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The principal tax collecting and tax law enforcement agency for the state, the Georgia Department of Revenue offers information about taxes for individuals, corporations, and tax professionals.
1800 Century Blvd. NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
Phone Number:
When will my tax return process?
If you filed your taxes before April 1, you'll wait 8 weeks at most before your return will process. If you filed your taxes after April 1, processing may take up to 12 weeks. Generally, electronic filing makes for faster processing than does paper filing. Find out your return status.
How can I get a copy of my tax return from last year?
Call the Taxpayer Services Division at 404-417-6760 for more information about how to do this.


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How to buy an individual health insurance plan
By Barbara Marquand
Health insurance is one of the most important purchases you'll make all year. Comparing health plans and finding health insurance quotes and information has never been easy, and you have new rules and terms to learn in the wake of massive changes brought about by health care reform.
Take heart, though. You have important consumer protections on your side, brought to you by the Affordable Care Act, and with a little know-how and research, you can find a health plan to cover you and your family.
When to buy a health plan
Before 2014, you could buy a health plan at any time of the year. But now, except for special circumstances, you can purchase coverage only during the period known as open enrollment.
Open enrollment for 2016 health plans runs from Nov. 1, 2015 to Jan. 31, 2016.
You can buy a health plan outside the open enrollment period if you have a "qualifying life event," such as moving outside your insurer's coverage area, getting married or having a baby. You can also buy coverage outside the open enrollment period if you had a special situation that prevented you from enrolling earlier.
Qualifying life events that will give you a 60-day "special enrollment period" are:
- Getting married.
- Having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for adoption or foster care.
- Moving.
- Becoming a U.S. citizen.
- Leaving incarceration.
- Losing other health coverage due to job loss, divorce, COBRA expiration or aging off a parent's plan.
- Losing eligibility for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- For people with a marketplace plan already, having a change in income or household status that affects eligibility for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions.
- Gaining status as a member of an Indian tribe.
You can sign up at any time of year for Medicaid or CHIP, federal and state insurance programs for low-income families.
Some health insurers sell short-term, or temporary, health insurance plans outside the open enrollment period. But these plans provide only limited benefits, and they do not count as sufficient coverage to meet the government's requirement to have health insurance. Remember, unless you qualify for an exemption, you pay a tax penalty if you don't have sufficient coverage for most of the year.
That fee is increasing in 2016 to 2.5% of your yearly household income or $695 per person ($347.50 per child under 18). You'll have to pay whichever number is higher.
You can't be declined
Before health care reform, individual health plans varied widely in what they covered, and insurers could deny your application for insurance or boost your premiums if you had a health condition.
Now insurers have to cover you regardless of your health history, and they can't charge you more because of medical conditions. You qualify for health insurance even if you're pregnant, have a long-term condition like diabetes or a serious illness such as cancer. Health plans also can't cap the amount of benefits you receive, and they can't make you pay more than a certain amount out of pocket for health care each year. In addition, all individual health plans must cover a standard set of 10 benefits:
- Outpatient care (such as doctor's office visits)
- Emergency room visits
- Hospitalization (such as surgery)
- Pregnancy and maternity care
- Mental health and substance abuse treatment
- Prescription drugs
- Services and devices for recovery after an injury or due to a disability or chronic condition
- Lab tests
- Preventive services, including a variety of health screenings, immunizations and birth control. You pay nothing out of pocket for preventive care when you see health care providers in a health plan's network.
- Pediatric services, including dental and vision care for kids
Types of individual health plans
Although they must cover certain benefits, health plans still vary in how they are structured and how much of your health care costs they pay.
Health plans are divided into five categories to make comparing them easier. The categories are based on the percentage of health care costs the plans pay and the portion you pay out of pocket, including the deductible, copayments and coinsurance. The percentages are estimates based on the amount of medical care an average person would use in a year. The categories are:
- Catastrophic – These plans generally have high deductibles and pay less than 60 percent of your health care costs. Only people under age 30 or who have a financial hardship can purchase a catastrophic plan.
- Bronze – Pays 60 percent of your health care costs. You pay 40 percent.
- Silver – Pays 70 percent of your health care costs. You pay 30 percent.
- Gold – Pays 80 percent of your health care costs. You pay 20 percent.
- Platinum – Pays 90 percent of your health care costs. You pay 10 percent.
Generally, the less you pay out of pocket for the deductible, copayments and co-insurance, the more you pay in premiums for the coverage.
How to buy
Ready to shop? You have lots of choices: Comparison websites, going directly to a health insurance company via its website or call center, contacting a health insurance agent in your area or using your state's health insurance marketplace (also called exchange).
Not all insurers sell plans through the government-run marketplaces, so you'll find more options by shopping both in and outside the marketplaces.
If you qualify for subsidies, you can get them only by buying through your state's health insurance marketplace. Healthcare.gov has links to state marketplaces.
You could be eligible for a premium discount in the form a tax break if your income falls below 400 percent of the federal poverty level (for 2016 health plans, the 400 percent threshold is $46,680 for a single person). You qualify for a plan with reduced out-of-pocket costs if your household income falls below 250 percent of the federal poverty level ($29,175 for a single person for 2016 plans).
If you qualify for a tax break, you'll see the premium savings as you shop and compare plans on the marketplace website. Keep in mind that catastrophic plans do not qualify for subsidies.
Comparing health plans
Think about your health care needs and budget, and then compare plans to find the best fit.
Here are questions to consider:
How is the plan structured?
A health maintenance organization, or HMO, generally doesn't cover care outside its provider network, except in special instances. You must select a primary care doctor in the network who coordinates your care and pay a low copayment for each office visit.
A preferred provider organization, or PPO, also features a network of providers, but still provides some coverage when you see providers outside the network. You have more flexibility with this plan than with an HMO. You can see specialists, for instance, without a primary care doctor's referral.
A point of service, or POS plan, works like an HMO if you see providers in the network and get referrals from your primary care doctor to see specialists. But you can also see doctors and specialists outside the network.
A high-deductible health plan with a health savings account features a higher-than-average deductible and a lower-than-average premium. The accompanying savings account lets you set aside pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Unspent money carries over to the next year, and you can keep the account, even if you change health plans.
Who is in the network?
Check the health plan's network to make sure it has a good selection of hospitals, doctors and specialists. Make sure the providers you want to see are included in the network.
