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This is the full text of a letter from a business owner on why he might need to leave Michigan. This guy NAILED it, what we have been trying to express on this blog about sprawl and economic vitality. This is what the leadership in Cleveland doesn't seem to get. Thank you, Andrew Basile!
From: Andrew Basile, Jr
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 12:16 PM
Subject: Why our growing firm may have to leave Michigan.
I hope you find this essay of interest/value. It's probably something
you've heard a million times but I thought I ought to at least try to
vocalize it rather than silently surrender.
We have a patent law firm in Troy. In 2006, our firm's legacy domestic
automotive business collapsed. We rebuilt our practice with out-of-state
clients in a range of industries, including clients like Google, Nissan and
Abbott Labs, located in the US, Japan, Europe and China.
Today, we have 40 highly-paid employees and much of our work now
comes from out of state. This makes us a service exporter. We are very
proud of the contribution our firm makes to the local economy. We also
created a not-for-profit incubator using excess space in our office. The
incubator is home to 4 start-ups, all of which are generating revenue and
two of which have started employing people. This is something we do
without charge as a charity to help the state.
We'd like to stay in Michigan, but we have a problem. It's not taxes or
regulations. There's lots of talk about these issues but they have no
impact on our business. We spend more on copiers and toner than we do
on state taxes.
Our problem is access to talent. We have high-paying positions open for
patent attorneys in the software and semiconductor space. Even though
it is one of the best hiring environments for IP firms in 40 years, we
cannot fill these positions. Most qualified candidates live out of state
and simply will not move here, even though they are willing to relocate
to other cities. Our recruiters are very blunt. They say it is almost
impossible to recruit to Michigan without paying big premiums above
competitive salaries on the coasts.
It's nearly a certainty that we will have to relocate (or at a minimum
expand ) our business out of Michigan if we want to grow.
People – particularly affluent and educated people – just don't want to
live here. For example, below are charts of migration patterns based on
IRS data Black is inbound, red is outbound. Even though the CA
economy is in very bad shape, there is still a mass migration to San
Francisco vs. mass outbound migration from Oakland County (most
notably to cities like SF, LA, Dallas, Atlanta, NY, DC, Boston, and
Philly) San Fran only seems to be losing people to Portland, a place
with even more open space and higher quality urban environments.
The situation for Michigan is even worse than it seems because those
lines are net migration. You can click on the links and see the composite
of outbound and inbound. I went through many links, and in most cases,
the average income of the outbound from Oakland County is high (e.g.
$60K, and the average income of the inbound is low (e.g. $30K).
Recession or no, isn't it screamingly obvious that people with choices in
life – i.e. people with money and education – choose not to live here?
We are becoming a place where people without resources are grudgingly
forced to live. A place without youth, prospects, respect, money or
There's a simple reason why many people don't want to live here: it's an
unpleasant place because most of it is visually unattractive and because
it is lacking in quality living options other than tract suburbia. Some
might call this poor "quality of life." A better term might be poor
"quality of place." In Metro Detroit, we have built a very bad physical
place. We don't have charming, vibrant cities and we don't have open
space. What we do have are several thousand of miles of streets that
look like this:
Having moved here from California five years ago, I will testify that
Metro Detroit is a very hard place to live. Ask any former Detroiter in
California, and you will hear a consistent recital of the flaws that make
Metro Detroit so unattractive. Things are spread too far apart. You have
to drive everywhere. There's no mass transit. There are no viable cities.
Lots of it is really ugly, especially the mile after mile of sterile and often
dingy suburban strip shopping and utility wires that line our dilapidated
roads (note above). There's no nearby open space for most people
(living in Birmingham, it's 45 minutes in traffic to places like Proud
Lake or Kensington). It's impossible to get around by bike without
taking your life in your hands. Most people lead sedentary lifestyles.
There's a grating "car culture" that is really off-putting to many people
from outside of Michigan. I heard these same complaints when I left
25 years ago. In a quarter century, things have only gotten considerably
Ironically, California is supposed to be a sprawling place. In my
experience they are pikers compared to us. Did you know that Metro
Detroit is one half the density of Los Angeles County?
The fundamental problem it seems to me is that our region as gone
berserk on suburbia to the expense of having any type of nearby open
space or viable urban communities, which are the two primary spatial
assets that attract and retain the best human capital. For example, I
noted sadly the other day that the entire Oakland Country government
complex was built in a field 5 miles outside of downtown Pontiac. I find
that decision shocking. What a wasted opportunity for maintaining a
viable downtown Pontiac, not to mention the open space now consumed
by the existing complex. What possibly could have been going through
their minds? Happily, most of the men who made those foolish
decisions 30 or 40 years ago are no longer in policy-making roles. A
younger generation needs to recognize the immense folly that they
perpetrated and begin the costly, decades long task of cleaning up the
These are problems, sure, but they could be easily overcome, especially
in Oakland County which is widely recognized as one of the best-run
large counties in the country. But despite our talents and resources, the
region's problem of place may be intractable for one simple, sorry
reason: our political and business leadership does not view poor quality
of place as a problem and certainly lacks motivation to address the issue.
Indeed, Brooks Patterson — an otherwise extraordinary leader — claims
to love sprawl and says Oakland Country can't get enough of it. These
leaders presume that the region has "great" quality of life (apparently
defined as big yards, cull de sacs and a nearby Home Depot). In their
minds, we just need to reopen a few more factories and all will be
well. The cherished corollary to this is that Michigan and Metro Detroit
have an "image" problem and that if only people knew great things were
they would consider living or investing here. The attitude of many in
our region is that our problems are confined to Detroit city while the
suburbs are thought to be lovely.
We don't have a perception problem, we have a reality problem. Most
young, highly talented knowledge workers from places like Seattle or
San Francisco or Chicago find the even the upper end suburbs of
Metro Detroit to be unappealing. I think long term residents including
many leaders are simply so used to the dreary physical environment of
Southeast Michigan that it has come to seem normal, comfortable and
maybe even attractive. Which is fine so long as we have no aspiration to
attract talent and capital from outside our region.
My fears were confirmed when I began trying to gather local economic
development literature to use as a recruiting tool. The deficits which so
dog our region are sometimes heralded by this literature as assets. For
example, some boosters trumpet our "unrivaled" freeway system as if
freeways and sprawl they engender are "quality of life" assets. In San
Francisco, the place sucking up all the talent and money, they have
removed — literally torn out of the ground — two freeways because
people prefer not to have them. I noted one "Quality of Life" page of a
Detroit area economic development website featured a prominent picture
of an enclosed regional shopping mall! Yuck. It's theater of the absurd.
The people who put together that website must live in a different cultural
universe from the high income/high education people streaming out of
Michigan for New York, Chicago, and California. Not only is there no
plan to address these issues, I fear that the public and their elected
leaders in Michigan don't even recognize the problem or want change.
We have at least one bright spot in the nascent urban corridor between
Pontiac, and Ferndale, which is slowly building a critical mass of
walkable urban assets. At the same time, there's no coordinated effort to
develop this. Indeed, MDOT officials lie awake at night thinking of
ways to thwart the efforts of local communities along Woodward to
become more walkable. Another symptom the region's peculiar and
self-destructive adoration of the automobile. Even though the Big
Three are a tiny shadow of their former selves, Michigan is still locked
in the iron grip of their toxic cultural legacy.
I'd like to hang on another five years. I feel like we're making a
difference. But by the same token, I don't see any forward progress or
even an meaningful attempt at forward progress. It's almost like the
people running things are profoundly disconnected from the reality that
many if not most talented knowledge workers find our region's
paradigm of extreme suburbanization to be highly unattractive. It seems
to me that we are halfway through a 100 year death spiral in which the
forces in support of the status quo become relatively stronger as people
with vision and ambition just give up and leave. As we descend this
death spiral, we must in my mind be approaching the point of no return,
where the constituency for reform dwindles below a critical threshold
and the region's path of self destruction becomes unalterable.
Thank you for considering my views. I welcome any opportunity to be
of help to any efforts you may have to fix this.
Andrew Basile, Jr.
Andrew R. Basile, Jr.
Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane, P.C.
228 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 300
Palo Alto, California 94301
Offices also in Troy and Ann Arbor Michigan


