text:
200 break-ins: Teens arrested in larcenies from cars
For weeks, people around the county have awakened to find their cars have been broken into. But on January 23, a complaint that people were going through cars in the Old Trail neighborhood led to the arrest of three teens who police say have broken into more than 200 vehicles.
Christopher Ballard, 18, is charged with five counts of grand larceny; Kristie Ryder, 19, is charged with two counts of grand larceny, and an unidentified 17-year-old faces eight counts of grand larceny, which is a felony that carries up to 20 years in prison.
The rash of car break-in reports has been coming in since November, says Albemarle police Sergeant Darrell Byers. Most recently, seven vehicles in Mill Creek were reported hit January 16, over 20 off East Rio on January 17, and more than 20 reported on January 20 in the Georgetown Green and Pantops areas. Most of the vehicles were unlocked, says an investigator.
Police were already looking for the alleged perps January 23 when the call came in from Old Trail in Crozet. The suspects "attempted to leave the area at a high rate of speed," says Byers.
The alleged getaway vehicle, a Honda Pilot, was stopped on Interstate 64. The first clue that the occupants may have been involved in the thefts was the number of GPS devices spotted inside the car. Police found thousands of dollars worth of purloined property, including golf clubs, a handgun, and small electronics, says Byers.
From the suspects' homes, investigators have recovered antique guns and samurai swords that were reported missing from a burglary. On a table at Albemarle police headquarters, more around 99 items were laid out, including cameras, sunglasses, flashlights, laptops, cellphones, and a wallet full of $20s. Police estimate the value of the recovered merch at roughly $18,000.
Last May, Ballard was arrested for breaking and entering, a felony, and convicted of a misdemeanor charge of entering property with intent to damage. According to court records, he was sentenced in June to 12 months in jail, with 10 suspended.
Ballard and Ryder are scheduled to appear in court March 3. Police say the investigation continues, and more charges are possible. Anyone with information about these incidents or who is a victim of a car break-in should contact Detective Belew at 434-296-5807.
Updated 5:15pm with the revised police number of more than 200 car break-ins.
Updated 9:45am January 25 with police contact info.
124 comments
Why was my comment deleted? All I stated were facts. These 2 look like they have just crawled out of dumpsters following a 2 week crystal meth binge. And it's disgusting. Dispose of them promptly.
you dont know any thing about what happened.. but im done i said what i had 2 say
the ppl talkin bs on the 17 year old need to grow up.. you dont know the person what so ever... smh.. same on you tisk tisk on you. and get a life. smh
Like that young Master Ballard got to serve only 2 months. The pattern of American justice is shown by the cavalier way the courts deal with property crimes and non lethal (most of the time) crimes against persons, as opposed to their draconian reaction to crimes against the state. Now if he'd downloaded some anonymous kiddy porn pix from some file sharing website, they'd make sure he didn't see freedom for a long time. Or if he'd been some young black from the "jects" selling some crack, well then off you go to the oubliettes.
Stick a knife in someone's belly and the victim pulls through thanks to UVA's trauma team, well plead it down to felonious assault from attempted murder, take a month or two in jail and "welcome home bro".
What's kind of fascinating, as an observation, is that those posting in defense of the alleged criminals seem to actually believe their tawdry tirades are beneficial to the accused. Although, I must agree with one assertion they have made frequently in that many, if not all, posting about the accused probably do not know them. I certainly do not, nor will the judge, jury and commonwealth's attorney, but that will neither stop them from trying the case nor imposing a sentence.
Ha Ha Ha! You **Adults** trashing the kids for their writing skills. **Priceless**
@True Friend-- I don't get the point of your post. The topic of this article above isn't "Nice People I've Known." The topic is about a pair of kids who committed many MANY crimes.
You do comprehend that it's pretty extraordinary to commit that many crimes, right? Can you also understand that at some point, folks don't really care whether the criminals are "nice" or not? Folks just want their shizz back, yo, and they'll pretty much do what it takes to put these two behind bars so they can't steal even more of OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF. See, it really doesn't matter one bit to anyone that the kid has "tooken" your side on things. Because that doesn't change the fact that he and girl did a really bad thing to a couple hundred innocent people. Do you get it now?
Yes, "texting speak" is the new English to the up and comers. These kids don't know how to actually construct a real sentence anymore.
@ Restore the Republic - I don't think the defenders are going to understand a word you said, seeing as how you used all those high fallutin' words that are actually fully spelled out, with all that fancy sentence structure goin' on. I think you lost them. ;D
These jokers stole a portable DVD player from my car that my 3 year old watches on long trips. I'm glad I didn't catch them stealing it because I believe in vigilante justice.
Did they break into houses or just cars, I wonder? The guns mentioned were said to have come from a "burglary."
These kids are lucky to be alive. Period.
makes you wonder why there were swords and antique guns in someones car.
ummmm i grew up with the 17 year old and is the closest thing i ever had to a sibling... dont think you know someone by just reading stuff so dont talk like you know cuz you dont!!... the 17 year old would give you the shirt off his back no matter who you where!!!! and im tired of every one making it out to be like the 17 year old is a bad person!!! things happen when your a kid ppl learn!! havnt you ever made a mistake!.. idk what any of you ppl say you will never know the kind loveing great person that i have known my whole life! oh yea and the 17 year old has great parents better than alot of kids could wish 4!!!
MRS T. - I think we are underserved due to the laxidasical and soft-hearted manner in which our judicial system conducts itself. When the police arrest people and the charges are applied, they end up with a sense that they have waisted their time when the Judge says, "I'm sentencing you to 1 year in jail and I'm going to suspend the entire term, just so long as you can promise me that you'll be a good boy from now on." If it were once it wouldn't make much of a difference, but it happens consistantly.
I know the "17 year old" real well , and i know that he is a great and wonderful person. He would literally give you the shirt off his back , do anything for his friends and family. Sometimes people hang with the wrong crowds , and do stupid things. Thats exactly what happend to him. So people stop being judgmental. Its not fair. You people do not know the "17 year old" like I do , and if you did know him you would say the same thing Im saying right now. He has always been there for me , and has tooken my side on things. So i am going to do the same. I don't care who likes it and who doesn't. Thats really all I have to say. I love you man!
I think "Love" is real but "supportin17yold" is a blatant funny troll, way too much carefully spelled out ebonics.
To the Investigator Mark Belew- for the lost GPS, just power them up and hit "home"- those GPS might find their own way back to their owners
@boooo! - "Well, these types are breeding. What kind of kinds do we think they're producing? Hard working, shining beacons of class, ethics and intellectual prowness?" - LOL!! No, don't think so! I can agree with you on that! However, when bad parenting is involved and it can be proven, then let's put some on the parent. But I do believe that some children are just bound to do things their way regardless of their upbringing or mom and dad's parenting prowess - ie: "you kinda do have to put fault on the parents when one of the kids is 17, still a legal minor" - this one is past the point of the parents "controlling" them, less putting the kid in a straight jacket and locking them in a padded room which would then be viewed as child abuse (shruggs). So what's one to do with a young person that has gone off track?
Each charge needs to be proven in court, unless people don't have a problem with the police ascribing each and every break-in in the county to these two alleged perpetrators. I assure you the police would love to get all those crimes off their sheets.
If the prosecutors spend all their time with one or two perpetrators, that's time not spent on other perpetrators. Although the police may believe and say that these two are responsible for 200 break ins, it behooves everyone to prosecute them for those crimes that are easily proven.
If they can get 20 years in prison total for these young adults, I think people's precious DVD players and iPod adapters will be safe for the duration.
boooo! - Disagree with you on this completely. I have four siblings, one brother, two sisters. First four (myself included) turned out to be law abiding, hard working citizens....my youngest sibiling (however) is a meth addict, ex-dealer, and other crimes that she has committed in the last 10 years. Nothing to do with bad parenting here. SHE made the wrong decisions. My parents armed her with everything from the knowledge of right and wrong to a complete boat ride for education beyond high school which she promptly flunked out of both the private college then the local community college. She was doing drugs LONG before she reached the age of 18. HER choice, not my parents. The rest of us managed to stay pretty much drug free for our teen years and beyond. So good parenting can only do so much with a child if the child is set to self distruct on their own, by their own doing.
Ralf, you kinda do have to put fault on the parents when one of the kids is 17, still a legal minor. I know people nowadays like to abdicate responsibility but there really is something to be said about good parenting. Kids who come from good parenting don't wind up facing multiple grand larceny charges by the time they're 17, 18, 19 years old. Bottom line.
It's become politically incorrect to look at the parents when kids turn out like crap, but so be it. It *absolutely* falls back on the parents when kids turn out like c r a p. (Hook censorship alert!) (And this is coming from somebody whose brother and teenage half sister both have turned out as c r a p, with major issues. Both had bad "parenting," if you even want to call it that.) You blame the kids AND the parents.
Mrs T, cop shoppes have for the past two or three decades taken so many cops out of patrol and placed them in so many specialized units, there's very few left to work in the patrol sector. Ask any patrol cop, they will tell you the same thing. Most of these specialized units are what the cops call "gravy train" jobs. There's a long list of cops just waiting to be accepted into one of them because most of them involve daylight hours and weekends off.
This is why when you read a story like this, it's always about a citizen who has spotted the criminals and solved the case for the cop shoppes.
it isnt the parents fault AJ. dont blame anyone but the kids
man chris chris take a bath
funniest thing is they were using Mom's Honda Pilot as a getaway car! did it have a "baby on board" decal too?
Well, something went wrong with your youngest sib. The fact that it was the youngest is pretty telling. That's a pattern I keep seeing - the oldest siblings turn out okay, but the youngest one is the problem. It's usually because the parents did something different with them, were more leniant, gave them more, and babied them more. The oldest ones were the first kids in the bunch and as such had the stricter upbringing as the parents were experimentating with "how to parent." By the time they get to the last of the bunch (to paraphrase a comedian, can't remember who said this) "they pretty much let them juggle knives." ;D
There's also other factors at play when it comes to an individual child's mental capacity and development, and many times it's something beyond the parents, no doubt. So I'm not saying it's always, 100% the parents fault too. I know it always isn't......but in many cases it is. And there can be no question about this. We've all seen the type of screwball "adults" that are out there in the world. Adults that are drug and alcohol addled, can't hold down a job, can barely string together a coherant sentence, total ignoramouses in every way. Well, these types are breeding. What kind of kinds do we think they're producing? Hard working, shining beacons of class, ethics and intellectual prowness?
Whats up with these children? Who raised them? What happened during their upbringing? I just wonder.
City council has been publicly humiliated several times recently, but that hasn't done anything to stop them has it? It may still be worth a try for these kids though. They probably don't have anyone behind the scenes telling them what to do.
If we wait until the new sundial gets installed, we can chain the whole bunch (City Council included) to that. I think fresh vegetable would be better to throw. They would have a bit more impact, and they could be collected afterwards to feed the growing homeless population downtown.
4real erbody needs 2 shut the hell up cuz nun of yall know da 17 yr.....he is a great person..yea he did sum stupid..bt havnt yall done anything dumb..havnt yall made a mistake....i bet about 80 or 90 percent of yall hav gotten arrested once in your life....i bet all of yall hav done sumthin illegal..so dnt judge anybody cuz ur no betta....n since i kno nun of yall kno the 17 yr old yall deff need 2 stop bein judgemental cuz i lived wit him ..ive known him 4 a long time..i love him 2 death....hes been there wit me thru thick n thin.....he is my bestfriend..he is my life..so dnt b judgmental wen all of yall r guilty of things to..n 4 all of yall parents on here ....yall need 2 check ur kids cuz dis aint da 70 or 80s anymore....cuz i kno 99% of ur kids r doin dumb things jus like these kids did..so stop bein judgemental n go raise ya kids n go 2 work insted of bein bored wit ur life n judgin otha ppl ova da internet plz
@joyce: "So good parenting can only do so much with a child if the child is set to self distruct on their own, by their own doing."
I'm glad you are not my parent.
I am willing to bet that the kids above with the poor grammar and spelling have high school diplomas. They are pretty good examples of what the public school system is pumping out now.
I think the commentary from the "supporters" and "friends" of these youth says it all. Looks like their friends are just as useless and incompetent as the criminals. Sad.
I went to school with all these kids, and know them well. I just wish they would have CARED enough about their future to avert their negative energy into something more productive. I've come to a realization that "Gettin' Guap" ain't the most important thing in this world, (for me). One thing I've learned is, "car shopping" can leave you with a bill you REALLY don't want to pay..SO DON'T DO IT! If you think you're big Mr. Badass and like to rob people, at least rob other criminals, not people that you don't even know.
Other than the poor grammar the consistent comments by @love &17 were that 'you don't know him like I do', and he made a mistake, no big deal.
To the first point I say whew, glad I don't and to the second point it appears as though he didn't make a few mistakes, he made 200. There's a difference.
Which of our lovely schools did these 3 attend?
Lighten up folks, "tooken" is the past plural tense of the verb to toke. It isn't used "properly," but y'all know what was meant.
To demonstrate its correct use: Love, Sparky, and SUPPORTIN17yrold fell up in my crib totin' some hittin' and holdin' weefa. We tooken dat jonszun den Sparky runned off wit Chris and Kris for a lil window shoppin' if ya no wha'msayin'......
@ bluto - Thanks, but you must be the only one in the world who thinks anyone needs an education about the world ââ?¬Å?tooken"?
It's about as obvious as the sun rising and tells more than warming rays.
You really are at at loss....
Does your Mom know you are online and using her computer?
@Restore-- I do believe that Bluto is being facetious.
Re Love and Supportin17, I always find the posts from friends and family defending their pet criminals to be surreal and occasionally hilarious. The comments posted on various news sites and blogs after the infamouse Shifflett brothers' crime spree and Rte 20 south eluding a few years back were classics. My favorite was when someone posted the inevitable "He'd give you the shirt right off his back" and it was pointed out that Mr Shifflett had stolen clothing in at least one of his burglaries.
One has to wonder if Ballard and Ryder were handing out loot to their friends like it was party favors.
Has anyone considered the potential for some good old public humiliation?!!? - Personally, I think these two would look grand, on the downtown mall in the stocks!! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stocks) perhaps we could also raise some money out of their punishment; by charging a dollar to throw rotten tomatoes, or eggs at them as they kneel there chained up, like the petty foolish criminals that they are!
No, quite right. Out of interest, what would you suggest is the best approach to punishing these two for their actions?
Perhaps removal of their right hand, so for ever more they would be marked as the thieving toe-rags that they are; they could then look down and remember day-to-day that there is a consequence to their actions.
Perhaps, what they need is a soft touch community service order, where they can go and help old people, with their yard work; with the hope that they don't choose to rob them, too!!?
Send 'em to Singapore.
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@cookieJar - Whatever the issue with the council employees is, it does not excuse the actions of these two people. Nor should it be entered into this discussion.
Who was excusing anything? You suggested public humiliation might have a positive effect on the behavior of the humiliated. I offered a concrete example to demonstrate that things don't necessarily work that way.
I would punish them to work at a fast food restaurant until they were able to pay back, with interest as it accumulates, an amount to each victim equivalent to what was taken. That is for recovered and returned items. For items that aren't returned to their owners, twice replacement cost.
Any menial entry level job could be substituted as long as there was an agreement that there would be no advancement or increase in salary until the sentence was served. That way we get job training, useful work, punishment, and restitution.
If they fail to follow through, then they get sent to jail for their full sentences.
I don't see much more than fast food restaurants in their future anyway. So that's not really a punishment. :)
Thanks a lot ya'll.
@joyce: Still glad you are not my parent.
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funniest thing is they were using Moms/ Honda Pilot as a getaway car! did it have a "baby on board" decal too?
They need to lock these losers up. If it had only happend a few times it could be viewed as a mistake. They are accused of way more than that, seems they have decided what type of life they want. A life of crime, they need to realize they made bad choices & there is punishment for that. To a lot of kids these days it is unthinkable to get a part time job & save up for what you want. I guess it's easier to just take it from someone else, probably from someone that worked to get those things.
Not a victim. A cop!
A "Badge Bunny". I thought so...
and to joyce.... you act like the person is a monster.. the wat you talking ppl might mistake you for 1.. a stray jacket?? rele?? wow tisk tisk on u!
No. I am not a police officer!
Perhaps the 17 year old is smart. He was doing an internship with the other two in case he couldn't get into college after finishing high school.
