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Food, Family and Fun
Animals for Adoption
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National Trails Day Celebration Set for Funk's
Grove June 7
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[May 15, 2014]
GROVE - The Illinois Grand Prairie Master Naturalists are planning
their second trails day celebration to be held June 7, as part of
National Trails Day. The event will take place at Funks Grove
between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Headquarters for the event check-in will be at Sugar Grove Nature
Center in Funks Grove. The Grove has over seven miles of hiking
trails where participants can enjoy the diversity of plants and
animals that live in prairie, woodland and savanna habitats.
Guided hikes will take hikers along creeks and streams where birds
and butterflies fly, toads hop, fish swim, herons hunt and beavers
are busy building dams. Maps are also available for self-guided
Many Nature Activities Planned For Adults and Children
Many nature-related activities are planned focusing on hiking,
geocaching, photography, first aid, trail safety and other outdoor
learning activities for adults and children. Special activities for
Boy and Girl Scouts will also be available.
Sugar Grove Nature Center provides a great opportunity to see and
learn about some amphibians and reptiles up close within the
center's building and to watch songbirds at feeders through special
one-way observation windows.
[to top of second
Participants are encouraged to pack a picnic lunch and stay all
day to take advantage of as many activities as possible.
For more information about this event or its location, go to
email@example.com or call 309-874-2174.
The Illinois Grand Prairie Master Naturalist certification is a
University of Illinois extension program.
[Text received; JANET RASMUSSEN,
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PLAINVILLE — Home builder Johnny Carrier savors the nail gun's staccato tap-tap as two workers finish piecing together two-by-fours at Samuel's Crossing near the Plainville-Farmington line.
Carpenters hoist up the wall frame for the colonial, one of four houses that Carrier's company is building in the development, all in various stages of construction.
Carrier, watching from behind a stack of framing studs, sees promise this spring in the pace of building. But he wonders if it will last, considering what happened last year.
"It was good out of the gate until April, when it died," Carrier says. "Is it going to continue this year, or are we going to have the same cycle?"
Carrier and other developers in the Hartford area are hopeful but wary, even with the state as a whole coming off its best year in new home construction in five years. The number of housing permits — single-family houses, apartment units and condominiums — jumped by 16 percent last year, compared with 2012.
But most of the increase last year was in Fairfield County, and an analysis of data by The Courant shows that only Fairfield County has returned to the robust residential building levels that the state enjoyed prior to start of the housing downturn in 2007.
The strong showing on the state's Gold Coast last year was dominated by apartments, not single-family houses.
Statewide, overall home construction started out strong this year, but has lost some momentum this spring.
Carrier — whose family-owned home building company, By Carrier Inc., focuses on houses and condominiums — said he expects that his part of the residential construction market will keep making gains, albeit slowly.
"Connecticut will gradually rise to pre-recession levels," Carrier says. "It might take three, four, maybe five years to get there."
Slow To Rebound
Statewide, in 2011, new home construction fell to a low not seen in decades, 2,837 units. Towns and cities issued an encouraging 5,424 housing permits last year. The levels, however, are still below the 9,000 to 10,000 units considered to be a healthy construction market.
Nationally, builder confidence for new, single-family houses cooled in May, with house construction stuck at levels that were half of what would be considered normal.
"Housing is responding much slower than we ever expected," said Ronald F. Van Winkle, an economist and town manager of West Hartford. "We expected housing to provide the bounce. This recovery, there has been no bounce at all."
Home construction is considered a key indicator of recovery after a recession. Demand for new homes rises with buyer confidence in the job market, especially for securing a new job if one is lost. Rising demand creates construction jobs and can ripple out into manufacturing, boosting the need for everything from windows and refrigerators to lawn mowers.
Connecticut's home sale market had gains in the past two years, but an abrupt rise in mortgage rates tempered enthusiasm. The borrowing rates are still historically low, but the swiftness of the jump in rates took potential buyers by surprise.
In Connecticut, slow growth in both employment and population is holding down construction.
"We don't have the population growth because we don't have the job growth," said Chris Nelson, a partner at Landworks Development in Farmington. "People are still a little hesitant to buy."
But Nelson said he was starting to see at least some of the anxiety over buying starting to ease.
Landworks has taken over a former 55-and-over development in Simsbury, aiming to complete the second half of the project's 180 single-family houses. The development began a decade ago, but sales slowed in the housing downturn. Landworks asked the town to lift the age restriction, which Nelson said will broaden the pool of potential buyers.
The houses range from 1,800 to 2,400 square feet, with prices running from about $400,000 to the low $600,000s. The development just began appearing on the Multiple Listing Service in recent weeks, and three potential buyers already have lined up, Nelson said.
"We hope and expect within the next 12 months that we will be closing a couple of units a month," Nelson said. "We haven't been able to say that for many years, since 2007 or 2008."
Fairfield County Stands Out
The brightest spot in the state's new home construction market is in Fairfield County, where permits for apartment units last year outnumbered single-family houses by a ratio of nearly 2-to-1. There appears there will be little letup in 2014.
In Stamford alone, 2,100 rental units were either approved recently by the city or are now going through the zoning process. Two major projects are downtown and one is on the waterfront, said Robert "Robin" Stein, the city's interim economic development chief.
"Stamford is red-hot for building rental right now," Stein said.
Joseph McGee, vice president of public policy at the Business Council of Fairfield County, said that the close proximity to New York City — and the high-paying jobs there — is a factor. But apartment dwellers in Stamford, for instance, work in diverse locations: The largest number — 50 percent — work in Stamford, followed by 20 percent in Manhattan, with the balance in Westchester County and elsewhere in Connecticut, McGee said, citing a recent survey.
There is no condominium development in Stamford and, at most, a dozen single-family houses under construction.
Apartment building, McGee said, is capitalizing on the broader national trend of young professionals moving back to urban areas, especially where there is close access to train stations. That's true in Stamford, but also in Fairfield, where developers are pursuing apartment proposals near the train station.
Rental construction also is surging in downtown Hartford as the city taps into the national trend of people seeking urban dwellings, and in the surrounding suburbs. But the surge also is a symptom of people putting off home purchases, experts say.
In downtown Stamford, renters are roughly 25 to 35 years old with an average income of $108,000. About 80 percent have college educations, McGee said.
"There is clearly a shift here," McGee said. "But it's not the end of the suburbs. It's just that there is a different group that is very attracted to the city."
Buyers In The Balance
The tentative recovery of single-family house construction is leaving some potential buyers frustrated as they search for a newly built home.
A year ago, Richard King and his wife, Betsy, were looking to move back to Connecticut from upstate New York. The couple had relocated from the state after the Fafnir Bearing Co. plant in New Britain, where Richard King worked as an engineer, was closed in the 1990s.
The Kings, now both retired, were looking to downsize from a 2,650-square-foot, contemporary-style house on 3 acres. They started looking in the Hartford area, mostly at older houses.
"One of the houses we looked at, it was nice," King recalled. "But my wife described it as a festering wound, there was always going to be something to do. The list goes on and on as you look at older homes."
A new home provided an attractive alternative, King said, "but the pickings were pretty slim." On top of that, they were looking in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range, he said.
"If you go to a place like Farmington, Unionville or Avon, you were looking at $600,000 or $700,000," King said.
One weekend, the couple saw a newspaper advertisement for Samuel's Crossing. They drove to Plainville and found Carrier, the developer, willing to customize house designs. For instance, the couple wanted a master bedroom suite on the first floor, anticipating the future when they might not be able to easily manage stairs.
The Kings rented an apartment while their three-bedroom colonial was built. They ended up paying $390,000, and moved into the house in January.
"We've gone through the fixer-upper stage," King said. "We don't want to do that anymore."

subset: commoncrawl


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Old Findings 1
As part of my new life choices, I've been going through the storage unit that stores everything I own, and I've been deciding what to keep and what to throw away. Taking a minimalist approach, anything that I couldn't think of a use for (minus sketchbooks and notebooks) was thrown away or donated. However, in so doing, I've come across a lot of things from my past. Including some things that I'll be sharing with you guys here.
Specifically, I found several papers I wrote in highschool, and some speeches I wrote in college, that I'll be transcribing up onto this blog so that you all can laugh at teeny-bopper me. Also, so that I can see how I've progressed since then.
Starting first with a paper entitled Journal 2, which contained the prompt, "Imagine if you were the sole Survivor, write your story."more


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Fighting for food freedom.
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) is a national organization that supports independent family farmers and protects a healthy and productive food supply for American consumers. FARFA promotes common sense policies for local, diversified agricultural systems.
FARFA is an advocate for independent farmers, ranchers, livestock owners, and homesteaders, as well as the consumers who support them. By protecting independent producers, we protect the safety, quality, and availability of our food.
FARFA is here to help you …
● Stay informed on the issues affecting your farms and your food.
● Gather the resources you need to make change at the state and national legislative level.
● Get involved and donate to support the work we do to protect our rights and local food systems.


