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The Estherville Lincoln Central Board of Education at its meeting this week had a preview of the upcoming year from administrative staff.
Pre-K through fourth principal Shane Kalous noted 630 students in the elementary, up from 617 last year. Kalous said wireless Internet was now installed in both Roosevelt and Demoney and he thanked administrative assistants for their help in getting ready for the fall.
Frank Christenson, high-school principal, gave a tour of the facility, including the upgraded computer lab featuring laptops and a new painting scheme in the entry and cafeteria.
Brad Leonard, activities director, said there were seven new coaches this fall with 60 players out for middle-school football, a record. He said 80 students were out for high-school fall activities.
Leonard said the showcase will be this Friday and he highlighted the new flag project at the football field, initiated when the Blass family donated a flag in memory of their son Steve.
Christenson said Avera Holy Family Hospital had donated three defibrillators - one for each gym and one for trainers. He also noted the Back to School Bash Wednesday and the Showcase Friday.
Bob Grems, Regional Wellness Center director, said membership is up a little over last year with 2,150 members which he said was "way above the norm." Grems said 44 students were signed up for Energizer Plus with a cutoff of 50.
Other activities Grems discussed were Dancetastic, flag football and permanent and quasi-permanent endowments through the Emmet County Community Foundation.
Superintendent Tara Paul noted 117 students enrolled in kindergarten so far. She said the district was unable to accommodate a request by a Minnesota family to bus students since it was not legal to run a bus route across state lines.
Jodie Greig, board president, said if the parents brought the children to a location in Iowa, district buses could pick them up and that the district must charge tuition.
The board also approved purchase of a bus from Thomas Bus Sales for $83,273. Funds for the bus came from the 1-cent tax and were approved with the 1-cent/PPEL budget.


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Syrian army storm rebel-held Qusayr
The Syrian military, backed by Hezbollah, pounded the rebel-held town of Qusayr on Sunday, killing at least 13 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
"After two days of calm, planes bombed the town of Qusayr in the early hours of the morning," the watchdog's director Rami Abdel Rahman said.
At least 13 people, including rebels, were killed in these raids and in artillery and mortar fire by the army.
"It seems that this is preparation for a major operation," he said.
Rebel forces have held the strategic town, which links Damascus with the coast, for months. However the Syrian army, bolstered by foreign fighters including Hezbollah militants, have won a number of battles around the town in recent weeks. The Syrian air force last week dropped leaflets on the town, calling on residents to leave for their own safety.
The Syrian Revolution General Commission also reported heavy shelling on the ground on Sunday morning.
"A rain of shells on the city, at the same time as artillery fire and mortar fire from dawn. Homes were destroyed and burnt down," the group said.


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The first full-out matchup pitting the AFC North's most versatile weapon (Rice) against one of the division's emerging Pro Bowl-type two-way defenders when the Bengals head to Baltimore for Sunday's game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) against the run-starved Ravens.
The Bengals are wary of the numbers coming out of Baltimore. How Rice is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry. How his longest run is 14 yards. How the Ravens ran out of the pistol formation in last Sunday's loss in Cleveland five times for five yards. How teams like the Browns are daring Baltimore to run on them while they worry that quarterback Joe Flacco and the Ravens can't take them up on it with the NFL's fourth-worst rushing offense.
"Doesn't matter," says Bengals right end
The Bengals can be forgiven for not buying. Since 2011, they've allowed just eight runs of plus-30 yards and the 5-foot-8, 212-pound Rice has shot through for three of them. Since Mike Zimmer arrived in 2008 as defensive coordinator, the Bengals have allowed five touchdown runs of 40 yards or more and Rice has two of them. In the last three games that have mattered against Cincinnati, Rice has averaged 6.7 yards per his 54 carries. Over the last three years the Bengals have allowed seven touchdown runs of at least 20 yards and Rice has two.
Johnson watched Rice rip off runs of 70, 59 and 51 yards two years ago in the two games against the Bengals and it comes on the heels of one of Cincinnati's sloppier games against the run. Miami's Lamar Miller had one of those plus-30s with a 41-yarder. The only way to prevent the long one by Rice is to make him beat 11 defenders.
"He's a good cutback runner. If you over-pursue, he'll make you pay," Johnson says. "If you don't have enough guys getting to the ball and you have him in a one-on-one situation, he'll make you pay. You need to get all 11 hats to the ball. And when you get there, pull cloth."
If Rice is struggling, Burfict is thriving as he continues to lead the NFL tackles. But like all crowns, it's a bit uneasy. For the second straight week it looks like middle linebacker
"Rice is definitely the key with all the receivers that Flacco has lost and it's been the formula how teams have stopped them; stop the run," says Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham. "It's Burfict's first game without Geno in front of him consuming blockers. Hopefully, the guy that is replacing Geno gets those blockers and lets Burfict do his thing."
Rice strained his hip early in the season and while he's telling everybody he's fine, he's clearly not.
"I don't think he's running as well; he's not quite the same looking at him," Lapham says. "The fact they're not running the ball, there are a lot of reasons. They're not blocking well and Ray Rice to me doesn't look like the same Ray Rice physically."
The Ravens almost look as if they've given up on the run with most of their plays coming out of a spread formation. But head coach John Harbaugh says they have to run teams out of those soft looks. Or better yet, pass more to loosen them up.
"They're playing us with seven people in the box against a spread formation. That is single-high. That's Cover 3 and Cover 1 – that's what we're getting," Harbaugh says, "We're getting some off, we're getting some press. That's a run defense. So, Cleveland played us in a run defense pretty much the whole game. We've got to get them out of that run defense. That's our job. And to do that, we've got to be good and precise in the pass game. We've got to open up that coverage a little bit and force them to back off. "
The Bengals are not coming off a good game against the run. The Dolphins gouged them for 142 yards rushing in the first half and linebackers coach Paul Guenther says it's pretty simple why.
"We didn't come out right away and take control of the line of scrimmage last week," he says. "We didn't do a good job shooting our hands and extending our arms and getting off blocks. When the ball gets to the perimeter, we have to crack and replace and play with better run force on the perimeter. We have to come out guns blazing from the first snap of the game."
Much has been made of the Ravens blocking scheme now that there is a lot of spread and pistol formations. But Guenther says the Ravens have been using zone blocking concepts for a couple of years now and Rice says it's the same stuff.
"We've tried different things, but at the same time, it's still the same thing. It's not a different scheme; it's not a different offense. We're running an offense that fits our personnel right now," Rice says. "At the same time, we're not taking the credit; the other side can take it as well, too. Look at the defense that we're facing; I'm not taking away from them. Could we have executed it better? That's not what I'm trying to say. What I'm trying to say is some other side, especially if you want to go back to last week … look at Cleveland's front. They've got a top defense in the NFL right now. That's not easy to run the ball against a tough front like that. We've done it before, and that's the thing that we've got to get our hat back on. We've done it before. We've just got to continue to keep working and that's what we'll continue to do."
Burfict wasn't in the lineup yet as a rookie in last year's opener when Rice busted for nearly seven yards per carry on just 10 carries, but their brief meeting in the season finale that turned out to be a fifth preseason game displayed the tenacity and intensity the duo are going to bring to the matchup.
Rice played only nine snaps before resting for his Super Bowl run. But before he left he and Burfict got into after the whistle and they had to be separated. But not before Burfict seemed to usher in a new Bengals edge standing up to Baltimore's perennial playoff swag and then walking away while two personal foul flags flew against the Ravens.
Now Burfict leads the NFL in tackles and Rice is looking for his Pro Bowl explosiveness. As usual, Rice is second on the Ravens in catches, so Burfict will again have to be active against the pass. But in the end, the NFL's leading tackler and the other 10 guys have to get him to the ground the first time.
"Pull cloth," Johnson says.


text:
Hello all,
I have just stepped back into helping out Baseball league generate a Umpire Game allocation page.
I'm stuck on one item and I believe I need some JavaScript to make the last segment work.
I would like to post an image but I see it is not possible here.
Let me try and give a picture.
The Umpire enters his name and email address and then looks over the game listing and then can select to do the "Plate" or "Base"
In the Plate selection button I gather the "Date" "Time" and "Division" that the umpire has selected.
What I now would like is to have script to gather the Date Time & Division and POST the results and then the Umpire could "Accept" or "Reset"
Here is the Info
<input type="submit" name=10-Apr-12 /5:30 PM /Pee Wee A value="Plate">
This is what I would like it to look like
Your game selection is:
Date: 10-Apr-12
Time: 5:30 PM
Div: Pee Wee A
'Accept" or "Reset"
The Accept would to a email post.
What do you have so far? It's a LOT easier to add whatever is needed to your existing code than to write it from scratch and find that it's not what you want.


