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Thursday, May 29, 2008
Bryan Zanisnik... plus
Bryan Zanisnik, Vivarium, for PLUGGED IN, in Hudson NY - this was the only piece I saw, but fortunately it was one of the two I most wanted to see. Short, looped video of Bryan as a tin-foil merman in a tub, looking clueless and scared, getting watered and inspected by fish-eyed masked doctors. Studying the video of Bryan, with the monitor in a glass tank, I realized that I was acting out the role of the doctor, evaluating the vulnerable Bryan.
Michael Oatman was the second artist I specifically sought out. I could hear his piece fine, but the bright sunlight reflecting off the window prevented me from seeing anything. It sounds good.
Oatman had a great video piece in his big show at the Tang a few years ago, and was recently awarded a Steve Lehman 6 Gold Star Award! Congratulations!!
Ben Butler and Laurel Sucsy - Ben has the current show in the main space at John Davis Gallery... Laurel's show at the same gallery opens in September. My photos didn't turn out so hot, so check out Ben's site.
This is Ben Butler the sculptor, not Benjamin Butler the painter... BBSculptor has a funny story about getting mixed up with BBPainter.
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A More Succulent Lobster
The classic approach to lobster – and pretty much every hard-shelled crab, crayfish, and even shrimp – is to drop it into boiling salted water. After 15 minutes, you just take the lobster out, crack open the shell, and pull out the meat. But this technique has two big shortcomings. One, different parts of the animal cook at different rates – meaning the tail overcooks by the time the claws are ready. Two, boiling water deeply infuses lobster with the taste of, well, water.
Kinch solves the first problem by killing the lobster with a knife, and then breaking it into pieces to cook separately. He solves the second by turning that water into court bouillon, a quick vegetable stock that infuses the lobster with extra flavor. The broth makes an excellent poaching medium for any sea creature, from hard-shell crabs to flaky fish fillets. Finally, he presents the lobster not with the traditional clarified butter but in a beautiful chilled salad.
- 2 live 1-lb lobsters
For the court bouillon:
- 2 large yellow onions, 2 large leeks, and 2 large fennel bulbs, all roughly chopped
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, halved
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed with skin on
- 2 cups white wine
- salt
For the salad:
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- salt
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 avocados
- mixed greens
Step One: Make the Court Bouillon
Place all bouillon ingredients in a large pot; fill with water, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Dip a finger quickly in and out of the water (yes, it can handle the heat), and lick it. It should be roughly as salty as seawater.
Step Two: Kill the Lobsters
Set one lobster facedown on a cutting board. Place the tip of a large, sharp knife at the back of its head, blade facing away from its body. Plunge the tip downward, clear through the head, bisecting the lobster's face. Next, grab hold of the lobster's tail and twist to remove it in a single motion. Do the same with each of the claws, twisting right where they attach to the lobster's body. Discard body. Repeat for second lobster.
Step Three: Prepare an Ice Bath
Fill a large bowl with equal parts ice and water. You will use this to cool the lobster parts as they exit the boiling water, stopping them from cooking further.
Step Four: Cook the Lobsters
Place the large claws, rubber band on, in the court bouillon. Simmer 4 minutes, and then remove to the bath. Place the small claws in the bouillon for 3 minutes, and then remove to the bath. Place the tails in the bouillon for 2 minutes, and then remove to the bath. Break the shells by rapping them with a hammer or the butt end of a knife. Remove the meat without tearing, so you have 6 large pieces.
Step Five: Prepare the Salad
Halve the orange and lemon. Squeeze 2 tbsp of juice from each into crème fraîche; stir. Add salt to taste. Halve the tomatoes and avocados. Use a spoon to scoop the avocado from its shell; slice each half into long, thin pieces. On a platter, place several dollops of crème fraîche, about 1 tbsp each. Sprinkle 1 or 2 handfuls of tomatoes and greens on top, then layer chunks of lobster and avocado. Garnish with additional crème fraîche and orange segments.
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COVER- Under the radar and dreaming: Music experts pick our next big thing
Nearly 13 years ago, Dave Matthews Band released its major label debut Under the Table and Dreaming and suddenly put Charlottesville on America's musical map. Some of the youthful musicians featured in this, the Hook's annual music issue, may not even remember that moment. In the fall of 1994, Eli Cook, Helen Horal, and all the members of Sparky's Flaw and Sons of Bill could have formed the greatest-ever band consisting entirely of preschoolers and kindergartners. Now they're all grown up, and our experts say they're the ones to watch, because they have the stuff to take them from under the radar to the top of the charts.
