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(or how on earth I didn't pee my pants I am not sure).
Directly after the Victory Lap and Burnouts on Thursday was the After The Lap Q&A at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Which meant Misty and I had to jam! We left our prized burnout spot for the car before the smoke from Jeff Burton's car had dissipated and started towards the Hard Rock. We had about half an hour and while we weren't THAT far from the Hard Rock, traffic was backed up from the closing of Las Vegas Blvd for the Victory Lap and the lights at Las Vegas intersections? Are the longest lights I have ever experienced in my entire 30-something years of living. We get to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and basically RUN to into the Joint and grab two seats in the back near where the drivers would be entering. This event was FREE but space was limited and on a first come/first serve. So Las Vegas native Jamie Little was doing the emceeing/hosting of the event and the Chase drivers are announced- walk into the Joint from the back towards a little catwalk then onto the stage. I would have gotten some great pictures of them entering except someone was a little fogger happy at the Joint so all I got were shadowy people in a fog. I will spare you.
The drivers sat on directors chairs on-stage and were asked questions that were submitted on facebook, twitter, on video from the tracks, and even a couple from the audience. Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon were seated next to each other much like at Family Feud the day before and they talked back and forth even when it wasn't their turn to talk- it was funny. I would love to know what they were saying. Anyway, if you follow me on twitter you might have caught my tweet from the event: I am laughing my ass off at the after the lap q&a. These guys are funny as hell!! And I truly was…laughing my butt off. Best line of the night though? Came from Tony Stewart. Let me set it up:
Someone (Clint Bowyer I think?) brought up that the drivers were all changing from their suits into their firesuits in the same room from the Luncheon early in the day to the Victory Lap in the early afternoon. Apparently Kyle Busch was wearing bright green boxers. The other drivers found that to be uproariously funny and mentioned it several times throughout the evening. Anyway- after much talk of Kyle's green boxers, Tony gets a hold of one of the microphones and states: I don't know what you guys over there were doing (motioning towards the drivers on the other side of the stage from him) but you were spending WAY too much time looking at each other's junk. I nearly fell out of my chair (and I hadn't had anything to drink so don't think I was drunk).
In between answering the questions we learned that Jeff Gordon is afraid of needles and doesn't have any tattoos. And Clint Bowyer? The man is hilarious! Who knew? Not me but indeed Clint Bowyer is HILARIOUS! And we all know that Tony is a great storyteller and he had a couple to tell….needless to say that watching these guys interact with each other outside of the track was great!!
Now we wanted to go to the Stewies but we weren't sure where they were. Originally we had heard they would be at The Hard Rock as well…but then someone else in the Q&A had mentioned they were going to be at the Rio. There was no way would have time to get all the way to the RIO Q&A and happen onto the Stewies being set up right there outside in the Joint Lobby. We take a prime spot for the taping. Last year by the time we got to the Stewies it was so full of people that we were stuck way up in the balcony and could barely see. We didn't have that problem this time. And let me just say…poor Kyle Busch's green underwear were brought up AGAIN on the radio. Here is Misty's awesome video of the Jeff Gordon section of the Stewies:
(Video credit: Misty Bethany)
I also got some great shots during the Stewies:
(All photos credited to ME).
You can see who won in each Stewie catagory at the Stewies Site on Sirius XM's website as well as listen / watch snippets of video from the event as well…
While I was pretty much on the go all day both Misty and I laughed our butts off at After The Lap and The Stewies. It was a great day!