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Difference between revisions of "Forum:Protagonists fate."
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:Rockstar Games have stated themselves that the character killed is Victor Vance. [[User:A-Dust|A-Dust]] 16:38, January 7, 2010 (UTC)
:Rockstar Games have stated themselves that the character killed is Victor Vance. [[User:A-Dust|A-Dust]] 16:38, January 7, 2010 (UTC)
Revision as of 19:22, 8 January 2010
this is a list of what i think happened to every protagonist in all the gta games, sorry i haven't played gta 4 or china town wars so i don't know much about them.
the protagonist of gta 1:the cops finally catch him/her.
the protagonist of gta 1 London:this was based in the 60s so hes long dead.
Claude speed: got shot by a zaibatsu assassins (as seen in gta2).
tommy vercetti: was killed by a former vance crime family member,because of revenge of killing lance vance.
mike: hes still alive and well but is out of the life of crime.
cj: when cj betrayed the leones and robbed them of all there money the leones were forced back to liberty city,Salvatore then put a hit on cj.
Toni cipriani: when Salvatore dies Toni becomes don, joey Leone is jelious of this and kills Toni so he become don.
vic vance: killed by Ricardo diaz ( as seen in gta vice city).
fell free to comment or make your own fate list.
1. the vance crime family came after the vercetti gang so nobody really cared about lance
2. GTA IV i think niko's fate is he prolly got out the crime buisness settled down with one of the internet girlfreinds and lived a normal life
3. you skipped claude--Coop804 13:20, 26 May 2009 (UTC)
Claude is Claude speed,and the vance crime family was before and u would think there would be some members left.
1. Claude Speed and Claude aren't confirmed to be the same person.
2. The Vance Crime Family was extremly likely to have been dissolved after Vic and Lance left it. Even if there were some remnants, it wouldn't be likely that they would manage to kill Tommy Verrcetti.
3. The guy in the beginning of Vice City is definetly NOT Vic Vance. --PBello 19:22, 7 June 2009 (UTC)
1. its pretty obvious that Claude is Claude speed,they look the same and they dress the same.
2.like i said they would be still some members of the vance crime family and still would be close to lance.
3. if that wasn't vic then who was it. and why wasn't vic in vice city.--User:lozzy94
hang on you could be right it could of been pete vance.User:Lozzy94
i have played gta 4 . so my guess is that:
nikko belic : living the american dream with his brother roman.
how could CJ have been killed by salvatore when sal's in LC and Carls in san andreas? And I have neither played Vice city, or the stories version, but I how can you be so certain that the guy at the beggining is Vic? --GTAddict 13:28, January 7, 2010 (UTC)
- Rockstar Games have stated themselves that the character killed is Victor Vance. A-Dust 16:38, January 7, 2010 (UTC)
ignore my bit about victor then. --GTAddict 19:22, January 8, 2010 (UTC)


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Catastrophe for Public Health in the Making
Contact Becky Wexler
Catastrophe for Public Health in the Making
Washington, DC (July 1, 2010)—The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) hosted a Capitol Hill briefing yesterday highlighting the devastating effect of job losses on one of the nation's most important sectors: local health departments. Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, recognized the importance of restoring the 23,000 local public health jobs that have been lost from January 2008 to December 2009, saying that these men and women represent one of our nation's most valuable resources for prevention.
At the briefing, Andrews discussed the intersection of jobs and health, noting the importance of House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller's bill, the Local Jobs for America Act (H.R. 4812). The legislation, an important step in addressing the impacts of current local government budgetary shortfalls, has potential to enable local governments to provide local health departments with the resources necessary to reinstate laid-off personnel, return furloughed employees to full-time work, and restore core public health services.
"Local health departments play an essential role in our nation's public health system because they protect the well-being of the American people. Each day, public health employees work in often unseen ways to help keep each community safe and healthy," said Andrews. "To help ensure the safety of our nation's communities and improve the health and well-being of our citizens, local health departments need more workers engaged in public health and prevention—not fewer. Therefore, it is essential that we act now, by passing legislation such as Chairman Miller's Local Jobs for America Act, to provide localities with much-needed resources."
Peter Beilenson, MD, Health Officer for Howard County (MD), told the audience that his own department's staff had recently been reduced by 30 percent. This year, budget cuts forced Howard County to eliminate its prenatal clinic—one of the only public clinics in the state providing prenatal care. The result is that 400 low-income pregnant women will have to seek care in distant hospitals, if they seek prenatal care at all.
Terrance Allan, Health Commissioner for the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (OH), said his state's $8 billion deficit had led to similar staff and programmatic reductions. Cuyahoga County was forced to eliminate a tobacco prevention and control program that had successfully reduced local smoking rates. Now, 3,500 children will not receive peer-to-peer tobacco education and 400 adults won't receive smoking cessation services.
"Job losses at local health departments make life riskier. Continued cuts to local health department budgets threaten Americans' safety and health," said NACCHO Executive Director Robert M. Pestronk. "For example, fewer staff to conduct inspections of water well drilling sites, sewage treatment facilities, and food service facilities like restaurants will make drinking water and food increasingly dangerous to consume. The ability to recognize and stop in a timely manner outbreaks of infectious diseases like influenza or tuberculosis is disappearing before our eyes."
Local health departments from around the country are echoing the concerns raised today by Congressman Andrews and health directors Beilenson and Allan. A NACCHO survey released in May showed not only that roughly 15 percent of the entire local health department workforce has been lost, but that these job losses are both crippling the ability of local health departments to respond to emergencies and emerging threats and diminishing their capacity to conduct day-to-day operations of inspection and public service on which the health of Americans relies. Sixty-three percent of the U.S. population lives in the jurisdiction of a local health department that made cuts to at least one public service in 2009, such as an activity aimed at improving childhood nutrition, preventing tobacco use, or providing childhood immunizations.
"The mounting cuts to local public health departments are the beginnings of a national tragedy," said Georges Benjamin, MD, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association. "Without robust, sustained investment in our public health infrastructure, the capacity and ability of this country to protect the public and prevent diseases is being severely eroded."
Read the full report on NACCHO's Job Loss and Program Cuts survey at www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/lhdbudget/upload/Job-Losses-and-Program-Cuts-5-10.pdf.
Follow news about budget cuts and job losses in local health departments across the country at www.naccho.org/newsmap.


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The fanboys came out in droves Thursday night as "Prometheus" racked up a bloody good $3.56 million in midnight screenings.
Ridley Scott's return to the world of the 1979 classic "Alien" showed in 1,368 locations. It will expand to 3,394 venues and face off against "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted."
Thanks to an online promotional campaign that teased "Prometheus'" deep-space carnage without revealing too many of its secrets, the film more than doubled the late-night takes of recent tentpole fare like "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Men in Black 3."
Also read: Can 'Prometheus' and 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' Revive the R-Rated Blockbuster?
While most box office prognosticators estimate that "Prometheus" will gross $50 million in its opening weekend, Fox has been conservative in its projections, saying it anticipates making $30 million. However, the impressive late-night grosses should ensure that it far exceeds Fox's estimates.
"Prometheus" is set in the 21st century and chronicles a spaceship crew's ill-fated mission to follow a star map discovered among the remnants of several ancient Earth civilizations in a quest to discover the origins of humanity. Spoiler alert: There will be blood.
Scott produced and directed from a script co-written by Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts. Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Guy Pearce star. Lindelof and Tony Scott are also producers.
The studio puts the production budget at $130 million.


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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Seth Doege threw for 401 yards and five touchdowns to lead Texas Tech to a 59-13 victory against New Mexico on Saturday.
Doege tied a school record by completing his first 15 passes en route to finishing 40 for 44 - a 90.9 completion percentage, a national record for quarterbacks with at least 40 completions.
"It's a tribute to the entire offense," Doege said. "The receivers caught some balls that probably shouldn't have been caught.
"I think I got hit one time, and that was my own fault because I called out the wrong blocking assignment."
Darrin Moore caught nine passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns for the Red Raiders (2-0). Eric Ward had two TD receptions.
Deon Long had three catches for 139 yards for the Lobos (0-3), including a 69-yarder to set up their only touchdown. New Mexico has been outscored 127-26 this season.
Texas Tech amassed 624 yards of offense.
Two lightning delays postponed the game a total of 95 minutes.
The Red Raiders built a 28-0 first-half lead behind Doege's hot hand. After his first incompletion, he connected on his next seven passes.
"It's pretty wild for an offense to be on like that," Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said. "It all started with protection. He got hit quite a bit in the first game, but I don't think he got hit much today.
"When you are as proficient as we were today, it makes it easier on everybody."


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The Dolphins remain a hopeful bunch this morning.
Coach Tony Sparano will hold his day-after press conference in a couple of hours and, at some point, likely point out that the Dolphins remain in the playoff chase with a handful of other 7-6 teams and so, "Why not us?"
The Dolphins should win the next two games. They host the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. Those teams have combined for six wins. But it is that season-finale at New England that looms difficult for the Dolphins if the Patriots are of the mind to play all their players and not lay down.
That game could be the difference between 10-6 and a chance to be in the playoffs, and 9-7 and practically no chance to be in the playoffs. Of course, the Dolphins must do work against Buffalo and Detroit first. It is still a long shot and, as I point out in my column today, Miami's quarterback situation is not good right now.
Don't get me wrong. Miami's QB play is fine compared to the reeling Jets. But compared to playoff teams, particularly the New England Patriots? Not so good.
The truth is it seems Chad Henne is regressing. He used to have one good game, one questionable game. Since coming back from his knee injury, he's had one good game (Oakland) and two bad games (Cleveland and New York).
Very frustrating for any Dolphins fan hoping for a franchise QB, hoping for playoff relevance, hoping for a chance to have their team do something special.
Dolphins fans, by the way, were angry Sunday evening after Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi tripped Miami special teams flyer Nolan Carroll along the Jets sideline. It was a dirty move and Alosi eventually released a statement in which he apologized for the "unsportsmanlike" move.
But while Carroll, who eventually got an apology from Alosi, didn't think much of it, several Miami players were indignant. Consider their reaction in this Miami Minute courtesy The Herald's Jeff Darlington:


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Mohammed VI, (Arabic: محمد السادس) (born 21 August 1963) is the present King of Morocco and self-appointed Amir al-Mu'minin (commander of the faithful). He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.
On the day of his birth, he was appointed Heir Apparent and Crown Prince. His father, King Hassan II, was keen on giving him a religious and political education from an early age. At the age of four, he started attending the Qur'anic school at the Royal Palace, and received a religious and traditional education.
After primary and secondary studies at the Royal College and after he received his Baccalaureate in 1981, Mohammed obtained in 1985 a Bachelor's degree in law at the College of law of the Mohammed V University at Agdal in Rabat. His research paper dealt with "the Arab-African Union and the Strategy of the Kingdom of Morocco in matters of International Relations". He has also frequented the Imperial College and University of Rabat. In the same year of 1985 he was appointed President of the Pan Arab Games and commissioned Colonel Major of the Royal Moroccan Army on 26 November, and Coordinator of the Offices and Services of the Royal Armed Forces until 1994.