I had over $1500 worth of things stolen from my garage and the police didn't even bother to come to the house, they just took a report over the phone. Either our police are understaffed or lazy. Does anyone know? Are we understaffed due to budgets or under served due to sloth?
100 crimes and only 20 counts charged? Is the Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorney now giving out volume discounts? Or will more ges be forthcoming? I'd prefer to see each of them charged to the fullest extent, overkill notwithstanding. When they're facing a few hundred years each they'll probably be more inclined to plead to 10 or 20 years and save the taxpayers the cost of a trial. Plus the 80 victims who's loss isn't worth the County's time will feel like they had their day in court as well.
Some posters on this thread are ready and willing to indict the public school system for the crime spree of three young people. Using that logic, I suppose we could blame the mortgage and financial crises on the public schools too. Maybe we could even argue that the crass politicians who allowed Wall Street to morph into a taxpayer-subsidized casino were failed by "the system."
But we know what caused the mortgage crisis and the ensuing fiscal debacle, and it wasn't the public schools (even if the Business Roundtable and the Chamber of Commerce prefer to divert blame from themselves and assign ââ?¬Å?competitiveness problems" to public education). The causes were rampant deregulation, greed, and corporate incompetence, all enabled by a distorted, discredited economic ideology. It was looting on a massive scale, yet those responsible deny culpability.
Regarding the case at hand, my guess is that the three teens accused of the multiple grand larcenies didn't take their education seriously and were not particularly good students. I'd hazard a guess also that parenting, or lack thereof, had some role to play (a facebook posting by a parent saying ââ?¬Å?if u do not know the real facts do not judge no one it could happen to you" might be a clue).
We know the accused were caught with ââ?¬Å?thousands of dollars worth of purloined property, including golf clubs, a handgun, and small electronics." And, as reported, sword and guns and cash and ââ?¬Å?cameras, sunglasses, flashlights, laptops, cellphones" were taken from their homes by police. Who did the stealing and who aided and abetted is yet unclear. All of the accused deserve a fair trial. Suppose they are convicted.
The cost to keep someone in a Virginia prison, if that's where some of the accused eventually go, is around $25,000 a year (not to mention costs that precede that). And in Virginia, about a third of those who are released from prison are back within three years. An important question, then, is how do we reshape the perceptions and skills of those who are incarcerated, because the simple fact is that most of those who go into prison are at some point coming back out.
What do we want them to be like?
Hey, ****, They only got busted yesterday. Give the prosecutors a little time to prepare some more charges. I'm pretty impressed that they already face 20.
This Ballard kid must have an extremely short learning curve. Looks like his goal is to be a career criminal. No more probably. Lock him up and keep he and his thug buddies away from those of us who choose to work for a living.
Twenty charges is plenty. They could get 400 years from those 20 alone. It's kind of unnecessary to throw more on them.
*kids, not kinds
@ cvllelaw
I certainly don't know law but the article says "UP TO 20 years in prison". How many times has a judge in this area given someone the maximum sentence, especially given the suspects ages? Does the judge have the choice of having them serve the sentences (assuming they're found guilty) consecutively or concurrently? Judges around here have let child abusers and child porn jerks off easy with just a couple of years. These people will probably get "time served" or probation or some such junk.
I forgot to make my point...duh. These kids obviously had/have no regard for the property of others so I say throw everything you can at them because the judge is most likely not going to sentence them the way they deserve to be sentenced. If someone stole something once or twice I would say they might be able to be "saved". These kids have stolen how many times? I say they are leeches of society so throw it at them as hard as you can !
GSOE: According to the Daily Progress this morning, the police had the suspects under surveillance when they were busted.
Exactly "love" ..these ppl dnt kno nun bout da 17yr old...so they need 2 chill..n worry bout there own life n the things they hav done..they need 2 go bak 2 da memmory book n reminse about all da dumb things they hav done in there life time and realize kids r kids..they do stupid things ..bt dats how erbody learns...bcuz the dumb pitty things makes them a betta,smarter,n stronger person es u start 2 mature
you tell um supportin17yrold... we the only ones that know the person.. shame on the grown folks for talk bs on kids.. tisk tisk smh
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Who do we call at the county to see if this was the piece of garbage who broke into our car and stole my wife's ipod and left it in shambles? I'm sure that they left their prints all over our car. I'm willing to press charges.
My car was broken in to about two weeks ago. Whoever did it was obviously in a hurry as they threw almost everything in my glove box and storage between the seats all over the place. They stole my IPod adapter, but obviously weren't interested in my music as they left the CD's. They were also kind enough to leave my extendable ice scraper and umbrella. It really infuriates me that I work for a living in order to buy the things I want and others feel entitled to just take things that belong to others. I hope they have many more charges against them!!!
Is Ballard to be held in custody until March 3 or released?
I have actually heard people who have done this sort of thing justify it by saying, 'well, they have insurance. Never mind deductibles, and the fact that a lot of people don't have comprehensive to cover the damage and theft anyway.
Plus, what happened to the fact that it's just WRONG???
I would not be surprised if this same group was responsible for the break-ins that occurred last year as well in Mill Creek. I think it was the spring/summer time.
@Gasbag - point well taken on the breaking the window. Guess those people living in the 60's need to wake up...or be robbed.
I hope that is true, U-Hoo. I would hate to think they were just going to sit around forever and take reports by phone every time a car was broken into.
I wonder if any of this stuff ended up on eBaY. The "sellers" aren't going to have the merchandise to ship at auction's end now that the cop shoppe has it all! :)
I hate to be the "buzz killer", but we had 2 young guys in our neighborhood last winter take 5 cars from our street for a joy ride over a 2 hr time period and crashed them all into snowbanks. (All were unlocked, all left the keys in the car and one left a handgun under the front seat).... They are now both in the Middle River Jail awaiting sentencing. (But I look at it as its kind of like leaving a box of matches on your coffee table and hoping your 3 year old won't pick them up)... Facts show, if you lock your vehicles and don't leave anything of value in them, usually you don't have any problems. I say this because state and local offices have had their services severly slashed due to state budget demands and the manpower and moral is down. I would much rather see that time spent by our law enforcement offices and court system investigating and prosecuting serious cases such as murders, rapes and kidnappings than trying to get justice for something that is really our responsibility. You cannot change a criminals mind, but you can make sure you take action to not make yourself a victim of their stupidity.
Valley Tater - I don't think you're a "buzz killer" at all...just a voice of reason. Why would anyone in this day and age leave their car unlocked, keys in it and full of valuables? Taking a little responsibility for yourself could go a long way.
People should be angry about what these youths did. But why shouldn't they after all? We let Wall Street rob not only investors, but people working on main street, and then let them keep their bonuses.
Start having perp walks for all the banksters who destroyed Wall Street, and you might see this sort of behaviour dwindling a bit. These days, I feel stupid for living an hoest life, returning goods I find on the street, that sort of thing.
Joyce, a lot of people would rather have a kid simply open the car door and enter their car, rather than breaking the window to do so. And another large group of residents still think they are living in safe communities in 1960, where you didn't have to lock your doors in cars or even your home.
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Charge the parents as well for what the children did specially the 17 year old.
supportin17yrod, Ahhhh the impertinence of youth!
Yes, I've done illegal things. But I've never broken into 200 cars. I've also never been arrested. I've always been of the opinion that you'd have be pretty dumb to get arrested, frankly. Getting convicted of a crime? "Dumb" doesn't begin to describe....
As for the assertion that %80-%90 of us have been arrested and that %99 of our kids are doing things like this.... ummmm..... I think you need to find some new friends.
It's not the 70s or 80s anymore, it's true. Back then, crime was much, much worse and perpetrators were punished much less severely than today.
The 17 year old won't be punished as severely as the other two, you should be thankful for that.
But, seriously, get some new friends. You sound like you're hanging around with some real losers.
your right!!.. live and learn... the 17 year old will turn out to be a better person than a lot of ppl in life.. have respect for there family there going thro a hard time!.. talk bout the 17 year old other ppl aint no better.. but idk what they think keep your nose in the air.. that just means u needed better raisings!
my friends r amazin...dis is 2011....erbody is doin erthing....crime is extremely bad...the government jus hides it....and the 17 yr old shuldnt get n alot of trouble cuz he is 2 gud of a person....so erbody needs 2 stop actin like there s**t doesnt stink n stop bin judgemental n talkin s**t bout my bestfriend yo....straight up...im gettin tired of erbody poppin off actin like they know these kids....grow da hell up n go do sum wit ya family..insted of bein judgemental pray 4 dese kids n learn from them so it helps u n da future ...so u dnt let ur kids make these mistakes....uuhhhh...so damn judgemental
rele??? have some respect! you talk like you know the ppl you rele dont and you can have the perfect little group of friends that dont mean something bad wont happen like forreal!!! think about what your saying... mabey you need 2 step into the real world.. im done with this iv said what i had to say.. say what you want.. ppl make mistakes live with it... and yea we r thinkful but still the news dosent tell the whole story just remember that... ppl live and learn.. yaw rele need to get over your self.. and dont talk about ppl you dont even know.. thats just a shame in its self.. what a shame.
judgin somebody ***
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If the 17 year old writes like his friends do, then he is likely to be too s t o o o o o p i d to have a real job and will be back to the life of crime in no time.
grow up and stop talking bout a 17 year old like for real.. you dont know nothing about him so shut your mouth. he is a straight A student and the most caring person ik.. all yaw ppl r childish
Ok. Everybody commenting is commenting because they're insecure, except for the two children who cannot spell nor use correct grammar.
Show self respect and you will gain others' respect.
I don't know this 17 year old, it's true. And it's also true that he/she made a mistake. Yes, he/she can learn from it.
But part of the consequences of committing these acts is to be judged by society. If you or your friend can't deal with that, they shouldn't have committed these acts.
I know I'm not the only one concerned and disturbed by the posts from "love" and "supporting17yrold." Has our education system completely failed these kids? You need to have parents and others who see the problems and ask for help where needed.
dont you put me in any thing "lennie" i dont know who you are and you dont know me. grow up for real. goodbye
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Some of these comment threads here over time have needed nothing more than a cursory glance, but this one has nuggets of humor embedded. I trust more wisdom is forthcoming from the friends of the accused?
Her facebook page also says tattoos.
And an additional interest -- nursing. I doubt she will go far in that profession after being accused of stealing from 200+ families already.
Gasbag does not "Like"...
The system didn't fail these kids.
These kids failed the system.
One car is a mistake. 5 cars is a bad mistake. 200 cars is an unforgivable and unredeemable offense. Lock em up for 5 years and make them agree to never return to the county.
If their friends are so loyal they can go with them.
5 years? I say 200 divided by 10.......
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Moderator. Please delete the last post by Public Humiliation. It is absolutely wrong to post the parents names on this thread. They were not accused of a crime and probably have enough on their plates right now without having to deal with heartless posts like that from PH.
I agree with Mike.
@Democracy - "And in Virginia, about a third of those who are released from prison are back within three years." - Wow, I thought it would be a higher percentage...but yeah it's only three years. It will take that long for their next crime to go to trial.
"The cost to keep someone in a Virginia prison, if that's where some of the accused eventually go, is around $25,000 a year (not to mention costs that precede that). .......An important question, then, is how do we reshape the perceptions and skills of those who are incarcerated, because the simple fact is that most of those who go into prison are at some point coming back out.
What do we want them to be like?" - Thank you for making me think. Sometimes we are all quick to judge and dole out our own ideas of what punishment a person should get, but in the long run we the taxpayers are the ones that pay for this punishment. Now wouldn't it be better to truly rehibilitate instead of just punishing both in and after they are released? Please don't take this as a defense of any accused or convicted, just as food for thought. ie: Don't you want to break the cycle?
Perhaps if the parent had a better relationship, or control for that matter, they would not have to suffer the results of this situation. I am sure that they do have a great deal on their plates. Like wondering why their son went off in the family car, night after night to smash into other people's property and steal things that did not belong to him!!!
Deleted by moderator.
@Wait: Why do you want to know where the boy lives?
@ Joyce...thanks.
I think we DO know, in general, how to break the cycle. But there simply is no free lunch, and the measures it takes to prevent crime and to rehabilitate (many prisons systems are referred to as "correctional" systems) those ho are incarcerated do cost money.
To my way of thinking, it's analogous to car maintenance or health. In the shorter-term you have to pay for tire rotations (and tires), and oil changes and tune-ups, or you have to see a dentist every 6 months, or get an annual or biannual physical screening (for which some of us have insurance). But you either pay in the short term or the longer term, and the long-term payout is usually costlier.
Politicians of a certain stripe are the ones who tell us that we can have something for nothing (not true). They are the ones who push "mandatory minimums" and "three strikes-and-you're out" laws, and the abolition of parole, and tougher drug laws, and "let's make them hate prison" policies.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like crime any better than anyone else. I've had things stolen from me, and I didn't like it. I think people should work for the things they want and need, and I believe education is important not only for individual success but also that it's critical to the well-being of a democratic society.
I also know that crime has existed as long as societies have. The Code of Hammurabi (1800 or so BCE), for example, had multiple laws against theft. And even though the death penalty was a frequently-occurring punishment in that era, Herodotus reported that a Nubian pharaoh, Sabacos, rarely used it on lawbreakers, preferring instead to "appointing them to work."
Here's an interesting take on the American prison system from The Economist (in 2002):
The United States imprisons more people than any other nation in the world. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice statistics, prisons cost nearly $70 billion in 2006.
It seems to me we could get a better return on that expenditure.
Deleted by moderator.
Deleted by moderator.
What would be an appropriate punishment for the use of loose in place of lose? Perhaps a small notch taken out of the offending typing finger?
Oh, no!! - The school system failed me, I must convert to a life of crime! Whatever @cookieJar.
PH - sorry I missed the deleted comments, I am sure I would have been entertained. But from the ones I do see here, sounds like you might have been one of the victims, thus your anger is probably warranted.
@Joyce - No, I was actually not one of the victims, but I have encountered this type of crime many many times. If there is a deprived socioeconomic environment in the equation, then perhaps there is some degree of excuse. But MMM - kids from nice family suburbs, mmm NO!! If these kids were from Friendship Court, then I would have no less disregard for their characters, but I would at least have an understanding of what could have been their motivation. However, as it stands"Šmy belief is that this is a basic case of greed and sloth!! Which in many respects makes it worse.
My point exactly.
@Ah Ha - sorry I'm not familiar with that term! Could you provide a definition, or is that beyond you?!
Deleted by moderator.
Interesting discussion. Let's see if I can explain this for Mr/Mrs/Miss Ah Ha without getting moderated.
A "badge bunny" or "fender lizard" are girls who are fixated and obsessed with any cop shoppe employee in uniform. They want to be near them, they want to be seen near them, and they want to sleep with them. I've never seen a shortage of badge bunnies or fender lizards in this area, they seem to come out of the woodwork. And I feel they are one of the main reasons the divorce rate is so high among cop shoppe employees. Sooner or later, every wife of a cop shoppe employee catches them with a badge bunny or a fender lizard, or learns of their various affairs with badge bunnies and fender lizards.
As the local county cop shoppe has taught us recently, some badge bunnies or fender lizards actually have a cop shoppe uniform themselves! :)
@Public Etc... Defining "Badge Bunnies" is not "beyond me". But, I defer to Gasbag's expertise....
There's also what is called a "Citation Queen". This is when a cop stops a girl, issues her a traffic citation, then excuses himself for a minute while he lays his citation book in the cop shoppe mobile. He walks back to the girl's car and then asks her out on a date.
I recall one such case in the county cop shoppe. The girl actually ended up marrying the cop later. Can you imagine marrying the person who wrote you a traffic ticket as opposed to letting you off with a warning? Weird stuff I tell ya!!
Thank you all for the clarification on the term "badge bunny". I am not a yearning for attention from law enforcement officers, if I were, I would certainly not choose this forum to express interest. This subject is totally off topic. This story is also quite old now. I will reiterate my point once again, in simple terms for you simple folk and leave it at that. - These people deserved to be arrested and also deserve to be punished for the crimes that they have done!
Joyce, this time YOU are judge and jury! I didn't have to wait long for YOUR next case! :)


