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How would you like to order a Marvel Trade Paperback only to have it arrive and be 1/3 to 1/2 smaller than you anticipated? My guess is you wouldn't like it. At all.
Happens to me all the time… And I am sick and fucking tired of buying trades that end up being digest sized books. Worst of all? Marvel sorta seems to being doing all this on the sly…. So don't feel bad if– like me– you end up buying
lots of books you don't want because Marvel often buries the specs on their smaller format collections in a mountain of hype. Is it intentional? I have to believe it is– at least partially– since their other digest collections– like Marvel Adventures and their Runaways series– are clearly marked as being digest sized.
You might think that's the only reason I harbor such a dislike for these tiny books. You'd be very wrong. I have many reasons… The 2 most basic being 1) As mentioned, I feel their sizes are often misrepresented in the Marvel Previews descriptions and 2) I don't believe the smaller publication size is worth the FULL DOLLAR price tags Marvel charges.
How can a digest sized book seriously carry the same price tag as a larger, regular-sized trade paperback? Does Marvel really expect us to believe the smaller size doesn't save them significant money? Cause it does– both in lower amounts of the paper and inks needed to produce the books and lower shipping costs incurred sending the products to their final retail destinations.
Before I vent any further, I want to state that I understand the bulk of the Marvel's digest books are meant to be aimed at a younger, more GENERAL audience. I have zero problems with that. After all, you're reading opinions from a person who proudly collects– (and actually reads!)– all of James Kochalka's Johnny Boo: The Best Little Ghost in the World books… And these books are aimed at kindergarten kids!
I've always believed that general audience books can be extremely entertaining… And I certainly don't need to read about ass rape and female decapitation every time I pick up a comic to feel like I've fully lived my life as a discerning comics connoisseur.
I understand that someone at Marvel assumes their general audience releases need to be made smaller– for smaller hands. But here's the problem with that frickin' assumption: Most of the concepts and plots in the "general audience" Marvel comic books are much more complicated than, let's say, the plots found in Andy Runton's excellent Owly series… or Kochalka's aforementioned Johnny Boo. And the crazy thing about Boo? Those books are hardcovers printed in a larger size format than the Marvel digests… For kids in kindergarten! Where's the logic in that, Marvel?
Here's just some of the plot for Black Widow and the Marvel Girls– transcribed word for word from the back cover of the recent Marvel digest release: "While removing a rogue weapons dealer from an impregnable safe house, the Black Widow remembers her escape from the brutal KGB training ground known as the Red Room…" Cone on, does that sound like the plot of a "kiddie" book? It is my firm belief that any child that can understand that story has to be old enough to hold a larger book.
How do I know this? Well to start, I wasn't spit out of Hell's foul embrace like an ignorant Hellboy. (At least I don't think I was.) I grew up reading comics after I basically taught myself how to read… Conquering the thick Charlotte's Web novel by the time I was five. If I could hold a book like that, I also held a comic book or a comic trade paperback (they were called "Annuals" back then) with ease. I have no doubt that I would have found these miniature comics just as irritating back then as I do today.
The other reason I can't stand these little buggers– besides the misrepresentation, over-priced volumes and too small sizes?
The artwork reprinted in these collections was originally rendered in a STANDARD SIZE— meant to fit in a "regular-size" comic book. The art is not drawn for Manga–size books (the format these Marvel digests most clearly ape)– where the artists tailor their work and storytelling techniques to favor the smaller format. These are regular comic pages reduced to fit into a pitifully small area. You can't really enjoy the art… As the pages were never drawn in consideration of the digest format.
What thought– other than greed— could Marvel be using as they take all these great stories (that were once printed regular comic size) and reduce them to digest size? Are they that desperate to shave their margins on these books? I would have loved to read the collections for Spider-Man Secret Wars, Iron Man: Armor Wars or Dr. Doom and Masters of Evil in "normal" trade paperbacks. Not so interested now that the publishers have insisted on squeezing these stories into books one might easily find stuck in a McDonald's Happy Meal box one day. I'm exaggerating, of course… But not by much.
Plus, why are almost all of Marvel's recent female-centric books being almost surreptitiously released in this shitty format as well? Why am I paying regular sized trade prices for small books featuring these popular women as lead characters? Here are just a few of the titles (and prices) of some of the female led books I won't be reading: Black Widow and the Marvel Girls ($14.99 USD), Models, Inc ($14.99 USD) and Nomad, Girl without a World ($14.99 USD). Only Marvel Divas (and monthly titles like Ms. Marvel) seemed to have escaped this sad reduction binge.
I have a WHOLE STACK of digest sized trades that I unwittingly purchased at
one time or another. Now I have decided NOT to read them because of their cramped art and pitifully tiny word balloons… And that just sucks.
Since I am finding it increasingly hard to determine what any Marvel book is actually going to look like until it arrives in the comic book stores– I have specifically requested that my retailer let me know if any of the books I have ordered suddenly turn up digest sized. I hate to ask– to burden them with yet another one of my idiosyncracies… But I really, really, DON'T want any more of these Marvel monstrosities entering my home ever again. Since I receive my books via mail order, I cannot look at them and reject them due to their small size… So I must rely on the fine folks at the comic shop to do it for me.
I really don't enjoy feeling poorly fucked by Marvel when I open my box filled with comics. I want to feel joyful (or at least happy)– especially since I seem to spend over $200 on books every week. That's a lotta moola to pay out– only to feel jerked around.
I've been wanting to type the following sentence ever since I started writing this Blog: I may want to read like a child but I don't want to be treated like a child.
Hey Marvel… Be up front with me. Don't distract from the sizes of your trades with razzle-dazzle bullshit or miraculously forget to mention your trade trim sizes in a lot of your product descriptions. The majority of your readers are not children. I know you know this… So even though a book's content may skew a little younger– please stop printing them in digest size.
At the very least, print them in both large and small formats (like the Runaways series) so your customers can pick the format they want to purchase. I certainly wouldn't mind paying a couple of dollars more for a larger book… And we all know that a "couple of dollars more" would actually be a big premium for us to pay just to receive slightly larger book.
At the end of the day, I would like to think that somebody– ANYBODY— at Marvel would give a shit about this… But the haphazard, bone-headed way they arbitrarily choose their Trade Paperback printing sizes would say otherwise. Just more crap from the former House of Ideas.


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Monday Monkeys
10 Sep 2018
10:00 - 11:30
Withington Methodist Church
Withington Methodist Church
439 Wilmslow Road
Our Withington and Didsbury groups run a weekly parents and toddlers group for families in the Withington area. It's £1 per child and includes snack time, story & craft and a song time. For more information, email Aliya and Annie.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's either The End of Western Civilization As We Know It, or the height of irony.
Honey Boo Boo, who got her media start on TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras," has become a pop cultural touch point. The inane, exploitative spinoff series, "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," has attracted a large enough audience that TLC has ordered more. Expect a few holiday "specials." Each episode is seen by 2-3 million people. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, There Goes the Neighborhood.


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Google has sent out invitations for an Android event to be held on 29 October.
The rumours that Google will announce a new Nexus device on 29 October have been confirmed. The search giant has invited members of the press to attend the 'Android event' in New York where the 'playground is open'.
It is expected that Google will talk about version 4.2 Jelly Bean of Android rather than announcing 5.0 Key Lime Pie so soon after the Nexus 7 which introduced 4.1 Jelly Bean. The event coincides with the launch of Microsoft's rival Windows Phone 8 operating system.
The Nexus device, most likely a smartphone, which will be revealed is a bigger uncertainty. This is because multiple handsets have been leaked recently including the Sony Nexus X and the LG Optimus G Nexus or Nexus 4. Maybe Google will unveil both.
It's also likely that Google will announce the 32GB model of its Nexus 7 tablet which Argos leaked by way of its Christmas gift guide this week.
We can only guess but rest assured we will bring you all the news on 29 October. Image courtesy of Android Police.
Follow Chris Martin and @PCAdvisor on Twitter.