What is covered?
Check to see if the prescription drugs you take are included in the plan's list of covered medications. Compare other benefits. Some plans may go above and beyond coverage mandated by law.
How much do you pay out of pocket for care?
Review the deductible, copayment and co-insurance amounts. The deductible is the amount you pay each year for covered benefits before the health plan pays anything (except for preventive care). The copayment is the fee you pay for each office visit. Not all health plans have copayments. Co-insurance is the percentage of covered health care costs you pay after you have met the deductible.
How much do you pay for coverage?
Compare the annual premium among health plans with the same coverage.
What's the bottom line?
Think about how much health care you will probably use in the next year, and compare how much it would cost in health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for each plan you consider. If you rarely go to the doctor, then you are probably better off buying a high-deductible health plan with a low premium than a more expensive plan with a low deductible.
Making a smart health insurance choice requires time and effort, but the homework you do now will pay off later when you and your family need care.

subset: commoncrawl


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Search Engine Optimization helps drive traffic, leads, visibility & ranking in search engines. It has become essential to succeed in the online marketplace. Competition has become very high in the online marketplace & steps should be taken to stand out in the competition. some of the tips in SEO include
1. URL's should be simple & rich in keywords. This helps ranking in search engines & also helps customers know what the site is about.
2. Website should be simple, provide the necessary information & easy to navigate. Forms to be included to get customer info.
3. Use a good linkbuilding strategy.
4. Follow search engine guidelines for search marketing activities.
5. Use analytic tools to find info about the metrics & how to improve the traffic & other parameters.
6. Social Media strategy to be put in place for effective social media visibility.


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S k a t e L o g F o r u m
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|Beginning Skaters Forum This is the place for beginning skaters to ask questions and share their stories. We would love to hear about your experiences learning to skate. No question is too dumb!
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|April 10th, 2017, 03:44 AM
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: California
Posts: 4
Sizing/Liner Help for SEBA
Hi Everyone!
I currently skate SEBA FR2 80 size EU39. I've been riding on and off starting in December last year having ton of fun. But, after couple months my skates became way too big...(my heel was lifting after push) so I ordered Balance Liner sized EU 38 (thinking that might be better). They were super tight on my feet at first. But... now after two weeks of skating (about one hour a day). My skates are starting to feel slightly loose on my feet. So I tighten my laces really well, so that it's not a problem right now.
BUT. I feel the inevitable is approaching. I know I should've done more research with sizing before getting the skates... now I'm stuck with these...I wear size 7~7.5 (women's size) depending on the shoes.
So, anyways long story short. I'm wondering if there are any liners (I don't know if seba balance liners come out smaller than 38EU, I couldn't find any) that I can put in to make my skates feel tighter on my feet. Or should I suck it up and save up money to upgrade to Trix or High with correct sizing later on.
Also, any other tips for sizing correctly in future will be appreciated since I can't actually go to a store to try them on...
|April 11th, 2017, 09:11 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 399
You could check out the Superfeet insoles with the liner: https://usa.shop-task.com/collections/superfeet
Or, you could try a thicker sock with some Ezeefits...
Or, you could try some waxed laces which might allow you to tighten them better...
Or, you could try the Intuition liners, though I don't know if they would fill out the skate better than what you have: https://usa.shop-task.com/collections/liners-1
Or, a combination of the above.
But, it sounds like you're skates are too big. Assuming they are, even if you got something that worked decently, your performance will be capped low and it will feel sloppy and imprecise.
|April 15th, 2017, 11:10 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Highland NY
Posts: 440
Just wanted to show some support.
I've had the same problems with Sebas. I measured my foot wrong and ended up with the wrong size. Three times! UGH! Plus, by the time you realize they're too big, you've already ruined them!
With Sebas...go small.
|May 12th, 2017, 04:32 PM
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 1
Hi whyandilee,
I'm just at the point of ordering my 1st pair of Seas...I'm a size 8.25 women's, considering a 39 in Sebas...so hearing that the liners compress so much after a bit of wear is super helpful... And hey, if you decide to sell your old ones and order a smaller size, I might be interested! Thanks for posting!
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Three Japanese exchange students died and five others were injured after a teenager drove down an embankment and crashed into a power pole Thursday night in Oceanside, California.
California Highway Patrol officers say before the incident, the students were at a beach in Oceanside for a student-organized event. Many had gotten there by Sprinter train, but since the service stopped at 10 p.m., some had no way to get back to Palomar Community College.
One 19-year-old student, who had a five-seater Honda Prelude, offered to give those left behind a ride, which they accepted.
U.S. & World
They loaded into the small car -- two in the front and six in the back.
The eight people, ages 18 to 22, then traveled eastbound on SR-78 east of El Camino Real at an unknown speed when the driver veered off the road for an unknown reason just before 11 p.m., according to official reports.
He crashed into a power pole, splitting it in half. The driver of the car and two others, a male and female, were killed, while two women and three men suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Four were taken to local hospitals via ground ambulance and one was flown to Palomar Hospital. CHP officials said four of the five have moderate injuries. One had serious injuries.
All of the people in the car were first-year, incoming exchange students from Japan attending Palomar Community College, school officials said.
The CHP said there was a language and cultural barrier between officers and the students, so it was difficult to determine exactly why the driver crashed. One person said man behind the wheel went to change lanes and then suddenly made a sharp turn off the road.
Students on campus were just beginning to learn about the crash when school officials confirmed the connection to NBC 7.
Palomar College President Robert Deegan said this is the first time the campus has suffered a tragedy involving so many students in his time at the campus.
"We want to express our heartfelt condolensces to the families and friends of these students," said Deegan. "We've lost three members of the Palomar family and we are truly reeling from the loss."
The crash remains under investigation, and it is not known if alcohol or drugs played a factor in the incident. Officials say they also don't know if the occupants were wearing seatbelts.
A Sig Alert was issued as San Diego Gas & Electric crews work to replace the pole. All but one lane was open.
Eight customers in the area lost power due to the crash, which SDG&E expects to restore by 8:30 a.m.


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2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
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text: ESPN LA reports that Pujols is uncomfortable with the Angels' "El Hombre" billboards, because Stan Musial is the only person ever to be called "the man" before, and he's the greatest man ever to have lived, and Albert Pujols, mighty and moral though he might be, could never compare. "I still have the same respect for him as I had, not just for what he's done in baseball but for what he did for his country." Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!


