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Here is a photo of the contents of my purse, as of today. Nothing was planted, nothing was removed (with the exception of a couple receipts and gum wrappers!). The list, starting with the chapstick at the bottom and heading (mostly) counter-clockwise:
three chapsticks, five Hello Kitty mini figure treats, three mini Barbies + accessories, tiny scissors, credit-card-size swiss army knife, tiny aspirin tin, sewing kit, three emergency suckers (for the kids!), assorted pens, pencils, and a SHARPIE (love!), juice pouch coin purse, mini notebook w/ pen, 5 hair claws (my daughter's "rings"), three bobby pins, three hair elastics (my daughter's "bracelets"), LPS Blythe coupon, gum, flashlight keychain, kleenex holder, keys, bouncy ball, tiny stuffed ostrich and owl, and my wallet!
NOW I want to know what is in YOUR purse -- or diaper bag, or handbag, or pocket book, or tote bag, or backpack, or whatever it is you carry! And, since folks don't normally make a habit of taking photos of what's in their bags -- I am making this a giveaway. Since I don't sew or make patterns for bags or purses, I asked four lovely ladies if they would be willing to share theirs with you. And they have agreed!
(Lucky me! Lucky you!)
#1 Jen of JensBags has offered to give away ANY PURSE, BAG, OR WRISTLET in her shop. Super generous! The above photo shows just a few of the amazing bags she now has listed. I own one of her fantastic creations, and let me just say -- her workmanship is just beautiful!
#2: Wendy of LuckyLemonDryGoods has offered one of her super fabulous ONION LABEL MARKET TOTES. These canvas bags are bold and eye-catching with their recycled onion bag labels! She is giving away the "Great Catch" bag, second from the left. She also has a blog, OldDaysOldWays -- and happens to be my amazingly talented mom!
#3: Made by Rae's famously fabulous BONSAI BAG SEWING PATTERN. I have been dying to make one of these lovelies! The pompom trim is just killer!
#4: Anna from Noodlehead's super fantastic 241 TOTE PATTERN. I just adore the shape and details of this bag pattern!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1. Take a picture of your purse's contents (feel free to omit gum wrappers, receipts, and embarrassing personal care items) If you feel like it, include your purse in your photo
2. Upload it to my super special created-for-this-occasion FLICKR GROUP, along with a quick list of what you found
3. Come back here and leave a comment with a link to your photo in the flickr group
4. Include your email address!!
5. One entry per person
That's all! I will pick four winners via random.org on Wednesday evening and post winners as soon as I have them counted.
Good luck, and have fun!! :oD


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There's nothing more fun than nutso clowns battling each other to the death is there? Well "The Last Circus" is here to make all your wildest dreams come true and today there's a red band trailer for the big top blood bath. The film revolves around a love triangle between a sad clown, a trapeze artist and her abusive happy clown husband. Sounds like what Cirque du Soleil would be if it was tolerable.
Get in line now kids because on October 26, 2012 "Halloween 3" will hit the theaters! No director has been picked for the third installment of the much debated Rob Zombie reboot but there's little to no chance Robbie will have anything to do with it. Which is good for haters of the first two but really bad for lovers of slow motion pan shots set to crappy 70's cover songs. Correction: Patrick Lussier will direct "Halloween 3D". You can go back to planning your next D&D gathering in your mom's basement now.
I was pretty down on the "Conan the Barbarian" remake for a long time but since watching Jason Momoa, who will play Conan, on "Game of Thrones" I've become more and more fired up. Now there's a new red band trailer and TV spot for the remake and I think I'm going to run out and get myself a loin cloth and sword. Once I get those I can really focus on getting washboard abs and being cast in the sequel.
"The House at the End of the Street" has been kicking around for a while now and as of today it looks like the film will finally see the light of day on April 20th of next year, yes that's 4/20 you filthy hippies. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence and Elizabeth Shue as a mother daughter combo (try to guess which is which) that move into a house where a family was mysteriously murdered and begin to uncover the community's spooky secrets. It's Shue who plays the mother, that Lawrence girl is like 20, people. I wish you'd think before you answer sometimes.
Elizabeth Shue continues to mount her comeback using the horror genre as she signs on to "The House at the End of the Street" directed by Mark Tonderai.
The Matt Reeves remake of "Let Me In" is on the move as Overture Films sells off the marketing and distribution rights to Relativity Media. Despite Overture's semi successful releases with "Pandorum" and "The Crazies", the company will be closing its doors after three years.
Wes Craven is dipping his toes into the comic market as he partners with Liquid Comics for an undisclosed graphic novel project.
The director of "Ultraviolet" has been tapped to write and direct the remake of "Total Recall". The film will not go back to the original source material, Phillip K. Dick's novel "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale", but will rather be a direct remake of the film.
So I'm sitting here, wondering to myself, how you call this a remake of "Scream" when in the announcement you discuss getting original actors back in their original roles. Isn't that just... you know... a sequel?
I can't possibly be the only one who's a tad uncomfortable by Elizabeth Shue's giant muscles from this paprazzi pic on the set of "Piranha 3d", could I?
The lovely Courtney Ford, who should be familiar to you from the highly recommended scifi romp "Alien Raiders", has just joined Season 4 of the hit Showtime series "Dexter". She will play "a reporter who crosses paths with our favorite forensics expert/serial killer, Dexter Morgan".
Reports are coming in that the first trailer for "The Final Destination" will be landing in some theaters this Friday. So keep your eyes peeled when you go back to see "Drag Me To Hell" for the fourth time, k?
It's not every Monday that we kick off the week with a round of "awesome indie movie title", but I'm feeling frisky so here it goes. Check out "Bong of the Dead". Aaah, an oldie but a goodie. Enjoy.
The Brian Keene novel "Dark Hollow" has been picked up for adaptation. The Story follows a half-man, half-goat "Satyr" who begins luring all the women of a small town into the woods with his spell. The men, pissed off about losing their women, go out into the woods to confront the evil. Another cool aspect of this is that he dropped the story of the acquisition on his Twitter feed, which seems to be happening more and more lately.
Here's an interesting little Japanese slasher called "Invitation Only". While digging through details I also discovered that it stars Japanese "actress" Maria Ozawa. Who is that you might ask? Let's just say if you're going to Google her, you may want to wait until you're in the privacy of your own home... with the lights off... and the door locked.
I was staying away from the rumor but today we have confirmation, Elizabeth Shue is confirmed for the remake of "Piranha 3D". The film, being shot in the newest 3D technology, is being written/directed by Alexandre Aja, of "Hills Have Eyes" and "Mirrors" fame. Shue will play the role of Sherriff Julie Forester, a "take-charge authority figure in the community of Lake Victoria". Sounds sassy!
And finally, a little treat for you on this Monday, a much better look at Megan Fox in Diablo Cody's "Jennifer's Body". Don't ever say I'm not looking out for you guys.