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"I think it's the trees for me. The greenery," Rania says, explaining the appeal of the neighborhood. "It just draws you in."
Sharon, who is known for quick work with her pruning shears, thinned out Meadowcreek's olive trees, which had been sculpted into artistic shapes. "They looked so dated."
Since then, she's spurred a resurgence in maples. "If somebody asks, I'll say, let's do a maple tree, Japanese maple," she says. "There are so many varieties—nice red ones, big leaf, small leaf. Maybe I spent too many years in Japan."
Just over a decade ago, when it was time to refresh the facades, the neighbors replaced the entire front fencing using select heart redwood, and put in red metal front doors.
The association's attention to appearance was brought home to Vijnan and Rania shortly after they arrived and parked their bikes in their carport—despite a rule that says nothing goes into carports but cars.
"We were reminded of the rules in a polite way," Rania says.
"There's a reason why this place feels good," Vijnan says, "because of the rules."
But bikes are popular in the complex, with many biking to work or to shop, and individual storage is limited. One proposal calls for building bike storage on the commons.
Although Meadowcreek doesn't have an architectural review committee per se, the association favors preservation of the Eichler look—from the outside. Back in the 1960s, one of the units, on a large corner lot, put in an additional rear unit that cannot be seen from the front.
Otherwise, all the changes that have occurred to these Jones & Emmons-designed homes have been inside. When Nancy arrived in 1980, her home still had its original mahogany paneling. Since then, it's disappeared from most interiors.
But otherwise, the homes retain their Eichler looks—front courtyard opening onto kitchen and family room, and a partial wall dividing kitchen from living area, which faces the compact backyard through a wall of glass.
Many people have added skylights above the kitchen or living room. Skylights have also been added to the roof overhang that reaches into the backyard. With walls of glass and skylights, "We never have to turn on the light until it gets dark," Rania says.
Rania and Vijnan's living area is particularly open, used by the family for meditating, yoga, enjoying their Himalayan singing bowl, and by their daughter Gemma for Indian classical dancing classes and soccer practice—using a very soft ball.
"This is why there's hardly any furniture," Rania says. "It's like a gym."
Nancy's home retains some marvelous original touches, including kitchen cabinets, cook top and oven, and grass-cloth doors. She regrets losing the mahogany panels. "I kind of regret some of the changes I did make in the Eichler," she says.
Meanwhile, newcomers like Tom and Claire, and Ben Tran and Rianne Lu, are making over their homes, emphasizing their modern styling.
Style, however, is far from the only thing younger people are bringing to Meadowcreek.
For many years, the condos didn't have any children. When Ben and Rianne arrived six years ago, there was one or two. Five years ago Jenny gave birth to Maura—the first child ever born while living in the complex, some neighbors believe.
Today, Meadowcreek has a handful of children—and is awaiting a new arrival. Neighbors are almost as excited as the first-time parents, Ben and Rianne.
"We try not to call attention to ourselves, but with a baby on the way, it does attract attention," Ben says.


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Boys love anything about girls, right?
One fine proof is my experience yesterday. I saw a group of boys occupying one of the cottages nearby. At the start. i saw them laughing and shouting which id dint mind at all since i do know that boys just make the most of their time whenever they have a drinking session. But when these sexy and lovely girls passed by then they started hauling and i think they love what they saw. It makes me think how boys react when it's free show, you know what i mean by that. We are at the beach and girls wear the most sexy body wear they could ever seen, at that they surely will reminisce their time and experience at that beach.


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Miles Davis is still at it -- in Prospect Park, the Highline Ballroom, (le) Poisson Rouge, Carefusion Jazz Festival's Carnegie Hall concerts, also overflowing the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, as per my City Arts - New York column and enriching the glorious Festival International de Jazz de Montreal (June 25 - July 5). Though he died of exacerbated living at age 65 in 1991, the influence of Miles' trumpet and his breakthrough "directions in music" vibrates through urbane international cultural as strongly now as ever. … [Read more...]
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Rodney, Demane, Soper, Alan ORCID: 0000-0002-0901-9803 and Walshaw, Christopher (2005) Multilevel refinement for the vehicle routing problem. Proceedings of PlanSIG 2005, 24th Annual Workshop of UK Planning & Scheduling Special Interest Group. pp. 96-97. ISSN 1368 5708


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bartl I have seen numerous meatloaf recipes for crockpots, but what I have NOT seen is instructions for people who have never made one in a crockpot. How do you form and shape the meat? Bart
Foodbme Spray Crockpot with butter-flavored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, egg, mustard, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and 1/2 cup ketchup. Shape mixture into a ball and place in slow cooker. Spread remaining ketchup over top of loaf. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
BelleReve I've misplaced a recipe for one of the best beef stews I've tasted, cut out from Cook's Country magazine about 5-6 yrs. ago. I know it called for tapioca as a thickener and you make a hobo package for the potatoes and carrots to cook separately on top so they don't overcook. I tweaked it a little, cut back on the full two onions it called for, as I felt there were too many and made the dish too bitter. I also added whole mushrooms to the vegetable mix which did fine. Does anyone have a similar recipe they can post?
ann peeples Yum. Lisa! I think Bob would LOVE this!
lleechef pnwchef I am shocked! " /> You never made pasta e fagioli??!! May I make a few suggestions to the Olive Garden recipe?? My mother (who is Italian) and her mother made it this way: Start by browning some diced pancetta. Add the finely chopped onions, celery, carrot and garlic. Sweat the vegs. Then add cannellini beans, do not drain or rinse. Add the stock and tomato sauce (maybe not a whole jar), fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs, salt and pepper to taste. Add the ditalini pasta at the end. We do not use ground beef, but of course you can if you want but now it sounds like chili with pasta.


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Windows Memory Analysis
From ForensicsWiki
Revision as of 19:37, 20 May 2006 by Uwe Hermann (Talk | contribs)
During the 1990s, it became a best practice to capture a memory image during incident response. At the time, the only way to analyze such memory images was using strings. Although this method could reveal interesting details about the memory image, there was no way to associate what data came from what program, let alone what user.
In the summer 2005 the Digital Forensic Research Workshop published a Memory Analysis Challenge. They distributed two memory images and asked researchers to answer a number of questions about a security incident. The challenge produced two seminal works. The first, by Chris Betz, introduced a tool called (NAME). The second, by George Garner and (AUTHOR) produced kntlist.


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FIFA have confirmed goal-line technology will be in place for the 2014 World Cup as it invited tenders to provide the system.
Sepp Blatter, president of world football's governing body, had previously stated his commitment to bringing in goal-line technology for the tournament in Brazil.
It was trialled at the Club World Cup in December, and FIFA will now roll it out for this summer's Confederations Cup and next year's World Cup.
FIFA said in a statement: "After a successful implementation of Goal-Line Technology (GLT) at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2012, FIFA has decided to use GLT at the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
"The aim is to use GLT in order to support the match officials and to install a system in all stadia, pending the successful installation, and pre-match referee tests.
"With different technologies on the market, FIFA has launched a tender today, setting out the technical requirements for the two forthcoming competitions in Brazil."
Hawk-Eye and GoalRef both have FIFA approval and are set to compete against each other, and possibly other manufacturers, for the World Cup rights.
FIFA said: "The two GLT providers already licensed under FIFA's Quality Programme for GLT, and other GLT providers currently in the licensing process (that must have passed all relevant tests as of today) are invited to submit tenders.
"Interested GLT companies will be invited to join an inspection visit to the Confederations Cup venues, currently scheduled for mid-March, with a final decision due to be confirmed in early April."
The incoming technology will be designed to help match officials with critical decisions in matches, and its use appears to have been hastened by England being denied a goal in their defeat to Germany at the 2010 World Cup.
A shot from Frank Lampard hit the underside of the crossbar and replays showed it clearly crossed the line, however Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda did not award a goal, which would have been an equaliser. With the assistance of a goal-line camera, the costly mistake would not have been made.
Tennis and cricket at the highest level already feature the use of technology, with umpires and players able to turn to replays of key incidents for clarification.
Blatter said at the Club World Cup that FIFA would follow suit.
HawkEye involves the use of cameras, while GoalRef is a more scientific system, involving a low-frequency magnetic field surrounding the goal and an electronic circuit in the ball, with goal confirmation being transmitted in a fraction of a second to a watch worn by the referee.
Are you in favour of the technology? Have your say.


