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If you were alive at any time between 1987 and now, chances are you've heard of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Before that, the popular reptiles starred in their own comic created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, an oversized black-and-white funnybook that enjoyed its own enormous level of success. Essentially, TMNT was a true kitchen table project; two independent creators poking fun at a darkening industry from the sidelines, unaware that these creations would grow far beyond their wildest dreams. Spawning a near-endless supply of merchandise, a video game series and several feature films, Eastman and Laird's original characters mutated into one of the most lucrative franchises of their generation.
The most popular version of the Ninja Turtles' adventures came in the form of their first animated series. Premiering in December of 1987, it became one of the longest-running kids' shows in television history, clocking in at nearly 200 episodes over a span of ten seasons. Lionsgate's DVD release of the truncated first season was one of my earliest reviews for DVD Talk back in 2004; since then, I've covered more than half of the subsequent seasons in the eight years since. The tenth and final season finally saw the light of day just over two months ago...and though the series was a pale imitation of its former self by then, the fact that we finally got a complete set was reason enough to celebrate. Aimed squarely at those who only grabbed a few seasons over the years (or, of course, those who don't have any of 'em on DVD yet), Lionsgate has now compiled the complete original series in a fancy collector's box van.
Don't get too exited, though. What's packed inside is pretty much the same stuff you'd get from the separate releases: no upgraded A/V presentation, no bonus disc, nothing. In the era of compact Blu-Ray releases and digital downloads, this type of release already feels a bit outdated. Yet our rabid devotion to 80s nostalgia persists...and any way you slice it, $100 isn't too bad for almost 200 episodes of green-tinted nostalgia inside a mini Turtle Van. Before we get to the technical portion of this review, let's take a quick journey back to all ten seasons and why you probably only remember about half of them.
Season One* (Disc 1) first aired in December 1987 during a one-week period; it's only five episodes in length but still a solid introduction to our main characters. Aside from the origin story of the Turtles and Master Splinter (which is different from the comics and, of course, the 1990 live action film), we're also introduced to April O'Neil, Shredder, Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman and more. Combining action, humor, mystery and colorful characters, this pilot season holds up pretty well 25 years later.
Season Two (Disc 2) didn't air until October of 1988 when the series really picked up in popularity; at just 13 episodes in length, this half-season stretches its legs a bit without straying too far from the feel of the previous year. Even so, there's an distinctly lighter tone and more dependence on comic relief that would continue during the next several years and, for the most part, eventually give TMNT more of a "monster-of-the-week" feel when our heroes weren't directly dealing with Shredder, Krang and company. Also during this season, minor characters like Irma, The Fly (Baxter Stockman's mutated form) and The Punk Frogs made their debuts, while those bratty Neutrinos also return from the first season.
Season Three (Discs 3-6) maintained the series' annual October-December lifespan but marked a major turning point in its level of exposure: new episodes were now broadcast daily instead of weekly, bringing this season's count up to a whopping 47. 1989 also saw the series approaching its first major height of popularity: a live-action film was right around the corner, merchandising was in full effect and more new characters were introduced to broaden the series' scope (and profitability). First appearances include The Rat King, Casey Jones, Metalhead, Usagi Yojimbo, Don Turtelli, Lotus, Leatherhead and more.
Season Four* (Discs 7-11) runs for 39 episodes and also marked the show's transition to CBS' Saturday Morning lineup in addition to weekday syndication. Familiar faces like Shredder and Krang are pushed further into the background---and for those hoping that change is good, you'll beg for their return once you're re-introduced to characters like Wilbur Weazell (evil toy mastermind) and Mona Lisa (a mutated female creature who pairs off with Raphael). As for Shredder and Krang, they've been re-banished to Dimension X---so along with Bebop and Rocksteady, we don't see them as often this time around.
Season Five* (Discs 12-14) scales back with 22 episodes that aired from September-December of 1991, when the series' impact had started to weaken. By now, TMNT leaned towards a younger demographic, as evidenced by a rotating cast of goofy, one-off villains and less focus on fighting. As with the previous DVD release, three episodes from this season ("Once Upon a Time Machine" and the two-part prime-time episode "Planet of the Turtleoids") appear on the Season 10 disc for unknown reasons. Deal with it?
Season Six (Discs 15-16) features just 16 episodes of comedy relief, slightly less action and plenty of fourth-wall breaking. Highlights include "Adventures in Turtle-Sitting" (in which a reverse-aging ray turns three of the four Turtles into tykes), "Krangenstein Lives" (the malfunctioning Krang's body goes on a rampage) and "Nightmare in the Lair" (Michaelangelo messes with Donatello's dream machine). A few clunkers don't work quite as well: "Too Hot to Handle", for example, revolves around a snot-nosed brat's science experiment gone awry. TMNT usually works best when kids watch it...instead of star in it.
Season Seven (Discs 17-20) sounds big on paper at 27 total episodes, but roughly half of them were taken from the "Vacation in Europe" side-season that originally aired on USA Network's Cartoon Express. This also marked the series' final year in its most recognizable form, as a relatively big shift in tone was just around the corner. The original DVD release for this season was equally frustrating, as it was split into four "slices" (named after our four heroes) with a collectible action figure packed in each one.
Seasons Eight, Nine & Ten (Discs 21-23) might as well be grouped together; not only are they known as the "black sheep" years, but each one contains only eight episodes. The series underwent a number of changes after most of the original fanbase graduated to darker comic pastures like Batman: The Animated Series and Gargoyles, which included a new theme song (complete with live action clips), a red sky and a more serious tone. Minor human characters like Casey Jones, The Rat King and the Channel 6 crew were abandoned, though April stuck around and got a new wardrobe. A teenager named Carter (who acquires a seemingly incurable mutant power and studies martial arts under Splinter's direction) also joined the team in Season Nine, while a major new villain arrives in the form of Lord Dregg. Overall, these are another step down from the repetitive years before them, but anyone who abandoned the show just before this point might enjoy seeing how things have changed. Proceed at your own risk, though.
* For those chronologically confused about the original TMNT DVD releases (which were initially grouped into volumes and, eventually, proper seasons), this 23-disc collection is slightly better but not perfect. The disc art now clearly labels each one with its respective season number, but a pair of episodes from Seasons Four and Five are still presented one disc behind where they should be. Also, my head hurts.
NOTE: The content of these discs is exactly the same as previous DVD sets, from the A/V quality to the extras.
Video & Audio Quality
Presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratios, these 193 episodes look passable with mild reservations. They have obviously been sourced from video masters like most shows from the era, which gives them an appearance not unlike vintage broadcast TV. Colors are faithful and black levels are usually solid, though heavy amounts of digital combing and compression artifacts can be seen on occasion. These problems are the most blatant during Season Two where, for some reason, all 13 episodes are still crammed on a single disc. It's a shame that problems like this weren't corrected this time around, but these are just recycled DVDs from the earlier sets with new art. Either way, the first couple seasons deserve better.
The audio, presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, fares slightly better. Dialogue is crisp and doesn't fight for attention with the frequent music cues. Overall, it's about what you'd expect from a 1990s animated series: this isn't an overly dynamic audio experience, though any minor problems undoubtedly stem from the original source material. Each episode includes Closed Captioning support but no subtitles.
Disc 11 leads off with a pair of Voice Actor Interviews featuring Pat Fraley (Krang & Slash) and James "Uncle Phil" Avery (Shredder); both men are casual and charismatic during these brief sessions, making sure to speak in character at least once. Also included is a worthless Pizza Recipe, reminding youngsters that ready-made pizza sauce and store bought crust should be good enough. Blasphemy, I say!
Disc 14 serves up "A Ninja-Tastic Look Back" featuring Turtle voice actors Rob Paulsen (Raphael), Cam Clarke (Leonardo), Barry Gordon (Donatello) and Townsend Coleman (Michaelangelo). These interview clips are loosely stitched together and not presented in a roundtable format, but there's a definite sense of continuity as each contributor shares their thoughts about the show and how it affected their career. It's probably the best extra included with this collection and fans will definitely want to give it a spin. Also tucked away here are two short Character Profiles for Usagi Yojimbo and Baxter Stockman, which include stats, origin details, highlight clips and very brief comments from each respective voice actor.
Discs 17-20 each include one quarter of the four-part "Shellabration" Featurette, which was frustrating enough the first time around and still is. Regardless, these four parts include a six-minute look at TMNT toys and other merchandise, a nice 11-minute chat with creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, more interviews with key crew members and a brief look at the cultural impact of the show over the years. Together, this is a terrific bonus feature...but getting each part on different discs was a terrible idea.