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Stylish Lowcountry Home with a Neutral Palette
Taking style cues from the past fills a new South Carolina retreat with all the charm befitting its picturesque setting
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There's a special beauty to the marshes in South Carolina's Lowcountry: the ripple-free water, the gentle whisper of the long grasses when they catch the breeze, and the way the scene turns to gold in the late afternoon sun. Unfortunately, for out-of-towners Renee and Alan Levow, the search for their own vacation home on Kiawah Island wasn't quite as magical. "We couldn't find anything we liked," says Renee. "It seemed everything we were seeing would require major renovations." So, rather than continue hunting for a lived-in, well-worn house, they decided to build a home they could fill with a history of their own.
Photography: Emily Jenkins Followill and Josh Gibson
Produced by Eleanor Roper
Architect: Wayne Windham, Wayne Windham Architect, 1779 Main Rd., Johns Island, SC 29455; 843/243-0790, and 46 Wharf St., Bluffton, SC 29910; 843/815-3266, waynewindhamarchitect.com.
Architect: Laura DePree, Laura DePree Architect, 1630 Doncaster Drive N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309; 404/685-0202.
Interior designer: Beth Webb, Beth Webb Interiors, 425 Peachtree Hills Ave., Suite 11B-4, Atlanta, GA 30305; 404/869-6367, bethwebb.com.
Chaise lounge ("Belvedere"); cushions ("Belvedere Chaise Cushions"/Canvas Charcoal"): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Architectural Influence
That history, as it turned out, would date all the way back to the 16th century. Enlisting the help of architects Laura Howard DePree and Wayne Windham, Renee made clear her desire for a classic, beautifully proportioned house that would take its cues from the designs of Italian architect Andrea Palladio, with details like peaked roofs and thick columns. "Laura and I had just been to the Morgan Library & Museum in New York for a celebration of his 400-year anniversary, and all of his structures still seemed relevant and timeless," she says. "They'll never go out of style, and that's exactly what I wanted for my own home."
Italian architect Andrea Palladio's influence is evident in the home's exterior details, such as the peaked roofs.
Peaceful Nook
The house, nestled on three acres of undeveloped land, needed to look as if it had always been there and always would be. The interiors had to follow suit, all while deferring to the lovely marsh views that first attracted the couple to the secluded spot. While Renee tackled the job of furnishing the home with gusto, she soon realized she would have to call in reinforcements, which arrived in the form of Atlanta-based interior designer Beth Webb.
This quiet space sets the tone for the rest of the house, mixing sharp architectural details like a built-in bench with understated fabrics on the cushion and pillows.
Floors (7-inch white oak, custom finish): Purser Wood Floors, 704/366-1935.
Window-seat area—
Bench-drawer hardware ("Dakota Wire Pull"/Rustic Pewter): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Linen bench cushion and trim ("Shannon" #3675): Pindler & Pindler, pindler.com.
Pillows: Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Sconces ("Small Aspect Articulating Sconce" #BBL2028, by Barbara Barry): Circa Lighting, circalighting.com.
Wall paint ("Sheep's Wool #857): Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com.
Quiet Living Room
"Renee had done a lot of research," interior designer Webb notes, "but we were on the same page the whole time. We're stylistically very similar. It's what I would have done if I were designing my own beach house."
Together, the two outfitted the spaces with elegant pieces of furniture that borrow their interest from shapely silhouettes and highly textural fabrics. They kept everything calm and neutral to allow the focus of each room to remain on the scenery outside the windows.
The coffee table's pebble-smooth honed marble top forms a compelling contrast with the heavily textured Belgian linen on the Verellen sofas.
Wall paint ("Alabaster" #SW 7008): Sherwin Williams, sherwin-williams.com.
Fire screen (custom): Scott Antique Markets, scottantiquemarket.com.
Fireballs: Blazing Glass, blazingglass.com.
Mantel accessories; mirror (discontinued); wing chair ("Amelie" by Verellen in "Cambridge Charcoal" fabric); coffee table ("Three Piece Oval Stone and Metal Cocktail Table"); console table (discontinued); sofas ("Pierre," in fabric "Casual Linen"/Oatmeal, by Verellen); pillows ("Newberry Fretwork"/Spa): Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Area rug ("Leila Kara Rug," discontinued): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
End table beside small sofa ("Cara Side Table"): Made Goods, madegoods.com.
End table beside large sofa ("Lincoln Large Sterling Pull-Up Table"): Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, mgbwhome.com.
Drapery ("Natural Linen" #1000C.NT): Ulster Linen Co., ulsterlinen.com.
Drapery hardware (custom): Bradley, bradley-usa.com.
Table lamp: owner's collection.
Calming Space
Careful material and palette choices, like the wood floors in a soothing driftwood hue and the endless creams and whites on the walls throughout, ensure a seamless connection between the indoors and out. "I wanted the natural setting to be the main character of the house," says Renee. "Everything we did had to enhance it."
But things got a little tricky when Renee and Webb began to introduce the homeowners' extensive art collection into the new spaces—many of the works came with instructions to avoid direct sun. Where to place them in the rooms presented a particular challenge considering the numerous large windows throughout. Luckily, though, DePree had already accounted for that. "Laura was really the genius on the project," Webb says. "She thought of everything. She gave us plenty of shaded walls but somehow lots of light too. It gives the home a real sense of balance."
The coffee table is one of Renee Levow's favorite pieces. The mirror above the mantel reflects the room's calm atmosphere.
Dining Room
In fact, the entire house feels balanced: firmly straddling the line between old and new, classic and contemporary, sophisticated and informal. In the dining room, sleek wing chairs join slipcovered side chairs and a plush upholstered banquette in challenging the typical notion of formal dining, while the space's tall, matching cabinets and ornate chandelier lend a certain gravitas.
Designer Beth Webb wanted the dining area to be more than just a place to take meals, so she filled it with mismatched slipcovered and upholstered seating for added comfort and function.
Wall paint ("Alabaster" #SW-7008): Sherwin-Williams, sherwin-williams.com.
China cabinet ("19th C. Swedish Brasserie Double-Door Glass Cabinet" #61460020): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
China in cabinet (from Macy's and West Elm): owner's collection.
Chairs ("Parsons Dining Chair"); host chairs ("Amelie Chairs" in fabric "Cambridge Charcoal" by Verellen); banquette ("Palermo Banquette"); banquette fabric (Velvet #VDE20020-I, Collection 1); pillows on banquette; dining table; vases: Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Chandelier ("Murano Glass Chandelier"/Clear): Design Within Reach, dwr.com.
Roman shade: Ulster Linen, ulsterlinen.com.
Trim on shades (#1025-18): Janet Yonaty, janetyonaty.com.
Art (by Pat Steir): owner's collection.
Clean Kitchen
The traditional kitchen, with its raised-panel cabinetry, gets some unexpected midcentury glamour thanks to an eat-in area built around a Saarinen table and Emeco chairs.
The homeowners turned to kitchen designer Linda McLain to develop a plan for an entertainment-friendly workhorse of a room that looks bright and inviting thanks to honed Carrara marble countertops and GE Monogram stainless steel appliances.
Wall paint ("Sheep's Wool" #857): Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com.
Ceiling and trim paint, cabinetry finish ("Bright White" #SW 7007); island paint ("Grizzle Gray" #SW 7068): Sherwin-Williams, sherwin-williams.com.
Cabinetry: Signature Kitchens, signaturekitchens.net.
Cabinetry hardware ("6-inch Maddox Pull;" "8-inch Maddox Pull;" 11/4-inch Maddox Knob"): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Countertop: Carrara marble, honed.
Sink: custom.
Main faucet ("Odeon One Hole Low Profile Kitchen Faucet, Metal Lever Handle"/Matte Nickel #ODKM13): Waterworks, waterworks.com.
Island faucet ("Modern Architectural Side Lever Stainless Steel Pull-down Kitchen Faucet"#R7520): Rohl, rohlhome.com.
Pitcher and bowls by sink: Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Range; oven hood: GE Monogram, monogram.com.
Faucets: Rohl, rohlhome.com.
Pendant lights over island ("Large Country Industrial Pendant with Metal Shade" #CHC5136): Circa Lighting, circalighting.com.
Bar stools ("1006 Navy Barstool"/Brushed Aluminum): Design Within Reach, dwr.com.
Lovely Master Bedroom
In the master suite, the bed's oversized tufted headboard looks more laid-back and understated when paired with a roughly woven wicker bench and a cozy conversation nook.
Wall paint ("London Fog" #1541); trim paint ("Sheep's Wool" #857): Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com.
Ceiling paint ("Alabaster" #SW 7008): Sherwin-Williams, sherwin-williams.com.
Drapery: Ulster Linen, ulsterlinen.com.
Drapery hardware (custom): Bradley, bradley-usa.com.
Rug ("Hana Rug"/Grey); bedside chest ("Zinc 3-Drawer Dresser): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Bedside lamp: Scott Antique Markets, scottantiquemarket.com.
Bed ("Arthur Bed" #ATH-BED-010, by Cisco Brothers); headboard-and-bed skirt fabric ("Casual Linen"/Natural by Verellen); blue bed cover and shams; throw pillows on bed ("Newberry Fretwork"/Spa); lounge chair and ottoman ("Oxford"); lounge-chair fabric ("Casual Linen"/Natural, by Verellen): Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Duvet (Italian Hotel Satin Stitch Duvet"/Shore #14020040SHOR); matching shams ("Italian Hotel Satin Stitch Shams"/Shore #14020043SHOR): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Wicker bench at end of bed: B.D. Jeffries, bdjeffries.com.
Art above bed (by Terry Winters): owner's collection.
Armoire ("Reclaimed Lumber Circle Armoire" #OW001): CFC, customfurniturela.com.
Bedroom Sitting Area
Textures in the form of rich linen drapes, a rugged wicker bench from B.D. Jeffries, and a silky rug with subtle pattern from RH imbue the room with a peaceful, organic aesthetic.
Master Bath
The striking striations in the Calacatta Gold marble on the countertops and around the Waterworks tub bring artistic flair to the cool, calming space; sconces are from Circa Lighting.
Roman shade fabric ("Shannon"): Pindler & Pindler, pindler.com.
Cabinetry hardware ("Traditional Clear Glass Pulls"/Polished Nickel, and "Traditional Clear Glass Knobs"/Polished Nickel): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Wall sconce ("French Deco Horn Sconce"/Polished Nickel #S2020, with Off White linen shade): Circa Lighting, circalighting.com.
Vanity countertop; bathtub surround: honed Calacatta Gold marble.
Flooring: Lagos Azul honed gray limestone tiles.
Sink; faucets ("Easton Vintage Low Profile Three-Hole Deck Mounted Lavatory Faucet with White Porcelain Lever Handles"/Nickel, #EALS13, Easton Collection); bathtub; bath faucets ("Easton Classic Low Profile Concealed Tub Filler with Handshower and White Porcelain Lever Handles" #EATF03, Easton Collection): Waterworks, waterworks.com.
Vanity chair; stool ("Miro Stool"): Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Guest Room
For Webb, the true magic of the project only hit her during the grand reveal. "It's poignant in so many ways to know that you've helped to build this thing that's going to keep creating memories for that family," she says. And, for her part, Renee can't wait to do just that—even going so far as to install a small bunkroom for her not-yet-born but eagerly anticipated grandchildren.
In one of the guest rooms, a light and lovely color palette prevails. Details provide a jolt of bright yellow—drawn from the art above the bed.
Wall paint ("Sheep's Wool" #857): Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com.
Headboard ("Soho"); bedside table ("2 Drawer Bedside Table"); art; pillows; accessories: Bungalow Classic, bungalowclassic.com.
Lamps: Pierce Martin, palecek.com.
Bedding: Pottery Barn, potterybarn.com.
Bench ("Vintage Market Crate Chair" with Cushion); rug: Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Gorgeous Porch
Sunlight streams through the semi-sheer drapes and onto the handsome Brazilian ipe wood deck. The outdoor sofa and chairs are from RH, and the sconces are from Circa Lighting.
Wicker chairs ("Provence Bucket Armchair"); cushions (Canvas Charcoal); striped pillows ("Cote D'Azure" by Perennials); coffee table ("Leagrave Coffee Table"/Teak); drapery (outdoor sheer drapery panels in Natural): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Drapery hardware (custom): Bradley, bradley-usa.com.
Wall lanterns ("Suffork"): Circa Lighting, circalighting.com.
Ceiling fan: Modern Fan Co., modernfan.com.
Flooring (white oak, finished to look like driftwood): Purser Wood Floors, 704/366-1935.
Wall paint ("Northern Cliffs" #1536): Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com.
Ceiling and trim paint ("Alabaster" #SW 7008): Sherwin-Williams, sherwin-williams.com.
Lantern on exterior wall ("Tall Linear Lantern"/Bronze #CHO2910): Circa Lighting, circalighting.com.
Chair under lantern ("Provence Dining Side Chair"/Weathered Gray): Restoration Hardware, rh.com.
Homeowner Portrait
"I love every inch of the house," Renee says. "There are no regrets, no second thoughts. I'm never happier than when I'm here."
Alan and Renee Levow on a walkway through the marshes that surround their home in South Carolina's Lowcountry.


