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- Drake's and Brown Jug and Monkey Bar and Amer's and Espresso Royale and Continental Diner and Bill's Coffee Cup (Ann Arbor)
- Penny Lane and Trident and Aristocrat Diner and Sundown Saloon (Boulder)
- Dom Bakeries and Mudd House and Ugly Mug (Ypsi)
- Pat's (Orono)
- Stella's and Cosmic Crossings and Pete's and Mercury Cafe (Denver)
- South St. Diner (Boston)
- Ruski's and JavaNet (Portland)
- Atlas and Roebling Tea Room (Brooklyn)
- Broken Cup and Yaffa and Cafe Pick Me Up (Manhattan)
I miss little things about each and every one of those places, the way they used to be when I worked there. Now it's Coffee by Design and Hilltop in Portland. Dipping a toe into Local Sprouts. Also, of course, home.
I know I'm forgetting some place. An internal tour of your past is never really complete. Interesting to remember how I felt as a writer, where my horizons of expectation were, when I was spending time at each of those places.


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John Keats
John Keats (31 October 1795 – 23 February 1821 / London, England)
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Sonnet To Mrs. Reynolds's Cat
Cat! who hast pass'd thy grand climacteric,
How many mice and rats hast in thy days
Destroy'd? How many tit bits stolen? Gaze
With those bright languid segments green, and prick
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subset: commoncrawl


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It doesn't matter that Robin Thicke is a grown man. His mom, former "Days of Our Live" star Gloria Loring, is defending her kid.
While Thicke's single, "Blurred Lines," is blowing up the radio airwaves, there has been some criticism that the song and video (which has two versions – one with the women clothed and an unrated one in which the women are topless) is degrading to women.
"As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to be embarrassed about," Loring told Access Hollywood Live while promoting her book, "Coincidence Is God's Way of Remaining Anonymous."
See video: Jimmy Fallon and Robin Thicke Give 'Blurred Lines' the Kazoo-Banana-Cowbell Treatment
"First of all, these girls are saying 'Excuse me' and they're like walking past, ignoring them, and the guys are going 'Whoa, Hey, hey, hey.' And that's like guys. I don't care how old they are, if they're in their 80s. A beautiful girl walks by, they strip them down to the see-through plastic and they look," she added.
Loring goes on to point out that the three artists on the song and video – Thicke with rappers T.I. and Pharrell – are happily married men. Her son has been married to actress Paula Patton for eight years.
"You don't live with Paula Patton if you don't respect women," Loring pointed out, "'cause you won't keep a woman like Paula Patton!"
See video: Bill Clinton Knows You Want It in 'Blurred Lines' Mash-up
In his own defense, Thicke said on NBC's "Today" last month that he considered the song a "feminist movement."
"If you listen to the lyrics, it says, 'That man is not your maker.' It's actually a feminist movement within itself," he said. "It's saying that women and men are equals as animals and as power. It doesn't matter if you're a good girl or a bad girl, you can still have a good time."
Watch Loring defend "Blurred Lines" in the video below:


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WAI UA Teleconf 9 May 2000 Jon Gunderson (Chair) Ian Jacobs (Scribe) Harvey Bingham David Poehlman Jim Allan Rich Schwerdtfeger Mark Novak Absent: Mickey Quenzer Tim Lacy Gregory Rosmaita Madeleine Rothberg Denis Anson Al Gilman Kitch Barnicle Eric Hansen Charles McCathieNevile Hans Riesebos Dick Brown Next teleconference: Thursday May 11 at 2pm ET (regular time) Regrets for 11 May: HB, GR, CMN, Agenda [1] [1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/2000AprJun/0314.html 1) Review of Action Items Open Action Items 1.IJ: Draft a preliminary executive summary/mini-FAQ for developers. (No deadline.) 3.CMN: Propose a technique that explains how serialization plus navigation would suffice for Checkpoint 8.1. 4.GR: Look into which checkpoints would benefit from audio examples in the techniques document. 5.MR: Confirm usage of "configure" in checkpoints to verify that it means "static choice" appropriately (e.g., 4.9). 1a) Completed Action Items 0.IJ: Propose a grouping of checkpoints based on their clarity of stating minimum requirements http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/2000AprJun/0317.html 1.IJ: Propose checkpoint rewording of checkpoint 7.6 to list to include wording realted to improving the efficiency of accessing content http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/2000AprJun/0287.html 2.IJ: Update document with changes related to splitting checkpoint 2.1 into two checkpoints http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-UAAG10-20000507/ 3.IJ: Add proposed definitions of content, etc.. to the document. http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-UAAG10-20000507 4.IJ: Add minimum requirements for checkpoint 9.2 are to allow for configuration for a prompt for any form submission http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-UAAG10-20000507 5.IJ: Add technique related to user accessing the attributes of an element to Checkpoint 2.1 http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-UAAG10-20000507 6.IJ: Add a checkpoint related to synchronization of view (orientation guideline) http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/2000AprJun/0300.html 2) Announcements 1. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards by the United States ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD. Comments will be accepted until May 30th http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/nprm.htm http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/overview.htm 2. New draft of ua guidelines available http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-UAAG10-20000507/ 3) PR#257: Difficult to know when a UA has conformed. http://cmos-eng.rehab.uiuc.edu/ua-issues/issues-linear.html#257 DP: For 8.10, is this a mechanism for directly distinguishing active elements? IJ: The highlighting part, yes. Review of section 3.1 of proposal: http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/2000/05/ua-minreqs.html Checkpoint 2.5: When the author has not specified a text equivalent for content as required by the markup language, make available other author-specified information about the content (e.g., object type, file name, etc.). IJ: What if it is generated? What if it's inline (e.g., "OBJECT/data" in HTML 4.0? Some options: 1) Pick at least one from this set... 2) Prioritize the list... 3) Require all (if available) from this set... Resolved: 1) Requirement: Resource name and (most specific) type, if available. Otherwise "Unknown". Action IJ: Find out what HTTP gives you in the way of resource name. Action IJ: Propose a clarification text of 2.5 to make clear that the user agent is expected to associate a text equivalent with the object, text eq generated from author-supplied information. [Note that this is a case where the UA recognizes the association since it creates it itself. Note also that this only applies when the author has not followed the spec.] HB: I'd like the UA to indicate to the user when it can't support an object. Like for notification when a natural language is not supported. IJ: What about OBJECT? You don't want indication at every level? JG: This is not an accessibility problem but a usability issue. Also, our applicability clause says "when you don't support, you don't support." This sounds like notification would be a new requirement. IJ: I am afraid to get into issues of error handling; that seems like a stretch and may vary according to markup language. JG: What is true is that the handling has to be done accessibly. IJ: Should we identify which checkpoints are repair strategies (like "When authors don't..." like "Until user agents...")? This would include 2.5, maybe 9.2. Maybe it's not worth if for only a couple of checkpoints. Checkpoint 3.8: For automatic content changes specified by the author (e.g., redirection and content refresh), allow the user to slow the rate of change. Proposed: Split 3.8 back into two cases: redirect v. HERE: 1) For the redirect case, manual control. And translate the redirect to a link. [Note that this is a repair strategy for author-supplied redirects.] 2) For periodic refresh, people argued that they didn't want to refresh manually since they wouldn't be aware of changes occurring. In this case, manual control is minimal requirement and you have to be notified that new content is available. There are several techniques (periodic notification, mail-like notification). IJ: What other content changes are we talking about? JG: Scripting information. IJ: For the periodic type, you want to be able to stop with notification. For the animations, you don't want this type of control - you want actual control. DP: Should this be configurable, so that the user can set the refresh rate/prompt setting? IJ: Is this on a page-by-page basis or globally? IJ Proposed: 1) Make requirements for two specific cases (in one or two checkpoints). 2) Something along the lines of: "For automatic redirects or content refresh specified by the author, allow the user to control the change." 3) Not an issue of timing. Minimal requirement is ability to make the change manually. User agent has to provide notification that new content is available in the case of content refresh. And user has to be able to find out that new content is available. RS: What should the UA do in the case of an author-supplied redirect? IJ: Details up to UA, but the minimum technique is to allow manual change. Action IJ: a) Propose new checkpoints (try to keep one checkpoint). b) Ensure redirect technique is clear. c) Find out why checkpoints combined in Austin and whether we lose information by making checkpoints more specific. http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/1999/12/ftf-19991209 d) Global setting. Checkpoint 4.5: Allow the user to slow the presentation rate of audio, video, and animations. Proposed: Use "arbitrary" figures here: 1) Video: At least one setting between 40% and 60%. 2) Audio: At least one setting between 75% - 8%%. HB: I think the techniques should suggest that speed up also a good idea. 3) Respect synchronization cues up to 80% of audio speed. 4) Global setting. HB: Configure or control (dynamically)? Checkpoint 7.6: Allow the user to navigate efficiently to and among important structural elements identified by the author. IJ: I think we have identified the pieces to navigate now. We Are honing in on the richness of the navigation techniques. Consensus among those present that the exercise of going through these checkpoints is worthwhile. -- Ian Jacobs (email@example.com) http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs Tel: +1 831 457-2842 Cell: +1 917 450-8783Received on Tuesday, 9 May 2000 15:11:58 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Friday, 17 January 2020 20:38:27 UTC


text:
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The rise of the knowledge society has meant that ensuring the quality and responsiveness of schooling is high on the political agenda in all OECD countries. While these countries have different arrangements according to their own histories and traditions, they are all facing a range of common challenges -- the growing expectations of highly educated populations for responsive schools, the widespread availability of information about educational performance, the shifting patterns of governance in education and public policy more widely. These developments intensify the pressure to improve the quality and equity of school systems on education systems, but also provide new opportunities and means for doing so.
The International Seminar on "Demand, Autonomy, and Accountability in Schooling" explored how the different actors involved in schooling can work together more effectively through mechanisms affecting parental choice, school autonomy and system accountability in order to improve the quality and equity of schooling. The seminar provided an important opportunity to extend the focus to consider how schools can exercise autonomy effectively while ensuring accountability, thus providing input to the Education Committee activity on Parental Choice, School Autonomy, and System Accountability.
The specific aims of the seminar were to :
Related Documents


