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2009 Dodge Ram Suspension & Upgrades - Project Black SheepPosted in Project Vehicles on April 1, 2009
Last month we introduced our '09 Dodge 1/2-ton project truck. This build is a bit different than many of our other projects in that it's going to sort of be a show truck. Yes, we know that is blasphemy around here at 4-Wheel & Off-Road, where hard-core tech and battered bodies rule the roost, but that's why this truck was named Project Black Sheep, because it doesn't really fit into our flock. Now don't throw away this issue just yet, because if you keep reading you'll find that even a flashy 4WOR truck still has the guts to go wheeling. It's just that this one's not gonna get battered up until it's done visiting some shows. It's kind of like mom telling you that you can't get your good clothes dirty until after church.
This Dodge comes from the factory with one of the best-riding suspensions ever found under a pickup truck, but clearing bigger tires and making a "show with go" truck is our goal.
In part one we flew to Detroit to pick up the truck and drive it home (Mar. '09). We had to have the truck ready for our SEMA booth display in roughly 30 days from the day we picked it up. The SEMA show is a giant convention of representatives from the performance aftermarket as well as folks from all the big automotive manufacturers, so the Black Sheep had to be in prime form. As usual this meant sleepless nights trying to hot-rod a truck that was just hitting the scene, so some of our parts were literally prototypes test-fitted to our truck.
Upon arrival in California, we headed to Edelbrock for suspension tuning. Edelbrock is known for its engine upgrades and has long been an icon in the hot-rod scene, but its shock division is also one of the best in the off-road industry. Edelbrock not only makes its own line of parts, but also private labels for many other suspension companies. Edelbrock also has a new line of air shocks and hydraulic air bumps, and we wanted to test-fit some air bumps on this truck.
In addition to the suspension, we also used many of the first Mopar factory-backed aftermarket upgrades. These are components you can order through most any Dodge dealership and either have them dealer-installed or do it yourself. Next month we'll wrap up our show-truck build with even more good-looking trail-capable parts.
Day 10
In the Edelbrock shop we worked with the head shock engineer, Frank Alioto, who quickly surmised from a test-fit that the front bumper had to go. We clearanced the inner fenderwells since we had 37-inch Mickey Thompson Baja MTZs to stuff under it. With no suspension modifications we were able to fit the tires in the wheelwells, but some lift would be required to clear the tires during full stuff.
Day 12
The front independent suspension of the Dodge uses a coilover shock design. Since we didn't want or need to add a bunch of lift to the truck, the Edelbrock crew engineered a new VS-3 shock that would raise the truck for a level ride, or lift the truck 1 3/4 inches to clear bigger tires by moving the mounting location of the coil spring up the shock body. The shocks are tuned to be more aggressive during mid- and high-speed damping, and to help control the heavier tires.
Day 13
The independent front and coil-sprung rear suspension of the '09 Dodge allows the truck to ride smoothly over difficult terrain. Added air bumps help absorb suspension movement when the truck takes an abusive hit during high-speed off-roading. This in turn protects the components while better dissipating the forces between the sprung weight, unsprung weight, and terrain. Mounting the air bumps required different systems front and rear. In the front we used some Poly Performance air-bump cans and mounted them with custom Edelbrock gussets.
Day 13
In addition to the coilover shock, we also went to Blitzkreig Motorsports and had a fabricated upper A-arm built. The upper arm is fitted with a uniball joint to allow for more wheel travel by not binding as quickly as the factory upper ball joint. In fact, we now have the ability to get more wheel travel than the factory axleshafts can handle, but that is a part we'll look to upgrade down the road when we break them.
Day 15
We welded the brackets to the frame so that the lower aluminum A-arm would hit the air bump during hard compression. We were worried about the aluminum A-arm, but Dodge engineers explained that the arm is a forged-aluminum piece and should be very strong. If we ever have issues, we'll most likely work with Blitzkrieg to make a fabricated lower A-arm similar to the upper.
Day 17
The Edelbrock team made special air-bump mounts that were TIG-welded into the center of the upper coil mount. The air bump replaces the factory bumpstop in this location. Even though these American-made air bumps are designed and engineered to work as well as any air bump on the market, they also incorporate some cost-saving measures to bring them in well under the normal price of competitors' products.
Day 17
To weld the rear bumpstop mount in place we used the new Miller Diversion 165 TIG-welder. This is the most user-friendly welder we've ever tested, and with a price tag around $1,600 it's also affordable. TIG-welding isn't the easiest type of welding, but this welder simply requires turning the machine on, setting the material thickness, and setting the material type. Plus it comes with a TIG Welding for Dummies book and instructional DVD to help get you started.
Day 18
In addition to the air bumps in the rear coils, the rear suspension also has new 4130 chromoly suspension links from Spidertrax and modified coils from Eibach. The links should take much more abuse than the stock links, and since we were short on time, the coils were tweaked for some additional lift until we decide on a new coil rate.
Day 18
Each suspension link also uses a 1 1/4-inch forged Johnny Joint from Currie Enterprises. We initially test-fit the joints with a 9/16-inch mounting bolt, but since the brackets in the frame and axle brackets use a larger metric bolt, we eventually decided on a 5?8-inch through-bolt.
Day 18
In the rear we installed some Edelbrock extreme-travel IAS rear shocks. We upgraded our rear shocks to remote reservoirs for additional cooling, plus the zinc coat and clearcoated finish, Nitro Steel piston rod, and rolled-closed shock tubes all equal a durable leak-free shock.
Day 19
The interior of our Dodge Ram 1500 TRX4 package was made for comfort and use, with no extra glamour to get in the way. The fabric-covered high-bolstered seats were great for our cross-country trek, but since this truck was going to be part show, part go, we opted for an upgrade.
Day 21
Mopar has an optional Katzkin leather recover of any Dodge, Chrysler, or Jeep vehicle, and it's really a nice upgrade. We went full tilt and had the Ram logo and the Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road logo stitched in bright red and black. Katzkin offers a wide range of colors and styles, and these days refurbishing your truck is sometimes smarter than buying a new one. Katzkin seats may just be the ticket to give your used truck that new-truck feel.


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Changes related to "II, 44. Freiherr von Müller an Grafen Berchtold, 25. Juli 1914"
This is a list of changes made recently to pages linked from a specified page (or to members of a specified category). Pages on your watchlist are bold.
No changes during the given period matching these criteria.

subset: commoncrawl


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Elis puts lotion on her incredibly fine melons and does a rub down for you. She likes to grab her unbelievably tanned mounds and finger her hole. Elis likes to rub her clit while she sucks pole. Sometimes she prefers sucking two dicks at a time in the afternoon.
Lorena in video: Glazed meatloaf loves to put oil on her real succulent knockers. She strips down to her soft buttocks as she massages her tatas. She loves taking pictures of her milkshakes. Lorena in video: Glazed meatloaf has a really cute face, hot lips, and huge bum. When she is freaky she likes to get fucked doggy style. For more Lorena in video: Glazed meatloaf movies, Mike In Brazil is the best source.
Oiling up her bosoms, Lorena poses for the camera as she massages them. She has a ball squeezing her curvy gluteus maximus and playing with her rack. It's clear that freaky fine natural tramps don't mind showing their goods. She squeezes her cans like a dirty beauty. Lorena has got the greatest plump behind youve ever seen. Shes a real freak that like exhibitionism no matter what time of the day.
Monica2 in video: Never too shy oils up incredibly epic bosoms and plays with them. She strips down to her sexy buns as she massages her headlights. Monica2 in video: Never too shy has got the best tush. She also likes to suck dicks for an audience.
Monica2 loves to pour oil across her unbelievably phat cans. She likes to grab her naked boobies and slap her enormous back end. Monica2 has huge matured hood ornaments that could stop traffic. She also likes kissing other women for an audience.
Paloma in video: Devil beach likes to rub down her mounds with tanning oil. Her milk jugs are big, round, and they really jiggle. She grabs her rack while she jacks-off a trouser snake. Paloma in video: Devil beach is one fine natural whore. If you like seeing Paloma in video: Devil beach lube up her titties, then check out other movies of her on Mike In Brazil.
Check how Paloma oils up her incredibly fine headlights. She likes to grab her really enormous hooters and finger her poon. It's clear that freaky dirty natural dolls don't mind showing their goods. She definitely gets nasty when men suck her real fat mammary glands. Paloma is one sexy babe. Mike In Brazil has got all Paloma's best hardcore galleries and movies.


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Panama City- Identity theft remains one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States.
Guy Garrett, a cyber security expert and an Assistant Professor from Gulf Coast State College says it's up to you to educate yourself on the ever-changing security settings for web-sites such as Facebook.com.
Garrett recommends familiarizing yourself with "help" sections to arrange your privacy settings.
One tip? Avoid the "public" option on social networking site which allows anyone to see your pictures and posts.
"If you're one of these people that puts your name and address or where you were born out there, that definitely then gives a cyber hacker or cyber criminal something they can take and leverage," said Garrett.
Your most important defense is protecting your password.
"Make it random. The more random, the better."
Garrett recommends using 16 characters, including numbers symbols, and a mixture of upper-case and lower-case.
"Criminals typically want to hit an easy target. So, if you make it difficult for them to hack. Something like a complex 16 character password it could take hundreds of years to crack," said Garrett.
You can also stay up-to-date on the latest scams through helpful Facebook pages like "FaceCrooks".
Experts also warn not to use the same password for every web-site, otherwise a criminal that hacks one of your accounts, might be able to hack them all.