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How to Select a Personal Financial Advisor
Savvy consumers interview a few different financial advisors to learn more about each one's background, experience, specialties, and target clientele, as well as his or her listening skills and communication styles. When seeking a financial advisor, first send the Financial Advisor Interview Questionnaire included here, review each advisor's responses, and then visit with two or three prospective advisors over the telephone. After you've identified those advisors who may best fit your needs, ask for a no-obligation get-acquainted meeting and meet with them in person before you make a commitment or sign any contracts.
Click here to download and print the Financial Advisor Interview Questionnaire.
This questionnaire is designed to help you get to know a lot more about a prospective financial advisor prior to meeting with him or speaking with him on the telephone. If an advisor refuses to complete this questionnaire, that says a lot about his attitude or his schedule. In that event, continue on with other advisors who will comply with this request.
Here are a few more general guidelines as you go about your search for the right financial advisor:
Some of the most revealing things you can find out about a financial advisor have to do with why he got into financial planning or advisory services in the first place. You may want to find an individual who has a sincere and deep passion to serve. Many financial advisors have personally lived through life events that you may be experiencing, and their personal insight could be extremely valuable to you.
Another key question isn't just how an advisor is compensated, but how much that advisor will be compensated if you are to work with him. You can't compare advisors' services and prices without getting this kind of detail. And don't forget about conflicts of interest related to compensation. If an advisor makes $1,000 recommending one strategy or investment and $5,000 recommending another, there is a conflict of interest.
Many financial advisors, especially independent, veteran advisors and fee-only advisors, require minimums. Those minimums may be the size of your investment account, your income or net worth, or the annual revenues you generate for the advisor. If you're a do-it-yourselfer or you're looking for a second opinion or one-time review, you very likely won't qualify for many of these advisors' minimum requirements.
Will the prospective advisor be proud and honored to have you as a client? If you happen to be someone who just barely makes an advisor's minimum requirements, or the advisor must make special arrangements or waive minimums to accommodate you, sooner or later, you may find that you aren't getting the attention and personal service that you need and deserve.
Be sure to obtain a written contract from the advisor you select, outlining exactly what the financial advisor will provide for you, how much the services will cost in total, what you must provide to get this work completed, and when you will receive the final product.


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Thank you for racing with us in Mandurah. We appreciate the efforts and support of the city, volunteers, sponsors, and everyone else involved in putting on this race.
We would also like to thank all of the athletes who have raced with us here. Please consider one of the following IRONMAN 70.3 events:


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Writing Tutoring
ARC offers both face to face and online tutoring. Thomas University students can bring or send almost any writing assignment to ARC and receive feedback on their writing. Every semester hundreds of Thomas University students benefit from these face to face and online sessions.
To get the most from each visit for writing feedback students can:
Get feedback on your writing
After your visit, you will be ready to write or revise!
- Plan ahead. Please do not wait until the last moment to seek feedback. Many professors require that students seek feedback 7 to 10 days in advance of a due date to allow students revision time.
- For face to face appointments, come prepared to discuss your writing goals, and the specific assignment. You will need to bring the prompt, assignment instructions, and any drafts you might have.
- For online appointments, students should visit our Schedule an Appointment page.
- You'll leave with or receive concrete plans and/or writing strategies.
Here are some examples of writing assistance available to you:
- Understanding writing assignments and expectation
- Discipline specific writing, including specific writing styles such as MLA and APA
- Selection of and correct use of sources, citations, quotations, and paraphrasing
- Writing thesis statements and/or problem statements and essay and paragraph organization
- Grammar brush-up
Preparing for your visit:
- Visit ARC well before an assignment is due
- Plan your visit…know what you want to discuss
- Bring anything that helps explain the assignment or project
- Plan your visit so that you have time to revise
- Visit ARC regularly as a part of your college experience


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Inchworm update
Found another inchworm in my lettuce — only this batch had been cut, rinsed, put through the salad-spinner twice, and still wound up in a lovely glass bowl on a friend's dining-room table! I am SO glad my friends — and their children — are NOT squeamish.
The little critter delighted one of the diner's sons, Donovan, age 12, who plucked it out of the bowl and watched it do its little dance on his index finger. He set it free in Perry and Rosalind's great-big back yard. But the joke's on Mr. Inch: they didn't plant veggies this year because of a monster remodeling project. OK, bug folks, what ARE these proverbial inchworms the larval form OF? What do they eat? Something IS eating my swiss chard, though I don't begrudge whatever it is the snack. I don't notice any pillaging of the lettuce, though.


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- Reviews
- The Artist
- When artist David Willardson entered the world of entertainment art after graduating from Los Angeles Art Center College of Design, his passionate commitment to excellence and his natural creativity quickly opened doors, allowing him to create internationally known images such as the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie logo and the classic American Graffiti car hop. Because he could create images that portrayed the essence of a story, his creative journey eventually veered into the field of animation—Disney needed an artist that understood and was passionate about Disney characters. They needed an artist that could uphold the integrity of Disney's original drawings. They needed someone who could capture the personalities and emotions of the Disney family of characters.
In short, they needed David Willardson.
Born and raised in San Diego just down the freeway from Disneyland, the Southern California artist was a Disney devotee from the very beginning. In fact, he won an "outstanding paperboy" contest to visit Disneyland when it first opened in 1954 and later became a Disney cast member several years later—working the Skyway gondolas (allegedly ushering Walt Disney himself) and the Matterhorn—due to its reputation for hiring cute female cast members.
Caught up in the adventuresome, ingenious make-believe world of Disney animation as a young child, Willardson was deeply influenced by the creativity and whimsy of the characters and the early execution of the cartoon, factors that profoundly influenced his chosen path as professional artist. Lurking behind his beloved Disney characters, Willardson discovered a team of animation geniuses that had left an indelible mark on American popular culture. As a devotee, he set about learning their craft in order to figure out what made his heroes tick. "As a young kid, I started studying the early Disney imagery - how an eye looked, how a hand looked—in essence, I studied them in minutiae," he recalled. "For years, I'd been studying the work of early animation masters like Ub Iwerks. The early animators were world-class draughtsmen. They could draw so beautifully. The shapes and forms they used—bold geometric circles and triangles—helped create a character in its purest form. The characters from that period were absolutely perfect. I figured out what made them work and what didn't." However, he never seriously considered a professional relationship with Disney until he received a fateful call from Jeffrey Katzenberg, Disney's head of animation in the '80s.
As the legend goes, Willardson was asked by an ad agency to do a painting of Goofy for Walt Disney World. "I rendered it photo realistically," he said, "just a living being, with dimension, shading, core values and rim lighting." The ad ran nationally, and Katzenburg spotted it. He then called Willardson and asked if he would be interested in creating an entirely new look for the animated movie poster campaigns that featured the reissued classics and new movies. For the next seventeen years, Willardson was the artist of choice for those Disney campaigns. The first poster Willardson created for Disney was for the re-release movie poster for Bambi. His fully rendered images for the Disney animated movie posters include such well-known and regarded movie posters such as - The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Robin Hood, Beauty and The Beast, as well as classics, such as Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and The Jungle Book, earning him a permanent place in animation history.
While painting the characters in the traditional way, Willardson also developed his dynamic, colorful, stylish, painting style that breathes life into each classically rendered portrait, capturing the personality and emotions of the characters, but more so revealing their soul. His fully rendered images of Disney classics are still the most widely used to date, earning Willardson a much-deserved place in animation history. When computer graphics took over much of the former hand-illustration work, altering the creative process, he decided to evolve with the times and closed his design studio in 2003 to embark on a bold new venture as a Disney fine artist.
Willardson is now the creative force of the "Pep Art Movement," a creative new genre in which cultural icons are awash with an infusion of color, personality, and vitality. Unlike traditional "pop art," however, the subjects of Willardson's "pep" art are not soup cans or Brillo boxes or movie stars; they are classic Disney characters. "They were my childhood heroes," he said. "I never lost that." The images in his work express an untapped inner verve bubbling within, giving us an unique insight into their technicolor souls. "And they do have souls," Willardson insisted of his favored subjects.
"I certainly am a product of the pop art movement," he elaborated, "but I also have a great love for action painting, which originated in the 1950s with Jackson Pollack and a number of other artists. Action painting is about movement, action and boldness in the painting. I have amalgamated pop art - which deals with pop culture imagery - and action painting, which is really energy painting." The result is a new genre that packs an energized visual wallop. Willardson's paintings exude such rich soulful personality—the joy, sadness, frustration, and exhilaration first granted them by the old masters. "They are living legends to me," he said, "just like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and James Dean."
World Wide Art
World Wide Art is known for its wide selection of limited edition prints by renowned artists, including the luminescent works of David Willardson. Their expert staff also specializes in custom conservation framing. In business since 1996, World Wide Art is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a well-known art shop for both serious collectors and casual decorators. The staff at World-Wide-Art.com not only deals art, but are collectors and artists themselves who consider their work a labor of love and lifestyle of art appreciation.