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I'm a little slow to fall in love with Bow kites. I actually still prefer 5th line kites ... and one of the reasons is that I kite mostly alone at odd hours and feel a 5-line is safer to handle alone.
The SLE Shockwave has one really neat feature: let go of the bar and it hangs loose like a good dog. I made the DEADMAN, so when I am at the ocean - he tends the kite for me while I'm picking my nose.
The big problem was when I was over on the other side of the barrier island: there's no beach..no room! This new BOWTENDER solves that problem - Big Time. This worked so well, I left the kite for about a half hour and got some liquids and calories.
Before the moral police don their uniforms: 1. there were no civilians anywhere nearby ... 2. If it broke loose; it would have only ended up in a marsh with 10,000 mosquitos per sq M. ...but, Yes, it would be a hazard for other kiters - but there were no other kiters! That is the point.
I used to have a float where I could attach a few boards, so I did not have to come in to change boards, but because the Shockwave is so docile; I attached the chicken loop to the carabiner and left my board with the line over the top to hold it. My new version will have a pocket for the board.
I used a 13lb Danforth off my boat and it dug in the mud/sand perfectly. The core is a close-cell foam and the next one will have a mesh cover - this one held water.
The winds over the period were maybe 8-18kts. The kite fell over on its face but re-launched itself. A couple of times in the puffs it lifted off just a little bit but came back into the position you see here. I may make a second one; launch two kites and simply leave them in position so I can switch kites and boards without loosing too much time. The lines always stayed perfectly straight, the water does not scratch or wear the kite, etc.... What's not to like?!
This is almost like the old-days with Peter Lynn kites that would sit nicely at zenith, but it is safer and these kites work better. Anyway, I have a new liking for SLEs. Now I need to learn to love the way they fly.
....and feel free to make one. I'm not going to commercialize it or do stoopid patents.


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The Ravens winning the Super Bowl was a bitter pill for Broncos fans to swallow. I get it; the sting from the Jacoby Jones touchdown is going to take months to wear off, if it ever does.
But the vitriol spewing forth from the fine folks of Denver moments after Baltimore beat San Francisco to win their second Lombardi Trophy was downright nasty. It bordered on embarrassing, the type of talk that falls squarely into the "sore loser" category.
And when it game to one Raven in particular – Ray Lewis – the comments were completely over the top. They were mean. They were nasty. And they were hypocritical.
There are certainly plenty of things for Broncos fans to dislike about the future Hall of Fame linebacker. But those reasons need to be applied consistently, even to members of the orange and blue, and they aren't.
You don't like that Lewis evokes God in every interview? Fine. Then, here's hoping you said the same thing last year when Tim Tebow was thanking Jesus whenever a microphone came his way. Here's trusting that you mocked Brian Dawkins when he thanked his Lord and Savior after games. And here's assuming you slammed Jason Elam for his outward expressions of faith.
Otherwise, it'd be a double standard.
And don't make the argument that your dislike of his God talk has nothing to do with Lewis's faith, that it's about his narcissistic desire to be in the spotlight all of the time. The Broncos have their fair share of those kinds of guys, too. Von Miller's sack dances are nothing more than cries for attention.
You don't like that Lewis got off with a slap of the wrist for obstructing justice as part of an Atlanta murder investigation in 2000? Fair enough. Then, here's to there being the same kind of outrage every time a Bronco hires Harvey Steinberg and weasels his way out of a jam. There's certainly plenty of opportunity to be ticked; since 2000, 34 Broncos – the third-highest total in the NFL – have been arrested.
Again, it's two sets of rules.
Yes, the legal troubles that found Lewis were serious. But it's not as though the case involving Perrish Cox and Demaryius Thomas last summer wasn't an ugly and sordid affair. That's why grading police blotters is a dicey proposition; everyone looks bad in these kinds of situations.
And you don't like that Lewis allegedly got away with taking performance-enhancing drugs to help him recover from his triceps injury this season and get back on the field in time for the playoffs? Okay. Nitpicky, but okay. Then, here's to holding the Broncos quarterback – a guy who reportedly traveled to Germany in 2011 to undergo stem-cell therapy in an effort to speed up his recovery from neck surgery – to the same lofty ethics.
That one's a little tougher, isn't it?
Mocking a guy for being "too religious" is easy. Being critical when someone gets caught up in an ugly legal mess is low-hanging fruit. But getting on a guy for having a do-anything-to-play attitude opens an uncomfortable can of worms.
The fact of the matter is that both Lewis and Peyton Manning sought out any possible treatment that would help them get back on the field faster. You can't admire one guy for his willingness to go to all corners of the earth in search of a remedy that will speed his recovery and then bash another player for doing exactly the same thing.
It's the definition of hypocritical.
It's okay to be upset about the Ravens winning what shoulda, coulda, woulda been the Broncos championship. That's natural when a team comes so painfully close to victory. But there's no need to hit below the belt just because the other team won.
Stay away from the way he chooses to exercise his religious freedom, a mocking that seems to be specially reserved for born again Christians in today's society. Steer clear of the "his run-in with the law was worse than ours" debate, an argument that starts to unraveling the minute it begins. And shelve the chorus of cheating allegations, as there's nothing "natural" or "pure" about many of the lengths athletes will go to in order to get back in the game faster.
The fact of the matter is that every NFL team has the same warts. Ray Lewis may embody them for the Ravens, but there are plenty of Broncos who possess the same blemishes.
Let a great player ride off into the sunset on a high note without ripping him for not living up to expectations that aren't applied to local athletes. Otherwise, Broncos fans aren't just being poor sports, they're being hypocrites.


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Microsoft has been playing catch-up to Google in the mapping world for a while. Most of their "new" features are things that Google has had for a while. Today they caught up with a few more, and even surpassed Google with a few of them.
You can read the full list of new items on the Bing Maps Blog, or get TechCrunch's take on it. However you look it, though, it's a pretty sweet upgrade. Here's some of the highlights:
Silverlight Required: While Microsoft obviously trumps this as a positive thing, I'm not a convinced that forcing users to download a new piece of software is a great thing to have. Of course, Google makes you download the entire Google Earth package, so I guess it's fair.
Streetside vs. StreetView: An almost identical replica of Google's StreetView, but with far less coverage. It does some neat things to smooth the transitions between frames, but it's very similar.
Enhanced Bird's Eye: They've tweaked the Bird's Eye view to show 3D models in with the imagery. It's a somewhat odd effect, but it works really well. Bird's Eye is the one big thing they've had over Google for the past few years, so it's understandable that they'd try to extend that lead.
Photosynth: They've brought photosynth right into Bing Maps, with pretty nice integration.
They've added a lot of other neat things, but those are the ones that jumped out at me. As Chris Pendleton says at the end of his post "I'd say at the very least things in the online mapping world just got a little more interesting wouldn't you say?".
I agree.


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Music Library
The mission of the St. Lawrence University Music Library is to support the educational, research, and performance needs of the music department as well as the liberal arts curriculum of the entire college community.
Located inside the Arts Annex (music and performing arts theme house), 21 Romoda Drive
The collection of the Music Library consists primarily of sound recordings, video recordings, scores for study and performance, and collected works of select major composers. Housed in the Music Library are approximately 3,000 sound recordings, 600 video recordings, 2,800 scores, and 150 books. The Music Library also contains a small reference area as well as a space for course reserves. Books and periodicals about music, musicians, composers, reference sources, and indexes are housed in the Owen D. Young Library.
Circulation Policy
Sound recordings circulate to St. Lawrence University faculty and staff only. The dvd and video collections (with a few exceptions of some hard to replace items) circulate for three days to students and seven days to faculty and staff. ODY Library's video collection contains some music related films as well. The music scores circulate for one semester to faculty/staff and six weeks to students. The exceptions are the collected works (the scores with M2 and M3 classification) which only circulate to music faculty. Materials in the reference area as well as items on the course reserve shelves are designated for library use only.
Computer and Audio/Video Facilities
The music library provides facilities for the playback of cds, lps, audio cassettes, videocassettes, and dvds. There are three Macintosh workstations and one PC workstation equipped with audio editing programs, as well as three individual listening stations available for general patron use. The Music Library also houses an overhead data projector, one TV/VCR unit, a Midi keyboard, a digital piano, a scanner, and a printer.


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Malik grumbled as he slogged through the mud, finally stopping and leaning against a tree as he looked back at Lorr, his eyes gleaming behind the mask that even now he still wore. The mask was a blessing, and would be even more so in the days to come, he had a strange feeling. He couldn't explain it, but something told him things were about to get a lot more violent.
"So. I hear you accepted the position of Mouthpiece of the Council of Fools, Lorr, even though I warned you what I would do should such a thing take place." He stretched his hand out toward the sky, the sun catching on the white filaments that traced over the attached arm, the sign of impending Solace, that he could even now feel approaching. "Give me one good reason why I should not strike you down here, and leave you to bleed out upon the dirt? And it had better be more than 'because the Senate will come after you', as I care little for the decisions of the Senate, nor do I fear them. There are places in the wilds that I can remain hidden for a long time, and they'd never know I was there."