Disc 23 includes three Artist Interviews featuring Curt Walstead (storyboard artist from 1994-96), Paul Scarzo (storyboard conformist, 1991-96) and Scott Heming (storyboard conformist, 1991-96). These are relaxed but enjoyable chats, with each sharing a few details about their background, first impressions of the show and a few production experiences. All are presented in 480i or 480p without subtitles.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Classic Series Collection is a mixed bag. You're getting 23 discs and just under 200 vintage TMNT episodes (packed inside a Turtle Van!) for less than $100, but the uneven quality of the seasons and Lionsgate's habit of recycling old discs leaves a slight aftertaste. On the technical front, the shaky A/V presentation and lack of meaty bonus features also doesn't do this collection any favors...but pound-for-pound, it's still the easiest way to get the entire collection cheap. Unless you're willing to pick and choose your favorite volumes (or you've done so already and don't care about packaging), this 23-disc set still represents a decent value for the money. Recommended.
Randy Miller III is an affable office monkey hailing from Harrisburg, PA. He also does freelance design projects, teaches art classes and runs a website or two. In his limited free time, Randy also enjoys slacking off, juggling HD DVDs and writing in third person.


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A week ago, computer models were depicting another surge of arctic air descending into the Southeast, followed by a series of storm systems moving out of the Gulf of Mexico and providing the Carolinas with a threat of snow, sleet or freezing rain in the opening week of March.
A lot has changed in the week.
It might be due to climatology. After all, it's almost the start of March, and we're talking about the Southeast. Cold air and snow aren't unheard of in March across the Carolinas, but it's more difficult for such events to happen than in January or February.
And sure enough, the polar outbreak never quite materialized.
Arctic air has poured into the northern part of the United States, adding yet another miserable chapter to what has been a lousy winter north of the Mason-Dixon line. Temperatures are in single digits and the teens across the Midwest and Great Lakes.
But the really cold air has not reached the Carolinas. Certainly, it's chilly today and will be cold again Friday. But highs are in the upper 40s and lower 50s, rather than the 30s. And a warm-up will begin Saturday.
Now, for those storms ...
Three storm systems appear likely for the Carolinas in the next week, although the first -- on Saturday -- might wind up being a minor event. Precipitation could start as a bit of sleet or freezing rain around daybreak Saturday in the Charlotte region, but all indications from the majority of the computer models are that the precipitation totals will be very light.
We'll watch these developments closely on Friday.
The next system appears likely Monday. The computer models are keeping this system north of the Carolinas. That will put the Charlotte region on the warm side of the storm, and it's why the National Weather Service is forecasting highs in the mid and upper 60s Sunday and Monday. Thunderstorms could develop Monday afternoon.
Storm No. 3 is expected Thursday. This system had been exciting the winter weather-lovers in the region, because some of the computer models a few days ago showed a strong high pressure in the northern United States pumping enough cold air into the Carolinas to make precipitation falls as snow, sleet or freezing rain.
Now the trend from the models is to move the high pressure system out of the way. So when the storm system arrives, temperatures likely will be well above freezing by late next week. Translation ... rain.
Forecasters say the storm that affects the Carolinas on Monday will cross the northern United States and bring snow to a vast area of the country, stretching from the Midwest to the East Coast. Heavy snow could fall in places like Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
3 storms ahead, but Charlotte might avoid snow, ice
A week ago, computer models were depicting another surge of arctic air descending into the Southeast, followed by a series of storm systems moving out of the Gulf of Mexico and providing the Carolinas with a threat of snow, sleet or freezing rain in the opening week of March.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Some wet days ahead in early March
We've seen the last of the 60s and 70s for this week, but the computer models increasingly indicate that the outbreak of polar air in the northern United States won't make inroads into the Southeast.
Another strong hint from the computer models: Some wet times are ahead for the Carolinas, especially for the first 10 days of March.
A few days ago, some of the models were producing forecasts of bitter cold pushing into the Carolinas, accompanied by a steady stream of storm systems from an activated southern jet stream. That would be the recipe for a Carolinas snowfall in late February or early March, but such talk is fading early this week.
It now appears as if the outbreak of polar air in the Carolinas instead will be a cool down. Rather than the mid 70s of last week, we're looking at upper 50s for highs on Tuesday, upper 40s Wednesday, and then low to mid 50s for Thursday and Friday. Notice the absence of highs in the 30s and low 40s.
A storm system that is expected to affect parts of the Southeast late Tuesday and early Wednesday now looks like a rain-maker for the Charlotte region, although it could produce some light snow in the mountains. Precipitation amounts look light.
The next system would arrive Saturday, and once again, it appears to be weakening.
The computer models also show storm systems next Monday and again later next week. Once again, the more recent computer model runs are indicating milder temperatures and a storm track that is west of us -- keeping the Carolinas in the warmer air on the east side of the low pressure systems. Translation: rain.
Some very cold air will be locked into the northern part of the United States, however, so while winter's grasp might be weakening in the Carolinas, it will remain a tough customer across the upper Midwest, the Great Lakes and even the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Some of those storm systems bringing rain to the Carolinas could be big snow-makers if they hug the East Coast.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
From snow to severe storms ...
A week ago today, life in Charlotte was at a standstill as we dug out from 7-8 inches of snow and some ice.
Today we're enjoying a second straight day of record-setting temperatures. And forecasters are keeping an eye on conditions that could produce severe thunderstorms Friday morning.
The severe weather threat is in the mid-South today, and parts of western Tennessee and northern Alabama and Mississippi could be in for widespread thunderstorm damage later in the afternoon and evening. On Friday, the biggest threat probably will be to our east, over central and eastern North Carolina.
But for four to six hours Friday morning, the Charlotte region will be in the weather bull's-eye as a cold front crosses the area.
Forecasters expect this evening's line of severe storms to weaken as it approaches the mountains in western North Carolina overnight. As the area of showers and storms moves into the central and eastern Carolinas on Friday, with the additional factor of daytime heating, severe weather could break out again.
But even though the storms will cross the western Carolinas during the morning hours, before daytime heating, there will still be a threat.
"The greatest risk from the storms will be caused by wind gusts that can reach 60 mph," said Alex Sosnowski, a meteorologist with Accu-Weather.
Very strong winds will be blowing in the mid levels of the atmosphere. Meteorologists say that any strong showers or storms that form along the front can bring those powerful winds to the surface.
Incidentally, the cold front will bring our heat wave to an end. Charlotte set a record high of 76 degrees Wednesday, and the temperature already had tied the day's record of 75 at 1 p.m., so another record is nearly certain to fall.
But we won't be dropping into the deep freeze, at least not immediately. Behind the front, Charlotte will still get highs in the mid 60s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
That "deep freeze" might be in our future, though. Computer models continue to hint at some much colder weather by the end of next week, and there continue to be hints of a possible winter storm somewhere in the Southeast in the time frame of next Thursday to Saturday.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Survey says: Charlotteans would rather be in the Caribbean
One of the nation's leading online survey companies, uSamp, says it surveyed Charlotte-area residents recently for their opinions on winter weather.
I'm not sure if the survey was taken before or after last week's snowy weather, but the results indicate Charlotteans might not be as fond of snow as you'd believe. It's typical to hear local people say they enjoy their occasional experiences with snow, but uSamp's results indicate otherwise.
The company said 50 percent of the respondents in the Charlotte area said they'd rather be on an island somewhere, with sunshine and warm weather, rather than at home. Another 23 percent said they'd rather be touring Europe. Those who liked the snow and wanted to be at home? Just 20 percent.
When asked whether they go to work or stay home when the weather is bad, the survey showed 47 percent of area residents take the day off. Another 20 percent said they conduct business as usual.
A result that surprised me came to the question of how people felt about the way local school systems handle delays and closings. When the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools had an early closing in late January, I saw comments from a number of readers who criticized the school system for botching the effort.
CMS said it was very pleased with its response, and according to uSamp, most people agree. A whopping 70 percent of respondents said they were pleased with the way local school systems handle delays and closings.
The question with the least-surprising result was how Charlotte-area residents prepare for a winter storm. The results had 67 percent of people stocking up on food staples before a storm hits. Of those, according to uSamp, 10 percent said beer and wine has to be a part of the survival package.
Monday, February 17, 2014
More winter weather ahead for Carolinas
Mid and late February has marked the start of spring in the Carolinas a few times in recent years, but that doesn't seem likely in 2014.