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Carriage House Players is excited to announce the opening of the third full-length production of their 26th season: Little Shop of Horrors.
This slightly dark comedy follows the Budding Botanist, Seymour; the growth of the man-eating plant, Audrey Two; and the other colorful characters at Mushnick's Skid Row Florists to the toe-tapping soundtrack of memorable songs such as Skid Row (Downtown), Suddenly Seymour, as well as the title song.
Little Shop of Horrors opens on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Adnia Rice Theater of Lincoln County High School with additional evening performances on Aug. 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10 at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on Aug. 4 and 10.
The cast and crew are comprised of some of your CHP favorites with several newcomers all under the direction of Brenda Wilkes. They include Lonnie Ables, Rachel Benson, Allen Booth, Alex Broderick, Sara Brown, Craig Carodine, Will Clark, Christi Cuckler, William Gentry, Steve George,
David Grant, Rebecca Holdmeyer, Mickey Johnson, Lauren McPherson, Andrew Neal, Allie Ruhlander, Brenda Smith, Jessica Smith, Ben Spears, Catherine Sullivan, and Trace Williams.
The production team is rounded out with Jennifer Bradford and Mickey Johnson as assistant directors; Lisa Adams, music director; and Jordan Allen, choreographer.
Tickets are on sale now at Bagley and Bagley Insurance, The Book Inn, Carter's Drug Store, Elk River Coffee Company, The Flower House, Parks Jewelers, Regions Bank Park City branch and Sissy's Antiques. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and may be reserved by leaving a message at 931-433-1300 or emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Ganglioneuroblastoma is an intermediate tumor that grows nerve tissue. An intermediate tumor is one that is between benign (slow-growing and unlikely to spread) and malignant (fast-growing, aggressive, and likely to spread).
This rare tumor occurs in less than 5 out of every 1,000,000 children each year.
Tumors of the nervous system have different degrees of differentiation. The degree of differentiation is based on how the tumor cells look under the microscope. It can predict whether or not they are likely to spread.
Benign tumors are less likely to spread. Malignant tumors are aggressive, grow quickly, and often spread. A ganglioneuroma is a benign tumor. A neuroblastoma (occurring in children over 1 year old) is usually malignant.
A ganglioneuroblastoma may be only in one area or it may be widespread, but it is usually less aggressive than a neuroblastoma. The cause is unknown.
Most commonly, a lump can be felt in the abdomen. However, this condition may also occur in other parts of the body.
Because these tumors are rare, they should be treated in a specialized center by experts who have experience with them.
Depending on the type of tumor, treatment can involve surgery, and possibly chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
You can often help the stress of illness by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. See: Cancer - support group
The outlook depends on how far the tumor has spread, and whether some areas of the tumor contain more aggressive cancer cells.
Call your health care provider if you feel a lump or growth on your child's body. Make sure children receive routine examinations as part of their well-child care.
Sovak MA, Aisner SC, Aisner J. Tumors of the pleura and mediastinum. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKenna WG, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 77.
Zage PE, Ater JL. Neuroblastoma. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 492.


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Looking for a quick and easy recipe? It doesn't get much simpler than frittata.
Heat a pan, add some beaten eggs and flavorings and slowly cook to puffed perfection. Frittatas are easy to make and are versatile, perfect for breakfast or brunch, even dinner. Serve slices hot, fresh out of the pan, or make the frittata ahead of time and cool to room temperature before setting slices out on the table.
Flavor the frittata with whatever you've got on hand: sauteed vegetables, leftover meats, fresh herbs, whatever cheese sounds good at the moment. With toppings at the ready, a frittata cooks up quickly — ready in no more than half an hour after you first heat up the pan.
RECIPES: 14 frittata recipes from The Times Test Kitchen
As Nancy Silverton demonstrates in our Master Class series, frittatas need not be thick and spongy. And they're not just for breakfast: "But where eggs for dinner can feel as if you've just thrown something together to satisfy your hunger... with this beautiful plate-size creation, an arugula salad and a glass of wine in front of me, I felt as if I had thrown a dinner party for one."


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Monday, November 17, 2008
Hartsburg Blows It
There can be no sane reason for Craig Hartsburg deciding to put Jarkko Ruutu and Antoine Vermette in the shootout ahead of Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson.
He already made the decision to reunite the Big 3 and, in a sense, put the team in their hands once again.
So why does he try to get cute with the game on the line?
Ruutu on the shootout? Ahead of the Captain who scored the only goal of the game?
Vermette? The guy has already proven over the years to be a master at choking, twice failing to convert prime scoring chances earlier in the period, once on a breakaway and once off a nice setup by Spezza by the side of the net.
It was a horseshit move by Hartsburg and it absolutely ruined what could have been a character building game by a team that was fighting tooth and nail all night to break out of their hellish slump.
Think of it.
With the game on the line and with the chance to end the losing streak (that is threatening his and his GM's job) he decides to sit the team's two best natural goal scorers.
It defies description. Actually, no it doesn't.
It was pure fucking garbage.
Some positives:
Alex Auld was great again. Brendan Bell showed that he deserves another game or two and made nice, easy plays all night. Ilya Zubov played another solid game and he looks like a much better option than the struggling Nick Foligno at this point but injuries to Chris Neil and now Mike Fisher probably means that there's plenty of spots to go around.
In my humble opinion, the Senators worked their asses off tonight and it still wasn't good enough. The fact that they managed to get a point should not dissuade Bryan Murray from making a big move here and Antoine Vermette should be the main chip they cash in.
I suspect the fans reaction to Hartsburg's minor league bullshit may get ugly between now and Thursday when the Senators give it another try.
But for now I need some Thorazine...
15 comments:
- Peter said...
Great blog, weak post. Career stats in shootouts:
Ruutu: 7/14 (50%)
Spezza: 5/13 (38%)
Vermette: 5/19 (26%)
Alfredsson: 4/18 (22%)
Heatley: 3/17 (18%)
Maybe he should have picked Alfie over Vermette based on their ability to finish on the night, but Vermette's line was the best on the night.
It sucks they lost again, but the loss wasn't due to "Hartsburg's minor league bullshit". Take a breather, big guy.
- November 17, 2008 at 10:16 PM
- Jeremy Milks said...
The point of the post is that Hartsburg didn't let his best players decide the game.
I stand by everything I said.
- November 17, 2008 at 11:11 PM
I'm with you, Alfie and Heatley should have had a shot at it. Vermette shat the bed all night. Great effort, but ultimately, who gives a shit if you don't convert. Bringing in the stats for shootouts? It isn't baseball, bro, and they aren;t even that convincing.
- November 17, 2008 at 11:35 PM
Why shouldn't stats be used as a basis for selecting shooters? It's a specific skill, and stats are one way of measuring proficiency. The stats would be more accurate with a larger sample size, but hey, we make all sort of assumptions about teams and goalies etc... based on stats, even early in the seaon. And btw, it wasn't quite the same thing as overtime shootouts, but Gretzky would freely admit that he sucked on breakaways. No shame in being slightly weaker in one dimension.
- November 18, 2008 at 12:47 AM
- Amanda said...
I agree with Peter on this one. I understand the mentality of your best players winning the game for you, but the shootout is a different beast all together, where Frans Nielsen and Marek Malik get game winners and Jussi Jokinen and Mathieu Garon are all-time heroes.
I think this is one decision with which Hartsburg can simply never win unless the team does - play Ruutu and people bitch about Heatley not getting a shot. Play Heatley and watch him miss (as always) and then think of those youtube videos of Ruutu's sick shootout moves and wonder what the hell Hartsburg was thinking. This wasn't some minor league ploy nor an attempt to send a message to his players - he simply sent out the players who could provide him with the greatest chance to win the game, regardless of salary, team stature or hockey skills that aren't applicable in a breakaway setting.
- November 18, 2008 at 1:39 AM
- Feio said...
I love this blog and have been a regular reader for almost a year, but I definitely agree with Peter and Amanda. Ruutu is by far the most consistently successful player on the shootout on this team. I'm not saying so just because the stats say so - the stats say so because it's true. The fact that Hartsburg went with those three shows that he knows the strengths on his team and had the first three shooters been any different, THEN I would question his competence. But he played this one perfectly, and in the end it was Lundqvist that stole the game.
And as for bringing the stats up - no, this isn't baseball: here the stats are far more meaningful.
- November 18, 2008 at 2:11 AM
Yep. Really meaningful stats. That's why they won. Wait a second... Just kidding. Man the sens suck in shootouts. I can't think of the last time they won in a shootout. Maybe they should just pull the goalie in OT and try for two points then.
- November 18, 2008 at 8:28 AM
Anyone remember in the world juniors when bouwmeester was on the team, and it went to a shootout and he wound up in the slot and hammered it top corner? The goalie didn't even move? A bit like Malkin in the playoffs last year, except it was in a shootout? Point is, why doesn't anyone shoot? Decent game by sens last night, shootout aside.
- November 18, 2008 at 8:34 AM
I agree completely.
Vermette over Alfie. Why?
Alfie's move to score the only goal means he's hot, and confident.
Ruutu over Heatley? 50 goal scorer over occasional goal scorer?
Maybe if we were 26-1-0. Not now.
I would have done Spezz, Alfie, Heatley. (Maybe Alfie first)
Best case Alfie scores, which gives Heater confidence.
- November 18, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Alfie over Vermette, sure, since he had scored and Vermette's not a shoot-out wizard.
But Heatley sucks in shootouts, and Ruutu is awesome.
The moves made a lot of sense. Spezza/Ruutu/Vermette is a shoot-out lineup that others have called for before. Give Hartsburg a break (on that), and attack him on the stupid sit-back strategy in the 3rd that allowed the NYR to tie it up.
- November 18, 2008 at 11:39 AM
the point is that on a number of occasions Hartsburgh has made crappy decisions and this was just one example.
Is anyone surprised? I'm not. He's a freakin minor league coach - he was clearly the wrong person for the job and day by day it's becoming more & more evident. Should he get fired? Maybe. But this is really a symptom of a bigger problem: Who hired Hatsburgh? Who hired Paddock?
That incompetent asshole from shawville who pads the team with his relatives and buddies from shawville (Luke and his nephew). Should we fire another coach? IMO it's time for someone higher up to pay the price.
- November 18, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Jeremy, I think you're straight up wrong about Ruutu in the shootout.
- November 18, 2008 at 2:45 PM
There's a lot of talk about trade rumours now.
In my view, no trade, and I mean no trade, will have the impact that you'll get from firing Bryan Murray. He has changed the whole culture of the club.
Garrioch is reporting Vermette for Ohlund. We're already the fifth oldest team in the league, and we're looking to add a 32 year old UFA who is making $3.5M who will want more than $4M at years end? If we make the trade, and cannot resign Ohlund, we lose Vermette for free. Meszaros at $4M doesn't look so bad anymore.
Mr. Melnyk, put this team out of its misery, and fire the GM.
- November 18, 2008 at 2:54 PM
I'm with you on the sit back startegy in the third. Sens up by one, and they sit back and play like they've got a three goal lead. Give me a break. Not the first time we've seen it at all this year. I'm sure the sens have already blown more 3rd period leads than they did all of last year, and we all know about last year. Get fisher to waive his ntc and go shopping for some d that's a long term solution, not a 1 year rental, since there is no way sens are winning the cup this year. I think they have more chance of being in the lottery than winning the cup with this group.
- November 18, 2008 at 3:45 PM
- Big Will said...
Alfie HATES the shootout. Regardless, he should have been there. He was the only one to solve King Henry that night...
- November 18, 2008 at 4:34 PM


