equivalent of trying to listen to one radio station while your radio is tuned in to another. It just doesn't work.
The very best communication happens at theta level (as in deep meditation), in what one Experiencer I know of refers to as the 'mind awake/body asleep' state. This is what is also known as 'sleep paralysis', and is very scary at first, until you learn to just relax and go with it. I have experienced this on several occasions, and have NEVER been hurt by it, so if it happens, don't let it scare you. The pressure you may feel coming down on your body is simply Energy – it is NOT something negative.
Q. Why are people who are taken up on the Discs often shown graphic images of major disasters happening on Earth and/or a battle going on in Space?
A. These images being shown are simply possible futures for Earth if Humanity does not wake up to Itself; but the future is not 'set in stone' as it were. You are continually creating your own future through the way you are thinking/acting NOW.
As part of your evolution as a human species, people on Earth are being made to choose – Love or Fear. This is the reason why you have freewill, and it is this choice that evolution within the
Fear is divisive-
one nation / religion / culture against
another nation / religion / culture.
Fear is judgemental -
my way is better / superior / more
pleasing to God than your way.
Fear is self-centred –
I am right, you are wrong.
Love is Oneness, Unity,
Respect for the beliefs of others,
and always acting for the
good of ALL rather than self.
Q. What type of government do the Greys/Zetas have? Do you select/vote for a leader?
A. This is a difficult question to answer, as our Group Mind operates in a different way to that of Earth Humans. Soul Evolution dictates who among us are leaders. We function in a way much more attuned to Oneness than do Humans of Earth. Everything we undertake is focused towards the good and benefit of ALL rather than upon individual gain, and we are intrinsically linked to each other through the Group Mind, which really is our 'Government'. This is so hard to explain, but we are governed and directed by the combined Group Mind of our whole species.
There are some whose consciousness is more evolved and therefore stronger, so tend to exert more influence within the Group Mind and could be considered 'leaders'. These are the ones you refer to as 'Elders' or 'Teachers'. They are not voted in or selected, but rather evolve into a position of leadership through soul age and acquired wisdom.
Q. Can you tell us how long it will be before you make yourselves known to the People of Earth on a wider scale?
A. No, we cannot say, for it is not up to us but rather depends upon the consciousness of the majority of the population of the planet. We have made both successful and unsuccessful attempts at approaching in our ships, but at the same time, must tread carefully as it were, for the effects of a full-on physical contact could prove disastrous for all concerned. ET contact is all about spiritual growth and transmutation/transformation of Energy on a personal basis for each individual undergoing contact. It will have an effect en masse, but is still a personal and individual experience, and so at least for now we will continue to mainly approach people in this way.
However, looking at the bigger picture, disclosure has been happening all along. If you just pause for a moment and think about it, the ETs are doing exactly as one would expect, by triggering those who have agreed to be here at this time. This causes a ripple effect like a pebble being thrown into a pond. Many humans of Earth are opening to deeper conscious awareness, living more through their hearts; and more and more children are being born with a higher percentage of DNA activated. This is disclosure!
It is not about "when will the ETs land on the White House lawn?" but rather, when will people open their awareness to the way the ETs are going about it right now? The evidence is all around you if you have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. The way you will truly perceive our presence is from a place of love in your hearts, not a place of fear in your heads. You need to approach us from a deeper part of yourselves.
Q. When do ETs decide whether to intervene or not?
A. We intervene when a Civilisation is in danger of destroying Itself. Humans of Earth are, in a cosmic sense, like children. You are at Level 1 in the Cosmic Cycle, and so immature behaviour and foolishness up to a point is entirely understandable, but when it gets out of hand then intervention is required.
Planet Earth could be likened to a cosmic kindergarten. Left without supervision for any length of time, the little ones begin to squabble and fight amongst themselves. This is allowable providing one or more of them does not suddenly produce dangerous weapons from out of their pocket or school bag. Once this occurs then it is obvious that the situation is getting out of hand. An elder must intervene if disaster and tragedy is to be averted; thus our increased presence after your Second World War.
Humans of Earth have very little concept of Universal Oneness. You are still very much caught up in Separateness – the concept of Them and Us. You have little true understanding of the enormity and seriousness of the imbalance which would occur should Earth Humans destroy their civilisation or their planet. You are NOT separate from us. We are ALL an integral part of Oneness, and if you have trouble with this concept then you need to take a deep and serious look at your inner self! Those of you who resent our presence do not understand that we have been requested to intervene by Higher Powers.
Q. What are your thoughts on using shamanic herbs such as peyote and cannabis to attain higher levels of consciousness?
A. Absolutely NOT! These are made use of by those who are not past the astral level of understanding, and can do tremendous damage to the Energy Body. Your body is a
Modern-day users of these drugs generally do no preparation whatsoever, which is HIGHLY dangerous. Much better to undergo proper training so that such out-of-body journeys can be done naturally. Yes, this training does take time, patience and dedication, and is not the 'quick-fix' that many seem to crave in modern society, but it is the only safe way. If there is a need for you to travel in this way to receive teaching or healing, then assistance will be given to you.
What causes people to have ET contact? Do we emit a certain energy that draws them to us?
When a person reaches a point where they're ready and willing to take the next step up on their evolutionary journey, they put out a between-life request to link up with their Soul Family and Guardian Teachers during the span of the coming life that they're preparing to enter. Their energy body then begins to emit or resonate on a certain frequency that puts this message out loud and clear, and links them into the appropriate cosmic energy frequency.
I'm aware that many people suffer very real fear and trauma from Encounter Experiences with ETs. Not knowing what is happening, a number of questions come into their mind: Why me? Have I done something wrong to have this happen? Are they evil?
From my 60 odd years of ongoing Contact, I feel I can speak with some authority on this.
The 'Why me?' question – Although you are probably not aware on a conscious level, you have chosen the experience; or at least that part of your being that could be called the Higher Self. ET contact, particularly with the Greys, is all about expansion of human consciousness, and on a Soul Level you have chosen this, whether you are consciously aware of the fact or not. This is a between-life decision that has been made.
'Have I done something wrong to have this happen?' and 'Are they evil?' No to both these questions! Despite what some fear-mongers put out about them, the Greys are NOT negative or demonic. One only has to read what the late Monsignor Balducci of the
Don't believe everything you read on the Net or in books, magazines etc. There's some good stuff out there, but there's also a lot of rubbish and some serious fear-mongering, as well as misinformation and disinformation, often from ones who haven't actually had Encounter Experiences themselves.