A winter that has produced frigid temperatures and four days of snowfall last week is not finished. The long-range computer models seem almost unanimous in predicting a return of cold weather -- and possibly stormy conditions -- before the end of the month.
For sure, we're getting a break from winter this week. Temperatures will be near 70 at midweek, and Friday could bring thunderstorms along a cold front.
The models indicate, however, that a strong dome of high pressure will build this weekend over western Canada. At the same time, a trough of low pressure is predicted to develop over the eastern United States. This is the same combination responsible for the cold weather outbreaks we've experienced on a regular basis since early January.
By early next week, the computers send an unmistakable signal -- very cold air will be pouring into the central and eastern United States. Some of the models show near-record temperatures at the end of the month in the East.
It's not clear how long the cold will last. I've read some meteorologists' predictions that the cold will relent around March 5-7, followed by another warming trend. But other forecasters say the cold will continue into March.
So we have agreement on colder air returning. What about storms?
The computer models show a couple of storm threats next week -- the first around Tuesday or Wednesday. Temperatures probably will be above freezing in at least part of the Carolinas for that system, but another system later in the week could have enough cold air available to bring frozen precipitation to some part of the Southeast.
Snowfall update: It snowed last Monday (a trace in the evening), Tuesday (1 inch in the afternoon), Wednesday (4.6 inches) and Thursday (2.8 inches). Some parts of the Charlotte area also got a trace of snow and sleet early Saturday morning.
The total this winter is 9.3 inches at the airport in Charlotte, and that makes it the snowiest winter in a decade, since the 14.5 inches that fell in 2003-04. In that winter, 13.2 inches fell in a late-February storm.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Snow vs. sleet vs. freezing rain
The strong winter storm currently battering the Carolinas is carrying a mix of precipitation forms, and each of them carries its own risks.
All three types of winter precipitation -- snow, sleet and freezing rain -- are part of the storm system. And parts of the immediate Charlotte region will see all three forms during the next 18 hours.
It's the amount of the various forms that is still being debated.
First, a quick review of the three forms and their impact:
SNOW ... If the atmosphere is below freezing from tops of the clouds to the ground, the precipitation falls as snow. It remains frozen all the way to the ground.
Snow causes problems on the roads, of course, but it can be plowed or melted with salt. And it has no impact on power lines, unless the snow is very wet and heavy.
SLEET ... If a rather thin layer of milder air (slightly above freezing) builds in the atmosphere, the snow melts into rain about halfway to the ground, then refreezes as the air gets colder again. The precipitation falls as ice pellets, or sleet.
Sleet obviously bounces off everything, so it has no impact on power lines. But it is a real killer for the roads. Sleet has a habit of partially melting when it hits the ground and then quickly freezing again. It creates a crunchy, slippery road surface.
FREEZING RAIN ... If the atmosphere has a large layer of mild air, but a shallow layer near the surface is cold, then the precipitation falls as rain and freezes quickly at the surface. I've seen a lot of ice storms in which roads remain wet. But ice always forms on exposed surfaces like tree limbs and power lines.
The heavy weight of the ice eventually brings down the tree limbs and power lines. And people lose their electricity.
I prefer none of these, actually, but if we have to deal with something, snow is the easiest to cope with. Sleet is nearly impossible to drive in, but freezing rain takes away electricity, heat, lights and cable television.
Typically, ice accumulations of 1/4 inch or more are enough to cause widespread power outages. The Weather Service is predicting that much ice (or more) from the southeast suburbs of Charlotte southward.
Monday, February 10, 2014
5 things to know about this storm
A bit of snow is mixing with light rain showers Monday morning in the Carolinas Piedmont, and a weak low pressure system could bring 1 to 2 inches of snow to the Charlotte area Tuesday morning, but the main event will be Wednesday.
We're within the 48-hour time frame for the computer models, and that's a point when the models get fairly accurate. With all the models predicting a major winter storm, I think it's time to put to bed any doubts about what will happen at midweek.
That being said, here are five things to know about the winter storm that will affect the Carolinas on Wednesday:
1. Temperatures will not be as cold this time.
During the other snow event in Charlotte this year, about two weeks ago, meteorologists had no problem forecasting the precipitation type. The atmosphere was cold from top to bottom, so anything that fell was snow. It was an easy forecast to make, at least from the standpoint of precipitation type.
This time, temperatures will be in the low and middle 30s during the day Tuesday, and they creep up near freezing Wednesday during the bigger storm. That means the snow will be heavy and wet, not fluffy. And it increases the chance that a layer of above-freezing temperatures will become established mid levels of the atmosphere -- which means sleet or freezing rain.
It's a tough forecast.
2. The timing has changed.
Early Sunday, we were talking about snow arriving late Monday or early Tuesday, accumulating a few inches, and then returning early Wednesday and ending later in the day.
Now we have a better idea that Tuesday's system will have fairly light precipitation, and it won't start until later in the morning. The big part of the storm will come Wednesday, and the precipitation won't end until sometime fairly early Thursday morning.
On Sunday, I thought today (Monday) would be the last chance to get chores completed before the roads got bad. But now I think many of us will have at least the early part of Tuesday.
3. The second wave is the biggie.
On Sunday, there were some indications (early in the day) that the heavier snowfall totals might come Tuesday, with most of Wednesday's precipitation falling as sleet, freezing rain or rain. Now the consensus is pointing toward Wednesday's storm as the big one. It could carry more than 1 inch of precipitation, about three times that of Tuesday's system.
4. The path (track) of Wednesday's storm is very important.
Two basic facts: Areas near the center of the low pressure system will get the heaviest precipitation. And the colder air is west of the low pressure's center.
If you want heavy snow in Charlotte, you want the low pressure's center to track up the eastern third of North Carolina or even along the coast. If the low's path is closer to Charlotte (say, U.S. 1), that increases the likelihood of sleet and freezing rain in Charlotte. And if the low's path is west of Charlotte, then we get rain. Forget that third alternative -- it won't happen.
But the other alternatives are still viable options. That's why meteorologists are having a tough time deciding how much snow falls, and where.
5. It will be breezy.
This is really bad news for areas that get the freezing rain. The National Weather Service office in Wilmington mentioned the possibility Monday morning that between .5 and .75 of an inch of ice could form on trees and power lines. That would cause widespread, long-lasting power outages.
A lot of places will be closer to the .25-inch ice accumulation, which usually causes scattered outages. Add in the 15 mph northeast breeze, and a quarter-inch of ice could be big trouble.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Winter storm still possible next week
The computer models continue their consistent forecast of a winter storm next Tuesday and Wednesday for the Charlotte region.
There are still the same questions that make a forecast anything but certain. However, when the models are this consistent (over a period of several days), it's safe to say that something's up. The problem is that we don't know whether it'll be snow, sleet, freezing rain, or rain.
Or it could be all of the four.
While it's still possible that the storm system delivers a heavy snowfall, it appears as if most of the computer model runs (the models update every six hours) persistently portray a situation with sleet and/or freezing rain. But with temperatures very close to freezing, this also could turn into a storm that delivers a bit of sleet and freezing rain before turning to a cold rain.
The big issue remains the strength and position of high pressure to our north. That system is expected to push its way down the East Coast on Monday. If it remains strong enough to pump cold air into the Charlotte region, the low pressure system will bring frozen precipitation when it arrives. If the high pressure system moves off the Northeast coast, then temperatures in the area might recover above freezing.
WCNC-TV chief meteorologist Brad Panovich posted a note on Facebook earlier Friday, warning people not to believe in either extreme -- that a huge snowstorm is coming, or that we're facing an ice storm like that of December 2002. It was great advice, as it's too early to tell.
But there could be weather news in Charlotte next week. We'll keep things updated over the weekend.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Kudos to the groundhog ... winter is alive
During the height of the arctic outbreak in late January, a few of the computer models were predicting a ice warming trend through the early part of February. But it looks as if Charlotte's groundhog, which saw its shadow Sunday, was on to something.
While the intensity of the cold air does not rival that of January, we'll be cold enough during the next week to be at risk of trouble-making storm systems. And there appears to be no shortage of trouble-makers on the way.
One weak system, responsible for snowfall Thursday from Dallas to near New Orleans, is expected to zip across the Carolinas late tonight.
Another, bigger storm system is forecast sometime around the middle of next week.
Today's little storm, which was expected to be a nuisance-level event, has proved to be a bit more feisty than first expected. It is dumping heavy snow (for an hour or two) in central Louisiana and Mississippi. As that system crosses the Carolinas late Thursday and early Friday, it could trigger some light snow in the mountains.