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Nick Littlemore is a prolific Australian musician, songwriter and producer, perhaps best known as front man of the acclaimed Sydney-based electronic act PNAU, and one half of the electro-pop duo Empire of the Sun. He is also a member of the art-rock band Teenager.
Nick attended the College of Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales, graduating with a degree in Digital Media. The musical influences he cites cover a very broad spectrum that includes Laurie Anderson, John Cage, Lindsay Buckingham, Harry Nilsson, Leonard Cohen and Elvis Presley.
As a producer Nick has worked with Sir Elton John, Groove Armada, Ellie Goulding, Robbie Williams, Flora Purim and many others. Nick has also produced and arranged (with his partner in PNAU, Peter Mayes) all-new versions of classic Elton John songs for an album to be released in 2012. He won his first Australian Record Industry Association Award in 1999 for Best Dance Release with PNAU, and four more ARIAS in 2009 for Empire of the Sun's album Walking on a Dream.
When Cirque du Soleil approached him for this first collaboration, he could easily have chosen to continue touring the world playing to bigger and bigger audiences with his band, but there was something about the prospect and challenge of creating the music for Zarkana that proved to be a bigger draw.
He describes his approach to writing as controlled chaos. "It just happens and I try and embrace whatever is happening with harmony and beauty and some kind of atmosphere," he explains. "Often when I write a tune I'll create the environment first – the atmosphere and the outer edges, if you like. It's like making a sky. Once that environment has been created, you can allow a storm or any other natural event to come into it."
"I wanted the music for Zarkana to reflect the ecstasy of existence," he says. "The sheer joy of being, and the exquisite mechanism of shivers."
Nick Littlemore was born in Sydney, Australia.


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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – No more end-zone spikes for a while from Rob Gronkowski.
A person familiar with the process said Monday the New England Patriots tight end expects to be sidelined for four to six weeks after having surgery for a broken left forearm. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick gave no update on the high-scoring, free-spirited tight end, who appeared to be hurt while blocking on an extra point late in the Patriots' 59-24 win Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts.
Asked during an early afternoon conference call if Gronkowski had undergone surgery, Belichick said, "I really haven't met with our doctors and trainers yet today. I do that at the end of the day. I don't have any updates.
"Whatever the injury information is, we'll release it in a timely fashion, when we're required by the league, just like we always do."
The Patriots gave no estimate of how long Gronkowski, who hasn't missed a game in his three NFL seasons, might be sidelined. But they have to make a quick adjustment with only three days to prepare for Thursday night's game at the New York Jets.
Ravens' Reed suspended 1 game: Baltimore Ravens star safety Ed Reed was suspended for one game by the NFL on Monday for repeated hits to the head and neck area of defenseless players.
The 11-year veteran will miss Sunday's game against San Diego.
Reed is suspended for three violations of the player safety rules in the past three seasons. The latest came in Sunday night's 13-10 victory over Pittsburgh when he was penalized for unnecessary roughness in the third quarter for a hit to the head of receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Reed also was penalized Sept. 23 against the Patriots for unnecessary roughness and fined $21,000 for striking Deion Branch when the receiver was defenseless. Before that, Reed hit Saints quarterback Drew Brees on Dec. 19, 2010, and was fined $10,000.
McGahee likely done for season: At Englewood, Colo., Broncos running back Willis McGahee tore a ligament in his right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season.
An MRI conducted Monday showed a "nonsurgical" tear, said coach John Fox. He said there was no immediate plan to put the 10-year veteran on injured reserve.
Backups Ronnie Hillman and Lance Ball are expected to share McGahee's spot, with Knowshon Moreno also available.
Lions to bench Young vs. Texans: At Allen Park, Mich., the Detroit Lions are benching wide receiver Titus Young for Thursday's game against Houston after what coach Jim Schwartz calls "unacceptable" behavior during Sunday's loss to Green Bay.
Schwartz does not characterize the move as a suspension, but says Young was sent home from the team's practice facility Monday and will be inactive against the Texans. The coach does not say what Young specifically did wrong, but says there's no room for selfish behavior in a team sport.
Young, a second-year receiver out of Boise State, has 33 catches for 383 yards and four touchdowns this season. He caught one pass for 24 yards Sunday.
Young was involved in an altercation with teammate Louis Delmas last offseason. When he was in college, he missed most of the 2008 season for disciplinary reasons.
Redskins' Meriweather out for season: At Ashburn, Va., Brandon Meriweather's season is done after one game with a torn ACL in his right knee – and right after his left knee had finally healed.
An MRI on Monday revealed the season-ending injury for the snake-bit safety who played just long enough to give a tantalizing taste of what he could do to help one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL.
Falcons backup lineman Hawley suspended: At Flowery Branch, Ga., Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Joe Hawley has been suspended four games for violating NFL rules against performance-enhancing substances.
The league announced the penalty Monday, one day after the NFC-leading Falcons improved to 9-1 with a 23-19 victory over Arizona.
Hawley is a backup behind Falcons longtime center Todd McClure.


text:
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Lost And Spaced
series: Electric Company
air date: 8/13/13 4:30 PM
At the school science fair, Lisa and her Skeleckian friend Dax get shrunk down and trapped inside their project - a perfect model of the solar system!
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text:
Brian Tennis, a former organic cherry farmer about 300 miles northwest of Detroit, wasn't decimated by the late spring frosts that wiped out almost 90 percent of the state's apple and cherry crops last year. The hops on his farm weathered the cold snap well.
Demand for hops from a burgeoning craft beer industry, coupled with greater risks to fruit crops from more extreme Midwest weather, has led Michigan farmers to devote 250 acres to the processed flower that gives ales and stouts their bitter bite. Five years ago, there was next to none.
"You can do everything right with cherries, and the two weeks before harvest have a really bad rain event and lose your crop," said Tennis, who owns a 30-acre farm in Omena, Mich., and is also a director of the Michigan Hop Alliance. "Hops can get frosted several times and it'll keep coming back."
Hop buds, a distant relative to marijuana, and the 20-foot- high trellises on which they typically grow are gaining ground in the region more commonly known as the Cherry Capital of the World. Michigan is home to 140 craft breweries, sixth-most in the country, and Grand Rapids, the state's second-largest city, was named Beer City USA 2013 by Examiner.com.
Along with states including New York and Colorado, Michigan has become one of the country's fastest-growing new regions for hops, said Robert Sirrine, a Michigan State University Extension educator who runs hops-growing seminars and tours in Leelanau County.
With many of Michigan's breweries focused on buying local, and the scant acreage devoted to the green, cone-shaped buds, farmers also are able to command prices more than four times higher than the national average, Alex Wiesen, manager at Empire Hops Farm, said in an interview.
He sells his hops for $14 a pound to cover costs, more than $10 above the average nationwide price of $3.27 a pound in 2012, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.
Saugatuck Brewing Co. in western Michigan introduced a Michigan Wheat ale in April, sourced entirely with Michigan- grown wheat, barley and hops, said Kerry O'Donahue, vice president of marketing at the brewery. The 80-barrel brew was promoted by Michigan's statewide tourism campaign and O'Donahue said the company plans to continue it next summer.
"We'd like to use as much as we can of Michigan ingredients, as long as we can get them," he said. Michigan hops are "definitely more expensive. We kind of just bit the bullet on that."
The hops industry is steadily growing, with growers more worried about fungus and bugs than shocks in weather, Sirrine said. Record highs above 80 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded in Michigan in March, followed by frosty spring nights and a summer drought. State climatologist Jeff Andresen said that while the drought was unusual, spring warm- ups are starting earlier from year to year.
Apple and cherry blossoms, which develop into the fruit, can die after just 30 minutes when the temperature dips to 25 degrees Fahrenheit in a late spring frost. Hops flowers can endure about four hours at that temperature, Wiesen said. At least one local business that relied on cherry-themed food in Traverse City had to import cherries from Poland to meet tourist demand last season.
"Certainly it's a red flag," Andresen said. "Ultimately there's relatively more risk for growers with time."
The transition to beer crops is expensive for both experienced farmers and rookie growers, running about $12,000 an acre for equipment and plants, MSU's Sirrine said.
The crop is also labor-intensive. Flowers need to be picked, dried and ground into pellets before shipping to brewers. If the pellets are too wet, they can rot. If they're heated too much, they can lose the aromatic character needed for beer, he said.
The costs didn't stop organic cherry farmer turned hops booster Tennis, he said. He entered the hops business for his love of beer, saying that he and his wife spent the extra buck for a good brew "even when we were poor." After five years, he expects to turn his first profit this season.
"We morphed into hops because it's easier for a small farm to make money doing hops than putting in a hundred acres of cherries," said Tennis, who runs New Mission Organics with his wife in Omena. "You can plant hops where it wouldn't be suitable for stone fruit or grapes."
Buying hops from Michigan means there's less risk of spoilage of fresh, wet hops, and transportation is less expensive for the state's brewers, Sirrine said.
Hops acreage has increased 18 percent nationwide in the past two years, and as craft beer gains popularity, there's been a shift toward the more aromatic strains preferred by craft brewers, said Dave Losh, a USDA statistician. That increases demand because craft beer uses many more times the amount of hops as traditional brews.
Michigan remains a small player in the $200 million U.S. hops market, with a fraction of the more than 30,000 acres grown in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, the predominant hops-growing region.
Indeed, Bell's Brewery, the largest brewer in Michigan, sources the majority of its hops from the Pacific Northwest, Germany and the Czech Republic, said John Mallett, director of operations at the brewery near Kalamazoo, which was the runner- up to Grand Rapids for the craft beer city title.
Bell's, known for its orange-labeled Oberon ale, has bought small quantities of Michigan hops for years, and that amount may increase if the quality and prices of local hops become more consistent as the industry develops, Mallett said.
Those sorts of promises are driving newcomers such as Blake Mazurek, a teacher in Grand Rapids, who began growing hops as a side business last year at his wife's family's 80-acre farm 100 miles north of the city.
He was able to harvest 27 pounds in his first season from 2 1/2 acres. He's converted part of the 100-year-old farm's dairy barn into a miniature on-site brewery. Next year, he said he plans to plant barley on some of the unused acreage as well.
Brewers and beer lovers are "choosing to buy a local, premium product," Mazurek said. "I can certainly see myself growing many, many more hops. I'll have a beer farm."