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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Swallowing a daily multivitamin can reduce the risk of cancer by at least eight percent in middle-aged and older men and appears to have no dangerous side-effects, according to the first large-scale, randomized study on the subject.
The protective effect of the daily pill was described as "modest" by the trial investigators who emphasized that the primary use of vitamins was to prevent nutritional deficiencies. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and presented on Wednesday at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Anaheim, California.
"This is indeed a landmark study," said Cory Abate-Shen, a professor of urological oncology at Columbia University Medical Center who was not involved in the trial. "It suggests that a balanced multivitamin approach is probably more beneficial than increasing to high levels any one vitamin."
About half of U.S. adults take at least one daily dietary supplement - the most popular being a multivitamin, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S. Physicians Health Study II included nearly 50,000 male doctors aged 50 and older and spanned more than 10 years. Participants were randomly assigned to a multivitamin - Pfizer Inc's Centrum Silver - or a placebo. The research was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
Several previous studies, many relying on self-reported use of specific vitamins or supplements, have generated mixed results in terms of cancer outcomes.
"There have been some other trials that have tested combinations, often at high doses, of certain vitamins and minerals," said Dr. Howard Sesso, one of the study's authors and an associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Our trial took a very commonly used multivitamin that has basically low levels of all the different essential vitamins and minerals."
The findings suggest that the biggest health benefit may come from a broad combination of dietary supplements, he said.
Last year, the questionnaire-based Iowa Women's Health Study found that older women who take multivitamins have slightly increased death rates compared to those who don't.
A study examining whether vitamin E and selenium could reduce the risk of prostate cancer was stopped prematurely in 2008 after men taking 400 international units (IU) of the vitamin showed an increased risk of developing the cancer. Over-the-counter multivitamins typically contain 15 to 25 IU of vitamin E.
The newly-released Physicians Health Study showed an 8 percent reduction in total cancer occurrence for participants taking a multivitamin, but no benefit was seen for rates of prostate cancer, the most common cancer seen among the participants in the study.
Excluding prostate cancer, researchers found about a 12 percent reduction in overall cancer occurrence and said the protective effect seemed to be greater in people who had previously battled cancer.
They also saw a 12 percent reduction in the risk of death from cancer, although those findings also were not statistically significant.
Researchers said they planned to continue to follow the study group to monitor the effect of vitamin intake over time, and said additional studies would be needed to see if there were similar benefits for women or younger men.
"It doesn't seem like there is any particular risk associated with taking a vitamin and there might be a small benefit," said Dr. David Weinberg, chief of the department of medicine at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. He was not involved in the study.
Reporting By Deena Beasley; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Paul Simao


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Queen's Gambit Accepted - Smyslov VariationProduct Code: B0083IS
Book Description
The Smyslov Variation was developed by World Chess Champion Vasily Smyslov and used in top level competitions by him and by other World Champions. One advantage is that it can be used frequently. If White plays 1. d4 and Black responds with 1. ...d5, White will almost always play 2. c4. Then after the natural moves 2. ...dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3, Black can play 4. ...g6 which is the Smyslov Variation. The Smyslov Variation is a form of the Queen's Gambit Accepted. Smyslov's Variation is inspired by the Gruenfeld Defense but easier to play because there isn't a lot of deep theory to absorb. The basic idea is to establish a safe castled position and aim to undermine White's center with an eventual ...e5 or play on the queenside, using knights to infiltrate the light squares. Smyslov's preferred plan is to bring the Nf6 to the queenside via d7, bring the bishop to g4 to eliminate the Nf3, and then play ...e5.
About the Author(s)
Eric Schiller (born March 20, 1955 in New York) is an American chess player, trainer, arbiter and author. Schiller has a Ph.D. and is a published author in linguistics, specializing in Cambodian languages. Schiller has written over 100 chess books, more than anyone else except Fred Reinfeld and Raymond Keene.
Media Mail Eligible
Media Mail® shipping from the US Postal Service is the cost-effective way to ship Books, Software and DVDs. With shipping rates starting at only $5.00, it's the most affordable shipping method available.
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Product Details
|Ishi Press
|Eric Schiller, Eric Schiller
|168 Pages
|Publication Date
|Apr 5, 2011
|Notation Type
|AN - Algebraic
|Book Binding Type
|Book Edition
|This is a Modern Reprint of a Classic Book


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MISENHEIMER, N.C. - Freshman Aaliyah Jackson scored her first two collegiate goals including the overtime game-winner as Pfeiffer University defeated Carson-Newman College 2-1 in women's soccer action on Saturday afternoon. The victory gives the Lady Falcons their first win of the season evening to 1-1 while the Eagles fall to 0-2.
Jackson started the scoring in the 65th to break a scoreless draw with a shot just inside the 18-yard box that snuck inside the left post for a 1-0 Pfeiffer lead. Carson-Newman's equalizer came 13 minutes later in the 78th minute thanks to Mikayla Gregg's top shelf goal.
Jackson's game-winner would come in the eighth minute of overtime taking a loose ball from 30 yards out on a breakaway to secure the Lady Falcons' first win of 2012. Carson-Newman battled back to force overtime after playing a man-down from the 17th minute on due to a first half red card.
Pfeiffer outshot Carson-Newman 22-10 in the win also leading 9-4 in corners. The Lady Falcons would have plenty of chances in regulation to take control but was whistled for 11 offsides on the night. Britt Polly would make four saves in net for Pfeiffer while Kendra Ivans turned away 13 for Carson-Newman.
Pfeiffer will now hit the road for their next contest on Wednesday traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne for a 5:00 p.m. matchup with the Bears. Live stats will be available through http://www.gofalconsports.com.


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Inspired by a television program that featured footage of a homeless woman using toilet water to shave her legs, Kimberly Glover decided she would collect toiletries for a local nonprofit that works with the area's homeless as her community service project.
The 16-year-old from Menifee, a junior at Santa Rosa Academy, emailed more than 100 companies, large and small, and explained what she was doing. And then she waited.
And waited some more without hearing back from anyone.
At this point, some folks might have scrapped the idea and moved on to Plan B.
Kimberly, however, kept at it.
"I just kept sending them out," she said, sharing her story during an interview at an emergency shelter for the homeless operated by the nonprofit Project TOUCH.
Kimberly-Clark was the first company to step up, sending Kimberly a shipment in October that included a large box of its Kotex brand feminine care products.
Other companies followed suit and pretty soon the living room of Kimberly's home filled up with donated products: items from Beiersdorf, KAO, Earthpaste, Tom's of Maine, Sunstar Americas, Natural Dentist, OPI, Dr. Bronners Magic Soaps, Dentek and Clear Bags. She also received donations from the Susan G. Komen For The Cure, which helped her use coupons to buy products to fill out her care bags.
"She's a very determined young woman," said her mother, Anna Arthur, a Ghana native who moved to the U.S. 24 years ago.
Anne Unmacht, president of Project TOUCH, said the donation by Kimberly of hundreds of care bags has allowed her to distribute bags to all of the women living in the emergency shelter and everyone else the nonprofit serves.
"And we still have bags available when they run out," she said.
The bags contain lotions, shampoo, toothbrushes, nail polish and feminine care products, which are sometimes luxuries for people struggling to put food on the table.
A 62-year-old tenant at the emergency shelter, Kathy Hannah, said Kimberly's project has made life better for the women of Project TOUCH.
"I have a lot of gratitude, appreciation," she said.
For people on a fixed income, especially those who are living on food stamps, the toiletries in the bag would not be eligible purchases or just too pricey.
For instance, Hannah said, the nail polish that was donated by OPI runs $5 to $10.
"This is the good stuff," she said.
Talking about Kimberly's persistence, Hannah praised her for sticking with the project.
"Tenacity is her middle name," she said.
This wasn't the first charitable outreach by Kimberly, according to her mom, who said her daughter has been a volunteer for Susan G. Komen and collected books to send to Ghana when she was in the eighth grade.
Looking forward, Kimberly said she is applying for a scholarship through the Kohl's Cares Program and narrowing her list of possible colleges, trying to find the right fit for a career in medicine.