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hunter bivin
Tuesday Recruitin' Rocks Stunner Shades
Today's recruiting roundup recaps Shane Morris's Elite11 regional camp appearance, talks Ty Isaac (what else is new?), and goes over past and future visits.
Shane's Bad Day > Your Bad Day
Shane Morris attended the Dallas Elite11 regional camp last weekend, getting tips from guys like Trent Dilfer and Tony Romo while hoping to lock up one of the coveted invitations to the Elite11 finals. Review of Morris were mixed but mostly positive, and this clearly wasn't good enough for Michigan's quarterback commit, who told ESPN he needs to work on "everything" (also, any idea why Morris is randomly wearing stunner shades for the second throw in this clip?):
While Morris was disappointed to not earn the finals invitation (more quotes in a free ESPN article here), he'll get another crack in Columbus on May 4th, and he still flashed the ability that has made him a potential five-star. Rivals.com's Brian Perroni listed Morris at #5 among his top performers, noting arm strength as his biggest positive ($):
The Michigan pledge made his presence known early by coming in decked out in Wolverine gear. There was a lot of anticipation as people wanted to see the nation's No. 16 overall prospect in person after he traveled a long way to compete. A lefty, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Morris had the best velocity on his ball of any quarterback in attendance and made some very good deep throws as well. His accuracy was a bit off at times but nothing too concerning.
Scout's Greg Powers had a similar take, saying Morris had some great throws and not-so-great throws but "definitely [had] his wow moments," in turning in a "very solid showing" ($). Morris was disappointed, yes, but he also has very high standards for himself. That's by no means a bad thing.
Morris didn't provide the only recruiting action of the weekend, as Michigan hosted several prospects for unofficial visits. The top 2013 target on campus was Washington (DC) Gonzaga CB Devin Butler, who's in the midst of a long string of Midwest visits but took the time to tell 247 that Michigan "seemed like a great place to be as a football player, as a student and a young man" ($). Several Cass Tech targets spanning three classes also made the trip. '13 DT Kenton Gibbs caught up with Will Campbell and also said that Michigan's coaches want to see him at their summer camp before extending an offer ($). '14 LB William White was impressed by what he saw from the linebackers in spring drills ($), while '14 RB/DB Johnny Miggins and '15 QB Jayru Campbell also enjoyed the visit ($). '14 WR Damon Webb was also on campus along with several other Cass Tech players.
Isaac Watch, Future Visits, Etc.
Ty Isaac has returned from his trip to USC, the school that poses perhaps the biggest threat to Michigan in his recruitment, so it's time to read far too much into some post-trip quotes. They are... meh ($):
"There were really no set expectations, it was just a good visit," Isaac said. "It was nothing that I wasn't expecting. I got to see things and talk to coaches."
"I got to see things," is my new favorite non-answer from a recruit. It certainly doesn't sound like Isaac, who was accompanied by his father, was blown away by the trip. He says he's now going to "chill for awhile" before making any kind of decision about his future, and he's not tipping his hand, though he said his top schools "know who they are."
Phoenix (AZ) Brophy Prep WR Devon Allen is one of the top receivers on the board for Michigan, and his recent athletic exploits reveal a major reason why that is the case: Allen just broke a 32-year-old Arizona state record in the 110-meter hurdles, running a 13.62 to edge out the old mark by .07 seconds. He was also just three-hundreths of a second from breaking the 300-meter hurdles state record, as well. Allen starts his spring break next week, and he plans on taking a trip to the Midwest, where Michigan is one of several schools in the running for a visit ($).
One player taking a visit this weekend is Solon (OH) CB Darian Hicks, who already holds 11 offers but is hoping to add Michigan to the list when he comes to campus on Friday ($). Brookfield (WI) Central DE Chikwe Obasih will swing by Ann Arbor between April 12th and 14th—he'll also visit MSU and Illinois during those days, and hasn't set the order yet ($).
Two players have stated their intention to take one of their official visits to Ann Arbor. Petaluma (CA) Casa Grande ATH Elijah Qualls—at 6'5", 265 lbs., likely a DT/SDE recruit for Michigan—is one, having built a strong relationship with coach Dan Ferrigno ($). The other is Dadeville (AL) DT Rod Crayton, whose coach says Michigan "might be recruiting Rod the hardest out of anyone" ($). Crayton plans to take a second unofficial visit for a game this fall, then use an official visit after his season.
Happy trails to two offensive linemen, Colin McGovern and Hunter Bivin, who both committed to Notre Dame over the weekend. Both held Michigan offers but were told, like all uncommitted OL, that the Wolverines are full along the O-line.
Quickly: Taco Charlton's Pickerington Central squad defeated Chris Wormley and Toledo Whitmer, 45-40, in the Ohio Division I basketball state title game. Chantel Jennings gives a progress report on the 2013 class, including quotes from current commits on what the coaches like about them ($).
Friday Recruitin' Strikes NOTY Gold
- 2012 recruiting
- 2013 recruiting
- 2014 recruiting
- adam breneman
- brandon hines
- chocolate wilson
- colin mcgovern
- dan gibbs
- darius latham
- derrick green
- drake harris
- ej levenberry
- ethan pocic
- hunter bivin
- jake butt
- jason hatcher
- jaylon smith
- kyle bosch
- laquon treadwell
- laremy tunsil
- marcell lazard
- scott orndorff
- tashawn bower
- tim harris
Brian is off doing super-important Brian things for the day (read: aimlessly driving around Ann Arbor while listening to The Smiths, probably), so you're stuck with me for an entire Friday. I know, I'm sorry too. Anyways, today's recruiting roundup looks at the new Rivals250—replete with many magnificent monikers—new offers, lists, and visits for the 2013 class, and a study on recruiting exenditures in the NCAA.
NOTY, NOTY, NOTY, Can't You See? Sometimes Your Names Just Hypnotize Me
Rivals is the latest recruiting service to release rankings for the class of 2013, putting out the Rivals100 on Wednesday before unveiling the full Rivals250 yesterday. There are only 11 five-stars on the list, but Shane Morris is in position to earn that status in the near future as he comes in at #16 overall (#3 QB). Fellow commit Dymonte Thomas is ranked at #77, and Josh Helmholdt discussed his status in the "toughest decisions" article:
Alliance (Ohio) Marlington safety Dymonte Thomas is one of the fastest players in the Midwest for 2013, and overall an outstanding athlete. As a junior, though, he mostly played close to the line of scrimmage and we did not get a chance to see much of him in coverage. So, we did not get too bullish on his ranking until we were able to more thoroughly assess his coverage skills.
If Thomas can show off his coverage ability in camps this summer, expect him to make a move up the board. Meanwhile, your suspicions that Michigan has offered a ton of blue-chip prospects early is correct. TTB has the full rundown on Wolverine offerees in the Rivals100 and the Rivals250—Michigan has offered 35 prospects in the top 100 alone and an additional 19 in the 101-250 range. Two of those are Morris and Thomas, and five players are committed to other schools, but needless to say the Wolverines are targeting the best of the best in what should be a smaller class than 2012.
As impressive as Michigan offer list is, perhaps more incredible is the sheer amount of Name of the Year candidates from the Rivals250. A sampling, for your reading pleasure:
- Alabama RB commit Altee Tenpenny
- Vianna (GA) DT Montravius Adams
- Muscle Shoals (AL) DE Dee Liner
- Fort Worth (TX) DT A'Shawn Robinson
- Fultondale (AL) ATH ArDarius Stewart
- Virginia Beach RB Taquan Mizzell
- My personal favorite: Moreno Valley (CA) WR Demorea Stringfellow
- Cedar Hill (TX) ATH Laquvionte Gonzalez
- Pickerington (OH) DE Taco Charlton (real name: Vidauntae)
- Dallas (TX) WR Ra'Shaad Samples
- New Orleans TE Standish Dobard
- Shreveport (LA) ATH Tre'Davious White
- Pomfret (MD) OL Na'Ty Rodgers
- Milpitas (CA) DE Vita Vea
- Mesquite (TX) WR Eldridge Massington
That's leaving out some pretty strong names, too. I highly recommend perusing the entire list, not only to educate yourself on this year's top prospects, but for some serious entertainment value. Throw in South Carolina CB De'Andre "Chocolate" WIlson, who missed the cut, and I nominate this for the best class of names in recent memory.
Speaking of Names... Jake Butt
Sam Webb's latest DetNews piece covers Pickerington (OH) North TE/DE Jake Butt (#96 overall in the Rivals250), who says Michigan is his leader "by far" early in the process. Butt doesn't have a concrete timeline yet and childhood favorite Ohio State could become a major factor in his recruitment should they choose to offer, so this one is far from over. That said, the Wolverines are in great position early, and while they're recruiting Butt as a tight end (stifle those giggles, children), he's also a strong prospect on the other side of the ball:
"Jake is an athletic kid with a great frame," [Scout.com's Allen] Trieu said. "He still has to add more weight and strength to his game, but he runs well for a kid of that size and is a very coordinated athlete. On offense he catches the ball well, his height makes him a matchup problem, and his athleticism allows him to create separation. At the same time, Jake is one of those rare kids who I think projects very well to both sides of the ball. I think he's a BCS prospect on both sides of the ball. For most schools it sounds like he's a defensive end right now, but a handful see him as a tight end too."
"Jake is right there as a potential top-10 prospect in Ohio. It's a fairly deep year down there, as usual, it's just not as top heavy (as it was in the 2012 class). We haven't really finalized anything yet, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him end up in the top eight to 12 prospects in the state."
Another top Midwest prospect holding a Michigan offer is Wheaton (IL) St. Francis OL Kyle Bosch, Rivals.com's #60 overall prospect, who has taken multiple trips to Ann Arbor and has an interesting way of going about his visits ($, info in header):
Normally when a recruit visiting Ann Arbor says he wants to talk to someone, the names that come up tend to be Denard Robinson, Taylor Lewan, Ryan Van Bergen -- the "famous" players on the Michigan football team.
But those aren't the guys 2013 offensive line recruit Kyle Bosch (Wheaton, Ill./St. Francis) is interested in talking to.
He's more interested in Chris Bryant, Graham Glasgow or Keith Heitzman, Michigan players most have never heard of. That's because they're freshmen.
"I want to see where they stand going through their freshmen years, whether it lived up to the expectations that they had," Bosch said. "I'm more curious to get to know what the first year at Michigan is like compared to three or four years into it."
I've never heard that before, but it's a strategy that makes sense, especially for a highly-touted recruit who will have to make the transition from Big Man on Campus to lowly freshman when college begins. The whole profile by Chantel Jennings is well worth a read if you have Insider—it sounds like Bosch has a good head on his shoulders and is going about his recruitment the right way. He plans to visit Ann Arbor again on February 18th ($).
Here's your latest list of 2013 offers as Michigan continues to send them out in bulk:
- Indianapolis North Central DL Darius Latham, who Trieu profiled for free on Scout. He also picked up a Tennessee offer, joining Northwestern, Indiana, Ole Miss, Purdue, and Minnesota early.
- Richmond (VA) Varina S Tim Harris added offers from both Michigan and Ohio State on Tuesday ($, info in header).
- Another Richmond prospect, Hermitage High School RB Derrick Green, earned offers from the Wolverines and USC ($, info in header). They join a laundry-list of national powers pursuing Rivals.com's #64 overall player.
- Owensboro (KY) OT Hunter Bivin recently added offers from Michigan, Ohio State, LSU, Notre Dame, Miami, and several other Big Ten and SEC schools ($, info in header). He visited Michigan unofficially twice in the fall—including for the Ohio State game—and has high interest in the Wolverines early.
- Grand Rapids Christian two-sport star Drake Harris boasts an offer to play both football and basketball from Michigan, MSU, Indiana, and Notre Dame ($, info in header). The 6'4" wide receiver/shooting guard is coached by former Wolverine wideout Tai Streets in AAU basketball.
- Somerville (NJ) Immaculata DE Tashawn Bower—#250 in the Rivals250—picked up his Wolverine offer on Tuesday ($, info in header). His dad is a Michigan fan and he plans on taking a spring trip to Ann Arbor.
- Wisconsin tight end commit Scott Orndorff got offered by Michigan, Boston College, and Virginia; he plans on looking around after some recent changes to the Badger coaching staff ($, info in header).
Several players started narrowing down their lists this week. Blue chip linebacker E.J. Levenberry now has Michigan in his top three along with Florida and Florida State, though his father says that list is subject to change ($, info in header). Bloomfield (NJ) OT Marcell Lazard named a top four of UConn, Miami, Michigan, and West Virginia, and he plans to visit Michigan later this month ($). Michigan is one of 11 schools being considered by Louisville (KY) Trinity DE Jason Hatcher ($, info in header). As for players Michigan did not make the cut for, five-star tackle Laremy Tunsil now has a top three of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama ($, info in header), while top-ranked linebacker Jaylon Smith's top three includes Notre Dame, Ohio State, and... Purdue ($, info in header). Did not see that one coming.
Many players are setting up visits, as well. Michigan will host four juniors this weekend: offensive linemen Logan Tuley-Tillman and Chris Fox and receivers Jaron Dukes and Laquon Treadwell. Of the four, Dukes and Fox are the most likely to make early decisions—both have mentioned Michigan among their leaders, and Dukes has the Wolverines as his clear favorite—while both LTT and Treadwell will likely take a while before deciding after their offer lists expanded greatly in recent weeks.
Kyle Bosch won't be the only Illinois lineman on campus on the 18th—he'll be joined by Lemont's Ethan Pocic ($). Another Illinois lineman, Colin McGovern, plans to take a trip to Michigan on March 10th ($). Top-ranked tight end Adam Breneman, meanwhile, had to alter his visit plans, pushing back planned trips to Penn State (later this month) and Ohio State (sometime in the spring). I asked him on Twitter if he was still planning a trip to Ann Arbor, and he wasn't sure yet. The general consensus—and I agree with it—is that it will be very tough to beat out childhood favorite Penn State for him.
In very quick 2014 news, Michigan will host St. Louis OT Andy Bauer this weekend, and they've also shown interest in Mequon (WI) Homestead DT Brandon Hines ($, info in header).
Spendin' That Paper
The Business of College Sports blog released a list of the top 50 spenders in recruiting among all sports, and the list is dominated by the SEC, whose schools take up six of the top eight spots (Tennessee leads the way at nearly $2.3 million last year). Coming in at #9, and tops among Big Ten schools, is your very own Wolverines, spending just under $1.5 million. The order of the rest of the B1G schools is rather surprsing: Illinois (#14), Nebraska (#19), Ohio State (#23), Minnesota (#24), Penn State (#26), Purdue (#41), Michigan State (#42), Iowa (#43), and Indiana (#46) round out the schools in the top 50. It's best to keep in mind that this includes all sports for both men and women; it would be interesting to see how this compares to spending on football alone. [H/T: Lost Lettermen]
Tremendous interviewed preferred walk-on OL Dan Gibbs, who will join the 2012 class on campus this fall, and the young man is not only an Eagle Scout, but well-versed in the current Wolverine lingo [emphasis mine]:
Tremendous: What did it feel like when you finally decided to go with Michigan?
Dan: I'm about as excited as can be! It feels absolutely amazing to finally realize my life-long dream of playing Michigan Football.
Tremendous: Was it an easy decision given the scholarship situation?
Dan: It wasn't the easiest decision, per se. I was seriously considering Penn, especially after my visit there, and other Ivy League options. But this is Michigan fergodsakes! In the end, Michigan won out by a mile because I realized that it was where I always wanted to be.

