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The Duke O' Fluke is a floating store that offers products and experiences from the natural world.
Like most stores, there is a core product - it's namesake flounder - and a diverse selection of other offerings: Birds, marine ecology, sightseeing, partying on the water and other brands of fish.
Captain and owner Brook Koeneke, 75, of North Wildwood, bought the 45-foot pontoon boat in 1995, a decade after it had begun its fishing business out of Margate.
Two years later he moved the Duke O' Fluke to the municipal pier in Somers Point, where the centerpiece of its offerings remains two four-hour flounder fishing trips every day during the season.
The 14-foot wide and flat boat can accommodate 46 paying passengers and a crew of two, and its stability is as appealing as its easy access to summer's favorite fish.
"We can claim very little seasickness due in large part to the fact we only operate in the back bay," Koeneke said. "Anyone prone to motion sickness most likely will have a pleasant experience on a four-hour trip aboard the Duke."
Like any good businessman, Koeneke keeps his prices competitive with the other activities available to vacationing and local families. Adults pay $24, children $15, seniors $17, and rod rentals are $3.
"Families with a couple of kids are spending far less than they would on three hours on the Ocean City Boardwalk," he said.
Onto that flatfish foundation Koeneke has built a few other revenue streams that have made the Duke a success.
One is nature tourism, specifically trips to view some of the area's signature birds in habitats reachable only by boat.
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Award-winning classical music album combines two worlds
8 October 2012
The winner of this year's ARIA for Best Classical Album is a collaboration between leading Aboriginal musician William Barton and Matthew Hindson, an Associate Professor at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Didjeridu player Barton was born in Mount Isa, where his uncle, an elder of the Waanyi, Lardil and Kalkadungu tribes of western Queensland, taught him to play the instrument. At the age of 17 he performed his first classical concert with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
His ARIA-winning CD, Kalkadungu, celebrates the history of Barton's tribe. The music premiered at the Sydney Opera House in 2008, and was released this year by ABC Classics: "It fuses the explosive power of the full orchestra with the prophetic voice of the didjeridu, exploring the shifting relationships between opposing cultures, and the transition of traditional songlines between past, present and future," said ABC Classics.
Barton and Hindson - a composer famous for incorporating influences from popular and heavy metal music - co-wrote the CD's 25-minute title track. Peter Sculthorpe, a renowned composer and Emeritus Professor at the Conservatorium, also composed for the CD.
"Mere words can't begin to describe the noise made by William Barton in full flow," says reviewer Graham Rickson. "It's a sonorous, low roar that sets your stomach wobbling, made more startling by the array of harmonics and overtones which buzz around over the top. There's also Barton's sheer technique, circular breathing allowing him to sustain notes for improbable lengths."
Barton's connection with the University of Sydney dates back to 2001 when he began collaborating with Peter Sculthorpe, then a professor at the Conservatorium. In 2008 he travelled as part a 13-member Sydney Conservatorium of Music ensemble to Beijing to perform at the pre-Olympic music festival, Musicathlon.
Barton has also performed with Conservatorium staff and student musicians in a number of ensemble pieces, including his own composition, Birdsong at Dusk, for string quartet and didjeridu. In 2010 the University of Sydney awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Music.
"This is a groundbreaking recording from one of Australia's best Indigenous musicians," Hindson said. The collaboration "is indicative of the quality of innovative Australian music" being produced at the Conservatorium, and "which is making a significant impact on the national and international scene".
Kalkadungu is performed William Barton, Delmae Barton, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Chamber Singers and Southern Cross Soloists.
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Media enquiries: Kath Kenny, 0478 303 173, 02 9351 1584, email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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New Facial Recognition Software May Detect Looming Road Rage 133
cartechboy writes "Well, since we have license plate readers tracking drivers, and GPS breaking down we're you're headed — its probably time for someone to know what mood you're in when you're driving. (Quick hint: often not a good one). Researchers at Switzerland's École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have prototyped a dashboard camera that tracks facial movements and expressions to read a person's emotions while behind the wheel. The team has partnered with PSA Peugeot Citroën to create a version for actual cars to determine when drivers are angry — and have high potential for road rage. One challenge for the technology has been the wide range of expressions drivers have when they're pissed. Some people smile, for example. (Maybe as they raise their middle finger.) The engineers are working on future revs to be able to tell when drivers are fatigued or even just distracted." The detection part sounds interesting; coupled with remote kill-switches that some government agencies want, and ever deeper fly-by-wire technologies, it's sounds downright dystopian, though.


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Long Distance Friendship Lamp
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Players of all ages will be eager to try their hands at this beautiful, bedeviling dexterity game. The brightly colored rods can be used for a traditional game of pick-up sticks, but here's the twist: slide them through the wooden ring, spread them out with in a spiral, and now the bundle can stand upright. Players take turns pulling sticks from the ring, each trying to not be the one to make the structure collapse. When not in use, the swirled sticks can remain on display as an eye-catching, sculptural art piece. Sticks are made from durable, FSC-certified hornbeam wood, and the ring made from beechwood. Made in Italy.
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
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Comments about COLORFUL PICK-UP STICKS:
i am displaying these items on a table converted from an old sewing machine stand. a very nice accent piece. love the color combinations of both. they stand well once you get them arranged--they are sturdy. i am glad they are as long as they are as that way it makes an impact on the display.


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Jarrow Formulas Methylcobalamin (Methyl B-12) is better absorbed and retained than other forms of B12 (e.g., cyanocobalamin). Jarrow Formulas Methyl B-12 protects nerve tissue and brain cells, promotes better sleep and reduces toxic homocysteine to the essential amino acid methionine. Also, vegetarians/vegans typically require B12 supplementation.
- Active Coenzyme Form
- Promotes Healthy Homocysteine Levels
- 5000 Micrograms per Lozenge
- Neurotransmitter & Neuron Support
About Jarrow Formulas
Jarrow Formulas, which is based in Los Angeles, California, USA, is a formulator and supplier of superior nutritional supplements. The company was founded in 1977 and incorporated in 1988. Today it markets its products in the United States, Mexico, Canada and throughout the world. The owners and officers of the company are: Jarrow L. Rogovin, President; Ben Khowong, CEO/CFO and Peilin Guo, Executive Vice President.
Jarrow Formulas' mission is reflected in its motto 'Superior Nutrition and Formulation".
Jarrow Formulas' complete line of nutritional products includes vitamins, minerals, probiotics, standardized herbal concentrates, amino acids, enzymes and enteral nutrition products. Both retailers and consumers are assured of purity, value and potency when choosing these products.
The company is active in monitoring governmental regulatory affairs, which affect the nutritional industry. It also vigorously promotes the rights of Americans to free access to dietary supplements. Jarrow Formulas funds research studies on important nutritional products such as CoQ10, to ensure that customers receive the full biological value of these products.
Jarrow Formulas' Mission
Jarrow Formulas' goal is to promote optimal health with high quality, effective, affordable and "cutting edge" formulations, which are based on sound scientific research data. The company's professional staff is actively involved in clinical studies and in working with researchers from universities, institutes and other academic environments around the world. Jarrow Formulas strives to provide the best service and technical support to its customers.


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ATLANTA — Coca-Cola Co. will expand calorie labeling to the front of all packages and reiterated its pledge not to advertise to children under 12 anywhere as the world's largest soft-drink maker fights criticism that it is contributing to obesity.
The plan, which includes expanding physical activity programs, will apply to the more than 200 countries where it operates, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said Wednesday in a statement. The company also will emphasize low- and no-calorie drinks in emerging markets. Coca-Cola didn't set deadlines or targets for the initiatives.
Chief Executive Officer Muhtar Kent has been working to counter the perception that the soft-drink maker contributes to America's obesity epidemic. Coca-Cola earlier this year introduced advertisements highlighting the company's low- and zero-calorie products and suggesting people pay attention to how many calories they consume in order to manage their weight.
"People in these countries are going to be aware of these health issues so Coke wants to be prepared," Jack Russo, an analyst with Edward Jones & Co. in St. Louis, said in a telephone interview. "The regulators and governments are going to get more involved with this entire issue."
On a conference call Wednesday, Kent declined to discuss costs for the initiatives or say how they will affect spending for marketing and advertising. No- and low-calorie drinks are currently offered in most markets, he said.
"This is not just about making them available but also merchandising them and also ensuring that there is sufficient point of sale material around them," Kent said.
Coca-Cola first pledged not to advertise to children under age 12 globally in 2007.
In 2009, the company said it would offer calorie counts on the front of packages in every country where it operates, with some exceptions. Wednesday's pledge expands that to all packages. The timetable is uncertain because returnable bottles that are refilled and reused in many emerging countries will take time to replace, said Kent Landers, a spokesman.
"This is the issuance of an invitation for partners to come and join us," Kent said. "We know we can't do this alone."
About 41 percent of products that carry a Coca-Cola trademark in the United States, including Diet Coke and Coke Zero, are low- or no-calorie, Kent said. That compares with about 30 percent during the late 1990s, he said. In China's coastal areas, the percentage is in the single-digits, while higher in big cities, he said. As of last year, almost half of PepsiCo Inc.'s U.S. beverage sales volume was comprised of low- and no- calorie drinks, sports drinks and juices, according to the Purchase, N.Y.-based company.
Coca-Cola's "objective is to deflect criticism of sugary drinks and to forestall any meaningful government action to reduce soda consumption," said Jeff Cronin, a spokesman for Washington-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, which published its "Liquid Candy" report in 1998 blaming sugary soda for helping make kids obese. "This is a campaign to sell more Coca-Cola and not a campaign to combat obesity."
Cronin said he sees little new in Wednesday's announcement and took issue with the company's efforts to defeat soft drink taxes and size limits.
Coca-Cola now supports physical activity programs in about 100 countries and will add programs in the rest of its countries, Landers said.
"We want to create awareness for more regular exercise," Kent said. "We know it is more fun to consume calories than to spend calories. We want to make spending calories more fun."
PepsiCo has responded to the critics, as well. The company embarked on a global voluntary commitment in 2007 to limit advertising aimed at children under age 12 to products that meet specific nutrition criteria. The effort has been focused on the U.S. and select markets, such as India, China, Mexico and the European Union. The company says it has used an independent third-party to monitor its progress.
PepsiCo's Gatorade brand provides active sports opportunities to more than 500,000 children by way of summer camps at universities. The company also works with YMCAs to encourage healthy lifestyles. Jeff Dahncke, a PepsiCo spokesman, declined to comment on Coke's announcement.
Almost 36 percent of adults and about 17 percent of children are obese in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Obesity is measured by using weight and height to calculate a number called body mass index, according to the CDC. An adult who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 203 pounds or more is considered obese.
Earlier this year, New York City challenged a ruling throwing out Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's proposal to restrict sales of large-size soda drinks, calling the plan "contrary to law."
The city's Board of Health last year approved the plan to cap the size of sugary soft drinks sold in restaurants, movie theaters, stadiums and arenas at 16 ounces (473 milliliters) a cup. In October, groups representing beverage makers, restaurants and theaters asked the court to end the regulation, citing "unprecedented interference."
Between 2009 and 2011, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association spent as much as $70 million on lobbying and issue ads, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a proponent of soda taxes. The money helped defeat efforts to enact such levies in 30 states.
Bloomberg is the majority owner of Bloomberg LP, parent of Bloomberg News.