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Nightline correspondent Dan Harris on Thursday profiled an organization fighting voter fraud, suggesting that the non-partisan group might have a racial motive for targeting certain neighborhoods. Talking to True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrect, Harris offered this loaded question: "Is your goal really to end voter fraud or is your goal really to intimidate voters who disagree with you politically and scare them away from the polls?" [MP3 audio here.]
Harris followed up, "You are not in any way directly targeting these communities?" Except for Engelbrect, everyone the correspondent talked to backed up this notion. Harris highlighted Teresa Sharp, a woman who had her right to vote challenged: "But Teresa and other Democrats say it's not about voter integrity but about voter suppression, specifically, trying to intimidate low-income people, minorities and students who might vote for President Obama."
Harris made sure to assert that "Study after study has found voter fraud to be virtually nonexistent." However, he made no mention of ACORN or notable examples such as Democrat Al Franken's 2008 Senate race. As the Washington Examiner explained:
In the '08 campaign, Republican Sen. Norm Coleman was running for re-election against Democrat Al Franken. It was impossibly close; on the morning after the election, after 2.9 million people had voted, Coleman led Franken by 725 votes.
Franken and his Democratic allies dispatched an army of lawyers to challenge the results. After the first canvass, Coleman's lead was down to 206 votes. That was followed by months of wrangling and litigation. In the end, Franken was declared the winner by 312 votes. He was sworn into office in July 2009, eight months after the election.
During the controversy a conservative group called Minnesota Majority began to look into claims of voter fraud. Comparing criminal records with voting rolls, the group identified 1,099 felons -- all ineligible to vote -- who had voted in the Franken-Coleman race.
As for True the Vote's efforts, Breitbart.com reported this on Texas:
Engelbrecht's group "snitched" yet again, submitting their findings to the appropriate local authorities. The local authority tasked with election matters was the Harris County Tax Assessor and Voter Registrar, Leo Vasquez.
Vasquez office investigated and presented his office's findings to the public they served. Among the many concerns and findings, Vasquez announced in a press conference on August 24th 2010 that his investigation of only 24,000 registrations, the number of registrations from the previous month, only 7,000 were new voters. He stated that the other 17,000 were problematic. He stated that Houston Votes was the "registration arm of Texans Together Education Fund" and "served as the area's new ACORN organization."
A transcript of the November 1 segment can be found below:
TERRY MORAN: With just five days until the Presidential election, the race simply could not be closer. So, why is one powerful group using a little known law that allows them to challenge the right of their fellow citizens to vote? They say they are fighting voter fraud. Critics say it's voter suppression, specifically of minorities. ABC's Dan Harris set out to investigate for "Your Voice, Your Vote."
DAN HARRIS: Teresa Sharp is a grandmother who says she's voted in every election since she was 18. She's even served as a poll worker.
TERESA SHARP: Voting, to me, is like, sacred.
HARRIS: So, imagine her surprise when she got this letter in the mail.
SHARP: "Dear Mrs Sharp. You are hereby notified that your right to vote has been challenged by a qualified elector under RC-3503.24," whatever that is.
HARRIS: Her sons Christopher and Herbert Jr also received similar letters. So did her daughters, Azaneth and Eleanor, and her elderly aunt, too.
SHARP: There's somebody out here trying to scare people into not voting.
HARRIS: But who? Who prompted the county government to send out these letters? The answer, a grassroots organization called True the Vote. True the Vote believes voter fraud is a sweeping national epidemic. These are their recruitment videos.
CATHERINE ENGELBRECT (True the Vote founder): Willful fraudulent behavior.
SPOKESPERSON (TRUE THE VOTE RECRUITMENT VIDEO): People voting who are not the people who they said they were.
HARRIS: True the Vote has enlisted and trained an army of citizen volunteers to challenge voters in the name of what they call voter integrity. It sounds admirable, even patriotic. But Teresa and other Democrats say it's not about voter integrity but about voter suppression, specifically, trying to intimidate low-income people, minorities and students who might vote for President Obama.
SHARP: They're basically wanting to say black people are dumb. No, we're not.
HARRIS: We set out to learn about True the Vote. We found out that its founder and leader is this woman, Catherine Engelbrect, who travels the country speaking about how voter fraud is a hidden menace, threatening the fabric of our democracy. In light of all the controversy, she agreed to sit down with us for her first national television interview. Is your goal really to end voter fraud or is your goal really to intimidate voters who disagree with you politically and scare them away from the polls?
ENGELBRECT: Our goal, really, is to encourage citizens to get involved in the process. It has been a continued shock and disappointment, frankly, to hear these allegations that continue to be leveled at us. It's unfortunate that there are those that have tried to take this and twist it into something that it's not.
HARRIS: Engelbrect started True the Vote three years ago, after serving as a poll watcher in Houston and she says witnessing things that disturbed her.
ENGELBRECT: We recognize, there's - something's not quite right.
HARRIS: They are doing a community service, they say, by making sure there's no voter fraud.
SHARP: Right. Just the poor black neighborhoods, right? Everybody else is clean. You know, we're the dirty people. We're the fraudulent folks.
HARRIS: She smells a rat here. She feels like she's being targeted because she's black.
ENGELBRECT: Teresa Sharp has nothing to worry about because our citizens go into this race blind, party blind.
HARRIS: You are not in any way directly targeting these communities?
ENGELBRECT: No, absolutely not. I mean, this is literally nothing more than citizens doing what is legally allowed, what anyone can do, in an effort to better our overall process. And there's nothing more to it than that.
HARRIS: Engelbrect insists her group is nonpartisan, just as the videos claim.
NARRATOR: True the Vote is a nonpartisan initiative developed by citizens for citizens.
HARRIS: But you yourself run a Tea Party group.
ENGELBRECT Right.
HARRIS: Your organization has been recently shown to have donated $5,000 to a Republican organization. That doesn't sound non-partisan.
ENGELBRECT: Well, you've lined up a lot of things there. And I make no bones about the fact that we have a separate organization. True the Vote, though, has continued to be and will always be non-partisan. We all should be able to agree about election integrity.
HARRIS: And then there's this. The group says it is now mobilizing a million poll watchers to go to voting places around the country this coming Tuesday. These are their recruiting and training videos. The problem, critics say, is that those poll watchers are mostly white and many of the polling places they will target are mostly black. It happened in Texas back in 2010.
CAROL GALLOWAY (Former Houston City Council): I think it's just coming from that particular party, trying to intimidate the voters.
HARRIS: How do you respond to those complaints?
ENGELBRECT: We have looked at - we take those very seriously. And we look into them. Here in Houston, you can talk to our county attorney who will tell you that they are all completely unfounded.
HARRIS: So we did actually talk to the county attorney and he said he found several legitimate complaints. He also said that when he went to yours offices, he saw evidence that you were specifically targeting minority neighborhoods.
ENGELBRECT: Really?
HARRIS: So what did you find? Were these people being disruptive?
DOUGLAS RAY (Sr. Assistant County Attorney): (senior assistant county attorney): Some of them were being very disruptive.
HARRIS: Was there a racial component here?
RAY: Well, I hate to attach that, but it does appear that there was that.
HARRIS: The county attorney's office directed us to this early voting place in Houston, where we spotted these poll watchers in a predominantly black neighborhood. This was just last week and the complaints had already begun.
ALBERTA WILLIAMS (Felt harassed while voting): They are trying to find any and everything to stop citizens from voting.
HARRIS: But here's the twist. Study after study has found voter fraud to be virtually nonexistent.
There was one study that found that voter fraud happens as much as people getting hit and killed by lightning and another study in 2005 that showed that the federal government was charging more Americans with violating migratory bird statutes than election fraud.
ENGELBRECT: What we've experienced suggests that there's room for improvement.
HARRIS: Has your system turned up one clear-cut case that you can name right now of obvious fraud?
ENGELBRECT: I think the last thing that we turned in to the counties that we actually turned in, I think were 33 names. However, we're looking at close to 2,000 that have almost identical matches.
HARRIS: But even if all 2,000 cases turn out to be outright, obvious fraud, that's 2,000 cases in a country where tens of million people vote.
ENGELBRECT: Well, I mean it's the same country that in 2000 elected a president based on 537 votes.
HARRIS: Lots of people agree with her and they will be flooding the polling places across the country this Election Day. As for Teresa Sharp, the county threw out the challenge against her and just the other day, she voted early, without incident.
SHARP: Too many people sacrifice their life for me to have that opportunity.
-- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.


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Build and Defend (or B&D) can be best described a Survival Strategic Multi-player Rogue-like Sandbox game. The game is mainly played at the 3th person (like Zelda 3). The main goal of the game is to build and organize a fortress in order to survive waves of monsters. To do so, and among other things, you will have to build ramparts, train soldiers, organize food production, resources gathering and crafting of tools. For the larger monsters, you will have to get an equipment and fight yourself. If you are brave enough, and to get the rarest resources, you will also have to explore dungeons, caves, and tombs. B&D can be played alone, cooperatively with several players on the same computer, or though internet. Several experimental mods are available, including a first person PvP, a creative mod, and the castle mod.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Servings and Times
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 1.0
Ingredients and Preparation
- Toast bagels and spread with cream cheese (1 tablespoon per bagel half).
- Top with basil leaves and nectarine slices. Sprinkle with pepper.


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All the votes are in and it's time for the results! Thank you for all of your votes! This Round had the closest contested matches! You seem to have been enjoying the voting and we are seeing a lot of people get involved. We love it! So, here's the results!
Check it out:
Match #1 Winner = Calie Liddle beat Tinker Belle
Match #2 Winner = Death beat Dream Eater!
Match #3 Winner = Alice Liddle beat Sela Mathers
Match #4 Winner = Cheshire Cat beat Tiger Lily
We'll update the bracket and the next round of matches will run THIS WEEKEND!!! Voting will begin right away!
Thank you for voting and we're really happy to see so much activity on this event. Our fans rock.
We have made a few updates to the Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/212378023/grimm-fairy-tales-animated-series) . If you haven't yet donated, you certainly should! Keep the support coming and we will keep adding awesome rewards.