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Chevron's chairman and CEO received total compensation valued at $15.2 million in 2009, up 10 percent from 2008, as the nation's second-largest oil company saw its oil production business boom but its refineries struggle.
Most of David J. O'Reilly's compensation bump came in the form of a salary increase and a greater amount of stock and options awards, according to Associated Press calculations of data filed with regulators.
O'Reilly retired from Chevron at the end of 2009. In his final year with the company his salary rose nearly 9 percent to $1.79 million, and stock and option awards totaled $9.9 million on the days they were granted—up from $8.65 million in the prior year.
O'Reilly's performance-related bonus fell 7 percent to $3 million but the value of his perks nearly doubled to $517,228, including company contributions to his savings plans, financial planning, aircraft and vehicle use and $254,939 for accrued vacation.
In 2008, his compensation package totaled $13.8 million, including stock and options awards Chevron valued at $8.7 million when granted; a $1.65 million salary, a performance bonus of $3.22 million and other compensation totaling $266,884.
O'Reilly was succeeded Jan. 1 by John S. Watson, who had been vice chairman. Watson earned $7.24 million in 2009.
Like many other oil companies, Chevron, benefited last year from recovering oil prices but its refining business suffered as demand diminished. The company's earnings fell to $10.5 billion, or $5.24 per share, from $23.9 billion, or $11.67 per share in 2008.
Chevron, based in San Ramon, Calif., is expected to cut $1 billion this year from its downstream business, which includes refining, marketing and transportation.
The Associated Press formula is designed to isolate the value the company's board placed on the executive's total compensation package during the last fiscal year. It includes salary, bonus, performance-related bonuses, perks, above-market returns on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock options and awards granted during the year. The calculations don't include changes in the present value of pension benefits, making the AP total different in most cases than the total reported by companies to the SEC.
Chevron shares rose 4 percent during 2009 to finish the year at $76.99.


text:
2011 marks the 10th year of Board Games, The Globe's annual report on corporate governance. See the rankings:
Canada's leading shareholder coalition is urging regulators to close a gap in corporate law that allows companies to avoid reporting the detailed results of votes at their annual meetings.
The powerful Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, which represents most of Canada's largest institutional shareholders, has asked the Ontario Securities Commission to mandate full voting disclosure as part of a package of "democracy" reforms the CCGG is championing.
Under current rules, companies can file a report of voting results that simply says a matter passed or failed by a show of hands at the annual meeting, even when shareholders have submitted written proxy ballots and the results have been tabulated by a scrutineer at the meeting. Thirty-eight per cent of companies in the S&P/TSX composite index did not report detailed results for all voting matters at their last annual meeting, an analysis by The Globe and Mail shows.
Detailed voting disclosure has become increasingly critical for investors as they push for greater powers to vote for directors individually – rather than the whole board as a slate – so they have a way to express displeasure with underperforming board members. Investors also say the lack of disclosure makes it difficult to know whether their concerns are shared by other investors, and whether the company is responsive to investor concerns.
The only way to see detailed results is a rarely used legal option for a shareholder to attend a meeting in person and request a ballot to record voting results. Coalition executive director Stephen Erlichman says the process is too cumbersome to obtain disclosure across the board.
"Some companies refuse to do it, they just absolutely refuse, and there's no legal requirement unless there's a ballot," Mr. Erlichman said.
"The disclosure of vote results in a director election will allow everyone to know whether a director has the support of a majority of shareholders. That's a very fundamental thing."
Shareholders are especially vexed by the lack of disclosure because directors can be elected without majority support. Under voting rules in Canada, shareholders can only vote for a director or to withhold their votes from being counted. There is no way to vote against anyone.
In an extreme case, a director could be elected with just one vote in favour.
One company that didn't disclose detailed voting results this year was Magna International Inc. , whose directors faced a rare campaign of shareholder opposition. On the heels of a controversial plan in 2010 to pay founder Frank Stronach $860-million (U.S.) to eliminate his dual-class shares, two proxy advisory firms recommended voting against Magna directors who were involved in overseeing the deal.
While some major institutional shareholders later disclosed they had voted against the incumbent directors, they never learned the outcome. Magna's report of voting results simply said all directors were elected, but offered no details.
Magna chief financial officer Vince Galifi said the disclosure fully complied with securities law requirements. But he said Magna plans to start reporting detailed results after its annual meeting in May, 2012, when it adopts a new "majority voting" policy, which means directors will be required to offer their resignations to the board if they don't receive majority support.
"We recognize that the detailed voting results are relevant to the market when majority voting applies," Mr. Galifi said.
The CCGG has championed majority voting policies to bring more democracy to shareholder voting – asking companies to adopt the practice voluntarily as a quick way to spur change without requiring new legislation.
But the coalition is now urging regulators to make it mandatory. While The Globe's analysis found 58 per cent of companies in the S&P/TSX index have adopted majority voting policies, Mr. Erlichman said majority voting shouldn't have to depend on the efforts of the CCGG to lobby each company.
"Why should this be a cost put on shareholders to hammer away at each company?" he said.
The OSC in January asked for public input on possible reforms to voting practices, including a requirement for majority voting. But the regulator has not yet unveiled specific reform proposals after collecting dozens of comment letters.
In the meantime, the Toronto Stock Exchange announced this fall that it is planning its own reforms that would require listed companies to allow shareholders to vote on each director individually, instead of the whole board as a slate. The TSX proposals would not make majority voting mandatory, but would require companies to disclose in their annual proxy circulars whether they have adopted the policy, and if they haven't, to explain why.
The OSC and TSX proposals did not include mandatory disclosure of detailed voting results.
The Institute of Corporate Directors, with 5,000 members across the country, supports mandatory voting for directors individually, but is opposing mandatory majority voting.
Institute chief executive Stan Magidson says majority voting policies may be a "best practice," but they should not become mandatory because they could lead to crises if entire boards fail to win support. He said new regulation is best adopted when there's a failure that needs to be corrected, and not when companies are voluntarily complying.
"I think if the market were not moving in that direction enthusiastically, then you could say it's probably time to require this. But I think a number of issuers do have majority voting policies, certainly the senior issuers. ... Our hope is it happens without the necessity of amending law."