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Book your Train ticket to Greece
Bask in the sea and sunshine of Greece's islands or take in the beauty of the mainland's mountains and lakes.
The national railway company of Greece is known as the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE). Greece has about 2,000 km of railway network. Train tickets for trains operating in Greece can be booked in advance. International trains connect Greece with neighbouring countries such as Turkey and Bulgaria. Book train tickets to visit main cities of Greece by train. Greek cities including Athens, Larissa and Katerina are all served by trains.
Big cities and small towns are well connected by train in Greece, all the tourist destinations are within easy reach. Start off at the bohemian city of Thessaloniki and take the 6-hour Intercity night train south to Athens. Here you can visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon, Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.
The Greek landscape is defined by beautiful ancient ruins and stretching coastline, no part of Greece is more than forty miles from the sea. Traveling through the country by train is a feast for the eyes, you'll see some excellent views and beautiful rolling scenery.
Take Home
The rugs, gold jewellery and flea market antiques from Athens are truly unique. Or try Mykonos and Crete for the best traditional 'tacky' holiday souvenirs. Copper and brassware sold near the old city wall in Ioaninna provide an excellent keepsake from your holiday.
Eat & Drink
Greek food is rich in the flavours of the Mediterranean. Specialities of Greece include olives, lemons, nuts, tomatoes, and grapes. Lamb is common, as is all seafood, and legumes. Yogurt and cheese also feature heavily. As for drink Ouzo is the most popular aperitif but beware, it's well-known for it's effects the next day!
New Perspective
Take the OSE train across Greece to the modern city port of Volos for the beautiful waterfront and wide range of shops.
Trip Planner
Go for our best-selling rail passes including Greece
Top cities in Greece
Reviews & ratings
Value for moneyConvenience
"I had some trouble finding the track at Gare de Lyon in Paris. Also I had trouble finding my coach at the Lyon Airport train going to Paris. "
"Excellent service. On time and comfortable "
"I've been travelling to Geneve to meet my daughter. the train was very comfortable and the staff very kind. I bought a good sandwich with salami and butter, a black tea with cinnamon. Very new flavour for me. The viw around the lake from Geneve to Montreux was great. "
Value for moneyConvenience
"It was a very good journey. The train was comfortable, the attendants were friendly. Service on board was perfect including the breakfast, which was delicious. "
Value for moneyConvenience
"Confortável, chegamos ao destino descansados. Valor um pouco alto, mas deixamos para adquirir as passagens na última hora, por isso o alto preço. Conveniente, pois é mais rápido e confortável do que viajar por via aérea. "
Value for moneyConvenience
"Exceptional trip from St Pancras to Paris with the help of VIP transfer service from St. Pancras hotel. Highly recommended. "
Value for moneyConvenience
"Very fast journey. Comfortable. "
Value for moneyConvenience
"Coming from Australia I assumed flights would be far better than trains but having the stations right in the centre of the city made it much more convenient and easier to manage without a phone. The train was smooth and quick. "
"Excellent service.We booked and printed tickets on line which scanned easily on day of journey. All baggage x rayd so great security before entering platform. Allocated seating upon booking. Train on time. Value for money 5 stars. (auto star system not working. )22 euros per person each way. "
"my trip was great but I was wonder that the crew was not speaking English and she couldn't understand me once I order. "