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Old Mother Hubbard: the Defensive Tackles
>> 3.04.2011
Let's start with the good news! First, let me quote the "Bottom Line" summary of last year's defensive tackles, from last year's Old Mother Hubbard:
Andre Fluellen is a very versatile, high-effort player only two years removed from being a third-round draft pick. Whether he plays inside, outside, or both in 2010, Flu should get plenty of rotational snaps next season.
Landon Cohen is rapidly developing from a seventh-round flier into a useful rotational DT. While he'll never be a 320-pound line-clogger, he's only 23. If he focuses on lower-body development, improves his leverage, and continues to hone his technique, he'll be a very nice complement to/backup for/situational replacement of Sammie Hill.
Grady Jackson turned in a B- performance in doing exactly what the Lions asked—stop the run on 1st and 10. Even if the Lions draft or sign a three-down starter, Jackson can still contribute in that role. I expect to see him back on the roster in 2010, though hopefully not as a "starter".
Sammie Hill is already the Lions' best defensive tackle, and should prove to be much better in 2010 and beyond. He has the size, strength, and athleticism to become a perennial Pro Bowler, and his steady improvement from preseason to the end of the season shows the effort and coachability he'll need to get there. He'll start for the Lions this season, and for many more to come.
Bottom Line: There's no doubt that the defensive line is much stouter this season than last—that 0.72 YpC improvement in the run defense had to come from somewhere!—this is still a D+/C- line. The Lions absolutely must add an impact starter. Whether that is an elite DT talent in the draft—as in, with the #2 overall pick—or, by trade for a veteran starter, or by making a splash in the free agent market, it must be done.
There was a lot of praise for each individual player, but the Bottom Line for the unit as a whole said it best: "This is still a D+/C- line." The Lions needed more consistency against the run than Jackson or Hill were managing, and much more penetration up the middle than Fluellen or Cohen were providing. They needed someone to demand double teams inside, to free up the ends outside.
Grady Jackson was released after one year in Detroit. Landon Cohen didn't quite make the final 53 for 2010; he was let go just days before the season opener.
Ndamukong Suh, or course, was the Lions' top draft pick, #2 overall. The Lions traded a fifth-round pick to the Browns for Corey Williams and a seventh-round pick. This is what is technically known, to people in the industry, as a "filthy steal."
This is a star chart, showing the Pro Football Focus player grades Of the Lions' four active-roster DTs. If you're unfamiliar with PFF's grading methodology, just follow that link. They painstakingly review every player's performance on every snap in every game, grading their performance on each play from -2 to +2, where "zero" is a typical, "he did his job" level of performance. For context, I've included the best- and worst-graded DTs who played at least 25% of their teams' snaps: the Bills' Kyle Williams, and the Colts' Daniel Muir, respectively. The black line shows the league average.
First, we see just how ridiculously good Kyle Williams graded out this year, especially against the run; he was nearly unblockable. This was a good chunk of the reason why the Lions' runningbacks couldn't get to the line of scrimmage, let alone past it, when they played the Bills.
Though he played just 372 snaps, Sammie Hill graded out as the Lions' most effective overall DT, and eleventh-best in the NFL. He was the Lions' best, and most consistent, run stopper. Hill also went the whole season without a penalty, the cleanest of the Lions' DTs. Surprisingly, he was also an above-average pass rusher.
Initially, Hill's performance was underwhelming. He turned in weak grades throughout the beginning of the season, especially against Minnesota. However, after the Jets game Hill turned a corner, and graded positively against both the run and the pass for the rest of the season. His best performance was against Tampa Bay: he played about 40% of snaps, and logged a sack, three tackles, and an assist. I admit, I winced when I re-read my line from last year about Hill having the talent to be a "perennial Pro Bowler," but his upside is high, indeed—and he's getting there fast.
Bottom Line: A natural big body who is slowly fulfilling his top-flight physical potential, Hill will remain a big part of the Lions' rotation as his technique and body develop.
Ndamukong Suh played almost a thousand snaps this year, leading all defensive tackles. In the middle of the season, PFF tried to defuse the Suh hype bomb, explaining that his performance was quite rookie-like. Yes, despite undeniable physical talent, and some monster games and plays, Suh was all over the place in 2010. Sometimes, he flashed truly elite pass-rushing skills; sometimes, he was blown off the ball. Just as I saw with Sammie Hill in his rookie season, Suh struggled against trap and seal blocks. If the man blocking him wasn't the man directly across from him, Suh was often taken out of the play.
His awesome closing ability means he's sort of the anti-DeVries: he gets an awful lot of sacks per pressure. However, just as Jared DeVries put a lot more heat on the QB than his sack numbers suggested, Suh's impacting the game much less than the sack totals would suggest, especially given a thousand snaps to work with.
Let me be clear: a rookie starting, playing a thousand snaps, and getting stronger throughout the year—his best grades were in weeks 8, 11, 12, 14, and 15—is phenomenal. That he successfully brought down the quarterback ten times is amazing. But, remember about the "instant impact" rookie: "amazing" for a rookie is still only "really good" in absolute terms. You can see on the chart above, Suh is nowhere near the best defensive tackle in the NFL. But his floor is "above-average NFL starter," and his ceiling is . . . well, through the roof.
Bottom Line: Suh is an incredible physical talent, with almost unlimited upside. As a rookie, he performed like an above-average starter, while carrying the heaviest workload in the NFL. If he continues to improve, Suh will become one of the best in the NFL—and maybe one of the best ever.
For all the smart moves, solid trades, and wise decisions Martin Mayhew has made over his two-and-a-half season tenure as Lions GM, none has gotten a higher yield with less of an investment than Corey Williams. By overall grade, Williams was the "least good" of the Lions' three DTs with enough snaps to qualify for PFF's rankings. However, that's almost entirely due to his worst-in-the-NFL grade for penalties, something every Lions fan knows full well about. Williams was the Lions' best pass-rushing DT, which is saying something; the Lions' line consists entirely of above-average pass rushing DTs. He was also strongly positive against the run and in coverage.
At the end of the season, Gunther Cunningham said that he thinks Corey Williams is just as deserving of Pro Bowl honors as Suh. Outside of the ridiculous penchant for penalties (several of which kept critical opponent drives alive), the PFF grades agree.
Bottom Line: Williams was a two-way force for the Lions in 2010, and an incredible addition to the roster. With his natural size (6'-4", 320 lb.), great acceleration, and sometimes-too-quick snap anticipation, Williams is a difficult assignment for any offensive lineman. It would be really, really, really nice if he could cut down on the penalties.
The only other player to earn snaps at DT for the Lions in 2010 was Andre Fluellen. With much fewer snaps than any of the others, he didn't make the 25%-or-more cut. He was very slightly above "average NFL starter" level in pass rush, but was a liability against the run. Combined with a picking up a penalty, his final PFF grade put him as far below "average NFL starter" as Ndamukong Suh was above.
Bottom Line: Flu is still very young (two years older than Suh), and has developed into a decent pass rusher. He still has a hard time anchoring against the run, and is more of a "pursuit" guy. He's not, then, an ideal fit for this defense. But anyone with his frame, athleticism, and ability to penetrate will keep getting chances as long as they keep working hard. Flu is a perfectly fine rotational/situational DT—and still has room to grow.
Practice squadder Robert Callaway, fresh out of Saginaw Valley last season, didn't see any action. I'm sure the 6'-5", 312-pound local boy will get at least a camp invite this summer.
SHOPPING LIST? As a unit, the Lions' defensive tackles are complete. They join the Giants, Eagles, Raiders, and Vikings as the only teams where every member of the active DT rotation was graded above average. The oldest, Williams, is 30; Fluellen just turned 26, Suh and Hill are both 24. Unless the Lions want new blood to replace Fluellen (unlikely, as they just tendered him an RFA offer), the Lions should make no moves here.


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Writing a journal can help you to unlock your full potential.


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Blind Item #9
That former Real Housewife wants you to think she is dating that much much younger guy. Well, they might be dating but he has a boyfriend and she knows it. She just wants to get back on the show.
That former Real Housewife wants you to think she is dating that much much younger guy. Well, they might be dating but he has a boyfriend and she knows it. She just wants to get back on the show.
Posted by ent lawyer at 11:30 AM
Labels: blind item
Sonja Morgan
Adrienne Maloof Hoof!
Maloof Hoof
Sonja still on the show my bad
Bethany Frankel
I keep winning today.... must play the lottery later....
What the flux? Derek!! You knew this!!
Sometimes Sonja has to go commando, What can I say....
I do like, that no matter what, even if she hasn't posted all day VIP comes to the 2:30 party to kick my sorry ass.
Not Kelly?
Well, since she's rumored to also have a weenie, how do we know she's not actually the boyfriend? ;)
Quote of the day;
I think we can all agree a sordid XXX Freak Fest is still classier than anything on Bravo TV.
Ari Teman
It's Maloof, Sonja is still on RHONY
I'm thinking maloof. Btw I went to LA and SUR a few weeks ago. I was so disappointed. LA is just so vast and lacks the charm of nyc.
@NYC was any of the cast serving at SUR that night?!
Only background people were there. None of the main cast was there probably bc it was Oscar weekend. The restaurant is nice but in my opinion the food came out way too quickly and wasn't very good. The staff tho is extremely friendly.
cool---if I ever go to LA I still wanna check it out. I saw the menu and it is surprisingly not too pricey.
It's definitely worth checking out. After dinner I headed over to the lounge and ended up meeting some cool people and having a few glasses of wine.
It's ME!!! Oh, wait, I'm not a housewife or on a show, but I do have a younger bf so, I win!!! :-D
Adrienne Maloof...her boyfriend is prettier than she is. It's obvious.
RHOAnywhere=boring shit.
maloof hoof . busch beer needs an heir, looks like he is noy going to get it in love
Maloof. Hope she returns and they can fire mean girl Yolanda and weirdo Kim.
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Brambuk - The National Park & Cultural Centre
Attractions : Galleries, Museums and Collections,Historical Sites and Heritage Locations,National Parks and Reserves
Approximately 3 km from BIG4 NRMA Halls Gap Holiday Park View on Map
Brambuk - The National Park and Cultural Centre is a special place. Situated in Halls Gap within the natural oasis that is Grampians Gariwerd, it is the perfect place to experience Australia's native flora and fauna and Aboriginal culture.
The site incorporates the National Park information and Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural centres.
Brambuk - The National Park and Cultural Centre is 100 per cent owned and operated by Aboriginal people and is the longest running Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Australia.
Its multi award winning architecture interprets the traditional stories of the local Aboriginal people. Discover the culture of the Aboriginal communities of Western Victoria through multimedia shows, art exhibitions, artefact displays, cultural talks and lots of great activities such as didgeridoo music, traditional dance, basket weaving, boomerang throwing and painting.
Discover the unique six seasons of Gariwerd through the displays or join the Aboriginal guides on tours to ancient rock art sites and experience the secrets of the natural world. Brambuk Gift Shop offers art and crafts, ceramics, paintings, boomerangs and music. The Bush Tucker Café is licensed and serves delicious bush tucker and contemporary food.
277 Grampians Road
Halls Gap,Halls Gap, Victoria
Phone:5361 4000
© Brambuk
© Brambuk
© Brambuk
© Brambuk
© Brambuk
© Brambuk
© Brambuk
Last updated on: 25 March 2019
View other things to see and do near BIG4 NRMA Halls Gap Holiday Park