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NFID Awards Dinner: March 4, 2014
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases honored Richard L. Guerrant, MD and David A. Walton, MD, MPH during a black-tie ceremony honoring individuals for their outstanding achievement in humanitarian service; public education; legislative and/or administrative contributions; clinical and/or research activities; and training future leaders in the field of infectious diseases. Read the NFID blog post with highlights of the evening.
2014 NFID Awards Dinner Photos
(Password: NFID14010)
2014 Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement
Richard L. Guerrant, MD is an internationally known expert in infectious diseases and global health. He graduated from Davidson and the University of Virginia, School of Medicine. Dr. Guerrant founded the Nation's first Trans-University Center for Global Health in 2001. He has worked in the Congo, Bangladesh, Brazil, and South Africa. He completed an internship and residency at Harvard's Boston City Hospital, a fellowship at NIH and worked on cholera research in Bangladesh. Dr. Guerrant is currently leading a $30 million project focusing on "Malnutrition as an Enteric Disease. The project is supported by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He has authored 550 scientific and clinical articles, reviews, and major textbook chapters.
View video highlights
2014 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award
David A. Walton, MD, MPH is a leading expert in community-based care of AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, and non-communicable disease in resource-poor settings. He entered Harvard Medical School in 1998 after receiving his BA from Augustana College. Dr. Walton began his residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Walton first traveled to Haiti following his first year at Harvard as a research assistant to Dr. Paul Farmer and the Partners in Health organization. Since 2008, Dr. Walton has worked with others to accomplish many humanitarian and public education activities including the renovation and staffing of a small clinic in Lascohabas; construction and staffing of a 100-bed hospital in Lacolline; worked as an emergency first responder following the earthquake; and oversaw the construction and staffing of a state-of-art 300 bed teaching hospital that will employ 800 Haitians. He is an associate physician in the Division of Global Health Equity at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA.
View video highlights
2014 Awards Dinner Sponsors:
Merck & Co.
Novartis Vaccines
Pfizer Vaccine Research and Development
Sanofi Pasteur
Cubist Pharmaceuticals
Gilead Sciences Inc.
Parade Media Group


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For complete results in PDF format, click here.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara men's and women's track & field teams swept past UC Riverside in a pair of dual meets on Saturday afternoon in the Inland Empire. The Gaucho men rolled to a 112-62 victory while the women's squad posted a 95-84 victory.
Sophomore Shyan Vaziri paced the men, posting wins in the 800 and 1,500 meters. He recorded a 1:52.41 in the 800 to edge teammate Jordan Scott (1:53.33) by less than a second. In the 1,500 Vaziri 3:51.43 to edge the Highlanders' Seth Totten, who clocked a 3:53.50. Another Gaucho, Bavik Kanzaria, was third at 3:56.65.
Kanzaria ran a 8:35.33 in the 3,000 meters to finish second to UCR's Totten who recorded an 8:33.32.
UCSB also experience success in the sprints with juniors Evan Walker, Nate Harvey and Jacob Vowels placing 1-2-3 in the 100 meters. Walker ran a 10.83 to narrowly defeat his teammate Harvey who ran 10.95.
The Gauchos also swept the top-three places in the 400 meters. Marquis Caldwell won the event in 48.15 with Eric Severiano and Winton Nguyen finishing second and third in 49.02 and 49.10 respectively.
Mikael Powers also contributed two wins for UCSB. He claimed the top-spot in both the 110 meter hurdles (14.81) and the 400 meter hurdles (53.36). Sean Johnson was second in the 110 meter hurdles at 14.90.
Santa Barbara dominated the field events. Mitchell Haag won the high jump at 6'11". John Walsh took the long jump at 21'10.25". Walsh narrowly topped teammate Oscar Pearson who leapt 21'8.75". Pearson won the triple jump with a mark of 45'8.5".
Gauchos won three of the four throwing events. Derek Masterson claimed discus at 155'2" while Albert Hughes took the hammer with a mark of 171'5" and Spencer Neste won the javelin at 159'8"
The women's meet was much closer, but UCSB athletes had some shining moments.
Grace Esslinger claimed the victory in the 200 meters - giving the Gauchos their only win in the sprints – in a time of 24.78. Courtney Lightfoot led a contingent of Santa Barbara runners who finished 2-3-4 in the 800 meters. Lightfoot was second at 2:16.99.
Another individual win for UCSB came in the 400 meter hurdles where Amanda Rodriguez ran a 1:02.57.
The foursome of Esslinger, Rodriguez, Jennifer Carey and Kelsey Bolden ran a 46.88 to give the Gauchos the win in the 4x100 meter relay.
In the high jump, it was freshman Tori Usgaard coming through for Santa Barbara with a leap of 5'5". Usgaard's freshman teammate, Jessica Emde, was second at 5'3"
Senior Veronica Gines narrowly missed giving UCSB a win in the long jump. Gines' mark of 18'3.25" was just a half inch off the winning mark of 18'3.75" by Riverside's Jacquelyn DuBois.
In the throwing events, Irene Kujore gave the Gauchos victories in the shot put (48'9.5") and hammer throw (167'6"). Gines was second in the hammer with a mark of 154'11". Kathleen Guzman led a 1-2-3-4 finish in the discus with a throw of 145'8". Kujore was a narrow second at 145'6"
UCSB's Jennifer Melton and Melissa Rake finished 1-2 in the javelin. Melton's winning toss measured 128'10"
The Gauchos return to action next weekend. On Thursday, Mar. 14 and Friday, Mar. 15, the multi-event athletes will take part in the Northridge Invitational Multis at Cal State Northridge. On Saturday, Mar. 16, UCSB travels to San Luis Obispo to compete in the Cal Poly Invitational.


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Telephone & Cable
Telephone Services for Employees
FSU offers a variety of phone services including voice mail to faculty and staff.
Note: Due to the new Help Desk Ticketing software, there is no longer a need to fill out a separate Telephone Service Request form for campus telephone requests. Please contact the IT Help Desk to request any campus telephone services.
If you are a new employee, your department will contact the IT Help Desk to request that your office phone be activated. They will receive notification by email when the setup of your telephone is complete.
For current employees in need of changes to their existing telephone service, your department will contact the IT Help Desk to request the services. They will receive notification by email when the setup of your telephone is complete.
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Hickory Hoop Bar Stool
Hickory Hoop Bar Stool
Hickory is harvested from the forests of Michigan. Being a hard wood, it is dense and shock resistant, which makes it ideal for all your furniture needs. Like all our other wood species, it is cut, shipped, and then kiln dried before it is made into the unique piece of furniture before you.
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Joba trying to be the father his dad was
DETROIT -- Harlan Chamberlain has spent almost his entire life dealing with the effects of polio, forcing him to use crutches or a scooter to move around and learn how to do most tasks one-handed. That did not prevent him from instilling a sense of discipline in a son who had a gifted right arm.
Joba Chamberlain gets it now, why his father once was waiting for him at school when he tried to sneak into a class, why he wanted to know where Joba was going and who he'd be with when he went out. He's still young at age 28, but with an 8-year-old son to help raise, he finds himself sounding more and more like his dad all the time.
DETROIT -- Harlan Chamberlain has spent almost his entire life dealing with the effects of polio, forcing him to use crutches or a scooter to move around and learn how to do most tasks one-handed. That did not prevent him from instilling a sense of discipline in a son who had a gifted right arm.
Joba Chamberlain gets it now, why his father once was waiting for him at school when he tried to sneak into a class, why he wanted to know where Joba was going and who he'd be with when he went out. He's still young at age 28, but with an 8-year-old son to help raise, he finds himself sounding more and more like his dad all the time.
He also finds himself being the bond to keep the family ties together. When he signed with the Tigers last December, it wasn't just about the right situation for a bounceback season, which has quietly vaulted him among the better setup men in the American League this season. It was about getting close to home and getting a chance to see his dad at games as much as he can.
He is clearly his father's son, while trying to give his own son the kind of time and commitment he received growing up.
"You don't really realize it or understand it until you become a father yourself," Joba Chamberlain said. "I didn't really like all the things that he did when I was that age. Looking back, he was always just looking out for the best and making sure that I did everything that I could to be the person that he wanted me to be."
Long before Joba Chamberlain became a rookie phenom in New York, he was a fun-loving kid being raised in a single-parent home in Nebraska. His parents were both around, but divorced. He and his older sister lived with their father, whose tough upbringing dealing with his condition was matched only by his tough career.
"My father worked in a prison for 27 years," Joba Chamberlain said, "so he was around [violence] all the time. That alone intimidated me. I was scared of my father, to be honest with you. First of all, I didn't want to disappoint him. Second of all, he worked in a prison. I mean, he's seen it all. He never brought it home."
He didn't have to yell and scream to intimidate, Joba said. He didn't have to instantly react to everything he did. He didn't even have to chase him down, because he couldn't. What scared Joba Chamberlain was his father's ability to find out everything and remember everytning.
"I skipped school one day in high school. I was playing video games," Joba Chamberlain said. "I was supposed to be in class and I was walking in to school, to act like I was coming out of class. And he was parked there. And I was like, 'Oh boy, this sucks.'"
He didn't yell and scream. He didn't have to.
"He was just like, 'Hey, let it be a lesson learned,'" Joba said.
He didn't get off that easy.
"I think I had detention, because he knew all of the principals," he said. "That was never good."
The other incident he remembers is the one time he ran away from home.
"The scary part was I knew I could run and get away from dad, because he couldn't catch me," Joba said. "But that made it even worse. I did it once, and I never did it again. I ran away from home and ran down the street, and my dad went inside."
Harlan Chamberlain waited out his son, who eventually had to come home.
"My dad never forgets anything," Joba said with a smile. "When guys would pick on him, he would go, 'If you're going to beat me up, go ahead. I'm not going to stop you. But I'm not going to forget. It might not be tomorrow. It might not be next week. It might not even be next month. But there'll come a point when you will get yours.' And he's a strong man."
Eventually, Joba Chamberlain got it, and he learned to tell his father where he would be at all times. And as he grew up, he realized what it meant to have his father so deeply involved in his life.
Despite the effects of his physical condition and the long hours of his job, Harlan Chamberlain always had time to play catch with his son, even taught him a little about pitching. He taught his son the things he needed to know in life as best he could. And he taught his son to not live with excuses.
"He drives, he walks. He just does it with crutches and a scooter," Joba said. "It's just different. That's just the way he did it. I learned to do a lot of things with one hand, because that was the only way he knew how to teach me: Tie a tie one-handed, break an egg one-handed. I still can't do a button one-handed. It still takes me forever. Your parents teach you ways that they know. For my father, that was the only way he knew."
He also taught his son not to get a big head. He missed maybe three of Joba's games growing up, by Joba's count. When Joba became a pitching star at Nebraska, he still knew where he came from, because he was living in town at home with his dad. For Joba, it was a way to make his scholarship money go further. For Harlan, it was a way to keep an eye on him.
"If I missed class, he knew I missed class," Joba said, "because he was right there."
He was also there for the tough times, which is another lesson he'll never forget. It was actually the time he figured out why all the love was important.
"The time when it actually clicked, I was a sophomore in college and I just had surgery on my knee," Joba recalled. "And in the middle of the night, my ice was supposed to be switched. So I was lying on the couch, and it's about five in the morning. I wake up, and my dad's got my ice bucket in his teeth, walking in on his crutches, and I was like, 'What are you doing?' He was like, 'Your ice needs to be switched.' I was like, 'It can wait. I can go do it.' And my dad was like, 'No, it needed to be done.'
"And that was kind of the point for me when it clicked: What do I need to complain about, if my hamstring hurts or my arm hurts or whatever? My dad's never asked why. He's never complained one day, other than being sore or something like that. But never, why was this the card I was dealt? I've never, ever seen him complain, moan, groan about it. That's just the way it is. That's all he's known. That's what he's lived with. It's made him who he is today."
It's also helped make Joba Chamberlain who he is. He's trying to do the same for his son.
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason.