Search out the positive information. It may be hard to find, but it's there. Above all, have trust and faith in your God/Angels/Guardians to protect you. The only thing to fear is fear itself. More and more information is now coming out about how contact with the Greys/Zetas has changed peoples' lives for the better, once they've managed to move beyond the fear. They've learnt to care more for themselves and for those around them, they have greater respect for our Mother Earth and the Environment, and they start to open up and understand about Oneness and Respect – for ALL beings.
There has been talk lately of an alien invasion, with America preparing weapons for this. What's going on with this in connection with the Greys?
The idea of an "alien invasion" has been created and spread as part of a negative, fear-oriented propaganda campaign by the ones I call the Repterran Controllers. This is meant to portray them as "heroes" protecting the planet, and provides them with an excuse to build and deploy weapons to try to stop the legitimate ETs who are coming here to free humanity from the state of disempowerment and fear in which this planet has been held since its "hi-jacking" many millennia ago.
The Grey Guardians, along with other benevolent ETs are here to assist the planet and humanity to step up from 4th to 5th world consciousness, as tribal people the world over have foretold. But the Controllers don't want this to happen as it would mean that they'd lose their control over the masses. The genuine ETs are angered and sickened that such a group has blocked the soul progress of humanity for so long. No one has this right, and it is the Controllers who are the ones interfering and disregarding human free will, at the same time blaming the Greys for doing this. It's the Controllers' way of diverting the blame onto others to cover and protect themselves, and to make people scared of the genuine ETs
What is the Greys' purpose? Why are they here? What are they trying to accomplish for the future of Earth?
The Greys could be described as Cosmic Alchemists. They're assisting and awakening us on multi-levels of our being, physically, through adjustments to our DNA, mentally, through exposing us to the reality of mind-states way beyond our familiar 3rd dimensional reality and pushing us past the deeply-buried fear barriers that are blocking further evolutionary progress, and spiritually, through adjustments to our energy body and exposure to the energy of crop circles and implants which work like acupuncture and Reiki to balance, harmonize and raise our energy frequency, which is what soul evolution is all about. Their job is to assist Planet Earth and all who dwell thereon to step up to 5th world consciousness.
On the concept of planetary evolution and "returning to Oneness" - How can one contribute to this? How can we prepare ourselves to handle the coming changes?
This all begins with Self. You contribute by working diligently on yourself. Many people do not understand clearly that returning to Oneness, or returning to God to put it in Christian terms, is a matter of raising and refining your vibrational frequency. This is the lost key to bringing Science and Religion/Mysticism back into a state of Oneness, which is the next step that must happen if humans of Earth are to step up to the next level of reality. Human evolution and spirituality are One - you cannot have one without the other, and the way to raise and refine the vibrational frequency of your energy system is through spiritual practice.
Spiritual practice includes many paths - traditional disciplines such as Reiki, Yoga, Meditation and Prayer (Prayer is talking to God and Meditation is listening, so you need to do both), and living your life in a spiritual way - doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.
How should we react to people who claim or truly believe that they are channelling Ascended Masters, Angels etc., but are not "walking their talk" on a personal level in their lives?
A major way that the negative forces are influencing people these days is through New Age avenues such as channelling and psychic messages. The Repterran Controllers use remote mind control and ESP techniques to place messages into peoples' minds to cause them to think they've been singled out for contact by ones such as Jesus, Mother Mary, Arch-Angels Michael/Gabriel/Uriel, as well as various Ascended Masters.
These mediums/psychics genuinely believe they are channelling one or more of these exalted beings, but more often than not it's an ego trip. Always be wary of anyone who claims to channel such beings, because the truth is, any being who has reached such a high level of spiritual evolution has moved way beyond the need to label themselves as such. This is not to say that they don't send messages through, but they would never claim to be of such an exalted rank. The message would be given anonymously, or you would be told that it's from your own Higher Self.
The sure way to tell whether a spirit message is genuine or lower astral plane-based is the content. No spiritual teacher EVER speaks negatively or in judgement of another, and the message is wholly and entirely based on Love - NEVER Fear. If channelled information delivers a message of fear, then it is not genuine.
Negative energy can be very strong, so don't get confused between "strong" and "good". Yes, these channellers can have very strong vibes which may be expressed in a seemingly loving way, often with lots of "ego-stroking" going on. Many fake "gurus" use this technique to draw in and hold onto disciples in a controlling way. They're like leeches who hook into your energy system and manipulate you very cunningly.
How do you react? Firmly, by standing in your own power! Just say "thank you, but no thank you. No disrespect intended, but I don't agree with such and such. That is not my reality!" Express your own self-empowerment in a firm and calm manner, and walk away. Remember, we all have the Spark of God within us! We are powerful beings ourselves who do not need some guru telling us what to do and who or what to fear.


text:
Before you think this is a nice couple on a nice vacation, read the caption below.
The undated photo, from the AP, was released by the Philadelphia Police Department:
Shown is Jocelyn Kirsch, a student at Drexel University and Edward Anderton of Everett Wash. Kirsch, 22, and Anderton, 25, were charged Friday, Nov. 30 with identity theft, forgery, unlawful use of a computer and a laundry list of other counts. Their alleged fraud scheme, estimated at $100,000 this year alone, paid for jaunts to Paris, London and Hawaii and other luxury perks, including Kirsch's stop at a tony salon for $1,700 worth of hair extensions, police said.
According to the Associated Press story:
A weekend search of the couple's $3,000-a-month apartment turned up a cache of tech toys: four computers, two printers, a scanner and an industrial machine that makes ID cards. Police also found $17,500 in cash, dozens of credit cards and fake drivers' licenses, and keys to unlock many of the apartments and mailboxes in their upscale Rittenhouse Square apartment building. Police are not yet sure how they got the keys.