Bruce Flohr is an executive with Red Light Management and ATO Records.
Sparky's Flaw
...on SPARKY'S FLAW: Hands down, they will be the next band to get a record deal in Charlottesville. They are killer live. They write killer songs. We'll be begging them to play for us after they break it big nationally. I'm getting phone calls from people from record companies asking me what I know about them, and we don't even work with them yet.
...on SIX CHASING SEVEN: Boyd [Tinsley, fiddler in Dave Matthews Band] is working with them right now because anything Dick Redding sings sounds beautiful. They sound like a cross between Ben Harper and Jack Johnson with a soul element to it.
...on TREES ON FIRE: Sometimes they sound like Crosby, Stills and Nash, sometimes like Sublime, and they make it all work.
...on HELEN HORAL: She has an angelic voice, and her guitar reminds me of Sarah McLaughlin, but most importantly, she's doing all the hard grunt work to get her name out there.
...on SONS OF BILL: They remind me of everyone from Rust Never Sleeps-era Neil Young to Waylon Jennings to Wilco, and if they're given the right exposure, they'll be huge in this town and beyond.
Charlie Pastorfield is a guitarist in such bands as the Skip Castro Band, Alligator, and the Gladstones– not to mention co-star of Live from... the Hook, the rockumentary on 1980s Charlottesville.
The Rogan Brothers
...on the ROGAN BROTHERS: This is old-school songwriting in a new package. I hear flashes of Van Morrison and Neil Young, but they dress it up in a different, harder way. I think they had a mom and dad who had hippie music in the house, but they grew up listening to harder stuff. It's really strong, and with a little bit of work, in the right setting, they could have something that could really knock people out.
...on ELI COOK: He has an old soul and plays old blues, so he sounds authentic without being a copycat.
...on SONS OF BILL: I've heard a live recording of them, and it just knocked me out.
...on AMERICAN DUMPSTER: They've established themselves as strong regional artists.
...on FLETCHER BRIDGE: I'm not a big fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but they take the best parts of Skynyrd and mix it with a Traffic vibe.
Damani Harrison is a producer and rapper with local hip-hop group Beetnix, the founder of Audiostate Records, and an award-winning former Hook columnist.
Lester Jackson and Jerel Jacobs of Acoustic Groove Trio
...on ACOUSTIC GROOVE TRIO: Before these guys, there was no soul music in Charlottesville. While you can hear they're influenced by D'Angelo, Lyfe Jennings, and Musiqsoulchild, they strip it down to acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, and percussion. All the modern soul music has been bastardized by the hip-hop sound, but this is back to basics. It's the kind of music you'd definitely want to make love to.
...on ELI COOK: He emanates the true spirit of blues music in its most viciously raw form.
...on ANONAMYS: I'm working with him right now because he's a rapper with a lot of different facets to his personality, none of which are fake and all of which come through his music.
...on THE HAMILTONS: Ezra Hamilton has a one-in-a-million voice.
...on DEVON SPROULE: Like Fiona Apple, she sings from a very female perspective, and yet, as a guy, I can relate to what she's singing about.
Jamie Dyer is a founding member of the Hogwaller Ramblers.
Eli Cook
...on ELI COOK: When you're young and playing old-school blues, it doesn't always work. But he's been fearless in following what he wants to do as opposed to being a scenester. He actually gives a good darn about the music he's playing. He's a student of the guitar, he has the voice for what he does, and most importantly, he's a self-realized musical entity, which is the hardest thing to do in music.
...on ACCORDION DEATH SQUAD: Their frontman, Gus Clark, is so passionate and present, you can tell he only gives a damn about what he's singing.
...on NO HAY BANDA: They remind me of what we did in Hogwaller Ramblers, when we wanted to play rootsy music but we also wanted to headbang.
...on JONNIE RED: Whether they're laid back or rockin', these guys play downright American music with a lot of heart. [And there's a Hook staffer on board.–editor]
...on SCREAMING INFIDELS: Their music comes from a very dark place in a way that's cathartic not only for the people playing it, but also for the people listening.
Andy Waldeck is a singer, songwriter, and founding member of Earth to Andy.