subset: commoncrawl


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Can it manage ironic clues?
I'd luck to congratulate submitter on a clever title. Does not happen very often here.
*like. If somebody thought that this was some kind of word play and modded up because of that (that's the only explanation of modups I have: my typo somehow made my comment clever beyond my understanding), it was not.
Would the Apollo example really trip up a decently-written program though? I mean, my first thought was "Well, what if it had a fallback routine where it tries anagrams of possible answers?" so I have to imagine someone smarter than me has thought of that. I guess there's some limitation I'm not seeing...
On second thought...what am I still doing awake at 5:48am commenting on a post about crossword-solving computers?!
I don't think it's that simple. Of course you could write the program to include answers made of letters rotated 180 degrees. But how often does an answer like that happen? I'm not a big crossword person, but i'd guess it's pretty rare. Maybe 1 out of 10,000 - if even that much? So while you might get that one clue right, meanwhile you've expanded the set of possible answers to include numerous elements with an extremely low chance of ever being correct. In addition to the added expense of considering them,
Here is one that just appeared this week (LA Times, I think):
Clue: Hail Answer: DANTESINFERNO
Clue: Poe Answer: FLATBROKE
Clue: What you need to get the above two answers: SOUTHERNDRAWL
Not sure how you make a routine to come up with those answers.
Christ! Those are... Those are just ridiculous... I guess what I didn't understand is what crosswords have become!
Now I get what they mean by requiring some cleverness... I mean, there're PEOPLE who wouldn't get those! It makes a lot more sense now.
A clue definition of '...V' is acceptable, if it follows on from a previous related question or answer. Even then it may seem related, but isn't. This will throw one off the scent, but the answer will often be part of an overarching theme. A theme often allows weaker definition cluing. Several other clues might include tangential references to science, but there will one clue that is often refered to by clue number only, elsewhere in the puzzle - e.g. 'Amphibian is working by force' (6) - hinting at the ove
The computer would definitely struggle with that one because you spelled 'Center' incorrectly.
There is a nasty one inside the crossword app on the Nook Color (not sure if it's in other Nooks, but I'm guessing it is) where the answer is spelled "CENTRE". The problem is the down answers really want "CENTER" to make any sense (one of the down ones was "TENT" which became "TRNT").
Not sure if it was a typo or not. And the puzzles have no identifier so you can point it out.
Other one AI might struggle with:
Lisping girl of legend (4) - (ans: 'Myth')
How about some Cockney Rhyming slang?:
Beehive in North London? (4, 6) - (ans: 'High Barnet')
the computer needs help from Joe Piscopo [youtube.com]
I'd like to see if Dr Fill manages these two:
___ (2, 3, 4, 1, 4)
That reminds me of this one:
Not being able to guess a few words might not be a problem, skip it and solve the other ones, once there are enough letters in it a computer can easily look up the available words, and if there are more than one even use a nonlinear approach. Even without any clues, a few words can't be that hard to bruteforce.
Not necessarily. The computer likely double checks cross clues to verify any individual answer. If one of answers starts to appear to be jibberish, it will throw a large swath of intersecting answers in doubt. If the jibberish answer crosses a large portion of the grid, the doubt can propagate through the entire puzzle.
Unfortunately for Dr Fill's creator, the problem of how to get the program to work with such unorthodox solutions is the same as getting it to think like a person. At a certain point, all AI questions become the same AI question: this is the very essence of Turing horizon, and all such efforts converge there.
The program he wants to write is, sadly, doomed, as it will be impossible until such time as our species generates a true artificial consciousness with human intelligence, at which point the problem wi
The crossword puzzle guy needs lessons from Watson, who clobbered several Jeopardy human champions [slashdot.org]. That show has clever categories and clues. Watson probably had more impressive computing power, but I doubt that was the issue. The Watson designers clearly had a better grasp of natural language, including humor-filled and storied language.
Humans recognize patterns based on accumulated knowledge and experience, while computers make endless calculations to determine the most statistically probable answer.
what's different about that? I've often said, "The more I learn about AI, the more I think it lacks any intelligence at all. The more I learn about psychology, the more I believe that humans think just like an AI."
Humans are also determining the most statistically probable answer. They just have a better algorithm for factoring humor into those statistics.
So Doctor Fill has the same ability to comprehend humour as Doctor Phil?
...were supposed to be composed of REAL words.
WTF is "SNOISSIWNOOW"??
I can't blame the computer for not doing well on these; a lot of crossword puzzles are a puzzle of "guess what the creator was thinking", and not a puzzle of words and language. Quite frankly, I'm not interested in guessing what someone else happens to be thinking when they write down a clue like "blue, red, and big"; I find that fundamentally uninteresting and of no long term value.
I have the same problem with many Mensa puzzles. A lot of them I can do, but puzzles that require deep and specific informat
Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.


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Jackson, Miss. Chris McDaniel is challenging the Republican primary runoff results in which he lost to U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. This appears to the be the first statewide election challenge in Mississippi.
"The facts, they're on our side. The law is on our side," said McDaniel at a Monday afternoon news conference.
McDaniel's attorney, Mitch Tyner, says the campaign will present a binder full of evidence to the state Republican Executive Committee. It details everything from crossover votes to what they believe to be race-baiting.
"We anticipate that after they review the challenge, they'll see that Chris McDaniel clearly clearly won the Republican vote on the runoff," Tyner said.
McDaniel says he wants the party to grant a public hearing eight days from now.
"Any time the government acts there needs to be a public forum," said McDaniel. "Any time the party acts under these types of circumstances there needs be a public forum."
The legal team says it has evidence of 3500 crossover votes and more irregular votes. Still, it doesn't equal the more 7,667 vote margin of victory Thad Cochran had. McDaniel says there's more to it.
"What it boils down to here is objective evidence of wrongdoing, objective evidence of ineligible votes. This isn't just us knee-jerking at this point," McDaniel said. "We've had several weeks of investigations, several weeks of research into this matter."
Tyner says the team did polling after the runoff and found that 71 percent of voters who identified themselves as Democrats admitted they won't support the Republican nominee in November, which they say violates state law. He says if you factor that in.....
"You can see that Chris McDaniel clearly won the runoff by 25,000 votes," Tyner said.
McDaniel says the challenge is needed.
"Integrity of the elections process of the state of Mississippi matters," said McDaniel.
If the campaign doesn't get the results it wants, then it can take the challenge to a state court in 10 days.
Republican Party chairman, Joe Nosef, says there's no precedent for how the committee should handle a challenge.
He will serve in a judge role, but past that, he says there are limited rules.
Not long after McDaniel's announcement, Cochran attorney Mark Garriga said they are prepared to put an end to the allegations of fraud leveled against the campaign and are prepared to appear before the Republican Executive Committee and even a court of law.
Garriga gave little credence to the more than 15,000 votes the Tea Party candidate questioned.
"They have waited six weeks to do this," said Garriga. "I think that says a lot about the seriousness of their challenge. This is really about more publicity and not a serious lawsuit. Now it's time to prove those allegations, and we don't think he can."
Garriga says they are preparing filings of their own and will be making an announcement later in the week.