More photos below:


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Chunichi, Yakult, Yomiuri, Hanshin, Hiroshima, Yokohama: December 16, 2012
by Gen on Dec.16, 2012 @ 11:55 pm, under NPB
Chunichi Dragons
Kazuki Yoshimi, Masato Kobayashi, Yudai Ono, Ryosuke Oguma, and Kentaro Nishikawa left for Yomitan, Okinawa today. The five pitchers will go through a four-day mini-camp. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012
Junki Ito has plans to work out with a number of players, including Takuya Asao, for two weeks in Guam next month. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012
Masahiro Araki will hold a mini-camp in Kumamoto in early January. Players like Yohei Oshima, Ryosuke Hirata, Ryoji Nakata, and Yomiuri Giant Daisuke Fujimura, are scheduled to attend. Source: Sanspo 12/16/2012
The Dragons are scheduled to play a practice game against the Hanwha Eagles (KBO) on February 5. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012
Yakult Swallows
Shohei Tateyama will be writing a book on his rehab methods -- he had right shoulder surgery in 2002, right elbow surgery in 2004 and 2005, and right hand surgery in 2011. Source: Sanspo 12/16/2012
Tsubakuro has received offers from thirteen organizations/companies: Money Square Japan (100 Euros), Kyushu Ninji Association (20,000 yen), Zero1, Google, Sumo, FC Tokyo (30,000 yen), Tetsuwan, Bijin Tokei, Shizuoka TV (one yen x total attendance of Yomiuri vs Yakult at Shizuoka on June 29-30), Genbei (20,000 yen plus other perks), Chi-Clo (Akihabara store will be renamed to Chi-Kuro), Home Run Bar (20,000 yen plus other perks), Matsuyama Tourism Association. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012
Yomiuri Giants
Ryosuke Miyaguni's primary goal for 2013: pitching enough innings to qualify for a title (144 innings). Source: Sponichi 12/16/2012
Tatsunori Hara is thinking about moving Kyosuke Takagi to the starting rotation. Scott Mathieson could also get a look as a starter. Source: Sanspo 12/16/2012, Daily Sports 12/16/2012, Sponichi 12/16/2012
Hanshin Tigers
Yasutomo Kubo held a five-day mini-camp in Tanegashima, Kagoshima that began on the 10th. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 12/16/2012
1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami worked out at the Osaka Toin grounds on Saturday. He also spoke to reporters and said he did not think he would be facing Nippon Ham 1st round draft pick Shohei Otani when the two teams meet on February 23.
"Personally, I do not think it will happen," said Fujinami. "I do not want to worry about those things. I just have to focus on what I need to do."
Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012, Daily Sports 12/16/2012
Worried about oversleeping, Fujinami plans to set two to three alarm clocks in his dorm room. Source: Sanspo 12/16/2012
Tolucky does not plan on ever exercising his FA option. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012
The media learned on Saturday that Kosuke Fukudome contacted both the Tigers and Yokohama Bay Stars with counter-offers. The Tigers could hold a meeting as early as Monday to discuss what they should do next. Source: Sanspo 12/16/2012
Sports Hochi Osaka adds that GM Katsuhiro Nakamura told reporters on Saturday the team plans to speak to Fukudome over the next few days.
"We will speak to [Fukudome's] agent [over the phone]. We can not change the base deal, but we can talk about the incentives," said Nakamura.
Source: Sports Hochi 12/16/2012, Sponichi 12/16/2012
The Tigers could be thinking about guaranteeing the third year -- as it currently stands, the third year is a club option (buyout). Source: Daily Sports 12/16/2012
Hiroshima Carp
Kan Otake and his wife held a wedding ceremony at Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima today. Over 150 people attended. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/16/2012
Yokohama Bay Stars
Daisuke Miura has his sights set on 200 innings next season. Miura will turn thirty-nine on the 25th. No pitcher, since the start of the two-league system, has managed to toss 200 innings in the year they turned forty. One pitcher, Tadashi Wakabayashi, accomplished it twice (326.1 in 1948 and 271 in 1949) before the two-league system. Since the start of the two-league system, only six pitchers have managed to toss enough innings to qualify for a title during or after the year they turned forty. The most, at 179.2 innings, was recorded by Choji Murata in 1989. Source: Sponichi 12/16/2012


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What is included with this book?
|p. 7
|The Single Greatest Gift
|p. 9
|Living in 3D
|p. 21
|The Power of Story
|p. 37
|Grander Vision Living
|p. 51
|Prayer Requests & Answers
|p. 69
|Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.
Excerpted from Just Walk Across the Room: Four Sessions on Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith by Bill Hybels, Hybels
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.


text:
ok well i jut found out yesterday my totum animal is a bear. and my friend found out hers was a wolf and shes been doing witchcraft for like 1 week. nut i wanted to know can anyone actualy see theres as she can. but i cant.if you can then plz explain how:)
oh and we found our totum animals by a method we found in a book where you imagin yourself in a garden and there is a fountin you then walk up to thefountin and look in and you will see your totum animal. but ushaly no one else can come to your garden but she see a load of people then only one guy so when she looked in the water a red and yellow bird cam out the water and so did her totem animal then the animals had a fight and the bird flew over to the man and he said " you have a lot of training to do"
so im asking is this normal ect if so what does it mean
sorry to be so annoying i just wanted to ask


text:
UC Irvine Extension Showcases Industry Experts In Upcoming Project Management Webinars
Free Webinars Provide Insight on Risk Management & Project Monitoring and Control Techniques
Jun 05, 2014, 11:30 ET from UC Irvine Extension
IRVINE, Calif., June 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Project managers from all industries looking to advance their skills and career success in the areas of project risk management, monitoring and control can participate in two free online webinars offered by University of California, Irvine Extension. The webinars will be held on Wednesday, June 11, and Thursday, June 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PDT. They are respectively titled, A Review of Project Risk Management: Lessons Learned for Increased Project and Career Success and Tips and Ideas for Project Managers: Effective Monitoring and Control.
"Webinar participants will have the opportunity to learn best practices for successful project execution, and how to create a framework of effective monitoring and control techniques," said Tom Pokladowski, director of legal and finance programs at UC Irvine Extension. "Participants will also have the chance to hear first-hand from influential project management industry leaders with vast hands-on experience in the field."
In A Review of Project Risk Management: Lessons Learned for Increased Project and Career Success, participants will learn how the ability to effectively manage risks significantly improves the chances of successful project execution and personal career success. The goal of this interactive webinar is to review key lessons learned from past initiatives, and to assist in the understanding of how to incorporate these as part of an overall project and career approach. The webinar will be moderated by Laszlo A. Retfalvi, principal of Retfalvi and Associates, and UC Irvine Extension course instructor. Focused on leadership, accountability, and success, Laszlo is a recipient of the 2013 UCI Extension Distinguished Instructor Award.
Tips and Ideas for Project Managers: Effective Monitoring and Control will provide students with a framework of project monitoring and control techniques. Once a project begins, project managers are faced with numerous decisions, issues and problems which require attention. UC Irvine Extension instructor and guest expert Jim Baber will describe key monitoring and control areas of interest for current and future project managers.