text:
Rhinoplasty is a common surgical procedure to improve the appearance of the nose, correct breathing problems, birth defects or repair an injury. Potential candidates are thoroughly evaluated, which involves analyzing the patient's medical history and nose structure, such as underlying nasal bones and cartilage, overlying skin and other facial features.
As part of Cedars-Sinai Medical Group, the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Program offers patients a range of options for rhinoplasty to best suit each patient's needs and medical requirements. Surgeons use leading-edge technology and world-class surgical techniques to achieve the best possible outcomes for rhinoplasty candidates.
Surgical Procedure
Rhinoplasty is performed under local or general anesthesia and is usually an outpatient procedure. Surgeons make incisions inside the nostrils to access the bone and cartilage. Depending on the desired outcome, bone and cartilage may be added or removed.
After the nose has been reshaped, a splint is used to support the new shape and allow the nose to heal. Nasal packing also may be used to provide additional support.
After Surgery
Following surgery, bed rest with the head higher than the chest is recommended to reduce swelling and bleeding. There may be bruising around the eyes and nose, which is usually treated using cold compresses.
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- Serious nasal blockage from swelling inside the nose
- Complications from anesthesia
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text:
Syngenta acquiring US-based biotechnology company Pasteuria Bioscience for US$86M in aggregate payments, up to US$27M in additional deferred payments; purchase will help compliment Syngenta's chemical nematicide range, company says; deal to close in Q4
BASEL, Switzerland
September 19, 2012
(press release)
Syngenta announced today that it has agreed to acquire Pasteuria Bioscience, Inc., a US-based biotechnology company. Since 2011 Syngenta and Pasteuria have had an exclusive global technology partnership to develop and commercialize biological products to control plant-parasitic nematodes, using the naturally occurring soil bacteria Pasteuria spp. A revolutionary in-vitro production process will enable the development of cost-effective nematicides with a novel mode of action. The first product will be a seed treatment for soybean cyst nematode to be launched in the USA in 2014.
Under the terms of the agreement, Syngenta will acquire Pasteuria Bioscience for aggregate payments of $86 million, with additional deferred payments of up to $27 million.
Nematodes are a major pest across all crops and the withdrawal of older solutions leaves growers with limited solutions. The acquisition will facilitate the introduction of key products to complement Syngenta's existing chemical nematicide range and to support integrated solutions across a broad variety of crops such as soybean, corn, cereals, sugarbeet and vegetables.
John Atkin, COO of Syngenta, said: "Results from our partnership have shown that Pasteuria provides superior control of nematodes in a wide variety of applications. Pasteuria Bioscience has developed critical knowhow for in-vitro production of Pasteuria, enabling commercial scale manufacturing. This is a further example of our strategy of incorporating biological controls within our integrated offer to growers".
Al Kern, Executive Chairman and President of Pasteuria Bioscience, said: "Pasteuria Bioscience is excited to become part of the Syngenta team. We've been working closely together over the past year and have made significant progress on a number of nematode control products in a variety of crops. Syngenta recognizes the potential with the Pasteuria platform and can commercialize it in a broad range of products for the global marketplace."
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Syngenta is one of the world's leading companies with more than 26,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to www.syngenta.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
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SET 1: Dinner and a Movie[1] > Bouncing Around the Room[1] > Buried Alive[1] > Flat Fee[1], Reba, The Landlady[1], Bathtub Gin[1], Donna Lee[1], AC/DC Bag[1] > Rocky Top, Cavern[1], David Bowie[1]
SET 2: Golgi Apparatus, The Squirming Coil, Moose the Mooche[2], Tweezer[1] > My Sweet One, Gumbo[1] > Mike's Song[1] > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove[1], Hold Your Head Up > Touch Me[3] > Hold Your Head Up > The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg[1]
ENCORE: Sweet Adeline[4], Frankenstein[1]
ENCORE 2: Fee > Tweezer Reprise[1]
Add a Review
March 27, 1993
25 years ago
Warfield Theatre
Set 1: Llama, Guelah Papyrus, Rift, Stash, Reba, My Friend, My Friend[1], Uncle Pen, Sample in a Jar, I Didn't Know[2], David Bowie[3]
Set 2: Buried Alive > Halley's Comet > It's Ice > Bouncing Around the Room, Chalk Dust Torture, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Mike's Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, Hold Your Head Up > Cracklin' Rosie > Hold Your Head Up, Poor Heart > Golgi Apparatus
Encore: The Squirming Coil, Carolina
[1] Beginning featured Trey on acoustic guitar.
[2] Fish on trombone.
[3] All Fall Down signal in intro.
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Liberty News
Trial team wins national ABA competition
The Liberty University School of Law Trial Team was crowned national champions following a unanimous decision over Fordham University in the final round of the American Bar Association Arbitration Competition National Championship in Chicago, Ill., Saturday.
This is the first year Liberty has posted a team in the national competition.
The victory came as a surprise, as the Trial Team was formed last year and was entered in the regional contest as a way to prepare it for another competition, the National Trial Competition and American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition, in March.
The team earned a shot at nationals after a stunning second-place win at the regional competition in November.
The team is comprised of Aaron McCurdy, Kacey Martin, Ethan Hargraves, and Colin Campbell, and is coached by Pamela Bell, associate professor of law.
Liberty faced off against Michigan State University College of Law in the opening preliminary round, defeating them by a 3-0 judges decision. In the second preliminary round, South Texas won in a 2-1 split decision. Liberty headed into the semifinals seeded No. 4 and was able to beat No. 1-ranked South Texas with a 3-0 decision.
"I could not be more proud of the students and professor Pamela Bell," said Mat Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law. "Their dedication to the law school and determination have brought great honor to the school and to our Lord. Their victory is a tremendous achievement and a great honor as first-time national champions."
The success of Liberty's Trial Team caught the attention of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who congratulated them on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
In a letter to the team he wrote, "Your performance at the ABA Arbitration Competition speaks to your hard work and dedication in preparation of this event. In just your first year of competition, you have set an excellent example for the students who will follow you. ... I also commend you for your commitment to furthering your education and representing our commonwealth with the skill and sportsmanship we expect of all our students."


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Why A Blog? Part Two
But, I digress. For many of you the information that follows is an insult to your time. You may know all of these things, but my vision for this weblog is for those who don't know or who need a refresher course. So for those of you like Krelly or Sampler, just remember not to come down on me too hard for my simplistic and boring explanations. So here we go.