subset: commoncrawl


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Only a few states have complied with a federal law requiring sex-offender registration and notification. The rest have good reasons for holding out.
As of last fall, only 15 states had complied with the 2006 Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, according to a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures. This is a particularly chilling piece of news in light of the child-sexual-assault scandal engulfing Penn State University, and so it bears a bit of checking into. Why have so few states complied with the federal law?
According to the NCSL report, the financial hit that states would take from not complying is less than the cost of doing the labor-intensive work of having offenders register regularly and in-person with the authorities. If that were the only reason states aren't implementing the law, we ought to be deeply concerned. The fact is, however, that full implementation of the law would have no impact on the incidence of sexual assault. SORNA is an expensive non-solution to the problem.
The vast majority of the children who are assaulted are victims of someone in their immediate family or a coach, priest or someone else who has been brought into a position of trust. Creating a list of offenders is worthless in controlling assaults by such individuals. In fact, experts say the risk of stranger abuse is something like .0017 per 1,000 kids.
While researching the issue of child sexual assault, I came across a strong commentary in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader by Jenna Mehnert, executive director of the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and began an email correspondence with her about what might actually make kids safer from sexual assault.
She told me about a case she handled when she was a child-welfare worker in which a 12-year-old was being raped by her stepfather. Neighbors told Mehnert that they knew about the assaults, but none of them had called the police. It turned out that the man, who had served time in prison for molesting children, was also raping a 14-year-old stepson. "He is required to register," Mehnert wrote, "but nothing stops him from living with small children. Clearly the system is broken ... and a list is not the answer."
Laws like SORNA are passed because they play well with constituents. Politicians score points, look good and head on down the road. But eventually people notice that "the system is broken." Symbolism wears off and we're left with ineffective government. Enough exercises like SORNA that don't work, and we begin to sap people's confidence and trust that there is any way that government can actually help them work collectively to solve problems.
Here at the Governing Institute, we're on the lookout for things that actually work to improve outcomes. In the case of child sexual assault, a best practice that does seem to make a difference is the children's advocacy center model championed by the National Children's Alliance. If you visit the alliance's website, you'll see that while more than three quarters of a million children were victims in 2009, CACs intervene in 259,000 cases a year and there has been a steady decline over the last three years in abused and neglected children.
I've got an idea. Penn State has raised the public's awareness on this issue. Now might be the time to more successfully push effective responses to the problem. Let's take the money being spent trying to implement SORNA—or punishing states for not implementing it—and use it to create and strengthen children's advocacy centers across the country.


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Open Letter to Dynamo Fans and Supporters,
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 will be a day that Dynamo fans should long remember. Harris County Commissioners Court met today, and buried on page 24 of the Court agenda there was an action item. It read as follows: Request for approval of an agreement between the county, the City of Houston and the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority regarding construction of a soccer stadium in Precinct 1. After 30 minutes of discussion by the commissioners and the county judge, as well as both positive and negative comments from a variety of public speakers, the court voted and passed the item by a vote of 5-0.
These are the words that Houston-area soccer fans of all stripes have been waiting for. Let's think back to December 16, 2005, when on the steps of Houston City Hall, Mayor Bill White and Commissioner Sylvia Garcia welcomed Dominic Kinnear, Wade Barrett, and Pat Onstad to Houston. The three gentlemen were still somewhat in shock, as they had not fully internalized the decision that had been made to relocate the San Jose Earthquakes from California to Texas. Befitting Pat's status as a proud Canadian, a cold wind from the north greeted Dom and the players as they made remarks to the assembled media.
At the time, the Dynamo did not exist. We had no employees, no offices, no name. We had a group of players and coaches who had been living in Northern California for years and in the span of a few hours had to face important decisions about whether they wanted to pack up their belongings and move to Houston. Clearly, we had a lot of work to do at the time.
But we had a very powerful ally that drove us on a daily basis. That ally was a vision for what we could build with soccer in Houston. Together with the fans across all demographic groups, we jointly visualized a downtown stadium, just a free kick away from Minute Maid Park in the heart of East Downtown. A stadium almost literally in the shadows of the downtown skyscrapers. A stadium that would symbolize the arrival of the sport and of the team. A stadium that would serve to help unify sports fans all across the broad spectrum of life here in Harris County. We envisioned a stadium that would welcome fans of the game. A stadium that would attract sports enthusiasts who had no idea of what a 4-4-2 or a red card was. A stadium that would offer the myriad of companies in Houston a chance to show off their chosen city and entertain clients and guests.
Well, with the unanimous vote this week by Harris County Commissioners Court and the similarly unanimous vote last week by Houston City Council, we - players, coaches, staff, and most importantly the fans and supporters - are one enormous step closer to making our vision a reality. Many people have been working on this, and we are particularly grateful to Commissioners Garcia and Lee, as well as Mayor Parker and Councilmember Rodriguez. Other folks who have helped enormously may not be familiar to the Dynamo community, but without the support of Andy Icken, Chief Development Officer of the City of Houston, and David Turkel, Director of Community Services for Harris County, I can assure you that we would not have moved off of dead-center.
Dynamo fans, you have been rock-solid in your support of this effort. On behalf of the team, I want to thank you for taking the time to communicate with and appear before City Council and Commissioners Court. Your unwavering belief in the project did not go unnoticed by our elected officials, and because of your dedication, we are on the cusp of something very special. Thank you!
Oliver Luck
President/General Manager, Houston Dynamo


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Background Information for "Reconstruction the Evolution of Cauliflower and Broccoli"
Background Information for Instructors (Word) (Microsoft Word 37kB Apr28 07)Background Information for Instructors (Acrobat (PDF) 19kB Apr28 07)
The domestication of crop plants over 10,000 years provides rich opportunities to explore evolution through artificial selection. The subject also places genetic engineering in a broader context, as many students associate the term only with recombinant DNA. The laboratory experience is built around the findings reported by Smith and King (200) and Purugganan, Boyles and Suddith (2000) on the evolution of domesticated Brassica oleracea focused on the CAULIFLOWER (CAL) gene.
Single gene versus multigenic appproaches to understanding domestication. Before delving into specifics, it is important to recognize that there are limitations to putting too much weight on one or two genes in understanding evolution. Quantitative trait loci mapping studies reveal the variability in the number and effect of loci, ranging form a couple to many, that affect plant adaptive traits (Ehrenreich and Purugganan 2006). We intentionally chose the CAL example because the molecular evolutionary data is compelling and because considering adaptive traits controlled by many loci adds a layer of complexity that leads to confusion rather than learning progress for beginning college students. We have found that examples involving multiple loci are more effectively integrated into our mid-level genetics, development, and evolution courses. Recognizing the difference in single gene and quantitative trait locus approaches also reflects new conceptualizations in the emerging fields of evolution of development and ecological and evolutionary functional genomics. The laboratory experience, as we have designed it, leaves opportunities for further discussion and exploration should the instructor choose to adapt it to an upper level course. Most pointed is the guided inquiry where we lead students to a final conclusion that both broccoli and cauliflower plants have the same stop mutation in the CAL gene. Clearly broccoli and cauliflower do not look the same and the only reasonable conclusion one can draw is that there are other genetic differences that have been selected for during the ongoing domestication of cauliflower and broccoli.
Origins of the CAL gene. With the above caveats about plant adaptive traits, some background information on the CAL, the gene of interest in this lab, may be helpful. The gene was first identified through mutant analysis in the model plant Arabidopsis, a close relative of the broccoli and cauliflower (Kempin et al. 1995). Arabidopsis plants with two copies of the cal mutation have a wild type phenotype. It is only in the double mutant apetala1 (ap1) cal that the inflorescences (branching portion of the plant containing the flowers) resemble cauliflower rather than the simple, single flower per node architecture of wild type Arabidopsis. [Images of these plants and others can be found in the Description and Teaching Materials section of the laboratory website.] Sequence analysis reveals that CAL and AP1 have 82% maximum identity (you can try this using one of the CAL accession numbers (see student lab) in a BLAST search. The most likely explanation is a duplication event. AP1 is highly conserved among flowering plants, thus CAL is most likely the duplicated gene that diverged. Our students are intrigued by redundant genes that arise through gene duplication and begin diverging. The redundancy or partial redundancy explains why only the double mutant has the extreme cauliflower phenotype (ap1 alone does have a noticeable phenotype, but cal does not). The flexibility that redundant genes provide in evolution is worth a brief discussion with students.
Gene duplication. Understanding how the duplication gave rise to two identical and, over evolutionary time, similar genes, is a helpful way to begin exploring what paralogous genes are. This naturally leads to an exploration of orthologs and the question of whether or not CAL exists in other plants (e.g. has orthologs) and whether the mutant phenotype in Arabidopsis is coincidental or relates to the phenotype of cauliflower plants one can purchase in the supermarket.
Phylogenetic evidence. Lowman and Purugganan (1999) provided phylogenetic evidence that the cal mutation arose within the Brassica family. This work and later research also supports the conclusion that the duplication event producing CAL occurred within the Brassicas. Two points may be of interest to students based on this conclusion. First, while it is possible that other plant families could evolve inflorescences that look like cauliflower, the responsible gene, even if it were an AP1 duplicate would not be orthologous to CAL, because the families diverged before the Brassica CAL gene appeared on the evolutionary scene. The second point is to be clear about the difference between the cal mutation that was studied in Arabidopsis where mutations are made for developmental genetic studies and the cal mutation that naturally arose in the Brassica oleracea and were selected for by early agricultural societies. Both are examples of artificial selection. The Arabidopsis data can be used to understand the evolution of broccoli and cauliflower, but the starting information from Arabidopsis was not causal in the evolution of the subspecies of Brassica oleracae.
Role of AP1. In the student version of the laboratory description, there is a paragraph about the role of AP1 and the double mutant necessary for the cauliflower phenotype. Lowman and Purugganan's (1999) work also supports the role of the double mutant in cauliflower evolution. This paragraph can be eliminated if the instructor chooses to focus exclusively on the cal mutation or can be used as a springboard for discussing content outlined in the preceding paragraph in this background information document.
Supporting on-line images. The student laboratory and the link to Brassica oleracea images under Description and Teaching Materials offer the opportunity to explore the concept of speciation and what constitutes a species. The morphologically obvious difference among the subspecies and the molecular genetic conclusion the students arrive at regarding one aspect of the morphological differences could be used to reinforce what students have already learned about the species concept and agents of evolutionary change if Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium has been covered. That is the approach we have used in the past few years. In past years we have used the laboratory experience as a jumping off point for classroom work on speciation and found that to be effective in terms of student learning as well.
Speciation and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Our students have been involved in a multi-week research project to determine whether or not gall fly genetic differentiation that could lead to speciation is occurring in our local arboretum before they begin the broccoli and cauliflower lab. They have already worked through real world data, using Hardy-Weinberg and Chi square analyses, to determine whether or not the gall flies are undergoing genetic differentiation for host species preference. While we are able to integrate the two learning experiences during student reflection and discussion times, the "Reconstructing the Evolution of Cauliflower and Broccoli" module is not dependent on the previous laboratory experience.
Our goal is for students to integrate their understanding of genetics, evolution, and development over multiple levels of organization—DNA sequence level to whole plant morphology in this case. For those who prefer to narrow the focus to molecular genetics and evolution, the module should also be effective.
Ehrenreich, I.M., M.D. Purugganan (2006) The molecular genetic basis of plant adaptation. American Journal of Botany 93: 953-962.
Kempin, S., S. Savidge, M.F. Yanofsky (1995) Molecular basis of the cauliflower phenotype in Arabidopsis. Science 267: 522-525. Lowman, A.C., M.D. Purugganan (1999) Duplication of the Brassica oleracea APETALA1 floral homeotic gene and the evolution of domesticated cauliflower. Journal of Heredity 90: 514-520 electronic resource
Purugganan, M.D., A.L. Boyles, J.I. Suddith (2000) Variation and selection at the CAULIFLOWER floral homeotic gene accompanying the evolution of domesticated Brassica oleracea. Genetics 155: 855-862. electronic resource
Smith, L.B., G.J. King (2000) The distribution of BoCAL-a alleles in Brassica oleracea is consistent with a genetic model for curd development and domestication of the cauliflower. Molecular Breeding 6: 603-613.