Don't be surprised to see a little sleet fall late tonight in Charlotte, although the temperatures indicate rain is more likely. Either way, it won't amount to much.
The bigger story is next week. As usual, there are tons of uncertainty over what will happen.
There are two key players -- a cold high pressure system which is expected to build down the East Coast on Monday and Tuesday, centered over the eastern Great Lakes; and a fairly strong storm system that is forecast to move from the Gulf of Mexico to the Carolinas coast. Some of the computer models indicate there also could be a weak storm system over the Great Lakes, and that could play a role in how everything develops.
The two main computer models, the European and the Global, have been consistent over the past day or two in predicting frozen precipitation in the Carolinas, most likely late Tuesday or Wednesday. Some of the model numbers have been ridiculous with their snowfall predictions.
Temperatures will be cold, but they'll be close to freezing. That means the trick will be in predicting what form of precipitation falls in the Charlotte region. Everything is on the board -- rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow. Maybe all four could fall.
If the high pressure system over the Great Lakes begin moving toward or off the East Coast before the storm arrives, our supply of cold air will weaken. That means we'll get rain. If the high pressure stays in place, frozen precipitation is more likely.
Most of the forecasts I've seen have pointed toward sleet and freezing rain. That's not good. Visiting historic sites and seeing how people lived in the early 19th Century is nice. But most of us don't want to live that way. A major ice storm means power outages, which means no heat, TV and computers. If you lived in Charlotte in December 2002, you know how little fun ice storms are.
This is no time to panic. If every storm predicted by the computer models came to pass this winter, we would've had 100 inches of snow in Charlotte. Instead, we've had 1 inch.
But it's clear that winter has not disappeared.

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm grateful to my co-blogger Dan Ernst for sharing with me the joy of the archives and for reminding me that people in this field recognize good, thorough research.The list could go on and on, but I hope that the spirit of the post is clear. LHB readers, what are you grateful for?
I'm grateful to Mary Dudziak for teaching me what it means to be a professional, and, of course (as I've written here), for inviting me to be a part of this blog.
I'm grateful to the ASLH for doing so much in recent years to welcome graduate students and support junior scholars.
I'm grateful to Barbara Welke for modeling empathy, both in how she writes about historical actors and in her everyday dealings with other scholars. (And I'm grateful to the Hurst Institute for allowing me and so many others to get to know her.)
I'm grateful to the other legal historians in my professional "cohort" for not treating our enterprise as a zero-sum game, but instead helping each other succeed and grow.
I'm grateful to Bill Nelson for building community within the field and for tirelessly supporting junior scholars on the job market.
I'm grateful to Richard B. Bernstein for caring about the craft of writing and insisting that others do the same (witness the line edits he gives to every scholar who presents at the NYU legal history colloquium).
I'm grateful to the institutions around the country that support legal and constitutional history workshops and for the people who run them.
Last but not least, I'm grateful to Sally Gordon (LHB's own occasional advice columnist, "Ms. Peppercorn") for teaching me the meaning of the word "mentor" and for inspiring me to pay her generosity forward every chance I get.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Giving thanks for our professional community
3 comments:
- Dan Ernst said...
Well, Karen, now that you mention it, I'm grateful for my own professional mentors: Stan Katz, John Langbein, Dirk Hartog, and Dick Helmholz.
- November 28, 2013 at 7:22:00 AM EST
- Shag from Brookline said...
And I'm grateful that I can visit this Blog every day for information/knowledge that I might not otherwise know of.
And I am especially grateful that this Blob is not adversarial on legal and other history (although I and other commenters may occasionally forget that history should not be adversarial).
- November 28, 2013 at 8:52:00 AM EST
I too am thankful for the kindness that the legal history community has shown me as a young graduate student.
I am thankful for a wonderful cohort of Americanists and legal historians in my graduate program.
And I am particularly thankful for the mentorship of Michael Grossberg, David Lieberman, and Dirk Hartog, all of whom have guided me into the world of legal history.
- November 28, 2013 at 11:10:00 AM EST


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Champion Pet Food Acana Sport & Agility
Date of last review
Mon April 6, 2009
Recommended By
Average Price
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ME (metabolizable energy) is 4650 kcal/kg (460 kcal per 250 ml cup) with 35% of energy
from protein, 45% from fat and 20% from fruits, vegetables & steamed oats.
Chicken meal, steamed oats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and
rosemary), peas, fresh free-run chicken, brown rice, fresh boneless salmon, fresh
whole eggs, chicken liver, salmon oil, sun-cured alfalfa, leaf pumpkin, chicken
cartilage (natural source of glucosamine), psyllium fiber, red delicious apples, carrots,
turnip greens, cranberries, Saskatoon berries, organic sea vegetables (kelp,
bladderwrack, dulse), burdock root, marshmallow root, juniper berries, fenugreek,
sweet fennel, angelica root, sea buckthorn, chicory root, stinging nettle, red raspberry
leaf, milk thistle, peppermint leaf, marigold flowers, chamomile flowers, Lactobacillus
acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium.
Vitamins (vit. A, vit. D3, vit. E, niacin, riboflavin, lysine, thiamine mononitrate, vit. B12,
pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin). Minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese
proteinate, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate).
Guaranteed analysis
Protein .....................................33 %
Fat ..........................................24 %
Fiber .........................................3 %
Calcium .................................. 1.4 %
Phosphorus ............................. 1.1 %
Omega-6................................. 2.7 %
Omega-3 ................................ 0.4 %
Glucosamine ....................800 mg/kg
Chondroitin .......................600 mg/kg
Carbohydrate ...........................22 %
Typical analysis
Sodium ................................. 0.34 %
Chloride................................... 0.5 %
Potassium.............................. 0.57 %
Magnesium ............................. 0.1 %
Iron ..................................350 mg/kg
Zinc .................................225 mg/kg
Copper...............................20 mg/kg
Manganese.........................50 mg/kg
Cobalt ................................... 0.56 %
Iodine................................2.1 mg/kg
Selenium...........................0.4 mg/kg
Vitamin B3 (niacin).............230 mg/kg
Vitamin B5 (pan. acid) ..........42 mg/kg
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) ........36 mg/kg
Vit. B12 (cyanocobalamin) ..400 ug/kg
Biotin ................................0.6 mg/kg
Folic Acid...........................3.5 mg/kg
Choline...........................3350 mg/kg
Vitamin A ............................18 KIU/kg
Vitamin D3........................2000 IU/kg
Vitamin E ............................400 IU/kg
Vitamin K..............................2 mg/kg
Vitamin C............................85 mg/kg
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)...........75 mg/kg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) ......... 44 mg/kg
Lysine ......................................1.7 %
Threonine ................................1.2 %
Methionine .............................. 0.9 %
Isoleucine .................................1.2 %
Leucine ....................................2.2 %
Valine ......................................1.4 %
Arginine....................................2.0 %
Phenylalanine ...........................1.2 %
Histidine ...................................0.9 %
Cystine ....................................0.7 %
Taurine ................................... 0.5 %
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Posts: 3953
Review Date:
Mon April 6, 2009
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First and fifth ingredients are named meat products, good quality ingredients
The first ingredient in this food is a named meat product, in meal form. There are further named meat products fifth and seventh on the ingredient list, but these are both inclusive of water content. Once water content is removed, as it must be to produce a dehydrated product, the ingredients will weigh around 20% of the wet weight and may then be more accurately placed much further down the ingredient list (ingredients are listed in order of weight). We are thus not convinced that the food contains as much meat as first glance at the ingredient list may suggest, but at the same time note that the ingredient list is still headed by a meat meal product.
We note that chicken fat is the third ingredient in the food and that research at Purdue University has identified fat in the top four ingredients of dry food as a factor increasing the risk of bloat in large breed dogs. Smaller breeds are untested.
The main grain in the food is oats, which is a good quality grain, as is rice. We appreciate the inclusion of a range of fruits and vegetables, and whole eggs in the food. There is a good range of probiotics.
Overall, this product appears to use good quality ingredients. Our sole concern with the product is in meat content, and users may choose to supplement the food with real meat.
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RLHC Announces New Additions to the Lodging Development and Marketing Teams
Red Lion Hotels Corporation Franchise and Lodging Development Team Spans the Country
SPOKANE, Wash. - July 16, 2014 // GLOBE NEWSWIRE // - Red Lion Hotels Corporation (NYSE: RLH) announced today the company has recruited new additions to its Lodging Development and Marketing teams to advance its plans to expand coast to coast. The company has hired David Attardi and Angela Rowe in Franchise and Lodging Development and Sarah Frank in Brand Marketing.