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Recovering From Stroke
Source: American Occupational Therapy Association
Download a printable PDF version of this tip sheet here.
A stroke can cause temporary or permanent paralysis on one side of the body. It can also affect balance, vision, memory, speech, and cognition, and cause other complications such as muscle spasm and pain. For these reasons, people who have experienced a stroke may have difficulty with daily activities (occupations) such as bathing, dressing, and managing a household, and with performing familiar roles (e.g., parent, spouse, employee).
Occupational therapy practitioners address the physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges brought on by a stroke, and they can help stroke survivors engage in the things they want and need to do. The following tips are from occupational therapy practitioners who work with people recovering from a stroke.
If you want to:
Consider these activity tips:
An occupational therapy practitioner offers expertise to:
Be as independent as possible if one side is paralyzed.
Conserve your energy by focusing on doing those things that are most important to you, and ask for assistance with the other things.
Have things delivered to your home rather than going out to pick them up. Internet shopping conserves your energy by delivering everything from groceries to hardware to your door.
Join a support group for stroke survivors to share ideas and resources.
Show you one-handed techniques for how to do things like open packages, get dressed, cut food, and use a computer.
Provide you with adapted equipment to increase your ability to accomplish things on your own.
Instruct your caregivers on ways to help you gain more independence in the activities you value.
Increase your safety in your home.
Remove throw rugs and clutter.
Use the microwave instead of the stove for cooking.
Install plenty of night lights so you aren't walking in the dark.
Install grab bars and use a tub bench to reduce your chances of falling in the bathroom or shower.
Avoid stairs if possible.
Consider a portable alert system so you can easily call for help if necessary.
Wear sturdy, nonslip footwear, even when you get up to go to the bathroom at night.
Conduct a full evaluation to identify your skills, strengths, and deficits, and create a therapy program based on your needs and preferences.
Provide an in-home evaluation to determine your safety. The occupational therapist will observe you as you complete all of your daily activities, including dressing, bathing, cooking, etc., and make recommendations for equipment and changes to your home based on your particular skills, needs, and goals.
Teach you and your caregivers how you can safely move from sitting to standing, get in and out of your bed, use the bathroom or the tub/shower, and perform other activities.
Increase your strength and endurance.
When possible, resist the urge to let others do things for you.
Remember that even brief periods of activity (e.g., getting up for a glass of water) add up to increased strength.
Try to engage in gentle exercise or stretching every day.
Use ordinary activities that are meaningful to you to improve function, strength, and endurance. These activities could include things like gardening, pet care, cooking, and household tasks.
Create an individualized program that helps you learn to safely use your affected arm and/or leg more effectively, and to regain strength, balance, and functional movement.
Get around in your community.
If you are not able to drive, consider asking friends and family for rides in exchange for favors you can do for them (e.g., signing for deliveries when they aren't home).
Look for mobility resources in your community provided for people with disabilities. These are often referred to as "paratransit services." Places of worship and grocery stores sometimes offer transportation services as well.
| Help identify services that support community mobility in your area.
Evaluate your ability to use public transportation and paratransit services (e.g., can you walk from your home to the bus stop? Can you step up into the bus? Can you read a subway map?). Provide therapy and/or adaptations if you need assistance.
Evaluate your readiness to drive and refer you to a driving specialist if your skills suggest that this will be an option with additional training and adaptations.
Recommend mobility aids (walkers, canes, or wheelchairs), and the training to use them, to increase your ability to navigate safely in your community.
Adjust for problems with memory, confusion, and concentration.
Try to create a daily routine.
Make a list of what you need to do every day, and refer to it often.
Put things away in designated places to make them easier to find.
Create a plan for managing your medications.
Get enough sleep at night and take short naps as needed to improve concentration and memory.
Break activities into small steps to make them more manageable.
Provide cognitive rehabilitation to help you regain as much of your memory as possible.
Incorporate daily activities into therapy to address areas of concern (e.g., handling money, following a schedule).
Work with you on strategies to compensate so you can participate in your favorite activities as fully as possible.
Need More Information?
If you would like to contact an occupational therapist to assist you in recovering from a stroke, ask your physician for a recommendation, or look for an occupational therapist in private clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and skilled nursing facilities in your community. You can find additional information through the American Occupational Therapy Association at www.aota.org.
AOTA thanks Bonnie L. Kennedy, PhD, OTR/L, and Kathryn Levit, PhD, OTR/L, for their assistance with this Tip Sheet.
Occupational therapy is a skilled health, rehabilitation, and educational service that helps people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations).
Copyright © 2013 by the American Occupational Therapy Association. This material may be copied and distributed for personal or educational uses without written consent. For all other uses, contact email@example.com.


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Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Extraction: Distilled from leaves. Peppermint has a powerful, minty-fresh odor.
Medicinal Action: Peppermint alleviates digestive-tract spasms, indigestion, nausea, ulcers and irritable-bowel syndrome, and helps destroy bacteria, viruses and parasites in the digestive tract. It also clears sinus and lung congestion, and is used to treat muscle spasms and inflammation.
Cosmetic/Skin Use: Peppermint stimulates the skin's oil production. It also relieves the itching skin of ringworm, herpes simplex, scabies and poison oak. Because it is warming (especially the oil that isn't redistilled), it is often used in liniments.
Emotional Attribute: As a stimulant, the scent counters insomnia, shock, mental fogginess and lack of focus. It also unblocks "stuck" emotions.
Considerations: Watch out-too much may burn the skin.
Associated Oils:
Spearmint (M. spicata) --Somewhat weaker in action, spearmint brings back childhood joy and memories. It is the mint of choice for pregnant women, with fewer irritating and toxic constituents.
Cornmint (M. arvensis) --This species is less sweet, but contains much more menthol, making it a good choice for liniments. Cornmint is the source of natural menthol crystals used in liniments and some lipsticks, in hair tonics and in other body-care products to produce a stimulating/cooling sensation. The herb is grown in China and Japan, and also in Brazil by descendants of the Japanese immigrants who introduced it.
Pennyroyal (M. pulegium) --The scent and oil are harsher than other mints, so pennyroyal must be used with care and never by pregnant women. It is used occasionally to treat fever, itching skin, indigestion, congestion from colds, scant, painful menstruation and to deter fleas, but it is potentially toxic because of its pulegone content. The scent relieves dizziness-the Romans even wore pennyroyal head garlands to dispel drunkenness. Culpeper dabbed the waters on headaches, the vinegar on bruises and burns. We recommend the much safer herb tea, but even that should be avoided by pregnant women.


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Story highlights
- A number of U.S. airlines now charge extra for passengers to reserve a window or aisle seat
- Passengers reporting difficulties traveling in groups as end-of-row seats are already booked
- Fees are being introduced as airlines try to generate extra streams of revenue
The airline industry's latest tactic to increase revenue -- charging premiums for window and aisle seats -- is making it hard for groups to fly together, say passenger advocates.
George Hobica, founder of travel site AirfareWatchdog, said his organization had received a spate of complaints from Americans who had struck problems being seated together on flights. Complainants included a woman who had been unable to sit next to her husband, who had a medical condition.
He said the problems were arising as airlines set aside more desirable window and aisle seats for passengers who pay a premium, leaving those who do not pay with center-row seats, separated from other members of their party unless they have paid the surcharge.
"The airlines are basically trying to squeeze out more fees in the face of higher costs, and it is inconveniencing a lot of passengers," said Hobica.
The charges for window or aisle seats in the front half of the plane, costing as much as $29 each way on U.S. domestic flights and $59 on international flights, are the latest of a raft of passenger fees introduced in recent years as the airline industry looks to generate new streams of revenue.
The issue has arisen in the United States, where Delta, American Airlines, and low-cost carriers US Airways, Frontier, Spirit and Allegiant have implemented charges for "preferred seating." Delta spokeswoman Katie Hulme said the move reflected the fact that some seats were more desirable than others, and that it gave passengers greater choice and flexibility in where they were seated.
"Offering preferred seats for sale to all Delta passengers means that we are offering different seat selection options to enable more passengers to travel in their seat of choice," she said.
The notion of paying extra to reserve more desirable seating is catching on more widely across the industry. Across the Atlantic, low-cost Ryanair rolled out reservations for certain seats across all its routes in January, while its rival Easyjet has also been experimenting with the practice.
The implementation of end-of-row seat fees is part of a broader airline trend to charge for amenities previously included in the standard fare, such as movies, water, pillows and blankets.
In response to soaring fuel prices four years ago, airlines also began introducing charges for checked baggage, generating huge sums. But last year the revenue from checked bags for U.S. airlines fell for the first time, suggesting passengers were trying to avoid fees by packing light when they traveled.
Two U.S. airlines, Spirit and Allegiant, also charge passengers for carry-on baggage.
Hobica said part of the airlines' rationale was "to cater to the people that have paid the most for their seats."
Kate Hanni, of passenger rights organization FlyersRights, said the aisle and window surcharges made air travel an even more daunting prospect for families.
"Families have already been having a hard time, so this is the icing on the cake," she said. "Can you imagine getting on a plane and not being seated next to your three-year-old?"
While gate staff would typically try to seat families together, removing aisle and window seats as options was making this impossible, said Hanni.
"The predictability of air travel has really gone away. This is one more layer where people can't predict what's going to happen -- it's a crap shoot," she said.
"They're holding the aisle and window seats out for higher prices -- and trust me, this is just a revenue grab."
Hobica said while the new price structure was causing problems, he could understand the logic behind it. "When you buy a ticket to a Broadway show, you do pay more for better seating," he said. "If passengers were willing to pay higher fares at the beginning," he said, the problems could be avoided.
Hulme said that the number of rows in which window and aisle seats were set aside as "preferred seating" varied from aircraft to aircraft, but did not extend through the entire plane. Many of those who traveled in groups were leisure travelers who tended to book their fares in advance, and should encounter few difficulties being seated together, she said.