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Skip to comments.Obama's team of zombies-Washington is still a one-party town: Thieves
Posted on 02/06/2009 6:17:59 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Only weeks ago, the political world was buzzing about a "team of rivals." America was told that finally, after years of yes men running the government, we were getting a president who would follow Abraham Lincolns lead, fill his administration with varying viewpoints, and glean empirically sound policy from the clash of ideas. Little did we know that "team of rivals" was what George Orwell calls "newspeak": an empty slogan "claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts."
Obama's national security team, for instance, includes not a single Iraq war opponent. The president has not only retained George W. Bush's defense secretary, Robert Gates, but also 150 other Bush Pentagon appointees. The only "rivalry" is between those who back increasing the already bloated defense budget by an absurd amount and those who aim to boost it by a ludicrous amount.
Of course, that lockstep uniformity pales in comparison to the White House's economic team -- a squad of corporate lackeys disguised as public servants.
At the top is Lawrence Summers, the director of Obama's National Economic Council. As Bill Clinton's treasury secretary in the late 1990s, Summers worked with his deputy, Tim Geithner (now Obama's treasury secretary), and Clinton aide Rahm Emanuel (now Obama's chief of staff) to champion job-killing trade deals and deregulation that Obama Commerce Secretary Judd Gregg helped shepherd through Congress as a Republican senator. Now, this pinstriped band of brothers is proposing a "cash for trash" scheme that would force the public to guarantee the financial industry's bad loans. It's another ploy "to hand taxpayer dollars to the banks through a variety of complex mechanisms," says economist Dean Baker -- and noticeably absent is anything even resembling a "rival" voice inside the White House.
That's not an oversight. From former federal officials like Robert Reich and Brooksley Born, to Nobel Prize-winning economists like Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman, to business leaders like Leo Hindery, there's no shortage of qualified experts who have challenged market fundamentalism. But they have been barred from an administration focused on ideological purity.
In Hindery's case, the blacklisting was explicit. Despite this venture capitalist establishing a well-respected think tank and serving as a top economic advisor to Obama's campaign, the Politico reports that "Obama's aides appear never to have taken his bid (for an administration post) seriously." Why? Because he "set himself up in opposition" to Wall Street's agenda.
The anecdote highlights how, regardless of election hoopla, Washington is the same one-party town it always has been -- controlled not by Democrats or Republicans, but by Kleptocrats (i.e., thieves). Their ties to money make them the undead zombies in the slash-and-burn horror flick that is American politics: No matter how many times their discredited theologies are stabbed, torched and shot down by verifiable failure, their careers cannot be killed. Somehow, these political immortals are allowed to mindlessly lunge forward, never answering to rivals -- even if that rival is the president himself.
Remember, while Obama said he wants to slash "billions of dollars in wasteful spending" at the Pentagon, his national security team is demanding a $40 billion increase in defense spending (evidently, the "ludicrous" faction got its way). Obama also said he wants to crack down on the financial industry, strengthen laws encouraging the government to purchase American goods, and transform trade policy. Yet, his economic team is not just promising to support more bank bailouts, but also to weaken "Buy America" statutes and make sure new legislation "doesn't signal a change in our overall stance on trade," according to the presidents spokesman.
Indeed, if an authentic rivalry was going to erupt, it would have been between Obama's promises and his team of zombies. Unfortunately, the latter seems to have won before the competition even started.
The Soviet flag is practically flying at 1600 Pennsylvania and the looney left isn't satisfied.
Enjoy your four years, creep.
The Right told the Left that Obama was worthless, so they can stuff their morning after crying.
A few months ago I posted a Sirota article from The Nation where he recognized that FDR's New Deal and its successors had destroyed the vibrant civil society that had made this country different. (Read Alexis de Toqueville's 1836 classic, Democracy in America, to see what I'm talking about.)
Sirota now seems to be moving into the territory I'd describe as Honest Liberal. I have a feeling that in a year or so, he's going to wake up and realize, with horror, that he's becoming a conservative.
evening vet
Well what caught me in that article was the Lincoln connection.
Well Lincoln presided over a war between the state will phony do the same because right now he is royally screwing many Americans, it is not north v south but left v right.
Unless those liberals and left wing loons all move to their stronghold of the north east and all conservatives move to our stronghold of the south, Midwest and AK
Infact I wouldn't lose sleep over it as let the liberal commies have their utopia and I'll watch down here laughing at how they are screwing their new utopia up.
Just so long we have a fence built between us and them and all left wing loons get the hell out with the homo's and illegals and of course not forgetting their lets talk to child molesters
I don't believe that the author is an actual liberal. He may think he is; he may tell all his friends that he is; he may spew liberal rhetoric. But he appears incapable of professing two contradictory ideas at the same time... it alarms him that Obama is "buying American" while supporting free trade.
A true liberal will see Obama as providing the solution.
Some good news out of the Obama Administration?
We have been worried that they are communists, but instead they are just run of the mill kleptos.
Actually, as I read what I wrote I suppose it's bad news all around.
I see this as a fait accompli.
The values that made this a great country are officially repudiated in the quest for power by the democrats and those beholden to their largess.
Whoa! The fellow travelers may not be useful idiots...
You all have heard it from me first.
By the summer of 2010, we will be in a revolution of some sort, or there will be a complete breakdown of civil society.
Where's my shovel?
"By the summer of 2010, we will be in a revolution of some sort, or there will be a complete breakdown of civil society."
Nah, today's American can't be bothered—ignorance is bliss and bliss is IN, baby! Hope and change! That FEELS GOOD!
"Get off your ass and fight!" Well, that does not FEEL
Game over.
Kiss what the founders created GOODBYE.
Who's going to fight? Modern Americans are a bunch of whining pansies compared to the scrappy founders.
Nah, we'll continue to rot and eventually be absorbed by some EU-like entity.
America's best days are truly behind her.
The rest is socialism, stagnation, infighting—like a nagging cramp, but no fight will break out—not a chance.
Sad to say, I think you are right.
It's over. The American dream is over.
if it does happen then I would have no problem .
This phony is ruining this great country and my kids will live in a country which will be a 3rd rate country
No job except deadening government jobs for the loyal and protected classes.
Inadequate heat in the winter.
Inadequate cooling in summer.
Inadequate power at high prices everywhere, all the time.
Inadequate food stamp money to feed your family, let alone feed them organics.
Inadequate income for trips to Cuba.
Inadequate donations to their causes and NGOs. Favoritism between factions for government grants.
The younger generation is very interconnected, thanks to technology. They know people everywhere, know the economic conditions, the outrages, the betrayals. Only a few can hope to benefit in a totalitarian regime. The rest are going to begin to seethe.
I predict that the upper income liberals who figured zerO and the donks couldn't upset their comfy apple cart will be the first defectors. Middle income folks of all ideologies and colors are going to get very nervous about terrorists being set free, tried for other crimes or incarcerated in their nearby prisons, which see escapes on a regular basis. The lower income classes are going to get nothing but crumbs, as usual, and they will resent it. The perpetually angry will either be bought off or become the target of envy and jealousy from the not-so-fortunate, but just as angry, cadres.
There's going to be plenty of fighting. Only 1/3 fought against tyranny, back in the founders' day.
As for us, a poster last night or today recommended what amounts to *monkey-wrenching* the regime. Increase your taxable deductions. Slow spending for all but necessities. Barter for whatever you can. Take whatever you are eligible for that is being passed out and still don't vote for them. Go on virtual or actual strike, depending on your circumstances. If you are in a position to cost the regime time and money without becoming a target, do so. Everyone can think of several ways to resist.
If the regime is forced to continually badger and pressure folks from every demographic and every ideology, they are going to be run ragged just doing CYA and PR while herding cats. Nothing ever works in a communist society, anyway.
Everyone is too smart to think they could stage a physical battle and become anything but tank tread material ala Tiananmen Square.
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Welcome to the Game Day Fire Drill, for this, Calgary's 18th game of the season on Nov. 14, 2009.
Man, this has put me in an interesting situation. Being hockey starved as I was over the summer, I was seeking out professional hockey on television, settling for almost anything with what looked like a rink and a bunch of Eastern and Northern Europeans skating around with sticks. I was even watching the NHL Network's replays of the Stanley Cup Finals from this year (by my count I've seen Game 6 close to a dozen times). These were dark times, and they called for desperate measures.
But then preseason games started and there was at least a game on the NHL Network or somewhat-legal internetty places pretty much every night. It wasn't perfect, but it'd have to do. And given that the Maple Leafs are the only NHL team with their own dedicated cable network, a lot of Leafs games made their way into my life, and wouldn't ya know it, they were always fun to watch even when they lost, which was often.
The way they played hockey was simply entertaining to the point that I found myself doing something I never thought I'd be doing: wishing the Maple Leafs did well. That has even continued into the season proper. They may not be very good, but they're at least entertainingly not-very-good, which is more than you can say for some of the garbage teams in the West and certainly like half the East, and so who am I to sit here and wish them ill? I've even gone so far as to defend them on Twitter, mainly against Bruins fans who think the addition of Phil Kessel was and is going to backfire. Plus I picked them to make the playoffs (oops).
How can it be that I actually like a team coached by Ron Wilson, featuring several extremely punchable players, headed up by Brian Burke? That said, I hope the Flames beat their brains in tonight.
The Calgary Flames (11-4-2 for 24 points. Tied for third in the West, second in the Northwest) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (3-9-5 for 11 points. Fourteenth in the East, fifth in the Northeast).
5 p.m. Mountain time and 7 p.m. Eastern time. All other time zones should pop in and say hi.
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario. Calgary is 5-1-2 away home this year, having lost in a shootout last night. The Leafs are 2-4-3 at home, but were on a streak of seven straight games at least earning a point from an overtime loss as recently as last week.
What (to hate about the Leafs)
Vesa Toskala — Note: This only applies if you are a Leafs fan.
Phil Kessel — When covering the Bruins, I grew a healthy dislike for the kid. It wasn't that he was a jerk or anything even close to like that. He was nice enough. But he is so remarkably dumb that his quotes were always awful and gave one the impression that he wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. I can't imagine there's a reporter alive that finds him anything less than a chore to deal with.
They're lovable losers — I hate myself for liking them. I can't even wrap my head around it.
Because who doesn't love a Leafs homer broadcast? Enjoy the game and keep the TV on mute in the comments section.


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New Allegations Against Kaitlyn Hunt, The Florida Teen Facing Charges For Relationship With Underage Female Classmate
We reported earlier this year on Kaitlyn Hunt, the Florida teen who's facing charges as a result of her sexual relationship with a younger female high school classmate.
Though Hunt has been under court order to stay away from the girl, the state now claims she's been in violation of her pre-trial release. Could Kaitlyn be headed to jail?
According to prosecutors, Kaitlyn Hunt, the lesbian basketball player accused of having sex with her 14-year-old teammate, defied court orders by not only remaining in contact with the underage girl, but having intimate contact with her as recently as two weeks ago. The two have reportedly been in almost
The state claims to be in possession of "approximately 20,000 text messages," including over twenty-five explicit photographs of Hunt nude and at least two videos in which she is masturbating. All of the photographs and videos were sent after the court had ordered Hunt not to have any contact with the teenager.
Hunt allegedly knew that she was violating the court order and that doing so could land her jail. Shortly after giving the girl the iPod in May, Hunt reportedly implored her to "be careful," because "[i]f they find out we talked I'm going to jail."
The more serious allegation by prosecutors is that Hunt repeatedly met with the teenager, a direction violation of the court order that she not come within 500 feet of her. Prosecutors claim that "the defendant coordinated secret meetings with the child victim," during which the two "would have intimate personal contact." Because the Florida criminal code defines this contact as a "dangerous crime," prosecutors petitioned the court to order a pretrial detention of Hunt and possibly her mother, Kelley Hunt Smith, who is accused of instructing her daughter's alleged victim to destroy all evidence of the unlawful contact.
Hunt had been offered a deal that did not involve jail time or
What do you think, Instincters? Do these new allegations change your opinion of Kaitlyn's case?
Should she be punished if it's concluded that she's been violating court orders?
Image Source
Kaitlyn should absolutely be in jail until resolution of this case, if not longer. Her blatant disregard for the protections for the child victim put into place by Judge Pegg were willful and arrogant. Kelley Hunt Smith, Kaitlyn's mother, should also face at least a minimal sentence for communicating with the child victim. Thus far, the prosecution, police and the court have done their jobs. I feel for the Smith family.