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Article: Song Ji Hyo has her boyfriend's name on her nails?
Source: Sports Chosun via Nate
Some in the comments are saying the letters on her nails are for 'Jackal is Coming' promotions.
1. [+719, -46] Why does she have to go and date that gangster ba$tard..
2. [+512, -34] I just came in here after reading an article about Kim Tae Chon (TN: infamous mob boss that died yesterday)
3. [+547, -166] Seems like her boyfriend really is a mobster
4. [+168, -7] Why if it isn't Baek Chang Joo, the man that went to jail because he used Kim Tae Chon to threaten Kwon Sang Woo into signing a 2 year contract saying he would otherwise spread his weakness to the media. He's the son of Baek Young Doo, the straw boss to the Yangeuni mob.
5. [+109, -9] So will Ji Hyo be attending the funeral of Kim Tae Chon since she's his sister-in-law?
6. [+101, -9] Wife of a mobster
7. [+101, -38] Scary woman.. She seems so fake to me after finding out the truth
8. [+100, -9] Looks like Baek Chang Joo still has some sort of power. A lot of people hate her for being the girlfriend of a mobster but she still manages to get onto a popular weekend program and shoot a movie to boot ㅋㅋㅋ
9. [+99, -4] Baek Chang Joo is the son of one of Korea's top three mobs
10. [+99, -7] There are so many men in this world she could date and yet she chooses a ba$tard mobster tsk tsk All of Korea knows about the Kwon Sang Woo scandal, or is Song Ji Hyo the only one that doesn't know?
11. [+96, -11] I'm scared of her.. She smiles and acts all tomboyish on the outside but she obviously goes home to hang out with mobsters


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Cleaning and Preparing Fish
Cleaning and Preparing Fish
To some, the fun is over when the fish are caught because cleaning fish is an unpleasant task. This attitude is most common among those who are not aware of the cleaning technique best suited for the fish species they have caught. Once proper techniques are learned and applied, the task becomes a small price to pay for the delicious eating that is yet to come.
The most common method of cleaning catfish is to make an incision around the body in back of the head, after which the skin and fins are pulled off with pliers or a skinning tool, the body is cut open, the entrails are removed, and the head and tail are cut off. The fish is then washed, dipped in batter, and fried. The bones remain intact, but it is an easy matter to pick large pieces of meat off large bones.
Other fish species can be scaled with a teaspoon or scaling tool and then cleaned much like catfish. The problem is that most people don't like to pick through small bones of several small fish to find small pieces of meat. Filleting is thus a much preferred method of cleaning for most fish besides catfish and even catfish lend themselves well to filleting.
Without question, filleting is the most efficient method of cleaning fish. The traditional tool for filleting fish is the flexible, thin-bladed, razor sharp fillet knife. An electric knife, once mastered, can greatly speed fish cleaning.
There are two types of electric knives on the market. One has a straight handle with a trigger on the bottom operated by the forefinger. The second type has a large moon-shaped handle with a trigger button on top operated by the thumb. The knife with a straight handle allows for better leverage on the blade and works much better for filleting than the other model.
To fillet a fish using either a fillet knife or an electric knife, the angler should grasp his fish by the head with one hand and lay it on one side. A vertical incision is then made just behind the gill cover from the nape of the neck to the belly, down to the backbone. The knife is then run horizontally along the backbone, cutting through the ribs. Just before the knife reaches the tail, the fillet is flipped off the carcass, and the skin is sliced off the meat by pressing the knife blade flat on the cleaning surface as the cut proceeds toward the ribs. The ribs are then cut from the fillet. This process is then applied to the other side.
This conventional filleting technique works especially well on large fish such as bass or walleye. For panfish like crappie, and particularly bluegills, there is yet another approach. The first step is to scale both sides of the fish thoroughly. The fish is then dipped in a bucket of clean water to remove loose scales and mucous. A small fillet knife is inserted into the nape of the neck. The knife is run along the top edge of the ribs next to the bones which branch off the spine. After the knife has passed by the ribs, the cut proceeds toward the belly with the tip of the knife exiting the fish at the front edge of the anal fin. The cut continues all the way out to the tail. A vertical incision is then made just behind the gill cover and the fillet is pulled and sliced off the ribs. The fillet is separated from the carcass along the belly by cutting from the vertical incision made previously to the front of the anal fin. The fish is then flipped over and the cutting process is repeated on the other side.
By leaving the skin intact, the fillet holds together better, fries up crisper, and has more flavor. In addition, cutting along the outside of the ribs and then out at the bottom of the fish salvages a bit more meat along the belly. This area is discarded when ribs are cut out in the conventional method. The conventional method also wastes some meat near the tail. In both areas there isn't much wasted using the conventional method, but every little bit counts, especially when cleaning fish as small and as good tasting as bluegills.


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Cinnamon-Apple Honey Cake Recipe
Popular Videos
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced peeled tart apple
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Line a 6-in. round baking pan with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Arrange apple slices in a single layer over cinnamon.
- In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg. Add milk and vanilla; beat on low speed until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and remaining cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Spoon over apple.
- Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert immediately onto a serving plate; drizzle with honey. Serve warm if desired. Yield: 4 servings.
Reviews forCinnamon-Apple Honey Cake
My Review
Average Rating
"Very bland."
"I tripled the recipe for the batter and it made a regular sized cake. Came out moist, delicious and has a great texture. You'll definitely want to keep this recipe. Don't believe me? Well the only way I knew to triple the recipe was from making this cake and baking it in a regular round cake pan. When it came out, I knew I had to redo the cake and nearly ate the whole thing!"
"I didn't quite have a small enough pan, but even with it a lil thin and a beginner making it, it was delicious and even my picky Dad asked for seconds!"
"Really good cake. Moist, not too sweet and perfect size for just the two of us. Thanks!"
"This was wonderful! It was a snap to make and everyone loved it! Since it is not very sweet, I think I will make it again and serve with breakfast. Thanks to the parchment paper, everything cleaned up easily too!"
"Loved this recipe!!! Not too sweet & perfect size! Thank you so much for sharing!!"
"This was so easy to make and it left a wonderful after-taste. Yum!!"
"I loved it.and will make it agen,also will share it"
"wow looks great!! im going to make this tonight!!"


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Hopmonk Tavern to Open Second Location in Sonoma
When we heard the rumors about this last December, it made perfect sense. Though speculation has run wild, we have it on good authority—Dean Biersch himself—that the former Gordon-Biersch partner who opened the Hopmonk Tavern to universal acclaim in Sebastopol has officially inked a deal for a second location in Sonoma.
"It's 99-percent there," he told us. "We're hoping to make an announcement this week."
Yes, Biersch confirmed, he is taking over the old Emmy's Spaghetti Shack location at 691 Broadway—a building whose layout and outdoor patio makes it a perfect spot similar to his Sebastopol hotspot.
In addition to a restaurant and bar in Sonoma, live music will be a key component. Emmy's Spaghetti Shack fought long and hard with the city for an amplified music permit, but something tells me that Biersch, a ten-year resident of the city, will be able to renew it smoothly. The first thing he'll do, he says, is construct an eight-foot fence around the beer garden; after that, he imagines a hemisphere bandshell in the patio for outdoor concerts. "I'm looking into the acoustics of it," he says.
Inside the restaurant, Biersch is passionate about reserving space for an acoustic room seating about 40-50 people, because "there's so many singer-songwriter acts that we have to pass on at Hopmonk," he explains, "that I think would be perfect for Sonoma."
This is fantastic news for live-music fans in the city of Sonoma, who'll soon be able to go to the Uptown Theatre in Napa for larger concerts in addition to the excellent small-club acts that a 'Hopmonk East' will surely bring. After recently parting ways with downtown Santa Rosa nightspot Chrome Lotus, Hopmonk booker Patrick Malone is looking forward to bringing his talents to Sonoma. "I'll definitely be helping out there," he says.
Biersch is aiming for a Summer 2010 opening.