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Friday, August 16, 2019, 10:30am - 11:00am
Previous Repeat
Next Repeat
Gainesville Storytime Room
Children ages 3 and up are invited to join us for Preschool Storytime! Children will hear stories, enjoy songs, action rhymes, puppets, circle time, movement songs, and much more. This program is FREE and reservations are not required. No formal groups. If you are a group and need an outreach visit please call 770-532-3311 ext. 143
by ajunius


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A few months back we brought you the Christian Louboutin Fall 2014 collection, in which we were introduced to the Allenissima, the tallest single-sole heel to date from the brand. Now that extra height can be yours.
As of right now, the Allenissima slingback comes in either black leather or a floral print for $995. The Hot Chick, which is also part of the Fall 2014 collection, is the Allenissima's closed-toe, scalloped-edge counterpart, which retails for $895. Even Louboutin admits these heels will be difficult to get around in: "With a plunging 130mm pitch, she may be built more for posing than walking. So, slip her on, pose, and let others come to you."
When I first wrote about the Allenissima slingbacks, I predicted that Louboutin lovers would swoon over it, and I was right. Over on our PurseForum, we have a growing thread of customers gushing over these vertiginous heels. Some of them even have a pair to call their own, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit jealous.
You can shop the Allenissima and the Hot Chick pumps through ChristianLouboutin, and I'm also thinking a Nike Shoes Testimonials may be in order very soon! Let us know if you could survive in a heel this high in the comments.


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Top 10 reasons to visit a World Top Ten Spa in Rotorua
This is my list of top ten reasons to visit a unique geothermal attraction in the heart of Rotorua. If you have also visited let me know yours!
1. The only spa outside of Europe to be voted in the World Top 10!
Polynesian Spa in Rotorua has been voted a World Top Ten Spa by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine from 2004-2007, 2009 & 2011 in the natural/thermal/medical category.
2. Late opening hours – suitable for anyone's schedule
Open from 8am until 11pm daily (last pool entry 10.15pm). Perfect for an early morning dip to catch the sunrise over Lake Rotorua, or an after dinner soak to help put you to sleep. The perfect way to end a day of travelling by coach or plane.
3. The spa therapies are to die for!
After soaking in the Lake Spa (complimentary with any therapy) which relaxes all your muscles, you feel like you can melt away with a spa therapy. Spa therapies and hydro spa therapies are offered, with dual rooms available if you want to share the experience with someone special. The extensive menu features something for everyone, from facials to mud wraps, massages to scrubs. They even offer pregnancy massage!
4. Amazing mineral water - feel it to believe it!
Two different types of mineral water are available at the spa – the acidic and the alkaline. The world renowned acidic water from the Radium Hot spring renowned for its therapeutic properties. Millions of visitors to Polynesian Spa over the last 125 years have received relief from this water for their tired muscles, aches and pains, arthritis and rheumatism. The alkaline water is characterised by its normal clarity and soft feel. It emanates from a deep boiling spring and is cooled to bathing temperature by the addition of town supply cold water. The bland, soothing, antiseptic action of sodium silicate makes this water very pleasing on the skin.
5. Experience the history
There is a reason commercial bathing has been on the same site for 130 years! A duchess, a saint, and even a fake beautician make up some of the history of Polynesian Spa.
6. Spa Essentials – more than you could dream of
Simply the most beautiful shop filled with stunning products and amazing scents. Treat yourself, your friends and family with beautifully wrapped spa gifts. An amazing range of swimwear and spa accessories are available to purchase, or take home one of the items from their signature range to keep the memories alive. You will not leave this shop disappointed.
7. Free Wi-Fi
If you need a spot to check your emails or send an update home to your friends and family, Polynesian Spa's Hot Springs Café offers free wireless with any café purchase. The café offers lots of healthy food, as well as beer, wine, freshly squeezed fruit juices and smoothies, and NZ ice-cream. Yum!
8. The people make the experience
People in New Zealand and known for being friendly, with nothing being a problem. They welcome with a 'Kia Ora' and a big smile, and treat you like long lost friends. The staff at Polynesian Spa are no exception. They are very knowledgeable and are willing to help with any requirements – service with a smile guaranteed.
9. Eco-friendly for your peace of mind
Recycling facilities are available throughout the complex for customers to use, and it is nice to know that the waste you put into the rubbish bin isn't going straight into the landfill. They are also members of the Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter, and proudly display Qualmark Enviro-Gold certification at the spa and on their website.
10. Location, Location, Location
Situated in the CBD on the edge of Lake Rotorua, Polynesian Spa is easily accessible from all Rotorua accommodation and the information centre. Adjacent to the Millennium and Sudima Hotels, and within easy walking distance from many other accommodation options, you don't necessarily need a vehicle to add a visit to this must-do attraction to your schedule.


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Coming to Visit Historic Wilmington, North Carolina this summer?
Tour Group Discounts
5 Star Story Tellers!Haunted Cotton Exchange or
a History Walking Tour!
Group Discounts with 10 or more, age 12 and under FREE with adult. Great for bus tours groups, clubs,schools, family reunions, company outings, fund raisers..
Fun for the whole family!
Call for Tour Times
Call 910-409-4300


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Smells great, feels great
Strangely enough, while I was road tripping through California this body wash was at one of the hotels we stayed at. I usually don't use the sample products at hotels, but I was interesting in the microbeads and the smell because of the yellow color. Boy was I happy I tried this! I shower at night, and by morning I usually don't have any reminisce of the body wash smell, but I could smell this body wash all day. It's not an overwhelming smell, and it made my skin feel fantastic. I didn't feel like I needed to moisturize after showering (especially since hotel water usually dries my skin out).5