"These hires are indicative of the level of talent we are attracting to RLHC as we position the company for expansion," says Brian Quinn, Chief Franchise Officer for Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC). "Each of these individuals bring unique talents and marketing skills that are key to our building relationships with the owners of the right hotels for our brands. This is an exciting time at RLHC."
David Attardi joined RLHC this week as Regional Vice President of Lodging Development and will be based in Washington D.C. His responsibilities include attracting new franchise properties into the RLHC network of hotels. With more than a dozen years of hospitality experience, Attardi most recently served as Vice President at B.F. Saul Company Hospitality Group where he lead a team of sales and marketing team responsible for all online sales, marketing and eCommerce initiatives, in addition to providing market analysis on property acquisitions. Prior to that, Attardi held positions at the CIMBA undergraduate study abroad program and the Studer Group, a healthcare advocacy alliance. Attardi has served as Founder and Chair of IHG Owners Association Emerging Leaders Council and as a Board Member for IHG Owners Association and for Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). He was a Founding Member of the Marriott eCommerce Franchise Committee and speaks regularly as a guest lecturer for Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and George Washington University Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Angela Rowe joined RLHC as Manager of Franchise Sales Development, provides support to the team as a liaison to industry trade associations such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH &LA), the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Korean American Hotel Association (KOAHA), National Association of Black Hotel Owners (NABHOOD) and Latino Hotel & Restaurant Association (LHRA), to name a few. Based in Houston, Texas, Rowe has more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having specialized in franchising and hotel development strategies for global hotel chains.
Sarah Frank is Director of Brand Marketing for RLHC and leads branding for the company which includes creative services, traditional marketing, print media and advertising and the use of customer relationship management (CRM) systems for both business-to-business and business-to-customer applications. Frank will protect the brand imaging and personalities, as well as manage the RLHC virtual branding teams. She has more than seven years of experience specializing in sports marketing, consumer goods, hospitality technologies and hotels. Her knowledge of hotel brand marketing platforms and critical technology services, as well as digital marketing and creative services, will further enhance the branding efforts at RLHC.
About Red Lion Hotels Corporation
Red Lion Hotels Corporation (NYSE: RLH) is a hospitality company primarily engaged in the franchising, ownership and operation of hotels. As of July 16, 2014, the company has 53 hotels system wide and also owns and operates an entertainment and event ticket distribution business. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.redlion.com.
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FC Dallas has loaned center back Nicholas Walker to Bayamón FC, pending the receipt of his ITC, the club announced today.
Selected in the third round (43rd overall) of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, Walker has logged 405 minutes with the FC Dallas Reserves (3-2-0) this season. The 6-3 native of Trinidad and Tobago also started and played 70 minutes in a recent friendly against Barclays Premier League side, Aston Villa.
Walker played four years with Fairleigh Dickinson University from 2010 to 2013. Twice, he was named to the all-North Atlantic region first team. The 24-year-old was also named 2013 Northeast Conference Defender of the Year as a senior. He started 69 of the 71 games he played for the Knights, finishing his collegiate career with four goals.
Puerto Rico Bayamón FC is scheduled to make its CONCACAF Champions League debut this Thursday, Aug. 7, against Guatemalan side Comunicaciones. Bayamón F.C. qualified for CCL play by winning Group 1 in the 2014 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship. The Puerto Rican club was drawn into Group 8 with Comunicaciones (Guatemala) and Club America (Mexico).
Nicholas Walker
DOB: Jan. 23, 1990
Birthplace: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Hometown: Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Position: Defender
College: Fairleigh Dickinson
Citizenship: Trinidad and Tobago
Transaction: FC Dallas loans Nicholas Walker (D) to Bayamón FC


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Last week we kicked off our Social Media Round Table with part 1 focusing on personal consumption of social media (reading blogs, tweets, listening to podcasts, watching video). With so much social media available, it can be overwhelming to keep up with it all. So, last week our round table gave us their insights into how to manage social networking and keep it in its proper priority and perspective.
Today in part 2 our round table looks at social media for organizations. There are lots of opportunities for organizations to connect with people using social networking tools like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and so on. Many organizations struggle to decide which tools to use and how to use them effectively. Our panel provides some insight to help your organization navigate those options.
Part 2: Social Networking for Organizations
Our panel for this part 2 is once again:
- Kem Meyer – Communications Director at Granger Community Church, author of Less Clutter, Less Noise, blogger at KemMeyer.com, and Twitter @kemmeyer.
- Matt Farina – Web developer, co-host of the Geeks and God Podcast, blogger at MattFarina.com, and Twitterer @MattFarina.
- John Saddington – Social computing technologist, avid blogger at ChurchCrunch and Human3rror, and Twitterer @human3rror.
1) Do you think every business, church, and non-profit should blog, be on Facebook, and Twitter (and others)? What advice would you give an organization as to which social networking sites to use?
KM: The number of social media users is up 87% since 2003 (no distinction between churched or unchurched) and now outnumbers email users for the first time. In the past year, the time spent on social networks increased 73 percent, Nielsen says. We have moved past the industrial age through the information age to the interconnected age. In Branding Faith, Phil Cooke says "Yesterday it was about dumping the same message on the mass audience because they didn't have much choice. Today, it's about making a connection—the kind of connection that not only makes people hear what you have to say, but also makes them respond."
This new human behavior is all about developing relational collateral online. It's one of the most important issues facing organizations today. If we don't find a way to meet people in their online spaces, or at least learn about them, we end up becoming completely out of touch. So, instead of dumping the same message on the masses, what if we get back in touch with what people are connecting with and develop our approach from there? Worth noting; the smartest organizations are using social media to listen to what customers and competitors are saying. They don't jump in with the self-centered perspective of "here's another outlet for us to talk." They use it as an opportunity to deliver great customer service fielding real-time questions and customer feedback—good and bad.
If an organization isn't ready to set up a blog, Twitter or Facebook account, I think that's ok. At a minimum, they should be searching to see what real people in their community are saying about them. Here's three places to start searching: Technorati, Google, Twitter. They are the most widely used with the broadest coverage.
You choose which audience to respond to and which to absorb, but without looking through that social network window…you risk making decisions about your organization based on incomplete or inaccurate information.
MF: The social media tools aren't right for everyone and every organization. A small church in a rural area where many of the members don't use the Internet isn't going to benefit from the church being on facebook. On the other hand, the church plant made up of 20 somethings could really benefit from a presence on facebook.
I think the key is to know how the tools that exist will help the mission of your local organization and how to use those tools well. This is where many churches fall short. Often times they will take a shot gun approach and try to use as many services as possible. This can lead to not using them effectively. Instead, I would start with one service at a time and learn to use it effectively.
JS: Absolutely not. Not every business, church, and non-profit need necessarily to use social media. I definitely would strongly advise and suggest that one should, but there is wisdom in actually focusing your time and resources on a handful and doing and having the diligence to do the research to make sure that that particular social network can reap or benefit for your organization or church. Not all churches and ministries and organizations are the same and so engagements should reflect the differences between them.
Again, that depends on the organization and their overall strategy, what they want to get in return. Are they using it for marketing or PR or for community development etc.? All this will turn ultimately to tools and services that an organization uses.
2) Do you think organizations use all social networking sites to convey the same information? For example, if a church has a blog or news feed, should they be content to use email, Facebook, Twitter to notify people of what's on the blog or news feed? Or do you think it's important that each social network be used differently to convey different information and relate to people differently?
KM: It's acceptable for some level of redundancy, but typically Twitter is best used to scoop snippets that drive people to the place with more depth information. For example, I frequently Twitter a quip with a link to a blog, an online article or to a photo album on Facebook. In our church, we'll use Twitter as reminders or to provide that audience inside scoop that you wouldn't find on the web site or blog. It's one of the "benefits" to being on Twitter. But, if you're not on Twitter—you won't miss important info because it's included in the other vehicles people depend on (e.g., web site & weekly enews).
MF: How we use social networking tools is a tough question and is often dependent on the ministry you have in front of you. The first and maybe most important part of this is a danger. The mission of the church is explained in the Great Commission. We are to do this by serving others. We need to be careful to not get caught putting to many of our resources into social media or get caught up in them. The goal is to show people Christ, serve others, and resource people to do both of these. Social media needs to support this.
For a typical church I would recommend having a blog and a church twitter feed. The twitter feed can let people with or without a twitter account follow the blog easily. While the twitter feed is great for sharing the blog it should be used for more than that. When events happen they should be tweeted the day before. Pictures of events should be shared in real time.