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Maybe, I missed a point or two ...
At my work environment, I've pretty much the same conditions -- i.e. restrictive firewall and an authenticating proxy, which allows only "browser ftp".
After reading this very thread, I've tweaked Config.pm (That's down in $YourPerlModulesAreHere/5.8.x/CPAN). When I set ftp_proxy to the same value as http_proxy and put the credentials in the URL, a little happy LWP goes going.
Here a snippet from Config.pm:
I hope, anyone -- beside myself -- can made some good use of it.
In reply to Re: Forcing CPAN.pm to ignore LWP/Net::FTP and use wget/lynx etc
by martinvi


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Natural resources in NE Sudan offer win-win solutions: natural products from indigenous trees and other plants are well adapted to local climatic conditions, they contribute to environmental conservation and they can contribute to sustainable income generation in local communities.
North Eastern Sudan has a wealth of natural resources that are critical to the livelihoods and income generation of local communities. Yet, poverty is high in the region and the need for wealth creation opportunities is great. Improved marketing of natural resources has potential in Sudan – the recent fall of the decades-longmonopoly on the export of the well known commodity Gum Arabic is just one of the many opportunities.
"This event is very timely – it is just two weeks ago that the Sudanese Government decided to abandon the over 40 decades of monopoly on the Sudanese Gum Arabic Trade. This is now the chance for communities to benefit more equitably and truly participate in the trade" said Dr. Abdelazim Mirghani Ibrahim, Director General, Forest National Corporation Sudan.
"Indigenous plants are well adapted to local conditions, resilient against climatic events and have a history of knowledge and use by local people especially the most vulnerable," said Kristy Faccer, IUCN Livelihoods and Landscape Programme Advisor, Markets and Incentives.
Globally the current market for natural resources is estimated at USD 7-10 billion for the top 110 products. In Sudan, the contribution of forests are estimated at 12% of the national GDP and Gum Arabic from the tree Acacia senegal accounts for 13.6% of the national export income. Among others, Gum Arabic is used in soft drinks, chewing gums and pharmaceutics. It has been traditionally harvested for over 5,000 years and has become an important international commodity. The gum can be sustainably harvested and the trees used in agro-forestry schemes as they improve the soil through nitrogen fixation. The recent policy change markes an important opportunity to recover the value of this product through improved marketing, benefit schemes and management of the indigenous resource.
Besides Gum Arabic local communities in North Eastern Sudan use a variety of other natural products derived from trees – firewood for cooking, wild fruits to complement the diet, fodder for animals, medicinal plants, gums and resins. Especially for the more vulnerable households many of these natural resources provide important income opportunities and safety nets free of charge in times of hardship (droughts, crop failures, etc). The pods of the tree Acacia nilotica are collected for sale on the market as a traditional medicine against cold or for tanning of hides. The fruits of the tree Grewia tenax are vitamin rich, used for juices and medicines and fetch a very high market price.
Community representatives and foresters from Kassala and Gedaref State identified potential natural resource products indigenous to North Eastern Sudan, discussed challenges and their potential and agreed on a set of recommendations to be taken jointly forward to develop improved markets for a number of identified natural resources.
Osman Omer Abdalla, Director of Planning FNC stated "This workshop helps us to not only look at the costs, but look at the income from environmental protection."
Participants were eager to initiatea process to improve the marketing of a number of natural resource products in the region, yet did not forget the importance of trees as a safety net for greater environmental benefits:
Tahra Saad, FNC – "If prices are low people tend to cut trees. So we cannot address marketing of natural resources without raising awareness of the many other benefits that indigenous trees and plants such as Gum Arabic offer to the environment, such as improving soil conditions."
Mr. Hamid Abdalfadil Abdal Wahab, Chair Gum Arabic Association Gedaref stated "We used to tap traditionally gums from many different trees other than Hashab (Acacia senegal) and used many different indigenous fruit trees. Now these trees are scarce. We need to replant indigenous trees. Communities should be encouraged to establish indigenous forests and shelter belts in their fields."
Participants agreed on among others the following recommendations:
- Identification of opportunities for enhanced flows and benefits of Gum Arabic following the policy change,
- Improved awareness relating to the importance of management and rehabilitation of local forests and improved capacity for communities in marketing natural resources,
- Strengthening the capacity of local communities in the sustainable harvest of natural resources,
- Strengthening of local institutions to increasingly benefit from improved marketing of natural resources.
The workshop was opened by the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Gedaref State and the Director General of the Forest National Corporation. It was attended by over 40 participants from communities from Gedaref and Kassala State, FNC, UNHCR, COR, UNDP and IUCN. The workshop took place from 1st-3rd June 2009 in Gedaref and was funded by IUCN with support from FNC and UNHCR.
For more information please contact
Caterina Wolfangel, Programme Officer Drylands, IUCN Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa, email@example.com, Tel: +254 (0) 20 890605 /12


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Meditation Guidelines: click here
Recommended Reading:
Anger, Thich Nhat Hanh
Awakening Loving-Kindness, Pema Chödron
The Book of Awakenings, Mark Nepo
Christian Contemplative Life, Thomas Keating
Eating Mindfully, Susan Albers
The Essence of Buddhism, Traleg Kyabgon,
Everyday Zen, Charlotte Joko Beck
Flame of Love: Poems of the Spanish Mystics, Smith, Loren, Trans
Food and Faith; Justice, Joy, and Daily Bread, Michael Schut, Editor
Foundations for Centering Prayer, Thomas Keating,
The Labyrinth in Culture and Society: Pathways to Wisdom, Jacques Attali,
Loving Kindness, Sharon Salzberg
The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hahn
A Pilgrim's Testament:The Memoirs of Saint Ignatius of Loyola by Ignatius of Loyola as transcribed by Luis Goncalves da Camara and translated by Parmananda R. Divarkar, The Institute of Jesuit Sources, St. Louis, MO, 1995
Photography and the Art of Seeing by Freeman Patterson
Practice of Contemplative Photography, Andy Karr and Michael Wood
Radical Acceptance, Tara Brach
The Sanity We Are Born With,Trungpa, Chogyam, Rinpoche,
Seven Spanish Mystics, Sister Felicia, O.S.A
Spiritual Master: The Essential Writings, Thomas Merton:
Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness, Chögyam Trungpa,
Turning the Mind Into An Ally, Sakyong Mipham
What is Ignatian Spirituality? Fleming, David L., S.J..
Wherever You Go, There You Are, Jon Kabat-Zin
Zen of Creativity, John Daido Loori
Recommended Magazines:
Shambhala Sun
Interesting Websites/Organizations
Contemplative Outreach: http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org
Contemplative Outreach of Southeast Wisconsin: http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/chapters/Wisconsin.htm
Milwaukee Shambhala Center: http://milwaukee.shambhala.org/
Milwaukee Zen Center:http://www.milwaukeezencenter.org/
Mindfulness Community of Milwaukee: http://www.milwaukeemindfulness.com/
Marquette University Center for Peacemaking Meditation Group
Mondays | 7 p.m. | Center for Peacemaking
Join the Center for Peacemaking each Monday for yoga, breathing exercises and meditation. The center is housed in the Academic Support Facility, located at 735 N. 17th St., between Wisconsin Avenue and Wells Street, across from the parking structure.
For more information: marquette.edu/peacemaking
Marquette University Wellness


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Apple's E-Book Market Share Is Bigger Than You Think
Apple's portion of the U.S. e-book market may be far larger than previously thought — double, actually.
On the stand this week in the U.S. Department of Justice's e-book price-fixing case against Apple, Keith Moerer — head of the company's iBookstore — defended the storefront against a government attorney who characterized it as a "failure."
"E-book sales grew 100 percent last year at the iBookstore, and it had over 100 million customers," Moerer said.
So, how much of the U.S. e-book market does Apple actually control? According to Moerer, 20 percent.
"I believe that Apple has about 20 percent market share," Moerer said. "It's very difficult because there are not industry-wide sales reporting for e-books, but I believe that the iBookstore's market share is approximately 20 percent in the U.S. and growing."
That's twice the 10 percent share typically attributed to the company. And if it's an accurate accounting of Apple's share, it means that the 65 percent and 25 percent shares often attributed to Amazon and Barnes & Noble respectively might be in need of reassessment. It also means that e-books are becoming a significant contributor to Apple's iTunes business.