text:
Some thoughts on what is now old news…
Valor points are not being reset (huzzah) to Justice points, and patch is set for 5.2 If you're able to spend and then earn the valor for an upgrade it is still worth it, just don't upgrade an item you'll replace early (trinket, ring, etc) once you get into the new Reps. I shot a stack of Justice points on a basically useless heirloom item for a Shaman, because I have little else to purchase with them. Justice are pretty dull at the moment once you're past a gear level. That is ok in the most part, but it would be nice to do something good with them.
In 5.2 we get new reps to grind out, new gear to loath the drop rate for, and new dailies to make the drop rate seem a secondary concern. Less yay, but something to get into.
New raids look good, in a way that is a new visual presentation (cybernetic aztec dinosaurs with lasers…..roar) and also a new set of mechanical challenges. Good news. Lore/RP wise it will be an interesting patch if only because we get closer to finding out why Garrosh goes bananas and why Jania does not follow suit and smash a few cities. I know she's taken the road less traveled, but Garrosh is going to need to do some more shitty things before the rest of the horde will use him as an end-boss. He's been an unmitigated arse so far and the horde racial leadership are happy with that. Well the ones who are alive are anyway.
Oh, and Wrathion! He continues to give the heroes gifts and boons, as we continue to follow his agenda. I feel that either he's a major player i the end of this expansion, or the major NPC in the next expansion. It would be great to see a character transverse the expansions so that during Mists he helps and rewards, and then in the next expansion we see what and why he did particular things. I can't help but think his goal is to restore the Black Dragon flight, and that might be brilliant or could be a total disaster for the players. It would be especially good if Wrathion is actually a creature of leadership, but not a "corrupted bad guy". Sure his view might be different, and lets see him as a leader for the future stepping into the empty shoes of the other flights now that they have left.
The season 13 pvp gear for Death Knights looks nice, particularly the shoulders. The help is less so, but overall ok. The Shaman set is great, and stinks of a HP Lovecraft touch. Creepy Shamans.
Happy Killing, TyphoonAndrew.