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City puts new TIF district on hold pending paperwork
A plan to create 32 acres of a new tax increment financing district in Columbia City will have to wait until the next city council meeting.
The council was poised to approve the new TIF district Tuesday until council members discovered they did not have the resolution they needed to confirm.
The city's redevelopment commission approved the resolution at its meeting earlier in the day, but signed copies were unavailable for the city council because of a family emergency of a redevelopment commission member.
The issue will come back to the council at its Sept. 28 meeting, unless a special meeting is held earlier.
The area south of U.S. 30 and east of Lincolnway was recently rezoned to light industrial use to try to attract a medical device manufacturing company.
The city council on Tuesday designated the land as an economic revitalization area so any business that qualifies can apply for tax abatements.
"It would encourage a company to invest in equipment and create jobs," Whitley County Economic Development Corporation President Alan Tió said the land being an ERA.
As for the TIF district designation for the land, city redevelopment commission president Carl Siler said the land would be a TIF district for 25 years.
"Unless we do have a TIF, those people aren't going to come in the first place," Siler said of possible development on the land.
Although property taxes paid for improvements to the land after its designation as TIF district would be diverted to pay for infrastructure and other improvements at the site, Siler said the city and county would benefit from income taxes from the businesses' employees.
Without a TIF district, Siler feels the city would lose an advantage in the "very competitive" world of site selection.
"That sort of brands us as being anti-development," he said.
Early estimates on utility installation and road work at the site are about $675,000, according to Columbia City Mayor Jim Fleck.
"We recover that revenue without having to borrow it," he said of the utility revenue to the city from any development.
Tax revenue from the TIF district above the land's base value before it was designated as a TIF district can only be used for certain improvements in that district.
"You can't have a private benefit. It has to be a public interest," Fleck said.


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Gov. Rick Perry wants to tap the Rainy Day Fund to spend $3.7 billion on critical water and transportation systems in the state.
In his State of the State speech on Tuesday, Perry said there is more money in the fund than is needed, and that the state should not accumulate any more. He said tapping the fund for a one-time investment in infrastructure was needed to ensure a high quality of life.
Perry also called to use road funding only on transportation projects.
The Republican has for weeks called on the Legislature to cut taxes and continue to hold down government spending — even though Texas' economy is booming. He also called for $1.8 billion in tax relief and said how to do that was still open for consideration.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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Why Your SNES Turned Yellow 87
If, back in the day, you ever wondered why your old Super Nintendo tended to discolor, your curiosity will now be sated. Via Ars Technica's Opposable Thumbs blog, an article on the Vintage Computing and Gaming site which explains the mysteries of plastic discoloration. From the article: "Since ... different batches of plastics had ... different aging results ... then there must have been a difference of additives between them. Perhaps in one of the production runs of plastic, they didn't get the catalyst or flame retardant mixture quite right and more residues were left over in the top half's plastic batch, thus causing it to degrade more rapidly over time. And by the time Nintendo produced the later runs of Super Nintendos, they had perfected the manufacturing process of their plastic, meaning that those later models aren't as susceptible to oxidation as the earlier models are."


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1 Vehicle Found
Used 2016 Ford Escape 4WD 4dr Titanium
Market Price $16,990
See Important Disclosures Here
- Mileage 99,841
- Stock Number P115542
- Location Bergstrom Imports on Victory Lane
- Exterior N/A
- Transmission 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC W/SELECTSHIFT
- Interior N/A
- Engine 4 Cylinder Engine
Body Description Sport Utility
- Cylinders 4
- Doors 4
- Fuel Type Gas
- Horsepower N/A
- Vehicle Type SUV
* While every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions contained on these pages. Price Difference may include Manufacturer incentives. Please see store for details. Please verify any information in question with Bergstrom Automotive. Prices do not include additional fees and costs of closing, including government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer documentation fees, any emissions testing fees or other fees. All prices, specifications and availability subject to change without notice.
*These estimates reflect new EPA methods beginning with 2008 models. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. Actual mileage will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits and vehicle's condition. Mileage estimates may be derived from previous year model.
© 1989-2017 Chrome Systems Corporation
Add vehicles to compare. You can compare up to 3 vehicles at a time.


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You know, old habits die hard. Therefore I got stuck to the HTML editor Homesite ever since I started to design websites more than a century ago. I took a look at other editors here and there but always returned to my good ol' buddy.
Scooped by
Christophe Jean
onto Node.js


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MINNEAPOLIS — (AP) Rodney Williams had 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks while filling in at power forward for injured star Trevor Mbakwe, lifting Minnesota to a 58-55 victory over Virginia Tech on Wednesday night in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Julian Welch scored 15 points and hit two free throws with 18.9 seconds to go that gave the Golden Gophers the lead for good.
Elliott Eliason added eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks for the Gophers (7-1), who played their first game after Mbakwe was lost for the season with a right knee injury.
Erick Green scored 25 points for the Hokies (5-2) but was hampered in the final 19 seconds after falling off Williams Arena's raised floor and landing on his right shoulder. He returned, and his 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out.


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HARRISBURG, Penn. — A highly anticipated review of the child sex abuse case against Jerry Sandusky released on Monday found delays in prosecuting the former Penn State football coach but no evidence of political interference by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett during his time as attorney general.
Sandusky, a prominent assistant coach for Penn State, was convicted in 2012 of molesting 10 boys over 15 years and now is serving a prison sentence of 30 to 60 years.
The report, compiled by former federal prosecutor Geoffrey Moulton and released by the Pennsylvania attorney general's office, said there were "inexplicable delays in bringing a serial child molester to justice."
An assistant attorney general prepared charging documents based on grand jury testimony of a single victim against Sandusky as early as March 2010, more than a year and a half before he was arrested, the report said.
Her supervisors in the attorney general's office overruled her, believing testimony of a lone victim would be "insufficient against a community icon like Sandusky" and that a failed prosecution would make it difficult to proceed if other victims came forward, it said.
They wanted investigators to find more victims, despite fears that a delay could allow Sandusky to create more victims, it said.
The report noted that the investigation was delayed as well by difficulty getting documents from The Second Mile, a charity for troubled youth that Sandusky ran and from which he recruited some victims, and from Penn State, which did not turn over a police report involving a 1998 child sex abuse incident.
Investigators say finding that report led to the discovery of four more victims.
Sandusky's arrest rocked the world of big-time college football and led to accusations that Corbett, who was attorney general when the first victim was referred to his office in 2009, slowed the case to avoid alienating potential campaign donors.
Sandusky worked from 1969 through 1999 under legendary longtime Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, who was fired in the wake of the scandal and who died in January 2012.
Attorney General Kathleen Kane, a Democrat elected in 2012, has argued criminal charges should have been brought sooner, and that Corbett failed to protect children for more than two years.
In response, several prosecutors said the review reeked of politics.
"To us, career professionals who investigated and prosecuted this case, the report was clearly born of political opportunism and posturing," the prosecutors wrote.
They added, however, that the report, despite its "unsavory origins," was in part "palatable."
Corbett, a Republican, has struggled with poor approval ratings and is seen as a highly vulnerable incumbent.
Penn State's former president, former athletic director and former vice president face charges including endangering the welfare of children, obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy.
Moulton served as special investigator into the 1993 federal raid of the Branch Davidian headquarters in Waco, Texas.


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In hopes of raising enough money to help the family of an ailing infant, the Beach Pub, 1668 I St. on Fort Myers Beach, is hosting a very special benefit Saturday, Sept. 14, starting at 2 p.m.
Born May 25 this year, little Sophia Fecteau was diagnosed with Charge Syndrome, a genetic condition with a set of birth defects. After a series of five surgeries since birth only a few months ago, her family says Sophia has not improved.
"She has all of the symptoms of Charge Syndrome. The family had to relocate to Atlanta, Ga., to have the best care for Sophie. And, now she's home from the hospital, with the care of 10 doctors and so many pieces of medical equipment in her room," said Cheryl Fecteau, first-time grandmother and longtime Fort Myers Beach resident. "The doctors have all told us to just spend as much time with her as we can, and we're keeping the hopes up that she can pull out of this, but we just don't know."
With Sophia's short-term life expectancy, Hope Hospice is in consultation with the family and her first-time parents, Derek and Kaitlin Fecteau.
Cheryl has been working with the Beach Pub, organizing the benefit, and any donations made to the family are greatly appreciated.
During the benefit at the Pub Saturday, there will be plenty of live music offered, as well as 50/50s, food, raffles, prizes and a fun-filled day to keep up the spirits of Sophia's family, and keep the hope alive for her recovery.
Fact Box
Other Fund Raisers
Grace for Chase Family Fun Day
A fundraiser for Chase Johnson, 7, an amazing little boy fighting a tremendous battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) TCell will be held from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Victory Lane Cafe, 4120 Hancock Bridge Pkwy, North Fort Myers.
The charity fund raiser will feature pony rides, barbecue dinner, Ipad Mini for a Penny drawing, Chinese auction, bounce house, water slide (bring swimsuits!!), dunk tank, 50/50 raffle and live entertainment by Robb Brooks.
Also featured will be a corn-hole tournament, blood drive and a bone marrow tent for potential donors.
Chase, the son of Lisa Snyder and Chris Johnson, is awaiting a bone marrow transplant.
Fundraiser for Greilyn & Epilepsy Awareness
A Fundraiser for Greilyn & Epilepsy Awareness will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Victory Lane Cafe, 4120 Hancock Bridge Pkwy, North Fort Myers.The fundraiser will help raise money for Greilyn, a 2-year-old who has been diagnosed with epilepsy and in need of a seizure alert dog, which costs $22,000.
All proceeds from the car wash, bounce house and corn hole tournament fund raiser will go directly to Greilyn. Victory Lane also will offer a special brunch menu with proceeds to benefit the child. A 50/50 raffle also will be featured.
The registration fee for the corn hole tournament is $40 per team. Signups are at 11 a.m. or contact Sarah AT 239-896-2785 to sign up.
Donations also may be made directly at any Wells Fargo Bank by donating to the Pray for Greilyn account.
"It's just amazing how the Beach community pulls together in crisis like this,"?Cheryl said, tears in her eyes. "Everyone has been so nice donating, especially in the slow time of year. It's been so, so nice. We have so many wonderful items to raffle off that afternoon, lots of hotel and resort stays, lots of restaurant gift certificates and other prizes. There are just so many great prizes to win, thanks to the several Fort Myers Beach businesses for donating. We will have 50/50 raffles, too, and Pete's Timeout and its purveyors have donated food. So, Pete's will cook it all up and deliver it to the Beach Pub for the benefit."
Cheryl also mentioned that there will be lots of great live music during Sophia's benefit.
"There will be live music all day, with Steve Lutke starting the day, followed by Sean Bright, and 10,000 Views finishing the benefit," she said. "I'd like to make a special thank-you to Dina Caleca and the Beach Pub for hosting the benefit, Pete's Timeout and its purveyors, the musicians performing that day, and everyone who can make it out to the benefit, helping us in this time of need."
As for parking, the owner of the Key Estero Plaza has donated his parking lot for benefit-goers.
"We have parking! The owner of Key Estero Plaza has donated his entire parking lot for the benefit. Big thanks, Tom!" Dina said.
If you'd like to make a donation to Sophia and her fight, an account has been set up at the Suntrust Bank on Summerlin near Fort Myers Beach, 11340 Summerlin Square Drive, in the name of "Sophia Fecteau, Cheryl Fecteau or Celeste Murray."
Also, you may mail donations to: Sophia Fecteau, c/o Cheryl Fecteau, 1668 I St., Fort Myers Beach 33931.
Currently in Atlanta with her family and little granddaughter, Cheryl said she will be sure to be back in town in time to make it to the Beach Pub benefit Saturday.
"She's holding her own; she's a little fighter," Cheryl said. "She's our little fighter angel."
For further information on the upcoming benefit for baby Sophia, call the Beach Pub, 765-6102, or visit the Pub's page on Facebook.