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Protect Yourself From Your Auto (Apr, 1934)
Protect Yourself From Your Auto
By Walter E. Stewart
Many serious and painful accidents are caused through failure of autoists to become properly acquainted with their machines. Here are a few valuable tips.
HADLEY came to work the other morning with a badly blistered forearm. He went down to the first aid room to have it dressed. The doctor cut short his shamefaced explanation: "Yes, yes, I know. Your radiator froze up and when you removed the cap the steam shot out along your arm. You're the sixth so far this morning."
Hadley looked as astonished as he was. He said: "Gee, Doc, I never knew anybody else who got burned like this, and I've been driving a car for years."
"That's just the point," the amiable doctor answered after a quick glance into the anteroom to see that no one else needed his attention. "If you had known personally someone who got burned this way you would have exercised sufficient forethought to have avoided the injury yourself. It's too bad that people must get hurt before they take enough thought to protect themselves from ordinary accidents. Do you remember Jim Swenson?"
Hadley's eyes gleamed, he had never liked Swenson anyway.
"Yeah, he's the fellow who was working under his car in a double garage and had the other car back out over his foot. I remember he said he yelled and the other fellow got excited and pulled back in, only to run over him again."
The doctor grinned too. Now that Swenson had recovered, the thought of that yell, which must have seemed to come from the earth itself to startle a well intentioned driver into a repetition of the accident, did have its humorous angle. As he was ushering his patient to the door he urged, "You'll remember this burn and Swenson's foot without trying, but what you need to do is try to think of all the Jones and Smiths who have stuck their fingers into running fans, or across sparkplugs, or who have let the car roll off a jack onto them. Come down tomorrow and let me see that arm."
Hadley and I talked over what the doctor had said. We concluded that it was really not necessary to get hurt in order to know where danger awaited, provided one discovered the source of the hazard. To test our conclusion we decided to list all the ways we and our friends knew for getting hurt about an automobile, knowing that the discovery of hazards would serve to inform and warn us.
We found some well-authenticated cases of freak accidents, as, for instance, the fellow who got his eyebrows singed from peering into his radiator by the light of a match. His motor was hot and the fumes of the alcohol he was using as an anti-freeze caught fire and flared up into his face. Neither of us had ever thought of that possibility, though, of course, we knew its classic relation, the match-gasoline tank combination.
We were astonished at the large number of our acquaintances who did not know how to avoid a broken arm or dislocated shoulder when obliged to crank their cars. Many of them admitted they usually stood inside the bumper and got their weight into play by thrusting down on the crank. Naturally we displayed our greater wisdom by explaining that often cars roll a few feet unexpectedly and bang up unwary shins, and that more often balky cars kick and break arms which are opposed to them by the weight of a man's body.
Since our listeners seemed interested we further explained that the only correct and safe way to crank was to stand outside the bumper, free to run if necessary, and to pull up on the crank in such way that a kick would only jerk the crank out of one's hand.
The mechanic at our favorite gas station has a permanently chewed-up right forefinger. He was cleaning the commutator on an automobile generator by holding a piece of cloth against it with his finger while the motor was running. Somehow his finger slipped a little, the cloth caught on a projection of the armature and drew his finger tightly against the revolving armature and the stationary frame. The nail and end of his finger were mangled.
Now the mechanic uses a piece of wood about six inches long, half an inch wide and-a quarter inch thick. To the end of this was glued a felt pad. He tore a strip of cloth about half an inch wide and a foot long from a wiping rag and passed it down along the stick, over the felt pad and back up the other side, holding the two cloth ends and the stick in one hand.
The mechanic, while on the subject of fingers, suggested that they could also be chopped off or crippled by trying to get at the water pet-cock while the fan was running.