Sites like facebook should be used but should not be the central hub for a churches information. A few years ago Myspace was the popular tool. Now it's facebook and twitter. In five more years will anyone be talking about facebook? While it's a great tool you shouldn't rely on it too heavily.
JS: That also depends again on your overall strategies for what you are using the services for. If you are going to be using it as a place to market and a place for public relations, and blitzing out information, you can use all source of avenues for that. Just copy and paste the same message into the different social networks. If you are interested in more intimate relationship building and community development then perhaps those kind of the spam information more informational stuff wouldn't be appropriate. It all depends on your strategy.
3) Are there any tools or processes you recommend to help organizations manage their social networking effectively and consistently?
KM: There are no one-size-fits all approaches. It's very unique and personalized to each organization and individual. The key to is to identify the primary objective (an extension of a leader's influence, a customer service mechanism, a networking tool, etc.) for what audience (peers, professionals, prospects, clients, family, etc.) and go from there. Once that's determined:
- Get help: I won't tell you the how, that's part of the fun of it. Connect with one of your friends who's doing it & have them walk you through first steps.
- One thing at a time: Start slow & don't overload yourself all at once. It's something you have to experience to understand. Try to make a judgment from someone else's experience and you'll miss it. It's unique and personal to each person.
- Watch for others for awhile: pick up on their cues of the do's & don'ts. Find what's comfortable for you before you start interacting. But, your first step should be to at least GO to the party. If you aren't ready to participate in the festivities, it's totally fine to be a wallflower.
- When you are ready, go ahead & participate, mingle and connect; but don't fake it. Remember, it's a party not a show. Avoid too much information: it may be personal…but it's not private.
MF: I would recommend utilizing volunteers in the church. Many times learning to use these tools is left up to staff members who are already busy and this is one more thing. God made us to serve as the body of the church. Find trusted members of your church help and even take care of the churches presence on the different tools. If you can find volunteers who are already users of the tools, understand them, and let them use their knowledge and gifts with the tools to serve the church.
JS: I would definitely recommend asking hard questions about what is your strategy why you are doing what you are doing if you are just interested in knowing what is out there in informational gathering and not necessarily joining into the conversation then grab your best speed reader and go to town. There are a number of great tools out there in terms of seeing what the response of an organization's engagement and effectiveness in metrics and analytics and you can see how effectively your message is getting out there but ultimately I wouldn't get to this point until a strategy is built.
4) Can you cite some examples of organizations that are doing social networking well? What is it about them that stands out to you?
KM: 37 Signals & Zappos. They offer inside scoop, highlight clients, provide discounts and respond with excellent customer service. They link to items of interest that may or may not apply to their company but always apply to something of value for the customer. They're responsible and not self-centered.
MF: Many churches and ministries are using social networks but few are using them well. Perry Noble and Leonard Sweet are to people that I think use twitter well. They both use it in different ways and are able to use it well.
JS: This is fairly subjective for a number of reasons but in the term "well" can be defined in a number of ways. Are they reaching a large audience? And maybe they are doing a good job of that so that is ok. Are they creating and forming deep relationships, maybe but not reaching a million people? Well maybe that might be a metrics of success. So you can take a number of different metrics for success and then see if there are any great examples out there, but yes, there are definitely some great organizations that do it well.
In terms of the church world and the evangelical space Life Church does an amazing job of leveraging the tools to get the word out. So certainly in terms of engagement and scope and breath of coverage they do an amazing job of leveraging those too as well. But I am sure that there are a number of smaller ministries that are doing some amazing stuff in terms of really developing the intimate relationships that are necessary for community development and the problem. Perhaps the good thing is that we don't really see them. They aren't on the radar and they don't necessarily need to be.
Thanks to our round table panel – Kem, Matt, and John – for sharing your social networking usage and insights with us.
There's a ton of wisdom in there, but few insights that stand out to me…
- Don't just jump into social networking because everyone else is doing it. Go in with goals. What do you want to accomplish?
- Observe others using the tool to learn the do's and don't's before you try to use it yourself. Or better yet, ask a volunteer who is already familiar with the tool to serve in that capacity.
- Try one social networking tool at a time. It's better to do one thing well, than to try 5 things and do them all poorly.
- Remember that social networking is a conversation. Like my mother used to say, "God gave you 2 ears and one mouth, use them in proportion."
What advice do you have for organizations getting into social networking?
What organizations do you think are using social networking tools effectively?


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Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Does Time Matter? What do know about it?
I guess this issue comes from a discussion about one of the class member's ancestors that moved from Texas to Arkansas in 1860 and then moved on again in 1866 or so. When I asked what was happening during this time period, the entire class just sat there staring at me. Of course, it was the kind of question that teachers are not supposed to ask; those questions with obvious answers. The only problem was that asking the question in the context of a discussion about genealogy was far from obvious. Even when I mentioned the U.S. Civil War to get over the issue, there was still no realization on the part of the class membes that the War would have made any difference to the movements of the ancestor. The fact that the ancestor or members of the family may have been involved in the War never came up in the discussion. How can you ignore the Civil War? Or World War I or World War II? Many researchers do this and more but with time frames and countries where they would not even be aware of the conditions of the time when their ancestors lived and died.
Let's all of us read a little more history and a little less of pedigree charts and dates. I would guess that I am more sensitive to this topic than many would be, since I had more classes on military history at the University of Utah than any other one subject. As you move back in time, what do you know about the conditions of your ancestors and what they had to deal with during the time they lived. I know there historians/genealogists out there that can recite every war those in America ever fought, but the vast majority of the researchers never get to the point of considering the history of the country, the county or the town where their ancestors lived. This isn't a rant, this is a statement of fact.
For example, my Great-grandfather was born in San Bernardino, California in 1852 where almost his entire family and many of his relatives had settled. In 1857, they left California and moved to Beaver, Utah. Why? This is an easy question to answer. It took me less than five seconds to do a Google search on the "Utah War." If you don't know how the two events are connected, perhaps you are missing something similar in your own line. It is entirely possible that people would make, what seems to be, totally random moves from one part of the country to another or from one country to another, but it is usually the case that there was a very good reason for their move. It could have been something as simple as the Irish Potato Famine which lasted from 1845 to 1852 and coincides with the time period of the immigration of my Irish ancestors to America. They show up in Philadelphia from Canada in about 1852.
Does time matter? It certainly does and ignorance of the times in which our ancestors lived makes them seem like cartoon figures on a screen acting in strange unpredictable ways. Just as recent historical events have shaped our own lives, our ancestors did not live in a vacuum. They had to deal with recessions, depressions and economic collapse. They had to face harsh weather that killed their crops. They had plenty of personal tragedies, but they also had to live through national and international turmoil and upheaval.
The solution is almost too simple. Use the timeline built into your genealogical database program. If that seems too difficult, go to your local library and find a few history books about the places where your ancestors lived and read them from cover to cover. Maybe some of that history will start to affect how you view the history of your own family. Maybe those random movements weren't so random after all.
2 comments:
- Adrian BruceOctober 9, 2013 at 1:02 PM
Interesting (or even disturbing!) your comment on the Civil War.ReplyDelete
For what it's worth, I have the next stage of the same problem, but from an unexpected source, perhaps... My GG GF's younger brother, Robert Constable Bruce (1841-1924) emigrated from Dundee, Scotland, to San Francisco in 1863 (via Cape Horn). Not the most obvious time for someone to emigrate to America. I can only imagine his move had something to do with someone spotting a commercial opportunity, possibly to do with Dundee's textiles - he joined an import / export business in SF and ended up a partner in it, so he was certainly talented in business (a trait his elder brother, my GG GF, did not share going bankrupt - or nearly so - twice).
Very true. [And regarding your class' reaction inability to think of the Civil War, or to understand it's impact even after they knew it...rather disturbing!]ReplyDelete
In my day/real job as an Administrative Law Judge (Unemployment Insurance cases), I've found that context often makes the story. Knowing the context of what was happening always informs a credibility call, and often is a key factor in making the decision. That's probably why, for me, even though I'm just a beginning family historian, the historical context of the documented and dated actions is a huge part of the story. I always try to understand what was happening in the world and in my ancestors corner of the world before writing up a blog post to tell my family and friends what I've discovered about a particular ancestor. I'm reading more history books than little wiggling leaves! I sometimes get them from the library and inter-library loan, and sometimes from Google Ebooks (a great source for old books out of copyright); books on WWII I already own. Finding out the context is allows me to make a dry heap of facts into a person I can tell a story about.