subset: commoncrawl


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About this blog
FLEFF Intern Voices
The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival from the interns' point of view
Monday, March 7, 2011
Blog posting written by Shawn Steiner, Film and Photography '14, FLEFF Intern, Elkridge, Maryland
Welcome back to the FLEFF blog! Glad to see you are still checking in!
Today we have some proof of how this festival is truly international. Here at FLEFF,...


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| 11.8°C Dublin
Ireland flanker Peter O'Mahony faces a battle to be fit in time to take on Italy in Dublin after suffering a hamstring strain in Saturday's 13-10 England defeat.
The IRFU has confirmed the 24-year-old loose forward damaged a hamstring in the RBS 6 Nations third-round clash at Twickenham.
Ireland host Italy in round four on Saturday March 8 and the Munster back-rower will already be working flat out to be fit to take part.
Stalwart centre Brian O'Driscoll suffered cramp in his calf in the latter stages of the England defeat.
The IRFU labelled the 35-year-old "very focused on his recovery" and he will be monitored by the medics throughout the week.
O'Driscoll should have no problems finding fitness for the Italy clash, provided he has sustained no damage to his calf other than the cramp that forced him off the field in the closing stages at Twickenham.
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt paid tribute to O'Mahony for being "pretty generous with his body" in the wake of Saturday's defeat.
The former Leinster coach will want the abrasive operator fit for Ireland's Six Nations run-in, especially with the title still on the line.
"There are only so many seconds you can stay on the ball and be hammered away at without it taking its toll, and I thought he held on for two or three seconds at a time," said Schmidt of O'Mahony's bravery at the breakdown.
"If you don't get the reward there are certainly a few bruises to show for it."
Ireland's squad will meet on Wednesday for a two-day training camp in Belfast.
Ireland's loss to England means no team can claim a Grand Slam this season, but Schmidt's side can still steal the title.
England, Wales and France could all yet grab championship glory, though, leaving Schmidt circumspect about Ireland's silverware chances.
After victories over Scotland and Wales, Schmidt said the England defeat means Ireland can ill afford to look any further than facing the Italians.
"The title might become a carrot if we can take care of Italy," said Schmidt.
"We have to try to build piece by piece, especially when you trip up.
"We'd taken two good steps, but to trip up on this one, we don't want to then try to take a giant leap, because you're not in as strong a position.
"You just want to make sure the next step is firmly planted, secure, and we'll work towards that over the next two weeks.
"You cannot come to Twickenham, roll your sleeves up like that and not feel proud of the people that put 100 per cent into it.
"Afterwards they felt frustrated and disappointed, and the least I can do is feel proud of the effort and endeavour.
"We're trying to help ourselves along though, so we'll have a pretty forensic look at it, and be fairly brutal with each other about what we need to get right.
"At the same time we'll be pretty positive about that effort and endeavour, and a number of the things we did pretty well."
Online Editors