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The media will have found an Olympic scandal to moan about and planners everywhere will be trying to cobble together a presentation on "what we can learn from London 2012". But don't worry, it will be the Paralympics soon, and then you can take another couple of weeks off. In the meantime, here's another pundit's perspective on the greatest show on earth - what does it teach us about "liveness"? What's the value of it these days?
Way back at the start of the Games (if you can remember that long ago), my Twitter stream was full of American friends complaining about NBC's coverage and of Brits crowing about the BBC. There was a substantial body of outrage about the way NBC was time-delaying the Games, and not even broadcasting all of it. Its decision not to show the 7/7 section of the opening ceremony didn't make this conversation any quieter or more reasonable. Many people contrasted this packaged approach with the BBC's maximalist tack: all the stadiums, every bit of sport, on a wide variety of platforms - all of it gloriously live and happening now. The Twitterati weren't slow to condemn NBC's failure to "get it".
Then, however, the picture got a bit muddier as it became clear that NBC's nightly Olympic packages were getting record ratings and raking in vast piles of ad revenue. And, as always happens, the black-or-white, this-is-the-future, no-one-will-ever-do-that arguments turned out to be insufficiently subtle to fit the facts on the ground.
The more interesting reality seems to be that liveness isn't really binary. There are huge shades of variety around live presentations. Some of the BBC's "red button" channels exposed one end of it - raw-feeling footage, no commentary, ambient sound - and this definitely had an appeal, especially for deep fans of that sport. At the other end were the montages and packages that broadcasters have always done well. The really fascinating bits were the experiments in the middle and on the sides.
The London 2012 website, for instance, was fabulous. It felt buzzy and live, but wasn't about video or even, really, pictures - it was about data, what had happened and when. And LOCOG had another stroke of genius in installing cameras high above the action in most stadiums and giving each of those cameras a Twitter account and a personality. It was another way into the action, another version of liveness - someone else becomes a "broadcaster".
Of course, brand owners aren't going to be slow to exploit these experiments. Sponsorship teams must be negotiating about GoalCam Twitter accounts even now. As ever, the only constant is more blurriness. Who's a broadcaster? What's live? Who knows any more?


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BM has a history of being a shoddy party planner. He was in charge of RedNut's bachelor party (BM stands for Best Man as well as Best Mate). He waited until RN was in the final month of uni, left the planning until 2 weeks before the party date, and booked the event for a pre determined number of people without drawing up a guest list first and sending out invites. He then proceeded to dump the invitation making onto RedNut and refused to call my side of the family to invite them.
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LOWELL -- Millions struggle with hunger every day.
On Sunday, the fourth annual Empty Bowls event hopes to raise awareness.
Culinary-arts students from local schools will serve their bread-and-soup creations in pottery donated by local artists.
Soups include butternut squash, roasted pumpkin with maple cream, and white bean and sweet potato.
Patti Fielding, director of the event, said six schools and teens from the United Teen Equality Center are taking part.
Proceeds will benefit Living Waters Center of Hope, a faith-based ministry and outreach drop-in center in the downtown.
Fielding said those who attend this year's event also will be given booklets explaining about the Empty Bowls project, to educate the public about hunger.
Project Bread, which reports on hunger each year, states that about 700,000 people in Massachusetts are not sure where they will find their next meal, an increase of about 40 percent in the past few years. WorldHunger.org reports that there is no food shortage, but a lack of income to buy food.
Each year, Living Waters shares its proceeds with another organization fighting hunger, said Living Waters founder Diane Waddell.
This year the event will benefit the Open Pantry of Greater Lowell on Hurd Street.
Waddell and Fielding said the 2013 event served about 300 bowls of soup, raising about $3,000. They said the event has become more successful each year, but with a price: They may have to seek a larger venue in future years.
Another feature of this year's event will be a table devoted to local artists who will assist the event and teach about their art.
Empty Bowls will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Living Waters Center of Hope, 10 Kirk St., Lowell.
Participants may sample soup and rolls for a small donation plus a non-perishable food item; $20 per adult (includes the soup and a handmade bowl to keep), $10 for soup only, $5 for children younger than 12, soup only.


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Information Security > Information Security during Tax Season
|Just as you would protect your wallet full of cash, protect your personal financial information the same way. E-mail is not a secure method of transmitting financial information like your credit card, checking account, or Social Security number. At this time of year, Internet fraudsters can use this information to steal your identity.
|Visit Onguardonline.gov or FTC.gov to learn more.
Brought to you by your Information Security Team


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Want to remind yourself or a friend about this program? Fill out this simple form and klru will email you a reminder on the day that it will air.
Painting For Peanuts / Martha's No Dummy
series: Martha Speaks
air date: 8/23/13 6:30 AM
Painting for Peanuts - The zoo is in danger of closing! Helen and TD volunteer for an animal painting class to try and save it. But it turns out animal painting isn't exactly what they thought... Vocabulary: (E) realistic, easel, participate(d), abstract, portrait (I) painting(s), artwork, brushes, course, sculpture, pose(s). Martha's No Dummy - Granny Flo is hosting a variety show. Helen and Carolina team up to perform a pantomime, Alice practices her tap routine, and Truman perfects his water glass symphony, but TD and Martha struggle to come up with an act. Will they ever find their voice? Vocabulary: (E) pantomime, routine(s)(ly), rehears(ing)(al)(ed), ventriloquist, entertain(ment)(ing)(ed) (I) host(ing), show, old-fashioned, star(dom)(s), act.
WARNING: Email reminders for this program have already been sent out. Your reminder may not reach the intended address in time for this program's airing.
Back to TV Schedule