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The federal government has developed a complex financial relationship with state governments through the grants-in-aid system. The system has grown steadily for more than a century as the federal government has become involved in an increasing array of state and local activities. Today there are more than 1,100 different federal aid programs for the states, with each program having its own rules and regulations. The system is a complicated mess, and it is getting worse all the time.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. Under the U.S. Constitution, the federal government was assigned specific, limited powers and most government functions were left to the states. To ensure that people understood the limits on federal power, the nation's founders added the Constitution's Tenth Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
The Tenth Amendment embodies federalism, the idea that federal and state governments have separate areas of activity and that federal responsibilities were "few and defined," as James Madison noted. Historically, federalism acted as a safeguard of American freedoms. President Ronald Reagan noted in a 1987 executive order, "Federalism is rooted in the knowledge that our political liberties are best assured by limiting the size and scope of the national government."1
Unfortunately, policymakers and courts have mainly discarded federalism in recent decades. Congress has undertaken many activities that were traditionally reserved to the states and the private sector. Grants-in-aid are a key mechanism that the federal government has used to extend its power into state and local affairs. Grant programs are subsidies that come part and parcel with federal regulations designed to micromanage state and local activities.
The federal government will spend $561 billion on aid to the states in 2013, making aid the third largest item in the federal budget after Social Security and national defense.2 Some of the major federal aid programs are in the areas of education, health care, housing, and transportation.
There are few, if any, advantages of federalizing state and local activities through grant programs, but many disadvantages. The aid system encourages excessive spending and bureaucratic waste, creates a lack of political accountability, and stifles policy diversity and innovation in the states. With the ongoing flood of red ink in Washington, now would be a good time to begin cutting the vastly overgrown grants-in-aid system.
Brief History of Federal Aid
Prior to the Civil War, proposals to subsidize state and local activities were occasionally introduced in Congress, but they were routinely voted down or vetoed by presidents for being unconstitutional. In 1817, for example, President James Madison vetoed a bill that would have provided federal aid to construct roads and canals.3 In 1830, President Andrew Jackson vetoed a bill to provide aid for a road project in Kentucky arguing that it was of "purely local character" and that funding would be a "subversion of the federal system."4
The resistance to federal funding of state activities started to weaken toward the end of the 19th century. The Morrill Act of 1862 provided grants of federal land to the states for the establishment of colleges that focused on agriculture, mechanical studies, and the military. This was the first grant program with "strings attached." It included detailed rules for recipients to follow and required them to submit regular reports to the federal government.
Federal aid activity increased substantially in the early 20th century. When the income tax was introduced in 1913, it provided the means for policymakers to finance a range of new federal aid programs.
From the beginning, many aid programs required states to match federal funds on a dollar for dollar basis. Unfortunately, matching requirements have induced excessive state spending and continuous program expansion. Federal aid has also prompted the growth in state bureaucracies, partly because aid programs have often required that states set up new agencies to oversee spending in the prescribed activities.
There was initial resistance to the expansion of federal aid, but it was politically difficult for states to opt-out of new aid programs. That's because if they did opt-out, their residents would still have to pay federal taxes to support federal aid spending in other states.
Also, various sleights-of-hand were used to get around constitutional concerns about rising federal power. For example, a 1916 law that created a new federal program for road subsidies was premised on the constitutional power to fund "post roads" (roads used for mail delivery), which Congress defined very broadly.5 Another example was 1911 legislation to fund state forest fire prevention. The aid was to pay for forest activities near navigable rivers, which thus could be said to be related to interstate commerce.6
The number of grants-in-aid programs rose from 15 in 1930 to 132 by 1960. The largest expansion of federal granting during this period was the 1956 law authorizing the building of the interstate highway system.
However, it was during the 1960s that federal aid really exploded. Under President Lyndon Johnson, aid programs were added for housing, urban renewal, education, health care, and many other activities. The number of aid programs quadrupled from 132 in 1960 to 530 by 1970.7
In the 1960s, policymakers were optimistic that federal experts could solve local problems—such as urban decay—with aid programs. But the optimism began to diminish even by the early 1970s. President Richard Nixon argued that federal aid was a "terrible tangle" of overlap and inefficiency.8 In his 1971 State of the Union address, he lambasted "the idea that a bureaucratic elite in Washington knows best what is best for people everywhere," and said that he wanted to "reverse the flow of power and resources from the states and communities to Washington."9 For his part, President Jimmy Carter proposed a "concentrated attack on red tape and confusion in the federal grant-in-aid system."10 Unfortunately, Nixon and Carter made little progress on reforms.
Ronald Reagan had more success at sorting out the "confused mess" of federal grants, as he called it.11 In a 1981 budget law, dozens of grant programs were eliminated, and many others were consolidated into broader block grants. The number of grant programs fell during the early 1980s.
Reagan's "new federalism" attempted to re-sort federal and state activities so that each level of government would have responsibility for financing its own programs. But Reagan's progress at trimming the federal aid empire was reversed after he left office, and there have been no major efforts to reform or cut the federal aid system since the mid-1990s.
The aid system's many failings have become more acute as hundreds of more programs have been added in recent years. According to my analysis, the number of aid programs soared from 653 in 2000 to 1,122 by 2010.12 President Obama's health care law of 2010 added a range of new aid programs, and it also involved a huge expansion in Medicaid, which is the largest federal aid program.
The Federal Aid System Today
Today, the number of federal aid programs for the states is more than triple the number just 25 years ago. Federal aid spending is expected to be $561 billion in fiscal 2013, of which $286 billion are health grants and $275 billion are non-health grants.13 Aid programs range from the giant $267 billion Medicaid to hundreds of more obscure programs, such as a $15 million grant for "Nursing Workforce Diversity," a $116 million grant for "Boating Safety Financial Assistance," and a $125 million grant for "Healthy Marriages."
Federal aid can be distributed in the form of project grants or formula grants. Under project grants, federal agencies distribute funding to particular state and local agencies after a detailed review of specific proposals. Project grants can also be "earmarked" or directed to favored activities by members of Congress. Project grants generally require grantees to submit proposals, detailed work plans, regular reports, and other paperwork regarding their use of federal dollars.
While most aid programs are project grants, most aid spending is on formula grants. That is because many of the largest aid programs, including Medicaid, are formula grants. Under formula grants, legislation spells out how much funding each state receives based on factors such as state income and population. The states are often required to match some portion of the federal government's aid with their own funding.
Aid programs can also be categorized as either categorical grants or block grants. The bulk of grants are categorical, which generally target a narrow range of eligible activities and include detailed regulations that states must follow. By contrast, block grants fund a broader range of activities and generally give states more flexibility on the activities funded.
Budget experts have long proposed that the plethora of categorical grants be consolidated into fewer and simpler block grants. However, there are strong political incentives against such reforms. One factor is that members of Congress can better target their favored special interests using categorical grants. Categorical grants are also in sync with the fragmented committee structure in Congress. That is, each of the dozens of committees and subcommittees in Congress want their own realm of grant programs to preside over. If grants were consolidated, members would lose some of their power to direct and control federal hand-outs.
One question that arises with regard to the federal aid system is how it redistributes resources between the 50 states. The system involves the raising of hundreds of billions of dollars a year in taxes from individuals and businesses across the nation, and then running the money through the Washington bureaucracy and dishing it back to government agencies in the states.14 There is no overall plan to the system; instead, it has grown in an ad hoc manner over many decades.
The aid system is mainly financed by the general fund of the federal budget, of which the largest revenue source is the personal income tax.15 The income tax is highly graduated or "progressive." As a result, states with large concentrations of higher-income residents pay a large bulk of the nation's income taxes, and thus finance a large share of the grants-in-aid system. As an illustration, the top two states in terms of overall per-capita federal taxes—Connecticut and New Jersey—pay more than twice as much in per-capita taxes as the lowest two states, West Virginia and Mississippi.16
Looking at the spending side, aid received by the states varies widely. In 2010, for example, average grants-in-aid spending was $2,187 per capita. The state receiving the highest per-capita amount was Alaska at $4,879, while the state receiving the lowest amount was Florida at $1,492.17
The reasons for these variations in aid spending are complex. Project grants are generally distributed on a discretionary basis. But most federal aid is distributed by formulas, which are based on such factors as state populations, income levels, and poverty levels. Medicaid funding, for example, is distributed based on each states' average personal income compared to the U.S. average. Thus, poorer states generally receive a higher federal match, although there are many complexities to the Medicaid allocation system.18
With open-ended matching grants, the expansiveness of each state's spending affects the amount of funding drawn from Washington. Medicaid, for example, allows states substantial flexibility in structuring benefits, and thus those states that have more generous benefits will gain more federal matching dollars. New York has an expansive benefit structure, and it receives 12 percent of all federal Medicaid dollars even though the state has just 6 percent of the U.S. population.19
Some grant programs have complex formulas to distribute funding, which sets up political struggles to tweak the allocations. Consider the Community Development Block Grant program, which funds local development projects. One item in the formula that distributes funding to the states is "housing built before 1940." How did this obscure provision get into the CDBG formula? A lobby group convinced some members of Congress to insert it into legislation in order to tilt aid toward older cities.20
Politics often stands in the way of allocating grant funds in a way that even aid supporters would think is rational. After 9/11, for example, the federal government created numerous homeland security aid programs to help those areas of the country at higher risks of terrorism. But members of Congress from lower-risk and more rural states have battled to distribute these grants based on metrics unrelated to risk.21
In sum, there is no overall strategy that guides the grants-in-aid system. Instead, it has been jerry-built over the decades as politicians have responded to special-interest pressures and tried to fix state and local problems with federal rules and subsidies. Liberal policymakers have supported the federalizing of state activities because the federal tax system is more graduated or "progressive" than state tax systems. And conservative policymakers have usually gone along with aid expansions because they can garner the political benefits of steering funding to their congressional districts.
While the growth in federal aid can be explained by politics, the next section explains that there has never been a good rationale for aid from the perspective of efficient and responsible governance.
Eight Reasons to Cut Aid
The theory behind grants-in-aid is that the federal government can create subsidy programs in the national interest to efficiently solve local problems. The belief is that policymakers can dispassionately allocate large sums of money across hundreds of activities based on a rational plan designed in Washington.
The federal aid system does not work that way in practice. Most federal politicians are not inclined to pursue broad, national goals, but are consumed by the competitive scramble to secure subsidies for their states. At the same time, federal aid stimulates overspending by state governments and creates a web of top-down rules that destroy state innovation. At all levels of the aid system, the focus is on maximizing the money spent and regulatory compliance, not on delivering quality services.
The following are eight reasons why the federal aid system doesn't make any economic or practical sense and ought to be downsized or eliminated.
1. No magical source of federal funds. Aid supporters bemoan the "lack of resources" at the state level and believe that Uncle Sam has endlessly deep pockets to help out. But every dollar of federal aid sent to the states is ultimately taken from federal taxpayers who live in the 50 states. It's true that the federal government has a greater ability to run deficits than state governments, but that's an argument against the aid system not in favor of it. By moving the funding of state activities up to the federal level, the aid system has tilted American government toward unsustainable deficit financing.
2. Grants spur wasteful spending. The basic incentive structure of aid programs encourages overspending by federal and state policymakers. One reason is that policymakers at both levels can claim credit for spending on a program, while relying on the other level of government to collect part of the tax bill.
Another cause of overspending is that federal policymakers create program structures, such as matching, that prompt the states to increase spending. A typical match is 50 percent, which means that for every $2 million a state expands a program, the federal government chips in $1 million. Matching reduces the "price" of states' added spending, thus prompting them to expand programs. Most federal aid is for programs that have matching requirements, with Medicaid being the largest such program.
One way to reduce spending incentives is to convert open-ended matching grants to block grants. Block grants provide a fixed sum to states and give them flexibility on program design. The best example of such a reform was the 1996 welfare overhaul, which turned Aid to Families with Dependent Children (an open-ended matching grant) into Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (a lump-sum block grant). Similar block grant reforms should be pursued for Medicaid and other programs. Converting programs to block grants would reduce incentives for states to overspend, and it would make it easier for Congress to cut federal spending in the future.
3. Aid allocation doesn't match any consistent idea of need. Supporters of federal grants assume that funding can be optimally distributed to those activities and states with the greatest needs. But even if such redistribution was a good idea, the aid system has never worked that way in practice. A 1940 article in Congressional Quarterly lamented: "The grants-in-aid system in the United States has developed in a haphazard fashion. Particular services have been singled out for subsidy at the behest of pressure groups, and little attention has been given to national and state interests as a whole."22 And a 1981 report by the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations concluded that "federal grant-in-aid programs have never reflected any consistent or coherent interpretation of national needs."23 It's the same situation today. With highway aid, for example, some states with greater needs due to growing populations—such as Texas—consistently get the short end of the stick on funding.24
Even if funds were allocated to the states based on need, state-level decisions can nullify federal efforts. For example, the largest education grant program, Title I, is supposed to target aid to the poorest school districts. But evidence indicates that state and local governments use Title I funds to displace their own funding of poor schools, thus making poor schools no further ahead than without federal aid.25
4. Grants reduce state policy diversity. Federal grants reduce state diversity and innovation because they come with one-size-fits-all mandates. A good example was the 55-mile-per-hour national speed limit, which was enforced between 1974 and 1995 by federal threats of withdrawing highway grant money. It never made sense that the same speed should be imposed in uncongested rural states and congested urban states, and Congress finally listened to motorists and repealed the law.
Another example of top-down federal rules is the No Child Left Behind education law of 2002. To receive NCLB grant funding, the law required states to meet federal mandates, such as ensuring that all teachers were "highly qualified," that Spanish-language versions of tests be administered, and that certain children be tutored after school. Many states passed resolutions attacking NCLB for undermining states' rights.
The Davis-Bacon labor rules are another example of harmful regulations tied to federal aid. State public works projects that receive federal aid must pay workers "prevailing wages." Since that generally interpreted to mean higher union-level wages, Davis-Bacon rules increase construction costs on government investments, such as highway projects.
5. Grant regulations breed bureaucracy. Federal aid is not a costless injection of funding to the states. Federal taxpayers pay the direct costs of the grants, but taxpayers at all levels of government are burdened by the costly bureaucracy needed to support the system. The aid system engulfs government workers with unproductive activities such as proposal writing, program reporting, regulatory compliance, auditing, and litigation.
Many of the 16 million people employed by state and local governments must deal with complex federal regulations related to hundreds of aid programs. There are specific rules for each program, which may be hundreds or even thousands of pages in length. There are "crosscutting requirements," which are provisions that apply across aid programs, such as labor market rules. And there are "crossover sanctions," which are the penalties imposed on the states if they don't meet federal requirements.
Each of the more than 1,100 aid programs have different rules, and the activities funded by the programs often overlap, which causes more confusion. For example, state and local officials deal with 16 different federal programs that fund first responders, such as firefighters.26 That tangle of programs not only creates a lot of paperwork, it may also lead to more fragmented planning of disaster response.
6. Grants cause policymaking overload. One consequence of the large aid system is that the time spent by federal politicians on state and local issues takes away from their focus on truly national issues. In the years after 9/11, for example, investigations revealed that most members of the House and Senate intelligence committees did not bother, or did not have time, to read crucial intelligence reports.27 Many of these members were probably spending their time trying to steer budget monies toward local activities in their home states.
The federal involvement in hundreds of nonfederal policy areas overloads Washington's policy agenda. President Calvin Coolidge was right in 1925 when he argued that aid to the states should be cut because it was "encumbering the national government beyond its wisdom to comprehend, or its ability to administer" its proper roles.28
7. Grants make government responsibilities unclear. The three layers of government in the United States no longer resemble the tidy layer cake that existed in the 19th century. Instead, they are like a jumbled marble cake with responsibilities fragmented across multiple layers. Federal aid has made it difficult for citizens to figure out which level of government is responsible for particular policy outcomes. All three levels of government play big roles in such areas as transportation and education, thus making accountability difficult. To make matters worse, politicians have become skilled at pointing fingers of blame at other levels of government, as was evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. When every government is responsible for an activity, no government is responsible.
8. Common problems are not necessarily national priorities. Policymakers often argue that various state, local, and private activities require federal intervention because they are "national priorities." But as President Reagan noted in a 1987 executive order: "It is important to recognize the distinction between problems of national scope (which may justify federal action) and problems that are merely common to the states (which will not justify federal action because individual states, acting individually or together, can effectively deal with them)."29
Consider education. It is a priority of many people, but that does not mean that the federal government has to get involved. State and local governments should be free to innovate in education and share best practices with each other, but there is no reason for top-down controls or funding from Washington. Or consider federal aid for homeland security, which became popular after 9/11. Much of the federal funding in that area goes for items that could be funded locally, such as bulletproof vests for police officers.
There is no reason for federalizing spending on local activities such as police and education—it just creates added bureaucracy and a tug of war over funding allocations. By contrast, when funding and spending decisions are made together at the state or local levels, policy tradeoffs will better reflect the preferences of citizens within a jurisdiction.
The federal aid system is a roundabout way to fund state and local activities that serves no important economic or practical purpose. The system has many widely-recognized failings, but a web of special interest groups block reforms. Those groups include the hundreds of trade associations that represent the recipients of federal aid and the millions of state and local employees that depend on federal aid to pay their salaries.
The aid system thrives not because it creates good governance, but because it maximizes benefits to politicians. The system allows politicians at each level of government to take credit for spending, while blaming other levels of government for program failures and high tax burdens. The federal aid system has been called a "triumph of expenditure without responsibility."
The aid system should be dramatically scaled back or phased-out altogether. With today's huge federal budget deficits, now is a good time to start cutting federal spending on state and local activities. By federalizing so many state and local activities in recent decades, we are asking Washington policymakers to do the impossible—to efficiently plan for the competing needs of a vast and diverse country of 315 million people.
1 Ronald Reagan, Executive Order 12612, October 26, 1987, www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/102687d.htm.
2 Budget of the U.S. Government, FY2014, Analytical Perspectives (Washington: Government Printing Office, 2013), p. 301.
3 James Madison, veto message for the Bonus Bill, March 13, 1817. Available at www.constitution.org/jm/18170303_veto.htm.
4 Andrew Jackson, veto message for the Maysville Road Bill, May 27, 1830. Available at www.gutenberg.org/files/10858/10858-h/10858-h.htm.
5 Austin F. MacDonald, Federal Aid: A Study of the American Subsidy System (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1928), p. 90. See also Richard F. Weingroff, "For the Common Good: The 85th Anniversary of a Historic Partnership," Public Roads, vol. 64, no. 5, Federal Highway Administration, March/April 2001.
6 Austin F. MacDonald, Federal Aid: A Study of the American Subsidy System (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1928), p. 30.
7 Chris Edwards, "Federal Aid to the States: Historical Cause of Government Growth and Bureaucracy," Cato Institute Policy Analysis no. 593, May 22, 2007.
8 Quoted in Ben Canada, "Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Brief History," Congressional Research Service, RL-30705, February 19, 2003, p. 9.
9 Richard Nixon, "Annual Message to the Congress on the State of the Union," January 22, 1971. Available at www.nixonlibrary.org.
10 Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, "The Intergovernmental Grant System: An Assessment and Proposed Policies," January 1978, p. 24.
11 Budget of the U.S. Government, FY1983, "Budget Message of the President," (Washington: Government Printing Office, February 1982), p. M22.
12 Chris Edwards, "Federal Aid-to-State Programs Top 1,100," Cato Institute Tax and Budget Bulletin no. 63, February 2011.
13 Budget of the U.S. Government, FY2014, Analytical Perspectives (Washington: Government Printing Office, 2013), p. 301.
14 The system could also be said to funded by federal borrowing, in which case the cost to taxpayers is deferred.
15 The main exception are federal highway grants, which are mainly funded by the federal gasoline tax.
16 Curtis Dubay, "Federal Tax Burdens and Expenditures by State," Tax Foundation, March 2006, Table 4.
17 U.S. Bureau of the Census, "Consolidated Federal Funds Report for Fiscal Year 2010," September 2011, Table 10.
18 For background, see Kaiser Family Foundation, "Medicaid Financing: An Overview of the Federal Medicaid Matching Rate," September 2012.
19 Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2014, Analytical Perspectives (Washington: Government Printing Office, 2013), p. 318.
20 Rochelle L. Standfield, "Playing Computer Politics with Local Aid Formulas," in Laurence J. O'Toole, ed., American Intergovernmental Relations (Washington: Congressional Quarterly, 1985), p. 175.
21 Chris Strohm, "Senate Fight Looms Over Revising Security Grant Formula," Congress Daily, February 16, 2007, p. 9. See also Veronique de Rugy, "What Does Homeland Security Spending Buy," American Enterprise Institute, October 29, 2004.
22 B. Putney, "Federal-State Relations Under Grants-In-Aid," Congressional Quarterly, July 30, 1940.
23 Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, "The Federal Role in the Federal System: The Dynamics of Growth," vol. X, June 1981, p. 94.
24 Ronald Utt, "Turn Back Transportation to the States," Heritage Foundation, February 6, 2012, p. 2.
25 Nora Gordon, "Do Federal Grants Boost School Spending? Evidence from Title I," Working Paper, Department of Economics, University of California, San Diego, September 2002.
26 Government Accountability Office, "Federal Assistance: Grant System Continues to Be Highly Fragmented," GAO-03-718T, April 29, 2003, pp. 13, 14.
27 Dana Priest, "Congressional Oversight of Intelligence Criticized," Washington Post, April 27, 2004, p. A1. And see Victoria Toensing, "Oversee? More Like Overlook," op-ed, Washington Post, June 13, 2004.
28 Quoted in Charles Warren, Congress as Santa Claus or National Donations and the General Welfare Clause of the Constitution (New York: Arno Press, 1978), p. 103. (Originally published by the Michie Company, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1932).
29 Ronald Reagan, Executive Order 12612, October 26, 1987, www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/102687d.htm.