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February 21, 2013
With the news that Mississippi finally ratified the 13th amendment due to Steven Spielberg's
The Daily Show
went back to 19th Century News for the story. On NBC, Jay Leno compared the Senate to a certain famous ex-daytime television show and Jimmy Fallon noted the
Chinese hacking attacks on American companies
. Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel both had made good fun of the United States Postal Service's
new plan to sell postal clothing
Fast forward to 3:45 to see what another product the post office can start selling.
February 21, 2013


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View the full article: http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/09/portland-state-university-named.html
Portland State University was named Monday to an elite consortium of universities that are focused on social innovation education.
The Ashoka U program, run by Ashoka, a global association of socially motivated entrepreneurs, has so far named 19 schools to its Changemaker Campus program. Portland State University is the first school in the Pacific Northwest to achieve the designation.
The Changemaker label is the result of a months-long effort by PSU staff members who worked on the application and selection process through the Ashoka U program.
"This world-class partnership and lifelong distinction from Ashoka U celebrates the significant contributions PSU is already making through initiatives such as the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Net Impact, Solutions Generator, Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability, SWEETLab, our own Impact Entrepreneurs and many others," wrote Cindy Cooper, co-founder and director of the school's Impact Entrepreneurs program and its Social Innovation Incubator, in a blog post. "It also puts PSU in direct contact with leading social innovation practitioners, educators, researchers and supporters around the world so that together we may create the change we seek."
"Today's college students will have several careers in a globally connected context. They will manage increasingly complex challenges with a growing awareness of the social and environmental implications of their work," said Marina Kim, Ashoka U's executive director, in a press release. "Colleges and universities are faced with the exciting opportunity – and responsibility – to develop the next generation as changemakers, equipping them not only to cope with, but drive and lead change."
Criteria for selection include an emphasis on social entrepreneurship and an alignment with the Ashoka guiding vision, which is that everyone can make change.
PSU was named to the changemaker list Monday along with Brigham Young University, Brown University and Rollins College.
Those schools join the following universities who were previously designated by the Changemaker program:
- Arizona State University
- Babson College
- College of the Atlantic
- Cornell University
- Duke University
- George Mason University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Marquette University
- Middleburry College
- Tecnologico de Monterey — Campus Guadalajara
- The New School
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- University of Maryland — College Park
- University of San Diego


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I found this chair at a yard sale a bit back and knew it would be perfect for my entry. Remember I have been searching for a chair. It kind of helped it was only $4.00. That really won me over.
Sarah from Three Boys ( she is an upholstery genius! I just asked what she would use to upholster a back of a chair that was wood. She said Foam. How simple was that?!). So I cut out a piece of foam in the same shape as the back:
Also thank you thank you thank you for all your kind comments yesterday about my pregnancy news! Yay!!


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"Wisconsin's freight rail system plays a major role in our state's economy, moving raw materials to industry and finished products to markets," Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said. "These awards will help support economic growth in communities across our state and help ensure Wisconsin remains open for business."
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is administering six loans totaling $6,118,595 through the Freight Railroad Infrastructure Improvement Program (FRIIP). Two grants totaling $5,836,763 are being distributed through the state's Freight Railroad Preservation Program (FRPP).
One FRPP grant was awarded to Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad for bridge replacements along mainline from Green Bay to Michigan State Line. The Wisconsin & Southern Railroad received an FROO grant for bridge rehabilitation and replacement.
Zenda Grain was awarded a $1.5 million loan to construct a grain drying and storage facility at its existing grain elevator site. The Zenda Grain LLC facility is located on a rail line served by the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad Company, on right-of-way owned by the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission.
The FRIIP grant includes a loan of $1.5 to Landmark Services Cooperative to construct a 730,000 bushel capacity grain storage bin at its facility near Evansville, Wis. The facility is served by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Additionally, the FRIIP include a $610,000 loan for construction of a rail siding and load out facility along with a one million gallon capacity liquid fertilizer storage tank. The facility is served by Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, on a rail line owned by the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission.
And lastly, the FRIIP includes a loan to Sharratt Warehousing and Distribution of $1,779,000 for a rail siding and loading facility as part of a planned temperature controlled warehouse in the city of Reedsburg, Wis. The rail line is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad and operated by the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad under a long term lease.


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EVE Online's First Quarterly Economics Report Published 80
The first quarterly report from EVE Online's very own economist has been released at the game's official site. GamesIndustry.biz has some comments from Dr. Guðmundsson on this first batch of numbers, exploring a bit of his methodology and the joys of working in EVE's closed environment: "Since life in Eve evolves at a faster pace than real life, we must use a so-called 'chained price index' rather than a representative basket. In real life, representative baskets are always used and in many cases the surveys for these baskets are done with very long time intervals. By looking at our results it is obvious how the fixed basket approach can overestimate the impact of price changes, just as predicted by theory. With consumer preferences changing faster now in real life than ever before (consumer electronics is a good example), this might be a lesson that could help us understand better changes in price levels and how we measure that outside virtual worlds."


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USFWS National Digital Library
Delmarva Peninsula
Fox Squirrel
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels live in
mature mixed pine and hardwood forests
along streams and marsh land and may also
occupy small woodlots near agricultural
fields. They prefer woodlots of mixed loblolly
pine and hardwoods such as oak, maple,
hickory and beech. These trees provide them
with food they like such as nuts and seeds.
Unlike the common gray squirrel that
frequently builds a nest of leaves high up
on a branch, the Delmarva Peninsula fox
squirrel prefers to nest in tree cavities in
mature forests (both hardwood and pine
trees) with minimal understory and ground
cover. Occasionally however, it will build a
leaf nest. Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels
feed heavily on nuts and seeds (mast)
primarily oak, hickory, walnut and loblolly
pine. During the spring, they feed on tree
buds and flowers and will also eat fungi,
insects, fruit and seeds. In the summer and
early fall, Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels
feed on mature, green pine cones.
Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels prefer woodlots of mixed hardwoods such as oak, maple,
hickory, beech and pine. These trees provide them with food they like such as nuts and seeds.
Unlike the common gray squirrel that builds a nest of leaves high up on a branch, the
Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel prefers to nest in tree cavities in mature forests both
hardwood and pine trees with minimal understory and ground cover. USFWS photo.
The Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel
(Sciurus niger cinereus) is named for the
geographic area defining most of it's habitat
or range: the entire state of Delaware,
southern Pennsylvania and the peninsula of
Maryland and Virginia. While it was once
plentiful, the squirrel's population dropped
so drastically that it became endangered.
Recovery efforts are helping to turn the tide,
and now the population is expanding.
The largest of all the tree squirrels, the
Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel has heavy,
silver to whitish-gray slate hair and an
unusually full, fluffy tail and white belly.
It can grow to 30 inches (with half of that
being tail) and can weigh 11/2 to 3 pounds.
The squirrel's coat varies in color from
frosty silver-gray to almost black.
Although the Delmarva Peninsula fox
squirrel is a forest species, it prefers to
spend its time on the ground foraging for
food in woodlots and openings, such as farm
fields. It usually avoids confrontations by
running away rather than climbing up a tree;
however, fox squirrels will climb trees to
avoid predators. When moving from tree to
tree, the squirrels frequently descend down
the first tree to the ground then climb up the
second tree rather than leaping from tree to
tree. The squirrels mate in late winter and
early spring. About 44 days later in February
and March most young are born. Females
give birth to litters averaging one to four
young and raise the litters by themselves.
The squirrels can have up to two litters
per year.
Imperiled Population
The Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel once
occupied the whole Delmarva Peninsula as
well as parts of southeastern Pennsylvania
and west-central New Jersey. By the early
1900s the population was reduced to only
the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Predators
of the squirrel, including red and gray foxes,
weasels, minks, eagles and other raptors,
also contributed to their mortality. Nestlings
and young may be taken by raccoons, great
horned owls, opossums and black rat snakes.
Some accidental deaths by vehicles also
occur and occasionally Delmarva Peninsula
fox squirrels are misidentified and shot by
hunters. When the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service (Service) provided Endangered
Species Act protection for the squirrel in
1967, it occupied only four counties in
Maryland (Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot
and Dorchester) less than 10 percent of its
historic range. Thanks to reintroduction
continued on back
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
April 1999
Recovery Efforts
Habitat restoration for the Delmarva
Peninsula fox squirrel began in 1945 when
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
purchased LeCompte Wildlife Management
Area in Dorchester County. Legal hunting
for the squirrel was banned in 1971.
Following the squirrels protection as an
endangered species in 1967, the Delmarva
Peninsula Fox Squirrel Recovery Team
began coordinating state and federal efforts
for the species' restoration and protection.
The team launched a reintroduction program
to reestablish the squirrel throughout its
native range. Much of the squirrel's occupied
habitat is privately owned lands. The
Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel also
receives additional protection through the
Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Law of
1984, which requires endangered species
habitat protection within critical areas
(1000 feet landward of low mean high tide).
The Future and You
The Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel can
have a bright future with a little help. The
successful recovery of the Delmarva
Peninsula fox squirrel depends on the
willingness of landowners to provide habitat
for these squirrels. Farmers can continue to
provide prime habitat for the squirrels.
Leaving uncut corn or soybeans along
hedgerows gives the squirrels food through
the winter. Developers can also assist with
conservation efforts by leaving desirable
woodlot trees intact (e.g., nut, seed and berry
producers) and by providing corridors from
one small woodlot to another. A buffer of
trees and hedgerows between streams and
development can also help the squirrels
survive. Citizens can build nest boxes and
place them in trees within the forest where
Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels reside.
Efforts to recover the Delmarva Peninsula
fox squirrel will help protect not only the
squirrel, but also other species that depend
on the native forests of the Delmarva
Peninsula. One of the principal criteria of
the species recovery is stability or expansion
of Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel
populations during a five-year period. Five
year monitoring data from several sites is
currently being analyzed. The sites include:
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge;
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge;
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge;
Maryland's Wye Island Natural Resource
Management Area; and LeCompte Wildlife
Management Area.
Using the GIS (Geographic Information
System), biologists will be able to identify
suitable habitat over a large area and
monitor land use near Delmarva Peninsula
fox squirrel habitat with the ultimate goal
of recovering this species to a population
level that no longer require Endangered
Species Act protection.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
During 1969–1971, 30 Delmarva Peninsula
fox squirrels were relocated to Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge and released in
habitat surrounding the historic Assateague
Lighthouse. Since the early 70's, the
population of squirrels at Chincoteague
Refuge has reached 300–350, with
new populations dispersing on their
own throughout the southern portion of
the refuge.
Refuge biologists conduct an annual fox
squirrel box check to monitor the population.
If a squirrel is found in a nest box, biologists
capture the squirrel with a holding device
and give it an ear tag. Each ear tag is
numbered and provides biologists with vital
information about the squirrels' sex, age,
and whether or not the animal is a recapture.
Refuge biologists use this information to
monitor the status and trends of Delmarva
Peninsula fox squirrels and to alter their
management program when necessary.
Chincoteague Refuge's long-range plan for
these squirrels is to maintain enough habitat
to support the current population with the
ultimate goal of transplanting part of the
Chincoteague populations to other suitable
habitats on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Photo by Michael Colopy
efforts by the Service, Maryland
Department of Natural Resources and
other state wildlife agencies, the squirrel
can now be found in all counties on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland and a few sites
in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The primary cause of the Delmarva
Peninsula fox squirrels' endangered status
is habitat loss from agricultural and
residential development. Isolated woodlots
were encroached upon and the squirrel
became vulnerable.
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text: Against the Grain profiles the work of five wood sculptors from the Western Cape. Working for many years in often difficult conditions with little support, the artists Isaac Makeleni, Ishmael Thyssen, Shepherd Mbanya, Timothy Mafenuka, and Thami Kiti have all produced imaginative and skilful works of art. While showcasing their work, Against the Grain also questions their present exclusion from the South African artistic canon as well as the lack of appreciation of the work of black African wood sculptors in present discourses about contemporary African art.