Back to what I was saying about people not really processing information. Bloom's Taxonomy teaches that there are 6 levels of learning -- Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. From the last election we can learn that many never get to the Evaluation stage. People cannot evaluate whether the information that they are hearing is correct, coherent, and consistent. As I said in the previous blog I want to review for those reading the tests for a worldview (which can be applied to almost any argument). But first we must understand the three principles of logic, which are identity, contradiction, and excluded middle. To explain these concepts I am going to refer to Winfried Corduan, who writes in his book No Doubt About It:
"The principle of identity states that a thing or a statement is identical with itself. In other words, this tree is this tree. The principle of contradiction states that if something is true, its contradiction cannot also be true. If it is true that this is a tree, then it must be false that it is not a tree. The principle of excluded middle states that it must be one or the other. Either it is a tree or a non-tree; there is no middle ground between the two."
These principles are important to remember when you engage a culture that deconstructs everything to the point that even identity is no longer a valid principle. This logic is all a part of the postmodern culture in which we live today. Now the ways to assess a worldview must take into consideration these basic principles. They are (according to Robert Stewart of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary):
1) Coherence -- Is it contradictory?
2) Correlation -- Does it seem to match our reality?
3) Comprehensiveness -- How well does it account for all of life?
4) Consistency -- Can you live it?
So, these are some beginning things that I believe all people need to know in order to assess arguments and worldviews. We must have a foundation of philosophy if we are going to be able to discuss ideas, especially those which have to do with politics and theology. I noticed so many times during the course of this last election that even Ivy League-educated political candidates have a hard time keeping their ideas within the realm of logical argumentation and certainly do a poor job of noticing flaws in their opponents' rationale.
Well, that is about all for tonight. Most of you probably didn't make it all the way through, but hopefully you will use this for reference in the future. Maybe I should post some common logical fallicies as well, just in case you notice me using one. Thanks for reading,
Soli Deo Gloria,


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The New Costa Rica
In the country that more or less invented eco-travel, you'll find lush jungles, enormous turtles, untouched beaches—and rapidly expanding luxury-resort developments.
Exhaust fumes belched from cars around me as I careened through the traffic-choked streets of Costa Rica's capital, San José. I was on my way to Costa Rica's version of the White House: a nondescript office building. "Rápido, por favor," I said to my cabbie, even though I was not late nor am I anyone important.
I had spent the last two weeks tumbling through this lush country as a so-called ecotourist. I had hiked through misty cloud forests, hovered over a VW-sized green sea turtle as it laid eggs on a Caribbean beach, and shot through the rain-forest canopy on a zipline that crossed gorges 1,000 feet deep. I had also been peed on by a howler monkey and, finally, spoiled so rotten at a seaside resort that I was irritated at how long it had been since anyone had taken my drink order.
Related: Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Costa Rica
Forgive me for becoming unhinged. It was my last day in a country virtually synonymous with "ecotourism," and yet I was less sure than when I'd arrived what exactly that term meant. Surely the president, I reasoned, could set me straight.
Bound to the north by Nicaragua and to the south by Panama, Costa Rica is the science geek of Central America. It has the highest literacy rate and standard of living in the region. While its neighbors were fighting civil wars, Costa Rica—the first country ever to constitutionally abolish its army, in 1949—was studying moss and saving sea turtles. It could be Al Gore's poster child.
Costa Rica's green era began in 1970, when, following nearly 50 years of unrestricted logging, lawmakers founded what would become a heralded national park system. The country's political serenity attracted a group of mostly American entrepreneurs, who by the end of the decade had set up the first lodges and adventure outfitters. It was small business. There were few direct flights into the country and little available money to promote Costa Rica as a destination. The few thousand people per year who came were mostly backpackers and hard-core birders who didn't mind sleeping in simple spaces in order to enjoy the biodiverse rain forests, raftable rapids, and pristine beaches.
Then, in 1987, President Óscar Arias Sánchez, who began serving another (nonconsecutive) term last year, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering an agreement among troubled Central American countries to promote democracy and end civil strife. Tiny Costa Rica—smaller than West Virginia and with a population of about four million—was thrust onto the world stage for the first time. "When Óscar won the Peace Prize, we knew everything was going to change," Alvaro Ugalde, cofounder of the national park system, told me. Costa Rica's tranquillity, natural beauty, and proximity to North America made it stand out like Scarlett Johansson in a bus station. An ecotourism star was born.
Visitors began pouring into the country, and soon, tourism leapfrogged bananas and coffee to become the country's top revenue-producing industry—it now brings in nearly $1.6 billion a year. But the boom also created a classic tug-of-war between developers and environmentalists. In 1993, while Costa Rica was promoting itself as an eco-friendly destination, a well-regarded German environmental organization awarded the country's tourism minister its infamous Green Devil for gross mistreatment of the environment related to the construction of a multimillion-dollar seaside resort called Playa Tambor. And although an impressive 25 percent of the country's land was protected, ineffective waste management left the rivers so polluted that some raft guides now warn clients not to swallow the water. "People think Costa Rica is some paradise—they think we're angels," said Ugalde, who today spends his time lobbying the government to make the environment a priority. "But no, we're a devil like everyone else."
Over the past two years, Costa Rica's biggest industry has entered yet another phase: luxury development. Spearheaded by the commercial opening of the controversial Peninsula Papagayo—a sloping seven-mile finger of land that droops into the Pacific Ocean from Guanacaste, the country's northwesternmost province—billions of investment dollars have flooded in from hotel companies, including Four Seasons, as well as the likes of Steve Case and Ross Perot Jr. The airline industry is also betting big on the country's northern Pacific Coast: already 45 nonstop flights from North America per week land at the one-strip Liberia international airport in high season, and more are scheduled for 2008. As one might imagine, not everyone is in agreement about what this means for the future of the nation's ecotourism.
"We are facing the impact of having attracted so many people and investors to develop their ideas in a safe, quiet, beautiful country, but are they respecting the way we decided to develop?" asks Ana Báez, president of Tourism & Conservation Consultants. "It's hard to tell where it's going."