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Common Injuries for Kids 1 of 9
1: Trampolines
A little jumping around on the backyard trampoline may seem harmless, but trampoline accidents landed 98,000 people in the ER in 2009. Basic warnings on most trampolines advise one jumper at a time, no flips, and no participants under the age of six. Trampolines with safety nets can lower the rate of falls. Still, once you hear the story of a backflip gone wrong, it seems like the easiest way to stay safe on trampolines is not to use them at all — not in the backyard or at a friends house or even in kid-focused indoor gyms.
Common Injuries for Kids 2 of 9
3: Drowning Accidents
While horrifying to think about, drowning remains the third leading cause of death for kids between ages 1 and 4. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends signing up toddlers and young children for swim lessons, keeping life jackets on at all times when boating or on docks, staying within arms reach of young kids, and learning to spot riptide conditions and teaching your kids how to swim out of them (thats on a diagonal line, away from the current and toward the shore). Closer to home, dont let young kids spend time in hot tubs and make sure you know the pool safety rules endorsed by the AAP. Last: get trained in CPR. Should the need ever arise, youll be more than happy you did.
Common Injuries for Kids 3 of 9
4: Fireworks
Theyre a lot of fun on the 4th of July, but mishandled fireworks can literally backfire. The Texas Childrens Hospital reports that 3,000 children, most between the ages of 10 and 14, come to the ER every year with fireworks-related injuries. The CPSC recommends that you dont ever allow young kids to play with fireworks, including sparklers, which can heat up to a shocking 2000 degrees. In addition, check that fireworks are legal where you live and skip the ones that arrive in brown paper (they are usually made for professionals). Keep a big bucket of water or a hose nearby when lighting any fireworks, and when youre done, douse used fireworks in water before throwing away.
Common Injuries for Kids 4 of 9
5: Head injuries
The risk of head injury is highest in spring and summer months, when kids spend more time outside. According to Childrens Hospital Boston, the chances of a head injury are twice as high for boys than girls, and most accidents occur in the afternoon to early evening. The key to preventing head injuries is wearing a helmet and wearing it properly. Bone up on helmet safety, including proper fit and what kind of helmet to buy. Not sure if your child needs to go to the ER? Dr. Sears says its time to go when you child 1) loses consciousness, even for a short time 2) is throwing up of losing his or her balance 3) cannot look you in the eye or respond to questioning 3) complains of blurry vision. Be sure to check your child frequently in the 24 hours following a head injury, noting any change in sleep patterns, skin tone (becoming paler, or blue) and breathing.
Common Injuries for Kids 5 of 9
6: Playground Accidents
With a safe structure and a little playground etiquette, most accidents in the park or your backyard can be avoided, according to The American Academy of Pediatrics. Remember to check playground equipment for any loose joints or bolts, splinters, rusty pins or hooks/pieces that could snag a kids clothing. Also make sure that the ground is forgiving — i.e. made of sand, rubber floor/mats, or wood chips. Other good practices: Check the temperature for anything that has been sitting out in the sun, keep really little kids in separate play areas, make sure those little hands are holding on to the swings, and try to get your kids to use ladders instead of walking up the slide.
Common Injuries for Kids 6 of 9
7: Sunburn and/or Dehydration
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, sunburns in babies aged 1 or younger are considered emergencies. Slightly older kids will have more protection in their skin, but can still suffer terrible burns. If kids complain of severe pain, or you notice blistering, fever or lethargy, check in with your pediatrician or seek urgent care. And watch out for dehydration — a kid with a burn needs plenty of fluids. To avoid sunburns, wear hats; seek out shade; apply sunscreen every couple of hours, especially after swimming; avoid the sun during the peak hours of 10am — 4pm. Are they already burnt? Keep them out of the sun completely until they heal.
Common Injuries for Kids 7 of 9
8: Food poisoning
All those summer BBQs and picnics can be a lot of fun, but also host to some gnarly bouts of food poisoning, especially in little ones. Experts at the Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin tell parents to avoid food poisoning by washing hands and cutting boards after handling raw meat, fish or eggs and giving all veggies a good wash. Also know your freshness rules: fish can thaw in your fridge for 24 hours; any meat thawed in the microwave should be cooked right away; chicken and ground beef stay fresh for 1-2 days, and you have about another day or two for red meat; cook meat at a temp of at least 325 degrees. Lastly, dont eat mayo or eggs that have been left out for long periods. (Sorry, last few deviled eggs.)
Common Injuries for Kids 8 of 9
9: Insect Bites and Stings
Unless your child has a severe allergic reaction, hell most likely be uncomfortable for a little while following a bug bite or sting but wont need to be rushed to the ER. The AAP says youve got an emergency on your hands if you notice that your child has trouble breathing, is very weak or loses consciousness, has hives and/or itching all over or has serious swelling around the eyes, lips or genitals. Keep the bites at bay by staying away from garbage cans, standing water, open food, gardens, high grasses and anywhere too far off the trail. Dressing kids in longsleeves and long pants can also help, as can tucking pants into socks in known tick areas. When looking for a repellent, see what the AAP has to say about applying DEET.
Common Injuries for Kids 9 of 9
10: Car accidents
According to Safe Kids USA, of the more than 1,400 kids under 14 who died in car accidents in 2005, nearly half werent wearing seatbelts or werent properly restrained in carseats. In addition, a couple thousand kids per year are taken to the ER because someone backed over them, and a few dozen die from being left alone in a hot car. Keep your family safe by making sure they are buckled up properly, triple-checking your rearview before backing up, and never leaving a little person (whose body heats up much faster than an adults) alone in the car.


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Damn right. The most important being "If anything complex requires a creator (the fundamental axiom pf Intelligent Design), it seems logical that such a creator would be need to be complex Himself (or Herself). So, who designed the creator?"The problem is that the concept of a supernatural being begets far more questions than it answers
Nothing, but forcing this "intelligent design" garbage into school curriculums is an affront to the scientific method. By definition, intelligent design appeals to ignorance and supernatural mechanisms. We have a perfectly robust theory already; intelligent design adds extra terms on to that theory (the so-called "intelligent designer") which do not add to its predictive capacity at all. Why don't these people petition that we should teach that gravity is "too complex and marvelous" to be explained be the general theory of relativity, so we should add a term into the theory saying that God's Magic Hand comes out of the Earth and pulls objects down?Really: what's wrong with seeing the Universe and the wonderful complexity of everything from the scale of galaxies to the scale of atoms - or smaller - and our very lives as something more than the sum of its parts?
2. Form hypothesis of how shit happens.
3. Use the hypothesis to predict the existence of other shit happening or predict measureably new happenings of shit.
4. Perform experiments to test predictions by independent experimenters under similarly controlled conditions.
New Kansas Method:
1. Observe shit happening.
2. Find example of similar shit happening is religious texts.
3. Use the passages in religious texts to predict other shit happening or how much shit will happen next time under similar circumstances.
4. Don't do it again!
You know, this explains a lot of things...
I wonder how many of them were atheists... or biologists for that matter.a parade of Ph.D.'s testified Thursday
I'm a little confused. I don't see anything wrong with the definition above ! I beleive its more complete and doesn't seem to be pushing any creationism around !
This is instead of natural explanation. How do you define "adequate"? Evolution by natural selection will be deemed "inadequate" and ID will take it's place.
Maybe I need to check my eyes, but what about that definition even suggests a "supreme being"?
Are they teaching science, or are they teaching philosophy? Quite frankly, I'd love to see philosophy of science taught in every high school in the country, but it's never going to happen. We're talking about a country where "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is considered a bad title because no one wants to hear about philosophers.
Yes, we should teach kids how science works and how to critically evaluate scientific theories. But not without background, as a way to say that evolution is "just" a theory, and that therefore any other theory has equal status. If you suggested that the theory of phlogiston had equal standing with the theory that oxygen is involved in combustion, no one would take you seriously.
The big issue in U.S. science education is not evolution anyway, it's the lack of competent science teachers. K-12 teaching is simply not an attractive career to most people who have good math and science training, partly because of the low pay.
Undoubtedly someone will notice that this comment might equally well apply to those who "worship" Darwinism. That would be true. The key difference is, of course, that Darwinism can be understood and is continually being updated to reflect what we observe. Therein lies the key difference: we can update Darwinism to make it more correct. It's awful hard to update received wisdom.
Thankfully, Kansas and Ohio are leading the charge against the atheistic forces of E-Ville that seek to make critical thinkers out of our population. I'm sure that they will also "balance" their curricula to include classes that critically analyze received wisdom.
The Intelligent Design proponents had better be careful, or they might end up proving God out of existence.
"I refuse to prove that I exist" says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith, I am nothing."
"Oh," says man, "but the Babel Fish is a dead give-away, isn't it? It proves You exist, and so therefore You don't. Q.E.D."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," says God, who promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
I am a fan of Sir David Attenborough, whose documentaries for the BBC are simply fantastic. In my community, you can borrow most of them from the local library.
The following is a section from wikipedia [wikipedia.org], showing his rather sharp response to questions about creationism. It is quite possibly the best answer I have seen regarding the relationship between evolution & creationism.
From Wikipedia:
... Attenborough's documentaries exposed millions to the diversity of life on Earth, including, of course, viewers who subscribe to the belief that all life was directly created by God, known as creationism. In his series, Attenborough rarely explicitly speaks about the mechanisms of evolution. Instead, he describes the advantages of each adaptation in high detail -- why flowers are shaped in a certain way, why birds and animals migrate, how mechanisms of mimicry can serve as protection or to attract insects and animals, and so forth.
As such, his work has been cited by some creationists as exemplary in that it does not "shove evolution down the viewer's throat". Others have written Attenborough letters and asked him to explicitly refer to God as the creator of life. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, he has responded publicly:
"My response is that when Creationists talk about God creating every individual species as a separate act, they always instance hummingbirds, or orchids, sunflowers and beautiful things. But I tend to think instead of a parasitic worm that is boring through the eye of a boy sitting on the bank of a river in West Africa, [a worm] that's going to make him blind. And [I ask them], 'Are you telling me that the God you believe in, who you also say is an all-merciful God, who cares for each one of us individually, are you saying that God created this worm that can live in no other way than in an innocent child's eyeball? Because that doesn't seem to me to coincide with a God who's full of mercy'." [2] (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/24/104835
4544138.html?from=storyrhs [smh.com.au])
He has explained that he feels the evidence all over the planet clearly shows evolution to be the best way to explain the diversity of life, and that "as far as I'm concerned, if there is a supreme being then He chose organic evolution as a way of bringing into existence the natural world."
1 1 was a race-horse, 2 2 was 1 2. When 1 1 1 1 race, 2 2 1 1 2.