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Archive for 'Water Usage'
Windmills and Other Cool Things in Tajique
TEN ACRES. ALL OURS. (or: our own little slice o' heaven) Map Detail of Tajique The real purpose of my seven day trip to the Southwest was shopping. With a capital S. The kind of shopping trip that adds no weight to your luggage but weighs up your heart in a good kind of way. […]
Posted: September 12th, 2008 under Abo Properties, Mountainair, Sunflowers, Tajique New Mexico, Vermont Yankee, Water Usage, Wind Power, Windmills.
Comments: 2

subset: commoncrawl


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Gianluca Masi / Virtual Telescope Project
This image of the asteroid 2013 ET was obtained on Monday by the Italy-based Virtual Telescope Project. The asteroid is visible as a faint dot in the center of the frame.
By Mike Wall
A newly discovered asteroid the size of a football field will cruise through Earth's neighborhood this weekend, just days after another space rock made an even closer approach to our planet.
The 330-foot-wide (100 meters) asteroid 2013 ET will miss Earth by 600,000 miles (960,000 kilometers) when it zips by on Saturday. The space rock flyby will come just days after the 33-foot (10 m) asteroid 2013 EC approached within 230,000 miles (370,000 km) of us early Monday.
When asteroid 2013 ET passes Earth, it will be at a range equivalent to 2.5 times the distance between the planet and the moon, making it too faint and far away for most stargazers to spot in the night sky. But the Virtual Telescope Project in Italy, run by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, will webcast a live telescope view of the space rock's flyby on Friday, beginning at 2 p.m. EST. You can access the free broadcast here.
There is no danger that 2013 ET will hit Earth, researchers say, just as 2013 EC posed no threat. But their flybys are slightly unsettling nonetheless, since both asteroids were discovered mere days ago.
Indeed, many space rocks are hurtling undetected through Earth's neck of the cosmic woods. Astronomers estimate that the number of near-Earth asteroids tops 1 million, but just 9,700 have been discovered to date.
Undetected objects can strike Earth without warning, as the surprise meteor explosion over Russia last month illustrated. The 55-foot (17 m) asteroid that caused the Feb. 15 Russian fireball detonated in the atmosphere before astronomers even knew it existed.
While many scientists stress the urgent need for expanded and improved asteroid-detection efforts, there is some good news: Humanity is unlikely to go the way of the dinosaurs anytime soon.
NASA researchers have identified and mapped the orbits of 95 percent of the 980 or so near-Earth asteroids at least 0.6 miles (1 km) wide, which could threaten human civilization if they hit us. None of these behemoths are on a collision course with Earth in the foreseeable future.
For comparison, the asteroid believed to have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago likely measured about 6 miles (10 km) across, scientists say.
Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. This article was first published on Space.com.
- Football Field-Sized Asteroid Seen By Italian Observatory | Video
- NEOs: Near Earth Objects - The Video Show
- Huge Russian Meteor Blast is Biggest Since 1908 (Infographic)
Copyright 2013 Space.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: I had this up before. It is 235mm on edge, 250mm from ferrule to tip. It is the original Twistington pattern from the Randy's. Blade is O-1 and L6 damascus. Blade thickness is 2.2mm at ferrule, with a distal taper all the way to the tip. Handle is high grade koa, from Mark. Stabilized, 100grit buffed, oiled and hand buffed. Ferrule is Hippo Ivory. Handle size is at ferrule: 18x23 and at butt: 21x25 and is 140mm long. This knife will ship USPS priority, with delivery confirmation and insurance. Price is $820 shipped Thanks for looking, and as always, questions and comments welcome. Mike


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Roger Federer's late bid to secure his customary place in the season-ending ATP World Tour finals began with a routine opening round win over Adrian Mannarino in his home town tournament in Basel on Monday.
The 32-year-old Swiss former world number one, in danger of missing out on the eight-man season finale, earned a 6-4 6-2 victory to the delight of the his home fans.
Federer's lean year has meant he has slipped to eighth in the ATP Race standings, below compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka and with Frenchmen Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga both breathing down his neck.
Gasquet, who won the title in Moscow on Sunday is 25 points Federer and Tsonga 90 adrift.
Gasquet is also in action in Basel and, with 500 points on offer for the champion, he will be waiting to pounce should Federer suffer an early exit.
Next week's Paris Masters is the final event of the ATP season in which players can earn points to qualify for London.
The cut-off point for the ATP Tour finals in London will go down to ninth in the rankings as Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has already withdrawn because of back surgery.
Federer has qualified for the season-ender every year since 2002, winning it six times.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
Updated Date: Oct 22, 2013 07:31:29 IST


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Artist description:
Isnt she just adooooorable?? 8D
Java Draw Created Nov 12, 2011 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2011 Zanjux.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
don't make me use my stare on you
come on??? did you really draw this???
"yey" lol great job!!!
I COMMAND YOU TO DRAW YOURSELF AS PONY! lolz that is an expression i never thought i'd see on Fluttershhies face!
FANTASTIC!!! And I LOVE the background too! 5h!! Collection!
Epiiiiiccc!! Fluttershy has to be one of my main favourite characters of all time, especially that episode where she is crazy and shouts "YOU'RE GOING TO LOOOVEE MEEEEEEEE *twitch*" xD
awesome drawing! and she is so adorable!! i love her expression! i accidentally click 4/5 instead of 5/5 sorry TT^TT


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The majority of the wines we list are sourced from the market. This includes direct from growers, exclusive distributors and agents and European Trade stockholders.
The typical lead time for consolidation, shipping and arrival into our cellars from confirmed order is approximately 6 to 8 weeks.
These are immediately available wines are held in our temperature-controlled cellars at London City Bond. Please note, if your order contains 'immediate' and 'marketplace' wines, these will be delivered together.
2016 La Valade Bordeaux
2016 La Valade Bordeaux
UK duty on this item has already been paid.
For UK and EU clients this means that VAT will still need to be paid at the prevailing rate. This does not affect non-EU export orders.
What Are 'En Primeur' Wines?
'En primeur' wines, or wine 'futures' are those that are bought before the wine has been bottled and are still in the barrel. They are bought in bond – i.e. excluding duty and VAT. For many wines, buying 'en primeur' allows you to buy at a better price than buying after the wine has been bottled and shipped. The wine typically arrives in the UK one to three years after the harvest, therefore up to two years after you have made your purchase.
This wine has been flagged as less than 'perfect condition' (taking into consideration its age). The relevant indicators can include: lower content level, bin-soiled label, damaged cap etc. As a result, this is available at a discounted market price.
Please contact us to request condition reports and photos.
What is the 'Market Price'?
Our proprietary market making system runs algorithms across a basket of international supplier prices to establish the Market Price for a wine. This provides the benchmark against which buyers and sellers can make confident and informed decisions.
Please note: Market Prices are always expressed as a standard 9 litre case of 12 x 75cl bottles.
Please view our FAQ page for more information.
Set Wine Alert
Once this wine has been released, we will notify you via email regarding the price and availability.
Fine+Rare 是一家总部位于伦敦的葡萄酒商,我们的专长是通过对各个产区供应链的掌握为客户寻找最合理的购买机会,以及提供全球最全的顶级精品酒选择。
公司成立于 1994年,经过20年的快速发展已经成为全球领先的精品葡萄酒公司。除了传统的欧洲市场,我们的客户也来自美国,中国大陆,香港,新加坡,俄罗斯,阿联酋等50多个不同的国家和地区。从全球最资深的藏家到刚入门的新手我们都有合适的账户经理为您提供咨询和帮助。


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Shop the tops we're loving this season, from off-the-shoulder bardot tops to crochet trim T-shirts and V-neck cami tops. '90s bodies are an easy addition for day-to-night styling, while chambray shirts are perfect for adding layers. This season's activewear trend is also key - try deconstructed logo tees and cool logo sweatshirts inspired by skate culture. Style yours with a cropped trouser and trainers for casual-chic.
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Hummers: House Democrats to skewer Republicans in skits and songs
UPDATE: House Democrats vote to cancel Hummers because of unhappiness over civil-unions bill.
Oh, the wealth of material that will be available this year for Hummers, where the minority party spoofs the majority party in the House in songs and skits.
The show is expected to start about 4 p.m. today on the House floor, a time that was set weeks ago before there was controversy on when to hear a civil-unions bill. So, in other words, there could be a delay.
Once again, Democrats are going to give it to Republicans although Dems admit they wouldn't mind being on the receiving end come 2013. The GOP now has just a 33-32 majority in the Colorado House.
Last year, Democrats poked fun of Republicans on issues varying from bull semen to 3.2 beer to bear hunting.