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The Norwegian has now used 25 different players since arriving in south Wales and the side that beat the Cottagers 3-1 on Saturday afternoon showed three changes and an alternative formation to the XI beaten 1-0 by Tottenham the previous Sunday.
Out went Juan Cala, Aron Gunnarsson and Craig Bellamy, along with the 5-3-2 system they used at White Hart Lane, with Craig Noone and Fraizer Campbell flanking Kenwyne Jones in a 4-3-3 formation.
And Solskjaer will continue to shuffle his pack on a weekly basis as he targets 12 points from the Bluebirds' final nine Barclays Premier League games.
"You pick the personnel and the system for the team we play against," he said
"Last weekend I thought we did fantastically with the shape against Spurs and that might happen again.
"Here I sacrificed a centre-back and went with three up top because sometimes you follow your gut feeling and I was very pleased with what we did.
"We've got to go to Goodison Park next weekend now with the belief we can nick something
We were close at White Hart Lane and we will work hard this week and find a way.
"It is so tight in the bottom half of the table and there are still many many teams in it."
One player who could get back on the pitch against Everton is the experienced Bellamy, and Solskjaer explained why he missed out against Fulham.
"He has been ill all week so he hadn't trained," he said
"But the character of the lad; he came in on Friday and did something on the bike and felt maybe he could do 10 minutes for us with his energy, enthusiasm, drive and experience.
"(We needed energy in the last 10 minutes and I was going to send him on."
Fulham boss Felix Magath made attacking changes of his own with Kostas Mitroglou handed his first start since his January arrival at Craven Cottage, but the German acknowledged the record signing was not used to scrapping for survival.
The striker, who had previously featured for just 30 minutes in a Fulham shirt, played for 90 minutes against Cardiff but struggled to make a real impact.
And Magath revealed Mitroglou, who fired in 21 goals for Olympiacos this season before his departure, was experiencing a culture shock.
"Mitroglou is a player who is not used to a relegation fight," the German said.
"He comes from the best club in Greece, who was better than every other in their league, so he is only used to scoring
That is his strength.
"Here in the Premier League, the best league in the world, he is not used to it
Unfortunately he has some opportunities but at the moment he is not in the situation to score."
Magath also revealed the introduction of Alexander Kacaniklic for John Arne Riise at half-time was a tactical move to provide more "offensive strength" and not because of an injury to the former Liverpool left-back.
Source : PA
Source: PA


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Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum are getting most of the pre-Game-1 attention. As well they should. Two game-changers, pure and simple. But, one has to lose. Ok, both can get no decisions, but one of their teams has to lose.
I'm biased. Offense: Advantage Phillies, even if their bats have gone silent at times this season. Picked the Phils to win it all when they were down seven to Atlanta; still do.
I'll tell you what, though: If Pat Burrell has a big game tonight, he best not head over to the Irish Pub like he always used to. He already had at least one bottle flung at his head there. It'll be Thunderdome if he shows his face in Center City after hitting a game-winner.
Real talk.
A Test from the Best [San Francisco Chronicle]
History tells teams just don't three-peat [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Pro Wrestling Legend Ric "Nature Boy" Flair Joined Mikey Miss To Hype Him Up About The Phillies [97.5 The Fanatic]


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2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren SLR V8 hand-built from North America
Simply the best
Nothing has gone wrong with this fine automobile. Only the regular oil changes and such; the car is still brand new.
General Comments:
I have been waiting 1.5 years for the purchase of my breath-taking, devastatingly fast supercar. I chose the SLR after driving every new supercar available. (No, I did not test the Veyron, which I find appalling). I found the SLR to be superior in terms of comfort, engine noise, performance and godliness. It is a true long distance car, with race car tendencies.
I have never been beaten in a race. It surpasses all of my expectations of what a great supper should be. I have owned Ferrari and Aston, but this is far superior to all of them. It is a marvel of speed, sound and beauty.
It shall always sit between my original Gullwing 300SL, and my CLK GTR.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th June, 2008


text: Happy Pi Day!!!! Did you know this is one of the most epic Pi Days ever? The number pi is 3.14159265359 … blah blah blah and today is 3.14.15, aka the first 5 digits of pi. I'm a math nerd, so this is kind of a big deal. When I was in high school my AP Calc class (which consisted of me and about ten of my best friends) would force our ever-gracious teacher, Mr. Miller, to let us celebrate Pi Day, which meant we brought in tons of pie and did nothing but eat pie all class period. It was great. I wanted to celebrate this year's Pi Day with a virtual Pi Day party, if you will, by giving you a roundup of recipes I've been wanting to make. [Read more…]


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Biblical Names Meaning:
The name Jaakobah is a Biblical Names baby name. In Biblical Names the meaning of the name Jaakobah is: Supplanter; deceiver; the heel.
expression Number: 22
People with this name tend to be a powerful force to all whose lives they touch. They are capable, charismatic leaders who often undertake large endeavors with great success. They value truth, justice, and discipline, and may be quick-tempered with those who do not. If they fail to develop their potential, they may become impractical and rigid.
SoulUrge Number: 9
People with this name have a deep inner desire to serve humanity and to give to others by sharing money, knowledge and experience, or creative and artistic ability.