Helen Horal
...on HELEN HORAL: She barely knows what chords she's playing on the guitar, but she's absolutely in control of it all, especially with her singing– she's absolutely killing it. She's not just your average chick with a guitar.
...on ACOUSTIC GROOVE TRIO: They're definitely one of the more intriguing and exciting things to come out of Charlottesville at a time when a lot of people expect folk-centric, white singer-songwriters from us.
...on MONEYPENNY: One of the best four-piece rock bands to come out of Charlottesville in a long time.
...on the DIRTY DISHES: I think everybody knows that the lead singer is my wife, but even if I wasn't related, I think that they're doing something that's really cool and good for our town.
...on SARAH WHITE AND THE PEARLS: I feel like there's more room for people in Charlottesville to explore that "Is it country? Is it folk? Is it pop?" sort of question-mark genre, and she's done that on her newest record.
John D'earth is the trumpet player in the Thompson-D'earth Band and the Free Bridge Quartet and a longtime collaborator with Dave Matthews Band.
Sons of Bill
...on SONS OF BILL: These folks are known to many around here, but the world should and will hear of them beyond our garden walls. Sam Wilson looks like a teenager and plays and writes like an elder statesman, except that his band's music is so fresh, varied, masterful in all traditions and free from cliché and dogma that it could only be of the present moment.
...on PEYTON TOCHTERMAN: I'm a little prejudiced because I'm in his band, but I think Peyton is brilliant, funny, deep, sings with great naturalness, and has beautiful time.
...on ANDY THACKER: He's probably one of the greatest mandolin players alive.
...on MATTY METCALFE: Yes, he's my son-in-law, but people are quickly finding out that he's a virtuoso who knows how to support or take the lead, improvise, write, or read a score with equal aplomb.
Boyd Tinsley is the fiddler in Dave Matthews Band.
Six Chasing Seven
...on SIX CHASING SEVEN: This is a band I have been producing at DMB's studio. I am so excited to see these young musicians start to realize their potential. This band has so much talent that it inspires me.
...on ACOUSTIC GROOVE TRIO: They're great songwriters who remind me of John Legend but with a guitar.
...on TREES ON FIRE: With such amazing harmonies and a killer drummer, this is a band to watch for sure and I hope to work with them.
...on HELEN HORAL: She's got a great voice and really seems to understand the craft of songwriting.
...on JOE LAWLOR AND FRIENDS: I've started playing some gigs with this who's who of Charlottesville, and if you ever want to see guys like Andy Waldeck and Ezra Hamilton tear it up, check them out.
BONUS- 'Home' again: How former Fluco Daughtry defied the odds
Even for the folks in town who don't care for his music, a Dave Matthews sighting provokes excited chatter and a flurry of text-messages. Where his musical influence doesn't penetrate, his personal relationships often do: around every corner is someone who is proud to have known him in the days before the world came knocking.
More and more, it appears the same could also be said of former Fluvanna County resident Chris Daughtry. Currently lollygagging around the top of the modern rock charts with his self-titled debut album, the smooth-domed, hard-voice 27-year-old turned a failed American Idol bid into a platinum-selling record deal. Although most of the current students are too young to remember the Fluvanna County High School graduate, the staff has kept his memory alive in their hallways.
"It's nice to see a kid from a local area do really well," says former teacher Jason Davis. "Sometimes, kids need to see that in order to be motivated and understand that you can come out of Fluvanna and go on to do wonderful things."
Daughtry's old teachers remember him as artistically gifted in many disciplines. Each seems surprised that he's being lionized for talent in an area other than their own: the art teacher expected him to be an artist, the drama teacher expected a thespian, and so on.
"I wanted to be either a comic artist or an actor," says Daughtry, giggling all the while, and his mom Sandra adds "martial arts expert" to the list.
Davis remembers him as "your basic all-around multi-talented kid in high school," and adds that he ran with a small clique of similarly talented kids. They include current Under The Flood bassist Kenn Davis and frequent collaborator Lucas Grant, who beat Daughtry out for the Flucos' traditional senior-year "Most Likely To Succeed" nod.
But Daughtry says it was musical friend named Robert Nesbit, who discovered him long before Idol came along. "I sang in front of [Nesbit]," says Daughtry, "and he was like, 'Dude, what are you doing? Why aren't you doing this?' And so he kind of twisted my arm."