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by Brian DeCandia, sports information graduate assistant
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College softball squad (25-21, 9-9 PBC) swept the Lander University Bearcats (26-24, 4-14 PBC) Friday afternoon on Senior Day at the Peeler Complex to clinch a Peach Belt Conference (PBC) playoff berth, 4-0 and 4-3.
Game one was dominated by Sabrina Chandler's (Covington, Ga.) solid pitching performance. Chandler (9-9) went the distance, scattering eight hits and striking out four in the shutout.
Aided by key errors for the Bearcats, GC put up two quick ones in the first inning. Whitney Okvist (Kennesaw, Ga.) stole home to give GC the 1-0 lead early. Another costly error in the fifth allowed the Bobcats to push two more across the plate for the eventual 4-0 victory.
Okvist had two of the Bobcats' three hits, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Senior Shahlisa Shirley (Winter Garden, Fla.) recorded the other hit, finishing 1-for-3.
In game two the Bobcats found themselves down 3-0 after the third inning. Haley Burnett (Columbus, Ga.) came in to relieve freshman Erica Bell (Fayetteville, Ga.) throwing the final 4 2/3 innings, striking out three and surrendering no runs. Burnett evened her record to 7-7 on the season.
Burnett also came up huge at the plate driving in one in the fourth and then hitting a game-tying solo shot in the sixth, her fifth of the season. Okvist completed the comeback with a walk-off single, plating pinch runner Natalie Lampert (Marietta, Ga.).
Okvist's GC single-season stolen base record (51) leads the PBC this year, and her career number sits at 73, which is the all-time GC record. The sophomore's single-season effort is tied for third in PBC history; the seven-year-old record is 56.
Burnett's two RBI puts her at 111 for her career tied with Keidra Baitey (2006-07) for second place all-time at GC. She is currently fourth on the all-time home run list at GC with 23, one behind first place in GC history.
The win moved GC softball to 9-9 in league play positioned seventh in the PBC, behind 6-6 Francis Marion University.
The Bobcats travel to PBC foe Columbus State University for their final season series Tuesday, April 17 a doubleheader set to start at 3 p.m.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce ♥
One thing's for certain, we each get 24 hours in a day. No matter who we are and where we live. No matter our age, our education, our bank accounts, our weight, our ambition, our baggage, our Facebook friends, our cars, our clothes, our homes, our good intentions. Nobody is shorted for 23 hours, no one can buy 25.
So February 29th is a special day, a day that comes just once every four years, often enough to take notice, rare enough to not waste. Every four years, we get the gift – all of us – of an extra day, a whole day, an entire yet-to-be-explored, yet-to-be-lived day.
How do you spend February 29th? Is it a day of contemplation? of carefree live 'n' let live? Is it a day to play it safe in simple gratitude for oh-so-many gifts or one to toss gifts to the wind, risking plain gifts for gifts with ribbons? Is it a day to step forward or step back? And oh yes, is taking a step back really ten steps forward? Or is it the other way 'round, that a step forward really means slipping twenty steps back? Life math so confuses me.
February 29th. Make it a good one.
CHICKPEA CAKES with CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE
Time to table: 30 minutes
Makes 4 chickpea cakes & 1 cup cucumber-yogurt sauce
1/2 an English cucumber, grated
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 green onion, white and green parts, chopped fine
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt & pepper to taste
Arrange the grated cucumber in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with salt. Let drain for 10 minutes or until the chickpea cakes are cooking, whichever is longer. Stir in the remaining ingredients
1 large egg
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 - 1 teaspoon garam masala
1/16 teaspoon cayenne
Salt & pepper to taste
15 ounces canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), mashed fine with a fork
1/2 cup panko (what is panko?)
1 green onion, white and green parts, chopped fine
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Light film of oil, for frying
While the cucumber drains, in a large bowl, whisk the egg, then whisk in the yogurt, olive oil, spices and seasoning. Stir in the chickpeas, panko, green onion and cilantro, combining without overworking. Divide mixture in four, gently form four one-inch thick patty with your hands, compressing the mixture just enough to hold it together.
In a large skillet, heat oil on MEDIUM until shimmery. Add the chickpea cakes and cook without moving for four to five minutes per side or until golden and hot clear through.
Serve immediately with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce on the side.
ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
ENGLISH CUCUMBERS VS GARDEN CUCUMBERS English cucumbers have tender skins and fewer seeds. If you use a garden cucumber, you may want to peel or "stripe" the skin if it seems tough and scoop out the center seeds if they're large and tough.
WHY SALT & DRAIN CUCUMBERS? Salt and a little time helps a cucumber release its excess water, it's a good step to make time for, otherwise the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce can be a little watery.
0% VS 2% GREEK YOGURT The inspiring recipe called for 2% Greek yogurt and usually I would agree, since I find that 0% fat products range from awful to so-so. But I'm a fan of the Fage 0% yogurt and since I was buying yogurt especially for this sauce, went for it, no regrets.
GREEK YOGURT SUBSTITUTE No Greek yogurt? Or is Greek yogurt a tad expensive? I hear you on both counts. A decent substitute is to drain plain yogurt through a paper towel lining a colander or strainer, releasing the whey and leaving a thicker, creamier yogurt.
MASHING the CHICKPEAS The inspiring recipe specified using a food processor for mashing the chickpeas. But it was really easy-peasy to smash the chickpeas, half at a time, in a flat bowl with sides to stop the chickpeas from flinging themselves onto the counter. A side benefit? An small upper arm workout.
DRAINING the CHICKPEAS I did drain but did NOT rinse the chickpeas before mashing. But after publishing, a reader asked if the chickpeas should be drained and y'know, I like the idea of saving a tablespoon or two of the chickpea liquid to mash in. Your choice.
Still Hungry?
Once you do, new recipes will be automatically delivered straight to your e-mail In Box.
KITCHEN PARADE, my food column LAST WEEK
Orange-Kissed Marshmallows &
Milk-Braised Pork Roast
ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, my restaurant-recipe column LAST WEEK
Beggar's Purses from McGurk's Public House
White on White Pur&eactute;e Chickpea Gumbo Mom's Favorite Leftover Magic Curried Vegetable Bisque Simple Braised Celery Potato & Ridge Gourd Curry Parsnip Fries Candied Fennel Ice Cream Provencal Green Monster Soup Carrot Buttermilk Pancakes Simple Butternut Squash Soup Pepper Sandwiches with Goat Cheese Pepper Spread Kohlrabi & Apple Slaw with Creamy Coleslaw Dressing (<<< this week's favorite!) Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce
MORE FAVORITE RECIPES for CHICKPEAS
~ Pumpkin Hummus with Honey ~
~ Hot & Sour Chickpeas ~
~ Chickpeas with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta ~
~ Chipotle Chickpea Salad ~
~ more recipes with dried beans, lentils & other legumes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Broccoli Rigatoni with Chickpeas & Lemon ~
~ Chickpea & Chicken Salad ~
~ Simple Hummus ~
~ more recipes with dried & canned beans ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2012