text:
Since 2005 we have been providing fantastic deals on all inclusive hotel and resort packages to many of the Philippines top tourist vacation destinations. We currently list over 1,000 hotels and resorts listed in different categories, with a budget range sure to meet the budget of any foreign or domestic traveler coming to the Philippines. We are a full service travel and tour company, this means that regardless of your vacation needs we can help, as an example we offer domestic flight tickets, land and sea transportation and exciting historical tours for many top Philippines attractions.
Our travel agency is primarily an online service, however we do accept walk-in guest between the hours of 9am and 7pm Monday thru Sunday, and we are open on most Philippine holidays. Here at WOW Philippines Travel Agency we believe in providing each guest with a personal service, so each guest will be assigned a personal travel agent to assist you from start to finish to ensure that you receive the very best deal and service on your fun filled and exciting Philippines vacation package.
We are Fully Committed to Each Guest.
When you book your Philippines hotel package with WOW Philippines Travel Agency you are engaging one of the countries most trusted and recognized travel and tour companies, having been featured on television travel programs, radio talk shows and in travel magazines. If you are planning a trip to the Philippines, either for a vacation or on a business trip, please contact one of our professional travel agents through email, Skype, live chat, text or through the phone, for a really great price and fantastic service.
WOW Philippines Travel Agency is a privately owned company licensed through the Pasig City Department of Tourism and registered with the Philippines Security and Exchange Commission.
Thank you for choosing WOW Philippines Travel Agency,
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text:
It's looking more like Carolina Panthers' fans will be sitting in a chilly rain Saturday at Bank of America Stadium for the NFL playoff game against Arizona.
The later computer guidance shows strong high pressure over New England and a strengthening low pressure system moving from the Gulf of Mexico up toward the Ohio Valley on Saturday.
This is a scenario we have seen many times in recent months. It's classic cold air damming, with a flow of chilly air being pumped into the Carolinas Piedmont and Foothills off the Atlantic. That cold air is dense and nearly impossible to dislodge.
Low pressure probably will create a warm front that will lift temperatures into the 60s to the south of Charlotte, but we'll be stuck in the upper 40s and lower 50s during the rain on Saturday and early Sunday.
So as of late Tuesday afternoon, the best guess for kickoff is for temperatures around 47 degrees and intermittent rain, probably becoming more consistent as the game goes on.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Panthers' game day weather looks colder, wetter
It's looking more like Carolina Panthers' fans will be sitting in a chilly rain Saturday at Bank of America Stadium for the NFL playoff game against Arizona.
Monday, December 29, 2014
First look at Panthers-Cardinals: Wet, mild
If we've learned anything from weather computer models since early December, it's that they change frequently and are not terribly reliable beyond a few days.
But there seems to be agreement, five days away, that weather in the Carolinas this weekend will be unsettled.
The first guess for conditions at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, when the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals kick off their NFL wild-card playoff game, is for a chance of rain and temperatures above average for early January.
The various computer guidance input seems to agree on wet weather for the weekend, but the details are where everything gets tricky.
Will it rain all day Saturday? Will the rain be light, sporadic, or heavy? Those are questions we can't answer yet.
Very cold air is plunging into the continental United States this week, but the core of that cold will remain north of the Mason-Dixon line in the eastern United States. The Midwest and West will see a more southward push of the cold air.
Some of the cold will seep into the Southeast from Tuesday into Friday, but high temperatures those days will still reach the mid and upper 40s.
By the weekend, a moderating trend is likely. That's why the National Weather Service is predicting a high in the upper 50s Saturday.
In a few days, we'll have a better feel for exactly how wet it might be Saturday.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Coming up: A very mild January for Carolinas
Remember the other day, when I wrote that a few computer models were hinting that the much-publicized "pattern change" to cold and stormy weather might not be coming as expected at the beginning of the year?
I wrote that it was just a few runs of the models and not yet a trend.
Now it's a trend.
Most of the long-range guidance, including the pretty reliable Coupled Forecast System (CFSv2) operated by NOAA, is pointing to a mild January in the Southeast. In fact, temperatures could be well above average, if everything breaks the way it seems.
This marks a pretty big bust in many of the long-range forecasts that had called for a chilly and stormy winter, with the worst of the wintry weather arriving in early January.
First of all, this doesn't mean that it won't get chilly in the Carolinas, because it will -- next week. We're looking at several days of below-average temperatures before and immediately after New Years, although it won't be bitterly cold -- just highs in the mid and upper 40s for a few days.
Second, it doesn't mean arctic cold won't push into the United States. It looks like a blast of cold will slide southward from Canada into the Midwest, dumping cold air into Texas all the way to the Rio Grande next week.
But the computer guidance insists that the cold air won't push east of the Appalachians. Many of the forecasts show a persistent high pressure ridge off the Florida coast. Those southeast ridges are a death knell to wintry weather in the Southeast.
The Arctic Oscillation (AO) refuses to go negative, which keeps a steady west-to-east flow across the southern United States.
This doesn't mean our weather won't turn much colder in late January or February, but it means the computers certainly don't think it will happen anytime soon.
What caused the forecasts to go so wrong? I've been reading a lot of possible explanations, but it's really a reminder that what the science of meteorology has improved a lot in recent years, there are still many things we don't understand. One theory I've seen thrown around the past few days is solar activity, with the theory being that strong solar activity overrides many of our other weather factors.
Greg Fishel of WRAL-TV wrote on his Facebook page on Friday afternoon that the last time we had a pattern like the one developing in early January was in 2005 and again in 2006. Both years, we had highs in the 60s and 70s.
Those two winters produced some of our lightest snowfall ever -- a trace in 2004-05 and 1 inch in 2005-06.
All it takes is one big storm to give us a big snowfall total, but it doesn't seem likely any time soon.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Winter ... now you see it ... now you don't
Those of you who follow weather very closely might be bored by what I'm saying today. Casual followers of weather might want to read on, however.
You all know about computer models -- the computer-based guidance that is a tool used by meteorologists in forecasting the weather.
The models update several times a day, and those who follow the updates closely are sometimes known by the term "model-huggers." Model-hugging can be a frustrating experience, and the last 48 hours is an example of that.
By following some of the output of the Global model, you'd have thought a few days ago that the Carolinas (and much of the central and eastern United States) were heading into arctic cold and winter storms, starting shortly before the end of the year.
Then on Sunday night came new models, indicating that maybe the very cold weather wouldn't be sinking far enough south and east to affect the Carolinas. Maybe it would remain bottled up in Canada, or perhaps moving no farther southeast than the Midwest.
In other words, forget about wintry weather for a while.
Experienced meteorologists tend to study the trends before making forecasts.
The trend late last week pointed to a pattern change for the Southeast. There were indications that we'd move from our December pattern -- with temperatures averaging around seasonal norms and no real threat of wintry weather -- to a wintry, stormy pattern.
One facilitator of that change would be the deep low pressure system that is expected to push northward from the Deep South into the eastern Great Lakes and southern Canada over the next few days.
Now, based on the last few model runs, all that is in doubt again. The most recent computer guidance says the current Carolinas weather pattern will continue, for the most part, into at least the first several days of January. In other words, no pattern change.
But the model runs late Sunday hardly constitute a trend. That will be determined from what the guidance tells us over the next few days.
Today's Christmas facts ... Last week, I wrote about the most successful (financially) Christmas movies. But what are the most popular?
The website What To Do With The Kids (which can provide ideas on keeping children busy during the holidays) says it interviewed people last year on their favorite holiday movies. The response:
1. "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (the 1966 animated version); 2. "The Polar Express" (2004 animated version); 3. "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946); 4. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1964, animation); 5. "Elf" (2004); 6. (tie) "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965, animation); "The Santa Clause" (1994); "Frosty the Snowman" (1969, animation); 9. "The Grinch" (2000); 10. "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947 version); 11. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989); 12. "A Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992).
Incidentally, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" was also No. 1 in the last poll conducted by the website, in 2011.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Stormy (and important) weather week ahead
Sunshine will be at a premium for much of this week in the Charlotte area, but the big news will be a storm system that could become strong enough to alter weather patterns in the continental United States for the rest of December and at least a part of January.
First, the local weather situation ...
We'll remain in a cold air wedge pattern through Tuesday, with high pressure based over the Northeast. Sunday is likely to be cloudy and cool, with a high of 50 degrees in Charlotte. A bit of sunshine is possible in the afternoon, but fans attending the Panthers' game against the Cleveland Browns will see mostly cloudy skies.
A storm system expected to form off the coast late Sunday is predicted to bring light rain to Charlotte and the rest of the Carolinas from late Sunday until late Monday.
But the big story arrives Tuesday. It appears as if a pair of low pressure systems -- one in the Midwest, the other moving across the South and then bending northward over Tennessee, Kentucky and into the eastern Great Lakes -- will tug a cold front east across the country. The low will deepen rapidly late Tuesday and Wednesday and eventually move into southern Canada.
Some meteorologists think that low pressure system will become strong enough to cause a buckle in the jet stream and possibly open the way for arctic air to surge back into the continental United States (where it has been largely missing since November).
The midweek storm will bring heavy rain in the East, and the Charlotte region might experience some of that late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Dense fog is likely in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic, but the biggest story will be the winds. The low pressure system will be deep enough to create a strong wind field over the eastern half of the United States. That could play havoc with flight schedules late Tuesday and Wednesday in some of the East Coast's biggest airports.
And as the storm system pushes into Canada, much colder air on the back side will sweep across the Great Lakes and bring a round of heavy lake-effect snow in the usual spots -- upstate New York, northwest Pennsylvania, northeast Ohio, western Michigan and northwest Indiana.
Even in the Charlotte area, Christmas Day is likely to be windy and chilly.
A big question is when the much-publicized "pattern change" is coming -- or if it's coming. Some meteorologists have been talking for weeks about a switch to colder and stormier weather around New Year's in the East and Southeast. But some of the more recent computer guidance is pointing toward the Midwest as the bullseye for the cold weather.
More Christmas trivia ... I've been having some fun with Christmas facts for the last few weeks, and this chapter will look at some of the trendiest holiday gifts in the past. According to an Esquire article from two years ago, these were the most popular gifts of some Christmases in the past (these will bring back some memories, no doubt):
2010: Apple iPad; 2009: Nook eReader; 2007: iPod Touch; 2006: Play Station 3; 2005: Xbox 360; 2001: Bratz dolls (I don't remember these, but Esquire said the dolls depicted teen girl with large heads and skinny bodies).
1999: Pokémon (I remember reporting on fights that started in schools among students who collected the Pokémon cards); 1998: Furby; 1995: Beanie Babies; 1993 and 1994: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers; 1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; 1989: Game Boy.
1985: Care Bears; 1984: Transformers; 1983: Cabbage Patch Kids (torture is driving from Charlotte to Cleveland with a 3-year-old daughter playing the "Cabbage Patch Kids" theme song on a tape player in the back seat for 535 miles); 1981: Smurfs; 1978: Hungry Hungry Hippos.
1975: Pet Rock; 1959: Barbie doll; 1952: Mr. Potato Head; 1936: Monopoly.
For pictures and a better description of those gifts (and for some of the other years), be sure to check out the Esquire article.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Weekend storm could hit Christmas travelers
Many people will begin their Christmas travels this weekend, and anyone planning to leave Saturday for destinations north of North Carolina might encounter bad driving conditions.
The first of what is expected to be three Christmas season storms will cross the South on Friday and Saturday. The storm almost certainly will bring a chilly rain to the Charlotte region, but the N.C. mountains could get a substantial amount of snow. And areas farther to the north appear headed for a snow or ice event.
There still is considerable disagreement in computer guidance about the weekend storm.
The Global computer model depicts a weak storm system with not much in the way of precipitation. The European model shows a stronger storm that crosses the Carolinas as it curves up the East Coast. Temperature profiles for Charlotte and the rest of the Piedmont are a bit too warm for anything frozen.
John Tomko of the National Weather Service's office in Greer, S.C., said Monday that a cold rain is likely for the Piedmont and foothills, with the snow threat reserved for the mountains.
But Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania would be in the cross-hairs for heavy snow -- should the European model be correct. Precipitation likely would end in those areas by late Saturday, so postponing a trip up north for 24 hours might not be the worst idea.
The second storm system, which would arrive sometime around Christmas or the day after, hasn't really formed yet and is just an area of disturbed weather in the Pacific Ocean. But some of the long-range computer guidance in the last day or two indicates temperatures once again will be a bit too mild in Charlotte for anything other than rain.
But that's 10 days away, and a lot can change by then.
Christmas fun facts ... Today we'll focus on meteorology again, with NOAA's report on chances of a white Christmas in various parts of the country.
NOAA's report, issued a few days ago, doesn't take into consideration computer modeling for the next few weeks. It's based on the past, and records show the chance of a white Christmas in Charlotte is less than 10 percent.
But if you're headed into a potentially snowy area for the Christmas holidays, check out NOAA's report on the chances of a white Christmas.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
2 Christmas week storms, many possibilities
The details remain very sketchy, but it's becoming more obvious that our quiet weather pattern in the Carolinas has a little less than one week remaining.
As I wrote on Friday, the long-range guidance continues to show a pair of storm systems crossing the United States on Christmas week. The first system will affect the Carolinas next Saturday and Sunday, with the second storm arriving sometime around (or immediately after) Christmas.
There are a couple possibilities for the first storm, but none of them involve snow in the Charlotte area.
The system is forecast to enter the West Coast, but that's where the computer models differ. One possibility is for the storm to be fairly strong and curve northward across western Tennessee, western Kentucky, and into the Great Lakes. That would be a rain-maker for the Carolinas.
Another scenario would have the system weakening as it moves eastward, bringing only showers to the Charlotte area. The Global computer model favors that possibility.
And a third scenario would send a strong storm system across the Deep South, bringing a cold rain to the Charlotte area and snow to the mountains. There even could be snow along and north of the Interstate 40 corridor.
The first storm could set the table for a better chance of wintry weather in the Carolinas with the second system. It would leave a layer of snow on the ground in the Midwest, which means colder air would funnel into the Carolinas.
Christmas Fun Stuff ... As you dig for your wallet to pay for those Christmas gifts, you might be interested to know that Carolinas' residents are among the nation's leaders big spenders.
The website WalletHub reported it studied spending, debt levels and personal belongings, and it ranked South Carolinas 11th and North Carolina 13th among the big spenders in the country.
Biggest spenders during this holiday season are in Mississippi, followed by Idaho, New Mexico, Florida and Utah in the top five. The thriftiest people, according to WalletHub, live in the District of Columbia. Ranking 47th through 50th are Maryland, California, Massachusetts and New York.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Stormy period ahead for Christmas week
Much of the long-range computer guidance is painting a stormy picture over the United States during Christmas week.
It is entirely possible, in fact, that the coming week will mark the end of our recent run of relatively calm weather. The Christmas holiday might mark the changeover to colder and stormier conditions that have been predicted by a number of forecasters for January and February.
There's no doubt that the coming week will be very pleasant. Temperatures will be at or above 60 degrees through Monday, and then a weak cold front will drop daytime readings only a few degrees for the rest of the week.
For several days, computer guidance has been predicting a pair of storm systems -- the first arriving next Saturday or Sunday (Dec. 20 or 21) and then another around Christmas Day or Dec. 26.
By all appearances, the first storm will bring a cold rain to the Carolinas. All of this probably will change many times between now and next weekend, but the latest forecast track takes the storm across Texas and Oklahoma, and then up through Tennessee and into the eastern Great Lakes.
There might be enough cold air in place across North Carolina for some icing problems, but it really looks as if rain will be the most likely scenario.
It could be a different story with the second storm, especially if the first system is able to drag colder air into the Southeast in its wake.
It will be interesting to watch all this unfold in the coming week.
The real long-range guidance is hinting at a return of arctic air into the eastern United States after Christmas. But this is well off in the distance.
Christmas Trivia ... In earlier blog entries, I wrote about the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and the most successful holiday movies.
Today, we'll focus on Christmas snowstorms.
Anyone who has been in Charlotte for more than a few years knows that it's snowed fewer than a half-dozen times on Christmas Day. The most recent was 2010, when a storm system crossed the northern Gulf of Mexico and brought 1 to 3 inches of snow from northeast Georgia to the Charlotte area. Totals of 4 to 8 inches were reported in some of the foothills.
The most amazing Christmas storm, however, took place in 1989 and affected the coast.
Very cold air was in place that year, a few days before Christmas. A low pressure system moved up the East Coast and dumped heavy snow from northern Florida to North Carolina before veering out to sea. Charlotte had hazy sunshine and very cold temperatures. It was a different story along the coast.
Jacksonville, Fla., had its first white Christmas, with 2.5 inches falling Dec. 22 at Jacksonville Beach and 0.8 inches at the city's airport. On the Georgia coast, Brunswick had 4 inches and Savannah 3.6.
The snow fell Dec. 23 and early Dec. 24 on the Carolinas coast, with South Carolina totals of 14 inches in Myrtle Beach, 8 inches in Charleston, and 4.3 inches in Florence. North Carolina totals were 19.5 inches in Longwood, 15.3 inches at the Wilmington airport, 15 inches in Southport, 13.3 inches in Cape Hatteras, and 2.7 inches in Fayetteville.
Columbia and Raleigh each got a trace.
Zero-degree weather accompanied the snow.
The Wilmington office of the National Weather Service has a write-up on this storm. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Weather won't cooperate with ACC
It looks as if part and possibly all of Saturday's ACC football championship celebration and game in Charlotte could take place in a rainy setting.
Low pressure is expected to develop and move up the Appalachians on Saturday, bringing a steady rain to the Charlotte region. The heaviest of the rain is expected in the afternoon and early evening, as a cold front approaches.
There could even be a thunderstorm in the mix.
The good news is temperatures will be milder than Friday. In advance of the cold front, we could see readings approach 60 degrees Saturday afternoon. Those temperatures will fall when the cold front passes, which likely will be near the 8 p.m. kickoff at Bank of America Stadium between Florida State and Georgia Tech.
The threat of rain on ACC football championship Saturday is nothing new in Charlotte. We've had to deal with it a couple times since the title game was moved here in 2010.
Once the cold front passes through, the rain will end. Temperatures will drop through the 50s, but the rest of the evening should be dry.
By the way ... in case you're wondering, the long-range forecasts indicate a changeover to colder weather in the last week of December. That will arrive in time to put a chill on the Belk Bowl, to be played Dec. 30 in Charlotte.
More Christmas Trivia ... The other day, I mentioned that I'd be looking at some interesting Christmas facts in the coming weeks.
Today, let's look at the most successful Christmas movies, as measured by total ticket sales. Want to guess what it is? No, it's not "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." In fact, Clark Griswold and the gang didn't even crack the top 10.
The all-time leading money-maker is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," which has earned more than $260 million since its release Nov. 17, 2010.
Second, with $183 million, is "Polar Express." That Tom Hanks movie off the iconic Christmas book debuted Nov. 10, 2004.
The rest of the top five: "Elf," with $173 million since its Nov. 7, 2003, release; "The Santa Clause," with $144 million since its Nov. 11, 1994, release. And "Santa Clause 2," which has earned $139 million. It was released Nov. 1, 2002.
"National Lampoon" is 12th, with $71 million in the theaters. Of course, it was released Dec. 1, 1989, when tickets were a lot less expensive than now. Another classic, "A Christmas Story," is 28th, with $20 million. It was released Nov. 18, 2003, and became a much bigger movie on TV than it ever was in the theaters.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
What happened to winter? ... and a note about Charlie Brown
The back-door cold front that pushed south from Virginia and crossed Charlotte on Tuesday morning certainly brought an end to the unseasonably warm weather we had Monday, but it didn't deliver anything remotely resembling winter conditions.
Instead, we had temperatures around 50 degrees Tuesday afternoon, instead of the low 70s that warmed the region Monday.
But we'll be back in the 60s on Wednesday and possibly Thursday, then fall back to the upper 40s and 50s Friday. That will be due to another back-door cold front arriving later Thursday.
Still, we're talking about 40s and 50s as the cooler temperatures, and overnight lows are forecast to stay above freezing.
That's a lot milder than the frigid weather we experienced in November, and the news is that there's still no sign of a return to really cold weather. Meteorologists who specialize in long-range forecasts say it appears as if we'll remain mild -- with seasonal temperatures and occasional above-average readings -- through at least the first half of December.
If you'll remember, the catalyst for the November chill was a strong hurricane that pushed into the Gulf of Alaska as a very strong storm system and disrupted the jet stream. Now we're watching another storm, Typhoon Hagupit.
It's unclear is Hagupit, which is expected to become a super typhoon (a Pacific version of a major hurricane), will push westward and cross the Philippines, or curve north and pass east of Japan. If Hagupit curves northward, it could wind up in the Gulf of Alaska in another week or so, and that might trigger another outbreak of bitter cold in the eastern United States.
In the meantime, there's no sign of real winter for the Carolinas, and it looks as if it will be at least mid-December -- and, likely, later than that -- before we return to really cold conditions.
Christmas stuff (today, Charlie Brown): Over the next few weeks, I'll add a little seasonal touch to my blog. On occasion, it'll have a weather connection, but it also might be other holiday trivia -- or a list of the best and worst Christmas songs and movies.
I thought I'd start with Charlie Brown, one of my favorites. The original Christmas special will air Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. on ABC (WSOC-TV in Charlotte). It'll air again at 8 p.m. Dec. 16, also on ABC and WSOC.
Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of this special, and I found some interesting facts.
For example, did you realize that the 1965 TV special was groundbreaking? "Peanuts" writer Charles Schultz and the TV show's director, Bill Melendez, took the unusual step of using children for the voices of the characters. Typically, adults were the voices of cartoons. An 8-year-old named Peter Robbins was the voice of Charlie Brown. Robbins later went on to sell real estate and encountered legal problems a few years ago.
Some other interesting facts:
-- While the show was being recorded, the rock group Jefferson Airplane was recording an album in the next studio. Members of Jefferson Airplane came over and got the autographs of children in the Charlie Brown special.
-- Melendez and others involved in the production thought the show was horrible, and they expected a total dud. They were shocked when the cartoon was met with nearly universal acclaim.