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Brisksaber Review
Brisksaber– or perhaps more accurately "Star Wars: Brisksaber," were one to go by the title screen logo– is a free iPhone game released by Mekanism as part of a cross-promotional campaign between Lipton Brisk iced tea and Lucasfilm to promote the upcoming 3D release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
The core of the game is based on Fruit Ninja, but instead of slicing up various fruits with a katana, you're chopping up everything on the opposing side of the Star Wars universe with a lightsaber. You have to give it points for premise alone, especially when you get to slice Jar Jar Binks in half. At last! And it's semi-official, too!
My name's Darth Maul, and I'm here to "maul" you!
When we say "the opposing side," that leads us into the wide variety of options this game incorporates. Granted, it's all pretty much aesthetic, but at least it adds some variety. You can choose to be a Jedi Knight on the Light Side of the Force, or a Sith Lord on the Dark Side. That paves the way to a a choice between what kind of lightsaber you wish to wield. Jedis can choose from Obi-Wan's, Qui-Gon's, Yoda's, and Mace "Samuel L. Jackson" Windu's, while Sith Lords can choose from Darth Maul's (you only get to use one end, though), and… that's it until Darth Vader's is unlocked on March 1st. Well, almost.
Both sides also get to use the titular "Brisksaber," which glows with a mix of blue and green, and actually looks kind of neat for something which is a blatant promotion.
You choose a mode between Survival and Time Trial, and you'll be taken to a background based on the side you've chosen. There, numerous characters, ships, droids, and items from the opposing side will be tossed up, and you use your finger to control the lightsaber's blade, moving it around the screen to slice, dice, and perform more cuts than George Lucas in the editing room. On occasion, an ally will pop up– they can be quickly identified by their glowing aura. These are typically droids, with R2 on the Light Side, which is kind of unfortunate, as one of our guiltier pleasures is to hit him anyway, causing him to let out that droid-ish squeal of his. Of course, striking an ally will cost you one of three hits, which are also taken if you miss striking an enemy item.
Jar Jar gets what's coming to him.
Oh, and in case you'd forgotten half of what they're selling, both sides see the occasional bottle of Lipton® Brisk® iced tea pop up, and striking it triggers the commercial's iconic "that's BRISK®, baby!" soundbyte.
In addition, slicing your foes adds to a meter which will unleash a spinning saber attack which performs multiple hits. You can use these on regular screens full of enemies to good effect, or save them for the occasional multi-slashing boss encounter with the likes of Mace Windu or Darth Maul. The number of items thrown grows more hectic as the game progresses until you finally succumb to defeat. At that point, you can see how you rank on leaderboards, as well as post your score to Twitter and Facebook.
Rounding things out are voice samples, sounds, and music taken from the Star Wars film library, helping give the whole experience the very authentic feel one would expect from a Star Wars product in this day and age. If there is any downside to the game, it's that the saber doesn't quite move with the same grace and fluidity that the sword in Fruit Ninja does, but it's not really bad, either.
As free games go, this is a neat little piece of advergaming which also manages to be fun, especially if you like Star Wars. And you just can't go wrong with that.


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Latest update : 2010-06-23
General McChrystal's rock 'n' roll interview
General McChrystal's interview to Rolling Stone has caused quite the stir in the Obama Administration. We take a look at the article and some reaction in the US press. We also take a look at the fate of cities which host the Olympic Games in the Wall Street Journal. Finally, a look at the reaction in the European press to France's dramatic and humiliating World Cup exit. WEDNESDAY, 23rd JUNE 2010


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From NSWP member, Triple X reporting on the Red Umbrella March held in Vancouver on the 14th of June in protest of the new regressive Canadian legislation on sex work being proposed. Triple X also developed a leaflet for the march entitled: 'Why Sex Work Should Not Be A Crime' which you can download here.
It was a typical Vancouver Saturday in June. Grey and wet, downtown streets bustling with umbrellas. But by the time my taxi pulled up beside the Vancouver Art Gallery, the crowd of umbrellas had all turned to red! A moment later, the annual World Naked Bike Ride flew along Robson Street passing by the art gallery steps.
Red umbrellas and placards littered the steps of the Art Gallery while Triple-X director, Anna Smith brandished a sign that read: "Exit strategy for Peter MacKay, Minister for No Justice." Member of Parliament for Vancouver East, Libby Davies with her bullhorn was speaking to the brightly-dressed crowd who were listening intently and cheering.
Next, a young man, Tom, well dressed in a black suit and red tie, told his personal story for the first time. He became a sex worker in order to pull his life together and stay off drugs.
"I was truly broken and doing sex work was the only way for me to build my life again. Having the ability to make my own money, pick my own hours, choose my clients and set limits gave me back a sense of power and control that I had lost to my addiction."
His story moved the crowd who responded with loud applause and cheers.
The final speaker was the incomparable Velvet Steele, a professional dominatrix and star from the TV series, Kink. Velvet gave the government hell, whipping up the crowd until myself, Triple-X president, Andy Sorfleet and Pivot Legal Society Chair, Kerry Porth took up the Triple-X banner and forged their way to the edge of Robson and stepped into the street. They led the crowd through the Granville Street entertainment district before turning onto Pender, Vancouver's once historic area for brothels.
Once on Pender, Sex Workers United Against Violence headed up the march which had grown to over 200 people. A sea of red umbrellas filled Hastings Street with chants: "Sex workers' rights are human rights," "Keep your laws off my body," "Harper's laws have got to go," "My clients are not criminals" and "Only rights can stop the wrongs."
The red umbrella parade winded past the old Carnegie Public Library onto Main Street and over the bridge that leads to CRAB (Creating Real Accessible Beach) Park which overlooks the Burrard Inlet. Once in the park, marchers gathered for a final round of chants led by Esther Shannon from FIRST: Who's united? We are! Who's powerful? We are! Who's going to win? We are!!
Triple-X director, Will Pritchard, prepared watermelon and orange slices, and the crowd took the opportunity to mingle a bit, expressing their joy in the event's huge success, before drifting off to enjoy the rest of their Saturday.
I would like to mention also the most excellent Vancouver police escorts on bikes, motorcycles and a cruiser which stopped and directed traffic and kept our parade safe through Vancouver's busy downtown.
A big congratulations to you all!
Here is a group photo of all the organizers and participants who attended the finale in CRAB Park. Photo by Emma Campbell, Combination Films (Thank you Kerry.)
The Red Umbrella March was organized by the following Vancouver groups: Triple-X Workers? Solidarity Association of B.C., Downtown Eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence, Pivot Legal Society, Providing Alternatives, Counselling and Education Society, B.C. Coalition of Experiential Communities, FIRST: Feminists Advocating for the Decriminalization of Sex Work.
For more photos see go to our twitter feed.
The Red Umbrella March was part of a national day of action, with events in cities across Canada, including in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Halifax.