The day that i was peed on by a howler monkey was my first as an ecotourist and, though I'll never know the primate's true disposition toward me, the incident prepared me for something I'd have to reckon with for the rest of my trip. That morning I had taken a 30-minute flight from San José to Tortuguero, an old fishing village pressed between the Caribbean Sea and the Tortuguero River. We landed in a downpour so heavy my clothes were soaked through in the 10-second dash from the tarmac to the one-room air terminal and baggage claim. Within an hour, however, the clouds had cleared and the sun was gorging itself on a clear blue sky. Cheerfully, I boarded a motorboat with a small group of tourists, a scientist, and a local driver called Cola. We set off down the river; gazing at its lush overgrown banks, I saw why Costa Rica is reputed to have the highest density of species in the world. There were crocs sunning themselves, iguanas clinging to hibiscus bushes, and so many kinds of birds (toucans, pelicans, herons, etc.) that I and the other non-birders on board took solemn stock of our plight.
We continued, against the tide, into a smaller canal where the forest overgrowth blocked the sky, turning the river passage into a watery tunnel. It was pleasant there in the shade and from somewhere in the almond and strangler fig trees came the guttural cry of the howler monkey, a noise that may as well be Costa Rica's national anthem, so ubiquitous are these creatures. We craned our necks toward the shaking branches and soon spotted them just overhead—an entire troop, some hauling babies on their backs, crossing the river. My boatmates began ooh-ing and zooming the lenses of their digital cameras. I, at that very moment, had gone with an ahh.
There are times in one's life when something happens for a reason, and as I swallowed that howler monkey's pee, I could only hope this wasn't one of them. I said nothing, but as I sat there I sank into existential despair about my journey. How was I supposed to enjoy myself when I was both hyperconscious of trying to protect the environment and at every turn reminded that my very existence was disrupting it?I hadn't even hit the luxury sites yet, and already, for me, being an ecotourist was like living out an oxymoron.
About an hour later, we returned to the dock at our hotel, as if everything were just super. I was billeted at Tortuga Lodge, the first eco-lodge in Tortuguero, opened in 1986. In need of a spritzer, I went straight to the open-air bar, where I found the owner, Michael Kaye, seated with a Save-the-Turtles crowd. "Enjoy the boat ride?" he asked, peering down at me through his inch-thick glasses. Kaye is one of Costa Rica's ecotourism pioneers, and somehow the fact that he'd once lived on a commune outside San Francisco with Wavy Gravy made his presence reassuring. I took a seat next to him.
After surviving an earthquake in Guatemala, in 1977, Kaye, now 65, had drifted down to El Salvador, where he met his future wife on a beach. Fleeing political instability, they headed south to Costa Rica and never left. Kaye opened the country's first rafting outfitter, Costa Rica Expeditions, in 1978. Now the company is the largest tour operator here, a multimillion-dollar concern offering all manner of excursions.
Kaye had just flown in to Tortuguero from his base in San José in order to help launch a program to protect the local beach, which is the most important nesting ground in the Western Hemisphere for the endangered Atlantic green sea turtle. He was also here to meet an expert about new ideas for minimizing the environmental impact of the lodge's waste-management system. I was even more impressed by this when Kaye admitted to me, as the night wore on, "Most of my clients don't really care about environmentalism." To please them, he had added a beautiful swimming pool to the lodge. But he had also opposed a recent proposal to build a road connecting Tortuguero to the rest of the country, despite the fact that such access would have drawn more visitors.
The following night I had a chance to further ponder this delicate balance as I marched under the moonlight in a line more than 100 people long, each of us desperate to see a sea turtle. As trained spotters radioed in to the lodge guides, we moved single-file along a forested path next to the beach. At last we were ordered into position, where we took turns standing, in monitored 10-second intervals, over a gigantic turtle as, trancelike, it laid about a hundred large white eggs in a hole in the sand. It was an unforgettable sight, but equally impressive was the military-style effort that made seeing it possible. Over a two-hour period I was cited, and nearly expelled from the group, for breaking every rule at least once. (No talking, no shining a light, no walking ahead, no going off the path, no wading in the ocean.)
It was almost midnight when we returned to town, and I promptly ditched my compliance officer and sneaked off to the local bar, La Culebra (The Snake), basically a large shack teetering on the riverbank. I'd only been in town two days, but more than half of La Culebra's patrons and I recognized each other, which wasn't surprising, given the town has 1,200 inhabitants and 80 percent of them work in the travel industry.
Ticos—as Costa Ricans call themselves—have the easygoing disposition of Caribbean islanders, and although I had entered the pub hoping for a barfight or at least some kind of trouble, I found myself toasting the night away with bottles of Costa Rica's popular pilsner, Imperial. "Thank you for visiting us," one young Tico told me in perfect English. "Fifteen years ago we were fishing and hunting for our food. Now we have our own high school." Later, my new friends made sure I found a water taxi to take me home—an easy task, since the owner of one was sitting next to me at the bar.
The following day, I left by boat for a port near Limon, where I transferred to a van that would carry my group to Arenal, the site of an active volcano and surrounding cloud forest. As we got closer, we saw signs along the lush roadside advertising lots and houses for sale—mostly in English: lake view, virgin forest. New hotels and spas were under construction. "All of this used to be watermelon farms and things like that," our driver said, somewhat wistfully.
We spent the next day hiking through the mountains, crossing hanging bridges as high as 500 feet in the air. Later, I soaked in a series of hot springs. The lava from Arenal's crater is usually visible at night, but that evening the clouds were too low; we ended up taking shelter from another downpour. I did get some good news, however: a fax arrived confirming my interview with Alan Kelso, Peninsula Papagayo CEO and developer extraordinaire.
Arguably one of the best-connected men in North and Central America, Alan Kelso has networked his way into meetings with CEO's and money men around the world; his brainchild, Peninsula Papagayo, is a multibillion-dollar work-in-progress worthy of an anthropological dissertation: a planned community for the international eco–jet set. I met Kelso in his ground-floor office, which abuts the octagonal stone-and-glass clubhouse of the development's Arnold Palmer–designed golf course (the next course is being designed by Jack Nicklaus). Fearing he might recognize our several-hundred-million-dollar-a-year income gap, I gazed at him with an air I hoped suggested I owned a continent. But Kelso, the nerdy child of a middle-class San José family, turned out to be completely unpretentious. Unlike most developers in Costa Rica, he is a native, one reason public criticism of the project died down. Kelso's enthusiasm was infectious. Soon, he was driving me in his SUV to one of the 17 beaches on the peninsula's 15 miles of coastline. "I used to come here as a kid to water-ski," he said, pointing to the waveless blue sea. "The fun we used to have here—it's the most beautiful piece of land I've ever seen in my life."