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Next Generation Nigeria: An Independent Task Force is exploring Nigeria's future at a time of rapid demographic, social, and economic change.
Over the next twenty years, Nigeria will experience a huge growth in the number of young adults in its society. If these young people are healthy, well educated, and find productive employment, they could boost the country's economy and reinvigorate it culturally and politically. If not, they could be a force for instability and social unrest.
By looking at the country's development prospects through a demographic lens, the Task Force will draw up a plan of action for making the most of the next generation and enlisting their support for a more prosperous future.
Youth Voice
The Task Force has recently undertaken an extensive programme of research, the results of which can be found in our report here (text only or publication version 2MB). We have completed a comprehensive and unique study of the threats and opportunities presented by Nigeria's changing demography. We conducted two background studies and commissioned four new research studies, each of which explored different facets of the challenges facing Nigeria and generated the original insights that inform this report. Images from the recent launch of the Task Force report can be seen here.
About us
The Task Force is chaired by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank, and David Bloom, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Task Force members are:
- Alhaji Lamido Ado Bayero, the Chiroman [Crown Prince] Kano
- Donald Duke, Governor of Cross River State, 1999-2007
- Frank Nweke, Director General, Nigeria Economic Summit Group
- Lord Triesman, Chairman of England's Football Association
- Pat Utomi, Director of The Centre For Applied Economics at Lagos Business School
- Maryam Uwais, Principal Partner, Wali Uwais & co
The Task Force is backed up by an outstanding team of Nigerian and international academics, and a secretariat led by David Steven, from the Center on International Cooperation, and Salal Humair, from the Harvard School of Public Health. The British Council are represented by Ben Fisher, Director Programmes, Nigeria.
Full biographies of the Task Force, academic team, and secretariat can be read here.
This project owes gratitude to Peter Upton (former British Council Director Nigeria) and Lord Kinnock (former Chairman of the British Council) for their work in the conception and creation of the project.
Our work
You can download and read our initial research:
- Prospects for Economic Growth in Nigeria – presentation to the Task Force
- Nigeria: The Next Generation – a literature review
- Nigeria, in its own words – a consultation with current and future leaders
We will soon publish research papers exploring Nigeria's demographic, economic and social challenges. More details of our publications can be found here.
How you can get involved
Please contact us using the contact form here


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Hi, I am collating information on the soldiers from our village (Saline, Fife) who fought and died in the first world war with the view of producing a booklet.
'James Hiddles'
I have information about his army career from 1892 to 1908 when he was in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
I am finding it difficult finding anything about James Hiddles who was in the 1st Bat Black Watch.
James was listed as wounded 22/5/15; missing 20/6/15 and eventually confirmed deceased 9/5/15.
I've looked in all the usual places and web sites.
Can any one suggest other places to look for him or do you think his record has gone the way of many others?
Thanks for reading
Saline and District Heritage Society


text:
- 1.The King
- 2.Seven Devils
- 3.No Light, No Light
- 4.Ilia's Theme
- 5.Rock Me Sexy Jesus
Started this discussion. Last reply by The Nerd Apr 8, 2009. 11 Replies 0 Likes
There's a Catholic priest on the TV right now trying to argue that the Scientific Method is illogical. He also said (paraphrasing), "When they admit evidence in court, they can't use scientific…Continue
Tags: forensics, logic, priest, scientific method, lmao
Started this discussion. Last reply by booklover Oct 21, 2012. 36 Replies 0 Likes
This is something I was never able to get a straight answer to. When tragedy strikes you often hear the religious say things like "it's in god's hands", "god has his reasons", or "god has a plan". O…Continue
Tags: god, pain, religion, christianity, will
Started this discussion. Last reply by Renee Sep 5, 2008. 6 Replies 0 Likes
I just signed up here this morning. Can't tell you how happy I am to find an active atheist community with more than three members here on Ning.
Tags: introduction, hellos, Renee, member, new
Renee has not received any gifts yet
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Hi; was he a lucky priest?
Greetings, Renee! I'd like to invite you to a group where we talk about anything on our minds, Hang With Friends.
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text:
History and Current Events
November 2018
Recent Releases
Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates
Eric Jay Dolin
What it is:
a dramatic, demythologizing history of colonial America's "Golden Age" of piracy.
Who it's for:
Eric Jay Dolin's lively, well-researched narrative will appeal to both swashbuckling enthusiasts and general readers, though some may be put off by the book's graphic anecdotes of violence.
Don't miss:
Dolin's enthusiasm for pop culture's famous pirates.
American Dialogue: The Founding Fathers and Us
Joseph J. Ellis
What would the Founding Fathers think?
In this nuanced examination of the "ongoing conversation between past and present," Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Joseph J. Ellis (
Founding Brothers
) reveals how the often contradictory wisdom of America's Founding Fathers remains relevant in contemporary political discourse.
Further reading:
For another incisive study by a Pulitzer Prize winner, try Doris Kearns Goodwin's
Leadership in Turbulent Times
American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures
America Ferrera (editor)
What it is:
a powerful collection of 32 first-person essays written by immigrants or children of immigrants, including Al Madrigal, Issa Rae,
Kumail Nanjiani, Michelle Kwan, and Roxane Gay
Want a taste?
"We live as citizens of a country that does not always claim us or even see us, and yet we continue to build, to create, and to compel it toward its own promise."
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
Ben Macintyre
Who it's about:
disillusioned KGB operative-turned double agent Oleg Gordievsky, whose work on behalf of MI6 helped end the Cold War.
What's inside:
propulsive descriptions of Gordievsky's nail-biting schemes; lists of codenames and aliases used during his spycraft.
For fans of:
John le Carré (who calls
The Spy and the Traitor
"the best true spy story I have ever read").
The Library Book
Susan Orlean
What's the story?
In April 1986, a devastating fire engulfed the main branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, destroying over one million books and leading to the building's seven-year closure. Was it an accident...or arson?
Check it out:
This "love letter to libraries everywhere" (
Library Journal
) offers an immersive blend of true crime, journalistic reportage, history, and biography, culminating in a sweeping tribute to the library as an enduring cultural institution.
World War I
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914
Christopher Clark
What it is:
a richly detailed and meticulously researched chronicle of the events that precipitated World War I.
Who it's for:
World War I buffs who enjoy expansive yet accessible histories.
About the author:
Christopher Clark is a history professor at Cambridge University who was knighted in 2015 for his services to Anglo-German relations.
The Assassination of the Archduke: Sarajevo 1914 and the Romance that Changed the World
Greg King and Sue Woolmans
What it's about:
the scandalous and ill-fated romance between vilified Habsburg heir Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie Chotek, whose status as a lady-in-waiting prior to their marriage made her "unfit" for court life. Was their assassination a setup by rankled royal officials?
What sets it apart:
With a focus more on romance than politics,
his juicy history features ample descriptions of royal family life and plenty of court intrigue.
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
Kate Moore
What it's about:
As World War I escalated, American women
tasked with painting watch dials (many used by soldiers) were exposed to the gruesome effects of radiation poisoning.
Why it matters:
The surviving workers eventually took their employers to court; the outcome improved labor laws and led to a greater scientific understanding of radiation's harmful effects.
Reviewers say:
"written with clarity and a sympathetic voice that brings these figures and their struggles to life" (
Library Journal
A Higher Form of Killing: Six Weeks in World War I That Forever Changed the Nature of...
Diana Preston
What it is:
a compelling account
of how Germany changed the course of warfare in 1915, utilizing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) to sink the Lusitania, firebomb London, and drop poison gas in trenches, setting the stage for even more powerful WMD deployments in future.
Read it for:
historian Diana Preston's vivid prose, which complements the detailed firsthand accounts of the attacks.
The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East
Eugene Rogan
What it is:
fresh and nuanced perspective of the Great War in the Middle East that examines the conflict's impact on the Ottoman Empire, which ultimately dissolved shortly thereafter.
Why it's significant:
Oxford historian Eugene Rogan utilizes
previously untranslated Arabic and Turkish primary sources (rather than Western accounts) to craft this illuminating history.
Reviewers say:
"an extraordinary tale" (
The New York Times
Contact your librarian for more great books!


text:
International Institute for Labour Studies
World of Work report 2013
Middle income groups
In the majority of advanced economies, the size of the middle-income group has been shrinking in the last decades, see Chapter 2, World of Work Report 2013.
This trend has been partly attributed to job polarization, but also public policy and institutional factors have been found to play an important role.
World of Work Report 2013
The shift of global investment patterns
Worldwide investment has shifted from advanced economies to emerging economies over the last decade with an accelerating divergence since the economic crisis.
Inequalities and crisis recovery
Fiscal austerity is detrimental to output growth and employment
The global crisis which erupted after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 has led to significant debate regarding the importance of adequate financial regulation.
Discussion paper 213
Labour incomes and employment GEL simulations of policy options
This paper discusses the macroeconomic effects of a change in the labour share based on the IILS 'Global Economic Linkages' (GEL) model.
World of Work
World of Work Report 2012
The report assesses the state of the global job crisis.
EuroZone Crisis
EuroZone job crisis
Labour market reforms in Eurozone countries have principally gone in the direction of either a decentralization of collective bargaining or a loosening of employment regulation.
International Labour Review
Low pay among wage earners and the self-employed in India
Study on growth with Equity
A new social contract for fair and equitable growth
Youth unemployment rates in Tunisia are among the highest in the world – and a longstanding issue in the MENA region as a whole.
International Labour Review
What determines cross-country variations in the incidence of low pay?
At a glance
6 Steps to a job-friendly recovery
Interview with International Institute for Labour Studies Director Raymond Torres