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Steve McCurry, a professional photographer and author of several photography books, shares his reasons for why he blogs on WordPress.com. His iconic photo, Afghan Girl, graced the cover of National Geographic and was named one of the 100 Best Pictures of the magazine. McCurry has been recognized with some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal, National Press Photographers Award, and an unprecedented four first prize awards from the World Press Photo contest, to name a few.
You are a world-famous photographer. Why do you blog?
Steve: Who would even dream 20 years ago that we would even have the internet? Clearly the internet is changing the landscape of publishing, news, and entertainment. There are countless channels on television, infinite content on the internet, and stimuli literally everywhere we turn. . . . There is so much competition. My blog is just my way of introducing my work through this new media.
How has having a blog changed the way you interact with your audience?
Steve: Generally, I don't see any difference between photographing now and 30 years ago! The only differences today are that people want you to send them a picture and that you are shooting with a digital camera. There will always be new people and situations. In so far as there are new songs to be written, new poems to be told, likewise there will always be a new photograph to be taken! One way in which things today are different is in the suddenly vital role that web presence plays in a photographer's success today. Having a blog with WordPress allows me to put up some of my most current work or related photos together in an impactful way.
Why did you choose WordPress.com over the other options available to you?
Steve: It's intuitive, flexible, and easy to use. Much more user-friendly.
Are there features of WordPress.com that have been particularly useful to you?
Steve: There are a lot of theme options and I use a free theme with Custom Design with custom CSS to give it a look and feel I like. Many of the WordPress.com features don't require me to know coding and are free, and uploading pictures is fast and efficient.
How do you choose which photographs will make a good blog post?
Steve: What is important to my work is the individual picture. I photograph stories on assignment, and of course they have to be put together coherently. But what matters most is that each picture stands on its own with its own place and feeling. I think the definition of a great picture is one that stays with you, one you can't forget.
Which of your posts has had the most impact on your readers, and why?
Steve: It was a privilege to go to the Omo Valley in Ethiopia with my friend, John Rowe, to photograph the work he is doing with Lale Labuko in their work to end the practice of mingi (abandonment of "impure" children) and to house and shelter the mingi children who have already been rescued.
What advice would you give budding photographers on building their web presence?
Steve: If you want to be a photographer, you have to photograph. If you look at the photographers whose work we admire, they've found a particular place or a subject, dug deep into it, and carved out something that's become special. And that takes a lot of time and a lot of work - that's not for everyone. Regardless of how successful you are, it's important for you to spend your time photographing things that matter to you. You need to understand the things that have meaning to you, and not what others think is important for you. Having a blog is one of the easiest ways for your to get your work out to a wide audience.
Thanks, Steve!
Follow Steve McCurry's WordPress.com blog! If you're not sure where to start, consider these four posts first to sample the stunning work he produces:
Discover other photography and recommended blogs on WordPress.com.
All photos in this post are copyright Steve McCurry. Photograph of Steve by: Ahmet Sel.