Nesbit soon got him started with guitar and songwriting, and in short order Daughtry was playing at Trax and school events with a high school garage band called Cadence. Now he has thanked Nesbit several million times over– with each sale of his album.
"Dude, if I never listened to you, who knows what I'd be doing now?" say Daughtry's liner notes. "Thank you for seeing something in me that I did not."
Daughtry graduated in 1998, but he didn't hang around for long. In late 2000, he married a massage therapist from North Carolina and moved to McLeansville, a small town about an hour west of Raleigh, supporting his new wife and two stepchildren as an auto parts salesman.
Early attempts at success with local rock quartet Absent Element went nowhere, and Daughtry ended up with a Hail Mary audition for the fifth season of American Idol. Miraculously, he was able to stomach enough showbiz schmaltz and prodding questions from host Ryan Seacrest to make it onto the show.
Success came as no surprise to many of the people who had seen his artistic side germinate. Long before getting drafted for Daughtry's band in February, local guitarist Brian Craddock recalls watching jaws dropping when he let the teenage songwriter open for his old band, My Dog Lucy, at Trax.
"When we first saw him perform, we were all blown away," says Craddock. "He had an incredible set of pipes, and he was only 17 at the time." Ten years later, those pipes landed him inside the very record industry machine most likely to launch him to international renown.
The rest is history.
"We watched every night; I had my mom watching and my aunt watching and my family down in Texas," says Diane Greenwood, Fluvanna High art teacher. "Every day, down in the teacher's lounge, we'd be talking about it. It was big doings."
Greenwood gets a kick out of telling the new students about her old protégé. "There's no telling where you could end up," she says. "They take a little ownership whether they knew him or not."
As Idol audiences started culling the herd, it was Daughtry's rendition of Fuel's 2000 hit "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" that really won them over. The recording of Daughtry's March 2006 performance cracked that week's iTunes Top 10 "Most Purchased" list, and some of Fuel's other songs also began to creep up the download charts.
Fuel, meanwhile, was in need of a new vocalist because of tepid record sales and the recent departure of founding vocalist Brett Scallions. Fuel appeared on the TV show Extra and offered him the job.
That invitation blasted Daughtry momentarily to the top of the world, and during the May 10 Idol broadcast, judge Paula Abdul remarked, "See you in the finals." But things took a quick U-turn that night when he was cut from the final four, an upset he attributes to the complacency of fans who didn't bother to vote because they assumed he had it in the bag.
"I'm shocked that he didn't win," says Davis back in Fluvanna.
His followers were further stunned when he declined Fuel's invitation the next month. But Daughtry had something bigger in mind.
Idol producer Simon Fuller offered him a record contract with RCA Records, and luminaries including Hoobastank producer Howard Benson, Queens Of The Stone Age drummer Josh Freese, and former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash convened to put together an album before the year was out.
Few have the privilege of working with such a crack team, but fewer still are invited to interact with legends like the G'nR guitar god. "He was the nicest, most down-to-earth guy," Daughtry later told Rolling Stone. "He was laid-back, asking me, 'Do you like that solo?'"
Apparently, Slash wasn't the only one who understood that deferring to Daughtry was in the best interest of the album. Daughtry has writing credits on almost every track, a feat unprecedented in the meticulously manufactured world of post-Idol pop. If the names Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, Bo Bice, and Kelly Clarkson ring any bells, these artists can thank American Idol, this generation's version of Star Search. Yet Daughtry is unique among them.
"He was the first Idol [contestant] I'd ever met who had material that he had written,'' Arista Records founder Clive Davis, the man responsible for launching the careers of the likes of Patti Smith and Notorious B.I.G., told Entertainment Weekly. ''That was compelling." Davis is now Daughtry's manager.
Although Internet-fueled phenoms like British rockers the Arctic Monkeys or pop brat Lily Allen occasionally succeed, American Idol is one of the last network television music showcases to pack an Ed Sullivan-caliber wallop. The fifth edition of the show was the most popular program of last year's TV season, and every winner has gone platinum.
But somehow, ol' chromedome Chris has even outshone the greying man who bested him, 2006 Idol winner Taylor Hicks. Daughtry's album opened at #2 on the Billboard charts– a fake-out move, since it advanced to #1 nine weeks later– and has since gone multi-platinum. By the end of January, he had moved over two million copies.