text:
Checking In On… the Sun BeltPosted by Brian Goodman on December 1st, 2011
Danny Spewak is the RTC correspondent for Sun Belt Conference. You can also find his musings online at Sun Belt Basketball or on Twitter @dspewak.
Reader's Take
The Week That Was:
- Pioneers Rolling: Denver looks like the best team in the Sun Belt Conference having knocked off both St. Mary's and Utah State in the span of a week. And did we mention Denver is the first team since 2009 to beat the Aggies on their home floor? Nobody wins road games at Utah State—except for Denver, apparently. Joe Scott's team played flawlessly leading from start to finish. At one point, Denver led by 20 points eventually routing USU 67-54. And the game wasn't even as close as that score would suggest.
- Jags Pick Up Pace: South Alabama has quietly pieced together a couple of quality wins. Widely considered a bottom-feeder in the East Division, the Jaguars are now riding a two-game winning streak with wins against LSU and UAB. Not bad, huh?
- Arkansas State In Neutral: The Red Wolves got a bit of national attention for their bizarre 54-27 loss at Louisville, simply because of the horrid offensive output. ASU rebounded with a blowout over Southeast Missouri State, however, but a 2-4 start isn't what John Brady probably had in mind.
Power Rankings
1. Florida Atlantic (3-5, 0-0): Kansas was too much for FAU as the Owls fell by 23 points in Lawrence on Wednesday. Mike Jarvis probably hoped his team could compete a little better, but it simply did not have the size to slow down either Thomas Robinson or Jeff Withey. Florida Atlantic lost the rebounding battle by 20, and it missed an opportunity to gain a signature upset. It will have plenty of chances for that, though, later in the month: Jarvis brings his team to Mississippi State, Miami, and Harvard.
2. Middle Tennessee (6-1, 0-0): The only thing keeping MTSU from an undefeated record right now is a double-overtime slip-up against a good Belmont team a few weeks ago. That's how well Kermit Davis has his team playing right now. LaRon Dendy has been a major factor in his first season in Murfreesboro after transferring from Iowa State, and the Blue Raiders have been stellar both defensively and on the boards. If this team can keep flexing its strength in those areas, the offense will come, especially now that Jason Jones is healthy.
3. South Alabama (3-2, 0-0): Something has clicked with this USA team, and a lot of that can be attributed to freshman guard Xavier Roberson's play. Ronnie Arrow has zero returning guards from last year's team so he needed somebody to step up quickly. Roberson has seized that role, and he scored 19 points in that overtime win at LSU. With Augustine Rubit doing his thing, Roberson's emergence is great news for the Jaguars.
4. Florida International (2-3, 0-0): After a three-game losing streak, FIU salvaged the month of November with a victory over a solid Coastal Carolina team this weekend. The Golden Panthers have struggled to defend the three-point line at times this season, and they fell into old habits by dropping another nailbiter to Arkansas Pine Bluff. Last season, close losses killed Isiah Thomas's squad. He'll need to fix that as the year goes on.
5. Troy (3-3, 0-0): These sneaky Trojans may not be so bad after all. In coach Don Maestri's 30th season at the helm, Troy is now at .500 after a victory over East Tennessee State. Mo Weathers continued his spectacular point guard play with seven assists and 14 points, and he's picked up right where he left off last season. Weathers is a special player—the kind of guy who should make an All-Conference team at the end of the season—and he's getting a lot of help from his teammates these days.
6. Western Kentucky (2-5, 0-0): They are young, inexperienced, playing under pressure, may have lost veteran guard Caden Dickerson for the rest of the year due to injury. We understand why WKU isn't playing well right now, but those excuses won't sit well with the demanding fan base. The Hilltoppers fell apart at home against VCU last week, just days after playing the Final Four participants to the wire in the Charleston Classic. WKU did finally get a victory over Southeast Lousiana, but this team has a long way to go.
1. Denver (5-1, 0-0): Hello, Pioneers. In typical Joe Scott fashion, Denver made Utah State look silly on Wednesday night by boring it with a well-oiled offensive machine. Denver coasted against the Aggies, snapping a 33-game home winning streak and stunning the nation. It's not often you hear a buzz like this about a Sun Belt team, but you better believe Denver will get some national press for this victory. Chris Udofia is offering a new look at forward for this team, and the guards are shooting the ball well from beyond the arc. The most important thing, however, is that Denver isn't relying on the three-point shot. It has offensive options in the frontcourt now—like Udofia—and it's much less one-dimensional than a year ago.
2. Louisiana (3-5, 0-0): They haven't played murderer's row, but a decently competitive non-conference slate is wearing the Ragin' Cajuns down. They battled MAC favorite Kent State for 40 minutes but ultimately lost this week without J.J. Thomas, and they also dropped a road contest at Duquense. Thomas, the star of the UL and a Sun Belt Player of the Year candidate, dealt with a knee injury during that Kent State game.
3. Arkansas State (2-4, 0-0): Although the West appeared to be the more competitive division in the pre-season, only Denver has overachieved to this point. ASU's play has been disappointing after losing Martavius Adams, and it hit rock bottom when it scored 27 points in a loss to Louisville. The Cardinals are a terrific team. But 27 points? It's tough to swallow at the Division I level. Rick Pitino's pressure turned ASU over 23 times, and it made just 10 field goals on the night.
4. North Texas (1-4, 0-0): After a dominating victory over a Division II opponent, UNT has fallen flat lately. In four road losses—three to BCS-conference teams—the Mean Green have struggled to acclimate the large cast of newcomers. Freshman Jordan Williams, a heralded recruit, can't find his shot right now, but it'll come around. When Tony Mitchell joins this team in the second semester, things may turn around.
5. Arkansas Little Rock (2-5, 0-0): The defending Sun Belt tourney champs aren't defending their title well so far, and like ASU, they also may have hit "rock bottom" in a blowout to Northwestern State. When UALR develops its primary scorers, it will be fine. Right now, though, the loss of reigning SBC Player of the Year Solomon Bozeman is evident.
6. ULM (1-6, 0-0): Keith Richard is in the W column. He's battling through a difficult year with this team, considering it is not eligible for post-season play and a few key players have redshirted. Surprisingly, despite the 0-6 start, the Warhawks earned an easy road victory at Nicholls State this week by dominating the second half of play. Loyola transfer Charles Windborne came to play this year, as he's scored in double figures four times already. That will help take the pressure off leading scorer Fred Brown, who took an absurd amount of shots for this team last year.
Looking Ahead
Denver vs. Iona, Dec. 7: The Pioneers have already defeated two mid-major powers in St. Mary's and Utah State. Can they beat a third in Iona? Tim Cluess has a heck of a team here, complete with Arizona transfer Momo Jones, stud point guard Scott Machado, and Mike Glover, the man so ferocious they call him Optimus Prime. Iona loves to run, and it has athletes all over the floor. If Denver can slow the pace, it can control this game.
Florida Atlantic at Mississippi State, Dec. 13: It'd be nice for Jarvis's program to at least notch one of these upset road wins. The Owls' problem isn't quickness or athleticism—it's sheer size. They don't have the bigs to play with teams like Mississippi State, who throw out the towering Arnette Moultrie and Renardo Sidney.
Middle Tennessee vs. Belmont, Dec. 13: It's revenge time for MTSU, which lost the first meeting in double-overtime. That's the only thing standing in the way of a 7-0 start for the Blue Raiders, and that's got to weigh heavily on Kermit Davis's mind. With a second chance at a victory, Middle Tennessee has a chance to pick up a quality non-conference win to add to its post-season resume.
Caught On Film
John Brady has had a difficult start to this season. After kicking off his best player, his Arkansas State squad has struggled to find a new scorer. You can see that frustration and hear it in his voice in the press conference below, which followed a blowout loss to Missouri State.


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The 11th annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) concluded on Sunday evening (April 14) with a red carpet and gala fete that included the Los Angeles premiere of Deepa Mehta's MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN, and the presentation of the festival's Grand Jury and Audience Choice Awards, followed by an after party.
This year the festival showcased more than 35 film features, documentaries, and short films at ArcLight Hollywood, home of IFFLA since its inception. "The awards are always bittersweet for all of us in the programming team as we truly believe in the exceptional talent and relevance of each film which has been so carefully chosen," said Lead Programmer Terrie Samundra. "That being said, we wholeheartedly share the enthusiasm of the audience and our prestigious jury. A huge congratulations to the winners!"
Ashim Ahluwalia's MISS LOVELY took home the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature, with an honorable mention for SHIP OF THESEUS directed by Anand Gandhi. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary went to Sushrut Jain for BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES, and for Best Short to UNRAVEL directed by Meghna Gupta, with an honorable mention for TATPASCHAT directed by Vasudev Keluskar.
BEST FEATURE: MISS LOVELY directed by Ashim Ahluwalia
HONORABLE MENTION: SHIP OF THESEUS directed by Anand Gandhi
BEST DOCUMENTARY: BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES directed by Sushrut Jain
BEST SHORT FILM: UNRAVEL directed by Meghna Gupta
HONORABLE MENTION: TATPASCHAT directed by Vasudev Keluskar
BEST FEATURE: FILMISTAAN directed by Nitin Kakkar
BEST DOCUMENTARY: BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES directed by Sushrut Jain
BEST SHORT: UNRAVEL directed by Meghna Gupta
The 2013 feature film jurors were International Director of the Feature Film Program at the Sundance Institute Paul Federbush, director/editor/writer Kanika Myer (HALO, HEART OF INDIA), and Assistant Curator of Film Programs at LACMA Bernardo Rondeau. The Best Documentary Award was decided by The Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times film critic Sheri Linden, Senior Programmer at Film Independent Maggie Mackay, and Producer Nadine Mundo (CHELSEA SETTLES). Judging the short films were filmmaker and IFFLA alum Prashant Bhargava (PATANG), Film Curator and Director of Industry Programming at Palm Springs ShortFest Kathleen McInnis, and actress Sheetal Sheth (ABCD, LOOKING FOR COMEDY IN THE MUSLIM WORLD).
Now in its 11th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian Diaspora.
The six-day festival is the premiere platform for the latest in cutting edge global Indian cinema and bridges the gap between the two largest entertainment industries in the world – Hollywood and India. The festival showcased over 35 films from the Indian filmmaking community across the globe, hosted the highly anticipated opening and closing red carpet galas, and the closing awards ceremony.
For more information:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iffla


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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Seth VanDeest scored 19 points, including two straight baskets in the closing minutes, to lead Drake to a 72-69 victory over North Carolina Central on Wednesday night.
VanDeest's layup with 1:36 remaining gave the Bulldogs (5-5) a 68-66 lead, and he added another basket with 47 seconds left to make it a four-point game.
A 3-pointer by Stanton Kidd brought NC Central within 70-69 with 31 seconds left, but after Richard Carter hit two free throws for Drake with 11 seconds left, two 3-point attempts from the Eagles (5-6) in the final 3 seconds were off the mark.
Ben Simons added 16 points for Drake, which hit 10 of 21 3-point attempts. Carter had 13 points and five assists.
Kidd and Jeremy Ingram each had 23 points for NC Central, which was playing for the first time in 15 days.