Thanks to its physical splendor, Peninsula Papagayo has for years been at the heart of the struggle between Costa Rica's environmentalists and entrepreneurs. Finally, in 1993, the government made a controversial decision to lease the property to a Mexican company with ties to Mexico's disgraced former president Carlos Salinas. Before the Mexicans could get anywhere, they were sued for multiple environmental violations. In 1997, the project's minority partner, Costa Rica's national beer company, privately met with Kelso to ask if he would consider buying the Mexicans out. Kelso had made his name putting together the Los Sueños Marriott, a highly successful property 140 miles south. In the past years, he'd turned down all such offers, but this time, "I didn't even have to think about it," he says.
For a sum he would describe only as the value of "maybe one or two villas today," Kelso bought out the Mexicans and went to work developing a master plan for the peninsula. He envisioned an exclusive, independent city. There was literally nothing on the land, so Kelso began planning and building roads and creating and hiring his own fire department, security, and emergency response network. He established a NASA-like telecom center that digitally controls everything from the water supply to electricity. "We have traffic mapped out for the next fifteen years," he says. Then he set about selling off pieces of the property to carefully selected "bell cow" investors such as Steve Case and Ross Perot Jr.—both of whom are building exclusive time-share villas—and bringing in a Four Seasons Hotel, which he knew "had a following of its own."
By the end of next year, Kelso will open a 382-slip marina, more than twice the size of any other in Central America. And he has hired the architect of Beaver Creek, Colorado, to help design a surrounding village, set to open in 2009. There are also independent homes for sale, some of which come with the option of service from the staff and restaurants of the Four Seasons. People like Madonna are rumored to have bought in. "I don't know if we're an ecotourism destination, but we are environmentally responsible," Kelso says. He keeps his golf courses green in part using desalinated seawater, and rather than trying to skirt Costa Rica's law that all beaches remain public property, he runs a bus service carrying locals to the peninsula's shores. "We had 75,000 visitors last year," he says, proudly. And whereas the Mexican group had planned to build 16,000 residential units on the peninsula, Kelso's plan is capped at 2,500. "That's what I wanted," he says. "I actually negotiated for less."
My three days at the Four Seasons were so idyllic, I could have been convinced Dick Cheney had brokered a world peace accord. I slept on the beach and kayaked in the ocean. One day, I hired a local boat captain to take me to some nearby islands for snorkeling; he dived in with me and placed a live spiderfish in my hand. At night, I had my choice of dining at any of the site's five restaurants. The entire experience was almost dreamlike—I actually became suspicious that the monkeys singing outside my villa's windows were on the payroll.
I left this paradise in a Hola! Rent-a-Car with a trunk that didn't open, setting off south for the beach town of Nosara. (For the record, Kelso departed in a striped black helicopter.) When I arrived in front of my new hotel that night, I was greeted by Luis, the same man who had set me up with the one-way rental in the morning; he was there to retrieve it. This was indeed convenient, but having torn myself from the lap of luxury, I couldn't imagine anything could console me. I was pleasantly surprised, however, as soon as I was ushered into the aptly named Harmony Hotel.
Three years ago, the land on which the Harmony sits was about to be turned into a condominium complex when American entrepreneur and environmentalist John Johnson bought it in order to save it. Having never been involved in the hotel business before, he hired a team of eco-consultants who designed a 24-room beachside property—including a yoga studio, a juice bar, and a pool—that not only aspires to be environmentally sound but also employs an on-site sustainability coordinator to make sure that it is.
Harmony provided an alternative to traditional bare-bones ecotourism, one that took into account the growing market for upscale travel to Costa Rica: it was a vision of what might please both environmentalists and developers. I spent a blissful day exploring the sandy beach and walking the forested dirt roads that pass through two-shack roadside towns where locals gather for barbecues. At night, I ate locally caught red snapper in Harmony's restaurant. (Here, aside from the banana and coffee paper on which the menus were printed, there were no obvious signs of environmental sacrifice.) I could have lingered much longer but one last appointment remained in San José: my meeting with the president.
Costa rica's tourism industry today attracts 1.7 million visitors to the country every year. As my cab approached the presidential office building, I had narrowed it down to this or unendurable boredom as the only possible explanations why President Arias had agreed to meet with me. I was ushered inside and after I'd waited a short while on a yellow leather couch, Arias appeared, wearing a gray suit and sporting a silver mane. His diminutive stature and drooping eyes gave him the appearance of a man ready for a nap. He led me into a wood-paneled chamber, where we sat down. Soon we were engaged in a discussion about his plans for Costa Rica, which include attempting to make it the world's first carbon-neutral nation by 2021. That ambitious goal will be part of his Peace with Nature initiative, a regulatory conservation agreement like the Kyoto treaty for which he plans to seek international standards and signatories. "In a year or two, I want to launch it in New York, at the UN," he said.
Arias is also unapologetically pro– big business. He has staked his legacy on his controversial support of cafta, the Central American Free Trade Agreement. But while some activists feel otherwise, Arias does not see this policy as being at odds with environmentalism or promotion of ecotourism. "These are challenges," he told me, raising a finger in the air. "Ecotourism is a balance between cement, bricks, iron, and ecology." Maybe it really is that simple, I thought, as we stood and shook hands. Then again, maybe he has never been peed on by a howler monkey.
Julian Rubinstein is the author of Ballad of the Whiskey Robber.
When to Go
The rainy season lasts from May to September; calm weather from November through April is hospitable to outdoor activities.
Getting There
Major U.S. carriers offer direct daily flights to San José from more than half a dozen U.S. cities. The Liberia International Airport is served by American, Continental, and Delta.
Where to Stay
Great Value: Arenal Observatory Lodge A former study site for the Smithsonian Institution, this tidy wood lodge lies within rumbling distance of the magnificent Arenal Volcano—and inside the boundaries of a national park. 011-506/290-7011; arenalobservatorylodge.com; doubles from $93.