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Only four months remain for La Plata County families to act. The Four Corners region is rich with legacy assets including land, farms, ranches, closely held business, gas royalties, mineral interests, and other inter-generational assets. The families and individuals owning those assets may have a limited time to take action in order to preserve them for their beneficiaries and successors.
In late 2010, Congress gave families and small business owners a short-term opportunity to shift up to $5.12 million in assets out of their estates for estate tax purposes and to transition their assets and family businesses to family members tax-free during their lifetimes. For those with sizeable estates or businesses who are interested in ways to reduce the federal transfer taxes, this is a remarkable opportunity. The opportunity is available through the end of 2012 and it could vanish without additional federal legislation.
For years, individuals have been stymied by Congress inability to resolve the estate and gift-tax law. The rumor is that the return to a $1 million gift tax lifetime exemption is being discussed by the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Additionally, the Obama administrations proposals include a reversion back to a $1 million gift-tax exemption.
Mark Twain once said, The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet. While Congress feasts, the rest of us have to grapple with uncertainty and the increasing likelihood that family wealth and related transfers may soon be taxed at a much higher rate. Given the current climate of rancor and distrust in Congress, this situation appears unlikely to resolve itself in the near future.
Estate taxes are an easy mark for Congress because most Americans do not take the time to put their estate planning in order. Furthermore, our elected representatives know that most of us are guilty of fractured planning at best and count on it to raise funds. Excuses for not planning are numerous; I forgot. Im too busy. Ill get to it next year. But the very worst and most inaccurate excuse is, Ill wait to see what Congress does with the estate tax law.
If Congress fails to act, in 2013, the federal tax laws will revert to provisions in effect before the first Bush-era tax cuts were enacted in 2001. Gifts and estates worth more than $1 million would once again be subject to taxes as high as 55 percent. If you act by the end of 2012, there are several opportunities available to avoid this scenario.
With the higher gift tax exemption available until the end of the year, this is a particularly good time to decide who will take the reins of a family business and put the plan into action. Even if business owners do not wish to gift 100 percent of a business in 2012, it may be worthwhile to consider gifts of minority ownership interests in a business to successors.
A current lifetime gift may substantially reduce a familys estate tax burden. A gift made in 2012 will remove any future appreciation on the gifted asset from an estate, reducing potential estate taxes in the future.
Many donors are concerned about the loss of control and associated income from a gifted asset. In response to these concerns, spouses may design a gift between them so that both can retain significant control over the assets and at the same time enjoy the economic benefits of tax-exempt gifts. A spousal lifetime access trust is one example of a strategy that allows spouses to take advantage of the higher current gift tax exemption and minimize estate taxes for children and grandchildren, while allowing continuing access to the funds.
A donor of a gifted asset may retain some control and an annuity stream from the asset by creating a grantor retained annuity trust to hold the asset. The gift donor retains an annuity stream for a designated period of time, and, provided that the donor survives the trust term, the gifted asset may pass to family members without gift or estate tax consequences.
Charitable-minded donors can benefit by making gifts to charitable lead or remainder trusts. The donor will receive the benefit of associated charitable income tax deductions.
A family that has large real estate holdings may want to consider a family limited partnership for gifting purposes. This opportunity is somewhat complex and should be discussed in depth with a tax professional. With an FLP, certain family members transfer assets into a partnership, and they subsequently give minority interests to other family members, while the donors retain control of the gifted asset.
Numerous other techniques are available to take advantage of the current higher gift tax exemption. The clock is ticking, so it is important to get started. Even though it is still summer, we are already late in the game. Estate and gift planning can take a few months to finalize.
Keep in mind that every situation is different. The nature of your assets, as well as your tax status and goals, are important considerations. This is not intended to be legal, tax or other professional advice for any particular problem, and the readers should not rely upon this article as a substitute for professional consultation.
Paul L. Gervais is the founding principal of the accounting firm of Gervais and Associates, P.C. Charles C. Spence is an associate attorney with the law firm of Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel.


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When choosing a home loan, you may feel overwhelmed… Should you choose a 7/1 ARM or get a fixed rate FHA loan, or what about a conforming Conventional loan, is that better? These are just some of the questions that may be starting to pile up... Read More


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On May 19 before the Red Sox game at Fenway Park, the club celebrated Armed Forces Day and 100 New Englanders were inducted into the US Air Force. The Red Sox finished with a losing record again, though two Boston pitchers threw no hitters in 1962, including Earl Wilson's gem at Fenway Park in June, the first by an African-American pitcher in the American League. Fans at the park were able to see the lineup that Wilson faced on the new electronic lineup board that was installed on the left-field wall before the season.
Record: 76-84, 8th in American League
Manager: Michael F. Higgins
Attendance: 733,080
Though there were a few individual accomplishments, 1962 was another down year for the Red Sox and attendance at Fenway Park dropped by more than 100,000 fans.
On April 21, the club held Golden Anniversary Day at Fenway Park, as the team celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1912 World Series-winning Red Sox. Surviving members of the team Hugh Bedient, Bill Carrigan, Ray Collins, Larry Gardner, Olaf Henriksen, Harry Hooper, Duffy Lewis, Joe Wood and Steve Yerkes were in attendance.
Pete Runnels won his second batting title with a .326 average and Carl Yastrzemski improved in his sophomore season, hitting 19 home runs and collecting 94 RBIs with a .296 average. Frank Malzone led the team with 21 home runs and 85 RBIs.
Bill Monbouquette and Gene Conley each won 15 games, while 6'6," 230-pound Dick Radatz led the league in appearances and saves, winning Fireman of the Year honors with a 9-6 record and 2.24 ERA.
On June 26, Earl Wilson became the first African-American to throw a no-hitter in the AL when he no-hit the Angels at Fenway Park. Just over a month later, Bill Monbouquette threw his own no-hitter in Chicago.
Midway through the season, Gene Conley and Pumpsie Green left the team bus while it was stuck in New York traffic and went AWOL. Though Green returned the next day, Conley tried to board a plane for Israel without a passport three days later.
Though the end of the season was anticlimactic, the club made a few important moves in the final months of 196. In September, the Red Sox signed 17-year-old Tony Conigliaro of Swampscott, MA. In early October, Johnny Pesky replaced Pinky Higgins as manager and in late November, the team dealt Runnels to Houston for outfielder Roman Mejias.
In 1962, the lineups of both teams were posted on the left-field scoreboard for the first time. The electronic display showed the number and position of each player and was used through 1975, when a new electronic board was built on top of the bleachers in center field for the 1976 season. In addition, a row of seats was added to the roof boxes and the press room was refurbished after being destroyed by a fire in late March.
The American All-Stars defeated the Record All-Stars in a pair of one-run games in the 1962 William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament at Fenway Park.
|1962 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
|July 31
|William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 8, Record All-Stars 7
|August 1
|William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 5, Record All-Stars 4
Before the Red Sox game on May 19, 100 natives of Massachusetts and Rhode Island were inducted into the United States Air Force as part of Armed Forces Day. Exactly one month later, performers Zsa Zsa Gabor and Dennis Day appeared at the Mayor's Charity Field Day.
|1962 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
|January 24
|Junior Goodwill Dinner*
|May 19
|Armed Forces Day: 100 New Englanders Inducted Into US Air Force
|June 19
|Mayor's Charity Field Day**
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.