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Marine conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society working with other coral reef experts have identified heat-tolerant coral species living in locations with continuous background temperature variability as those having the best chance of surviving climate change, according to a new simplified method for measuring coral reef resilience.
Therefore, coral reefs with these characteristics should receive immediate attention for conserving this highly threatened ecosystem, according to the authors of a study appearing today in the online journal PLOS ONE.
The bewildering diversity of coral reef environments has made assessing and prioritizing them costly, and yet they require immediate action to respond to the threats of climate change. Combining expert opinion and scientific evidence, the scientists developed a simplified assessment that reduces this complexity to 11 key and easily measured factors. This finding greatly simplifies and reduces the time needed for assessments and, therefore, gives coral reef managers a cost-effective, evidence-based tool for gauging a reef's chances of survival.
"Coral reefs are astoundingly complex systems," said Dr. Tim McClanahan, lead author of the study and head of WCS's coral reef research and conservation program. "This reality sometimes leads to the assumption that evaluations and management strategies must also be complex. Our study reveals, however, that effective conservation decisions may hinge on a few easily measurable factors, and this can promote faster management actions."
The study streamlines a previous approach to measuring the resilience of coral reefs by squaring a currently used assessment models with expert opinions and existing data sets. Focusing on a comprehensive field study undertaken by WCS in Karimunjawa Marine Park, located on the coast of Java in Indonesia, McClanahan and his co-authors examined a previously employed complex and expensive assessment protocol that included over 60 factorsherbivorous fish diversity, bio-erosion rates, hard coral cover, and many othersin order to determine which factors were most important.
Using a filtering methodology using surveys and scientific literature, the research team winnowed the list to 11 easily measured factors. Among these, the most important factors favoring resilience are heat-resistant coral species and background temperature variability.
The researchers than used the data collected in the previous comprehensive survey of Karimunjawa Marine Park and reassessed it with the new model. The priorities reached were not the same as the first assessment, which suggested that largely unimportant factors biased the selection of sites in the first assessment while increasing the costs of the investigation.
While the new model offers a potentially valuable, cost-effective tool in ranking the resilience of coral reef systems, McClanahan said that further research is needed to evaluate the priority and types of heat-resistant corals and temperature variability needed for conservation planning. He added that one of the more exciting outputs was that the study prioritized future investigations by identifying factors that are least agreed on among scientists and that have the highest potential to promote the resilience of coral reefs.
"This method gives us a foundation for what could become an indispensible assessment tool for identifying conservation priorities," added McClanahan. "We suspect this protocol will drive investigations for the next decade."
|Contact: John Delaney
Wildlife Conservation Society


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Apple Inc., the one-time computer also-ran that changed the way the world listens to music, is now the most valuable company in the world. (See "Apple becomes world's most valuable company," The Globe and Mail.)
There's no question that Apple is a remarkable company. In addition to its business turnaround, its innovative design, and its media content and apps, the unadulterated sexiness of all its products makes Apple hard to resist. For me, what isn't hard to resist is asking: How can a company that is this extraordinary in other respects be missing in action on corporate social responsibility?
Here's what Apple says on its website: "Apple is committed to ensuring the highest standards of social responsibility wherever our products are made. We insist that our suppliers provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect, and use environmentally responsible manufacturing processes." You can access the company's 2011 Supplier Responsibility Report on its web site.
A review of Apple's Supplier Responsibility Report reveals that the company is taking action to stop unethical practices among is suppliers. These have included use of underage labor at 10 facilities, dangerous working conditions at two facilities, falsification of audit materials at four facilities, and bribery at one facility. It's obvious that these irresponsible actions need to be prevented. However, doing what's necessary in this area doesn't add up to CSR as it should be practiced at Apple.
(As an aside, over the last year it's been really interesting to see how central Research in Motion's Blackberry Messenger has been to social change. Albeit, not intentional and not always ethical.)
What should CSR at Apple look like? I'm sure Steve Jobs has an answer to this question, but in case he doesn't, here are a few ideas:


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TRENTON — Hamiltonjunior Billy Eversburg had something extra to wrestle for Wednesday night against Trenton.
Eversburg's grandfather passed away over the recent winter break. Though Eversburg considered not wrestling against the Tornados, he ultimately decided to do so in tribute, and got a key pin in the 145-pound weight class to help spark the Hornets to a 37-33 win in Tornado Ally.
"He's definitely someone that made me want to wrestle today," Eversburg said of his grandfather after the match. "I always knew that he loved when I wrestled. If wasn't for him and how he loved me wrestling so much, I probably wouldn't have wrestled today. It was all for him."
The Hornets were certainly glad to have Eversburg back. Outmanned in the heavier weight classes and forced to take a forfeit in the 138-pound division (neither team had a wrestler at 106 pounds) Hamilton West needed every point they could muster.
"I just told him to come back whenever he could," first-year Hornets coach Justin Kloc said of Eversburg. "That was huge."
The win was Kloc's first as a head coach. Coming into the match, he knew things were going to have to break a certain way.
"Before the match, the assistant coaches and I looked at the matchups and we knew it was going to be close," Kloc said. "We needed a couple pins, and we were able to get them early on, so we were more confident as the match went on."
Those early pins came courtesy of junior Chris Bohorquez at 120 pounds and senior Nick Cecala at 132. Freshan Omar Tejada was also able to get a hard-fought victory over Trenton's Davonte Smith at 126 pounds.
"We needed some big matches early on, and they really came through," Kloc said. Omar Tejada was huge, Nick always comes through, and then later on Billy got that pin and really helped us out."
Trenton started to creep back into the contest when Maaziah Bathea—brother of last year's state champion Ray Bethea, who was honored before the match—won convincingly at 152 pounds to bring the score to 27-12.
Hamilton then won decisions from Carlos Ramos and Janpierre Cruz before Trenton's size took over. The Tornados swept the last four matches, but by the time Michael Wittington had pinned John Palacios at 195 pounds, there was no mathematical way for Trenton to win.
Hamilton's next match will be a 10 a.m. tilt Saturday at home against Allentown. Trenton will have to wait until next Saturday, when they will travel to Lawrence.
Hamilton West (1-1) 37, Trenton (0-1) 33
106: Double forfeit
113: Antonio Pontani, HAM, forfeit
120: Chris Bohorquez, HAM pinned Simon Lopez, TRENT 1:19
126: Omar Tejada, HAM. dec. Davonte Smith, TRENT 14-10
132: Nick Cecala HAM pinned Juan Gareano TRENT :49
138: Anthony Tajboy, TRENT, forfeit
145: Billy Eversburg, HAM, pinned Humberto Ochoa, TRENT 1:32
152: Maaziah Bethea, TRENT, dec. Chris Stout, HAM, 16-6
160: Carlos Ramos, HAM, dec. Darius Miller, TRENT 13-4
170: Janpierre Cruz HAM DQ Jameer Howard-Scott TRENT
182: Paul Ayers TRENT, forfeit
195: Michael Wittington TRENT pinned John Palascios HAM 2:39
220: Jaaron Bryant TRENT pinned Zubaher Shams HAM 1:07
285: Daquan Mayer TRENT dec. Nick Kinter 9-2


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Museum of Science, Boston
1 Science Park
Boston, MA 02114
United States
The AIA and the Museum of Science, Boston are teaming up again to host the 8th Annual Archaeology Fair! Join us for 2 days of archaeological discovery! Learn about the life of a Roman soldier, underwater shipwrecks, Native American technology, and much more through hands-on activities and live demonstrations. Join us for International Archaeology Day and discover your inner Indiana Jones!
AIA Tours


text:
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BURLINGAME – David A. Sanchez, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, released this statement today denouncing Senate Bill 955 by Republican state Senator Bob Huff of Diamond Bar in Los Angeles County to destroy teachers' rights and ignore the real problems facing our public schools during these hard economic times:
"Once again, as he did in 2005, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is backing destructive education proposals that will hurt teachers and students and do nothing to improve teaching and learning in our classrooms or to solve the budget crisis facing local schools. The governor, Huff and other lawmakers are scapegoating teachers during these tough economic times and robbing them of due process rights. The governor's promises to support public education are as empty as school districts' coffers depleted by his $17 billion in state education funding cuts over the last two years.
"Now the governor is supporting outrageous legislation that will make it harder to attract and retain quality teachers in our classrooms, and open the door for discrimination and favoritism by local school districts, while at the same time eliminating a teacher's right to a hearing before being laid off. Taking experienced teachers out of our schools is not the best way to help students or improve learning.
"With our school districts at the breaking point, class sizes nearly doubling in some grades, over 16,000 educators laid off last year, another 26,000 receiving pink slips this year, and critical student programs disappearing, the governor is pushing legislation that won't save the state one dime or do anything to improve student learning.
"California's parents, teachers and students want the governor and the Legislature to focus on solving real problems like soaring class sizes, inadequate resources, and the elimination of music, art, and vocational education programs. It's time for the governor and lawmakers to work with educators to support neighborhood schools and provide all students with a quality education."
Every child deserves a chance to learn and no child succeeds alone.
© 1999-