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Pack your picnic basket and grab your hood because Warner Brothers has set a date for Catherine Hardwicke's werewolf tale "Red Riding Hood". This Amanda Seyfried starring gothic retelling will hit theaters on March 11th, 2010.
The next "Final Destination" installment has been given an annoying official title in the form of "5nal Destination". Details have slipped about the film's opening suspension bridge disaster as well, but we all stopped caring after "5nal".
Anne Rice herself has taken to talking up speculation about her own properties as she drops hints about a possible "Vampire Lestat" reboot as well as a possible "Witching Hour" film or TV series. There are little to no concrete details thus far but 'Twihards', pay attention; this is where your whole goth romance schtick got its start.


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Interstate 30 was closed Thursday morning between Garland and Rowlett after a utility pole caught fire.
Officials closed the highway at about 10:15 a.m. between Horizon Road in Rockwall and Chaha Road in Garland over concerns the power lines may drop onto the highway.
The fire on the power pole, near I-30 and Dalrock Road, was put out.
The latest news from around North Texas.
Power to the line was cut off so that the the fire could be extinguished, cutting service to about 1,300 customers in the area, Oncor Electric Delivery said.
Power was restored to a handful of businesses around the intersection by late evening.
The pole had burned through and snapped, cutting power in the area. Tension kept the power lines from falling.
The interstate reopened at about 11:30 a.m. The traffic backup added a lot of time to travel times for people around the lake.
Nydia Rodriguez, who works at a restaurant near I-30 and Dalrock Road, said her 15-minute commute took 45 minutes.
"I mean, everything was closed just to get to work," she said. "Everyone was late."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The National Weather Service reports that some counties south of the Metroplex reported utility pole fires Thursday morning. The NWS said a possible cause of the fires could be related to the recent dry spell, which allowed dirt to build up on the power lines. The dirt then could have mixed with moisture from Thursday's fog, allowing short circuits to form. The short circuits could then cause the lines to spark and catch fire.
But Oncor said Thursday afternoon that the Central Texas power line fires were not related to the one in Garland, saying it doesn't believe fog played a role in starting the fire.
NBC 5's Kendra Lyn and Ray Villeda contributed to this report.


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Yolo CountyHome Sitemap Contact
Duane Chamberlain
Duane Chamberlain was elected to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors in November 2004 and was sworn into office in January 2005.
Mr. Chamberlain was born in Los Angeles in 1937 when Southern California was still largely agricultural. His family moved to the city of Orange when he was a child. He graduated from Orange High School in 1955 and subsequently moved to Yolo County to attend UC Davis. He received a degree from the University in 1959.
Mr. Chamberlain served in the Army before returning to UCD to work as a Lab Tech II from 1962 to 1965. He left the position at UCD to become a farmer, establishing Chamberlain Farms in 1965.
He raises alfalfa, grass and oat hay near his home in rural Yolo County. He also oversees the harvesting of wheat straw for bedding horses at racetracks and rice straw for erosion measures. His hay and straw operations combined, bale in excess of one million bales per year.
In addition, Mr. Chamberlain raises Holstein Heifers for dairies.
Mr. Chamberlain is active in the farming community. He is a past president of the Yolo County Farm Bureau. He served on the Board of Directors and was a member of the Yolo County Farm Bureau Executive Committee.
Mr. Chamberlain also served on the Board of Directors for the Yolo Land Trust and the Woodland Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of the UC Davis Advisory Committee for the College of Agriculture.
Mr. Chamberlain is a member of the New Testament Church in Woodland.
Art in Public Places
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Conaway Implementation
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Lower Putah Creek Coordinating (Alt)
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Sac Valley Air Basin Council
Yolo-Solano Air Quality Mgt Dist
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RCRC (Alt.)
|Capay Cemetery District
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Dunnigan Fire District
Esparto Fire District
Knight Landing Fire District
Madison Fire District
West Plainfield Fire District
Willow Oak Fire District
Yolo Fire District
Zamora Fire District
Dunnigan CSA #11
Rolling Acres Perm. Road Comm.
Madison CSA #1
Snowball Service Area # 6
Madison Citizen Advisory Committee
Supervisor Chamberlain can be reached at:
625 Court Street, Room 204
Woodland, CA 95695
(530) 666-8627 Fax: (530) 666-8193 or email
Deputy Patricia Valenzuela, phone (530) 666-8227,
Assistant Deputy Ana Vazquez phone (530) 666-8226