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"Big is IN" Heavy Vee
Teenager Vanessa "Heavy Vee" Asbury, set to be the next Lil Mama or Missy Elliot…move over Soulja Boy, you're done.
I don't need a hook – Heavy Vee
Posted 4231 days ago | By Melissa | Comment [1]
Princess of the Voodoo Beat
Most people seem to talk about the Voodoo Queens by beginning with Mambo Taxi, an all-female garage pop group from Brighton who arrived on the scene circa 1992, when riot grrrl was having its hey day across the sea in the US and the scene was a burgeoning one in Britain. Mambo Taxi's most famous single was "Prom Queen", which was put out with an album sleeve designed by their drummer Anjali Bhatia…
Dubbed the "Princess of the Voodoo Beat" by a member of England's best know riot grrrl band, Huggy Bear, who she drummed for now and then, Anjali had actually grown tired of drumming, picking up the guitar and breaking away from Mambo Taxi to form the band whose name was nevertheless inspired by her skill on the drums: the Voodoo Queens. The Voodoo Queens consisted variously of Anjali's sister Rajni on keyboards, Anjula and then Mary Deagin on bass, Mambo Taxi bandmate Ella Drouglis on guitar, and Stefania and then Sunny on drums.
The Voodoo Queens were highly influenced by garage rock and the girl groups of the late 50s/early 60s such as the Shangri Las. Early 90s band The Headcoatees, featuring one Holly Golightly, were also inspirations. I recommend checking out the book "Riot Grrrl: Revolution Girl Style Now!" put out by Black Dog which covers quite thoroughly the British riot grrrl scene, and also delves into discussion about garage rock, girl group and twee influences on riot grrrl, which I think is quite different from the more common focus on post punk bands of the late 70s early 80s such as the Slits and Delta 5.
In terms of being part of what was thought of as the riot grrrl scene in the UK, the Voodoo Queens were not exactly putting out photocopied manifestos of boy/girl revolutions like Huggy Bear, but politically, Voodoo Queens did have a thing or two to say on matters affecting women, the song "Supermodel, Superficial" being one obvious example. In the video for "Indian Filmstar" (below), Anjali is also loud and proud about loving her non-skinny body and encourages the audience of (presumably) mostly girls to eat the chocolate she's handing out.
As legend has it, the Voodoo Queens first official gig was opening for the band Cornershop when they only had 3 songs to perform, and being discovered by John Peel who said that their performance reminded him of the first time he saw the Slits (Peel was a big fan of the Slits). Following this, they signed to Too Pure records, and released an album "Chocolate Revenge". After an attempt at forming their own label, Voodoo Records, and putting out a release on it which didn't do so well, the band broke up in 1994/95. Anjali, following her own lead again, now makes computer based music often used for commercial purposes.
The thing that attracted me to the Voodoo Queens, apart from curiousity to read more about the British riot grrrl scene, was the fact that many members, including the lead singer, were Indian. For someone of Indian descent like myself who is passionately interested in riot grrrl, punk & DIY music, this was an irresistable reason to find out more. How many women of colour, women of South-East Asian descent at that, participated in bands like these during this time? Perhaps many, bands pop up and disappear all the time in DIY scenes, however, not too many that are recognised as "influential", or at the very least documented, feature women of colour. The problem with focussing on this, of course is that many of the said "women of colour" do not wish to be marked out as such, and indeed, on further investigation I found a book online called "Brimful of Asia: Negotiating ethnicity on the UK music scene" by Rehan Hyder (Ashgate Publishing Ltd: 2004), which stated:
"Anjali felt tension due to the fact that she was often asked to explain herself due to be "asian": "in a way it would be easier if you didn't have to ask these questions, if I didn't have to sit here and answer these questions, it would be easier if I didn't have to sit here and explain about who I am".
Easy to see where her irritation arises from, however, not so easy to know what to do as a fan who not only loves the music, but also feels more of a connection due to seeing someone perform who looks a lot more like you than any other woman whose music you love ever has done.
In "Brimful of Asia" she goes on to say:
"I think it shouldn't take away from the fact that I'm a muscian and a producer and songwriter; but it is part of me and a part of me that goes into the music, its fairly integral, but what is more integral is the music and the sounds that I'm producing and I think that subjects like this have a danger of becoming quite staid and just polemics for the sake of polemics really."
So perhaps the issue then becomes, who is it that gets to discuss the fact that Anjali Bhatia is Indian? If music journalists used it as a quirky fact to add to their "top 10 things you should know about the Voodoo Queens" or whatever, or if it became the focus for articles written for white people by white people who see it as a topic they probably should discuss because it seems controversial and a bit weird, (polemics for the sake of polemics), the flippancy and borderline racism, not to mention distraction from the artistic efforts of the band seem obvious.
However, I'm writing about this band specifically because I discovered who the band members were. But the thing is, my intention is to pay a small tribute to a band that re-fuelled my passion for riot grrrl & DIY music, a passion that was waning given the fact I was slowly but surely giving in to the hindsight criticisms of riot grrrl, that it was privileged and white and therefore not as revolutionary as it maintained. It made me determined to argue that this kind of statement is in itself racist, because it ignores non-white women's contribution to this scene.
Voodoo Queens – Supermodel, Superficial
Voodoo Queens – Indian Filmstar
Posted 4237 days ago | By Melissa | Comment
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What We are Fighting For…Remembering Sept. 20,2008
Because the Rays have seemed to lose a bit of the fight in them the last few days, I decided to revisit my favorite moment from 2008 and try and get some of the "Playoff Fever" rhythm back again in the Rays House. I do not have all the answers, believe me, I want to have the answers to get this team back into that fighting and hungry mode again. There is a different vibe on this team this year, and it doesn't have the same feel to it. So I am revisiting this moment that is etched deep within me in hope that the team, the fans, and the community can again remember what 2008 really meant to all of us.
Everyone remembers the magic of your first time. The first time you had a bubbly ice cold soda, or your first adult beverage. Or maybe it was the first time you finally go the courage and finally decided to try that scary ride at the fair that has terrified you to death your entire life. The fascination and excitement of trying something, or achieving something for the first time can be a rush that can not be beat. There is a burst of energy that you can never have again. And last, but not least, a sense of accomplishment for finally hitting the finish line with gusto and pride. You always remember your " first" anything, but this one will stay with me until the day I meet St. Peter at the pearly gates and he asks what I am most proud of in my life. My answer will be pretty simple, my answer will be unexpected to most people. My honest answer is my All-Time favorite" first" was when my home town team finally got to go to "the Show."
It is for that reason that I feel I have to revisit my "Top Moment for 2008" one more time. As I said before, we always remember our first time entering the ballpark, checking out the sounds, smells and the atmosphere of this game that excites us from the television screen or in-person . You still think about the first Batting Practice or your first foul ball catch. And how special was getting your first autograph, and didn't that player become a favorite of yours instantly. And who could ever forget the taste of that first stadium hot dog. I know all of these are still fresh in my mind, and it has been over 40 years since my first game at Al Lang Field watching the St. Petersburg Cardinals. And the bag of peanuts in front of me still taste better at the ballpark.
So it is with great pleasure that I re-introduce to the MLB community my number one memory of 2008. The realization of the 2008 playoff finally came to light on September 20, 2008 with 36,048 other "9 = 8" believers in the stands who had spent most of the game jumping up and down like maniacs. It was a time for celebration and rejoicing. It was a time to remember all the things we loved about the 2008 Rays. Not only did the team play a hard fought 7-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, but the team secured its first EVER playoff berth. And that moment seems have been buried lately because this group of players want to make their own memories, which is fine, but sometimes you have to embrace the past to secure your future.
Considering the 2008 Rays squad pushed the envelope from the first Spring Training game and fought long and hard to finally get this team over that "wins hump" that has kept prior teams from achieving this goal. This was a team before 2008 who had NEVER won more than 71 games a year, and for the first time in this franchises history, they fought and sweated daily to keep themselves in the top spot in the American League East. September 20,2008 was a blessed moment of celebration for the fans both inside Tropicana Field or at home, plus it was a perfect moment for the players to salute a great season, and a unique event for both sides to celebrate together. This moment was so personal to me. I got to celebrate with a few baseball buddies both with hugs and fist bumps to swigs of champagne and cheers of excitement as the entire team wandered and cheered around the stadium.
I made sure to remind a select few of them that the journey has just began and they made sure I knew that it was us, the fans that drove this bus to the playoffs as much as the players. And I got to drink from the champagne bottles and taste that sweet nectar that went down like cool rainwater and tasted like spun honey. It was one of the biggest moments for me as a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays…………….and hopefully you got to enjoy it too that day…………….
It might have looked like a mob scene out of your favorite sports movie, but believe me, the energy in that place on that September afternoon was so severe that it sometimes seemed to choke you from the intensity in the air. From the energy and the explosion of emotion in the stadium atmosphere, this game seemed to have been in the cards even before the Rays stepped on the turf. There was a wild feeling in the air that day. Most of that might have been nervous energy knowing they were within a whisker of franchise first and an event that would explode throughout the Tampa Bay community.