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I have the same problem with AT commands, only have AT working, non other. Is the problem in the software serial sketch maby? I don't have a usb to ttl board, only a usb to rs232 so I really need make it work over the arduino, any Ideas?
I got my JY-MCU, but can't get it to work.Wired with 5V @ 8A going in to Arduino VBus, BT, and 100 pixel LEDs. Pixel data on D4, TX/RX swapped from BT to Arduino (tried both ways).1) When powered, red light on it blinks continuously even with TX/RD unplugged, always, never seen any change.2) When paired I get 2 serial ports: "Com11 - SSP" and "Com12 - SSP (Dev B)". Windows lets me enable or disable 12 in BT settings. 11 is always only in device manager.3) When I try to open either port (at 9600), term program locks up for a few seconds, then says it is open but it doesn't work.Seller said board default was 9600. I was hoping I could just plug this in and do everything (re-program Arduino, send bytes to change LED colors) the exact same as when I connect my TTL board to the same 4-pins and use a cable. The whole thing is installed on my roof, so I'd rather not have to send any AT commands while unpaired or any of that stuff, but I guess I could just pull the BT and connect it to my TTL if I have to.Any suggestions? Which of the 2 serial ports is right? Is the red light supposed to blink no matter what?
I have not got it to connect again since that once. RealTerm gives "apro exception." on one of the ports, and the other port just lags and doesn't work in either direction. Now I removed the device and re-added it, and I have no serial ports. I hate BT! Have you others really got this to work reliably? Maybe I need a different BT dongle?


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By Willa Paskin
NEW YORK -- This week's episode of Nashville ended with a recurring character painfully clutching his chest, dying of a heart attack, while another looked on impassively, deciding to do nothing. I don't mean to go out on a limb here, because the history of horrible TV characters is very long, but it may have been the only time I fist-pumped at the sudden death of a man in late middle age with a baritone as mellifluous as Powers Boothe's. The scene could have been improved only if the character impassively watching had succumbed to sympathy pains himself. Nashville would have immediately and dramatically improved, jettisoning the most inessential character on a show more rife with inessential characters than this spelling of the series' title: N@^@*a!*%&vil*!*>>>>le!
Nashville, in its second season on ABC, still has great bones: good songs, a juicy setting, a cast of talented actors, and in Hayden Panettiere's Juliette Barnes a complicated, fiery, brash, moving heroine. But this skeleton is draped in outfits with slogans like "boring," "pay no attention to me," "definitely wasting your time." No single episode of the show is ever satisfying. Each episode devotes too much time to characters that even the show itself clearly does not care about. Plot gets held back.
I am carping from a place of affection: I like Nashville. I watch Nashville faithfully. But every week I wonder why.
Nashville has a serious case of Disposable Significant Other Disease. There are currently four ancillary characters on Nashville playing the temporary love interest, a boyfriend or girlfriend who might as well have "waiting to be dumped" tattooed on his or her forehead. This is a byproduct of the fact that Nashville has the scaredy-cat show's habit of saving plot for later. (The entire first season was devoted to keeping Rayna and Deacon apart until there were only a handful of episodes left.) But saving plot for later means the characters are stuck treading water. To distract from their lack of forward progress, Nashville gives them someone to make out with.
And so Gunnar (Sam Palladio), to stave off his future confrontation with Scarlett (Clare Bowen), is dating a charter with no personality who showed up this season to make the show more racially diverse. In order to let Rayna (Connie Britton) and Deacon (Charles Esten) keep putting off their on-again, off-again thing, Rayna is dating another country music star whose only virtue is that his job is similar to hers. Deacon's dating a lawyer who is significantly less charming than his last temporary girlfriend (that one was at least adorable and liked dogs). To delay his coming out, closeted country singer Will (Chris Carmack) has a beard, a young wannabe Juliette who looked like she might get a storyline of her very own. She has not.
All of the above drives me crazy, but the thing that really set me off about Nashville came last week in one of the very few storylines the show has developed properly. Superstar Juliette and guitarist and recovering narcissist Avery (Jonathan Jackson) have spent nearly a season becoming friends. Juliette, who trusts no one, has learned to trust Avery. Avery learned who Juliette really was. Their friendship has been preordained to turn romantic from the start (Avery and Juliette flirted in the pilot), but since the actors are good and can sing and have a very nice chemistry the slow progression has been fun to watch. At the end of last week's episode they finally got together -- in a three-minute scene that had about as much tension and drama as a lunch meeting. A show that is always delaying, finally paid something off, but botched delivering it to the audience, like a meal that has been labored over for hours and hours, but gets served lukewarm, on a broken plate, with some fruit-flies hovering over it.
This week, Juliette and Avery were already basically cohabitating, the show not taking even one moment to let us luxuriate in their new romance, the only thing the series has done well this entire season. Nashville is a show that only knows how to go too slow, or too fast, and never gets the pace just right. For a show about music, it has got no rhythm.
Paskin, Slate's TV critic, has written for New York Magazine, The New York Times Magazine and Salon.com.


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Gomez suspended one game for fracas
By Adam McCalvy / 9/26/2013 8:27 P.M. ET
NEW YORK -- The Brewers were forced to make a lineup change Thursday afternoon when center fielder Carlos Gomez drew a one-game suspension from Major League Baseball for his role in inciting a benches-clearing incident Wednesday night in Atlanta.
Gomez opted not to appeal, and he sat out as the Brewers began a four-game series against the Mets at Citi Field.
"I expected that with what happened last night," Gomez said. "It's not good for baseball, all that's going on. You have to take it like a man and be responsible for the stuff that I did. Just take the game today and come back tomorrow and continue to finish hard and strong."
Atlanta's Reed Johnson, who ran onto the field and landed a punch against Gomez, also was suspended one game.
Tempers flared after Gomez stood to admire his first-inning home run against Braves starter Paul Maholm, a left-hander who had struck Gomez on the knee with a pitch back on June 23 at Miller Park -- a plunking Gomez deemed intentional. Braves catcher Brian McCann and Freeman had harsh words for Gomez when he finally began his trot, and Gomez yelled back all the way around the bases.
Before Gomez reached home plate, he was confronted by McCann along the third-base line, and both benches emptied for a fracas that led to ejections for Gomez, Freeman and Braves backup catcher Gerald Laird. McCann was not ejected, but he and Freeman were fined Thursday by MLB.
The incident was replayed throughout the day Thursday, but Gomez said he did not watch.
"I mean, to be honest, I don't care what other people say," Gomez said. "I only care about my team and what happened last night and the reason why everything happened last night. I apologize to people from MLB, to my teammates, my team, the organization, to the Braves. It's not really fun when everything happens like that. Take it like a man and come back tomorrow and continue to do business."
Did he consider an appeal?
"I mean, what are the chances you win an appeal?" Gomez said. "I don't want to take a chance to 2014 that I'm not in the Opening Day [lineup]. It's better to take it now and be over, and start 2014 when everything is finished."
Though Freeman and Laird were also ejected, they did not draw suspensions. But Johnson did, after running onto the field from the bench to deliver a punch to Gomez's head.
Gomez said he had no history with Johnson and was not sure why Johnson's reaction was particularly strong.
"I don't even know him; I didn't even know he was still playing," Gomez said.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke did not learn of the suspension until after he had posted a lineup in the visitor's clubhouse at Citi Field. With Gomez out, he shifted Norichika Aoki from right field to center, Caleb Gindl from left field to right and inserted Khris Davis as the left fielder.
He was satisfied with Gomez's comments in the wake of the incident -- and with the fact only Gomez and Johnson drew suspensions.
"The things that I don't like are, I don't want our actions to cause anything that hurts the Braves from doing what they're trying to do right now," Roenicke said. "So I would just assume not see anything. Now Johnson coming over, I understand [his being suspended]. But the others, they've got four games left, and they're important games. And I wouldn't want something, because we started it, to happen to hurt whatever chances they have."
Ramirez hopeful injury won't end his '13$
NEW YORK -- As expected, third baseman Aramis Ramirez was absent from the Brewers' starting lineup Thursday after re-injuring his balky left knee during Wednesday's scrum with the Braves. But Ramirez expressed more hope about playing in at least one more game this season.
"I don't want to end the season with an injury," Ramirez said.
It's been a season of buzzard's luck for Ramirez, who contributed 50 doubles, 27 home runs and 105 RBIs in his debut season with the Brewers in 2012 but has been limited to 90 games in 2013 because of a sprained left knee originally sustained in Spring Training. He missed 54 games while on the disabled list, plus many more while on the active roster but banged up.
"It couldn't be any worse, huh?" Ramirez said.
He was not sure exactly how he tweaked his knee in Wednesday's scuffle but said it had nothing to do with Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman inadvertently elbowing Ramirez in the face.
Dress-up night highlights Brewers' youth
NEW YORK -- Eighteen players who began the season with less than one year of Major League service time were forced to dress in costume for the Brewers' late-night flight from Atlanta on Wednesday, a recent record as far as co-organizer Yovani Gallardo was concerned.
Considering the Brewers' better play of late, that figure actually gave Gallardo a bit of hope about the team's future.
"With all the young guys we have in here, it's something to look forward to," said Gallardo, who makes his final start of the season Friday night. "The way they've been playing, they go out there giving 100 percent each time out, and they're going to get better with experience."
Gallardo picked out the costumes with fellow veteran pitchers Kyle Lohse and Tom Gorzelanny. At least a half-dozen players were dressed in caps and gowns, a sign they had graduated to a year-plus of MLB service. Others were not as lucky, including 5-foot-10 second baseman Scooter Gennett, dressed in a diaper, and 6-foot-9 pitcher Johnny Hellweg, dressed as a giant crayon. Reliever Rob Wooten was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, and outfielder Khris Davis was Rainbow Brite.
Once in New York, the team bus stopped a few blocks short of the hotel so young players could walk the rest of the way.
"It was fun," Gallardo said. "That's always something you look forward to. The big thing was we got a win yesterday, too. That makes it a lot more enjoyable."
Last call
• Roenicke said he had been talking with his coaches for some time about giving Aoki a start in center field. It made sense Thursday, according to Roenicke, because he believed Logan Schafer was still dealing with the effects of a back injury.
• Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker, asked Thursday for his view of MLB Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig's biggest accomplishment: "Well, I think getting away without paying me a salary for the first 10 years, that was pretty big."