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Activity Ideas
Online Toolkit: Activity Ideas
Get a head start on planning your American Education Week by browsing through these ideas to create a special celebration that honors the individuals who are making public schools great for every child. Don't forget to visit the online toolkit's promotional materials to download American Education Week posters, fact sheets, newsletter articles, press release and media alert templates, proclamations, and lots more. These materials will help you spread the word about your event.
Successful Past Activities
Local associations have shared dozens of tried-and-true ideas from past American Education Week observances. Browse through these activities to gather ideas for your celebration.
Successful Media Activities
- The teachers association ran an AEW ad on the city's closed-circuit TV channel.
- A local radio station posed "quiz" questions about the city's schools.
- The local association and school district cosponsored billboards with pro-public education messages.
- A local president wrote a letter of thanks to the community. It was printed in the local newspaper as a "letter to the editor." (View a sample letter)
- The local association president was interviewed on the radio.
- The local daily newspaper published an editorial by the local association president who expressed the pride association members took in "working hard to teach children to think and dream."
- Students read motivational quotes from past and present heroes on a local radio station and on the school's public address system. (View sample quotes)
- A local association bought a newspaper ad that featured students saying what they liked best about school and describing their dreams for the future.
- Two students were guests on a local radio talk show. They recited the poem Nothing Stops a Dreamer and discussed American Education Week activities at their school. Many listeners called in to commend the students and ask them questions. They turned out to be great ambassadors for the school.
- A newspaper featured a two-page American Education Week spread that included photos of students involved in learning activities, plus essays from all grade levels.
Celebrating in School
Following is a list of past activities conducted by schools to celebrate American Education Week:
- A U.S. map was displayed so each school employee could sign at the location where he or she was born.
- Third graders wrote essays on, "What I would do if I were principal."
- Ice cream bars were given to students and teachers just because "school is cool."
- The school used American Education Week to launch a contest to design the school's yearbook cover.
- Parents were invited to have lunch with their children in the school cafeteria.
- Teachers sent home preprinted "apple" papers with places for students to fill in favorite subject, best time of day, or what they liked about their classroom or teacher, and a section for parents to write their school memories. Students returned the papers during American Education Week. Some also gave their teachers real apples, apple pins, apple-scented candles or other apple-themed items.
- T-shirts and other clothing with the school logo were collected and donated to needy students.
- A school book fair encouraged children and parents to purchase items for their at-home library collections.
- Teachers posted their anonymous baby photos on a bulletin board as part of a contest to see which student could identify the most.
- Students, to end the week, gathered around the flagpole and sang the national anthem. Student council leaders said a few words about the importance of making goals and thinking ahead to the future.
- A contest was held to design a school flag.
- Banners were hung throughout the school building proclaiming American Education Week.
- Retired teachers were invited to return and teach for a day.
- Students made a classroom quilt with squares that said, "I'm special."
- A teacher created a quilt from the names of all the school's teachers.
- American Education Week began with a "students vs. teachers" volleyball game and a bake sale that raised funds for graduation awards.
- One day, students dressed as if they were in their future career.
- A local association sponsored a "What I Like Best About My School" contest for all students. Lower grades drew pictures. Others wrote short essays. The first-place winner in each classroom won $2, then entered a drawing for a $50 savings bond. Entries were displayed on "open house" evening.
- A middle school art class made vanity license plates for American Education Week, which were posted in school hallways and the administration building.
- Future Educators of America provided snacks to teachers each day.
Students drew pictures or wrote essays describing their school in the future.
- Students created school flags and displayed them during American Education Week.
- A bulletin board displayed photos of school staff in their "other" lives, with family and in nonschool activities.
- The student council gave each teacher a notepad that said, "Our school is special, thanks to you."
- Junior high students became "study buddies" (helpers) in elementary classrooms.
- The student council supplied breakfast rolls for teachers.
- The parent-teacher organization and the American Legion hosted supper for teachers during parent-teacher conferences.
- Templates with the American Education Week art and slogan were run off and given to students so they could write anonymous messages to special teachers.
- Guests from the business community read to elementary students.
- A contest challenged students' knowledge of "faculty trivia."
- Students gave their high school a "hug" by holding hands and encircling the building. The math department had measured average arm spans and the building's circumference and had calculated in advance that there would be enough students to surround the school.
- Students gave teachers a "pat on the back" by filling in anonymous compliment sheets.
- Teachers exchanged classes on one day of American Education Week.
- A bulletin board featured a map of the state. The birthplaces of school staff members were highlighted. Their childhood photos were posted around the edges and connected to their birthplaces by string. After several days of trying to guess the identities, names were posted by each photo.
- The local association bought lunch for parents who visited classrooms.
Saluting School Staff
Following is a list of past activities used for saluting teachers, education support professionals, and substitute educators during American Education Week:
- View Detailed ESP Day Celebration Ideas ( PDF, 127 KB, 2 pgs.)
- A local association bought a snack platter for the teachers' room in each school. Cards were sent with the platters to explain the celebration.
- A local association placed a daily treat or token of appreciation in each mailbox, for example, a keychain along with a note, "Our staff is the key to success."
- A local association gave each teacher a certificate for a "free lunch."
- Each member was given a plastic apple filled with mints.
- School administrators cooked breakfast for staff and handed out travel mugs and lapel pins.
- Bus drivers received coupons for breakfast at the local bagel shop.
- Each bus driver was given cookies and "thank-you" cards signed by all the students on their route.
- American Education Week began with a 7:30 a.m. potluck breakfast in the library. Each teacher received a cupcake with a candle (and a match), along with a bookmark imprinted with this George Bernard Shaw quote: "I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no brief candle for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."
- Popcorn was placed in all staff lounges on Friday of American Education Week.
- A local association gave each teacher a sandwich bag full of little gifts and attached a note that explained the contents: "A penny so you have enough cents to realize what a valuable asset you are; Hugs & Kisses so you remember how much we appreciate you; A lollipop to help you lick your problems; A rubber band to help you hold things together; A piece of gum for stick-to-it-iveness; A pin to help you pinpoint problems and solutions."
- A basket of pro-public education lapel pins was placed in each teachers' lounge.
- Junior high students gave Hershey's Hugs & Kisses candies to support staff along with "thank you" notes.
- A local association kicked off American Education Week early Monday morning with an all-staff breakfast where the Teacher of the Year was announced.
- A gala banquet honored retired teachers.
- A local association gave each teacher a blank "thank you" note to forward to someone.
A local association, at a special school board recognition program, gave each board member a blue ribbon that read, "Who I am makes a difference."
- A local association president delivered a box of apples to each school along with a note: "In celebration of American Education Week."
- A local association bought an apple pie for each teacher and attached the following note that bore the American Education Week logo: "An apple (pie, that is) for the teacher. Thanks for making our schools great."
- Certified staff on Education Support Professionals Day (Wednesday) did the duties of classified staff.
- Support staff received Peppermint Patties thanking them for their "involve-mint."
- Each support staffer was given a gift certificate from a local store.
- All staff wore suspenders to show "support" for Education Support Professionals on their day.
- Each staff member was given a "survival kit" that contained an item for every day of the week. The kit included tissue to remind them it's okay to cry, a rubber band to indicate they can be stretched to the limit and still survive, and a playing card to remind them they don't get to choose the cards they're dealt.
- A local association organized "recognition breakfasts" for teachers and paraprofessionals.
- A local association provided goodies for all school employees--and special treats for members.
- Each Education Support Professional member received a carnation.
A journalism teacher had her students write an article for the school newspaper on Education Support Professionals. They interviewed staff and distributed M&M's with an attached message: "To us you're Magnificent and Most Appreciated--thanks for all that you do!"
- Each school support staffer received an engraved notebook.
- Bagels and cream cheese were provided for all staff.
- A local association gave an apple ornament to each member.
- The school district gave special recognition to parent volunteers.
All local association members were given Starburst candy and a card: "You are a STAR in the classroom."
- Each day, school employees received small gifts in their mailboxes: Examples included business cards, planning calendars, teamwork certificates, multicolored notepads and pencils.
- Teachers, support staff, administrators and school board members were given note tablets with the inscription: "We're Proud To Be in the Kid Business."
- A local association gave apple muffins to all staff members -- and to school board members at their regular meeting.
- Certificates of appreciation were given to each Education Support Professional member.
- Custodians were given T-shirts proclaiming "We are [school name's] clean thinking people." School secretaries got fruit baskets with notes that read, "Thanks for ripening our days at [school name]."
- Paraprofessionals and other support staff got buttons: "Our school is special, thanks to you!"
- The superintendent recently attended the "Back to School" building representative dinner to offer her thanks for all we do every day.
- Teachers sent letters of appreciation to the school board about any support staff who had helped them in some way.
- Over 2,000 teachers honored Education Support Professionals with individual "thank you" notes. There were also special star stickers on a number of these 'thank you' notes that guaranteed the Education Support Professionals would receive a pie of their choice from a local pie shop.
- A local association sent out Payday candy bars, with a note saying "We have an extra payday for you."
- Education Support Professionals were presented with stemmed rose buds, with a note "For all you do, this bud's for you."
- Students wrote Education Support Professionals letters thanking them for their hard work and expertise. It meant a lot that the children recognized the ESPs' contributions to the school.
- Poems were distributed to each Education Support Professional member of the local association along with a cover letter of thanks for their service and commitment to the district and community.
- Education Support Professionals received a bagel breakfast, along with an Education Support Professional pin and a certificate.
- A local association purchased travel mugs and sent them to all support staff along with a "thank you" note.
- At one school during American Education Week, the entire week's procession of school substitutes—substitutes for teachers, for bus drivers, for lunchroom workers, instructional assistants, and secretaries—had their photos taken by students and teachers using the school's digital camera. Each day new Substitute Educator photos with names were printed and posted at the entrance to the school on a special bulletin board. Paper matching the bulletin board color was used by students to make a Welcome ______ Substitutes banner, stretching across the entrance hallway.
- Several elementary schools used the morning intercom announcements during American Education Week to give a warm welcome to the Substitute Educators of the Day, using their names and room numbers. Secondary schools welcomed and thanked Substitute Educators using the printed daily bulletins.
- The Substitutes Association, a department of the local association, started an annual tradition, an RSVP Celebration Salmon Dinner on the Friday evening of Substitute Educators Day, for honored substitute educators and their "main personal support" guests. During the first year, attendees stood up and told how long they had been substituting in schools, and what they liked or loved about it. During the second year Dinner, RSVP's were self-limited to substitute educators who promised to initiate or work on activities or curriculum regarding Substitute Educators or the full range of American Educators and to report back at the Celebration Dinner.
Reaching Out to the Community
Following is a list of community outreach activities from previous years:
- A local association staffed a table at the local mall and distributed NEA pamphlets to parents.
- Local association members invited retired teachers to a tea in their honor—and listened to them reminisce about their careers.
- An official from the local children's museum spoke about "goal tending" (the importance of making goals for the future).
- Upper-grade students read stories about their anticipated careers to primary grade students.
- A local Association presented its annual "Whole Village Award" during a "partners in education" reception at the local middle school.
- A local church Sunday honored more than 100 educators and hosted a reception following services.
- A local association placed children's books in pediatricians' offices, accompanied by a sticker that identified the association and urged parents to read to their kids every day.
- A local association collected children's books to donate to abuse shelters and hospitals.
- A local association presented a program on National Board Certification.
- Students were invited to a career fair.
- A local association collected non-perishable food for a local teen shelter.
- A local association provided a special package for each baby born in the area during American Education Week. The package included a tiny T-shirt bearing the child's expected high school graduation year and the American Education Week theme, as well as a book, a letter to the child, a letter to the parents and apple cider mix (for parents to drink while reading to their child). The letters emphasized the importance of reading and education.
- A local association held a barbecue to raise funds for scholarships for future educators.
- Second graders colored and decorated posters for downtown store windows.
- Different grades made bookmarks to give away at the public library, table tents for restaurants and fast food chains, placemats for nursing homes and restaurants and posters for hanging around town. Younger children decorated brown bags for grocery stores, adding their name, grade, and school.
- An American Education Week banner was hung across a prominent street.
- Laminated American Education Week posters were given to bus drivers to display in their buses.
- Area teachers organizations saluted the police chief with a "True Friend of Education" award.
- A high school graphic design class made posters to put up around the community.
- A local association newsletter published brief comments from a dozen "local people who believe in education and the importance of the work educators do every day," including the police chief, the newspaper editor, the county executive and the hospital CEO. (View sample newsletter)
- A local association distributed calendars to all school board members, administrators and members.
- Letters were sent to area churches asking that American Education Week be announced in church bulletins or during services.
- An American Education Week reminder was inserted into report cards.
- School alumni received tokens of appreciation at a luncheon.
- Students sang at a parent-teacher organization meeting.
- A local association put together its first-ever American Education Week parade down Main Street. School employees, school board members, and other school patrons carried banners portraying the AEW theme as well as other education slogans. The mayor and the executive secretary of the state education association served as parade marshals.
- A local association president spoke at a school board meeting and expressed his appreciation for the work they did.
- Copies of the American Education Week proclamation, signed by the mayor, were hung in each school. (View sample proclamations)
- A local association created a new annual award to recognize outstanding "work for the educational community."
- The Board of Education made breakfast for all school district employees.
- On Friday of American Education Week, a local Association hosted a breakfast for community members.
- A local Association delivered cookies to central office personnel.
- Community leaders were invited to breakfast and open house at school.
- The whole town was encouraged to wear school colors on Friday of American Education Week.
- Greeting cards were sent to school board members and administrators, to express appreciation for their roles and contributions.
- A local association hosted a reception to honor the school board, staff, administrators, and retired teachers.
- A local association recognized school board members with a packet of mementos and information from NEA on being public school supporters.
- Teachers sent students home with a handout that suggested good books.
- Elementary students at an American Education Week assembly saluted teachers and other school staff with skits, songs, and poems, and thanked them for their hard work.
- A local association hosted an all-day "community appreciation coffee" at the school. They used a room decorated with elementary students' projects. The high school food class made the coffee, cakes, and rolls. Staff donated door prizes.
Open House Day/AEW Kick-Off Ideas - Monday, November 18
- Coordinate a pep rally on Monday to celebrate American Education Week and preview each of your celebration days.
- Print the American Education Week poster to decorate your school's common areas. Reproduce the smaller, 11 x 8 version of the poster to distribute in students' take-home packets. (View poster)
- Organize an American Education Week bulletin board contest. Each classroom works together with their teacher to design a bulletin board that reflects American Education Week's theme, "Reach. Educate. Inspire." The winning class is announced at an American Education Week kick-off assembly.
- Familiarize students with American Education Week and its components, including theme and celebration days, in the morning announcements on Monday and throughout the entire week (highlighting the observance of the day, i.e., Invite Parents to School Day, Education Support Professionals Day, and other days).
- Encourage students to create American Education Week artwork reflecting the 2019 theme and display students' designs at your local post office, bank, mall, or library.
- Ask your local library to set up a special American Education Week exhibit outlining the observance from its beginning to present.
Contact your governor and/or mayor's office to issue a proclamation officially designating your community's American Education Week participation. (View sample proclamations)
- Organize an American Education Week kick-off open house to celebrate education, teachers, education support professionals, substitute educators, parents, and students.
- Host an American Education Week kick-off potluck breakfast for school staff and/or bake sale to salute public education.
- Distribute laminated bookmarks with the American Education Week logo to staff and students.
- Distribute a media alert and press release about your American Education Week event. (View sample media alert and sample press release)
Parents Day Ideas - Tuesday, November 19
- Create a planning committee. A few weeks prior to the day, spread the word to let school staff and employees, as well as parents, know about the details.
- Draft and distribute a letter inviting parents to join their children for a day at school. (View sample letter and sample response form)
- Host a welcome reception in the school auditorium for parents and their children.
- Create an agenda for parents to follow throughout the day detailing class schedule and activities.
- Engage parents in classroom grade specific activities and projects.
- Provide parents with certificates of participation and packets of information to take home with them, such as tips on parental involvement and how to encourage reading and writing at home. (View parental involvement tips)
- Distribute a media alert and press release about your Invite Parents to School Day event. (View sample media alert and sample press release)
Education Support Professionals Day Ideas - Wednesday, November 20
- Provide a breakfast and/or lunch for Education Support Professionals to show your appreciation. Or, bring an Education Support Professional some home-baked treats.
- Demonstrate your support for Education Support Professionals by experiencing the school day as an Education Support Professional.
- Donate to an Education Support Professional's favorite charity to say "thank you" and help the community. Often organizations will provide you with a card saying that a donation has been made in someone's name.
- Surprise an Education Support Professional with a gift certificate to a favorite clothing, record, or bookstore. If you are not certain which store an Education Support Professional favors, give a certificate to a local mall or shopping center.
- Ask your coworkers to chip in and surprise an Education Support Professional with a relaxing massage, facial, or manicure/pedicure.
- Present an Education Support Professional with tickets to a concert, movie, or show. A nice gesture would be to provide enough tickets for a friend and/or family.
- Recommend a wage increase by appealing to the powers-that-be. It may be a perfect way for management to make an administration-sponsored gesture.
- Arrange for non-Education Support Professionals to fill in for Education Support Professionals during their lunch hour so that they can go out for lunch together.
- Send a "Thank You" card containing a raffle ticket. Then hold a raffle drawing and present the winning Education Support Professional with a gift certificate to a local restaurant.
- Encourage a letter-writing campaign among teachers and students to thank Education Support Professionals for all that they do.
- Distribute a media alert and press release about your Education Support Professionals Day event. (View sample media alert and sample press release)
Educator for a Day Ideas - Thursday, November 21
- Form a committee to develop a specific plan for the program. The proposal should then be reviewed by your local leadership.
- Plan to meet with your superintendent or other administrative representative to develop a final plan.
- Decide how many guest educators you need to invite to make the program a success. Then, decide how many school employees you want to accompany the guest educators.
- Set guidelines for guests and cooperating educators, and communicate them to both groups.
- Develop a public relations strategy for the program. You will want to spread the word among local media outlets. (View sample media pitch letter and press release)
- Arrange for adequate evaluation and follow-up for the program, including an end of the school day reception, certificate of appreciation and thank you letters.
Substitute Educators Day Ideas - Friday, November 22
- Present each substitute educator with a carnation and a note or poem of thanks and appreciation.
- Identify and honor each regular staff employee who has served as a substitute educator sometime during their career.
- Have staff or students bring a bag of snacks into the classroom. Substitute educators often stay in the classroom, using breaks and lunchtime to prepare for the next part of the day.
- Arrange a schoolwide recognition of substitute educators in the read-aloud school bulletin, or on the intercom announcements.
- Create and present substitute educators with a certificate of appreciation. (View sample Certificate of Appreciation.)
- Showcase digital photos of the "Substitute Educators of the Week" on a central bulletin board or banner.
- Distribute a media alert and press release about your substitute educators event. (View sample media alert and sample letter to the media)