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Lyon County, MNHome Menu
Lyon County Jail Roster
Please click on the below link to view the current Lyon County Jail Inmates.
This site is automatically updated every 12 hours.
Minnesota Statewide Resources
- VINELink is a free online resource that allows you to search for custody status information regarding an offender and register to receive notification of the offender's release from a county jail or detention facility. You can register for release notification either through this website or through the VINE telephone number above.
- Special notice regarding offenders in a Minnesota Department of Corrections Facility:
- Currently, a search for DOC inmates can be done through VINELink, however, a request for notification must be done through Minnesota CHOICE.
- Under Minnesota law, victims of offenders in a Department of Corrections (DOC) facility have additional rights to notification and information; including notice of conditions of release, additional notification related to released predatory offenders, notification of transfers to a less secure facility, and, if the offender re-enters a facility, that offender's subsequent release. Receiving this information and notifications is not automatic: victims must make a request to the DOC.
- Victims of DOC offenders who would like to request notification of release, as well as the other notices and information they are entitled to, may submit their request through Minnesota CHOICE or contact the DOC Victim Assistance Program.


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Tales for Tails [1]
Rodman Public Library offers children the chance to try their reading skills on local therapy dogs on Saturday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. These specially trained dogs will "listen" to stories in the Children's Program Room at the Main Library.
All dogs are members of Therapy Dogs International and the "Paws and Reflect" Pet Therapy group of Alliance Community Hospital. Studies have shown that children can become better readers when they regularly read aloud to dogs. An animal reading companion provides a relaxing, stress-free and non-judgmental "listening partner" for a beginning or struggling reader.
Fifteen minute time slots are available. Patrons may sign up in advance for a preferred time slot. For more information, call the Children's Department at 330-821-2665, ext. 223.


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Monday, January 21, 2013
Sports News
Lynx defense stymies Parkland in conference-opening thriller; Lady Lynx
fall 64-60
By Justin Tierney
Send a link to a friend
[January 21, 2013]
On many nights, the story of the
Lincoln College men's basketball team has been the explosive
offensive exploits of freshman dynamos Aaron Simpson and JoVaughn
Lincoln College squeaked by the Cobras in a low-scoring contest,
winning 57-55, with the margin of victory supplied by two Simpson
free throws with 22 seconds left.
While the Lynx shot only 35 percent from the field, they held
Parkland to just 39 percent shooting and forced the Cobras into 18
turnovers, while surrendering only 11 turnovers.
Lincoln College coach Pat Lepper praised his team's toughness in
their win over Parkland, which was ranked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA
Division II poll.
"We knew that Parkland ran some great sets and that we'd have to
guard, get down and get through screens," said Lepper. "I was happy
that we did that.
"We held them to 20 percent from behind the arc and 39 percent
overall ... But offensively, when our defense isn't getting stops,
or we're not getting rebounds and into transition, it hurts us. But
at times, we looked really good defensively."
It was an up-and-down game, with each team possessing sizable
The Cobras jumped out to a 16-7 lead in the opening minutes, but
the Lynx would overcome that deficit to take a 34-31 lead into
Early in the second half, it appeared that Lincoln College might
run away with a double-digit win. The Lynx held Parkland to only
three field goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half and
took their largest lead of the game, 49-39, on a steal and basket by
Jalen McCaskill.
But, the Cobras answered. Parkland tied the game at 55-55 on a
basket from Dominique Walls with just over two minutes remaining.
The teams would trade defensive stops until the Lynx possessed
the ball with under 30 seconds left. Lepper called a timeout and
promptly drew up a play for Simpson.
Simpson got the ball at the top of the key and used a pick to
separate from his defender. Simpson then looked to pull up, but was
met by Parkland center Cedric Smith. Simpson pump-faked, baiting
Smith into leaping into the air to block the shot, and then got a
shot attempt off while drawing Smith's contact, which was called a
Simpson stepped to the line and swished a pair of free throws to
give the Lynx a two-point advantage.
"I felt the whole game that I was kind of rushing," said Simpson.
"Their bigs were jumping at me a lot. I kind of figured if I came
off the screen and pump-faked, I could get them in the air. That's
what I did."
After Simpson's free throws, the Cobras advanced the ball to
half-court before calling timeout. On the ensuing in-bounds, Gaines
stole the in-bounds pass and got it to teammate Kendall Wesley, who
was fouled. Wesley missed the front end of his one-and-one attempt,
which Parkland rebounded. But, a midcourt heave from Smith was no
good and, once the buzzer sounded, the Lincoln College student
section took to the floor in celebration.
The buzz in Jack Nutt Arena was almost tangible, which Lepper
noted worked in favor of the Lynx.
[to top of second column]
"You have to give the students credit," said Lepper. "It was a
great atmosphere. People from Parkland were here, plus our student
body came out. They got rowdy towards the end. And that helps us."
LC was led in scoring by Simpson, who finished with 11 points.
Avery Perry was the only other Lynx to reach double figures, adding
10 points. However, LC benefited from a balanced attack, with 11
players figuring into the scoring columns with at least two points,
compared with eight players in Parkland's scoring column.
Simpson said that while he and Gaines understand they're looked
to as the team's top offensive weapons, he thinks all of his
teammates are capable of scoring when needed.
"We've always had a great bench," said Simpson. "Sometimes, we
run plays that are designed to get shots for me and JoVaughn. But
when our guys get their time, they can all score."
Lady Lynx drop heartbreaker
The women's game that preceded the men's contest set the tone of
excitement for the night.
The Lady Lynx led for most of the first half, setting the stage
for an upset of the Cobras, who received votes but were not ranked
in the latest NJCAA Division II women's poll.
But, Parkland proved to be too much in the second half,
overcoming LC's 34-30 halftime advantage to win 64-60.
Although the loss was painful, Lady Lynx coach Carol Wilson
termed it a "moral victory."
"That's what it was, really. I thought we played hard," said
Wilson. "Just being in the game situations there in the last few
minutes, we just lost what we were supposed to do.
"But hopefully we learn from it, because we're going to be in
that situation again if we keep playing this hard with other teams."
The difference in the game was at the free-throw line. At
halftime, Parkland adjusted their game plan on offense, pounding the
ball inside against the smaller Lady Lynx. The change paid dividends
in free-throw attempts. The Cobras made 12 of 24 attempts in the
second half, while LC had only six attempts, of which they made
Wilson didn't feel the officiating was unfair. It was just a
matter of Parkland being aggressive, according to the coach.
"That's huge. I thought the refs did a good job. We were
fouling," said Wilson of the free-throw differential. "They were
just being aggressive ... (LC sophomore) Ally (Friday) can draw
fouls when she wants to, and so can Cassidy (Jennings).
"But a lot of times we settled and don't penetrate the gap like
we should. I thought overall, we couldn't have played much better."
Friday led the Lady Lynx in scoring with 15 points, while
Jennings added 13 points. Shannon Hall and Taylor Buliox each added
eight points for LC in the loss.
[By JUSTIN TIERNEY]
Lincoln College men's basketball
College women's basketball
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"Hey Andrew,
We returned from Budapest on Sunday and want to say great thanks for your services. Your organization is really on the highest level and very flexible. You were extremely patient with our drunk crowd, even in the middle of the night.
Although it was nice to attend the events, I must add that our guide made a difference. She knew how to guide us professionally while she fitted perfectly within the group's atmosphere. I have been on several stag parties before and this was so much better than anything else."
Stefan Meyer
"Hey Adam,
First of all I would like to highlight your patience and professionalism dealing with my endless list of questions. Secondly your organization skills were really fantastic. One of the best weekends ever. All of the guys were extremely delighted. I must congratulate you for organizing all the activities in such a short time and such a brilliant manner.
The girls who were our guides, served us beer and generally looked after us. You are all beautiful, wonderful people and we wish you the best."
Richard Cunningham
"Everyone had a fantastic time and our guide was absolutely brilliant as a tour guide. The Hungarian girls are really fantastic and beautiful. The stag arrest prank was very funny and our friend "John" (the groom) liked it a lot!
On the final evening we stayed out until 8:00am and stood on the top of Citadella and watched the city from 100 feet high and drank our last beers.
We hope to come back to Budapest one day and will definitely be using your company. We all had a truly fantastic time and it couldn't have been any better."
Will Reid