El Remanso Lodge This family-run inn was built with local ecology in mind: six roomy, open-air cabins on 170 acres of beachfront land, erected using fallen hardwoods and powered by solar energy. Osa Peninsula; 011-506/735-5569; elremanso.com; doubles from $250, including meals.
Florblanca Villas Located near Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica's oldest protected wilderness area, an intimate spot and a favorite among honeymooners for its 11 sumptuous seaside villas. Santa Teresa, Nicoya Peninsula; 011-506/640-0232; florblanca.com; doubles from $495.
Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo The country's top luxury outpost is not without eco-flourishes, including open-air guest rooms and a golf course lauded by Audubon International for its sensitive environmental design. Peninsula Papagayo; 011-506/696-0000; fourseasons.com; doubles from $735.
Great Value: Harmony Hotel Just off Nosara Beach, Harmony's simple elegance doesn't compete with the area's dense foliage. It's also an ideal location for trips to watch Olive Ridley turtles nest. Nosara, Nicoya Peninsula; 011-506/682-4114; harmonynosara.com; doubles from $320.
Hotel Grano de Oro Built in 1910, this pristine 38-room inn has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the capital's finest accommodations. San José; 011-506/255-3322; hotelgranodeoro.com; doubles from $100.
Hotel Punta Islita An attentively run resort that offers guests the opportunity to experience the local community; visit the village of Islita, recently transformed into a sparkling outdoor gallery for area artists. Islita, Nicoya Peninsula; 011-506/231-6122; hotelpuntaislita.com; doubles from $300.
Lapa Rios Sixteen striking wood bungalows with outdoor showers make up this rain-forest lodge on a lush 1,000-acre site. Private trails provide frequent macaw and
monkey sightings. Osa Peninsula; 011-506/735-5130; laparios.com; doubles from $500, including meals.
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens Charming mountain inn near the Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve with the requisite environmental credits: they recycle, and use solar-heated water (even for the whirlpool). Cerro Plano; 011-506/257-0766; monteverdelodge.com; doubles from $129.
Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge An eight-room inn that sits on the tranquil waters of the Golfo Dulce. Reachable only by boat, it is an excellent base for kayakers. Golfo Dulce; 011-506/258-8250; nicuesalodge.com; doubles from $340, including meals.
Tiskita Lodge Extravagant ocean views are de rigueur at this 800-acre hillside establishment near the less- traveled Panamanian border. Owner and environmental activist Peter Aspinall has helped reintroduce the scarlet macaw to the area. Punta Banco; 011-506/296-8125; tiskita-lodge.co.cr; doubles from $260, including meals.
Great Value: Tortuga Lodge Ideally situated in the middle of Costa Rica's "mini-Amazon," where access is exclusively by boat. Tortuguero; 011-506/257-0766; tortugalodge.com; doubles from $102.
Where to Eat
Bakea Chef Camille Ratton marries French technique with fresh Central American ingredients. Don't miss the tarta de pasiones with crème of passion fruit. Barrio Amón, San José; 011-506/221-1051; dinner for two $60.
Miss Junie's This isn't a restaurant. It's a place of pilgrimage—for hearty Caribbean fish stews and robust jerk chicken. Reservations are needed, so drop in to let them know you're coming. Tortuguero; 011-506/709-8029; dinner for two $20.
Where to Shop
Biesanz Woodworks Exquisite decorative items are made from farmed tropical hardwoods by Barry Biesanz, one of the country's top craftsmen. Escazú; 011-506/289-4337; biesanz.com.
What to Do
Corcovado National Park A wilderness enthusiast's dream, the 127,000-acre rain-forest park is home to four species of monkey, as well as jaguars, tapirs, and flocks of wild scarlet macaws. Puerto Jiménez; 011-506/735-5036; pncorcovado.org.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve This private reserve stands 5,000 feet above sea level and is the place to see the elusive Mayan quetzal bird. Santa Elena; 011-506/645-5122; cct.or.cr.
Sky Trek The most dramatic zipline tour around, featuring 11 lines and the country's tallest platform. Santa Elena; 011-506/645-5238; skytrek.com; $44.
Tortuguero National Park In July and August, this is where to see leatherback, hawksbill, and green sea turtles laying their eggs. Tortuguero; 011-506/710-2929.
Tour Operators
Costa Rica Expeditions From swanky beach-bumming to nature hikes, Michael Kaye's highly reputable company, in operation since 1978, can plan it for you. San José; 011-506/257-0766; costaricaexpeditions.com.
Horizontes This long established agency can organize botany, birding, or photography tours, and more. San José; 011-506/222-2022; horizontes.com.
Osa Aventura An independent group of naturalists directed by biologist Mike Boston leads custom wilderness treks on the Osa Peninsula. Puerto Jiménez; 011-506/735-5758; osaaventura.com.
—Carolina Miranda Silva


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Crack Potatoes - the ORIGINAL recipe!! Potato casserole made with sour cream, cheddar cheese, real bacon bits, ranch dip mix, frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. Can make ahead and freeze for later. Everyone RAVES about these yummy potatoes! SO good!! Make them tonight!
CRACK Potatoes
- 2 (16-oz) containers sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 (3-oz) bags Oscar Mayer Real bacon bits
- 2 (1-oz) packages Ranch Dressing mix
- 1 (32-oz) bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Combine sour cream, cheese, bacon and ranch mix. Stir in hash browns and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes.
*I divided the potatoes into 3 small 7x7 disposable foil pans and froze them. I wrapped them with plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw overnight before baking as directed*
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Exercise and beer go hand in hand at Denver's beer run clubs
An activity is growing in popularity that combines two of Coloradoans' favorite hobbies: exercise and craft beer drinking. Beer runs, as they are unofficially called, are group runs sponsored by local restaurants, bars and breweries. Although the distance varies for these free runs, the focus is not on miles logged, but on suds and socializing.
"I think running is an excuse to go have a drink and meet people," said Dave Gillikin, organizer of the Thursday night beer runs at the Irish Snug. "We've had people meet there and get engaged and get married. It's a social atmosphere."
The Irish Snug Running Club, founded in 2006, was one of the first in Denver and has grown to hundreds of participants each Thursday. Since then, beer runs have proliferated. Denverites can now find one every night of the week — at Stoney's Bar and Grill, The Pub on Pearl, Highland Tap and Burger, Jordan's Bistro and Pub and Denver Beer Co. to name a few.


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