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Are any of you hooked on that new show, Once Upon A Time? I admit I saw the trailers, but had no intention of actually watching. And, even though I have yet to randomly come across the hype (once I searched, I found a lot!) I decided to watch the first episode through On Demand. Okay, I'm a total sucker and I was in like Flynn from the very beginning. The basis of the story is that Storybrooke, a modern day town is actually inhabited by all the storybook characters we grew up with. However, they are unaware of who they really are due to a curse enacted by who else, but the Evil Queen. The plan now is to undo the curse by somehow getting all these people to realize who they are and to get their "happily ever after" back. It's a cute idea, but done in a very gothic, Grimm's fairytale kind of way. I think that's the appeal. Oh, that, and the fact that the writers of Lost are involved. We all know those chumps can keep a half-cocked story line going for YEARS! I swear if this ends up being one of those type of shows I will lose my mind!
But, back to the reason for this post. I am only 2.5 episodes in and have really enjoyed the sideline to the story game of figuring out who each modern day character was in fairytale land. But the real fun has been in discovering the subtle and not so subtle nods to every character's storybook past by way of their interiors. After a ton of searching I only found a couple of articles about Mark Lane, the set designer who created this whimsical land. I can't wait until ABC lets out more then just cast photos for us to peep. Here is one of the photos I found from an article about the set designer, Mark Lane.
Article from, The Vancouver Sun
The rest of these photos were pulled from video off of ABC.com. In the shot above we see sections of the set for the Evil Queen/Major's home. Below, I captured a couple from the episode, which gives a better feel for the overall space as a "home".
I love how everything is black and white with shades of gray. Very dramatic and then the pop of the red apples plays well with the rest of the muted tones.
I am in love with the birch forest wallpaper and wish I had a place for it in my own home. I was thinking fabric for curtains like that would be nice because you could switch them out if you got tired of the busy pattern. All said, I would certainly feel cozy in this living room.
Next up is Emma Swan's rented room in Granny's diner/hotel. It is very sweet with cottage accents in pale green and pinks.
The same pink and green cottage feel shows up in the fireplace vignette downstairs in Granny's Diner.
Another angle of the diner shows more forest wallpaper in muted tones. I love how every space seems to have pops of almost Technicolor among the hush of monotones.
This was the item that first caught my eye and made me want to investigate the story of the interiors further. The seats of Granny's diner have a basket weave design. So, quaint!
One space that may be a little less obvious (at lease so far) is Mr. Hopper's office, but it still has several references to the storybook past of Mr. Jiminy Cricket. Of course there is the forest scene in the wallpaper border along the ceiling and the wall colors definitely remind me of his outfit from past cartoons and illustrations.
I have a feeling more will be revealed in his office as time goes on, but one really obvious reference is the shadow box of pipes on his wall. Again, how quaint and fun!
This last image is of Snow White's home and I'm not really sure what to make of it. The third episode is revealing a darker, more vulnerable side to her, so maybe the worn and crumbling textures of her space reference that. I had thought all the brickwork may liken to her time in the castle, but it's more industrial looking, so I am not sure what feel they are going for with this one. Then there is all the cottage style furniture. Even though I am unsure of what direction they mean to go with Snow's home, I still see some pretty cool décor in there, like those cool rubbed down columns. And, who doesn't love some exposed brick?
I can't wait to see how this show plays out and I pray it does not turn into the fiasco of Lost. Although, I think more of my interest will be in studying the spaces all these characters inhabit.
What do you guys think? Are these rooms with themes to cutesy for you, or just enough to help your mind drift off to fantastical places?
Kitsch Krafts
Currently rated 1.6 by 25 people
November 17. 2011 04:12
Great - now you've made me want to watch this show and I'm trying to cut OUT tv shows - not add them!
Jennifer H
November 18. 2011 08:01
Sorry! I am in the same boat-that's why when I saw the commercials about it I set out to ignore the hype. I'm completely hooked now!
November 24. 2011 19:11
Hey! Fantastic blog! I happen to be a daily visitor to your site (somewhat more like addict ) of this website. Just wanted to say I appreciate your blogs and am looking forward for more to come!
<a href="www.thebuilderdepot.com/.../a>
July 9. 2020 02:03
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions.
© Copyright 2020 KitschDesigns


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Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Erickson Named NMU President
Fritz Erickson will be the 15th president of Northern Michigan University, effective July 1. The NMU Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of the appointment at a public session this morning. Erickson was one of four finalists for the position. He is provost and vice president for academic affairs at Ferris State University in Big Rapids.
Erickson is driving to Marquette and will be available to greet the campus community at 4 p.m. today in the Brule Room of the University Center.
"It means the world to Jan and me to have the opportunity to return to the Upper Peninsula and work at such a wonderful university," Erickson said. "I am deeply honored to have been selected. I believe Northern has great faculty, great staff and fantastic students, and I look forward to being their president."
Board chair Rick Popp said, "Fritz has the credentials and the right kind of personality and drive to help take Northern to another level. He has held many different key positions: teacher, professor, working up through the administrative ranks and now provost. In every job he's held, he has succeeded. He has shown an ability to adapt and still help mentor and honor the processes in jobs he's held. That will serve him well as he shifts from provost to president. He's a great fit for Northern and we're excited he has accepted. It's a great day to be a Wildcat."
Trustee Steve Mitchell, who was on the search committee, added, "I agree that the best candidate is Fritz. He's a terrific guy, he has a background in recruitment and retention of students as well as community college programs and he's grown enrollment while at Ferris. We heard from professors and a former board member at Ferris who gave great recommendations. One of the most important things we as a board do is select a president and I wanted to be on the search committee so at the end of the process, I didn't sit here wondering, 'Is there another person out there who would be a better fit?' In this case, the answer is no."
Erickson previously served as dean of the College of Professional and Graduate Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, dean and professor in the College of Education and Human Development at Eastern Washington University and chair of the education department/ professor of education and psychology at Michigan Technological University. He holds an interdisciplinary Ed.D. in educational psychology, technology and research methodology and a master's in curriculum and instruction, both from the University of Northern Colorado. Erickson received a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Western Michigan University.
Terms of the contract were not part of the discussion or vote. The board agreed that Popp and trustee Garn Lewis will negotiate and finalize details of contract before bringing it to the full board for approval at a future meeting.
"The board is extremely pleased with how well the search process was executed," Popp said. "The presidential search advisory committee did a fantastic job completing all of the groundwork required to select four highly qualified finalists for consideration. Each one proved capable of leading an institution. We also appreciate the level of engagement demonstrated by the Northern community during the campus visits and related feedback sessions. All of it contributed to a successful search capped off by Fritz accepting the appointment."
NMU President David Haynes' two-year term runs through June 30. He announced in December that he will return to the NMU faculty after that date.


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Export 49 results:Author Title [ Type] Year
Filters: Author is Judy Lai [Clear All Filters]
Storage Viability and Optimization Web Service. Berkeley: LBNL, 2010. LBNL-4014E..
Plug-in Electric Vehicle Interactions with a Small Office Building: An Economic Analysis using DER-CAM. Berkeley: LBNL, 2010. LBNL-3555E..
A Green Prison: The Santa Rita Jail Campus Microgrid. 2012. LBNL-5345E..
Encouraging Combined Heat and Power in California Buildings. 2013. LBNL-6267E..
Effect of Heat and Electricity Storage and Reliability on Microgrid Viability: A Study of Commercial Buildings in California and New York States. Berkeley: LBNL, 2009. LBNL-1334E..
Distributed Energy Resource Optimization Using a Software as Service (SaaS) Approach at the University of California, Davis Campus. Berkeley: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2011. LBNL-4285E..
The CO2 Abatement Potential of California's Mid-Sized Commercial Buildings. Berkeley: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2010. LBNL-3024E..
Journal Article
"Regional Analysis of Building Distributed Energy Costs and CO2 Abatement: A U.S.–China comparison." Energy and Buildings 77 (2014) 112-129. LBNL-6678E..
"Optimal Planning and Operation of Smart Grids with Electric Vehicle Interconnection." Journal of Energy Engineering, Special Issue: Challenges and opportunities in the 21st century energy infrastructure 138.2 (2012) 95-108. LBNL-5251E..
"Optimal Deployment of Thermal Energy Storage Under Diverse Economic and Climate Conditions." Applied Energy 119 (2014) 488-496. LBNL-6645E..
"Japan's Long-term Energy Demand and Supply Scenario to 2050 - Estimation for the Potential of Massive CO2 Mitigation." IEEJ Energy Journal of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan 4 (2009). LBNL-3849E..
"Japan's Energy Outlook for 2050 with Stochastic Sectoral Modeling." IEEJ Energy Journal of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan 4 (2009)..
"An Economic Analysis of Used Electric Vehicle Batteries Integrated into Commercial Building Microgrids." IEEE Trans. on Smart Grid 3 (2012)..
"The CO2 Reduction Potential of Combined Heat and Power in California's Commercial Buildings." Clean Tech Law & Business Journal (2010) 16. LBNL-2850E..
"Control of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Optimal DER Technology Investment and Energy Management in Zero-Net-Energy Buildings." European Transactions on Electrical Power 21.2 (2010) 1291-1309. LBNL-2692E..
"Applications of Optimal Building Energy System Selection and Operation." Institution of Mechanical Engineers Journal of Power and Energy Special Issue (2013). LBNL-6302E..
Conference Proceedings
"Thermal Energy Storage for Electricity Peak-demand Mitigation: A Solution in Developing and Developed World Alike." ECEEE 2013 Summer Study 3–8 June 2013, Belambra Les Criques, France 2013. LBNL-6308E..
"Simulation of the GHG Abatement Potentials in the U.S. Building Sector by 2050." 29th USAEE/IAEE Annual North American Conference, October 14-16, 2010 2010. LBNL-4013E..
"Los Angeles Air Force Base Vehicle to Grid Pilot Project." ECEEE 2013 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency 2013. LBNL-6154E..
"The Influence of a CO2 Pricing Scheme on Distributed Energy Resources in California's Commercial Buildings." 23rd Annual Western Conference, Advanced Workship in Regulation and Competition 2010. LBNL-3560E..
"Greenhouse Gas Abatement with Distributed Generation in California's Commercial Buildings." 6th Annual California Climate Change Research Symposium 2009. LBNL-3020E..
"A Buildings Module for the Stochastic Energy Deployment System." ACEEE 2008 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2008. LBNL-291E..