Both webinars are part of UC Irvine Extension's Project Management Certificate Program. To RSVP for the free online webinars, visit www.unex.uci.edu/services/events/.
About UC Irvine Extension: University of California, Irvine Extension is the continuing education arm of UC Irvine, serving nearly 40,000 students globally and offering more than 3,200 classes annually on the UC Irvine campus, online and at employer sites throughout California and worldwide. Since 1962, UC Irvine Extension has served Orange County with programs and classes to help adult learners reach their career advancement and personal enrichment goals, and remains dedicated to providing broad access to the resources of the University for the benefit of the public, both through University Extension certificate and specialized studies programs and a broad range of free and open educational resources including UC Irvine OpenCourseWare. Learn more at http://extension.uci.edu, or join us on YouTube or Facebook.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UC Irvine contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UC Irvine news, visit today.uci.edu.
CONTACT: Vivian Slater, 714-573-0899 ext. 235
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140219/LA67532LOGO
SOURCE UC Irvine Extension


text:
Filling the Gap at the Bottom of the Funding Ladder by Crowd Funding with iPledg
What are your options if you are involved in a start-up and you need early stage seed capital? Most would say the choices for funding are banks, grants, or perhaps even getting sympathetic friends or relatives to "kick the can". The same applies to small business, with there being seemingly less than a handful of options for a small parcel of funds for those with little than more than a great idea and a ton of passion. That was, at least, until the advent of crowd funding.
For ever (perhaps even longer) there has been the stock exchange at the top of the funding ladder. The cost and effort to list is well out of reach of most small business and start-ups, making an IPO a non-option for smaller enterprises.
Venture capitalists say they fund start ups, but statistics show that the amount of capital offered by this source of cash has dried up by almost 90% globally over the past 10 years. That said, the reduced pool of available funding from venture capitalists is seldom granted to early stage business. Perhaps "venture capitalists" should be redefined as "development capitalists", due to their propensity to only fund once an enterprise has a proven track record and achieved significant milestones.
Traditional sources of finance such banks, loans and debt used to be the unpalatable but necessary evil for start-ups. The GFC turned off the music when it came to dancing with the devil, as banks became more conservative in their policies around lending. So small business that already found it tough to get finance, or had to offer up all of their assets as security, now find the well dry, and little or no joy when seeking funding from traditional financiers.
More sophisticated suppliers of capital, such as trade finance or factoring, again are more aligned with businesses with some form of existing cashflow, turnover of a certain volume, and momentum. Whilst each has their merits, they do not represent viable options to start-ups or small business.
Governments in many countries offer grant programs to support initiative and innovation. Especially in areas of community enrichment, environmental benefit, and new-to-world technologies, ruling administration on local, state and federal levels often assist by offering financial grants to assist early stage concepts to germinate and take flight. Qualification for such grants is often competitive, with applicants needing to meet or exceed the assessment criteria. Unfortunately many early stage initiatives can't meet the requirements, especially for grants that require matched funding or a co-contribution from the grant recipient, making them another non-option. Furthermore, as other funding options dry up, there is increased competitiveness for grant funding, giving each applicant less chance to receive a grant and for the total pool to be divided amongst the increased number of recipients.
The height to which start-ups and small business are required to jump when going in search of funding is getting ever higher, to a position that is nigh on unachievable for new businesses. Until recently, there was a yawning gap at the bottom of the funding ladder, leaving the most accessible rungs of funding out of reach of small business despite their best efforts to leap and grab a hold.
However, we now have a relatively new, highly accessible, and extremely flexible form of finance known as crowd funding. This exciting and dynamic form of e-commerce fills the void at the bottom of the funding ladder, giving opportunity for great ideas and initiative to be judged by "the crowd" rather than stony faced men in grey suits with boards to please and KPIs to meet. Innovators can now articulate their projects, and engage the crowd to support the campaign based on shared passion or their desire to get their hands on the sought after inducements that may be on offer.
According to Wikipedia, "Crowd Funding describes the collective cooperation, attention and trust by people who network and pool their money and other resources together, usually via the internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations."
In addition to raising the funds required for their venture, project creators can also gain invaluable social proof, validating that there is a market for the concept or a broader appeal for the idea. This then paves the way for more traditional sources of greater funding to now venture in and further fund the project (assuming that further capital is still required after a successful funding campaign!).
The new renaissance has begun! The birth of crowd funding has given rise to a whole new world of opportunity for creative, commercial, charitable and community projects. By simply posting a project on sites like iPledg, there now exists an avenue of finance that gives the power back to the people, and allows the crowd to determine the beginning of initiatives that will shape our world.


text:
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rl'tr dur.ng it lt' big ovcrtlow. got
.nto ll-elfoot Uke and oth.r lake, and
re.tucked them with all vanetle of flsh.
Convict Killed.
i-wit-fort-No-h Taylor, a "f""
conht iu the Frankfort ptniteiitiary,
wa. .hot and killed by 11. M. Yo.in?. a
gu.il. Two .hot. were fired by th.
guard, on of which took effect n th.
convict' heart, killing him InUantly.
r. i .. I ..ilv hurt mid i 111 th
j ne guiini " ';.- i.,-.. l.l.
ho.pltnl, a a reuu oi - -
To Run Poultry Train.
The Qu-n A Crewnt railroad will
,,.. a poultry train over It. line. In Ken
tucky. '1 he train will bo deoUd en
trclj to poultry, nd will ci ry; exp.r t
o Joutry-raLing, who will Uetur. to
tho farmers.
Insurance Expert.
Frankfort.-, expert In In.uranco
rate-nmking will be erapMJJ
.,.,.nr. Hating OominN..on to , st th
roninilion In "i.ig rntoi for tho gov
ernment of the fire l..un..ee companies
.luting buMiu-M in till stnte
I ottrier's H-rome I irefe
I L -d vl---
.- ui$3
Keeping House for Comfort.
Ho was wIbo who wrote; "Half
tho sting of poverty or of small
means Is gone when ono keeps houso
for one's own comfort, and not for
tho comment of one's own neighbors.
Deny it as wo will, r-w of ua have
tho moral force to sot up a standard
of our own, based upon our own In
comes and our own inrtlcular home
environments. Wo commit the folly
of regulating our expenses by tho In
come of como ono elso. It tho
ilrottns across tho street bang up
expensive lace curtains, wo aro dis
contented until lace curtains have
gone up to our windows, no matter
how much smallor our Income may 'bo
than that at tho Drowns. If the
Smiths put down a velvet carpet our
nent and pretty Ingrain becomes nn
eye scro io us. Wo aro oxtremly.
mindful of what our neighbors will
think about many things that should
not concern them In tho least. We
have no standard of our own. Our
dress and even our tables must be
regulated by tho standard of others.