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Honey, Your Success is Shrinking Me
Men have a hard time when the women around them do well.
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(21) Kassandra, October 3, 2013 5:52 PM
Redefining masculinity and achievement
A lot of the self esteem issues that men feel when women succeed comes from the stereotypical gender roles that so many of us have been indoctrinated with. In the reality of today's economy, long gone are the times when most or all women can stay at home while their husband's work. In light of this, it has left many men wondering to what extent they are needed, wanted or provide if their wives can do as well or better than them in the provision department. It's time that men redefine what being a man and being a father and being a provider looks like. It's also time that we shift individual success (esp. in marriage) from a "my" success to an "our" success. The moment a couple goes from me to we, a lot of the competition about professional success goes out the window because one person's achievement is the family's achievement. Reframing, as was stated above, is critical to both partners feeling valued and appreciated for their individual contributions. Every achievement in a family adds up to success and both partners need to emphasize this point as each person succeeds.
(20) Anonymous, October 3, 2013 5:50 PM
Many women can attribute much of their success to the love, support, wisdom and/or guidance they received from the man in their life. I know I can. If your man has helped you get to where you are in any way, however small, TELL HIM! If this hurts your ego or diminishes your feeling of accomplishment in any way, then think again. Do you want to build your marriage? Do you want to be a person of gratitude and humility? Acknowledging the help you got is part of your greatness and your success. So look deeply into what you have received from your man, tell him and make him feel like a million bucks.
(19) miriamwcohen, October 3, 2013 1:54 PM
not a problem
Really, all men react that way? You can find a study to support whatever view you have. The Ultra Orthodox world has a very narrow view of Women's roles, and even there it is changing.
Women and men are equal, yet different in their abilities. Yes, some women are more successful than their husbands, and not all men find that threatening.
(18) Gabriel, October 3, 2013 4:00 AM
Togetherness !
A metaphor of the Talmud:
A man works in the field and brings home wheat—but shall he then eat wheat? Of what use is his toil?
His wife grinds the wheat into flour and makes bread.
So too, the tasks of life: A man's spiritual accomplishments only become realized in the material world due to his wife.
(They have to work together)
(17) Stewart Beveridge., October 3, 2013 1:52 AM
Useful Advice.


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April 29, 2010
Final Stats
STANFORD, Calif. -
Cal State Northridge advanced to its first MPSF Championship match in 17 years as the Matadors topped second-seeded BYU 26-30, 30-25, 28-30, 30-16, 15-12 Thursday evening at Maples Pavilion. Senior Theo Edwards paced the Matadors with 16 kills in the win.
Northridge last played in the MPSF Championship match in 1993 when the Matadors topped Long Beach State to win its one and only tournament crown. Since the MPSF re-aligned to its current format in 2002, Northridge had never advanced past the semifinals of the conference tournament.
On Thursday, Edwards knocked down a team-high 16 kills for the Matadors (23-8), 14 coming over the final four sets. Kevin McKniff (.462), Jacek Ratajczak (.379) and John Baker (.250) each added 15 kills in the win. Northridge overcame a slow start to hit .274 (70-25-164) as a team as Matt Stork dished out 61 assists to go with seven digs, two aces and three blocks. Edwards completed his third double-double of the season by adding 13 digs which matched Ali'i Keohohou for team-high honors.
"It was a back-and-forth match and it's unfortunate that one team had to lose," said Northridge head coach Jeff Campbell. "BYU is a well-coached team with great players, we were just special tonight, it was a great match."
In set one, the Matadors claimed their first lead at 3-2 following a John Baker kill. Northridge extended the lead to two at 5-3 and 6-4 following a Robb Stowell hitting error. Northridge also led 8-7 before BYU battled back behind a 4-0 run to take its biggest lead at 10-8 forcing a Matador timeout. BYU continued to hold the lead until back-to-back solo blocks from Gaudino and McKniff pulled Northridge even at 15-15. But a Stork service error followed by an Edwards attack into the net and an Andrew Stewart kill of a Matador overpass forced Northridge into its second timeout at 18-15.
BYU opened set two scoring four of the first six points capped by a Stewart kill. A pair of Cougar miscues and an Edwards kill put Northridge in front for the first time at 5-4. The Matadors led 7-5 before BYU scored three unanswered to retake the lead 8-7. But Northridge then found a rhythm engineering a 4-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back Edwards kills, to open up an 11-8 lead. Following a Cougar timeout, the Matadors scored four if the next five points to take their largest lead of the set 15-9 and BYU took its second timeout of the frame.
With Northridge leading 19-11 following a Gaudino kill, the Cougars tallied three consecutive to pull within 19-14 forcing the Matadors into a timeout. A McKniff kill ended the run but BYU continued to hang around closing to 22-20 after taking four consecutive points. Back-to-back Ratajczak kills boosted the Northridge lead back to four at 24-20 and propelled the Matadors on a 6-5 run to close the set 30-25. After hitting -.111 with two kills in the first set, Edwards had six kills in the second frame.
Northridge led virtually the entire third set before BYU came back to steal the set in the latter stages. A Ratajczak kill of a BYU overpass capped a 4-0 Matador run giving Northridge its largest lead of the third set at 11-6. After Stork won a joust at the net, the Matadors extended the lead to 13-7 forcing the Cougars to call timeout.
Leading 17-11, BYU outscored Northridge 11-5 over the next 16 points to pull even at 22-22. Edwards's attack went long giving the Cougars their first lead at 26-25 and went up by two on a Stowell solo block. The Matadors overcame a 28-26 deficit on an Edwards kill and a Stowell hitting error but a Stewart kill followed by a Gaudino attack that went just outside the sideline completed the comeback.
Northridge dominated the fourth set committing just two errors and hitting .560 as a team. The Matadors bolted out to a 13-5 behind back-to-back Baker kills. A Stork ace extended the lead to 23-9 and Northridge held off a late BYU run to win the set 30-16 on a Ratajczak's 14th kill of the match.
The Matadors opened the fifth set winning two of the first three points on a pair of Baker kills. But a Baker service error followed by a Stowell kill put the Cougars back in front 3-2. After four sideouts, BYU built its lead to 7-4 behind a 3-0 run forcing a Northridge timeout. The Matadors claimed five of the next seven points out of the timeout to force the Cougars to use a timeout of their own. After Stowell hit out tying the score at nine, he went long again giving the Matadors a 10-9 lead.
Stowell answered on his next attempt tying the score at 10 before a pair of BYU hitting errors gave Northridge the two-point edge at 12-10. But back came the Cougars behind kills from Stewart and Ken Tuttle and the score was tied for the final time 12-12. Ratajczak's kill following a Matador timeout propelled Northridge on a match-clinching three-point run as Futi Tavana's hitting error on match point sent Northridge to the championship match against Stanford, a 3-0 winner over Hawai'i in the other semifinal match.
The Matadors virtually assured themselves of at least an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament with Thursday's semifinal win. Northridge has defeated top-seeded Stanford twice already this season.
Saturday's title match is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Stanford's Maples Pavilion.


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You brought up head hunting. We were saying throw high and inside. Not hitting the player in the head. If I was wantiing a player to be hit in the head on the next pitch I would say something along the lines of hit him in the head on the next pitch. (never acceptable)
A brushback pitch is and will always be apart of the game. 1-0 count on the next pitch. End of story.
I ask this; Have you ever been hit with a pitch? Took a screaming liner that short hopped you into the chest? Had a player slide cleats up while trying to turn the double play? I was laid out cold with a broken nose in highschool playing short when i took a bad bounce, multiple bruises (granted high 70's-low 80's is not 90+) from fastballs from kids who could barely control them. Flipped more times while playing middle infield than I can count. At the end of the day its baseball. A certain level of risk is involved to everyone on the field. Don't show up a pitcher or make a big scene if you don't want to have to bail out of the box on your next at bat. Bruises are a part of the game. So rub some dirt on it, and play.