Now, those Flucos are taking ownership of the fastest-selling rock debut in SoundScan history– in the midst of the slowest sales year ever recorded by that music sales-tracking service.
The meaning of sales rankings has been hazy ever since the music distribution landscape started changing in the late 1990s, and according to a recent Rolling Stone article, a #1 record in 2006 requires only 40 percent as many sales as it would have in 1996. Yet that just heightens the significance of Daughtry's impact. He has managed to succeed in an industry that stacks the deck against newcomers, storming the charts with a radio-friendly mainstream rock band at a time when MTV is irrelevant, "classic rock" bands like the Eagles and the Rolling Stones rule the arenas, and there are barely any charts left to storm in the first place.
Remember, this is the guy who lost.
Some of his tenacity probably stems from fond memories of the bands of his youth, when an appearance on the MTV "Buzz Bin" could buy you a beach house. For example, a defining point in Daughtry's musical development was a mid-'90s Richmond performance by Live, the alternative rock band whose 1994 album, Throwing Copper, went eight-times platinum.
In the days leading up to that concert, Daughtry– who already had tickets– was hoping he'd score better seats. His efforts paid off with a call to Richmond rock station 106.5, "The Buzz."
"I don't even think they were running any contests," he laughs. "I just said, 'Hey man, if I sing a Live song, can I get tickets?' And so I grabbed my guitar and started singing and said, 'Are you going to hang up on me?' They said, 'Well, it depends on how much it sucks.'"
His rendition of Live's "Turn My Head" went out over the airwaves, and he traded up to sweeter seats. Now he remembers the incident as "embarrassing" and yuks it up while reminiscing.
With his hit single, "It's Not Over," currently all over 3WV, Daughtry can now celebrate a decade of radio play in Central Virginia. Still, there's a certain amount of gravity to the tale. Were it not for those tickets, Daughtry probably wouldn't be one of America's most successful musicians.
"Live was like the first band that really kind of sucked me in with the songwriting, the lyrics, and everything," he says. "When I saw them in concert, it was just amazing."
His mother says that in high school Daughtry always kept his music private– "We find out when it gets to what's on the record," she says. But even she recalls his excited chattering about the Live show. "The lead singer with that band has really been like his idol," she says.
Idols collided, then, when Live turned up on the Idol's season finale to perform "Mystery" with then-deposed Daughtry. Fans and critics latched onto the eerie vocal and visual similarities between the former Fluco and Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk, and the two subsequently worked together on an unreleased song.
"We're actually really good friends now," says Daughtry. "He was a huge inspiration to me, so to be on that basis with him is an awesome thing."
But modeling a career after Live is risky maneuver, as they've gone from selling eight million records with Throwing Copper to under 50,000 with 2006's Songs From Black Mountain. Some artists might also worry about being oft-compared to Canuck hard rockers Nickelback, as Daughtry has been. Although the ultra-marketable crossover rock poster boys continue to sell millions of records– their last album has been in the Billboard Top 20 for a solid year and a half– they haven't seen more than a scrap of critical acclaim since the turn of the century. Daughtry is not concerned.
"If you're selling five million albums, someone's taking you seriously," says Daughtry. He's not talking about his own band– yet– but he has no problem with being compared to the most successful rock acts of the last decade, no matter how repugnant critics may find them. Even Nickelback brings a smile to his face: "Hopefully they're using that comparison to say that we're capable of being that successful, too," he says. "It would be awesome if we were able to have the staying power they have. They must be doing something right."
Fluvanna's new favorite alum admits that his runaway success puts him in a precarious position: the bigger they are, the harder they fall. He's surely made a lot of money, but the emotional toll of having to sustain a career in such a fickle industry is not lost on him. "If it was to end tomorrow, I can't say how prepared I would be," he sighs. "I can't say that I'll ever be okay with that."
But he doesn't have to worry right now about crashing to earth just yet. Tickets for Daughtry's April 14 Starr Hill homecoming sold out in seven minutes flat, indicating that he could easily be playing much larger venues.
"There were eight or ten of us who wanted to go, and we couldn't get through to get tickets," says his art teacher Diane Greenwood, "but then I thought, 'How dorky is that, to have ten of your high school teachers show up to your concert?'"