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Paolo's wild ride down
For the first time since his landing on Tuesday, ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli was again in the public eye yesterday at a press conference. A smiling Paolo talked about his ride back to Earth and how he was feeling gravity again after his long stay in space.
"It was really an experience!" said Paolo at the press conference. "After a nice and quiet life in space, the reentry was then rapid, cruel and rough – we were like shaken with a big hammer!"
The return and landing of Soyuz TMA-20 on Tuesday went well, ending in perfect conditions, with the ground crew reaching the capsule soon after touchdown.
Paolo was the last of the trio to be helped out and, after a short rest in the warm spring morning air, he was met by the medical team waiting nearby.
A check-up by doctors is standard after landing because it is not uncommon that even the strongest astronauts are stressed by the heavy deceleration of reentry and feel weak in the strong pull of Earth's gravity after a long period of weightlessness on the Space Station.
"I had difficulties in breathing under the strong deceleration. I remembered that I had to extend my head to make breathing easier, but I couldn't do that because I filled every millimetre of the space in the capsule!"
The three were then flown by helicopters to the nearby city of Karaganda, two hours away. After a traditional welcome ceremony, Paolo and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman took a plane to Houston. The ash cloud from the erupting Icelandic volcano changed the route, adding to the travel time.
Paolo was already feeling good by the time of their stopover in the UK, and now, after two days' rest, he is doing even better. Immediately on reaching NASA's Johnson Space Center, Paolo began tests for comparison with the results from before and during his flight.
"And thanks to all my followers on Twitter and Flickr for all your comments and support. I really appreciate it!"
The whole interview (in Italian and English) is available on the right.
Landing with Soyuz
Soyuz is a rugged and reliable spacecraft, but it does not provide the most comfortable ride back from the orbit. It takes a relatively leisurely two days to reach the Space Station – but the return lasts only a few hours.
Paolo's Soyuz fired its main engine for about four minutes at 01:30 GMT to begin the descent. The orbital and service modules were then discarded.
Commander Kondratyev turned the capsule with its heatshield forwards. At about 02:03 GMT, the crew could feel the friction from the thin gas of the upper atmosphere beginning to brake the craft. As the Soyuz bit into the denser atmosphere, the deceleration built up to about five times Earth gravity.
The parachutes opened at 02:11 GMT: the small drogue chute first, and then the big main canopy. This was a violent event: the capsule tumbled and spun, until the main chute was fully open and stabilised the ride.
During the last 10 kilometres the crew felt the powerful tug of gravity gradually taking over from the reentry forces, as they swung slowly below the parachute.
The Soyuz landed, as usual, with pinpoint accuracy right on time at 02:27 GMT on the Kazakh steppe.
Touchdown is not really soft – there is no doubt that terra firma has been reached.
In perfect conditions, as on Tuesday, when the wind is still, Soyuz lands nicely upright, firing the retrorockets just before touching down to cushion the landing. In difficult conditions, it can tip over and be dragged along by the parachute before coming to rest.
The Soyuz capsule is small but at least in weightlessness it feels larger. After landing, the crew, weakened by their long stay in space, find it difficult climbing out in their Sokol suits.
During a long space mission the human body stretches: an astronaut can 'grow' several centimetres. This comes mainly from the spine, which is squeezed and slightly curved on Earth, but extends to its natural length in weightlessness. This can cause back pain during the first days in space, and after landing.
The gain in length is taken into account during seat fitting tests (like here) before launch, but the strong re-entry forces can make it feel far from comfortable during descent.
Paolo's last tweet from space said: "Going home from ISS on a wild ride." And, for him, it was!