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Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
Amended Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices
Thirteenth Annual Conference of High Contracting Parties
Statement by Mr Philip Kimpton
First Secretary, Australian Permanent Mission
11 November 2011
Mr President, let me congratulate you on your election and assure you of Australia's full cooperation in your work.
We also convey our appreciation to the two Coordinators for their work in enhancing the implementation and understanding of Amended Protocol II.
Many of Amended Protocol II's obligations have been superseded by the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, to which the large majority of States are parties and which Australia strongly supports.
However, it is worth noting that Amended Protocol II marked an advance in addressing humanitarian concerns relating to anti-personnel landmines. Its prohibition of booby-traps, restrictions on anti-personnel landmines and requirements on marking and fencing represented important developments in international humanitarian law. They reduced the potential for civilian harm by anti-personnel landmines. The adherence of key mine-using and producing states to Amended Protocol II has helped to broaden the scope of these gains.
Mr President
Australia welcomes St Vincent and the Grenadines and Serbia as new State Parties since the last Annual Conference, bringing the total number of States Parties to Amended Protocol II to 97.
Australia has continued to implement its obligations under Amended Protocol II and of course as a State Party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
Australia's contribution to mine action is also set out in our national report. As a mine action donor, we support a number of clearance, victim assistance and mine risk education projects, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr President
Australia has supported efforts since 2008 to revitalize and re-energise our work under Amended Protocol II.
We welcomed the opportunity to discuss how to tackle problems associated with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the Group of Experts meeting in April. We would like to thank the Coordinator, Reto Wollenmann of Switzerland, for his constructive contributions to this debate over the past three years.
IEDs are a threat to military forces and the broader civilian population in those countries where these weapons are indiscriminately deployed. We were shocked by the reported deaths of 150 people in northern Nigeria last weekend and condemn these attacks. Through terrorist bombings in Bali and Jakarta and in our operations in Afghanistan, Australia, like many other countries represented here, has been affected by IEDs. Many of our fatalities and battle casualties in theatres of operation are from IEDs.
While it is an unfortunate consequence for military personnel that they may be attacked in war, this should not be the case for civilians. In Afghanistan, as in Iraq, it is civilians – women, children and men – who bear the brunt of insurgent IED attacks. Since 2009, NATO figures show that the large majority of over 300 civilian casualties a month result from insurgent attacks using IEDs
Like others, we are investing in the development of effective countermeasures to these weapons and their deployment.
In Australia, as elsewhere, there is a great deal of work being conducted by military and police forces to defeat the IED threat and to protect military and civilian personnel from their effects. Better armoured vehicles, personal body army and improved detection equipment only solve a part of the broader problem.
Controls are needed to limit access by non-state actors to military munitions, explosive remnants of war, and precursor explosive materials such as the agricultural fertiliser ammonium nitrate. The first two could be achieved by States enhancing their stockpile security, tightening export controls and promoting universal acceptance of Protocol V to the CCW. For the latter, recognising that Amended Protocol II has only limited applicability to restrict the availability of commercial precursors, we should continue to consider alternative methods to limit access to precursors by non-state actors.
In defeating the IED threat, it is accepted doctrine that all elements of the IED network must be attacked – the parts suppliers, the manufacturers, the financiers, the planners, the facilitators and emplacers. While our scientists will work on better detection and protection, for our part, we must consider overlaps with other international instruments, and explore options in other inter-related instruments and fora, including in countering organised crime and tracking the movement of illicit funds.
Mr President
Today is Remembrance Day, being 93 years since the end of World War I. It is a special day because it offers an opportunity to reflect solemnly on the many tragedies of war and the devastation it causes to individuals' lives, their communities and nations. International humanitarian law reminds us that the means and methods of warfare are not unlimited. The CCW and Amended Protocol II are part of that corpus of law, seeking to raise standards of permissible conduct during conflicts. We will continue to support strengthening their role in establishing, maintaining and reinforcing international norms and also promoting their universality.
Thank you.


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WASHINGTON – Veterans and disabled workers who often struggle to find work could have an easier time landing a job under new federal regulations.
The rules, announced by the Labor Department, will require most government contractors to set a goal of having disabled workers make up at least 7 percent of their employees. The benchmark for veterans would be 8 percent, a rate that could change from year to year depending on the overall number of former military members in the workforce.
The rules could benefit veterans, especially younger ones, said Alan Belcher, executive director of TLS Veterans, a McHenry-based nonprofit group that helps homeless veterans.
"I'm really encouraged by this. It puts hiring veterans in the front of contractors' minds," he said. "Younger veterans, those coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, are behind the eight ball when it comes to jobs. Their peers have been out in the workforce for four or five years, but they are just starting out. They need a leg up."
The new requirements could have a major affect on hiring since federal contractors and subcontractors account for about 16 million workers – more than 20 percent of the nation's workforce. But some business groups have threatened legal action, complaining the rules conflict with federal laws that discourage employers from asking about a job applicant's disability status.
In McHenry County, the effect of the new rules may be limited, said Pam Cumpata, president of the McHenry County Economic Development Corp. However, she said, additional government mandates often "add complexity" for local businesses seeking federal contracts.
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez called the new policy a "win-win" that will benefit workers "who belong in the economic mainstream and deserve a chance to work and opportunity to succeed." He said it also would benefit employers by increasing their access to a diverse pool of new workers.
"To create opportunity, we need to strengthen our civil-rights laws and make sure they have the intended effect," Perez told reporters in a conference call announcing the rules.
The unemployment rate for disabled workers is a staggering 14.7 percent, nearly twice the rate of 7.4 percent for the general population. The jobless rate for all veterans is 7.3 percent, but for veterans who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, it's 9.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The rules are expected to affect about 171,000 companies doing business with the federal government, said Patricia A. Shiu, director of the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Generally, the rules affect those contractors with at least 50 employees and $50,000 in government contracts.
Shiu estimated as many as 585,000 disabled workers and more than 200,000 veterans could get new jobs if all the companies meet the hiring goals within the first year of compliance.
Labor officials say the new benchmarks are only goals and not specific hiring quotas. But companies that can't provide documents showing they tried to meet the goal could risk having their federal contracts revoked.
If a company can't immediately meet the new goals, it is required to examine recruitment or outreach practices to decide how to improve. No fine, penalty or sanction would be imposed solely for failing to meet the goal, Shiu said.
The new metrics for the disabled and veterans are similar to those contractors have long used for women and minorities. They will take effect six months from now to give contractors enough time to process them. Under the rules, companies must keep detailed records of recruitment and hiring efforts taken to meet the new goals.
Daniel Yager, president of the HR Policy Association, which represents more than 350 large U.S. corporations, suggested his group may challenge the disability rules in court.
"Simply mandating a numerical 'goal' for all jobs in all contractors' workplaces, and then requiring employers to invade the privacy of applicants and employees with questions about their physical and mental condition, destroys everything companies have done to integrate individuals with disabilities into the workforce in a sensitive, discreet manner," Yager said.
Stephen Sandherr, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America, said the new employment rules were unnecessary and would cost contractors billions of dollars.
"These rules will force federal contractors to spend an estimated $6 billion a year to produce reams of new paperwork proving they are doing what the federal government already knows they are doing," he said in a statement. "In their effort to counter non-existent employment challenges, the administration has developed two rules that require federal contractors to take extensive measures to combat discriminatory practices the federal government already knows barely exist."
Carol Glazer, president of the National Organization on Disability, praised the Obama administration for approving the new rules. She predicted that employers would not have a hard time meeting the new benchmarks for disabled workers.
"There are many organizations in the disability field who stand prepared to help companies meet these goals," Glazer said.


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As his fellow Mustangs gathered around the cage, Brock Deter pointed his bat and made a simple request.
"I want Volckmann," the Morrison senior said at the tail end of practice at The Cage in downtown Morrison.
It was retalliation – albeit somewhat tongue-in-cheek – for the sadistic satisfaction Deter's longtime friend gets out of rocketing frozen ropes off the screen as pitchers throw him soft toss.
"I like to watch 'em flinch, so I guess he was trying to hit me," Volckmann said. "I was busting him inside, though, so he couldn't hit them at me."
What a difference a season makes
The playful jabbing comes on the heels of a 6-26 season on the hardwood that included a 1-13 mark in the Three Rivers. That followed a disappointing football season – by Mustang standards – that saw Morrison lose in the first round of the playoffs.
Making the Mustangs' inability to defend their Class 2A football title more excruciating were sprains to both of Deter's ankles. He suffered a high sprain of his right foot in Week 3 against Hall, then a low sprain of the left the following week in Peru against St. Bede.
It validated that the solidly built, steamrolling fullback was, in fact, human. In multiple ways.
"Being my last go-round, it definitely went through my mind: Why is it happening now, instead of maybe 3 years ago, when I wasn't as important a part of the team?" Deter said.
The lament was understandable, seeing as how after playing baseball his freshman and sophomore season – even earning a call-up for regionals in the latter – Deter spent last spring getting after it in the weight room.
"I respect that, because he's the type of kid who went in and did lift," Morrison baseball coach Ben Sondgeroth said. "Sometimes you have kids who say that they're going to lift, and then they sit home and play video games."
Market cornered
Deter's determination led Sondgeroth to welcome him back with open arms.
The third-year skipper became an All-American utility player playing the corner infield positions at the University of Indianapolis after Tommy John surgery ended his days as a catcher. Thus, he recognizes a strong prospect at the hot corner, where he has penciled in Deter.
"He's gonna have to be smart with quick reaction skills," Sondgeroth said. "He has to be able to read hitters and have that natural athletic ability to read the ball off the bat. Brock's got that lateral quickness, so I think he'll be able to handle it.
"And he brings a lot of intangibles to the ballclub beyond his physical skills."
Putting stock in bonds
The biggest intangible is the bond between Deter and three of his classmates with whom he's played sports since kindergarten.
Kyle Meurs is a fellow linebacker in football who also played hoops and is playing varsity baseball for the first time.
Volckmann also played both other sports and, along with shortstop Danny Willis, forms what Sondgeroth calls the smoothest middle infield tandem he's seen.
"He knows what it's like to be in the bigger leagues," said Willis, also a football standout. "[Assistant] coach [Jim] Ridley, who's been around baseball his whole life, he talks all the time about how he thinks we're the smoothest middle infield around. That really builds your confidence."
Sondgeroth hopes that confidence is contagious. While Willis and Volckmann have set the modest goal/competition of breaking the school's stolen base record, the Mustangs will be without fellow burner Blake Blean, who separated his shoulder and is out for the season.
Morrison also graduated its top two pitchers, Andy Schaver and Brandon Neighbour. Bill Lee Greul is the new ace, a lefty who disrupts batters with his delivery from a three-quarter arm slot.
The team's top reliever from last season, Alex Fischbach, will also eat up a lot of innings.
"He's a strike-thrower," Sondgeroth said. "He doesn't throw hard. At all. But he gets people out. I don't want to say he can't break a pane of glass, but it'd be pretty close."
Likely sliding into the role of top reliever will be Deter and his devastating knuckleball. He discovered it while "messing around" in junior high.
"It's more of an R.A. Dickey-type knuckleball, as opposed to a Wakefield knuckleball," Sondgeroth said. "He throws it real hard, and it's got some crazy movement to it. It's not a floater, by any means."
Riding off into the sunset
The Mustangs set the bar high by winning a 2A West Carroll Regional title last May. That's just how Deter likes it.
"Nobody likes to lose, and to play for a top baseball program like Morrison, you're going to have that desire to win," he said. "You're going to win with this baseball program. It's the history. It's the coaches. It's everybody involved in it."
But more than anything, he's excited to be having fun. Especially seeing as how this could be his last varsity sport, period. He's leaning toward attending Sauk Valley Community College, although he's considering playing football at Loras, Luther or UW-Platteville.
"This is my last sport I'll probably play, as of right now," said Deter. He plans to major in agri-business, hence the Platteville interest.
Those sort of big decisions can weigh heavy for Deter and his longtime buds, as they stare down one last prep sports season in the sun – weather permitting.
"There's a lot on your plate, but once I put this hat on, I know it's time to get to work," Volckmann said. "I'm trying to enjoy every moment I have with my friends."