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|Can initiative LIFT struggling schools?
|Long-term success of $55 million program is open to debate
|Published Thursday, December 6, 2012 8:17 am
Project LIFT has lofty goals over the next five years.
|Project LIFT, an initiative to boost academic achievement at public schools that feed into West Charlotte High School. The five-year, $55 million program is touted as a community-based effort to improve grades and graduation rates at West Charlotte, which had a 54 percent rate in 2011, near the bottom among Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools.
But will the $55 million education initiative be worth the investment?
Project LIFT, which stands for Leadership Investment for Transformation, is in the first year of implementation, targeting schools in the Northwest Corridor that feed into West Charlotte High School. The project is charged with changing how students in low-performing schools learn.
The program works through Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and is implemented in nine schools that make up the Project LIFT zone. Those schools are: Allenbrook Elementary School, Ashley Park School K-8, Bruns Academy K-8, Druid Hills Academy K-8, Ranson Middle School, Statesville Road Elementary, Thomasboro Academy K-8, Walter G. Byers Academy K-8 and West Charlotte High.
Mitzi Sims Porter has a son and a daughter who attend West Charlotte High. She believes Project LIFT will have success in the corridor because there is accountability for the success of the schools.
�The way I see it, it�s bringing back a focus of what was there many years ago,� she said. �Because of the kind of students that typically go to school in that zone, you don�t have a lot of parent involvement. This will bring some focus and some resources to the schools that aren�t typically there. Adding the resources will help bridge the gap and give them the support they actually need.�
Project LIFT�s main goal is to raise the graduation rate at West Charlotte to 90 percent from its current 54 percent, one of the lowest in the district. Through technology, talent, time and community support, Project LIFT expects to change the outcome of students in the west corridor. With $55 million in place to fund the project, can LIFT meet its goals and can those goals be measured by the current model of the project?
Project LIFT Zone Superintendent Denise Watts said success is about student achievement and educational outcomes.
�We want to ensure that students that are in the grades prior to graduation also excel in terms of their proficiency and their growth on standardized tests. Those are measurable outcomes but what we�re hoping to do is really transform the way we educate kids in the Project LIFT zone.�
A major component of the project, according to Watts, is working with families who may have children in multiple grade levels. �In working with one family, you�re actually impacting more than one child,� she said.
Students in the Project LIFT zone can have a laptop �free of charge�to use at home and in the classroom. Microsoft has partnered with Project LIFT to provide software for the computers at a cost of $150 per device.
And even though another issue affecting education in the Northwest Corridor is poverty, Watts said after the initial informational meeting about the laptops and software, parents were ready to make the investment.
�It has been my position on this since we started that families have to have skin in the game,� she said. �The package that the family will get is actually a $1,000 package when you add in the cost of the hardware, software and the internet access and we�re only asking the family to pay a tenth of that.�
Porter said Watts made it clear that the success of the schools is important to her and in the first few months Project LIFT being active, she�s seen changes. Her son, who is a senior, said things are quieter at school. Students are focused and there are fewer disruptions. She credits the additional programs added by Project LIFT for getting students to focus on their work.
�I think that it�s going help,� Porter said. �What Project LIFT will do is show students that they can come to school and get the resources that they need to be successful.�
Although Project LIFT will need community and family support, Watts said the initiative isn�t working to transform families. Rather its goal is to give parents the tools necessary to become better advocates for their children�s education.
�Project LIFT is a school-based and school-bound initiative to impact students educational outcomes with a goal of breaking the cycle of poverty and the cycle of being disadvantaged with these students,� she said. �We cannot do that in isolation. There has to be work and focus with families and work with other partners.�
But school board member Richard McElrath said he doesn�t know what Project LIFT is or if it�s going to work.
�What they�ve done is gone into the Beatties Ford Road corridor and they�re going to throw a ton of money at those folks in that corridor,� he said. �There�s no doubt in my mind that for those kids it�s going to close the gap and for those kids in high school you�re probably going to get a higher percentage of them to finish high school. But I don�t know what that proves.�
McElrath said the fact that there�s a time frame of when the money goes in and when the money comes out of the neighborhood and the schools he doesn�t know what happens when the five year time period ends.
Richard �Stick� Williams, Project LIFT governance board co-chair and president of the Duke Energy Foundation, insists the initiative significantly moves the needle in closing the achievement gap and improving graduation rates.
�This collaboration has extraordinary promise and could have a great impact on changing culture around education and really making certain that we don�t lose a talented group of kids,� he said.
Success, he added, begins before the increase in West Charlotte�s graduation rates when third-graders are better prepared to learn. �If we saw systemically that the 11th graders and the 10th graders and ninth graders were all on track to graduate and participating in meaningful summer programs and after school programs, I would consider that to be great success.�
But is five years enough to change the culture?
�One of the things that was bottom line for us is that everything in Project LIFT has to be replicable,� Williams said. �We didn�t want to do a one-time thing and get great success after three or four years and then walk away. We wanted this to be a laboratory for CMS and other school districts,� Williams said.
However, McElrath questions if Project LIFT is more than economic segregation.
�When the five years run out and you move to another corridor, what�s going to happen to this one?� he said. �Have you set up anyway that they can maintain that flow of income in that neighborhood? That�s all it�s about.�
McElrath asks if students in high poverty schools achieve goals set by Project LIFT, then what message does that send to the city?
�Do you want to prove that you can do that? Is that a model for the future of Charlotte to have a system of economically segregated schools?�
Williams said the goals of Project LIFT go beyond money. The philanthropic partners, which include the Belk Foundation, Foundation For The Carolinas, Wells Fargo Foundation and the Leon Levine Foundation, and the higher ups with CMS worked closely together to craft a lot of different piece of the program and after five years he believes the school system as a whole will see portions of the project that can be used to enhance the quality of education for all students.
�Many of the partners that we have are already involved in CMS, so it is a matter of them reshaping their relationship and their expectations of those third parties. They can do that without new money,� Williams said. �Another part of this is that we don�t know what�s going to happen as far as the economy is concerned. CMS lost about a $100 million or more due to the recession and challenges that the state and local government has had. With $100 million, they could do Project LIFT everywhere within CMS.�
After the funders finish Project LIFT, Williams said they�ll look at what worked and didn�t when it comes to the next round of education philanthropy.
�I don�t know if we would do another Project LIFT,� he said, �but this kind of collaboration and the kinds of things that we are getting from these third party vendors are going to be attractive to us when we consider how to do our philanthropy in the future.�
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Patti Shenberger and Nancy Fraser are visiting the virtual offices to talk about their new release Gambling on Love. After the interview, there is a cool tour-wide giveaway, so be sure to enter!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
Patti – I'm a wife, mom, mother-in-law, soon to be grandma, pet mommy and full time writer. Love to read, travel, eat!
Nancy – I'm a coffee-holic writer as well as a mother and mother-in-law x2, and a grandma of 4 with a 5th due in July.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Gambling on Love?
Gambling on Love is set in 1867 along the Mississippi River and is the story of Felicity Beaumont, a rich man's willful daughter, who believes in President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation so much that she's willing to face her father's wrath to help free his wrongfully indentured slaves. To do this, she disguises herself as a boy, sells off family heirlooms and secures passage for herself and her friends on Jake McCade's gambling boat, the River Maiden. Unfortunately, her plan unravels fairly quickly, and Jake is arrested for theft and kidnapping. He's saved from jail when Felicity's father, wanting to save face for the sake of propriety, agrees to drop the charges as long as Felicity and Jake are married. Initially, they plan to separate after an appropriate amount of time. However, the fates intervene and true love blossoms through mutual respect and a very strong emotional/sexual chemistry. Just as you're certain they're destined for a happy-ever-after, a woman from Jake's past threatens the very foundation of their relationship and puts Jake's life in jeopardy.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
Nancy, this one's for you (G)
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far … no wait … that's someone else's blockbuster! A number of years ago, we were attending a conference in Washington, DC. Patti had an editor pitch for a book about a Mississippi Riverboat gambler (think Maverick-a young and not-so-controversial Mel Gibson) and asked for some input (a request she's probably regretted ever since). Nancy kept saying, "Jake needs a book, Jake needs a book". Patti's pitch for a single book, turned into an idea for two books. Then, as the characters came alive in our heads (Can you say, "too much caffeine"?) we thought 'why not three books'. From that craziness, came the idea of writing it as a team!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Felicity?
Determined, compassionate, generous
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Jake had a theme song, what would it be?
Patti: This is a great question and one that makes us think. Hm, let's see. Nancy, what do you think?
Nancy: If I were keeping to the time period, Champagne Charlie (which we actually used in a McCade Interview trailer) – it sounds like music you'd hear on a riverboat or in an 1860s saloon! If I'm thinking more modern/character driven: You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Felicity is never without.
Patti: hope
Nancy: compassion
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Jake's bedroom?
Patti: I'm leaving this question for Nancy (G).
Nancy: His gun (he only uses it when he's on the River Maiden); condoms (McCade men believe in carrying on the Legacy – with the right woman of course); and once married, never another woman! (Ok, so we get caught on that one a little bit – however, the "other woman" isn't in his bedroom, she's in a stateroom on the boat.)
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Felicity's greatest regret?
Patti: That her father wasn't more compassionate about his indentured workers.
Nancy: That despite the fact she wants to see her friends (the slaves) have a better life in the north, she knows she will miss them and regrets having to send them away.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
Patti: I have read every book that Jude Deveraux has written. Her work has been a huge influence on my writing. I love how she created strong, honorable, loving families that lasted throughout time. To me, there is nothing better than reading a series that can span centuries and still hold your interest.
Nancy: Real life and good music. I recently opened an old shoe box that belonged to late my mother. In it I found everything from a card of buttons that cost 10 cents to a book of WW2 ration stamps. And, the ultimate prize … old love letters! I'm also inspired by song lyrics, especially those from the 50s and 60s – when you could actually understand what they were saying.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
Patti: Pepsi, Ritz crackers, a good office chair with excellent lumbar support
Nancy: Coffee, chocolate and a good idea!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
Patti: My Life Uncovered by Lynn Isenberg – it's a keeper.
Nancy: Don't Know Much About the Civil War by Kenneth C. Davis. It's an older book (1997) but it's comprised of actual diary entries of citizens in and around the war-torn areas. Some of the accounts are heartbreaking, some uplifting.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
Patti: The first books I really remember reading was about the Bobbsey Twins – The Secret at the Sea Shore, and Cherry Ames – Army Nurse.
Nancy: Nancy Drew mysteries. The bummer is, I'm old enough to remember when they first came out and waited somewhat patiently for the next in the series!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
Patti: I love to read, travel, eat out. And doing all three at once is even better.
Nancy: Promo, Twitter, FB. Totally away from writing … spending time with my grandchildren.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
Patti: They can find me at www.pattishenberger.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/AuthorPattiShenberger
Twitter – @pattishenberger
And of course email@example.com
Nancy: www.nancyfraser.ca
Facebook – www.facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor
Twitter – @nfraserauthor
Blog – www.nancyfraser.ca/wordpress/
Email – email@example.com
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!
Name the Hotel!
As part of a tour-wide giveaway the authors are offering one lucky winner the chance to not only name the hotel which will appear in the second McCade Legacy novel, but will also have their name used as a character in the book as well! The winner will also receive a copy of Gambling on Love and a copy of the second book when it becomes available.
Purchase Links:
Purchase from Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gambling-on-love-nancy-fraser/1115213928
Puchase from iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gambling-on-love/id642292916?mt=11
Purchase from Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Gambling-on-Love/book-aftKHQRQpEuwineHwZWX8w/page1.html
Book Description:
Mississippi after the Civil War isn't easy when you're a willful young lady nor if you're a slave, and Felicity is determined to make their lives better. She devises a plan to move her father's illegally indentured workers North. After conning Jake McCade, the owner of the gambling river boat known as the River Maiden, into helping her, she, disguised as a boy, accompanies her slaves. Everything is going according to plan until Jake gets a little too close and discovers her subterfuge.
While Jake and Felicity find themselves in agreement about helping the slaves, they are at odds over everything else, including their quickly escalating feelings for one another.
When her father catches up to them, it's either marriage or jail for Jake, so they decide to chance the wedding –for propriety's sake. Will gambling on love be a bust or reap a happily ever after?
Check out the rest of the tour! http://www.entangledinromance.com/2013/05/29/gambling-on-love-blog-tour/


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Hydration Station
The installation of our new water bottle filling station and drinking fountain is complete. Located on the main level of ODY on the left as one heads toward the MacAllaster Room this combination unit provides cold filtered water for filling containers to carry away or for a quick sip while passing by. It will also serve the MacAllaster Room after the library closes for those who enter through the 24-hour entrance.
Funding for the hydration station was provided by a St. Lawrence University Innovation Grant.


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Polycom-HP Visual Collaboration
Money Involved: $89 million
Why It Matters: HP had looked to position itself as a video player with its Halo telepresence and a new line of Visual Collaboration video products it built in a OEM relationship with Vidyo. But Polycom, which has become particularly aggressive following Cisco's 2009 acquisition of archrival Tandberg, struck a deal in June to acquire HP's Visual Collaboration unit, provide software and video applications for use with HP's WebOS platform, and make Polycom HP's exclusive reseller partner in its services arm. It's a move that further bolsters Polycom -- which allies with everyone from Microsoft to Avaya as well -- against the Cisco juggernaut.