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This website features exclusively the image collection of geographer, international travel photographer and audiovisual producer, Peter Langer. He has been devoted to the creation of professional photography of the highest quality in the field of travel and culture. Peter Langer - Associated Media Group has produced hundreds of multi-image video productions, live presentations seminars and webinars for the travel industry, governments and private clients since 1979.
I create emotional and accurate photography that captures a subject as it truly is. I look for what is unique and unusual with as little artificial lighting as possible, as magic is created with natural light. I believe that the most remarkable and memorable moments happen unexpectedly and with real, genuine emotion to make for unforgettable images that stimulate the senses and emotions. My tool is the camera, a tool, like the painter's brush and canvas that allows me to capture the beauty of the world that surrounds me.
Everyone has a story to tell and I want to help you tell yours through the images I make. Over the years I have met strange, unusual and wonderful people and realize that everybody has a story to share and is a beautiful person in some way. My photographic style will bring out your true character. Perhaps one of the most helpful things a photographer can do is become a good listener. It's the process of listening and interpreting that becomes the playground for creativity as an artist.
In terms of audio-visual productions, I find that an effective multi-image presentation will last from six to twelve minutes; after that audience attention tends to dissipate. One of my major concerns in multi-image production has been the overemphasis in the field on "special effects" at the expense of substance, as it distracts the audience from the message. Carefully worded captions, music and the meticulous pacing of simple dissolves do heighten audience awareness and receptivity.
Reliability, accuracy and a carefully personalized service have characterized every aspect of my projects. This is what my clients expect. I am devoted to the creation of professional photography and multi-image productions of the highest quality. I only use professional-level digital single-lens reflex cameras with an assortment of lenses, using flash units and lighting equipment sparingly, as it is all about natural light when photographing people, objects and locations. I am very proud to include among his clients some of the world's leading magazines and publishers; advertising agencies, public broadcasters, government agencies, tourism offices, airlines, cruise lines, global tour operators, realtors & property management companies.
Commercial Photography
My experience in documenting diverse segments of the travel & tourism industry, spans over 30 years. I create exciting, emotional and accurate photography that captures a destination as it truly is. My clients include airlines, cruise lines, hotels & resorts, tour operators, tourism boards and destination management companies.
I have created product & conceptual photography of wine, vineyards & wineries in the Americas and Europe, including the production of Tequila, Mezcal and Pisco in Latin America. I have also shot images for different clients in the mining sector, various industries and scientific establishments, including very large astronomical observatories.
Real Estate Photography
I specialize in shooting professional real estate photographs and multi-media productions for realtors and private clients to market their properties more effectively. During the creation and post-processing of my real estate photographs, virtual tours and videos, I capture the inherent beauty created by the effects of natural light, with as little artificial lighting as possible.
You are guaranteed to get more attention showcasing a beautiful representation of what the home actually looks like. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Our creative solutions will not only save you time & effort, but will help you making that sale faster and more efficiently, resulting in higher profits.
Portrait Photography
Everyone has a story to tell and I want to help you tell yours through the images I make. Over the years I have met strange, unusual and wonderful people and realize that everybody has a story to share and is a beautiful person in some way. My photographic style will bring out your true character. Working primarily with available light, the sessions are never posed or contrived; they are fun, interactive, and genuine. We will spend time together and I will casually photograph some of your honest, authentic moments as they happen.
Audio-Visual & Multi-Image Production
Experienced buyers, who have seen, produced or commissioned multi-image productions praise the persuasive power and visual presence of multi-image. Communicate your ideas through words, images, and music synchronized in a single expression. Multi-image is an orchestration of all these diverse elements.
Through the many images projected, dissolving on the screen accompanied by stunning soundtrack, these presentations have the appearance of fluidity and immediacy of film.
The Image Collections
Peter Langer's photographs and articles have appeared in some of the World's leading magazines, numerous books by renowned publishers, websites and digital media worldwide. The image collection contains well over 300,000 images covering 160 countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Oceania, Antarctica and the Arctic featuring a wide range of subject matter.
Countries of the World
The Image Collection contains well over 300,000 images covering 160 countries, making it a compelling source for image researchers, publishers and educators. The library features a wide range of subject matter and motifs. Feel free to search the collection to find images that you need in Africa, Antarctica, the Arctic, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, the Caribbean, Central America, South America and the South Pacific.
Peoples & Cultures
The collection contains over 80,000 photographs of a huge diversity of peoples and cultures all over the world, including nomadic groups.The photographs and the accompanying captions include a good selection of candid shots of men, women, children and the elderly. Scenes range from economic activities, such as agriculture, industry, fishing, education and the arts to religious traditions, local festivals sports and other customs.
Religion & Spirituality
The collection contains over 60,000 photographs of religions and beliefs from around the world. We obviously feature world religions, such as Christianity. Islam and Judaism, but our collection also covers the more obscure, such as the animist beliefs of the Andes or Jainism. You can search by faith, as the photographs illustrate holy sites, places of worship and rituals of each creed represented.
Art History
The collection contains over 100,000 photographs of works of Architecture, Sculpture and Painting on all continents. All images are captioned and feature keywords detailing historical periods and geographical regions. Our keywords are organized in such manner that you will be able to easily find art historical subject matter by period or style from Prehistorical Art to Modern Art Movements.
Archaeological Sites
The collection contains over 90,000 photographs of Archaeological Sites and ancient objects in museums on all continents. The photographs and the accompanying captions detail the site, structures, and cultures represented there. Our collection not only features famous well-known sites like the Pyramids of Giza, but we also have images of more obscure archaeological sites, such as the Buddhist Vihara in Paharpur, Bangladesh.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The collection contains over 80,000 photographs of World Heritage Sites on all continents. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes over 900 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world, considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
Nature, Plants & WildlifeThe collection contains over 80,000 photographs of National Parks, Biosphere Reserves and natural habitats on all continents. The photographs and the accompanying captions detail the ecosystems represented, including the scientific name of plants & animals. You will also find a good selection of pictures of wildlife in its natural habitat, as well as a great variety of images of plants and flowers.
Travel & TourismThe collection contains thousands of photographs well suited to the needs of the travel and tourism industry. Travel professionals and tourism marketing specialists will find it easy to find photos that illustrate destinations on all continents and oceans. Our images have been used in a number of travel guide books, catalogues, brochures, flyers, websites and multi-image presentations all over the world.


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Sunday School – 10:00 am
Worship Service – 11:00 am
Bible Study – 12:15 pm
Wednesday Bible Study - 6:30 pm
12859 Martin Road Spur
Northport, AL 35473
Watering the Tulips
November 21, 2012
Do you remember the story of the Israelites as they came out of the land of Egypt? It is one of the highlights in the Word of God. God showed himself as the God of all gods to the mightiest nation in the world at the time by sending plague after plague upon the nation.
After the plague of the firstborn, Pharaoh finally came to his breaking point and he decided to let the Israelites go. They never had to fight a battle. Their taskmasters indeed were glad to see them go.
Things looked great as they approached the Red Sea. When Pharaoh's heart was hardened again, he came after the Israelites in a fury to bring them back to Egypt. No one could ever forget what came next when the Lord instructed Moses to raise his staff and the Red Sea split into two walls of water. The land between the two walls was even dry! The Israelites (not a small band of people – some say in the millions) passed through without any problem at all.
When the Jewish people got to the other side, Pharaoh's captains led the armies of Egypt between the two walls of water where they would be swallowed to death by the collapsing waters. What devastation to the army of Egypt! What deliverance for God's chosen nation!
As you read on in Scripture, you read of the great celebration that took place on the other side of the Red Sea. Here we have the first song mentioned in the Word of God. What joy there must have been in the camp! But, joy would only be short lived, seemingly.
You see as we read on in the Exodus account we read, "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.And the people complained against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" (Exodus 15:22-24).
Immediately, after the greatest thing that any of them had ever seen in life, came this time of great thirst. The only water around was tainted so that they could not drink it. The people began to think they were going to die out in the wilderness and began to complain against God.
If you read on in the account you will see that God showed Moses a tree to cast into the water. When he did so, the waters of Marah turned sweet. The people were able to drink of the waters to sustain their lives and then God led them to Elim where there were twelve wells of water.
Friends I mention this story in the Word of God today because oftentimes in life we come right off a mountaintop experience into bitter waters of life. It's easy to give up hope. It's easy to begin murmuring against the same God you were praising on the mountaintop.
When you find yourself at bitter water's edge don't lose hope. The same God that made bitter waters sweet at Marah is the same God that can make bitter waters sweet in your life. God instructed Moses to cast in a tree. Today friends I point you to the tree that makes all bitter waters sweet – The tree of Calvary. Here we find hope. Here we find comfort. Here we find a Savior who is ready to bear us up on eagle's wings. Here we find one who will turn our bitterness into joy and victory! ~ Pastor John Fry, Ceredo, WV
Watering the Tulips is brought to you by Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Northport, AL. For more information, please visit www.sovereigngrace.net. "Your App to the Gospel" is available the iTunes app store as well as Google Play. Please download it today!