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Latest Features
NHL Game Night: 10/21/10 Islanders at Lightning
Bizarrely officiated game.
Dan Ellis allowed 3 goals on 25 shots for the loss.
First Period
02:15 NYI Grabner (2), Niederreiter (1), Weight (5)
18:05 TB Bergenheim (2), Purcell (5), Hedman (4)
Second Period
04:44 TB St Louis (2), Stamkos (5), Lundin (1)
10:00 NYI Parenteau (2), Wisniewski (5), Tavares (2)(PP)
Third Period
01:56 NYI Moulson (4), Nielsen (4), Mottau (3)
You know, just a strange night when you see two Islanders goals that were initially waved off turned into goals. You also saw a ridiculous one-sided call against Ryan Malone on the first half of the 2-man advantage the Isles scored on and then the bizarre double call on the Isles afterward where Matt Smaby climbed in the box for what turned out to be no reason. Bizarre officiating. It was a mediocre game for the Lightning playing against an inferior opponent that has a few of its best players out injured. They should've handled their business and they didn't. But, on the other hand, strange. I'd be more upset if the Lightning didn't at least get a point out of the night.
Dana Tyrell had 1 shot in 9:09. The partial breakaway he generated was the first exhibition of what Tyrell's speed can do at the NHL level.
Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.
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NISSWA, MINN. — Somewhere I read that ruffed grouse habitat, without the chance of flushing a grouse, is uninviting. I cannot recall if the writer alluded to classic October grouse hunting or not, a time when the air is cool and the foliage ablaze.
What I do know is that last Saturday, on the Minnesota grouse opener, the September woods indeed looked uninviting -- dank, green, thick, almost hostile. Add to the mix a pouring rain, and had it not been opening day, I may have thrown in the towel before the first round.
Axel, my Deutsch Drahthaar, didn't care about the rain; he just wanted to hunt. He enthusiastically bound for the woods while I, with chin tucked and shoulders hunched against the downpour, trailed behind him.
I had yet to reach the jungle into which Axel had run when I heard a grouse flush. Then another and another, and maybe more, I couldn't tell. I waited, gun ready, for a grouse to show, but none did. I knew the birds had landed after just short flights, and I now could hear two of them anxiously clucking from hidden perches in the rain-soaked forest.
Axel was running helter skelter through the woods, invisible, his whereabouts detectable by the sound of the beeper collar he wore around his neck. I was disappointed he had not pointed the grouse, but I knew those birds had likely flushed from overhead perches in berry-laden gray dogwoods and that the heavy rain and still air only added to the dog's difficulty in sorting out the olfactory clues.
I stepped forward and entered the jungle, already soaked anyway. My hunting pants clung to my thighs, restricting my stride to a Frankenstein-like shuffle.
In the meantime Axel was burning back and forth with the reckless abandon of an 8-month-old puppy, and not the 8-year-old hunting veteran he is supposed to be.
Then a grouse flushed from just above my head. I swung my gun quickly, shot, and whiffed. Another grouse rose but landed on a limb before I could shoot. I took a step, and away it went, disappearing in an instant in the heavy green vegetation. A few more steps, and another grouse was airborne. I touched the trigger, and again no feathers flew. Then, one more flush and another miss.
Dog and master were both now failing miserably.
"OK," I thought. "It's raining, my clothes are glued to me from head to toe, and water is running off the brim of my cap. My shell belt shows four empty loops, and yet my game pouch is barren. Settle down."
I took a moment to study the vegetation around me and realized nearly every plant was on a ruffed grouse's bill of fare. Light green berries clung to gray dogwoods, crimson red fruit hung from high bush cranberry shrubs, and ripe wild plums lie scattered beneath tangled branches.
When the next grouse left its tree limb perch I was ready, and it dropped into the wet branches at my shot. Axel retrieved the bird. Soon another grouse rose on thundering wings and it, too, collided with my shot.
I was still only 75 yards from my truck, so I headed in that direction to empty my game pouch. Axel was scouring the cover ahead of me, and suddenly he pointed. The instant the dog stopped, a grouse flushed and flew over my head. I swung, shot and the bird disappeared.
Unsure whether I had connected, I stood in the rain while Axel searched the area where the bird would have fallen. After a minute or two, I walked to the spot, and there floating in the middle of a small creek was a dead grouse. In the pouring rain and still air, Axel had to nearly step on the bird before he scented it.
The truck was in sight when another grouse flushed from halfway up an aspen tree. It was an easy shot, if there is such a thing; straight away and in the relative open. But I missed. I was dumbfounded when the grouse didn't drop, and thus I failed to fire again.
I left the three grouse in the truck and hunted in the direction the last grouse had flown. Axel was working hard, now more focused, and soon he pointed a woodcock. I flushed the stout little bird, and since the season was not open, I watched as it flew away. A minute or so later, Axel ran up behind and in his mouth was a dead grouse. I had indeed connected on the "easy" shot a few minutes prior.
"Good boy, Axel," I said as I took the grouse and patted him on the head.
Shortly, I shot a fifth grouse, which completed my daily limit.
It is difficult for me to judge how many different grouse I had flushed, but without a doubt there were at least 10. Four of the five grouse I shot were young of the year, an indication of excellent reproduction.
Had I just happened upon a ruffed grouse hotspot, or does my brief outing foretell smiling hunters, tired dogs and grouse dinners ahead?
Bill Marchel, a wildlife columnist and photographer, lives near Brainerd.
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FOSTER CITY (CBS SF) — The California Highway Patrol is asking for help to find out what led to a solo car crash that killed a man and two juvenile brothers on eastbound state Highway 92 in Foster City Sunday night, an officer said.
Officers responded to a report of a crash on eastbound Highway 92, just west of the Foster City Boulevard exit, at about 9:45 p.m. Sunday, Officer Art Montiel said.
A 21-year-old San Mateo man driving was traveling on eastbound Highway 92 when he lost control of the car, Montiel said.
The car hit the guardrail and overturned, then crashed into a utility pole, Montiel said.
Montiel said five people were in the car, including three brothers, of Redwood City, sitting in the back seat.
Two of the brothers, ages 12 and 16, were pronounced dead at the scene. The other brother, 18, was transported to a hospital with major injuries, Montiel said.
The driver was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, he said.
None of the victims' names have been released.
One passenger, an 18-year-old San Mateo man sitting in the front passenger seat, suffered minor injuries, Montiel said.
Montiel said that he was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.
It is unknown whether any of the other passengers were wearing their seatbelts, he said.
Investigators have not ruled out that alcohol or drug impairment led to the crash, Montiel said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call the CHP Redwood City area office at (650) 369-6261.
Two lanes of eastbound Highway 92 were closed for three hours due to the crash.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Pratt & Whitney Military Engines employee Anita Rebarchak was recently selected as winner of the American Society Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Old Guard Early Career Award. The award, established in 1994, is to help young engineers bridge the gap between college and professional life.
Rebarchak began her career at P&W in July 2006 after graduating from Drexel University. In her current position, Rebarchak supports Pratt & Whitney's fifth-generation engine programs. As team lead, she works closely with the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin. Previously, Rebarchak was a coatings manufacturing process engineer in Pratt & Whitney's Turbine Module Center. Her responsibilities included developing and standardizing processes for coatings on turbine blades, day-to-day production support and implementation of process certification initiatives to improve quality and operational efficiency. While in this position, she completed her Six Sigma Black Belt certification and filed a patent application for tooling used in the coating process.
"Pratt & Whitney was an easy selection for me coming out of college," said Rebarchak. "Our company not only uses some of the coolest and most advanced technology in the world, we also support one of the noblest causes, our military and ultimately the warfighter."
As a member of the ASME, Rebarchak has been actively involved in the organization since she was a student. ASME provides mechanical engineers with the opportunity to foster development and knowledge sharing, collaborating across all disciplines. Rebarchak was recognized for continuous dedication and service to ASME, from college freshman through professional member, including numerous section, district and Society-level positions; for remarkable technical and professional achievements; and for mentoring students and early career engineers, and inspiring engineers and volunteers of all ages.
"My membership allows me to network across various industries to problem solve, further my education and provides an opportunity to fine tune my leadership skills before bringing them into the workplace," she said.
Influenced by the support of her ASME and professional mentors throughout her career, Rebarchak plans to continue to provide the same mentoring to students and young engineers in the future.
"Without the support of a professional association such as ASME, I would not be where I am today," said Rebarchak. "I encourage all young engineers to partake in a professional organization as the experience has been invaluable to me as a person and a professional."
Click here to read the ASME press release about Anita Rebarchak's award.