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I purchased these markers a couple weeks ago and I finally had enough time to test then out today. Unfortunately I began using then and they did not even last me one drawing. One of the pens (.03) acted as if it ran out of ink, then another (.05) had a crooked tip...I do not know how this could possible happen but I am highly disappointed.
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Ada is a city in Pontotoc County.
It is the county seat.
The community was named for Ada Reed, daughter of postmaster William J. Reed.
The latitude of Ada is 34.774N. The longitude is -96.678W.It is in the Central Standard time zone. Elevation is 1,010 feet.
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25% of Ada residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.
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Median rent in Ada, at the time of the 2000 Census, was $279. Monthly homeowner costs, for people with mortgages, were $673.
Libraries in Ada include Ada - Hugh Warren Memorial Library ... View libraries
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A total of 3 fatal motor vehicle accidents occurred in Ada between 2001 and 2003, according to reports gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Easy and Simple Carne Guisada Recipe
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Are you interested with carne guisada? Are you going to make it? It will be perfect if you know more about carne guisada first before you serve it. The carne guisada is simply a beef stew. In specific, it is a traditional Latin beef stew that is kicked up with cumin, jalapenos and chili powder. The first step in making this dish is actually same as any other beef stew and it is not complicated to make it. I bet that you are curious now. So, here is the carne guisada recipe that you are looking for.
Ingredients for the carne guisada:
- 1 lb stewing beef
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon comino
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup flour
Ingredients for garnish:
- Chopped onion
- Flour tortilla
- Cilantro (stems removed)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Brown the beef: Alike the others beef stew recipe, you have to brown the beef in a large cast iron dutch oven.
- Then, add onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- After the onions are translucent, add stock, chili powder, comino, salt and also pepper.
- Next, bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours until the beef is very tinder.
- Take another skillet and mix flour and oil together to form a roux over medium high heat until a dark beige color. It takes time around 5 minutes.
- Add the roux to the stewed beef carefully.
- Then, bring it back to a simmer and thicken for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve it with a fresh cilantro, chopped onions, shredded cheese and sour cream for the garnish.
- Enjoy!


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Dance Dance Revolution totally ripped off World Class Track Meet.
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More ways to watch, more ways to save.
With the Hopper, browse thousands of movies On Demand from your favorite classics to Hollywood blockbusters. DISH On Demand also offers shows from over 75 of your favorite networks and bonus features from your favorite films. Just connect your HD DVR to the internet and quickly access our extensive library.
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Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Shallot Puree
There are some recipes that, for the home cook, remain nothing but food porn. Almost impossible to re-create in a domestic kitchen, except for only the truly masochistic or the utterly deranged, they remain exclusively the domain of chefs in the professional restaurant kitchen.
Often, the stumbling block is the lack of some expensive piece of kitchen kit. I'm thinking sous vide and vacuum sealer, siphon and N20 cartridge. Or perhaps it's just the sheer impossibility of making and storing umpteen different component parts for one dish, in your postage stamp sized domestic fridge.
But that's not to say these problematic recipes don't have uses. I often scan through inspiring cookbooks, mentally discarding overly complicated elements and settling on a part of the recipe that's a bit more do'able.
As was the case with my New Favourite Thing, shallot puree from the recently released Galvin Cookbook De Luxe.
The dish it's featured as a component in isn't ridiculously complex, although the recipe does ask for a very specific red wine and uses both chicken stock and chicken jus in the 2 1/2 hour cooking time. The real problem with this dish for me is that it's a quite a bit of faffing around, when it's pretty likely I'd be the only one eating it. It's slow cooked short-rib of beef and 'E' is a frigging pescetarian. Bugger.
Forcing the thought of beef short-rib from my mind, the shallot puree element of this dish was a revelation for me. It's just so bloody nice! I made it out of sheer curiosity, and it just blew me away. Subtly sweet, creamy and flavoured throughout with that sticky golden savoury taste of slow cooked onions. I fell instantly in love and started thinking what I could serve it with.
The Galvins obviously serve it with beef, but as 'E' can't eat that – I thought it might be nice piled with some chargrilled purple sprouting broccoli, sautéed potatoes, garlic and tarragon crumb…and a poached egg – just for the sheer hell of it.
Oh yeah, frigging spot on. It was, even if I say so myself, muchos delicious'osh.
Shallot Puree
60g unsalted butter
300g Shallots, finely sliced
50ml Double Cream
200ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock
Sea Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Melt the butter over a low heat in a pan, and add the shallots. Sweat on the lowest heat for 1 hour until soft and golden brown. Add cream and stock, cook for another 5 mins. Puree in a blender and season to taste.
That's all there is to it. Almost too simple. I used veg stock, instead of chicken and it was great. Now I'm wondering what else would it go well with.
What do you think?
13 comments:
- Matt Inwood said...
Wahhay! I think I actually love it more when people who use the books take a part of the recipe and make it their own. That's almost nicer than duplicating; innovating something of their own after being inspired by what they read. I have to say, I remember setting the type out on that very page out and constantly tripping on the words 'shallot purée'. It sounded so damn good. I must now also make this and be sure that Chris and Jeff never come to know that one of their own Essex brethren introduced me to it. I like your simple take a lot. What's garlic and tarragon crumb when it's at home?
- 24 January 2012 at 22:57
- Dan said...
Matt - What a lovely comment, thanks mate! It's a great book, you must be extremely proud. I'm not surprised that you tripped over 'shallot puree' at all. I homed in on it straightaway, it really is amazing stuff. The 'Garlic and Tarragon crumb' is breadcrumbs and chopped garlic fried off in olive oil and then mixed with finely chopped Tarragon and scattered over for some crunch.
- 24 January 2012 at 23:12
- E said...
You fixed our bog *and* made me this for dinner. One of your finest moments, I reckon! SO delicious. Thanks :) E xx
- 24 January 2012 at 23:20
- Kavey said...
E, that's romance right there, fixing the bog AND making this for dinner!!
Dan, I reckon recipe books where dishes have lots of elements are begging to be broken out and the separate parts used however you like.
It's not even 9 am and I'm hungry, you bugger!
- 25 January 2012 at 08:45
- The Ample Cook said...
Soooperb. I thought that photo had been taken in a restaurant Dan. Well done, sounds and looks delicious.
- 25 January 2012 at 10:18
- Pavel said...
Good work Dan; bog fixing and cooking. You truly are a king amongst men!
- 25 January 2012 at 13:19
- The Little Dinner Lady said...
This looks delish, and delightfully simple, can't wait to try it. Could have it on the side with a lovely steak perhaps? Sausages? ANYTHING! Your post encouraged me not to be scared of scary recipes, I will now see what I can pull out off my 'too hard' section.
- 25 January 2012 at 14:00
- Dan said...
E - You're welcome. I rock x
Kavey - Oh massive totes! break those recipes into parts and smash em! I am massively multi skilled....its true.
The Ample Cook - Hey Jan, what a fantastic comment, I like you. Thanks!
Pavel - It's often been said that I am indeed a king among men, but one of my other excellent traits is tact and modesty...so, I'll say no more.
The Little Dinner Lady - Exactly, really simple and frigging amazing. Don't be scared of the scary recipes...oh no, embrace them.
- 25 January 2012 at 18:27
- Matt Inwood said...
Like the sound of that Crumb. In the sincerest form of flattery there is, I intend to copy this recipe some time in the next week for Mrs I. So a sort of after-Dan-after-Chris-and-Jeff-style homage. I might even break the toilet and then fix that first as I want Mrs I to feel that exact same form of worship that E did.
- 25 January 2012 at 23:31
- German said...
Very nice indeed. I will try it as well, but from where the green colour came, I guess for the vegetarian stock?
- 26 January 2012 at 18:50
- Dan said...
German - Think the colour had more to do with the lighting, it didn't actually look that green when I made it.
- 30 January 2012 at 16:39
Shallots go well with goat cheese ... served with bacon and walnuts ...
- 30 January 2012 at 17:10
- Nick Loman said...
I tried this yesterday as a steak accompaniment and it was great. Didn't actually use any cream or stock, just loosened it with water and it still turned out intensely flavoured and rich. I think just need to ensure you cook long enough to get some serious colour on the shallots and some sticky bits.
- 23 September 2012 at 10:24