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These days I practically live in my carrel at the library. Although, truth be told, I went out this morning to a seminary women' brunch and had some great conversation and some very delicious cinnamon buns. So it is not all, 100% work. I still eat and do laundry too.
But, things are coming down to the wire. In nine days I write my Greek final. I'm almost past caring how I do – but if you know me you know that means I still care way too much.
I turned in my next to last Church History I essay and today I completed a good chunk of my research paper for that class. My essay was on the devotio moderna and the Brothers and Sisters of the Common Life. Such a fascinating group of people – spanned about 300 years. Died out with the Reformation and with the printing press since they mostly earned their living by copying books. Their raparia were journals they kept of devotional sayings and of how they lived out their faith in the midst of daily life trying to imitate the early church. Most people have heard of The Imitation of Christ – this is the group out of which came such writings.
Now I'm on to the Christological controversy between Nestorius and Cyril. Poor Nestorius was likely more misunderstood than a real heretic. And Cyril was more a bully than a saint I'm afraid. Hope I can wrap this one up by Monday.
Then with a deadline of May 9, I will only have 2 book reviews, 1 ten page essay, 1 more twelve page research paper and one more final and this year will be done!
Hoping it doesn't finish me off.


text: It's made from 2,000,000 SHU's of raw pepper and these effects can last up to 45 minutes and cause no permanent damage. Has a UV identifying dye to help aid in the identification of an attacker. Our 4 ounce Pepper Shot is a favorite with security guards and gives great protection at home. Get the leatherette holster with belt clip to carry on your belt. The 4 oz. fogger has a range of 15-18 feet and 18-20 one second shots. 5 ⅞" x 1 ½"


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Recipe Summary
Recipe Servings: 4 portions
Recipe Preparation Time: 0 minutes
Recipe Cook Time: 105 minutes
4 peeled shallots
1 cup Lucini® Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil®
3 tablespoons Lucini® Pinot Grigio Italian Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/4 cup butter
2 cups hot, cooked polenta
2 lamb racks with 6 bones each
10 sprigs of thyme
To prepare the vinaigrette: Place shallots and 1 cup Lucini® Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil® in small ovenproof pan, cover tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, until shallots are soft. Let shallots cool in extra virgin olive oil, then remove, reserving oil. Cut shallots in thin strips and place in bowl. Add Lucini® Pinot Grigio vinegar and slowly whisk in reserved oil. Add chives, season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cook garlic in 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 1 minute. Fold into polenta, season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread polenta in an inch layer in a 6×6 inches baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Cut into four 3 inch discs and sauté in remaining butter in hot non-stick skillet for 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown and crispy. Blot on paper towels. Season lamb with salt and pepper and rub with remaining olive oil. Remove thyme leaves from stems and rub on lamb. Grill over medium flame for 6-8 minutes each side, until medium rare. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Or cook in heavy skillet 8-10 minutes each side over medium heat until medium rare. Or cook in 425-degree oven for 25 minutes for medium rare.
Place a piece of polenta in center of each of four dinner plates. Arrange 3 pieces (1/2) lamb rack over polenta. Spoon vinaigrette on top and around plate. Top with freshly ground black pepper.


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Ironman Cairns 2020 - 21 week plan by Craig Zelent
Craig Zelent
21 Weeks
Refund Policy
This plan is protected by our Refund Policy and may, with the author's approval, be exchanged for a plan of equal value from the same author.
Plan Description
This is a training plan that will provide you with a solid foundation for a great racing experience. This is a very specific training plan for the 20 weeks leading up to and including your race. Additionally you will find an extra week of recovery workouts for the week after your race.
This plan is perfect for the 1st time Ironman competitor. This is also ideal for those who want to train by feel as heart rate and power tools are not utilized. This is very practical for those who have real lives - 1 day per week is always scheduled as an off day from training.
I used the Ironman Lake Placid plan written by Craig. It worked so well for me as it gave me visibility of the long term plan and required progression yet also walked me through the volume and intensity steps needed to have the strength, endurance and mental toughness to compete so strongly on race day. I actually found it to be of significantly more value than some prior 1:1 coaching I had had as it focused on progressive development and highly targeted training for my specific race. Most importantly for me was the value of the plan; my development as a function of the money spent, and given the expertise I received was undeniable. Here Craig not only developed a highly effective training plan but also made himself available to me by email and even phone ahead of the race. I can't recommend Craig's training plans enough. If you are serious about triathlon and want to achieve your goals at Iron distance racing then look no further. - Darren H.
I will always be grateful to Craig Zelent for his wonderful IM Lake Tahoe training plan. Craig not only provides a great program (swim, bike, run), but includes strength, recovery workouts and nutrition plans which makes the Ironman training more feasible, diverse, successful and fun. The 20 week program leading up to the race is great for people like me who work full time. His extra week of recovery workouts for the week after the race is very helpful, as well. I highly recommend his programs to other triathletes.
His program is oriented to have a great racing experience and show results. Craig encourages athletes to approach him (by phone or e-mail) to answer any specific questions or ways to modify the program. He is always eager to help identify and execute the routine on a weekly basis to guarantee becoming an Ironman. He wants other people to succeed and meet their racing goals. I got a PR thanks to his program and knowledgeable advice. - Claudia F.
I've used Craig's Oceanside 70.3 plan more than once and it is my 70.3 PR race. I love the flexibility in Training Peaks and seeing the entire race plan in one place so I can shift schedules around my other events. It is a great baseline plan that one can easily add or subtract or shift workouts around to fit a worker's schedule. I highly recommend this easily downloadable plan for anyone. LS
Average Weekly Breakdown
|Weekly Average
|Longest Workout
|9:27 hrs
|8:00 hrs
|4:31 hrs
|3:04 hrs
|3:11 hrs
|1:30 hrs
|1:11 hrs
|1:05 hrs
|0:10 hrs
|0:10 hrs
|Workouts Per Week
|Weekly Average
|Longest Workout
|9:27 hrs
|8:00 hrs
|4:31 hrs
|3:04 hrs
|3:11 hrs
|1:30 hrs
|1:11 hrs
|1:05 hrs
|0:10 hrs
|0:10 hrs
Training Load By Week
This plan works best with the following fitness devices:
Sample Day 1
Actively focus on recovery today: Watch nutrition closely (healthy carbs, lean protein, and good fats), stretch for 5-10 minutes.
Nearly every week in this plan uses Monday as a rest day. Not every athlete likes taking a rest day. If you are one of those that likes to do some exercise every day, then I'd suggest moving the Tuesday swim to Monday. It would also be ok to move the core and upper body portions of your strength workout to Monday. But, it is critical that you allow for 1 day per week where your legs get a break.
I am one of those athletes who likes to exercise every day. My body feels better because of the daily movement and it is easier to spread all the workouts across 7 days while still successfully juggling work, family, and life commitments.
With 2 weeks prior to your Ironman, everyone should take 1 day off. In the final week before your Ironman, everyone should take 2 days off. No exceptions. Not even for me!
Goals for the week:
1)Get into the habit of doing 3 bike rides per week - I'm listing that 1st as half the training time and half the racing time for an Ironman occurs on the bike.
2)Get into the habit of doing 3 runs per week.
3)Get into the habit of doing 3 swims per week.
Sample Day 2
Ideally you can do a masters swim workout, but if that is not convenient, then feel free to try the workout below. That applies to all swim workouts in this training plan.
200 yards – freestyle warm up.
200 yards – 4 x 50 as 25 drill, 2 freestyle swim. The odds 25 yard drill should be done as kick on your left side with your right arm sticking straight out of the water like a shark fin. The evens 25 yard drill should should be done as kick on your right side with your left arm sticking straight out of the water like a shark. Do these on 5 seconds rest.
300 yards – 4 x 75 with fins. Do these as 25 kick on right side, 25 shooter (no breath for as far as you can go while dolphin kicking under water), 25 kick on left side. Do these on 5 seconds rest.
1,800 yards – 9 x 200 freestyle. The first 3 are "form", the next 3 are "firm", the next 3 are "fast." The interval I used was 2:50 for the "form" – this gave me about 3 seconds rest max. The interval I used for the "firm" was 3:00 and "fast" was 3:20. That is a lot of rest for the "fast" ones so really bust it on those. I will be watching.
300 yards – put on pull buoy and paddles. 3,5,7 breathing pattern by 100's so breathe every 3 strokes on the 1st 100, every 5 strokes on the second 100, etc.
200 yards – freestyle warm down.