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Here are some highlights – in chronological order – recorded at that Fair Grounds barn during training hours on the eve of Mardi Gras:
"She gets ready pretty quick," said Jones some minutes later of Havre de Grace's approaching seasonal bow. "She's starting to stretch herself out on her own lately. She's getting to the point where she wants to work now. That's what I like to see."
8:14 a.m. – Last outrider leaves the track as the first tractor appears for the morning's renovation break.
8:33 a.m. – The first of Larry Jones' two sophomore colts preparing for this Saturday's Grade II Risen Star Stakes on Louisiana Derby Preview Day steps onto the track, accompanied by a work mate that will be uninvolved with the Risen Star.
"OK, here we go," says the trainer astride his stable pony as he leads his team into the morning action.
Brereton Jones's Mark Valeski, a winner of his last two starts, works in company with Brereton Jones's maiden colt See Me Proud, and Mark Valeski, with Fair Grounds' leading jockey Rosie Napravnik in the irons, breezes five furlongs in 1:00.20 while the maiden gets the distance in 1:00.40.
Moments later Brereton Jones's Lecomte Stakes winner Mr. Bowling, with seven-time Fair Grounds riding champion Robby Albarado aboard, breaks off working in company with the former Kentucky governor's maiden colt Very Lucky, and gets the five-eighths in 59.80 while the work mate does the distance in 1:00.40.
8:44 a.m. – After dismounting from Mark Valeski, jockey Napravnik gets a leg up on Brereton Jones's $125,000 Silverbulletday stakes heroine Believe You Can, supposedly working by herself in preparation for Saturday's Grade III Rachel Alexandra Stakes, the final designed prep for the $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks March 31.
8:46 a.m. – Believe You Can steps on the track, accompanied by her trainer Jones on his stable pony.
8:49 a.m. –The Silverbulletday winner breaks off from Jones and goes five furlongs in 1:00.60 but is engaged by a horse from another barn during the move. That unplanned development turns out to be a blessing in disguise, giving Napravnik the chance to see if Believe You Can is able to be rated behind rivals.
"That was perfect," says Napravnik to another rider as she pulls up Believe You Can. "I was so happy."
Moments later, back at the barn, assistant trainer Cindy Jones speaks to the jockey before the rider leaves for another assignment. "Thank you so much," the trainer's wife says to Fair Grounds' leading rider. "I'm excited."
To the filly, taking her first turn cooling out around the shed row, Mrs. Jones says, "What a girl! What a girl!"
9:28 a.m. – Larry Jones comes up for air after an unusually busy morning to address some interested bystanders.
"Yeah, this morning we got tangled up in some other people's workers," Jones says. "Believe You Can – she wound up having a target to work at, so Rosie got to see a different side of her that she needed to see. Now she knows that the filly can be rated. As for Mark Valeski, Rosie really likes him. She has the confidence that she can take him anywhere she wants, and that this colt has more than one move in him.
"Robby (Albarado) said that (Mr. Bowling) is getting better every day," Jones concluded. "He was very happy with the way things went for him this morning."
APPLAUDING TO SCRATCH FROM RACHEL ALEXANDRA – Ramona Bass's undefeated sophomore filly Applauding will not participate in Saturday's Grade III, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes, trainer Al Stall Jr. said Monday after a four-furlong breeze in :50 4/5.
"She didn't work to my satisfaction and I'm going to scratch her," Stall said. "She just wasn't herself. I don't know if something's bugging her internally or what. She just wasn't right."
Applauding was a nine-length debut winner at Keeneland in October and followed that with a six-length allowance win at Fair Grounds on Dec. 2 but hasn't raced since. She was the morning line favorite in last month's $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes but scratched the day of the race due to a minor case of colic.
McGEE SAYS FG-LOVING DUBIOUS MISS GOING INTO FG 'CAP 'THE RIGHT WAY' – David P. Holloway Racing's Dubious Miss will get another shot at Andrews T & S Racing's Mr. Vegas in Saturday's Grade III, $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap. Dubious Miss was slowly gaining ground on Mr. Vegas in the stretch run of last month's Grade III Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap but checked slightly when the leader came out, an incident that jockey Corey Lanerie claimed afterwards may have cost him the race. Following a lengthy deliberation, an objection was disallowed.
"It could've gone our way, I felt," trainer Paul McGee said Monday morning, one month after the Bradley. "Usually when it takes that long you expect a change. We watched it 100 times and at that point you're thinking they're going to change it but they left it."
McGee likes the way Dubious Miss is coming up to Saturday's race, but this time he'll face not only Mr. Vegas, but several new shooters, including last year's Grade II Mervin H. Muniz Memorial winner Smart Bid.
"I don't know if we can beat those horses or not but we're going into this race the right way," he said.
Dubious Miss worked five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 on Monday with Lanerie aboard.
"That's about his standard breeze, 1:01 and change," McGee said. "It was about what we were looking for. But isn't that what trainers always say?"
One strong point for Dubious Miss is that the 8-year-old gelding has never missed the board in five starts over Fair Grounds' Stall-Wilson turf course.
"Even though he's only got one lifetime win on the grass he's run well on it, and he's always run well on this grass course," McGee noted. "He threw in a clunker at Churchill and I still don't know why he ran so badly that day but both of his races down here have been really good."
OTHER MONDAY WORKERS PREPARING FOR LOUISIANA DERBY PREVIEW DAY – Jerry Namy's Shared Property, third in the Lecomte at Fair Grounds Jan. 21, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 early Monday morning in advance of Risen Star, final designed prep for the $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby April 1, closing day of Fair Grounds' 2011-2012 season.
"He went great," said trainer Tom Amoss during the renovation break. "I was very pleased."
Zayat Stables' Z Dager, runner-up in the Lecomte, breezed a half-mile in 50.60 for the barn of trainer Steve Asmussen in preparation for Saturday's Risen Star, while Zayat Stables' Nehro, runner-up in last year's Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby, went five furlongs in 1:02 flat in preparation for an allowance race Saturday.
Naveed Chowhan's Annaclone breezed five-eighths in 1:03.20 Monday in advance of Saturday's $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes.
Elsewhere, on Sunday at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida, Let's Go Stable's El Padrino, the Todd Pletcher trainee projected as the 2-1 morning line favorite for the Risen Star, went a half-mile in 48.80 prior to arrival his in New Orleans mid-week, and George Hicker and Button Stables' Tres Borrachos went five furlongs in 1:02.80 handily Sunday morning at Hollywood Park in preparation for the Mineshaft.


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I want to buy my gas from companies that don't import from the Middle East. Which ones are they?
Answer: There are essentially NO major-brand retail gas stations whose product derives from US sources only, and basically all of them have Middle East oil as a significant proportion of their source crude - because if refineries used only American oil, they would be incapable of making the volumes that we demand - a 60% shortfall. A few small regional refiner-producers may use MOSTLY American oil, but even they likely use purchased oil - with imported origins - to produce the volumes of gasoline that are demanded by the American public. In addition to all the crude imported, the U.S. must import about 66 million gallons of refined gasoline because our refineries can't make enough
Most frequent question #2: How many gallons of gasoline in a barrel of oil? Answer: a 42-gallon barrel of oil makes about 19.5 gallons of gasoline.
U.S. gasoline consumption of 320,500,000 gallons per day (March 2005) works out to about 3700 gallons per second.
Oil Refineries
The following information on active oil refineries comes from the Energy Information Administration. Total in the US is 149 refineries. For more specifics, such as refinery owner and capacity of individual refineries, go to This Page, click on a state, and then click on "petroleum overview" on the state page. The list is in order of total capacity in 2005. States not listed, such as New York, Florida, and Arizona, do not have any refineries. EIA Information on individual refineries.
Oil refining company quiz
US total refining capacity = 17,125,000 barrels of oil per day.
Of this, 19.5 gallons per barrel, or about 44% (the most that can be made) becomes gasoline: 7,535,000 barrels of gasoline, times 42 gallons per barrel = 316,470,000 gallons of gasoline capable of being refined each day. Although most refineries are operating at near capacity (say 95% to 98% of capacity), any shutdown (hurricane or otherwise) obviously affects this total. In March 2005, US gasoline consumption was 320,500,000 gallons per day. You do the math.
UPDATE: According to this EIA page, US gasoline consumption in 2004 averaged 382,400,000 gallons per day - meaning we must import almost 66 million gallons of gasoline each and every day, in addition to imported crude oil.
STATE Number of Refineries Capacity in barrels per day, 2005
Texas 23 4,628,000
Louisiana 17 2,773,000
California 21 2,005,000
Illinois 4 896,000
Pennsylvania 5 770,000
Washington 5 616,150
New Jersey 4 615,000
Ohio 4 551,400
Oklahoma 5 484,961
Indiana 2 433,000
Alaska 6 373,000
Mississippi 4 364,800
Minnesota 2 335,000
Kansas 3 296,200
Kentucky 2 227,500
Montana 4 181,200
Tennessee 1 180,000
Delaware 1 175,000
Utah 5 167,350
Wyoming 5 152,000
Hawaii 2 147,500
Alabama 2 113,500
New Mexico 3 112,600
Colorado 2 87,000
Arkansas 2 76,800
Michigan 1 74,000
Virginia 1 58,600
North Dakota 1 58,000
Wisconsin 1 33,000
West Virginia 1 19,400
Nevada 1 1,707