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You'll Like The 2012 Ram 2500 If...
If you need to pull 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 pounds behind you, the PeterBilt-like towing power of the 2012 Ram HD pickup should do the trick.
You May Not Like The 2012 Ram 2500 If...
Dollar-for-dollar, the Ram is every bit the equal of its Ford and Chevy counterparts. About the only reason we can think of not to go with the Ram would be due to a personal preference for one brand over another.
What's New
The 2012 Ram HD pickup gains a new 6-speed automatic transmission on Hemi powered trucks, plus a new longer RamBox cargo organizer to fit 6-foot 4-inch beds. The Ram Power Wagon model range is expanded to include ST and Laramie trims.
Interior Features
Inside the 2012 Ram Heavy Duty pickups is a very un-workman-like interior. Even base trims feel a bit upscale, and upscale trims feel downright plush. Along with its roomy cab, comfortable seats and loads of storage bins and power outlets, the 2012 Ram Heavy Duty pickup offers an amazing array of available features, including heating elements for the steering wheel and rear seats, heated and ventilated front seats, power-adjustable foot pedals – the list goes on and on. A massive center console is long and deep enough to swallow a larger laptop or multiple tablets; it can even hold a set of hanging files. Reclining rear seats are one of the perks to be had with the Mega Cab, while Crew Cab owners enjoy convenient under-floor storage compartments.
Exterior Features
Available in Regular, Crew and Mega Cab styles, there is a 2012 Ram Heavy Duty pickup to fit just about any need. Bed lengths vary between 6-feet, 4-inches and 8 feet, depending on cab style, while the rear-axle configuration can be had with choice of the standard 2-wheel or heavy duty 4-wheel dually setup. Visually separating the Ram 2500/3500 HD trucks from the basic Ram 1500 truck is a larger grille (needed to get more air to the Cummins diesel), a taller hood with stamped louvers, and large chrome or black bumpers.
Driving Impressions
In between delighting at the 2012 Ram Power Wagon pickup truck's seemingly limitless ability to pull big things, and pushing it over tough off-road regiments, we decided to see how the Ram HD would stack up against the competition. In a back-to-back comparison with the Chevy Silverado HD pickup, most of our testers concluded that the 2012 Ram Power Wagon is more visually appealing than the Chevy. We were also quite amazed at how much better the 2012 Ram HD pickup performed in everyday driving, especially in the areas of ride comfort, refinement and interior noise levels. Though it lacks the softer coil-spring suspension found on the Ram 1500 pickups, the HD truck's carefully-tuned leaf springs, coupled with fluid-filled hydro mounts beneath the cab, help keep harsh vibrations from entering the cab.
Pricing Notes
The 2012 Ram HD starts at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) beginning around $29,000 and climbs all the way to around $60,000 when fully loaded. As the Ram HD trucks are a hot commodity, be sure to check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to get an idea of what others in your area paid for their trucks. As for resale, the Ram 2500 trucks hold slightly lower values than their Ford and Chevrolet counterparts, but the 3500 models are more than capable of holding their own against similarly-equipped F-350 and Silverado 3500 models.
Notable Equipment
Standard feature highlights on a base-priced 2012 Ram Heavy Duty ST include air conditioning, tilt steering, six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system, plus front and side-curtain airbags. More basic features include manual windows/locks/mirrors, vinyl seats and black vinyl flooring.
Notable Options
The 2012 Ram HD is as tech-savvy as it is tough, with an options list that includes navigation, Bluetooth phone connectivity, Sirius Backseat TV (offering Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network) , USB music connectivity, 30-gigabyte hard drive, 10-speaker Surround Sound, backup sensors and a backup camera (for easier trailer hook-ups). The 2012 Ram HD also offers an integrated trailer-brake as standard equipment on SLT, Outdoorsman, Laramie and Power Wagon.
Favorite Features
Ride Comfort
If bouncing around the farm in your Daddy's 1972 Dodge pickup formed your opinion about how trucks should behave, you owe it to yourself to experience the smooth, comfortable ride afforded by the 2012 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks.
Power Wagon
The 2012 Ram Power Wagon is an off-road beast. It's a Hemi-powered 2500 Crew Cab with electric-locking front and rear differentials, electronic-disconnecting sway bar, Bilstein shocks, 32-inch tires, skid plates, 4.56 axle ratio for hill climbing and a 12,000-pound winch.
Under the Hood
About 90 percent of Ram HD buyers choose the Cummins Turbo Diesel, which is standard on the 3500, is offered with a choice of 6-speed automatic or manual transmissions and includes the segment's only standard exhaust brake (we didn't get to properly evaluate the braking and stability advantages of the exhaust brake, but it sounded great). The new High-Output Cummins Turbo Diesel does not require diesel exhaust fluid and, although horsepower remains unchanged, delivers up to 40 more horsepower at cruising speeds than the previous Cummins engine. The lineup also includes two 4x4 transfer cases (a manual unit standard on 4X4 ST and Power Wagon, an electric unit on all others) and four available axle ratios: 3.42, 3.73, 4.10 or 4.56. For those who prefer a gasoline engine, Ram offers the 5.7-liter Hemi backed by a new 6-speed automatic transmission.
5.7-liter Hemi V8
383 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
400 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel
350 horsepower @ 3,000 rpm
800 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm
650 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm (manual)
Editors' Notes
In the world of heavy-duty pickups, the 2012 Ram 2500/3500 HD reigns supreme. Powered by a monstrous 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine, the 2012 Ram HD pickup outguns the Chevy Silverado HD Duramax in torque, and equals that of the Ford PowerStroke. With 350 horsepower and an astounding 800 lb-ft of torque and a tow rating up to 22,750 pounds, there isn't much a Ram HD truck can't move. Those not requiring such Herculean power can opt to go with the Ram HD's standard gasoline Hemi V8, which makes an equally impressive 383 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. With stats like these, plus pricing and trim levels on par with its principle competition, the 2012 Ram 2500/3500 HD pickup should continue to help pull more of the lucrative truck market back into the Ram fold.


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Verizon Launching Own App Store By End of Year
After yesterday's announcement of the creatively titled LG Application Store, it would, perhaps be bigger news to find a mobile company not currently looking to launch its own storefront. That's a title, apparently, doesn't belong to Verizon. The wireless provider is reportedly getting ready for an event aimed at roping in developers for precisely that purpose.
The event, planned for July 28th in San Jose, is aimed at bringing in content from Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Android, and Palm app developers. The carrier is expected to launch its own storefront before year's end.
Says Giga Om,
[Verizon VP Ryan] Hughes says developers can build applications for whatever platform they want. If they want to tie those apps to Verizon's subscriber data for information about locations or to bill a customer, the developer needs to go through a quick approval process with Verizon and add an API to access the appropriate data.


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Swim into a sea of savings with the National Aquarium's Top 10 Holiday Deals of the Season! This holiday, we're diving deep for discounts on Aquarium everything including gift tickets, gift memberships and winter experiences.
Starting "Cyber Monday," November 30, we'll offer a new discount each day towards an online purchase. Each offer is valid for one day only at aqua.org and a promo code is required.* Look for deals on everything from half-priced gift tickets for 2010 to discounts on Behind the Scenes tours. Total value is over $250 in discounts!
Now, here's the twist…
The Top 10 Holiday Deals will ONLY arrive through the National Aquarium's official Facebook and Twitter communities. Not a fan? Not a follower? Not a problem!
Become a fan on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!
Once you're connected, look for the first deal to arrive Monday, November 30 at 8:00 a.m.
It's savings made simple and gifts made easy, so get connected today. And remember, a gift from the Aquarium is not only a unique present, but helps support our efforts in marine animal rescue, habitat restoration, education in our schools and in the care of more than 16,000 animals.
Happy holidays!
*Promotion ends December 13, 2009. Offers through National Aquarium Top 10 Holiday Deals of the Season are only valid from 8:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. (EST) on the specific day. Offer valid on items purchased online at aqua.org only.


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In preparation for this nasty weather, I pulled out my old boom box and bought up all...
In preparation for this nasty weather, I pulled out my old boom box and bought up all the D batteries in Wal-Mart so I can listen to the Hurricane Sandy Mix tape I just made! Perfect tunes for a perfect storm!
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) by Bruce Springsteen
The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin
Flood By Jars Of Clay
Rock You Like Hurricane by the Scorpions
Hurricane by Bush
Dust in The Wind by Kansas
Lightening In The Sky by U2
Sandy's Song by Dolly Parton
Ridin' The Storm Out by REO Speedwagon
Hurricane by Joan Osborne
Like A Hurricane by Roxy Music
Umbrella by Rihanna
Hey Sandy by Polaris
Like A Hurricane by Neil Young
Ahead Of The Storm by Blue Highway
The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks
A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall by Bob Dylan
Sandy by John Travolta (Greese)
Hurricane Season by Tom Russell Band
Lightning In The Sky by Santana