Seriously folks, after that celebration in the stands and on the field, I felt so drained emotionally and mentally just a wreck. I was literally crawling out on my hands and knees, but I had a huge Cheshire Cat grin when I finally exited the Trop around 9 P.M. after celebrating in the stands, near the clubhouse with a few friends, and in the Budweiser Brew house having a few brews with the old crew from the last 11 years. This was a night where everyone in Tampa Bay would have a peaceful nights sleep more induced by exhaustion than by excitement. But that was fine, because that night we all dreamed the moment again and again and finally awoke knowing OUR team finally had a date to play in the postseason.
This was an entire weekend that will sit up there with the best memories I have involving sports in my life. I have been to a few wild celebrations, like the Baltimore Ravens victory party in Ybor City after they won the Super Bowl in Tampa, or even a late night cocktail party at Reign after the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup with a few ex-Rays players. I was so spent that next morning from sheer excitement and celebration that I did not even feel I was walking on the turf when I arrived at the Trop for the annual Season Ticket holder Picture Day with the players. Well, the ones who are awake at 10 am. and did not have that emotional and physical body and mind hangover from all the celebrations.
TWO more times these guys got to pay as much attention to their team partying as they do out with us, the fans. From interview to interview that night, the Rays players to a "T", talked about the Tampa Bay Rays fans. And to show their respect to those fans, they included all of us in their celebrations. There were wild scenes of players like Akinora Iwamura and Carl Crawford getting up on the dugout and spraying the masses with champagne and beer. Throwing 9=8 playoff hats and T-shirts to outstretched hands, and basking in a moment that will live in this franchises history books and our collective memories forever.
The picture above means so much more to me now that all three have moved onto other opportunities away from this Rays team. All three of them had a unique personality that helped this squad in different ways to achieve this goal in 2008. It was also was the first time all three of these old teammates got to celebrate something like this in a Rays uniform. You know they will always remember their first time. You remember where you were, Who you were standing with, and what you were doing at that exact moment. When the guys came running down towards the Bull Pen Cafe area , I was standing on the railing waiting for them. I can not remember how many of those guys came by there and how many times I slapped their hands and gave them a fist bump.
But the memories that are really were the energy that produced Hugs from J P Howell, Jonny Gomes, Chad Orvella and Scott Kazmir. I have chatted almost daily with a lot of these guys on their way to the Bullpen, or back in the right field area, and they are some of the best guys you will ever want to meet. But that night on and off the field I got to know and see other sides to these guys that only their teammates get to see daily. And that is a moment that was not lost in my mind. Even today as I remember that September afternoon, the images are still crystal clear and the emotions still swirl within me. It was a time I again want to feel in 2009. It will be another awesome moment for this second generation of Rays. This years squad do not have the "jokers" and some of the big personalities that the 2008 squad had, but they are still the reigning AL Champs.
Some of these guys have been transformed by the moment. And success can do that to a player. It gives them a vital self realization that they are winners. Take J P Howell for instance. He used to be one of the quiet guys on this team. When he was a starter, he was a bit moody and never seemed to want to talk with anyone near the field level. But now he has been transformed since he has found his calling in the bullpen He now one of the friendliest people I have ever encountered on the Rays. Dan Wheeler is not known to smile a lot, but he does when we chat back and forth during the games. There is a unique bond there between the Bullpen and the fans here that I have never seen before in my life. But then again, they are living the dream in 2008.
From the first champagne bottle out of the clubhouse that day, to the two champagne bottles Bullpen Coach Bobby Ramos had ordered for himself and the close fans down there near the Bullpen, it was a magical night. The parade around the Trop outer perimeter was a show of the love and respect these guys have for the fan base. I have been lucky enough to know a few of these guys off the turf in private. And I have to tell you this in total confidence, not one time this year did any of these guys take this responsibility to the fans or to the community as a job or work.
On that September afternoon these guys actually enjoyed interacting with the fans. From the time they walked out at the Spring Training complex in mid-Feb. to now has been a long and rewarding journey. There have been injuries to key members of this pitching staff early in the year, but the team bent like a rubber band and did not break. This season players have come and gone from the roster, but the core of this team has been strong, mentally tough and been an inspiration to the fans. Not many groups have a tie to the fans that these guys have. The Rays community can honestly say the have the team's back at any moment.
The funny thing about that celebration is that about 50 percent of it was outside the locker room on the same field where these guys have toiled and struggled and left themselves bleeding and wounded some nights. To say this battle towards a playoff spot did not end with a fairy tale ending is totally inaccurate. I really need to hit the sack for a few hours before I fall down, but the adrenaline is still pumping hard in me right now and I have tossed and turned for about 5 hours since I got home.
I am a emotional wreck right now, but I would do it again in a New York moment. If you have never been to one of these defining moments, you know how the Rays Republic is now feeling. If you have not, I truly wish it upon yourself and your team sometime in the future. It is a roller coaster ride fitted with some great ups and downs that is not even over yet.
I just want to repurchase my "E" ticket so I can climb aboard the coaster again and roll through another three of these celebrations with the Rays and this truly spectacular group of guys. I actually now know what other team's fans have talked about when the y remark about the feelings and the intensity of the moment. I can see why New York Yankee and Boston Red Sox fans yearn and seek thin moment in their lives yearly. But I have to almost admit, I do not want to share it with them anytime soon.
So As I finally slink out of the stadium, and check out that bright orange roof, I am reminded of all the glory and the sweat and tears that have blanketed this great dome in the past 10 years. But tonight they all seem like a distant memory as we have a new found tradition of winning and are celebrating the success of our boys' tonight. I can't wait to get back into my seat tomorrow and see how much of the energy is still trapped in this building…………….9 am is coming fast to me tonight.
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Cliff — what a story. It sounds like me and the Indians, in the 07 ALDS, the bug game, where Hafner had the walkoff single. The place erupted, and went nuts, and it was if someone shot a gun you wouldn't here it. I couldn't here my own thoughts — that's how crazy it was! As I bet it was at the Trop. Outstanding post
Tribe Ted,
It was a bit louder than a jet airliner to me with the final out of the game with Trever Miller and his incredible Rayshawk on the mound.
Because of the dome, the sound was rolling wround in that building for a long time with no where to go.
But above all of that was the finally eruption of 11 seasons of frustrations, expectations and final sign of relief of securing a special "first" for the Rays.
I still think the future will even unfold more great moments, but this season the jury is still out.
Rays Renegade
Wonderful post Rays!,
I know how you feel about excitment at the ballpark. I have been blessed to have experience quite some great moments during playoffs and also regular games like the Back to back to back to back game. also some great Opening days! Do you remember your first Opening Day? they are all so special.
you said ""And how special was getting your first autograph, and didn't that player become a favorite of yours instantly"" Oh yeah! very special!
My first MLB game was the Tampa Bay Rays first game on March 31,1998 against the Detroit Tigers.
We lost that game, but from that time on I was hooked, line and sinker a Rays fan.
I had seen a couple hundred minor leagues games from NY Mets, St Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles teams both during Spring Training and during the Florida state League seasons.
But with the announcement we were seeking a team, we were on edge from the Seattle and San Francisco announcements, to the 25th hour move by the Illinois Legislature to keep the White Sox.
Been through heck and high water in pursuit of a team here.
Rays Renegade
Wow! How exciting to be at the very first game for the team! I imagine you have the ticket! Did you have it signed by the Opening Day pitcher?
Cliff – What a great story! I was at the game in '78 that sent the Red Sox to the one game playoff against the NY Yankees. Yes, we went on to lose the playoff game, but the feeling in Fenway that day? Priceless! You are so right – these are things we fans never forget!
I actually have it already framed in a 8X10 frame with the starting battery ( John Flaherty/ Winston Alvarez) signed on the ticket.
Also have a First game program with the entire starting nine players signatures on it From Quentin McCracken ( lead-off) down to Kevin Stokcer (9-slot).
Always fun to relive history.
Rays Renegade
Funny thing is I have talked to two ex-Rays and they want to be here so bad in 2010 because they can see the change in the attitude and gernal ownership by everyone on the team.
I know myself I felt a different vibe last season with the team, and it was the first time I had a gut feeling about this team.
Playoff nerves are the best!
Rays Renegade
You totally hit the nail on the head, man.
Being from New York, I'm used to playoffs, playoffs, playoffs, year after year, but that isn't such a great thing. When you finally climb that summit and you reach the top after a long time without, it's way more special than just being accustomed to winning all the time. And it being your first playoff season…whoa.
From the way you described it, it sounds almost too incredible for words. Talking about it and speculating like I am doesn't really bring it justice.
Even if you are not a fan of a playoff team, this month can produce some of the same emotions by maybe making the path a bit difficult for an opponent or visitng team.
Worst feeling in the world is seeing someone else celebrate on your home field.
For 10 years it seems that we had maybe 4 or 5 celebrations at the Trop, and they were not us celebrating them.
But in 2008, it was our turn, and I think we did a heck of a job.
Rays Renegade