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Hey all,
Not sure how many of you remember Doc, the white pit bull that one of PBF's mods fostered for over a year, and Nan, PBF member, fostered for months as well. A few of us on that forum were working on helping find him a home when his foster options were running out, and in April 2005 we placed him in a home up here in Baltimore with a city cop who endured a pretty grueling adoption process that involved interviews with me, Moto, and Nan, 2 home visits, an in-person meeting with Doc, then a trip down to meet Nan and finally pick him up. This guy told us that he could never envision a situation in which he would give up the dog he adopted. "It just wouldn't happen," is what I remember him telling me.
Well, it's happening. A little over a year later, the adopter is joining the CIA and having a baby and moving . . . and he doesn't see how he could possibly keep Doc through all the turmoil. So he's got three months in which we are going to work our asses off to get this poor dog the home he deserves.
Doc is a stellar example of a pit bull--he's just bursting with love for everyone he meets, he's happy, super energetic and athletic, he's comical and fun-loving, he's way eager to work at whatever task he's put to (some would call it a strong work ethic, I guess), and he's a great pit bull ambassador. I can't say enough good things about him, really. His current "owner" says he's been a dream to have over the past year, charms the pants off everyone he meets, and is great company for a single guy (or gal). He loves his Kong, he loves to snuggle on the couch, and he loves to play, play, play. He's good with kids, has lived with other dogs (but is reactive to a challenge), and is a great public ambassador for our dogs.
My heart is broken for him, he deserves so much better. I've posted him to both Petfinder and submitted a listing to PBRC tonight. And I really hope the members of the pit bull rescue community can help network him as well--this dog is one of those rare dogs that really does something to you when you meet him . . . I know this'll sound cliche, and everyone says it about their rescue dogs, but he's really special. Please, if you know of anyone who can offer Doc a home--a PERMANENT home--PM me and I'll get you an application. We're also looking into testing his drives for the Lawdogs program but I have to spend a little time with him this weekend to see how he handles some of the tests that program suggests putting the dogs through. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures of Doc . . . these are a bit old, and he's a bit thicker now than he was in these pictures taken. I'll be taking more this Saturday.
Here's his Petfinder page:


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Last week, a DailyWorth member asked:
"Once school starts, for the first time in eight years, I will have 9am to 3pm
to call my own. Inspire me with possibilities." ~ Susan G.
How exciting for you — a chunk of time to call your own. Here are a few possibilities:
- Meditate. Spend fifteen minutes a day meditating. Relax. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Start your day peaceful and calm, not frazzled and disoriented.
- Have coffee with neighbor WAHMs. Find fellow work-at-home moms in your hood and organize a coffee gathering to discuss your emerging careers. There's nothing like human contact to inspire creativity and productity.
- Manage your net worth. You know your credit score, but do you know your net worth? Figure out what you have and then learn more about how to grow it.
- Tweet tweet. Join Twitter to find other mothers who have just re-entered the brave, new world of free time. Still perplexed by the Twitter phenomenon? You are not alone. Here's a guide to help you get started.
- Teach a class. Nothing says expert on a resume like "teacher." Cooking, web design, quilting, refinishing furniture, growing vegetables, flower arranging — teach whatever you love and are good at.
- Become a day trader. You want to do your own investing, but don't know where to start. Begin by taking a class, such as the online classes at Morningstar.com's Investing Classroom. Supplement any class you take with respected books and Websites. Follow the stock market closely; pay attention to the companies that interest you. When you feel like you know enough to be dangerous — take a calculated risk, a little at a time, until you find your feet. With plenty of practice, education and a little caution, you'll end up a day trader.


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The love goddess Aphrodite is going home to Italy after the new year, stronger and more stable than she has been in 2,500 years.
The statue, being returned to Sicily as part of Italy's decade-old campaign to retrieve antiquities it says were illegally brought to California, will be the last of 40 artifacts the J. Paul Getty Museum agreed to turn over.
Sebastiano Missineo, the minister of culture from Sicily, visited the Getty Villa in Malibu on Monday and viewed the statue.
The statue will be on display at the Getty Villa for one more week, acting Getty director David Bomford said at a tea for Missineo Monday.
The Getty has built a seismic wave isolator for Aphrodite that will protect her in the earthquake-prone Sicilian region, he said.
For the trip, the statue will be dismantled and shipped with the isolator to Aidone, Sicily.
"We are organizing the opening day for the last days of March," Missineo said. "We are working on a project for a new site for this statue at the museum. That site will be ready in a few years. This is a very good occasion not just for Aidone, but Sicily too."
Missineo also viewed the marble Agrigento Youth, a statue loaned to the Getty in exchange for an earthquake base.
Both sides say the discord caused during Italy's antiquities hunt has spawned a new era of cooperation and reciprocation between the Getty and Sicily.
Several collaborative efforts, including object conservation, earthquake protection of collections, exhibitions, scholarly research and conferences, are planned.
The Getty has always denied knowingly buying illegally obtained objects, and the deal that former Getty Director Michael Brand signed with Italy in 2007 includes no admission of guilt.
Even the 6-year-old case against former Getty antiquities curator Marion True went away in October when a judge in Rome ruled the statute of limitations in her case had run out. She had been accused of knowingly acquiring looted art from Italy.
Only American art dealer Robert Hecht, 91, remains on trial. There is a nine year statute of limitations on his alleged crimes, but it expires next summer.
Dozens of Roman, Greek and Etruscan artifacts have been returned to Italy from museums and private collections as a result of the campaign.
Besides Aphrodite, one of the most prestigious targets in Italy's search was a 2,500-year-old vase by Greek artist Euphronius returned by the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Italy's Culture Ministry also said 10 artifacts were returned in 2008 by New York philanthropist Shelby White from her private collection.
Associated Press videographer John Mone contributed to this report.
© 2010 The Associated Press.


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3D Brick Bash
Posts: 328
Joined: 2002.04
Joined: 2002.04
I have what may perhaps be a stupid question. Matt Diamond, why don't you create an updated (perhaps even evolved) Mac OS X version of 3D Brick Bash?
» Alan / Falcon — Snake Quest, Midnight Mansion, and Insectoid. «
Posts: 460
Joined: 2002.09
Joined: 2002.09
Thanks for the interest. Not a stupid question; I ask myself that at least once a year. Very tempting to do an OpenGL version from scratch, maybe for uDG. It's personally vexing to me that the original looks crappy now and doesn't play well... On the other hand, I've only written a few games in my life so far. Do I want to repeat one of them?
I'm sure I'll do it one day. It certainly helps when someone expresses an interest...
I'm sure I'll do it one day. It certainly helps when someone expresses an interest...
Measure twice, cut once, curse three or four times.


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Wow! I think I need one!
Wow! I think I need one!
Someone has used the pakistani-damascus knives as a strong inspiration..
It's all about the holes! Let's all start drilling!!!!!
The difference between try and triumph is a little "umph"! NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!
To me, the absolutely most idiotic thing about drilling holes is that these knives can't last because you will eventually sharpen away the edge and you'll be left with holes or half holes/teeth.
"Don't you know who he is?"
And it will be easier to start cuts in tomatoes!
Spike C
"The Buddha resides as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain."
Crazy, this maker has put a freaking lot of time onto these unworldly creations. They remind me of what a knife an Alien would use. I know it sounds crazy given that nobody knows that an alien looks like but check out the titanium knives. What the heck is that dimply rainbow-steel square thing used for. See you can't answer. I going to say its used for peeing the skin off an Alien eel. I think this guys is way ahead of his time.
OH So i'm having fun with this thread. Did you guys know that:
5. Always remember that knives are for cutting things softer than they are. Concrete, rocks, and other metals tend to dull or damage knives, well sometimes a little aluminium can cutting doesn't hurt too much, but you'll still lose some cutting preformance. So be careful, but always remeber I can fix it, and if I can't I'll make you a new one if you pay for the materials.
Very confident little Chap! Remember, No concrete or rocks. Did he say don't cut concrete? Man is genius!


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Egypt Antiquities Information from Tour Egypt
Recent Conference Focuses on Fayoum and
its Forgotten Monuments
By Amargi Hiller
(Fayoum) Fayoum is considered one of the richest places in Egypt with its monuments dating back to 550 BC. Unfortunately, it is still a forgotten location now suffering from lack of attention.
A conference was held last week in Fayoum to discuss the future of tourist development and archaeological restoration plans for the Fayoum monuments. Read More
News Briefs for June 29, 2001
Mr. Sabry Abdalazeez, Head of Antiquities for Upper Egypt, announced the unearthing of a Ptelomic tomb in Karnak. The Egyptian/French expedition team exploring in the Karnak temples area found the foundation of a building belonging to King Ahmen Hotep II from the 18th Dynasty. Beside it they found a dome built from bricks dating back to the Ptelomic era which probably was used as a grave.
A restoration team under the direction of the Bureau of Antiquities of Northern Cairo found reminants of the Northern ancient wall of Cairo inside the vicinity of El- Moayed Sheikh Mosque. They also found walls of the ancient prision where Moayed Sheikh was held as prisoner. It is known that this mosque was built on the reminants of the prison.
Mr. Said Hegazy has been elected to be the Head of Antiquities for the Sharkaya & Kaliobaya governorates following the promotion of Mohamed Maksoot, Head of Antiquities in the Northern Sea Coast area.
Mr. Sabry Abdalazeez, Head of the Antiquities for Upper Egypt, replied on what was said earlier within the antiquity community that the underground water is a threat to the temples in Luxor and Karnak. He said that Luxor has no proper water disposal system. In addition to that, sugar cane plantations are a major threat since the farming of this plant needs requires a lot of water. The nature of the soil of the area is now being researched by a Swedish company in cooperation with the Egyptian Institute for Underground Water Research. The aim for this research is to decrease the underground water.
Notable Antiquity Event - June 29, 2001
Sidi Mohamed Assagheir Mosque Opens; Contains Body of The Prophet's Companion
The Sidi Mohamed Assagheir Mosque mosque is situated in a poorer area far unkown by most tourists. But the mosque is of great importance for lying in it is the body of Mohamed Ben Abubaker Asadik, son of on Abubaker Asadik, who was one of the companions to Prophet Mohammed.
The mosque was built in 820 Hijri or 1438 AD. However it is still vague as to who built the mosque. It was renovated in ancient times in 1217 Hijri by Mohammed Amir Pasha. The mosque is also known by the name 'Hanging Mosque'. The mosque has three main inner chambers: the entrance, the tomb/grave, and the prayer hall.
Engineer Addel Hanafi, Chief Inspector of the Project of Restoration, said that before restoration the mosque was under serious threat. Some structural damage had taken place over time, as well as fittings had lost their original essence. He states, "The 1992 earthquake in Cairo caused some damage to the mosque. The dome of the minaret fell and also the dome above the tomb collapsed. The SCA issued restoration efforts beginning in 1994. Everything now is renewed and restored. We are very happy about this for this is an important mosque."
As for the popularity mosque, it holds great importance to Arab tourists, Bedouins and some Indian and Pakistan visitors. These people strongly believe that prayers preformed in this mosque will be heard and accepted by God. Not many Egyptians, however, know about this mosque.