"B" workout
Sample Day 2
I'd suggest doing this run immediately after the swim workout or immediately after the bike workout so as to not have 3 separate workouts in 1 day. Thus, combining workouts may be the best use of your time. Run on soft but firm surface. Aim for 5 miles.
Post workout recovery priority: Drink a protein shake (24 grams protein) within 30 minutes of completing this workout. Consume some carbs asap, as well.
You will note that after every run and strength workout I suggest using protein to help you recover. This is particularly important for load bearing exercises like running and weight training to rebuild the cells that you just broke down. Getting the protein in your system promptly (whether in liquid or solid form) is critical.
"B" workout
Sample Day 2
Ideally you will have access to a spin class. I like the idea of a spin class (with a good instructor) because it often will be the best quality hour you spend on the bike all week. You don't have stop signs or other interruptions and it is a chance to really clean up your pedal stroke and cadence. Always make certain to have enough tension on the fly wheel - especially when you ride out of the saddle. Try to get to class early so you can have 10 minutes of warmup and give yourself 5 minutes at the end of class to warm down while on the bike.
"A" workout
Sample Day 3
Warm up 5 minutes - easy running, spinning. or eliptical.
Try to spend 20 minutes each on core, upper body, legs.
For weights: ADAPTATION PHASE: 15 reps/2 sets. I suggest in this order: Bench Press or Push-ups, Squats, Lat Pull Down, Leg Extensions, Military or Shoulder Press, Hamstring or Leg Curl, Bicep Curl, Calf Raises, Tricep Curl, Wrist Curl. To save time I like to pair up the exercises - so for example I'll do Bench Press and Squat together.
2 sets of your ab/core exercises for 20 minutes - Ab Crunches, Back Extensions. I highly recommend using an Exercise Ball, Free Motion Cable Cross Machine, Bosu Ball.
Post workout recovery priority: Drink a protein shake (24 grams protein) within 30 minutes of completing this workout. Consume some carbs asap, as well.
"A" workout.
Sample Day 3
Masters swim.
300 yards – freestyle warm up.
400 yards – 8 x 50 (fins optional.) Do these as 25 yards kick, 25 yards swim. The first 2 are butterfly, the next 2 are backstroke, the next 2 are breast stroke (remove fins for breaststroke), the final 2 are freestyle. Do these on 5 seconds rest.
1,500 yards – Do each interval of this entire set on 5 seconds rest.
4 x 75 in IM order (yes, that means you do a 75 butterfly to open).
2 x 150 freestyle.
300 IM (this is continuous – no rest.)
2 x 150 freestyle.
4 x 75 in IM order (yep, another 75 butterfly to open.)
400 yards – put on pull buoy and paddles. Breathing pattern of 3,5,3,7 by 100's.
400 yards – freestyle warm down.
"B" workout
Sample Day 4
Ride on a flat to gently rolling course. Aim for 25 miles. Keep the effort steady and continuous for most of this ride. After a good warmup, find a 5k stretch of safe road where you can crank up your effort to the high end of heart rate level 3 (73-80% of MHR). Allow at least 10 minutes to warm down after this effort. I'd suggest getting this ride in 1st thing in the morning if the conditions are good. Otherwise save it for your 2nd workout of the day.
"B" workout


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King Cakes are cakes typically baked throughout the Mardi Gras season (beginning on Jan. 6, Epiphany, and ending on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday) to celebrate the three kings. It is one of the few desserts that I know of that people base an entire party around. The tradition is that one person brings the king cake to the Mardi Gras king cake party. A plastic baby (representing baby Jesus) is buried somewhere in the cake and whoever gets the piece with the baby has to host the next year's Mardi Gras king cake party.
The Opinions of Important People
The Mardi Gras King Cake Cupcake Recipe
Mardi Gras King Cake Cupcakes
Pastry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 .25 ounce packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup melted butter
Cinnamon Mascarpone Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup chilled whipping cream
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 1/2 T cinnamon
- 2 to 3 cups confectioner's sugar depending upon how thick you prefer frosting
- Put all pastry ingredients into the bread machine per your machine's instructions. Typically you put in all the wet ingredients, then all dry ingredients, and put the yeast in last. Run the bread machine on the dough cycle.
- Remove from the bread machine, cover and allow to rise for two hours or until doubled in size.
- To make the filling: combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
- Rip off pieces of dough and make long strips out of them (about 2.5 inches wide). I didn't find the dough to be easy to roll so I basically just pressed it into the thin strips.
- Spread the filling down the center of the strip.
- Fold the top and the bottom of the strip around the filling to form a log.
- Stretch the log out to make it as thin as as you can without it breaking.
- Start on one end of the log and roll it until it fits snugly in a cupcake liner. Break it off, put it in the liner and continue rolling sections of the log.
- Bake at 350 F for 20 min.
Cinnamon Mascarpone Frosting Instructions
- Whip whipping cream in mixer until soft peaks begin to form.
- Fold in mascarpone.
- Mix in cinnamon.
- Slowly add the confectioner's sugar, being careful not to over-whip frosting.


text: This is a seriously tiny package of fuckable fun. Under 5' tall but packing handfuls of plush curves, Casey Cumz for us and we love it. What is better than a fuck friend you can pick up and carry around? Casey gets her smoking hot round ass plugged with thick cock for us here at Brazzers, but not before getting it thoroughly drizzled in glossy, sticky oil. Sporting a sweet winged back tat, we think she would make an ideal decoration on the back of a nicely polished Harley in a tight pair of leather chaps that left her bubble ass on display. A tiny piece of ass like this would fit just fine perched on the back and never throw off the balance while you take those tight curves. More anal from this cherry chick needs to come our way, we love the way her tight, tanned cheeks stretch out smooth when she is getting fucked.


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Ed and Tom Chuckran shared a bond — brothers brought up together in a tight-knit, sports-crazed family in Port Jervis.
Ed and Tom Chuckran shared a bond — brothers brought up together in a tight-knit, sports-crazed family in Port Jervis.
What brought the pair even closer together was what Ed did for Tom almost 24 years ago. In January of 1989, Ed saved his younger brother's life by donating a kidney. Tom Chuckran needed the transplant after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
The brothers said they would grow old together. Instead, the Chuckrans and the Port Jervis community will pay tribute to Tom with a moment of silence before a non-league boys' basketball at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Eldred.
Tom Chuckran died unexpectedly last Tuesday. He was 47. His son, Nick, a junior guard, is expected to start for Port Jervis against Eldred. Nick Chuckran is wearing his dad's old number — 10 — on Tuesday night. He usually wears No. 15.
"He was a fighter and he never gave up," Ed Chuckran said. "He was just such a hard worker. I'm just proud to have him as a brother. I wish everyone had a brother like him."
All four Chuckran brothers — Ed, Tom, Dave and Dan — played basketball at Port Jervis. Tom Chuckran, a point guard, graduated in 1983. He is one of the founding members of the Port Jervis co-ed Youth Basketball League.
According to Ed, 50, his brother became ill last Tuesday, complaining of a headache. He later collapsed at his parents' home and never regained consciousness. His condition worsened, Ed said, and his brother died a day later at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern. Tom suffered a cranial bleed, according to Ed Chuckran.
"Tom was a real advocate for Port Jervis basketball at all levels," Port Jervis athletic director Ron Semerano said. "He was just a real good guy, a nice guy."


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Hole Saws Video
There will be times when your project will require a hole larger than a standard drill bit can do, but too small to use a jig saw. What do you do? Use a hole saw! These special saws will allow you to make those holes in wood, metal or plastic.
The newer hole saws come with an interchangeable drill chuck. You just put the proper size hole saw on the hole saw chuck, with it's pilot drill, and you are ready to drill. This quick change chuck allows you to change hole saw sizes quick and easy. Hole saws make those immediate sized holes easy to make.
3 Responses to Hole Saws Video
HI Tim - seems you are suffering from what is called old age syndrome - your brain is so full that you need to re enter the filing system so you can find out what you need to do - like me! It seems that perhaps you should have your daughter check your emails prior to you sending them out?? I filled in the questions about what I am interested in and then tried to figure out how to send it back. My filing system is full and needs attention so (71 yrs old) and so not able to send it. Keep smiling - I hear that when alzihmers hits - we won't realize that it's arrived!
I have seen 4.5" hole saws and larger for can light installation...
I have used 5" and 6 " hole saws that give a good hole but you better hang on to the drill and go very slow. A powerful electric drill and a large hole saw can = brow arm are hand if you are not careful!!