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Peter Beagrie
Football League Expert & Columnist
To Hull and back
Peter Beagrie says Nigel Pearson and Nicky Barmby have been presented with "dream" jobs.
Last Updated: 17/11/11 3:09pm
Finally the deal is done and Nigel Pearson is back at Leicester City.
The club's new hierarchy understand he is respected by fans, players and board members alike and but for a clash of personalities with a previous chief executive he may never have left for Hull. Well, now he has the chance to finish what he started.
In his first spell he took them from their lowest point in League One to the heights of the Championship play-offs. Since then he's literally been to Hull and back (a little bit like Del Boy and Rodney...) and after a couple of seasons away they will want him to continue as before.
He had them on the brink of the Premier League, missing out on the Play-Off Final on penalties, and that is where the board sees the club. They've always had the fanbase and the stadium you would expect of a top-flight team, but unlike in Pearson's previous spell, they now have the funding to match.
I also think he is ready in himself to move up to the next level and he will see this as a big opportunity. The club have put together a huge package for him and have made a big financial commitment, which shows their faith in him and sends a clear message to the fans.
They're not exactly admitting that they made a mistake with Sven-Goran Eriksson and his signings from all over Europe, but they have now opted for a more grounded approach. Pearson has people like Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh in his backroom staff who have knowledge and experience of all the divisions and also have links to the club.
There's still plenty of the season left and they will have the loan system and another transfer window in order to add to the talented squad that he has at his disposal. In many ways, this is every manager's dream job.
You could also say the same about Hull's caretaker manager Nick Barmby.
He is a local boy and is Hull through and through - only Dean Windass could be regarded as more synonymous with the club - and it looks like the end of his playing career and the start of his managerial career will be with his hometown side.
His affinity for Hull is similar to what we see with Tony Mowbray at Middlesbrough and Dougie Freedman at Crystal Palace, both of whom have done well. Things had been ticking along nicely under Pearson and with Barmby being used more as a substitute than a starting player, it made sense to hand him the reins for a while. They've given him an opportunity and they can monitor how it goes.
This is the ideal scenario for him because when he looks around the dressing room he'll see players that he knows inside out, having stood shoulder to shoulder with them on the field through good and bad.
He has a nice blend of youth and experience and it's up to him to make the most of that. There can be no excuses over his man-management skills because he knows what all these guys will be thinking, having seen them day in, day out in training and in match situations.
Both Pearson and Barmby have been presented with amazing opportunities at clubs with great infrastructures. I wish them both well.
Millwall v Bristol City
1pm, Sun, Sky Sports HD1
It's always important to start the season well - and neither of these teams did that - but they have both shown form and character of late.
Millwall only won one of their opening 12 games and at one stage went five without a goal and nine without a win. They are sound defensively, but have struggled for goals following the sale of players like Steve Morison, injuries to John Marquis and Darius Henderson and a loss of form from James Henry.
However, they put that right and ahead of their last outing - a 1-0 loss to Blackpool - they managed 10 goals in a three-match streak. The return of Henderson and the arrival of Jay Simpson has started to silence the fans who were complaining about the sale of Morison to Norwich.
Things are looking up for them now and we saw them emerge from a slump last season to go on a magnificent run to the brink of the play-offs. I fully expect them to pull clear of the relegation zone this time too.
The Old Den was always intimidating, but the new ground has become a fortress as well. They've only lost there once and 13 of their 18 points have come at home this season.
They'll look to capitalise on that against Bristol City, a side that Kenny Jackett has only lost against once in eight games. He even enjoyed his biggest win as Swansea boss against them - a 7-1 victory in 2005 - and the referee on that day was Tony Bates, who will take charge of this week's game.
Furthermore, Millwall's strikers have an incredible record against Bristol City. Henderson can boast six in seven games against them, while Simpson has three in his last three. The omens don't look good for Derek McInnes!
It will be a tough task for a side that sits three points adrift of safety. They went on a 10-game winless run earlier in the season, picking up just three points from a possible 30, culminating in Keith Millen losing his job.
He always had a tough task on his hands after taking over from Gary Johnson, but McInnes has now come in and his passionate and abrasive style seems to have turned things around. They are currently on a three-game unbeaten streak and have finally come to the boil.
McInnes has gone in with a no-nonsense 4-3-3 approach that seems to suit them more. He will use the pace of Albert Adomah, Yannick Bolasie and Nicky Maynard in the front three with a combative midfield of Stephen Pearson and Marvin Elliott either side of the ball-playing Neil Kilkenny.
We have come to expect this club to have a tight defence, but that hasn't been the case this year. They've lost some of their defensive mainstays and have been leaking goals for fun. The first goal in this game will be important because they don't tend to win when they concede first.
If Millwall are pushing forward then the incredible pace of Adomah on the break could be the biggest threat and I think we should get a really open game.
Forget about the pressure of languishing in the lower reaches of the Championship, I suspect both sides will be a bit braver and see this as an opportunity to get a big three points on the board.
And finally...
A quick mention for the sides in League One and League Two who made it into the second round of the FA Cup. In particular, I'd like to mention Bradford who are struggling in the league but have enjoyed cup wins over Sheffield United and Rochdale in the last week. Cups of cheer for Bantams fans!


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During last week's National Institute for Animal Agriculture's annual conference in Denver, Neil Hammerschmidt, program manager of animal identification at USDA/APHIS Veterinary Services, provided an update on the agency's Framework for Animal Disease Traceability.
USDA currently is reviewing thousands of public comments, and probably won't issue the final rule until later this year, so Hammerschmidt was unable to address some specific details. He did, however, outline some of the program standards and options.
Acknowledging that cost of compliance has been a source of contention with previous plans, Hammerschmidt says the current framework intends to minimize producer costs and reporting requirements.
A primary goal of the program is to streamline the process of tracing animals to their point of origin. Premises identification numbers (PIN) have been available to producers, on a voluntary basis in most cases, for several years. Some form of location identifier will presumably become mandatory with the final rule. USDA plans to offer states and tribes two options:
Premises Identification Numbers -- States and Tribes may elect to use the PIN in their traceability system. The standardized PIN, obtained through the APHIS PIN allocator, consists of seven alphanumeric characters. States have the option use the State's postal abbreviation as the first two of the seven characters in the PIN, such as OH341T4 for an Ohio location. Tribes may also have codes reserved for use with PINs they administer.
Location Identification Numbers (LID) -- LIDs are administered through a State's or Tribe's internal system. Hammerschmidt says the LID system will require less information from the user, with producers needing to enter just their physical address. Other fields will be voluntary. The address associated with the LID will remain in the state database, with just the LID submitted to APHIS.
Official individual animal identification numbers (AIN), or "840 tags," will be available through a variety of suppliers. They will include the official U.S. Shield and a 15-digit code beginning with the U.S. country code – 840. The tags will remain with each animal through slaughter. Packers will correlate the AIN with the carcass and associated products, and make the tags available to APHIS, and APHIS will "retire" the AIN from slaughtered animals.
Hammerschmidt says APHIS/VS will, for the next two years, collect data to establish a baseline of the system's performance and capabilities, for evaluation of its progress in subsequent years.
The proposed rule and program standards are available online from USDA/APHIS.


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CLEARWATER, FLA. – Aaron Hicks wasn't looking for mementos from his monster exhibition game Thursday. Nor was he expecting any.
"I don't think I get anything," Hicks said after homering three times in the Twins' 10-6 victory over Philadelphia.
Not so fast. The lineup card from the game was left in Hicks' stall by Twins director of baseball communications Dustin Morse, the first time he's given a lineup card from a spring training game to someone.
In a few weeks, someone with the club might hand Hicks a plane ticket to the Twin Cities, and provide him with a stall in the swanky Twins clubhouse.
Hicks went 4-for-5 in his three-homer game Thursday, scoring four runs and driving in six, piling on to a strong spring training in which he's clearly claimed the lead in the battle for the starting center-field position. His batting average rose from .318 to .407 on the day, and he's now hit five home runs in the past three games he's played in, the other two coming Monday against the Cardinals and Wednesday against Puerto Rico.
"Just get on base, steal a bag, help my team win ballgames," Hicks, 23, said. "That's all I tried to do today. Got three home runs, and we ended up winning the ballgame."
Hicks, a switch-hitter, hit each of his three homers batting righthanded against lefty pitchers. He hit a solo shot off veteran Cliff Lee in the first inning on a fastball away that he hit to the opposite field. The second one was a solo shot off Jeremy Horst in the fifth, a fastball he pulled to left. Then he hit a two-run blast off Raul Valdes in the seventh, a fastball he tried to shoot to right field but struck really well.
"He had a good day," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Mother Nature helped but you still gotta hit it."
Hicks stepped into the batter's box in the eighth inning with a chance at a four-homer day.
With runners on first and third and one out, Hicks took the first two pitches for balls then took a mighty swing and missed the third pitch.
"He took that one swing and it got colder by two degrees," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Hicks worked the count to 3-2 against Phillies righthander Zach Miner before getting a broken-bat single to center, scoring two runs. Hicks said he hadn't homered three times in a game since high school. He's the first Twin to homer three times in a game — exhibition or otherwise — since Justin Morneau did it in Chicago in July of 2007.
"The kid leading off, wow, what do you say," Gardenhire said.
Hicks doesn't have the job locked up yet. An example of the reason for that came in the first inning when he fielded Freddy Galvis' drive to the wall in right-center field and sliced his throw to third base so badly that left-fielder Wilkin Ramirez, who had jogged to short left, gathered the ball.
Hicks runs well and has a strong arm in center, and the Twins want him to play his position. Hicks walked back to the dugout after the inning expecting to hear about the throw.
"Those are things we have talked about, both sides of the ball," Gardenhire said. "We had just talked about him relaxing. Don't try to panic. Don't try to do too much. Don't try to show off your arm strength. Get the ball to the cutoff guy. He does understand the game."
The Twins had a shot to throw Galvis out, and Hicks knew he had to hit the cutoff man.
"I understand what needed to be done and I didn't do it," Hicks said. "It was perfectly understandable why he got into me. That's what needs to be done."
There's just over three weeks left before Opening Day, and Hicks is making a strong case for heading north with the team. Still, he's going to have to prove he can be a complete player.
But from the first week of camp through Thursday, teammates have spoken highly of Hicks. And the wave of support could help carry him all the way to Target Field.
"He's a fun guy to watch, man," Twins righthander Kyle Gibson said. "He goes out there and plays hard, has a good arm in the outfield. And, as you can see, he can swing the bat."
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text: This is interesting and I'm glad to hear it. Hendo is taking a very professional approach to what is a situation that is killing a ton of potential, important match-ups in all divisions. There's too many "friends" in this sport. Here's Dan's quote: "We're friends, but above all we fight now in the same category and therefore have the same goal. We both compete for the same belt. Our friendship is more than a title and we are professional enough to let the rivalry be just inside the Octagon. It would be a different situation, but our profession in this type of situation is quite possible to happen." Lots of other fighters need to learn from this.