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Advanced cancer is among the most frightening conditions in modern medicine. But when common cancers like tumors of the breast, prostate and lung spread, they often spread to the bone called bone metastasis. And some cancers like multiple myeloma begin in the bone marrow. When cancer goes into the bones there are often debilitating complications like excruciating pain and decreased mobility. But there are ways to treat these complications to help cancer survivors live a healthy life. In this program, we will highlight the advances made in managing bone metastasis, see why clinical trials are so important and encourage all cancer patients to work closely with their health care team.
Visit the Website: http://www.itvisus.com/programs/hbhm/index.asp
Episode #2101 / Length: 26 minutes


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MALiBU, CALIF. - The Dartmouth women's tennis team dropped the opening match of its spring break road trip to No. 58 Iowa, 5-2, in a match played at Pepperdine University Monday afternoon.
The Big Green (6-2) got off to a fast start, winning the doubles point 2-1, but the Hawkeyes (7-5) battled back to take five of the six singles matches.
The loss was the first for Dartmouth since the spring opener against Boston College on Jan. 19 and it snapped a six-match winning streak.
In doubles action, the duos of Melissa Matsuoka / Sarah Bessen and Janet Liu / Suzy Tan each won their matches, 8-6, at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
In singles action, Bessen put the lone singles point on the board with a come-from-behind three-set victory against Zordania at No. 5. After dropping the first set, 1-6, the Las Vegas, Nev., native took the second set, 6-0, and the third set super-tiebreaker, 10-0.
The Big Green continue their six-game road swing on March 19, as they battle CSU Northridge at 4:00 p.m.
1. Ruth Seaborne (Iowa) def. Janet Liu (Dartmouth), 6-3, 6-3
2. Shelby Talcott (Iowa) def. Katherine Yau (Dartmouth), 6-2, 6-2
3. Morven McCulloch (Iowa) def. Akiko Okuda (Dartmouth), 6-4, 6-3
4. Christina Harazin (Iowa) def. Melissa Matsuoka (Dartmouth), 7-6, 6-3
5. Sarah Bessen (Dartmouth) def. Katie Zordani (Iowa), 1-6, 6-0, 10-0
6. Caitlin Hindmarsh (Iowa) def. Suzy Tan (Dartmouth), 6-3, 6-0
1. Seaborne/McCulloch (Iowa) def. Okuda/Yau (Dartmouth), 8-3
2. Matsuoka/Bessen (Dartmouth) def. Zordani/Hindmarsh (Iowa), 8-6
3. Liu/S. Tan (Dartmouth) def. Talcott/Dohanics (Iowa), 8-6


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Should on-stage performers dumb it down for the people who aren't sophisticated enough to process humor?
I'm sure it's all very amusing for Madonna, who gets big publicity and looks "edgy" again. People call her stupid, and then she one-ups them and can seem — certainly to herself — to be quite smart. (Did you hear she has an IQ of 140? Same as Hillary Clinton. And Shakira.)
Others wielding humor have more to worry about. Like Romney with his "trees are just the right height" and, more recently, about those airplane windows that "don't open. I don't know why they don't do that." People aren't going to get it if they don't want to get it, if they're looking for material to use to say you're an idiot.
And Romney can't make the Madonna move and call his antagonists dumb. Mitt Romney — who, like Madonna, was born in Michigan, where the trees are just the right height — has an estimated IQ in the range of 130 to 139, which is smart enough to choose whether to dumb it down in self-defense.
ADDED: Look at how Paul Ryan's antagonists are trying to hurt him by pretending not to get his sense of humor. Are they stupid or pretending to be stupid? Tobin Harshaw writes:
There is no underestimating the literal-mindedness of the American reader: Years ago when I worked at the Times we published a satirical op-ed column by Steve Martin riffing on the idea that a NASA Mars probe had discovered millions of kittens on the Red Planet. Shortly thereafter, a subscriber sent a terse letter to the editor asking us to "inform your science correspondent" that the lack of oxygen on Mars made kitten infestation highly unlikely.Wait. Why is Harshaw assuming the letter-writer wasn't doing humor?
AND: Wait. Ryan never even made those "Stench" remarks. A Politico writer made them up and intended it as satire. I thought they were good enough jokes to be believable as the casual humor of a relatively young man, and I would have appreciated them as such. Harshaw is attacking Ryan's antagonists as so hostile that they didn't pick up that it was humor. I didn't pick up that it was humor, and I was defending Ryan. That's all very odd.
ALSO: I like the way Drudge is putting it: "MEDIA 'SATIRE' HIT PIECE ON PAUL RYAN BACKFIRES.../O'Donnell, Krugman 'fooled'..." Drudge is, I think, insinuating that Politico's Roger Simon intended to be misunderstood, for the Ryan quotes to be believed, and then to reveal that it was satire after the damage was done.
MORE: Fake quotes live on as real. Remember Sarah Palin's most famous quote: "I can see Russia from my house."


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Diabetes Health
Obesity Epidemic Drives Dramatic Rise in Diabetes
More and more Americans are becoming obese. A wider waist increases their risk for heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. A new government report found this obesity epidemic is also tied to another troubling health trend. It's spurring a spike in type 2 diabetes.
Report raises concerns
Researchers from the CDC looked at 15 years' worth of data from a survey given annually to U.S. adults. They found that the prevalence of diabetes has increased alarmingly across the country. In 42 states, researchers reported a 50 percent surge in the diabetes rate. In 18 of those states, the rate of diabetes has increased by 100 percent.
"We know diabetes has been increasing for decades, but to see 18 states with such an increase was shocking," says lead researcher Linda Geiss, a statistician in the CDC's division of diabetes translation. "The diabetes epidemic has gone hand-in-hand with the increase in obesity."
Nearly 36 percent of Americans are currently obese.
South faces biggest burden
The South has seen the greatest rise in diabetes. The states with the biggest jump include Oklahoma, Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama. Not by coincidence, the South also has the highest obesity rates. What's more, the report found that more people living in all parts of the nation are dealing with the disease.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition. But it's also preventable. It can cause health problems such as vision loss, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. If this rise in type 2 diabetes continues, more than 100 million people will have it by 2050. But simple lifestyle changes can help many Americans stay free of the disease. These include exercising more, eating a well-balanced diet-and most important-maintaining a healthy weight.
The report was published in the journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.
Online Resources
(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)
American Diabetes Association - Prevention
CDC - Diabetes Public Health Resource
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - Diabetes
January 2013
Take Action to Prevent Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that can wreak havoc on your heart and circulatory system. It typically develops slowly. But experts now know that people with type 2 diabetes usually have another condition first: prediabetes. And preventing this disease is critical to helping stop type 2 diabetes from ever developing.
Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal-but not quite as high as with type 2 diabetes. It usually doesn't cause any symptoms. But major risk factors for prediabetes include being 45 or older and having excess weight. You can protect yourself from prediabetes by maintaining these lifestyle habits:
People at high risk for prediabetes should also get their blood sugar screened regularly. This can be done with a simple blood test during a doctor's visit.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.


text: Agritourism is a growing business in Virginiat with $13 million in annual sales the last time figures were available. But there is another story about how it can, in many cases, save small farms that might otherwise be lost to developement, high-taxes and mass production. Charles Fishburne reports on a farm and a general store near Leesburg that survive on tourism.


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Despite protests from the family of a toddler shot and killed in April, prosecutor have agreed to a deal for the shooter to face a maximum of 15 years in prison.
Todderick Rashad Sams pleaded guilty yesterday to manslaughter with a firearm for the killing of 15-month-old Jahsean Cameron and faces from eight to 15 years in prison.
Authorities initially believed Sams intentionally shot the child. Sams was indicted in October for first-degree murder.
State Attorney Harry Shorstein says he agreed to the plea because several witnesses recanted key statements to police after Sams' indictment. Physical evidence also suggested Sams had NOT targeted Jahsean.
Veneta Stephenson, Jahsean's grandmother, says her family wants Sams to be tried for murder and says prosecutors went against their wishes.
Sams is slated to be sentenced Feb. 27.