We have no. tho coumso nor the
independonco to bo Indifferent to the
comment of our neighbors. Tills form,
of moral cowardice Is causing many
families In Hickman to live beyond
their Incomes. They can faco debt,
and forfeit their self-respect easier
than they can faco tho unfavorable
comment of their friends and neigh
bors. Tho extent to which tills imi
tation of others is carried would bo
ludicrous, but H did not bring so
much unhnpplness In Its train. It Is
frequently tho direct cause of dis
cord and discontent and debt that
havo driven hnpplnoas from the family
hearthstone. Lot us havo a standard
of our own, based upon our own need
and lot us cheerfully nml bravely ad
hero to this standard, heedless of
thnt dreadful bugbear: "What will
tho neighbors say?"
"Where Shall I draw tho line?"
says tho anxious parent, wlio Is so
licitous for his boy's future. Glvo
tho vounc man tho sympathetic com
panionship which ho will find else-
whero if not at homo; encourago nun
to seek elevating and refining asso
ciations; impress upon him tho fact
iio mnnv amusements aro bad only
in connection with their associations
and tho atmosphere of temptation
which leads to greater evil; demon
strato to lilm that tho principle of
getting something for nothing' la bad
"wholly bad, and if followed will lead
to his moral and physical ruin; mako
home such a bright, congonlal place
that he will flritf more pleasure there
than In tho haunts of wickedness;
nioro than all else, let him have In
you on exaraplo of uprightness and
moral health. Bo sincere, for he can
penetrate your disguises and despise
you if a hypocrite.
Meddlesome persons who aro con
tinually prying Into other people's af-
iaint ami carrying tales hotween ac
quaintances and frlenda create a great
deal of mischief and are best content
ed when thoy can spread scandal. It
hoenw inoro natural for them to speak
HI of a person than to utter words
of praise, and their habit of gossip
ing becomes so fixed that they can
talk scandals almost unconsciously.
U 1b Just as cosy to say a good -word
for friends and acquaintances, oven
If not wholly deserved, as it Is to
speak ill of them, and the effect on
the community Is always beneficial
In a general way. Scandal gathers as
it travels by word or mouth and can
novcr bo recalled when once In circu
Intion. Try speaking weil of every
one and see what a change it will
mako In your own happiness as (n
the welfare of others.
If you would gather up all tender
memories, all tho lights and shades
of tho heart, all banquetlngs and re
unions, all filial, fraternal, paternal
and conjugal affections and you had
only Just four letters with which to
spell out thnt height and depth and
length and breadth and magnitude
and oternlty of meaning, you would,
with streaming eyes, and tromblnlg
voice, and agitated hand, write it out
in thoso four living capitals H-O-AI-K.
. . ,.., . , ,
Man la naturally a homo-loving an-
Unsurpassed "VclI
For Mens all-wool
Owing to the high water, which has affected the clothing
business, I find that I have a larger stock of mens suits
than I care to have at this season, and in order to move
them out quickly I have made a special price of $ 1 2.95
on my entire line, consisting of the celebrated all-wool
Schwab line in all the new 1912 styles, colors and fabrics.
Remember the sale begins Saturday, June 22, so come
early and get choice of patterns.
Where Quality Reigns Higher than Price.
P. S. I have a complete line of Walk-Over and Selz Shoes and Oxfords,
Stetson and Leibovitz Hats, and most anything in the way of Underwear, Shirts,
Furnishings and Work Goods, also a swell line of Trousers. Ferriage refunded
to Missouri customers.
lmal. In fact, most animals are
home-loving. And when a man asks
woman to share his life, it is usually
taken as a gentlo hint that he wants
her to mako him a home and take a
sort of general oversight of his affair
and a special oversight of himself.
He likes to know that she does
things for him Just for tho reabon
that she loves him, and is interested
in him and his woll-belng. He loves
his home inoro If there Is some im
press of her personality upon it. He
llkos best the meal Bho prepares for
ihlni. Of courao, he says very little
perhaps nothing of all this, being a
A gentleman etopa at a friend's
houso and finds It in confusion. He
doos not seo anything to apologize for
"never thinks of such matters."
Everything i right- cold .supper, cold
room, crying chlldrn "perfectly com
fortablo!" Go home, where his wife
has been taking care of tho children
or attending the sick, and working
her life almost out. Then he does
not boo why tilings can't bo kept In
order; "thoro novcr were such cross
children before!" No apologies ac
cepted at home I Oh, why not look
at Oio sunny side at homo as well as
abroad, and try pleasant words In
Htead of burly ones? Why not bo n-
greeablo at home? Why not use free
ly thnt golden coin of courtesy?
New- pictures dally at the Crystal.
"Retter bo insured than sorry."
Mr. and Mrs. K..A. Mitchell aro
visiting his parents in Owensboro.
Hugh O'Donnell. of East St. Louis,
Is visiting C. T. Uondurant and wife.
Mrs. H. N. Cowglll and son, Henry,
aro visiting her sister, Miss Mabel
Truby, In Nashville.
Miss LUla Johnston has returned to
i her home in Ripley. Tenn., after a
'ten days' visit with W. A. Johnston
alKi fajjmy.
Suits worth $1 5.00,
worth more.
Here is a winner at $12.95. For 15 days I will
sell you a Schwab guaranteed all-wool blue serge suit,
handsomely tailored and trimmed and perfect fitting
at $12.95, you would have to pay $15 and more
to others for no better. It doesn't come often when
you can buy such a high grade suit at such a low
price when the season has just begun. Come in
and inspect the line, I have all sizes and practically
an unlimited range of styles and patterns and you
know the price is right.
ii ' W il i1 Ml 4 .i J
f i Hi "m 'iiifti
Dr. W. V. Richmond, of the State
Board of Health, will give a free
lecture at tho Lyric tonight The pub
lic will be enlightened on the cause
effect and cure of the new disease
known as hookworm, and other sub
jects In the Interest of public health.
Dr. Richmond 1b an entertaining
speaker and an authority on tho sub
jects which he will discuee. In con
nection with his lectures ho gives
stereoptlcon views which are very In
teresting and prepared at a largo ex
pense. Don't fail to give Dr. Rich
mond a good houso you wilf both
enjoy and profit by hearing him.