text: Rocky and Hayley were by far the best team on I Know My Kid's A Star, even though Hayley had no particular talent other than being beautiful. Rocky's borderline psychotic outbursts, however, plus her mysterious weave, mocking of other children, and misanthropic nature were both entertaining and, at times, endearing. Sadly, on last night's episode, Rocky and Haley's ride came to an end. But they'll both be okay, because, like Rocky's daughter Hayley says in the clip above, "I don't care if I die, I just want to be rich and famous."


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An Indian judge sentenced four men to death for the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student last year, sending a stern message in a case that transfixed India. WSJ's Tripti Lahiri reports. Photo: Getty Images
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... the the ... eighteen judge has sentenced four men convicted earlier this week of the brutal gang rape and murder to hang ... to do here in New Delhi bureau ... has the story today tells LaVette about the reaction to the judge's verdict this is obviously a case that has transfixed in Royalty India ... looking at the route I wanted a school it that that affects one of them and adapt one of them cry ... I do it and so that the truth I'm ... is that they have got to share it got ... to be because people did beginning ... I'm going to stand ... outside the courthouse that said this is the ... isthe Inn and the way change happy you ... again in June of independent outside the White House that one way traffic is now ... and into the death penalty is relatively uncommon in his ... the uncommonly ... according to official statistics I traveled toward me be iam ... to that effect is due to the euro and ease of use you it helps ... at that time whatever and you will get old to point out that the truth is that the yen ... and incentives to work with you I'm good for a higher court ... senators ... beat it on there isn't a disease management appeals and yet but love the subtle noted that this this key switch and ... the candidate for the murder occurred in ... December of last year and has led to substantial amount of soul searching but also substantial change in ... an Indian legal practice also the bad ... aam what what has happened in the wake of this ... spring ... so ... one thing that could be us all with ... the state of step with the head of ... and let the ... debate gave the go back and you would have liked to beat the canes and ... become ... less cost and use the ... peace child can take you for your locally ... heavy pressure but on the graves of my ... own ... because there's an ... average of eight episodes ... Sunday that he's going to happen she and two he could cost of every month that it is about lunch ... and they've been busy on in this increased police presence and hands please sensitivity and awareness to ... the central cell ... my way ... I didn't get EQT in his piece that is because ... I mean ... what we are seeing in terms of attitudes and activities ... companies are trying to get back to him and he wasn't injured ... to the team ... in twenty fifteen said Tuesday the ruling many new and ... I'm thinking this huge guy in fourteen of sex crimes ... you can kind of let it sit for high-speed speedo when it's I mean I'm asking abt this ... and had has been in the ... East ... is East I hasten to see evidence of statistics and numbers that suggests that there is a ... rise in prosecutions arising the willingness of the justice system to ... and to take on these cases and to see them through to fruition ... um ... yes you're right you wouldn't that be who we are avoiding those keys and they are investigating them and move ... on ... I'm to its debt to at the trial system ... they could ... tighten Jesus just tell me the money ... either ... and those teachers were just going to trial short piece about it if I don't get it he says ... I'm you know with the conviction ... that the system gets closer so that ... I study still potentially able to build and is raking ... in the trials in


text:
Arlene necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 76 diseños de 20 diseñadores freelance.
a hand written font, with an emblem in the middle of arlene and catherine. I"d like to try some with all lowercase letters as if handwritten, with color maybe an orange and pink, or red. Or blue and white, maybe a turquoise and white or a pink and white. Something that dazzles the eye, suggests energy and artistic
Arlene Catherine
Desired Color Scheme:
blue and yellow or white, or navy and tan, or green and navy, or green and orange- tan.
Desired Style:
artistic and energetic
Accepted File Formats:
Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai)
For colors I'd like to stay away from a lot of Purple and red, maybe a bit here and there, but mainly into blues, turquoise, yellow, pinks, also I like the color scheme of navy and tan, and also a muted green or an emerald green with tan or brown, or maybe even an orangey shade.
Energy, stunning, eyecatching. I"d like to stay away from the usual flower choices in the design, but maybe something unique like a bird of paradise, where it looks like its drawn by a paint brush , where the plant or flower is like an animal or something living. Or maybe a ballerina with a mid length skirt on dancing with a camera, I think something that gives off energy such as an animal or dots and stars taht are dancing on the top of the text would look cool. I like butterflys, dots, stars, enthusiasm, high energy, fun , modern, fresh, but mainly artistic.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
This post is essentially a "guest" post, meaning it features a wonderful write-up on a tasting that included the 1977 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, composed by one Michael Walbrecht; I have included his write-up below, as well as two photos that Michael very kindly sent along (one of the '77 in the glass, and one of Robert Bettis, another attendee of the tasting, and also a member of our ATP Wine Program!) . Thank you Michael, for sharing your experience with us!
Emerging from a long slumbering sleep – The 1977 Ridge Monte Bello
There is only a handful of California wineries that have been producing long enough and with high enough quality to have a 1977 vintage wine that remains drinkable, and not something more appropriate as dressing on tonight's dinner salad. Most of these are the stalwarts of the U.S. wine industry: Diamond Creek, Caymus, Ch. Montelena, Silver Oak, Phelps, Mayacamas, and Ridge, to name a few from the select list. Furthermore, the chances that a bottle of 1977 is still drinking beautifullyfrom any of these titans of wine are somewhere between you purchasing a time-share condo in Pyongyang and Giada De Laurentiis cooking up some mushroom risotto at your house this evening. When you consider that the 1977 vintage is not a "classic" vintage for California Cabernet, plus throw in the vagaries of storage conditions, cork integrity, and 32 years of age, you find yourself left with only a remote chance of enjoying the bottle beyond being able to brag to your friends that you "tried it."
Enter the annual Kahn tasting in La Canada-Flintridge, California. A wine event held each spring that concentrates on classic California reds. The line-up never disappoints, and this year included Caymus, Insignia, La Jota, Silver Oak, and Heitz, to name just a few. The two oldest of the group were a 1974 Silver Oak North Coast and a 1977 Ridge Monte Bello, both rare in their own right.
The '74 Silver Oak, from a cellar in Seattle, Washington, was still drinking nicely, but had lost some of its vigor after 35 years. I have to hand it to Justin Meyer (God rest his soul), as the wine still had great tannins and structure, a beautifully aged appearance, and exhibited tobacco on the nose and dark notes of leather and bramble for at least two hours. A wonderful wine. It was a great contrast to the younger 1986 Silver Oak that was also on the bill that evening.
The '77 Monte Bello, which came from a cellar in Walnut Creek, had been under the control of the owner's family and stored in a climate-controlled space since its release in 1979. The fill on the bottle was good, and the cork was compressed and hardened, but was only saturated a portion of the way up. There was a relatively modest amount of sediment in the bottle, which we took as a good omen.
Most impressively, the color was still deep, dark purple with just a bit of brick along the edge – it could have passed for a wine one-half its age. Upon gentle decanting, the nose and flavors were closed up, which was unexpected. We erroneously believed that the Monte Bello would be ready to drink as soon as it hit the air, and drop off rather precipitously inside the first hour. Instead, it took at least an hour for it to open up, and was really hitting its stride after two hours, and remained approachable at four hours. If the nose of the '74 Silver Oak was tobacco, the nose of the '77 Monte Bello was a Montecristo cigar straight from Fidel's pocket. Although the fruit was undoubtedly showing some age, it presented beautifully with dark cassis and berry flavors, along with deep spice, leather, and a bit of oak. The dark flavors elicited a "Nectar of the Devil" summation of the wine. In the off chance you have any '77 in the cellar, the wine is clearly ready to drink, although will probably remain solid for a few more years.
Michael Walbrecht, June 9, 2009
Categories: Cabernet Sauvignon, Events, Monte Bello, Tasting Notes, Wine Tales