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Some people may know that Steve Jobs financed Pixar Studios back in the old days, but his legacy was not commemorated until now.
Pixar gave a brief tribute to Jobs in their latest film, Brave, but the studio now has named its main building for its former chief executive, according to Pixar Times. Apparently a Pixar employee shared an image on Twitter of the main building now dubbed "The Steve Jobs Building."
The name sits above the main entrance, which makes sure that most, if not all, visitors see the name and know of Jobs' legacy at the animation studio. Jobs may also have been part of the design team on the building, too.
U.S. & World
Is it a fitting tribute to Steve Jobs? We think so because so many people may not be aware of Pixar's history and this makes it clear that Jobs was an important part of it.


text: Blonde and busty, Zana burst onto the adult video scene by grabbing work in gonzo tapes, wall-to-wall sexvids, and pretty much anything that gave her free-wheeling approach to sexuality a chance to shine. She came to the attention of Wicked Pictures after actor/director Jonathan Morgan cast her in his off-beat gonzo production New Girls In Town. Her fresh-faced good looks and lack of sexual inhibitions made their scene together emerge as one of the finest in the tape. Suitably impressed, Morgan brought her back into the fold for his incisive adult-film comedy XXX Training, where her fondness for anal sex once again received a righteous showcase. A fabulous body and an even better attitude on the set make Zana a welcome addition to any porn production.


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Thursday, October 26, 2017
Every year since 1952, the Book Review has asked a panel of judges to select 10 books from among the several thousand children's books published that year. The judges this time around were Adam Gopnik, who writes regularly for The New Yorker and is the author of two novels for children, "The King in the Window" and the forthcoming "Steps Across the Water"; Jillian Tamaki, a teacher at the School of Visual Arts and the recipient of a Society of Illustrators gold medal; and Lisa Von Drasek, the children's librarian of the Bank Street College of Education.
* The products included in The New York Times Holiday Gift Guides are selected solely at the discretion of New York Times editors and writers. Links to retailer sites are provided as a convenience for readers of NYTimes.com and do not represent an endorsement of any store or brand.


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At Vista Ridge High School, we know that communication with our parents is essential.
Please view the News & Announcements page & The Word, the VRHS student newspaper, to keep up with all VRHS current events.
Also, check your email inbox regularly for the VRHS Insider. Note: If you are not receiving this Insider, please contact our registrar. Oftentimes, a parent has inadvertently unsubscribed from these communications. Other times, Insiders are sorted to the spam folder, so be sure to add "firstname.lastname@example.com" to your approved list with your email client.
And be sure to follow us on Twitter @VistaRidgeHS and Instagram @vistaridgehighschool and like us on Facebook @vistaridgeHS.
Tweets by VistaRidgeHS


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Lyman Freeman
Born in Plainfield, VT
June 24, 1810
Died in Lowell
March 7, 1878
Caroline Newell
His Wife
Born in Craftsbury, VT
Jan. 16, 1814
Died in Lowell
Oct. 28, 1902
Charles T. Freeman
Born in Lowell
Aug. 28, 1839
Died in Lowell
March 31, 1917
Photos taken in the summer where there is a lot of shade can present a problem. Sometimes it's very hard to read the cemetery stone. This was the case with the photo above, so I went back and retook it. While there were still shadows, but not as many as in the summer.
Lowell Cemetery, Lowell, Massachusetts


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Dr. John Green (1784 - 1865)
Dr. John Green, the first president of the Worcester County
Horticultural Society (1840 - 44), was born in Worcester.
He studied medicine under his father, later earning degrees
from both Harvard and Brown Universities. He began his own
practice in Worcester in 1807, the fourth generation of Greens
to treat the illnesses of Worcester.
This portrait was painted in 1858 by Edwin T. Billings.
Boylston, Massachusetts


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Information Services has now become two separate organisations, the Library and IT Services. This page provides links to the relevant pages within the Library and IT websites which should take you to the information you have requested.
Updated 6 July 2011 by The Information Services Web Team
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Library and IT Services, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TJ, UK - Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000


text: Marco Werman: I'm Marco Werman. This is "The World". Eleven years since al-Qaeda's 911 attacks and more than a year after Osama bin Laden was killed, US officials talk a lot about how the terrorists group is much diminished now. But today, there's a reminder that al-Qaeda still poses a serious threat in some parts of the world. A powerful car bomb struck the motorcade of Yemen's Defense Minister in the capital, Sana'a. The bomb killed several people, but the minister escaped unharmed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, but al-Qaeda's Yemeni branch has carried out several failed assassination attempts against the minister before. The bombing comes a day after Yemeni authorities announced the death of the number two leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Freelance journalist Iona Craig is in Sana'a. Iona, you were at the bomb scene earlier today. What did you see? Iona Craig: It was a scene of chaos really when I first arrived. There was still smoke billowing against the sky, the fire department were there, but [??] four vehicles would have been destroyed, two shops would have been burned out, and the sidewalk was littered with body parts and even some parts of bodies that had been thrown in the blast and had landed in a nearby tree, and with very chaotic scenes there with a very large crowd that have gathered and a lot of very nervous soldiers. Werman: Is this attack seen as retaliation for the death of al-Qaeda's number two in Yemen? I mean what was the motivation here? Craig: It is quite possible. The Minister of Defense has been targeted by the al-Qaeda militants in the past. Most notably on May 21st, here in Sana'a there was a huge suicide bombing that killed nearly a hundred soldiers at a military parade practice where the Minister of Defense was attending. Again, he managed to walk away from that attack and that was in retaliation to a military offensive that had been carried out by Yemen's military in Southern Yemen to push al-Qaeda's insurgent wing out of southern towns. So it is possible that this attack today is in reaction to this killing which supposedly happened. This still hasn't been confirmed yet, that al-Qaeda's number two has in fact been killed. We normally wait to hear for confirmation from al-Qaeda themselves. Werman: Right. Understood. Now, al-Qaeda took advantage of the political vacuum in Yemen during unrest last year. How big of a threat is al-Qaeda in Yemen? How much of the country do they actually control? Craig: Not so much now. Last year they did. They took over at least five towns in Southern Yemen, they declared an Islamic Emirate and they were literally governing the [??] towns. But after the [??] offensive that began in May, they were then able to, in some cases, negotiate a withdrawal. Werman: Iona, I want to ask you this: Eleven years after 9/11, with the continuing presence of al-Qaeda in Yemen and the US drone strikes, has all of that translated into anti-Americanism for the average Yemeni? Craig: The main reason any anti-Americanism has grown, and it has here clearly in the last year, is a direct result of the drone strikes. These were brought in again in Yemen in May last year after a year-long break and we've really seen a sort of surge in them this year certainly. And this has generally caused a lot of resentment for not only necessarily the areas that have been targeted, but for the population as a whole. And this has definitely kind of made a lot of people very resentful of what the Americans are doing here and this was kind of cemented really about ten days ago when thirteen civilians were killed in what was apparently a drone strike in the town of Rada' about 90 miles from Sana'a, a missile hit a bus and there were women and children who were killed on that bus. And those kind of things really, really do not help the cause or whatever America is trying to do here and really does cause a resentment to them amongst Yemenis. Werman: Iona, we're going to leave it there. Thank you very much for your time. Craig: No problem. Thank you.


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Instead of telling fans "Why Not Us?" as he did when he first arrived, he's not telling them, "Why Not Us? Well, because our facilities stink and so do our players."
[Photo: Mr. Golf is going to coach into his 70s? Riiiiight. Image: NFL.com]
Mike Bianchi's article in the Orlando Sentinel is a good read. It talks about the struggle that both Spurrier and Gator fans will have if Spurrier sticks around for 10 more season.
What's the big fuss? I think Carolina's player dorms are fine.
hat tip - ucfdawg on dawgrun