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An out-of-control Chinese space station full of "highly toxic" chemicals may crash into lower Michigan, reports Aerospace.org, which has predicted an April 3 reentry with a margin of error of one week before and after. While the list of possible targets include locations in Northern China, South America, Southern Africa, Northern Spain and the United States. Lower Michigan in particular is among the regions with the highest probability of a direct hit.
The 8.5-ton Tiangong-1 had previously been expected to come crashing down to Earth sometime in March, while the European Space Agency's Space Debris Office in Darmstadt, Germany, thinks the window for reentry is between March 24 and April 19. That said, most of it will burn up upon re-entry, leaving between 10 and 40 percent of the satellite expected to survive as debris.
"There is a chance that a small amount of Tiangong-1 debris may survive reentry and impact the ground," Aerospace reports. "Should this happen, any surviving debris would fall within a region that is a few hundred kilometers in size and centered along a point on the Earth that the station passes over."
In January, Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell said that it's impossible to predict where the station will hit. "You really can't steer these things," McDowell said, adding "Even a couple of days before it reenters we probably won't know better than six or seven hours, plus or minus, when it's going to come down.
McDowell said Tiangong-1's descent had been speeding up in recent months and it was now falling by about 6km a week, compared with 1.5km in October. It was difficult to predict when the module might land because its speed was affected by the constantly changing "weather" in space, he said.
"It is only in the final week or so that we are going to be able to start speaking about it with more confidence," he said.
"I would guess that a few pieces will survive re-entry. But we will only know where they are going to land after the fact." -The Guardian
According to a FAQ on the Tiangong-1, the actual impact of the space station might not even be the most dangerous aspect of the reentry. Potentially hazardous materials including hydrazine, a highly toxic chemical used in rocket fuel, might survive re-entry. If humans or animals come into contact with large quantities of the substance, it can cause serious liver, kidney and central nervous system damage.
As we previously reported, the Tiangong-1 was the first space station built and launched by China - equipped with two sleep stations and a habitable volume of 15 cubic meters (529 sq ft.).
Weighing in at 18,750 lbs, the two-module spacecraft - which means "Heavenly Palace," lost contact with China's space agency on March 21, 2016 after the completion of its extended mission, which included a six year service life that saw two manned missions to perform experiments for the larger multiple-module Tiangong station.
The first mission - Shenzhou 9, was a 13-day sojourn launched June 15, 2012 with three astronauts - including China's first female astronaut, Liu Yang. The mission completed two dockings - one computer controlled, and one crew-guided.
China's second mission, the Shenzhou 10, launched June 11, 2013 with three astronauts as well.


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Compare cheap flights from Cairns to Maldives
Compare and book cheap flights from Cairns (CNS) to Maldives with Skiddoo. Use the Skiddoo flight explorer to find the cheapest time to fly to Maldives from Cairns on a range of leading airlines. Save with our exclusive Cairns to Maldives flight deals online today.
What to do in the Maldives
The world is filled with incredible island destinations. So why is Maldives such a popular destination? It could be because the country is literally filled with, some might say, the best beaches in the world.
Maldives is also quite secluded that it feels like you're not even in the same world anymore when you visit. The island will also delight your taste buds with fresh seafood. And from azure waters to vibrant sunsets, Maldives is the very definition of paradise.
Enjoy countless beaches in Maldives and take your pick from the country's 10 atolls. There's the stunning Nalaguraidhoo Beach, Reethi Beach, Soneva Gili, as well as the ones in Haa Alif, Seenu, and Baa Atoll.
Surfies are also heading to Maldives for its perfect waves, like the ones in Male Atoll. Strap on the oxygen tank and go diving too. See incredible underwater creatures when you dive at Ari Atoll. Enjoy snorkelling in any of the island's reefs.
Beyond the beaches and waters, see what else Maldives can offer you by exploring Male Atoll. Find gorgeous architecture and get a taste of the local culture at the city's Friday Mosque and Kalhu Vakaru Mosque. Then stop by Male's Sultan Park and National Museum for a relaxing stroll.
It doesn't matter if you're a solo traveller, couple, or group. If you're looking for paradise, you'll find it in Maldives. Are you still unsure? Then have a sneak peak of Maldives and be convinced.
Now start planning your trip to this stunner of an island and get travel tips and ideas from this Maldives travel guide.
When to visit the Maldives
The best time to visit Maldives is during the high tourist season from December to February, when the weather is at its best. Shoulder season from March-April is also a great time to visit, because the weather is still great, and the surfing season begins in March.
But you can schedule your flight to Maldives whenever you want, because Australians can easily apply for a 30-day visa on arrival. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months from your planned return date to Australia. Just visit Smartraveller for more info.
Travelling to and around the Maldives
Maldives welcomes all visitors at the Malé International Airport. Go and explore the rest of Maldives by plane, boat, yachts, taxi, and on foot.
See the beauty and charm of Maldives and have an amazing island holiday! Pack your bags now, grab your passport, and book your flights to Male with Skiddoo today.


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Manicure Monday: Zoya in 'Pinta'
Now that I've started Manicure Mondays on VBR, I totes get excited to switch up my nails on a weekly basis.
Today I'm rockin':
Zoya nail polish in Pinta, $8: It's a dark vampy purple with strong blue undertones. It's dramatic, moody, and perfect for fall.
Jamberry Nails Metallic Silver & White Circles, $15: I used this to accent my ring finger. This festive and shimmery pattern has already caught a few double takes. These nail wraps last for up to 2 weeks and they're hella fun, yo!
Which nail polish are you sportin' today?
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.
Filed in: vegan nails
Comments (2)
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that blue is gorgeous
I'll have to check our these Jamberry wraps! Also that Zoya is such a lovely color


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FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank may give a guide to next year's policy path when it delivers fresh forecasts for the euro zone economy on Thursday at a meeting where it is expected to leave interest rates at a record low.
The ECB will issue its first economic forecasts for 2014 in its staff projections and economists expect the bank to downgrade its outlook for 2013, following a similar move by the European Commission in November.
Only a handful of the 71 economists polled by Reuters said the ECB would cut rates and they were split down the middle over the possibility of a rate cut early next year.
The Governing Council will also discuss the latest agreement by Greece's international lenders, which include the ECB, to bring the country's debt down to more manageable levels to unlock funds Athens urgently needs to stay afloat.
The Greek deal, along with the ECB's promise to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro have calmed financial markets, bringing down borrowing costs in Italy and Spain.
ECB chief Mario Draghi has pledged to buy the bonds of struggling euro zone government bonds in potentially unlimited amounts, but only once they have sought help from the euro zone rescue fund.
Until they do, economists expect rates to be held at a record low of 0.75 percent. Recent comments from ECB policymakers suggest the bank is unlikely to make further cuts for now despite a dire economic outlook for the bloc.
The ECB is "unlikely to play Santa in December", said Juergen Michels, euro zone economist at Citi. "The ECB does not want to reduce market pressure further as this probably would lead to a further delay of Spain asking for assistance."
The ECB's contribution to the latest rescue efforts for Greece are likely to be high on Thursday's agenda.
Euro zone finance ministers agreed last week to return profits they receive via national central banks from bonds the ECB bought under its Securities Market Programme to Athens, reducing Greece's debt pile by 11 billion euros.
A euro zone central bank source told Reuters the Governing Council would also discuss a possible rollover of Greek debt held by some national central bank in their investment portfolios.
A document that emerged from last week's euro zone finance minister's meeting showed that such a step would save Greece the need to redeem 3.7 billion euros in 2012-2014 and 1.9 billion euros in 2015-2016.
Asked whether the issue would be discussed on Thursday, the source said "definitely".
While it was up to the individual national central banks to decide to replace the Greek bonds they hold with new Greek paper as the debt matures, the Governing Council would likely agree on a common line on Thursday, the source said.
The ECB declined to comment.
It will have to chose its wording on the matter carefully to avoid giving the impression its central banks were directly financing governments, something EU law prohibits.
Draghi hinted at a downward revision of the ECB staff projections at last month's news conference and said last week that the euro zone's debt troubles were likely to stretch deep into next year.
The debt crisis dragged the currency bloc into its second recession since 2009 in the third quarter and business surveys show little signs of a turnaround. The euro zone's manufacturing sector shrank for a 16th straight month in November, though a little less rapidly than in October.
Euro zone inflation fell to 2.2 percent in November, moving closer to the ECB's target of below, but close to 2 percent over the medium term, prompting some economists to pencil in a 25 basis point rate cut by the end of the first quarter next year.
Royal Bank of Scotland economist Richard Barwell said he saw little merit in cutting the main refinancing rate without a corresponding cut in the deposit rate — which banks get for parking their funds at the ECB overnight, currently at zero.
This would mean that the ECB would charge banks to hold their money, which might push them into lending and away from hoarding their cash.
ECB Governing Council member Christian Noyer did not rule out such a step earlier this week, but said it was not an issue at the moment.
The ECB is also likely to extend the supply of unlimited funds for euro zone banks in its refinancing operations, which runs out on January 15.
Editing by Mike Peacock


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For example, I have a numbered list, what is easier for an average user to read ?
[1] [5]
[2] [6]
[3] [7]
[4] [8]
[1] [2]
[3] [4]
[5] [6]
[7] [8]
...assuming columns and rows count matters, how do I make the choice between the two ways of displaying ordered lists. I.e. how long does a row have to be to use one or how long does a column have to be to use the other, is there maybe an ideal ratio to use as a rule of thumb?
Any insight on this would be great.


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Dr. Ralph Stanley - Wind Gap - 2012
You may know recognize the name from the O' Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack (he did O Death and origianlly wrote Man of Constant Sorrow) but Dr. Stanely is actually a pioneering force of the genre. He and his brother Carter began recording ole-timey tunes all the way back in 1946.
Carl Smith, June Carter, and The Collins Kids Fiddle With the Grand Ole Opry
Like an atomic era YouTube, this airing of the long-running musical series from 1956 also features country music heavyweights Flatt & Scruggs, the Briar Hoppers, and the Jordanaires.
Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys - Etowah, TN - July 19, 1990
The Father of Bluegrass lays down 18 of his biggest hits from the golden age of the Grand Ole Opry in this live show from Eastern Tennessee.
Texas Prairie Band - Allen Public Library - 2010
Texas Prairie may not itself be a classic bluegrass act (yet) but they do a phenomenal job of exploring modern facets of the genre without getting away from its roots.
Bill Monroe & Doc Watson Duet - Sally Goodin - 1990
This is the Bluegrass equivalent of Jimmy Page and Jimmi Hendrix getting together on stage and playing God Gave Rock and Roll to You.