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Post-Oscar Anna's sweet second home
Anna Kendrick arrived back in Vancouver yesterday to work on I'm With Cancer, or whatever it's now being called or not called, with Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt who replaced James McAvoy. As you know, Anna made her first appearance at the Oscars on Sunday as a Best Supporting Actress nominee – not bad for a maiden voyage down the Kodak red carpet. There was never any question about winning or losing. The key this award season has been the exposure. Anna will work for a while. Done.
The highly anticipated Scott Pilgrim vs the World is due for release in August, and I'm told that even though names like Anne Hathaway and Natalie Portman were being tossed around for this Cancer project, once Anna was interested, they wouldn't think of anyone else.
As for her love life, as I already reported months ago, she was with Edgar Wright during filming for Pilgrim and he was with her at the BAFTAs a couple weeks ago. Looks like they're still an item.
Many of you have been asking about James McAvoy and the story behind him dropping out of the project. Please know that there is no scandal. Rather, it is a sad smut situation. If you are a fan, hope for privacy and some time away.
And a final note on Anna – she is awfully thin right now, has been for a while. Vancouver is home to the best Chinese food in the world. Time to hit up some dimsum.
Exclusive photos from PUNKD Images


text: A team of torchbearers brings the Paralympic flame through Piccadilly Circus as the torch heads across London to the Olympic Stadium. The Paralympic Games' opening ceremony will be held Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET. LOCOG/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption LOCOG/Getty Images The Two-Way Paralympics Begin In London, Near 'Spiritual Home' Of Games August 29, 2012 More than 4,000 athletes from 147 countries will compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, where the opening ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m. ET today. The U.S. contingent of 227 athletes includes 133 men and 94 women. Of the American Paralympians, 20 are U.S. military veterans.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) As he prepared to read from the Philip Roth novel "The Plot Against America" on Tuesday, Alec Baldwin looked to the table on his left and checked out the author's photos on the Roth books arranged in a semicircle.
"Look how handsome he is," Baldwin said of the dark-eyed novelist, famous for such ribald fiction as "Portnoy's Complaint" and "Sabbath's Theater."
"If I looked like that, I would have written books with a lot of sex in them, too," Baldwin said.
Baldwin and fellow actors John Rothman and Paul Carlin were featured at a free midday event in Manhattan, reading from three Roth novels: "The Plot Against America," ''Portnoy's Complaint" and the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Plot Against America." Hundreds gathered at Temple Emanu-El for a tribute co-sponsored by the Library of America, which publishes hardcover editions of classic literature, and by the cultural advocacy project Toward International Peace Through the Arts (TIPA).
While the 80-year-old Roth is the only living novelist to have all his work released by the Library of America and has received more than a table's worth of prizes, a temple seemed an unlikely setting for praise. Roth is a longtime non-believer whose books were often criticized by Jews for reinforcing Jewish stereotypes.
But the day's first speaker, Rabbi Joshua Davidson, spoke warmly of Roth and the author himself had planned to attend before falling ill last week. Still recovering from an infection, Roth sent a note of apology, lamenting that a "microbe made a deal with my intestine and knocked me down."
Roth added, "Down, but not out."


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text:
Drug war, terror intersect in alleged Iran plot
WASHINGTON - The unraveling of an alleged plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States came from a surprising place the front lines of the drug war along the Mexican border.
And like a Hollywood thriller, the murder-for-hire tale cuts back and forth across international lines. "This case illustrates we live in a world where borders and boundaries are increasingly irrelevant," said FBI Director Robert Mueller.
The sole man in custody for the foiled plot also allegedly talked about wanting to attack embassies of Israel and Saudi Arabia, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports. Meanwhile, the State Department Wednesday warned of possible new attacks against Americans stemming from the Obama administration's allegations.
According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York, the plot was revealed by an informant inside the world of the Mexican drug trade, a man paid by U.S. drug agents to rat out traffickers.
Holder: Iran aimed to bomb Saudi ambassador
Iran rejects U.S. plot claim as "childish"
U.S. issues terror alert after foiled Iran plot
The complaint describes the informant as someone who was previously charged for violating drug laws in the United States but got the charges dismissed by agreeing to cooperate with U.S. drug investigations. U.S. officials trusted the informant because he had proved reliable in the past and led to several drug seizures and the informant was paid for those tips.
Read the criminal complaint (PDF)
(Above, watch a "CBS Evening News" report on Arbabsiar's appearance in a Manhattan courtroom)
The informant reached out to his contacts in the United States to tell them all about it. Rep. Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he was told the informant was "somebody who was in one of the drug cartels, credible, long history, was fully capable of conducting the kind of operation the Iranian was asking for."
"This guy brought it to us, and from there it was laid out in front of us as they went forward," the Michigan Republican said.
The complaint said Arbabsiar and the informant met several more times in Mexico over the next few months, with the informant secretly recording their conversations for U.S. authorities. The two spoke English and their discussions became more focused on a specific target for violence the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Adel al-Jubeir, a U.S.-educated commoner sent to the United States to repair relations after the Sept. 11 attacks who has been ambassador since 2007.
The complaint said Arbabsiar has fully confessed to his role in the operation and said he was recruited, funded and directed by Iran's special foreign actions unit known as the Quds Force. Arbabsiar said his cousin Abdul Reza Shahlai was a high-ranking member of the Quds Force who approached him this past spring to ask for his cooperation. Arbabsiar said he frequently traveled between the U.S. and Mexico for work and knew people he believed were in the drug trade, and his cousin asked him if he could recruit someone in the narcotics business for criminal activity.
The Quds: Iran's shadowy terrorist trainers
U.S. officials say Shahlai has a violent past the Bush administration accused him of planning a Jan. 20, 2007, attack in Karbala, Iraq, that killed five American soldiers and wounded three others. This time, according to U.S. officials, Shahlai and other Quds agents approved a plot to pay their Mexican drug contact $1.5 million for the death of the ambassador making a $100,000 down payment to an account the informant provided.
According to transcripts of their recorded conversations cited in the complaint, the informant told Arbabsiar he would kill the ambassador however he wanted "blow him up or shoot him" and Arbabsiar responded he should use whatever method was easiest. The plot eventually centered on targeting Al-Jubeir in his favorite restaurant and Arbabsiar was quoted as saying killing him alone would be better, "but sometime, you know, you have no choice." Arbabsiar dismisses the possibility that 100-150 others in the restaurant could be killed along with the ambassador as "no problem" and "no big deal."
Eventually, according to the complaint, the informant told Arbabsiar he must come to Mexico to offer himself as "collateral" for the final payment of the $1.5 million fee for the assassination. Arbabsiar said his cousin's deputy at the Quds Force Gholam Shakuri, also charged in the complaint but at large in Iran warned him against offering himself as a guarantee of payment. But Arbabsiar went anyway, boarding a flight to Mexico on Sept. 28 with plans to fly to Iran after the plot was finished.
Arbabsiar agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities and made several recorded phone calls to Shakuri in which they discussed the purchase of a "Chevrolet," their agreed-upon code-word for the plot. Shakuri urged Arbabsiar to make sure they "just do it quickly."


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This set is a full B-set by Marc van Daal. The chanter is fully keyed and the set comes in a hard case.
This unique set is an outstanding showcase of Marc's craftsmanship. The main stock is a hollow main stock made from African black wood. All key work is hand forged silver plated brass and together with the flawless African black wood it makes this set one of the most attractive sets I've ever seen.
This set is brand new and it has been recently serviced by Marc himself. The bag has been seasoned, it has five new reeds and it was completely tuned.
This is a great opportunity if you want a quality B-set and you don't even have to wait years for it until it's finished!
If you want to know more about Marc's work, go and check his site: http://uilleann.net
This set is brand new: it was built a few years ago but hardly ever used.
Any issues
None whatsoever.
Materials the item is made from
African black wood and silver plated brass.
Reason for sale
I want to buy a drum set and drum classes for my daughter.
Asking price
€ 5000,00 - [buyer pays shipping & insurance]
Better pictures on request.
Audio sample (by Marc van Daal)
Marc van Daal full B-set for sale - updated
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text:
When Stephen said an eye needed to be kept out on the "Sims Gone Wrong" tumblr - showing the wonderful ways one of the biggest games on the planet can break - he wasn't kidding.
Hey, buddy. The fish baby is just trying to get some sleep. Don't be a jerk.
Just gonna sit here and you know.. tease my fish baby [Sims Gone Wrong]