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Chris -- 2018-04-11
Very common, spoken and written, and (as indicated by repeated usages in the conversation that recently brought this to my notice) standard for some.
[re the immigration process] there are so many loopholes, I mean, loops to jump through
I expect they had in mind hoops to jump through at the same time as pitfalls/traps in the process (±=loopholes?)
his unwillingness to go through any loops [… another occasion …] It just becomes more loops to go through […] he's been through all the loops you could think of
we don't get a lot of the rights and we have to jump through the loops to get where we need to go to attend these parole hearings
I still do not want to jump through all the loops of writing migrations which fix dates.
we didn't want to jump through all the loops of legally changing my name so I stayed a Polanski, but I feel like a Tallez,
it can often take up to five months for a landlord to go through all the loops of the eviction process
Sometimes, then, you just go through the loops, other times you jump through them. The loop image fits with the idea of convolutions and non-straightforwardness which is inherent in situations where in the standard phrase we talk about having to jump through hoops. Some of us talk about going through the rigamarole, and maybe that and similar phrases are active in these examples as well.
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
I like the loophole connection. It makes a loop metathetical kin to a hoop. Here's the alternative topological derivative of loophole.
It is a tale of bungled planning, official obstinacy and, now, a standoff among bureaucracies.
"We jump through the holes of getting in the proposals. We get the OK for this state-of-the-art equipment. It's delivered and then we run into a wall
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-1 … sed-office
there's a difference between having an insurance policy that actually insures you and one that is called insurance but doesn't really pay for much of anything and makes you jump through holes to get reimbursed
http://medscape.typepad.com/thedifferen … nt-ba.html
They're the same. They're both ponzis. Autosurfs involve advertising and make you jump through holes to get your daily returns.
http://www.talkgold.com/forum/archive/i … 22026.html
Are there others?
In John's eyes the only option was to play the stupid game and learn to jump through the hopes of the Welfare system.
I am sorry that you were not accepted. I can understand how having to jump through the ropes and papers can be frustrating before you can volunteer.
One can go through the loops much as one would go through hoops, i.e. going through the empty space surrounded by the loops, much as a belt goes through belt loops. One might also go through the loops as a roller-coaster would go through a loop-de-loop, running along the track made by the tube or other material of which the loop is formed. In the first case your trajectory does not (necessarily) make a loop; in the second it does. "Running through the loop" in some usages seems to require the second conceptualization, especially figurative usages in which a program runs through loops (there are many). Literal usages of both types abound (a cord running through loops, or liquid running through the loops of a straw.) Possible replacements for jumping through hoops (following required bureaucratic procedures) involving this wording are not so easy to find, however. There are some:
Sure, I'll run through all the loops that support will make us go through insinuating it's our issue (typical software vs hardware deflection).
They run me through the loops, you need to call this number and that number and so on.
Does anyone ride this on the weekends on a regular basis that might run me through the loops? Or can I just get by droppin in unfamiliar?
Colleges and/or Universities want to run you through the loops of getting other credits outside of your major. I dislike that. It's a waste of time
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
David Bird found several interesting variants, including:
I am sorry that you were not accepted. I can understand how having to jump through the ropes and papers can be frustrating before you can volunteer.
Jumping through ropes makes all kinds of sense when these are the same ropes you need to learn, and the same rigmaropes or motions you have to go through to jump rope
Don't get your ropes up, Crusty. we ain't started yet.
(Unfortunately, this is probably a purposeful pun—it was rodeo patter in this case.)
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
It would be fun to see how far one could get playing blidiom tag. I see that "learning the hoops" is out there, and not always the hula variety. An exercise for a snowy evening.


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The president of the Rebels motorcycle club has rejected police claims the organisation is a front for criminal activity, saying their only offences are minor traffic infringements.
Veteran Rebels leader Alex Vella held a press conference on Saturday at the club headquarters in Bringelly to return fire over the multi-agency Attero Taskforce that earlier this week announced more than 500 charges and 300 arrests for club members.
"It's ridiculous," he said. "We are not a criminal organisation.
"You always have black sheep that think the club will not know about it but once we do they're out," he said.
Mr Vella said the Australian Crime Commission-led taskforce announcement was a PR stunt by the government and police.
He said of the 300 arrests only 78 Rebels had been charged.
"Police harass, intimidate and pursue us because we are an easy target. But all they ever have against us is traffic infringements like defects on helmets or handlebars," he said.
Rebel leaders, who flanked Mr Vella, said they were pushing back and speaking out due to unnecessary police attention and the constant negative portrayal of the club.
Mr Vella declined to comment about the current infighting of the Comancheros bikie club that led to Faalau Pisu being shot dead and another member John Devine shot two days later.
"Rebels are not shooting each other but we get all the attention. I speak only for my club and I say focus on criminals, not our group," he said.
The Rebels, one of Australia's biggest clubs with close to 1500 members nationally, were hosting an annual open day on Saturday that included a car show, tattoo competition and activities for kids.
"We are a family," Mr Vella said. "We encourage people to stay out of trouble, to get a job, to live their lives."
Comment was being sought from the Australian Crime Commission.