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Governor Deval Patrick said this morning that the state public defender agency's $332 million estimate of the drug lab scandal's added costs is overblown.
Patrick said the agency's estimate is based on the cost of having to retry everyone convicted on drug evidence tested by the state's tainted lab over the past nine or 10 years — or about 190,000 cases.
"That's not the universe of cases," Patrick said, putting the number closer to 34,000. "There's no evidence to suggest that that's going to be required."
The Committee for Public Counsel Service's projection, reported in today's Globe, is detailed in a budget request directed to the Patrick administration, to handle the effects of the drug scandal linked to chemist Annie Dookhan, who, according to State Police, has said she falsified drug test results.
Patrick, on his monthly radio show on WTKK-FM, asserted that the agency's requests have continually been exaggerated.
"I will say they have come down from the half a billion dollars they were asking for," he said with a chuckle.
Patrick also discussed the controversy over Sheila Burgess, the former state highway safety director who resigned last week after the Globe revealed she had an extensive history of unsafe driving and no background in transportation safety.
Patrick said the affair had made his administration look "ridiculous."
When asked if he would try to find out how she was hired so those involved would face consequences, Patrick said that the paper trail of her hiring was destroyed as part of a routine destruction of state records. He acknowledged that she had been referred to the administration by US Representative James McGovern, and said the state would nonetheless make an effort to find out how she was hired.
Patrick also reiterated his position on changing the state's succession law in the event Senator John Kerry is appointed to a cabinet position in the Obama administration. Current law, changed by Democrats in the Legislature to prevent former Governor Mitt Romney from appointing a Republican, requires an election in the event of a vacancy after an appointee serves for a brief period.
Patrick said he would prefer to appoint a replacement who could fulfill the remainder of the term. But he said he would not campaign for such a change and did not believe the Legislature has the appetite to reverse its prior position. But he said he would sign such a law if it comes to his desk.
The Governor also acknowledged that he has had discussions with the White House about taking a position in the Obama administration, but has made clear to staffers that he would like to fulfill his second term, which ends in January 2015.
Patrick and his wife, Diane, had dinner at the White House earlier this month. He said the meal began at 6 p.m. and that he and his wife were getting tired at midnight. But when he suggested to the president that he, too, must have been getting tired, Obama said the evening was just getting started.
Patrick said his wife shot him a knowing glance that said she was ready to turn in. Obama finally concluded the dinner at about 12:30 a.m.


text:
Wildcat Boulevard moved to Crowder land on Oct. 12 where I participated in the 4-H FunWalk/Run. It was a different experience.
I knew it was going to be a fine day as I saw a large buck deer with a huge rack of antlers on the lawn of the Free Will Baptist Church, and six more deer, three does and three fawns, along the road up to Premier Turbine. Seeing deer is a treat.
The 4-H Walk/Run took place on old Camp Crowder roads, which are now part of Crowder College's agricultural program. I find it interesting to realize the roads I was walking on were paved in 1941.
The walk started in the parking lot outside the Farber Building. Then we walked by the ag building and driving school. A truck driving instructor and his class were on the huge pad with a semi truck as we passed. We walked north for nearly one half of the 5K.
Along the way I noticed a field with goats and sheep and a huge white sheep dog. The dog followed inside the fence but did not even bark as I walked by.
Next I noticed a white horse running up to the fence to see what all the people were doing. He, too, made no sound — just watched the people parading by.
I noticed several small persimmon trees which were loaded with fruit, and hedge apple trees which were beginning to drop their huge, sticky fruits. Several black walnut trees marked their presence with huge green nuts littering the side of the road.
As expected, there were many youngsters participating in this walk/run. Some were not attempting to set any walking records, but picking up persimmons, tasting them and tossing them away. The kids seemed to enjoy tossing Osage oranges at each other, too.
Three deer dashed across the road in front of me at one point. As I am one of the last of the walkers, I wondered why they had waited until I came along to make their dash across the road. Had they watched, hidden, as the others passed by?
Kids and agriculture have been a big part of my life, so supporting 4-H clubs seems a "no-brainer." Take a walk, support causes you believe in, use your signal lights, and see what you notice while passing along your own Wildcat Boulevard.
Russell Hively writes a weekly column for the Daily News.
RUSSELL HIVELY: 4-H walk
Wildcat Boulevard moved to Crowder land on Oct. 12 where I participated in the 4-H FunWalk/Run. It was a different experience.


text:
|Episode Description
|Thursday, Nov 1, 2012 - 11:30 PM
"The Fishing Derby"
When nobody catches any fish during the contest, the men have Possum Lake tested for contaminants with a surprising result. Red visits Harold at his new job in the city. G
|More on PLUS (PT)
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text:
Bandys builds for the future
Bandys Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jason Drum wants people to pass by every Bandys station in Catawba County and say, "That's a Bandy's Fire Department."
That dream will soon become a reality with the expansion, renovation and construction of two Bandys fire stations, unifying the department's structure and design and helping the department prepare for the future.
Bandys recently completed construction on two garage bays at its Station 1 on Buffalo Shoals Road. The construction, however, is only partially complete. Once finished, Station 1 will be a 13,000-square-foot building with three bays and space for offices and dormitories for volunteers.
Construction on Station 1 started in May as part of a two-step project, Drum said. The first step was to build the now complete two-bay garage to store the station's engines and other equipment during the second phase of construction. The next step was to demolish the existing station and build the additional facility space.
The former station on Buffalo Shoals Road was built in the 1960s, making the building demolition bittersweet for some firefighters.
"It was hard for some of the members," Drum said. "They've been here since the beginning."
The additional space will help the department accommodate its additional volunteers and increasing call volume.
"We've probably doubled our number of volunteers in the last two years," Drum said.
Currently, the department has about 70 members.
The department, in addition to fire service, also provides some emergency response capabilities in the event of other emergencies.
The new garage bays on Buffalo Shoals Road are tall and sleek with dark glass doors that open to allow vehicles in and out of storage. At the top of new facility is the Bandys Fire Department seal.
Construction on Station 1 continues as Bandys Fire Department prepares to officially break ground on the future location of Station 3 on N.C. 16.
Station 3 will have the same architectural design and outward appearance as Station 1, except the N.C. 16 station will be about half the size.
Drum said construction on Station 3 is expected to take about 10 months, and he expects construction crews to start the project within coming weeks.
Both stations 1 and 3 will have a live-in program at night for volunteers to sleep at the department while on duty. Each station will have about two firefighters on duty during the day.
Bandys Fire Department has a coverage area in Catawba County of 52 square miles. The addition of the N.C. 16 fire station will lower insurance rates for residents near the station because the availability of a closer department means a shorter response time in the event of an emergency, Drum said.
Drum also said the department isn't asking for a tax increase for its fire service.
"We plan on keeping things the way they are," he said.


text: Of Flushing, age 69, passed on at Hurley Medical Center on Saturday, December 29, 2012. She was born in Allen Park, Michigan, was raised in Flint and lived most of her years in Flushing. She enjoyed a complete and full life filled with adventure, passionate friendships and a desire to help others. After graduating from Flint Central High School, Laraine dedicated herself to being a homemaker for her husband, Carl, and two boys, Bill and Ron. She invested countless hours traveling to ice rinks and helping her boys and their friends grow up. The untimely death of her son, Bill, in 1981, was a hurt from which she never recovered. However, could anyone imagine a more fitting gift than her joining him on his birthday? She worked for a time as a forklift truck driver in a Chevrolet Manufacturing plant but really loved her years helping women purchase clothes at Dino's. She was purported to be the first female owner of a professional hockey team, having co-founded the Flint Spirits. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Whaley Children's Center. One of her greatest joys was helping people lose weight at one of her Nutritional Weight Control Clinics with her famous "Cookie Diet" In her final years, she found the peace of Christ at Cornerstone Community Church, enjoyed her weekly bible study group and trekked with her "adventure gals" to movies and events around Michigan. She passionately loved animals, traveling the world and playing golf and cards with her friends. Surviving are her son, Ron Lamb of Dayton, Ohio; his wife, Kristi; and her grandchildren, Blake, Erika and Taryn Lamb. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle Wesley and Mary Diane (Pavlich) Marr; her daughter, Nancy Diane, who died at birth; and her son, William Wesley. In lieu of flowers, Laraine's preference was always a charitable donation. Please consider Powers High School, the Humane Society or a swartzfuneralhomeinc.com


text:
Donna M. Proia, 50, of Minooka, pleaded guilty to an Oct. 9 Minooka Police Department charge of disregarding a traffic control device. She was fined $120.
Oct. 13 Morris Police Department charges of operating an uninsured motor vehicle and no valid registration were dismissed against Zachary J. Misener, 26, of Mazon.
An Aug. 8 Grundy County Sheriff's Department charge of driving 15 to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit was dismissed against Deborah S. Fatlan, 56, of Coal City.
An Oct. 4 Grundy County Sheriff's Department charge of operating an uninsured motor vehicle was dismissed against Jessica J. Benaitis, 34, of Gardner.