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Filed under: Current selections | Tags: beer, Beer festival, Beverages, Binge drinking, Drink, Food, India Pale Ale, John LeMasney, Liquor store, Microbrewery, Mikkeller, Recreation, Shopping
Hi, friends.
You may have noticed that as of late I've slowed down my beer blogging considerably, and I have a very good reason: I've slowed my beer consumption considerably, and may very well stop drinking altogether. Before continuing, I want to say that I still very much love the craft beer movement, many of my friends and colleagues who enjoy, photograph, tweet, and blog about beer, and that I'll still raise a glass with you, I just might not have any beer in mine.
I want to especially thank the following people and groups for sharing my quest for the best beer out there:
Gservo, gogoincognito, rkapes, scarbonaro, Angel and Bryan, Rob Mangold, Liz and the crew at the Hulmeville Inn, Mike at canal's Burlington, the beer guys at Canal's Lawrenceville, everyone at Super Saver Pennington, Ryan and the folks at Uno Grill in Hamilton, everyone at Issac Newton's, Shawn Connelly and the Aleuminati, The Beer Boss, The Beer in Me, Beer Valley, the New Jersey Brewfest, the Beer Babe, Twitter Taste Live, Roch Pisarek, Jim in Hopewell, and the rest of you. Raise a pint for me, and enjoy.
My reasons for slowing, and perhaps stopping, my beer consumption are as follows:
1. I've gained 50 pounds in the last year, after losing over 100 in the last 3 years.
At one time, I was doing a small speaking circuit on how I lost over 100 pounds. My friends, kindly avoiding the topic, have surely noticed the return of my girth. Since I religiously record my calorie intake, I can very easily tell you that it is due to beer calories, which if you follow this blog, you know I pay attention to. However, some of my additional calories are due to post drinking easiness with which I'll consume a few hundred calories that my sober self would easily have passed up.
2. I drink more than one or two great beers in a sitting, and sometimes drink 4 or 5.
While I can have just one beer, I don't find a lot of fun in it. I've loved going to my local bottleshop, picking out a six of singles, and enjoying the complex differences between a few porters, IPAs, Belgians, or Hefeweizens. If I have the opportunity for a sampler, such as Triumph's, I'll always enjoy the variation in flavors and be quite satisfied with 12-14 ounces. When I'm sampling at home though, it's easier to just splurge. The only problem is that it leads (in my individual case) to the other issues I'm listing here, not to mention, it's called binge drinking, though it never felt that way to me.
3. Great beer can be up to $25 for a single 12 ounce bottle.
My favorite beer in the world is Mikkeller's Black (look for the Chinese character) a 12 ounce bottle of the darkest, choclatiest, most delicious elixir I've ever tasted. It's over a dollar an ounce at my place, coming in at about $18. A six pack is about $120 after taxes. This is an extreme case, but if you enjoy craft beer, you know that it's not cheap. There are exceptions, especially when a case gets past its prime and goes on special, but in general, a six pack is between $8 and $10, and it can go pretty quick for me.
4. I've become closely associated with beer in my personal and professional circles.
There are some people who when they haven't seen me for a while ask me what I've been drinking lately far before they'll ask me what my favorite new application is, how my boys are doing, or how things are going at work. I'd like to be known as a list of things besides the beer blogging guy, not because I didn't love this effort, but because I'm many things besides a beer blogger.
5. I have become recognized on sight at my local bottle shops.
When I go into any of 6 or 8 of my favorite bottleshops, I get a smile, a welcome, and a handshake. That's nice, very nice, but the fact that I seldom get the same welcome at my favorite restaurants, food stores, libraries, etc. means that I may need to refocus my energies on strengthening different kinds of relationships.
6. I have taken to traveling for over an hour to visit great bottleshops throughout my state.
Oaktree BuyRite is a great bottle shop. I've traveled on a Sunday for over an hour so that I can get the finest selection of craft beer in the state. I could have been spending that time not burning gas, reading, sleeping, or playing with my sons. Again, it's refocusing priorities.
7. When traveling, part of my itinerary is undoubtedly finding great beer.
I have a google map where I've collected high ranked beer shops in each of the areas I've visited in the last two years. I have gone on late night trips to supermarkets to see what that state's offering comparative to NJ. Simply put, traveling for me became as much about finding great beer as taking great photos, and sometimes the beer finding outweighed the photos.
8. I've started getting beer related gifts for holidays and other occasions.
In the last three months, I've gotten 2 beer related shirts, 3 beer posters, and asked to go to a beer festival as my major birthday present. All nice gifts, but there are other things to enjoy.
9. My youtube videos, tweeps, social networks, and other online trails have become laden with beer related content.
I like my job, but I bet if I was job searching right now, I'd be answering questions about my obsessions with beer in interviews. I personally think I'd have great answers about why beer was such an important part of my life, but I bet that many people would read into my intense appreciation for beer as something else. It's already happened with some people.
10. I want to refocus on other topics, such as leadership, technology, open source, training, and family.
As I said, while I really enjoyed this great ride, it's time to give it a rest. This is by no means meant to be an insult to the brewing community, beer lovers, beer bloggers, or anyone else. It's really just a way of communicating why you might not be hearing alot more from me about beer anytime soon. You can however start hearing from me about the topics in the header above, and many others.
Here's to you, thanks for a great ride.
John LeMasney, formerly Beercritic.
Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Struise | Tags: Beverages, chocolate, coffee, Food, Home, Palate, Shopping, syrup
Aroma is chocolate, coffee, and syrup. roasted malted barley, wood, and sweetness. Completely opaque, dark with a tan long lasting head. Crisp, very sour, syrup, striking flavor. Interesting and wonderful, very different. Alcohol is exquisitely hidden. Long sour finish, with a generally crisp and active palate. A very special brew.
Filed under: Great Divide, Imperial/Double IPA (snifter, tulip)
Smoky, beefy aroma. Clear, brilliant deep amber color under a tan head. Flavor is oak, bitterness, and smoke. Texture is crisp, thick, and warming. Some sourness. Overall, exactly as the label conveys. Cheers to Great Divide.
Filed under: Mikkeller, wheat ale (shaker, weizen) | Tags: Mikkeller Not Just Another Wit
Pale yellow body under a bright white, sticky head with strong lacing.
Aroma is faint, but enticing, banana, cloves, wheat, pepper.
Flavor is cinnamon, banana, arugula, and peppercorns.
Texture is dry, crisp, active, and lightly biting.
Overall, a great hoppy take on the style, and a delicious example of a witbier.
Filed under: Dogfish Head | Tags: death by chocolate, hazy, jumping, knocks you over, long finish, overwhelming, rich, sipper, syrup, Syrupy, whack, wispy
Originally published on Published on: Sep 6, 2008 @ 2:55
Calories: estimated at 300 C
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: Trappist
Purchased at: Circle Liquors Super Saver, Pennington, NJ
Price: $8.99
Consumed at: home
Former Impression: Wow. Knocks you over. 0-60 in 3 sips. The aroma fills the room with flowery hops. The malt is jumping. The bottle conditioning is a nice touch. I like a little haze in my 21% ABV ale (!). It's syrupy with sweetness. It seems like a barleywine style, except for the IPA overtones. You are absolutely forced to sip and recover. The aftertaste is long, palate damaging, and delicious. I would find it hard to pair this with anything but the richest foods. This is the death by chocolate of hoppy beers. Thick yellowish head reduces to a wispy white foam with nice lacing. The reputation of this beer precedes it and it does not disappoint, though I thought I would enjoy it a bit more than I am, it simply whacks you over the head. It's like trying to drink coke syrup. It's exactly what I asked for, but as they say, be careful of what you ask for, they might serve it to you in a 12 oz bottle for 9 bucks.
Current Impression: It is the essential full bodied beer. There is no other like it, save for some Avery brews. It is overwhelming, delicious in very small quantities, and a force to be reckoned with. There is very little to compare to this collection of peach, cherry, chocolate syrup, hops bitterness, and mint leaves. Superb.