"FIRE." Kennedy.
Burndo Hughes was in Union
Tuesday, on business.
Bachelors Wo sow on tho buttons.
Hickman Steam Laundry.
Miss Lizzie Salmon has returned.
homo from a short vlsu to Arlington.
Best granulated sugar 17V6 pounds
for ?1. A. S. Barkett's West Hlt;k-
Mrs. J. M. Garrett returned homo
Tuesday after a visit with relatives
at Poplar Bluff, JIo.
Miss Marguerite Fuqua loft Wed
nesday to visit her brother dn Union
City and attend the Chautauqua.
LOST: Deep red cow, with horns,
split ia each ear. branded "W" on
hip. Got away Sunday night. Notify
Courier office and got rowaTd. 3p
Fulton is having a street fair and
Union City has launched into a week'a
Chautauqua. Fulton will have a 4th
of July celebration Union City a fair
And what Is Hickman having or go
ing to havo in tho way of entertain
ment? Its a rotten shame that a
lot of fellows will sit around like wo
do and let folks go to other towns
to spend their money and enjoy a
holiday. If we want to hold rank
with other wldo-awako towns, wo
must tako the lid off and have a
red letter day occasionally. No town
gets better crowds than Hickman
when they aro Invited to come. But
of late we have tho habit of fishing
for their business and never offering
them anything to break tho monotony
Let's eur up sometnmg.
- ulos In.
$1 7.00, and some
) i
i. r
yy 1
Tho Crystal tonight.
xml | txt


text:
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The Vandalia Historical Society celebrated Lincoln's Birthday with a program on Tuesday afternoon at the Vandalia Statehouse. The program was presented by Dale Timmermann, president of the historical society. Timmermann read some of the narratives he has written for Vandalia's Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibits.
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text:
Voveran Tablets (Generic Voltaren) - Active Ingredient And Chemical structure
Voveran (diclofenac sodium enteric-coated tablets) is a benzene-acetic acid derivative. Voltaren is available as delayed-release (enteric-coated) tablets of 75 mg for oral administration.The active ingredient contained in Voveran is Diclofenac sodium . The structure is shown below
Generic Forms and Brand names of Voltaren (Diclofenac Sodium)
Voveran Tablets manufactured by Novartis, India is is used as an analgesic to treat pain, inflammatory disorders, and dysmenorrhea. Voltaren which has the active ingredient Diclofenac Sodium is also sold as oltaren delo, Voltarol Pain-eze, Voltaren Rapin, Voltaren T, Diclofenac T, Diclofenac-Asteria, Diclofenaco Normon, Morbidic, Voltaflam, Votrex, Cataflam, Abitren, Zipsor and under various other brand names.
Voveran Tablets - Preparations
Voveran is available as tablets of 50 mg and 100 mg .
Voveran Tablets - Storage Requirements
Voveran Tablets are to be stored at room temperature (15°C to 30°C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light.
Voveran Tablets (Generic Voltaren) - Uses
Generic Voltaren in the form of Voveran Tablets is used to treat the following indications:
Relief of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis
Relief of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
For acute or long-term use in the relief of signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis
Voveran Tablets - Contraindications
Voveran Tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to diclofenac sodium. Voveran should not be given to patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, rarely fatal, anaphylactic-like reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients. Voveran is contraindicated for the treatment of perioperative pain in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
Voveran Tablets - Dosage
The individual patients dosage should be adjusted after observing the response to initial therapy with Voveran Tablets. For the relief of osteoarthritis, the recommended dosage is 100-150 mg/day in divided doses (50 mg twice a day or thrice a day, or 75 mg twice a day).
For the relief of rheumatoid arthritis, the recommended dosage is 150-200 mg/day in divided doses (50 mg thrice a day or four times a day, or 75 mg twice a day). For the relief of ankylosing spondylitis, the recommended dosage is 100-125 mg/day, administered as 25 mg four times a day, with an extra 25-mg dose at bedtime if necessary.
Side Effects Of Voveran Tablets (Generic Voltaren)
The most common side effects of Voveran Tablets (diclofenac sodium) or other NSAIDs occurring in approximately 1%-10% of patients are Gastrointestinal experiences including: abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, gross bleeding/perforation, heartburn, nausea, GI ulcers (gastric/duodenal) and vomiting.Abnormal renal function, anemia, dizziness, edema, elevated liver enzymes, headaches, increased bleeding time, pruritus, rashes and tinnitus. Less common side effects that may occur occasionally include:
Body as a Whole: fever, infection, sepsis
Cardiovascular System: congestive heart failure, hypertension, tachycardia, syncope
Digestive System: dry mouth, esophagitis, gastric/peptic ulcers, gastritis, gastrointestinal bleeding, glossitis, hematemesis, hepatitis, jaundice
Hemic and Lymphatic System: ecchymosis, eosinophilia, leukopenia, melena, purpura, rectal bleeding, stomatitis, thrombocytopenia
Metabolic and Nutritional: weight changes
Nervous System: anxiety, asthenia, confusion, depression, dream abnormalities, drowsiness, insomnia, malaise, nervousness, paresthesia, somnolence, tremors, vertigo
Respiratory System: asthma, dyspnea
Skin and Appendages: alopecia, photosensitivity, sweating increased
Special Senses: blurred vision
Urogenital System: cystitis, dysuria, hematuria, interstitial nephritis, oliguria/polyuria, proteinuria, renal failure
Other adverse reactions, which occur rarely are:
Body as a Whole: anaphylactic reactions, appetite changes, death
Cardiovascular System: arrhythmia, hypotension, myocardial infarction, palpitations, vasculitis
Digestive System: colitis, eructation, fulminant hepatitis with and without jaundice, liver failure, liver necrosis, pancreatitis
Hemic and Lymphatic System: agranulocytosis, hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, lymphadenopathy, pancytopenia
Metabolic and Nutritional: hyperglycemia
Nervous System: convulsions, coma, hallucinations, meningitis
Respiratory System: respiratory depression, pneumonia
Skin and Appendages: angioedema, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, urticaria
Special Senses: conjunctivitis, hearing impairment
Symptoms And Treatment Of Voveran Tablets (Generic Voltaren) Overdose
Symptoms following acute Voveran Tablets or other NSAID overdoses are usually limited to lethargy, drowsiness, nausea,vomiting, and epigastric pain, which are generally reversible with supportive care. Gastrointestinal bleeding can occur. Hypertension, acute renal failure, respiratory depression and coma may occur, but are rare. Anaphylactoid reactions have been reported with therapeutic ingestion of NSAIDs, and may occur following an overdose.