text:
Rants on Cycling and on Life:
Photos of people and bicycles that pass in front of my camera
Cynthia Connelly...as in "Banned In D.C."? Very cool!
that set of photos is over a decade old...chase that pagenot sure what she is doing nowbut I think she is still taking pictures
Post a Comment


text:
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A remote-controlled roadside bomb killed three police officers in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, an attack the Taliban claimed as the opening round of their spring offensive.
The bomb exploded in Ghazni province beneath a police convoy that was traveling to the district of Zana Khan to take part in a military operation against insurgents, Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, the province's deputy governor, told The Associated Press.
He said the blast destroyed the vehicle carrying Col. Mohammad Hussain, the deputy provincial police chief, killing him and two other officers. Ahmadi said two officers also were wounded in the insurgent operation, adding that it clearly targeted Hussain. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility in an email sent to the media. He called the bombing the first attack in the spring offensive that Taliban's leadership said it was starting Sunday.
April already has been the deadliest month this year for attacks across the country, where Afghan security forces are increasingly taking the lead on the battlefield in the war that has lasted more than 11 years.
Insurgents have escalated attacks recently in a bid to gain power and influence ahead of next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most U.S. and other foreign combat troops by the end of 2014. U.S.-backed efforts to try to reconcile the Islamic militant movement with the Afghan government are gaining little traction.
Also Sunday, the U.S. Air Force said the coalition plane that crashed the day before in southern Afghan, killing four service members, was a MC-12 Liberty aircraft.
The twin-engine turboprop plane provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or direct support to ground forces. It crashed in Zabul province, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) northeast of Kandahar Air Field, the Air Force statement said.
The four Air Force service members, whose bodies were recovered, were deployed to the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron with the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Air Field, the statement said. The cause of the accident is under investigation, but NATO has said initial reports indicate there was no enemy activity in the area where the plane went down.
Taliban has named its spring offensive after Khalid ibn al-Walid, a companion of Islam's Prophet Muhammad who became a legendary Muslim military commander known as the "Drawn Sword of God." The insurgents said their forces planned to infiltrate enemy ranks to conduct so-called insider attacks and target military and diplomatic sites with suicide bombers.
The U.S.-led international military coalition said Afghan and foreign forces arrested six insurgents on Sunday — three in Helmand province, one in Baghlan province and two in Kandahar province. The report said the two taken into custody in Kandahar city included a local Taliban leader who allegedly had coordinated assassinations, sniper ambushes and other attacks there against coalition and Afghan forces.
There are about 100,000 international troops in Afghanistan, including 66,000 Americans. A top priority of the U.S. force, which is slated to drop to about 32,000 by February 2014, is boosting the strength and confidence of Afghan forces.
Follow Thomas Wagner on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/tjpwagner


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Transamerica Survey Points Out Need to Redefine 'Retirement Readiness'
More than half of Transamerica Retirement Survey respondents say they don't think they are building a sufficient nest egg—a percentage consistent for all ages of workers.
A new survey from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies shows American workers—not simply older ones—have made drastic changes to their retirement plans and need new strategies to help savings last throughout their lifetimes.
More than half, or 56 percent of the 3,600 American workers surveyed say they plan to work past age 65. Meanwhile, 54 percent say they plan to continue working in retirement.
Throughout the economic tailspin, which started in 2007, workers have remained faithful in contributing to their retirement accounts, says Catherine Collinson, president of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies in Los Angeles. But 64 percent of workers say they are less confident in their ability to achieve a financially secure retirement since the recession began in 2008.
Since more than half of survey respondents say they don't think they are building a sufficient nest egg, and that percentage is consistent for all ages of workers, a new definition of retirement readiness is needed Collinson says.
"It has truly been a challenging few years," Collinson says. "Workers have already changed their expectations of retirement and now it's time for the industry, media and others to recognize that and update the definition of retirement readiness."
The 13th annual Transamerica Retirement Survey was conducted in January and released in May. It includes responses from 3,609 full- or part-time workers ages 18 and up. This year, Transamerica created a new definition of retirement readiness, focusing on participants having a solid strategy to build an income that can cover living expenses throughout a lifetime and can withstand unexpected circumstances.
While Transamerica also came up with a five-point checklist to help workers prepare for retirement, Collinson says one of the most important steps is to have a written strategy. The survey shows 45 percent of workers say they have a retirement strategy, but only 12 percent of survey respondents say they have it written down. More than a third of workers in their 50s and more than a quarter of workers in their 60s have no plan at all.
"People who have a written-down strategy are exhibiting more proactive savings behavior that will help them in the long run," Collinson says, adding that 55 percent of workers with a written plan understand asset allocation strategy.
As would be expected, 90 percent of workers say a 401(k) or similar plan is important, yet 76 percent are offered a defined contribution plan. Plus, 53 percent of respondents say they would be likely to leave their job if a nearly identical job with better retirement benefits were available.
The statistic is significant because a few years ago, workers were more concerned about holding onto their current job and not factor retirement benefits into the mix, Collinson says.
"The likelihood of switching to a new job indicates how important a plan is to a worker," Collinson says. "It seems the labor market may be getting better for workers and they are less fearful of making a switch."
Patty Kujawa is a writer based in Milwaukee. Comment below or email email@example.com.


text:
|21st January 2008, 11:08 PM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 74
Mast Extension
Hi Roger,
I am buying a 7.8m sail for light wind sailing as I have sails in the following sizes at present; 5.0m, 5.7m and 6.5m. Hopefully this will get me out as much as possible this year.
My question is this. I currently have a standard 40 cm mast extension which I use with my 75% carbon 460 mast. The 7.8m has a 489 luff. I can buy a NP 48cm carbon extension. Is this worth getting and will it give me the ability to go to 508 or does it not work like that?
|22nd January 2008, 08:17 AM
Dream Team - School Guru
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,202
Hi Roly,
Good question.....!
Yes, the longer (48 cm NP carbon) extension will allow you to go longer on the mast and this will allow you to use larger sails.....
Unless you are racing and using 100% carbon masts on huge sails (you aren't anywhere near that with only a 7.8 m2 rig, but even an 8.5 m2 rig isn't really all that large by todays standards) I'm not sure if there's a real reason to get an expensive carbon extension.
I use aluminum extensions that weigh an ounce or three more than carbon extensions, but I've never had an aluminum allow extension "snap off" the way carbon extensions sometimes do.
The aluminum will bend or deform long before you "break it off".
So, unless you are looking to "hyper extend" your 460 mast, I think it's better, safer and perhaps almost as cost effective to use the 40-42 cm extension you have and get a longer/stiffer 490 mast if you need to go beyond 500 cm.
Remember, you really want to use (or at least try) the recommended mast (size/length and stiffness/bend characteristics) if you get a larger (8.0 m2 to about 9.5 m2) sail.
The larger sail really will "need" the additional stiffness.
460 cm masts are in the range of MCS/IMCS 24-26 (constant curve or CC) whereas longer 490 cm masts are IMCS 28-30 (which is still a constant curve, just stiffer over the entire length of the mast.
If you try to "hyper-extend" a 460cm IMCS 24-26 mast to use it in a sail that was designed for a 490 cm IMCS 28-30 mast, you will not get the correct profile as the top of the sail will "dump off" long before you get the correct tension in the lower panels because the overall bend characteristics are simply not stiff enough.
Adding extensions to the bottom of a mast does not really change it's overal bend characteristics very much, if at all.
Hope this helps,
|23rd January 2008, 01:31 AM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 74
Thanks Roger, that is very helpful. Think I will hold on to my dosh when it comes to carb mast extensions. I have bought the Tush Lightening 7.8m which is compatible with a 25 mcs mast so extended by 27 cm I should be spot on with my 460 mast. The boom is set at 220 though and my max boom length is 222. Do you think that this will be ok?
What do you think the minimum wind speed for planning my Carve 145 with the 7.8m rig would be. I am currently 175 pounds (and falling as I get a bit fitter!) and 5' 6" (unfortunately cannot do much about my height!). Hoping it will be around 15 mph as we get alot of days in the Summer where the wind does not get above this. I sail at Eastbourne on the south coast of England - sea, South Easterly and a little choppy.
I am also going to Boston this year in September. We will travel around a bit after a little stay in the city. We finally end up at Hyannis for a week on the coast. Is this any good for a spot of windsurfing? Can't wait to sample the American restaurants again!
|23rd January 2008, 09:23 PM
Dream Team - School Guru
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,202
Hi Roly,
Well, if your sail has a boom/clew length of 220 cm and you only have a 222 cm boom, you may have a bit of a problem.
The stated boom length on most sails is the median length required.
If you want the sail more fat and juicy (more draft) then you can simply not outhaul the sail as much (back off on the downhaul a bit as well so the top does not loosen up quite so much) and you will have an OK boom length with your 222 cm.
For median, if your Tush Lightning needs only 220 cm then you would be OK there as well with normal downhaul, but it leaves you with almost nothing if the wind comes up and you want to flatten your rig a bit.
Where you will really have the problem is when the wind is up (for this sail) and you want to add additional downhaul to get more top twist and flatten the mid level panels a bit more.
Anytime you downhaul more, you bend the mast more, and this causes the required clew length to increase (quite a bit on some sails).
Now you have the problem of a longer clew length and no way to extend your boom.
Also, booms all tend to be a bit more bendy and flimsy when extended to the max. possible. This is due to a very minimal tube overlap ( outer main tube over lapping the inner tail extension tube.
I like to stay at least 10 cm longer than what the sail requires (in your case that would mean a boom length of 230 cm min.) plus a little bit more tube overlap simply gives you a stronger boom with a mre solid feel.
As far as getting planing on your Carve 145 with the 7.8 m2 Tush Lightning, I think you will be planing pretty easily in a solid 14 knots and with some pumping and heading offwind to get up to speed, you might get going in 12 knots at your weight.
It will depend on your technique and how you rig the 7.8 m2 Tush.
Make it fat juicy and drafty and you can expect quite a bit of low wind power.
Rig your sail more lean and fast and you won't get going so early (or as easily) but you will be able to handle significantly more wind.
Boston in September should be quite good.
There are some places to sail right near Boston, but I'm not sure about renting gear there.
Most of the shops that used to be in Boston have moved down into the Narragansett Bay area or out on Cape Cod.
You will be fairly near the shops when you are in Hyannis, and there's a great sailing area just down the road.
So, when you pick a rental car, get an SUV or something with racks, drive out to the WS shops near Bourne and Falmouth, rent your gear and go sailing.
Here are a couple of links to shops I know in that area:
http://www.canamsailcraft.com/ (In Boston)
If you decide to make a side trip to the South, come down to Cape Hatteras and look me up!
Hope this helps,
|24th January 2008, 12:12 AM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 74
Hi Roger,
Thanks for the advice, particularly regarding the Hyannis sailing which I will look in to. I would love to get to your part of of the world but probably not this time. Hopefully on another trip.
Kind Regards
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