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Please join the Gatineau Valley Historical Society for an evening of poetry, song and images celebrating the Gatineau River as Phil Jenkins talks and sings about The Babbling River: The Gatineau Valley in Verse and Song
Apart from spending his teenage years in Liverpool, England during Beatlemania, Phil has been thinking about Ottawa and the Gatineaus for more than 40 years. He has written for a variety of magazines and is weekly local history columnist for the
Ottawa Citizen.
He is the author Fields of Vision and An Acre of Time: The Enduring Value of Place, as well as River Song: Sailing the History of the St. Lawrence, and Beneath My Feet: The Memoirs of George Mercer Dawson.
He is also a singer/songwriter who performs solo, or with the group "Riverbend." He currently lives in the Gatineau Hills.
Everyone welcome, and there are refreshments!
The meeting will be held Monday, March 18, 7:30 pm, at the Wakefield Library, Wakefield Community Centre, 38 Valley Drive, La Pêche – just north of Ottawa.
The website of the GVHS is www.gvhs.ca


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One of my biggest problems with Dead Space 3 is that it is utterly lacking in the hallucination department. What happened to all those twisted, freaky things I witnessed in the first two titles?
Playing as Isaac got you close to zero hallucinations. You could get minor satisfaction in co-op while playing as Carver, but even then the acid trippy moments felt thin. And weak.
Well, fortunately we're getting more Dead Space 3 content. Awakened, the DLC that releases today, brings some of the much-needed creepy back.
What kind of creepiness, you say? Look no further than the video above, which I captured earlier tonight while playing cooperatively with a friend. Beware of minor enemy spoilers, which are new in this latest chapter. But if you're up for a little tease, the video will give you a glimpse at what I'm referencing.
Expect my review of Awakened tomorrow.


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Trailer rental firms insist that tow vehicles provide operating lights - turn, tail and brake lights for every towed vehicle rented. Easy to do if the tow vehicle is wired that way, but a pain if it has separate turn and stop lamp circuits. John's solution is a pair of diodes, some quick disconnects and an inexpensive wiring harness. He used Schottky diodes for low- voltage drop, rated 3A to handle 36W of trailer lights. He then threw in a few quick splice connects for the rear tail light wires and the mate to the trailer's 4-Way Flat and was set quicker than he could say "You haul!" Oh, yeah - be sure the vehicle and tow hitch can handle the trailer, cargo and tongue weight.
|Trailer Lights Hookup Kit Parts List
|Part Description
|Allied Part #
|3A Schottky diode
|Quick splice connector
|Additional parts required: Champion Trailer # 4378 car side trunk connector
This Gadget Freak is undergoing an update. Please revisit this link soon for the full instructions.
For parts information, call (800) 433-5700, or go to www.alliedelec.com/gf.asp


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General Motors is spending $131 million on its Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant to prepare it to build the next-generation Corvette.
The plant will spend the money on manufacturing equipment, specialized tooling and plant updates, said Mark Reuss, GM's president of North America.
The plant will add about 250 jobs, which will boost its workforce by about 50 percent, to about 750 workers.
The Bowling Green plant will continue to build the current-generation car, known as the C6, for the 2012 and 2013 model years. The next-generation Corvette, known as the C7, is expected to debut for the 2014 model year.
GM spent about $39 million on the plant when it changed over to the C6 Corvette in 2005--about one-third the amount it is spending for the changeover to the C7.
Reuss did not disclose any details on the new Corvette.
"Each generation of the Corvette must improve on the last, and I can tell you that the next-generation Corvette will thrill sports-car drivers," he said.
The Bowling Green plant has built the fiberglass-bodied Corvette since 1981, when production was moved from St. Louis, Mo. In 2010, the plant built 15,791 cars.


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With a Masters of Arts in Emerging Media from Loyola, you will have a unique set of skills and insights that will prepare you to understand cutting-edge communication applications and how to use them. You will recognize how new platforms can enhance existing communication activities and open compelling possibilities for innovation.
The rigorous curriculum makes Loyola graduates ideal candidates for a variety of roles and responsibilities in a huge array of industries and professions ranging from the traditional media disciplines such as public relations, journalism, advertising, and marketing to other businesses, groups, organizations, or individuals who wish to reach wider audiences and stakeholders using effective and appropriate channels of communication. You will be trained not only to make use of the contemporary communication vehicles available today but also to analyze and embrace the communication technologies that will be introduced tomorrow, next year, or a decade from now. A Masters of Arts in Emerging Media is your platform to go ahead, get ahead, and stay ahead in our competitive world that relies on communication.
Dr. Hoplamazian uses research and hands-on opportunities to prepare his students for work in the communication field