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Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
Hey ladies! I'm new here but this has kind of been weighing on my mind, maybe y'all can tell me if I have any right to still be upset, lol.
This summer our regular sitter moved away with her family, and I haven't felt comfortable having someone new in our house yet, so when DH wanted to go to a concert last weekend I found someone who offers care from her home. My DS has not been away from me often and doesn't deal well with new places/new people so I let him bring two of his wooden Thomas trains to her house as a kind of comfort thing. The boy is REALLY into Thomas and carries engines around the house all the time, he almost always has one in his hand. Well, I'm sure as you can guess, one of the trains wound up missing. When I came to pick the kids up he had one in one hand and in his other hand he had a train he had found there. We searched for 20+ minutes for the train. Finally I just asked her to text me when she found it, because the missing train happened to be his favorite. Four days passed with no word at all from her, not even an update saying that she had looked and not found it. I texted her yesterday morning and didn't get a reply, so I sent her a Facebook message. This morning I get a text saying she has looked everywhere and that he must have hidden it really well.
Now I know that I took a risk by letting him take his trains there in the first place, but he is really good about keeping track of his toys. He never hides things or puts them in strange places, especially his trains. He has been walking around the house asking about his train since we got home, and I feel awful that his favorite train is missing. Should I just write it off as a loss? The lady seems to be uninterested in helping me find it, but I feel like if it was me in the situation I would feel awful about it and be doing everything I could to help. I keep thinking that maybe if we go back over there, he might remember what he did with it. I'm just looking for a little insight from other mamas, thanks for reading all my rumblings!
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
We have some Thomas trains, I know they aren't cheap.
That said, there have been lots of discussions on this forum about these types of situations (usually with more expensive things, like a DS and whatnot) and it's always split two ways. The "what would I do" (look hard until it turns up) and the "shouldn't have let him take it over there" train of thought.
Honestly, I'd write it off as a lesson learned. Buy a new train, and I wouldn't use her as a sitter again. Not because she didn't find the lost toy, but because she doesn't seem to care to even look for it.
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
Id stock it as a loss as much as it sucks
My rule is - your kids bring toys at your own risk. But ALL my daycare kids are boys and I have a boy of my own and my roommate has two boys. So alot of the same toys and Im not going to keep track.
Would I look for a toy a kid lost sure... but Im not going to lose sleep over it. I dont know about her house but I have - a train table with 60 or 70 trains, along with a fully stocked playroom so it may not be that "easy" not to mention there are like 50 bins of toys on shelves it could be anywhere :/
In a way she did help you stayed 20 minutes looking for it. If her house isnt a disaster that means you looked all the obvious spots so it must be somewhere random and if she has little kids they may have done it even it happens.
Ive found toys in really weird spots.
Single mama to an awesome 6 year old and fighting cancer one day at a time.
Looking for Womens clothes size Large 12/14.... any help would be appreciated
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
Can u request her to ask if it went home with someone else or 4 u to call them? We missed a bib & it just went home with another kid. It wasn't a toy but a grandma like friend made it so it was special like right b4 she died. I would do anything in my power for finding it.
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
Kat ~ Mum to G (11), D (9) and O (7)
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Yes, it's a loss. You just gotta move on.
As he gets older he's less likely to keep an iron grip on them and set them down to get a drink, use the potty, look at something else. They will get lost. Never ever ever leave the house with something that could get lost and counts as a lovey.lol.
My friends son brings something Everytime he comes here. He's 6. Annoys me like crazy. He will bring the finest trinkets from one of those $.50 machines, lose it and then ask me about it for months. I do look for it but beyond the initial look thru theres not much I am going to do.
I would return it when it turned up. That's likely weeks, not days.
Now if it was a blanket or larger you, maybe. But I have a tons of toys. I'm not dumping 20 bins to look for a tiny spider. Kwim?
So it's a lesson and loss. Sadly. But no ones fault. I would still use the sitter for sure.
BFing, CDing, all natural mama to three boys! Certified lactation Counselor
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
Does she have kids of her own that were there, too? If so, I'd be assuming one of them decided they liked the train and hid it to keep for themselves.
Not much you can do about it either way, really. Just an unfortunate consequence of taking things around to others' houses.
Momma to R (12), Z (10), I (8), L (4), P (2) & J (Apr 14, 2015)
remembering Elliana Lucy (2.7.12)
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
We lost 4 Thomas trains at my MIL house. We looked for 3 days straight before we left to fly home, and could not find them. She doesn't have a crazy house or other toys, and no other kids were over during our stay. She found them a YEAR later when she was pulling out tablecloths to find the special Thanksgiving one. One of the boys had wrapped up his trains and put them to bed, in a drawer full of tablecloths! He had never done that before, so I didn't think it was a possibility.
Trains are especially easy to lose and hard to find. I deconstructed my mom's living room to locate a train that had rolled under a couch and then under a shelf. If I hadn't seen it go under I would never have found it!
I know how expensive it is to lose Thomas trains, but it's not the providers fault and she could have been systematically looking for it without giving you updates. I wouldn't be giving daily "updates" about a lost toy until a least a week of looking for it went by, unless of course you stressed how much of a lovey it was to the child, and called looking for updates, begging to know if you needed to buy the toy so your kid could sleep at night.
Amber: Mama of 4 DS's; 10/2002 10/2005 8/2007 1/2010
and 1 DD 11/20/13 ************. Married to J .
Extra crunchy, night , book loving, sewing enthusiast.
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My daughter can lose toys in our house in unbelievable ways...I found a missing puzzle piece in the frame of the couch after more than a year! It's frustrating, but it happens.
Amelia, married to Bear since 12/31/04; our daughter Rowan was born 8/6/09; our daughter Sapphira was born 8/17/12; due with DD3 6/17/15 (but after one two weeks late and one three weeks early, I'm not expecting a due-date baby!)
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Re: Lost toy at sitter's house, advice?
I'd also call it a loss, and look for a new used one on Ebay, then when it comes back, tell him you found it.
It's not going to be his first lost toy. Eventually, he will leave one at a restaurant or someplace on a vacation. Toys get lost.
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Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlogFamine declared due to drought in Somalia; U.S. heat wave shifts east
The main rainy season rains have failed again in the Horn of Africa--the region of East Africa comprising Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Rainfall over most of the Horn of Africa between February and July 2011 was 2 - 8 inches (50 - 200 mm) below average, leading to today's official declaration that famine conditions now exist. The region is experiencing a humanitarian emergency with more than 2 million malnourished children needing lifesaving action. The Horn of Africa has two rainy seasons, a main rainy season in April/May, and then the "short rains" of October/November. The main 2010 April/May rainy season brought above average rains to the region. However, the October/November 2010 "short rains" failed, as did the April/May 2011 main rainy season rains. The failure of two consecutive rainy seasons is a devastating blow for East Africa. African countries are highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture for both employment and economic production, with agriculture accounting for more than 50% of gross domestic product and up to 90% of employment across much of the continent (World Development Indicators 2009, World Bank). One third of the population of Africa lives in drought-prone areas (World Water Forum, 2000), and about 25% of the population of Africa currently experiences high water stress. Remarkably, several nations in East Africa have been selling their land to other countries to raise food for export in recent years. These nations include Ethiopia and Sudan, who both receive massive food aid from the U.N. World Food Program. According to the fascinating and sobering book, World on the Edge by Lester Brown, in January 2009, Saudi Arabia celebrated the arrival of the first shipment of rice on land they had acquired in Ethiopia, where the World Food Program was feeding 5 million people at the time. Saudi Arabia has been actively buying land in other countries to raise crops since the recent failure of agriculture in their country after they pumped their aquifers dry. India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia have all brought land to grow crops in Sudan, which was the site of the World Food Program's largest famine relief effort in 2010. The world is running short of food, and nations that cannot feed themselves are aggressively competing to buy land to grow food where land costs are low, like East Africa.
Figure 1. Rainfall over most of the Horn of Africa between February and July 2011 was 2 - 8 inches (50 - 200 mm) below average, leading to a deadly drought in the region. Image credit: NOAA Climate Prediction Center.
Another day of dangerous heat in the Midwest
The dangerous Central U.S. heat wave of July 2011 will continue to bring another day of exceptionally humid heat to the Midwest today, and will also begin bringing temperatures in the mid-90s with high humidity to much of the mid-Atlantic and New England. The heat index--how hot the air feels when factoring in both the temperature and the humidity--exceeded 100°F in sixteen states in the center of the country on Tuesday, with the dangerous heat extending from Texas northwards to North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. At least thirteen deaths are being blamed on the heat in the Midwest. The heat index hit a torrid 129°F at Newton, Iowa on Tuesday, and a heat index in excess of 120° was recorded at several locations in North Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota.
Figure 2. Predicted maximum heat index for Friday, July 22, 2011. Portions of 35 states are predicted to have a heat index in excess of 100°, with a heat index in excess of 115° expected over large portions of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Image credit: NOAA.
Heat wave headed to the Eastern U.S.
The extreme heat will shift slowly eastwards this week, peaking in Chicago today, Detroit and Pittsburgh on Thursday, and New York City and the mid-Atlantic states on Friday. The forecast high of 103° in Washington D.C. for Friday is just 3° below the hottest temperature ever recorded in the city, 106°. This will no doubt stimulate some predictable quotes on global warming. The heat will remain in place over the mid-Atlantic states through Sunday, then ease on Monday when a cold front is expected to pass through. Wunderground's climate change blogger Dr. Ricky Rood has some good insights on the current heat wave in his latest post.
Tropical Storm Bret no threat
Tropical Storm Bret continues to spin off the U.S. East Coast, but is a weak storm with 50 mph winds, and is not expected to affect any land areas. Wind shear is a high 20 - 25 knots, and is expected to remain in the high range for the next three days. The combination of high wind shear and dry air nearby should act to keep Bret from strengthening, and the storm should slowly decay as it heads out to sea over the next few days.
Invest 99L no threat
Satellite imagery suggests that a low pressure system near 34N, 55W, about 500 miles east of Bermuda, is close to tropical depression strength. This system, dubbed Invest 99L, has been given a 60% chance of developing into a tropical depression by NHC. The storm is headed east-northeastwards out to sea, and is not a threat to any land areas. The storm will move over cool ocean waters below 25°C by Thursday morning, so it has just a short window of time to develop.
An African wave worth watching
An African wave near 45W, midway between the coast of Africa and the Lesser Antilles Islands, is currently generating a limited amount of heavy thunderstorms due to the presence of a large amount of dust and dry air from the Sahara. However, this wave has a modest degree of spin to it, and it is possible it could develop once it finds a moister environment near the Bahama Islands early next week. The last few runs of the UKMET model have shown development of this wave by Tuesday over the Bahamas. The ECMWF and NOGAPS models show that this wave will become a strong tropical disturbance by Tuesday over the Bahamas, while the GFS model shows no development. If this wave does develop, it may recurve before hitting the U.S., since the models agree that there will be a large trough of low pressure present over the U.S. East Coast early next week.
Jeff Masters