text:
Darien beats Trinity to reach FCIAC hockey final
STAMFORD-- Get ready for a rivalry renewed.
With its 3-1 win over Trinity Catholic Wednesday night top-seeded Darien moved onto the FCIAC boys hockey final, where it will meet archrival New Canaan at Terry Conners Ice Rink on Saturday at 3 p.m. Tommy Watters and Dillon Fitzpatrick scored for the Blue Wave (19-2-1) in the game-clinching second period, as the Crusaders could only muster a goal in the game's final moments.
"It's kind of like the middleweight fighter or journeyman going up against the heavyweight champ," Trinity Catholic coach Ken Smith said. "We had to play a smart game, and they just made some skill plays."
Watters' goal with 4:09 left in the middle frame proved not only to be the game's difference-maker, but also its undisputed highlight.
After picking up the puck just above the blue line, the Darien captain flew down the right wing before facing a sudden one-on-one opportunity. Upon crossing the bottom-half of the circle, Watters dangled the puck right before whipping it back left to shake his defenseman. Now all alone in the low slot, the senior center flipped the puck up and over Crusader goalie Kyle Odierno for a 2-0 Darien lead.
"Well, (Jack) Massie had a good pass coming out of the zone," Watters said. "I caught it and I had been shooting the puck a lot, so I thought I'd make a little move and it just so happened that it worked."
At the other end of the ice, Blue Wave goaltender Mike Colon came within 33 seconds of posting his eighth shutout of the year, saving 17 of the 18 Trinity Catholic shots. Outside of a few odd rushes in the opening period, the Crusaders struggled to produce quality chances in their offensive zone.
"I think we wore them down," said Darien coach Chris Gerwig. "With our depth, we just kept coming in waves. And knowing that they're numbers are low, we just had to get it deep, go hard and finish our checks."
Trinity Catholic played the Blue Wave to a scoreless draw in the first frame, largely thanks to a disruptive defensive strategy. However, their success did not last long after the first intermission when Fitzpatrick struck gold with help from Watters and Sam Knowlton.
"We tried to clog the middle up and went with a certain forecheck in the first period, which worked pretty well ," Smith said. "But they made some adjustments and when we were in the midst of making our own adjustments, they took advantage of us."
Nick Tunzinkiewicz recorded the final goal for Darien less than four minutes into the third period. Matt Carlson poked one through for the Crusaders to avoid a shutout.
Darien and New Canaan will meet in the FCIAC final for the first time since 2008, when a post-game fight resulted in multiple arrests and permanently ended all night post-season games between the schools. The Blue Wave won the championship that year, 2-1.
Darien 3, Trinity Catholic 0
Records: Trinity Catholic 15-6-1, Darien 19-2-1
Goals: TC--Matt Carlson; D--Dillon Fitzpatrick, Tommy Watters, Nick Tuzinkiewicz; Assists: TC--Griffin Northup; D-- Tommy Watters, Sam Knowlton, Jack Pardue, Jack Massie Goalies: TC--Kyle Odierno (36 saves); D--Mike Colon (17) Shots: TC--18 D--39