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By CHARLOTTE VALDIVIA
For the Hood River News
This is the second of a two-part account by Charlotte Valdivia of Mt. Hood, who spent two weeks in New York City as an American Red Cross volunteer, stocking and delivering supplies to support rescue efforts at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11 attacks. The hours were long and the work emotionally-draining.
Valdivia saw that motorists entering Manhattan, including Red Cross workers, faced heavy security in the weeks following the attack.
"Going from the exit of the tunnel to ground zero we were stopped at five or six checkpoints, with ID checks at each one. As we got closer to ground zero the streets became more deserted, and we found ourselves getting quieter and more apprehensive as we passed through," she wrote in part one on Wednesday.
But this is also a tale of compassion, humor, and gratitude.
As we made our way down the street that runs along the port all the way to ground zero, there were people standing in the dividers waving banners at us that had "THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT GOD BLESS YOU" printed on them, shouting "Thank You!" and waving. This was after midnight, and I found out, as I continued to make those runs at all hours of the night, that there are people there 24 hours a day doing this.
By then we could see the smoke from Ground Zero, and not much later we entered the third zone. The security check was lengthy there, and the lights from ground zero were very visible. My partner and I were very subdued by then.
As the site of the towers became visible we started passing wrecked vehicles lined up and down both sides of the street, the vehicles that had been pulled out of the wreckage already. It was an unbelievable sight, probably 50-60 of them, burnt and crushed to the ground. I recognized many fire trucks, delivery trucks, tankers, many cars.
I was, as anyone who saw that sight, sickened. I really couldn't process what I was seeing, and as we drove up to the edge of ground zero, it all took on the appearance of a movie set. The lights made the area as bright as daylight, with the night and the stars above.
We were in a line of vehicles of every kind: fire trucks bringing in firefighters or waiting to take them back, flatbed hauling machinery and equipment; huge dump trucks; delivery trucks, electric and other utility trucks, and ambulances. Sandwiched in between were the New York state, NYC and New Jersey police cars and other cars carrying officials from all the different departments. We were halted in a long line there, waiting for outgoing vehicles to clear the area so we could get in.
I got out of my truck and stood there looking from all the way on the left to all the way on the right, and I couldn't take it all in. It looked like I imagined a disaster movie set might look, and I could not imagine that what I was seeing was reality. There were massive cranes everywhere (I never knew cranes that big existed), and all variety of machinery operating, loud generators, all the vehicles, and people!
Thousands of people working, standing in groups, walking, running, talking, shouting. There were uniformed police from so many different departments, firemen and women in their bunkers and helmets, nurses and Red Cross personnel, doctors, workers of every kind, National Guard, FBI and other government officials in their suits that looked so out of place there.
Everywhere the ground was wet from the spray trucks trying to keep the dust down, and dirty and debris-littered. The dust was so thick my eyes immediately started burning and itching, and the haze of smoke made everything look even more surreal. And towering over all of that was what was left of the World Trade Center and all the other damaged buildings and debris, surrounded by tall, clean glass-windowed buildings that were untouched by the attack.
After a few minutes I got back in my truck, not able to continue looking. I felt somehow off-kilter, disoriented, and a feeling of extreme tiredness came over me, a reaction to emotional overload.
It took about 30 minutes to get our truck up to the front of the Red Cross respite center, which was housed in a college building about a block from the beginning of the debris pile. I backed up to the ramp behind another truck that was getting ready to unload and got out. As I stood there, a steady stream of people passed me as they went into the respite center, and I could see the exhaustion on their faces, the slump of their shoulders. Many, many of these people, the firefighters, police and other workers, would look up at me with a tired smile and say "Thanks for being here." Some would squeeze my shoulder, some would ask where I was from, some would say, "how you doing tonight?"
I was overcome with the kindness and the gratitude these people, so physically and emotionally drained, expressed. That was when it ceased to feel like a movie set and became reality for me.
While I waited for my turn to unload, I went in to the respite center for a soft drink, and stayed long enough to fully appreciate what was happening there. The first thing I saw was a large dining room, probably 80 round tables, with fresh flowers and a teddy bear on each one. Many people were eating, some visiting or just sitting by themselves. I went on to the kitchen, where I learned from a Red Cross volunteer that they were serving 22,000 meals every 24 hours there. Breakfast, lunch and dinner for the day crews, and again for the night crews. A week later a second respite center was opened on the other side of Ground Zero to handle the overflow.
I wandered into the next room, a large meeting hall set up with easy chairs, couches, lounges, televisions, and more round tables and flowers and teddy bears. People were resting, relaxing, visiting, some laughing, some somber, some just sitting with their eyes closed.
A mass care volunteer offered to take me on a tour upstairs, where the sleeping area was. The college classrooms up there had been turned into dorms, with about eight beds per room. Each bed was expertly made, and a teddy bear and a flowered bag containing toiletries and snacks sat on each pillow. I don't know how many dorm rooms there were, many of them were occupied so I didn't go into them all. There was another room up there with comfortable furniture and television, again in full use.
Back downstairs I visited the supply room, where the workers could come in any time and pick up new boots, jeans, shirts, sweatshirts, socks, underwear and gloves as their cloths became too wet and dirty to work in. There was no checking in or out, no papers to fill out, the only signs there said "This is a gift from the American people". I learned that the lifetime of a pair of heavy-duty work boots out in that wet and still smoldering pile of debris was five days, and sweatshirts were changed as often as three times a day. The supply room also furnished masks to filter out some of the dust and smoke, and eye drops, lotions, and any and all supplies that would make it a little more bearable to go back out into that mountain of sadness and despair.
Outside the main doors of the respite center were a bank of pay telephones, about 10 of them, set up for free long distance and local calls, available for anyone to use anytime. Each call could last up to five minutes, to give everyone a chance to use them. They were all in use right then, families getting a brief call at midnight from their husband, wife, son or daughter, to let them know they were okay, or maybe to assure themselves that a real and better world existed outside of ground zero.
When my truck came up for unloading a crew of volunteers took over that job, and I relieved the volunteer that was standing at the bottom of the ramp that led up to the respite center. Hand-held spray attachments dangled from a long sink along the ramp, and we were asking those that came in to the respite center to please rinse the debris from the bottom of their boots before going in. One young firefighter, with a wonderful Brooklyn accent, grinned and said, "You want me to do what?" I told him, "Remember how your Momma, when you were a boy, would tell you to clean your shoes off before you came in and tracked up the house? Just pretend I'm your Momma." He laughed, and said I was right, that was just how his Momma sounded! He came back out a few minutes later with a drink and snacks, and a teddy bear tucked under his arm. He stopped and hugged me, and stuck the teddy bear in my arms, thanking me, and telling me they really appreciated us being there for them. I tried to tell him how much we appreciated him being there, but it was difficult to speak.
I was pretty emotionally drained by the time we left there that night, but I was uplifted, too. In the midst of what the worst in people had done, I was surrounded by the best in people, and that far outweighed the other.
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Meadow of Love
These characters are not owned by me, but by Stephenie Meyer. Edward for the billionth time is talking Bella to the wonderful meadow. He's really nervous though...why?
well i decided that i wanted to add one more story. to be honest the song 'your body is wonderland' by john mayer inspired this stroy. if you could to make the story better listen to the song and read. it really sets the mood and so on. ENJOY!
1. Meadow of Love
Rating 3.7/5 Word Count 1347 Review this Chapter
Sometimes I can't believe my immortal eyes. Bella is so beautiful! She is my world......she is my dream girl. 100 years ago when I was a human I thought I was complete. I thought I didn't need anyone. That girls were just there. I mean I respected them, but I would never see myself with one. I was always busy with something else like playing piano or work. The only thing that makes me happy I'm immortal is the fact I lived long enough to meet Bella. Today we are suppose to go to the meadow. I'm rather nervous. I don't know why. If my heart was still pumping blood it would be doing double time. Isn't it weird a vampire has butterflies? That thought made me chuckle out loud. I stood up to go to the end of the staircase when I heard my beloved Bella. She was at the top of the staircase and stared at me with those beautiful, deep brown eyes before proceeding. She blushed......I always loved it when she did so. I couldn't help but gawk at her. She looked amazing. Like a beautiful fortress. Her hair was curled today. She also had on that nice fitting blue blouse I loved. I knew I had to thank Alice. She really knew how to make my breath go short. I just stared in pure amazement. Bella actually didn't trip down the stairs today! Wow.
"Hey Edward!" she said happier than ever.
The only thing at that moment that escaped my lips was "you look amazing I couldn't help but stare."
Damn myself! She looked down and started to blush. She blushed so much it went to the tips of her fragile ears.
"Bella I love it when you blush....the color looks amazing on you."
I could hear her heart rate quicken. I also loved the fact I had that kind of effect on her. Little did she know she had it on me.
"Lets go Edward. Come on! What's so amazing about me?" she huffed. "Everything", I mumbled to low for human ears.
I walked up to her and grabbed her warm hand. Oh, how I loved her warm hands on me. Soon enough we were in the car driving. This time she didn't complain about my driving. I was very amused by this idea and sped up. She just looked at me and smiled her warm smile. Now if my heart was still beating it would be palpitating. We were there. I got out first and as usual I opened her door for her. She was so used to it. It was like routine. She stepped out of the Volvo and stood there knowing what was going to happen next. I walked over to her at a human speed because I was nervous, Not nervous because I was alone with her. Not nervous because I was hungry. It was a different kind of nervous. Since this was still new to me the feelings hit me very hard. I wanted to shake. I never felt like this before. Bella and I have gone here before, but I was never this nervous.
"Edward before you put me on your back I wanted to do something." she said slowly.
I nodded thinking it had to deal with girl matters. Little did I know she was going to kiss me. She kissed me so warm and so passionately with her candy lips. I nearly fell over from shock. Of course I kissed her back. I wasn't willing to pull back today, so she did when we were out of breath. I leaned my forehead against hers for a moment listening to her heartbeat.
"Wow Bella where did that come from?" I said gasping for air. "I don't know. I just felt like kissing you right here right now." she panted.
When we both caught our breath I put Bella gently on my back. I was then off! We were there in no time. I laid the blanket down while she looked at the surroundings. She looked at me and saw me looking at her with my playful grin. She then knew what was going to happen.
"Oh no Edward! You are very scary! Please don't hurt me!" she said with a coy smile. " you better be scared!", I growled playfully.
At that moment I flung myself at her. We went flying in the air over to the blanket. I locked myself around her and held her close to me. I hit the ground first and then flipped her and pinned her to the ground.
"Edward no! Please!" she said a little out of breath.
I caressed her cheek with my lips then moved to her neck and then to her collarbone. She laughed and tried to get away but she couldn't. I loved how she tried so hard to get away.
" Edward!", she cried out laughing. "Yes, my love?" I said smiling. "Plea- hahahaha" she yelped.
I couldn't help but laugh hard. If only she could have seen her face. While I was busy laughing she turned me and pinned me down. I was in shock.
"Edward Cullen I got you now!!" she laughed amused by the fact she got me. "Well that's going to change miss Isabella Swan", I laughed.
We then laid there looking into each other's eyes. Her deep brown always seem to capture me. In the sun her skin looked like porcelain. There's something about the way her hair falls in her face. Everyday I fall even more in love with her. Just that thought makes me smile.
"Hey, bella we have to go now. Its late." I breathed against her soft porcelain like skin.
She looked at me and kissed me. I kissed her back once again. Again she had to pull away. I was in shock again.
"Edward Cullen I love you with all my being. Alright let's go. First you have to let me go", she chuckled.
Dammit Edward you have to be such a love sick puppy don't you? "Oh, right sorry." I said a bit embarrassed.
She just laughed and got up. I then got up and folded the blanket as fast as possible. I picked her up and spun her around yelling to the world how much I love her. I have no Idea where that came from.
She just looked at me wide-eyed and yelled out "I love Edward with all my heart!!"
My body want to like jump with joy. She jumped up higher on me and hugged me then put a small but strong meaning kiss on my cheek. I put her on my back and I went off running so fast it was unbelievable. I dropped Bella off telling her I will see her later and she went inside. I drove home as fast as possible smiling the whole way. I pulled up in my driveway to see Alice with a big grin on her face. I jumped out of the car dancing around happy shouting I love her, I love her. Alice ran up to me and went to give me hug but I got her hand and started to dance around. She laughed and walked inside. I walked inside whistling and dancing around. Esme walked up to me and smiled as big as ever. Then jasper like jumped up.
"Damn Edward you do love her. I can feel it. I mean I can really feel it."Jasper said with a smile.
Emmett ran down the stairs with Rosalie. Rosalie smiled for once and Emmett jumped on my back.
"You go little man! Wow I knew you would find someone as special as Bella. By the way me and Bella spent time together and she's freaking awesome!" Emmett roared with laughter.
I ran up the stairs jumping around and singing. Carlisle walked out of his office and smiled at me. "Edward, I knew you had it in you to love. Oh, and the song your singing is horrid." I just laughed and went to my room. I laid on my couch closing my eyes seeing her wonderful, warm, brave, loving face.
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Full Professor Lecture Oct. 16: How to Save American Elections
- 10-10-2012
- By University Communications
Elections in the U.S. are in an unhealthy state. But, what, exactly, is wrong with elections and why? And what can we do to restore to health both elections and the democracy that relies on them?
Jack Gierzynski, professor of political science, will address these questions by discussing the diagnosis and prescriptions outlined in his 2011 book, Saving American Elections: A Diagnosis and Prescription for a Healthier Democracy, in a public talk, part of the College of Arts and Science' Full Professor Lecture Series.
Free and open to the public, the lecture, "Saving American Elections," will take place Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 4:30 p.m. in Memorial Lounge, Waterman Building.
Gierzynski has published two other books: Money Rules (Westview Press 2000) and Legislative Party Campaign Committees in the American States (University of Kentucky, 1992). He has written more than a dozen articles and book chapters on campaign finance, political parties, and elections. He is the director of the James M. Jeffords Center's Vermont Legislative Research Service. His current project is a book due out in early 2013 on the effects of the Harry Potter series on the Millennial Generation.
Information: (802) 656-0756.