Patients should be managed by symptomatic and supportive care following a NSAID overdose. There are no specific antidotes. Emesis and/or activated charcoal (60 to 100 g in adults, 1 to 2 g/kg in children) and/or osmotic cathartic may be indicated in patients seen within 4 hours of ingestion with symptoms or following a large overdose (5 to 10 times the usual dose).


text:
Looking for E46 330
Looking to buy a E46 330CI, Alpine White, M-pack, 6-Speed Manual Transmission, 100-130 thousand kms. Preferably an '03 or newer. Living just outside Toronto. If anyone has one up for sale or knows where my best bet is to finding this rare combination would love to hear from you.
post a 'wanted' ad on kijiji or any other local classified websites in Ontario, might get some responses :)
Autotrader.ca and Carpages.ca are good places to start.
Lots of dealerships near Keele + Finch have quite a few BMWs... just make sure they are good and checked out properly!
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Best Iron Man 4 and 5 Villains and Plot Ideas
View Single Post
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Lancaster, NY
Posts: 116
Best Iron Man 4 and 5 Villains and Plot Ideas
Incase Iron Man films 4 and 5 do happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has been pushing its limits on villains to choose from for the Iron Man films which is making it very difficult for how the next films will turn out here are the best choices of villains for Marvel Studios to go with
First the villains and plot for Iron Man 4
The Main villain is speculated to be
Fin Fang Foom
Option A
The film is to be based partially and loosely on the Dragon Seed Storyline of the Iron Man comics
Ben Kingsley is to reprise his role as the Mandarin regardless of Guy Pearce being the villain's MCU version over the tattoos and people using people as mask crap. Marvel should resume with the Mandarin as Trevor Slattery in a Frankenstein's Monster like way except being evil like Aldrich. Instead, Trevor will be more of a rival to Tony simply by dealing with other villains and sinister organizations like AIM with his own methods and by acquiring the ten power rings and by suiting up in black armor, he will be rebranded as Iron Mandarin
First he needs to be broken out by another villain capable of infiltrating places and skilled in martial arts and assassination tactics and the one Iron Man capable of doing that is
the Ghost
With the Ghost debuting in the next film, not only will he be a suitable Iron Man villain adaptable for the MCU. but also with his skills of stealth and martial arts tactics, he should be capable of breaking the Mandarin (Trevor) out of jail and bringing him over to the Ten Rings to explain to him about Tony Stark and Aldrich Killian
and after Raza or who ever is in charge of the band now explains their affiliation with Killian, he will give Trevor the ten power rings that they named their organization after and once Trevor puts them all on and shifts into black armor with the reanimation ring, Fin Fang Foom appears from the site they found the rings at and after showing the dragon the power of the rings, Foom organizes a deal with Slattery and the actor using the rings to put the terrorists under his command he has the world adress him as Iron Mandarin and next they attack AIM facilities all over the US and then Iron Mandarin and Iron Man fight during the Ten Rings seige
and at the end after Trevor completes his deal with the dragon reverting his remaining brothers back to their dragon forms and then the dragons start putting their plan of invasion into action. After realizing the disaster he has done, Iron Mandarin will team up with Iron Man and his allies to defeat the dragons
It may seem strange to some of you but after the mess and the chaos the twist on the Mandarin had caused and for how the Mandarin ended up being an innocent actor being played by a psychopathic scientist on taking the fall for the suicide explosions of Taggert and the rest of his failed test subjects and being arrested without understanding what's going on and being arrested for those crimes when he really never thought people were being killed, bringing him back for Iron Man 4 and evolving him into the real ring powered Mandarin that we really know from the comics would not only make things better but its the right thing to do because that way with him meeting the terrorists in the first film in the upcoming Iron Man 4, we'll be sure to get all the specific confirmation we need on Killian's involvement with him becase Maya mentioning Military contracts and Black mentioning Killian co-opting the band is NOT enough to close this case because it's hard to believe that an american would be the head of terrorists from an enemy country even if they are making the franchise loosely based on the comics.
And how would you expect Marvel Studios to do the rings for the Mandarin without being related to the character's comic book version? Same way they did it for the Cosmic Cube/Tesseract in Captain America: The First Avenger and with Thor's hammer being teased in the second Iron Man film's end credits. For in this case, simply by making both Fin Fang Foom, his dragon race, and the magic rings Asgardian based. It may seem strange but hey since the Iron Man movie franchise is in the same film universe as Thor and the other Avengers that appeared in the Avengers film, it wouldn't be such a problem to have some Asgardian elements in Iron Man 4.
or in case Kevin Feige and Marvel refuse to get Kingsley to reprise his role as the Mandarin despite making Aldrich Killian the character's MCU version then here is
Option B
Fin Fang Foom will be used as a giant mechanical dragon which serves as a combination of him and Ultimo combined
and this picture below is just one example on what Fin Fang Foom would look like in the 4th film
Sure enough, if Kevin Feige is gonna need to try something really new in order to make Fin Fang Foom's Marvel Cinematic Interpretation work out as a giant mechanical menace, he is gonna have to go with at least a few major human villains to work it out including some different resources and technologies and for this kind of thing, the villain that should operate the giant mechanical menace is
The Controller
and the two other villains that should be used as his bodyguards and henchmen are
Killer Shrike
The Ghost
and now for Iron Man 5's villains and plot
With Iron Man 5 serving as the last Marvel Cinematic Iron Man film its main villain is most speculated to be
Ezikel Stane as Titanium Man and leader of the Marvel Cinematic version of the Maggia and if you're wondering why he should be the Maggia leader of the MCU it's cause of the goons that his father Obadiah had with him in the first movie that he had executing some of the terrorists
Sasha as Madame Masque
and the other 2 speculated villains avilable are
Living Laser
Some of you are thinking of characters like MODOK, but characters like him are not gonna happen because Shane Black, the director of Iron Man 3 was kind enough to invite some of the fans that he along with Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, and Louis D'Esposito had pissed off rudely with the twist on the Mandarin and explained to them that their reasons for violating the Mandarin and for not doing the magic rings for the character was indeed because they had the Marvel Cinematic Universe tied to our reality and modern day and events and some of the characters like the Mandarin properly as we know him for was because of certain difficulties at handling the stereotypes, you can't expect them to use MODOK when the character's head is so disturbingly ugly and unbearable and besides AIM already had a major role and appearance in Iron Man 3 and because Aldrich Killian was their leader in the MCU, he's very much Marvel Cinematic MODOK enough.
And for why they should still use Fin Fang Foom inspite of tying the MCU with modern day reality? Simple, because they are gonna need something to keep the plot of the next two possible sequels and without villains like Foom, what else are they suppose to do?
To find out what Marvel Studios has in mind stay tuned.
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Report: Ben Gordon, Charlotte Bobcats Discussing Buyout DealFebruary 22, 2014
The Charlotte Bobcats are enjoying perhaps the finest season in the short history of the franchise. As of Friday afternoon, they were leading the Detroit Pistons by 2.5 games for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They are favored to make the postseason for just the second time ever.
There are many people who deserve credit for Charlotte's resurgence. Head coach Steve Clifford has the Bobcats playing inspired defense. Center Al Jefferson has been a beast inside, averaging 20.5 points per game.
But one player who is certainly not responsible for that success is their second highest-paid player, shooting guard Ben Gordon. Gordon has been stealing money this season in Charlotte, playing only 259 total minutes with a minuscule 7.0 player efficiency rating (PER) despite his $13.2 million salary in what is the fifth year of his five-year contract.
With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that the Bobcats are looking to buy Gordon out of the remainder of his contract. Per Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:
The Charlotte Bobcats are progressing in discussions on a contract buyout with guard Ben Gordon, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Charlotte had discussed including Gordon in several trades before the deadline, but none came together. The Bobcats made a deal with Milwaukee to strengthen their backcourt with Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour.
You know Gordon has been bad when his team would rather trade for guards on a 10-44 Bucks team than give him another minute of playing time.
There was a time when Gordon was considered one of the better shooting guards in the game, but that was many years ago, when he was still with the Chicago Bulls. His career was never quite the same after he signed a five-year, $55 million contract with the Detroit Pistons in 2009.
Gordon was so bad in Detroit that the Pistons had to package him with a valuable first-round pick just to get Charlotte to take him off their hands; the Bobcats gave up Corey Maggette, who played only 18 games in Detroit.
At the time, Dan Feldman of PistonPowered.com saw Gordon's time in Detroit as a symptom of the team's dysfunction:
Gordon had negative trade value, because [Pistons GM Joe] Dumars overpaid him three years ago, and it cost Detroit a first-round pick.
The root of this issue might be complex, but the solution is not. Acquire better players on cheaper contracts, and the Pistons won't have to make a trade like this again.
Regardless of what happens in the buyout, the Bobcats won that trade, if only because they have Detroit's 2014 first-round pick (protected from No. 1-8).
As for Gordon, he hasn't been an above-average player in five years. If no NBA team comes calling, he might have to go abroad to earn his paychecks in the future.
*All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.


text:
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Write an INSPIRATIONAL or DEVOTIONAL piece (04/26/07)
By Paul Potenza
I KNOW that you're out there.
I KNOW that you feel like you can't go on.
I also know that you feel like you are being beaten unjustly by the very God that you have committed yourself to serve. Every day is torture...or worse...dull routine. You find yourself screaming at God and then HATING yourself because you know that He loves you but you're just so A N G R Y that He let this happen to you.
What's even worse is that the little things seems to amplify the situation. You stub your toe in the middle of the night when you get up to get a drink of water and you suddenly become a raving madman...shouting at the sky "WHY???? WAS THAT REALLY NECESSARY??? DID YOU N E E D me to endure this PAIN when ALL I WANTED was a simple glass of WATER???"
A lot of things have happened to me in my life over the last few years.
I don't know if this will help or not but I feel compelled to say it.
On this trip that we take through our lives, there are going to be a LOT of stubbed toes.
We're going to have rotten jobs and jerky bosses and unfulfilled dreams and cancer and the murder of VERY dear friends and the unexplainable evil that penetrates our TV every night and shows up again in the morning paper under our first cup of coffee.
But you know what ELSE we get?
We get to listen to the birds sing as we get up in the morning. We get to take our old dog out at night and walk in the garden, and watch as he commits unspeakable acts on our freshly mown lawn. We get to listen to the preacher that we love, as he faltingly cracks a joke. We get the unending peace that comes from hugging our Bible close to our chest as we slowly drift off to sleep knowing that all really is well with the world because we've read the end of our Bible and we know that we WIN.
So I know that you're out there...and I FEEL you...and I know that you might want to give up.
But DON'T.
In my Bible Study this morning I have happened upon JOB. If ANYONE ever "stubbed his toe", this guy did. But he never gave up. Go ahead and read it. Feel the despair in the early chapters and the relief in the later ones and know that this was a person like you and me who had every chance to give up but didn't.
Whattaya say?
Wanna risk ONE MORE TOE???
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.


text:
England Triumphs at World Wine Awards
There was quite a hullabaloo in London last night when it emerged that an English sparkling wine had beaten competition from no less than five Champagne houses to win a coveted trophy at this year's Decanter World Wine Awards.
Ridgeview, which sits on the Sussex Downs in the South of England, picked up the International Trophy for Sparkling Wine Over £10 ($15) for its Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs, 2006.
The Champagnes it toppled were: Champagne Taittinger, Prélude, Grands Crus, Brut, Champagne, France NV; Charles Heidsieck, Millésime, Champagne, France 2000; Charles Heidsieck, Champagne Charlie, Champagne, France 1985; Thienot, Brut Rosé, Champagne, France NV and Champagne Charles Heidsieck, Rosé Millésime, Champagne, France 1999.
Of course, upsetting the old order in wine competitions is not a new phenomenon.
In 1976 a young Steven Spurrier, who also chairs the Decanter World Wine Awards, proceeded over the Judgment of Paris when Californian chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon scored higher in an organized blind tasting than its more famous French counterparts.
Those that have been following Ridgeview will not have been surprised by its success. I was first introduced to the delights of this sparkling wine a few years ago when British wine writer Oz Clarke thrust a glass in my hand and asked me what I thought. I have tasted it on many occasions since and even included it in my summer wine recommendations for the WSJ this year.
As I wrote in May, there are now more vineyards in England than at any time since the Romans withdrew from Britain at the beginning of the fifth century A.D.
A clutch of estates such as Denbies in Surrey, Chapel Down in Kent, Nyetimber, as well as Ridgeview are worth seeking out. Part of their success is that the South Downs of England share the same chalky limestone escarpment as Champagne. Anyone who has taken a stroll through the Marne Valley will have been struck by its similarity with England's rolling downs. And its profound sense of history.