Dorkiness aside, Daughtry is still touched by the enthusiasm of fans in a town he hasn't visited since Idol. "It seems great that people around the area didn't forget about me," he says. "I'm really looking forward to getting back there when we come through. It's going to be awesome. It's going to be kind of like a homecoming." (An appropriate sentiment, perhaps, given that his sophomore single "Home" is working its way into rotation on 3WV.)
Years ago, a lowly Miller's bartender quietly entertained platinum dreams and now has become one of the most recognizable figures in popular music. After his improbable rise, some Charlottesville cynics said it would never happen again.
To the Flucos, Daughtry is a reminder that success can lurk in the most unexpected parts of middle America– even in an unassuming auto parts salesman. To the rest of the world, though, he's proof that the current depressing sales trends in the music business can be spectacularly bucked, and that superstars can still be born– or discovered, or manufactured, or whatever you want to call it– even as the balkanization of contemporary popular music accelerates.
And in both groups, he raises the same question: who's next?
The not-quite-but-yes-really American idol.
In an article in Time magazine this week, the creator of the original Idol show and former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller explains why he and Clive Davis chose to manage Daughtry instead of last season's winner Taylor Hicks: "It was almost like the public made a mistake," says Fuller. "Sh**, he was good. Maybe we made a mistake."
BONUS SIDEBAR- Daughtry by the numbers
Daughtry (the album)
- released November 21, 2006 on RCA and 19 Recordings
- debuted #2 on Billboard's (behind Jay-Z's Kingdom Come)
- held Billboard's #1 spot twice in 2007: Feb 3 and March 17
- certified double platinum by RIAA in early March
- has sold over one million iTunes tracks
- single "It's Not Over" peaked at #4 position on Billboard's Hot 100
Daughtry (the tour)
- local performance: Starr Hill on April 14
- next closest to Charlottesville: the 9:30 Club in Washington DC on May 24
- biggest crowd: Tampa's 98 Rockfest in Raymond James Stadium (capacity 66,000)
- most star-studded event: Tiger Woods' "Tiger Jam" charity benefit at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay on May 26 opening for Bon Jovi


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Tuesday, May 12
Ian Poulter Relishes World Golf Stage
Ian Poulter proved he belonged at the Ryder Cup.
FOR ALL THE ABUSE Nick Faldo took for his captaincy of the losing European Ryder Cup team, there's one decision even his harshest critics would have to give him credit for: Ian Poulter.
With Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie left on the sidelines, "Poults" was a controversial captain's pick whose Ryder Cup play was as bold as his attire. Ian earned serious respect during Ryder Cup week, and he continues to impress. This past week he finished second to Henrik Stenson at the Players Championship, closing with a 70 on a dicey TPC Sawgrass setup.
"If I ever get happy with myself for finishing 12th or 15th, someone needs to put my [Cobra] clubs away and I'll take up tiddlywinks," Poulter has been quoted as saying.
Many observers of the game (including me) thought Ian had gotten too big for his pink britches when 14 months ago he told Golf World (UK), "Don't get me wrong, I really respect every professional golfer, but I know I haven't played to my full potential and when that happens, it will be just me and Tiger."
OK, it will probably never be "just" Ian and Tiger. But Poulter took his heaping helping of scorn and then went out and finished second in The Open Championship and played as well as anyone on either team in the Ryder Cup.
I expect Poults to win on the PGA Tour, and will not be surprised if he bags a major. I never expected to say this, but I'm an Ian Poulter fan. I like his attitude and the way he plays the game.
Poulter File
Turned pro: 1995
Birthplace: Hitchin, England
College: Barclay School
World ranking: 18
European Tour wins: 7
PGA Tour wins: 0
Equipment: Cobra
−The Armchair Golfer
Brought to you by The World of Golf and ARMCHAIR GOLF STORE.
5 comments:
Agree with your analysis on Poulter. As Trevino said, "It ain't bragging if you can do it." I like his style and his game.
- Hack said...
Super confidence is key to success. Poulter was just exhibiting that when he talked the 'me and Tiger' smack.
The game would be ridiculously boring were it not for the likes of Poulter, Sergio and other 'gee they're soooo nice' personas.
Good post.
- Unknown said...
Hack & Lancer are 100% right.
Plus, Ian has the game. I will not make projections, because it is the curse of sudden death for those I select, but Ian should bust through and win some decent tournaments.
- Waggle Room Ryan said...
I'm totally on board with Poulter. Became a huge fan after the Ryder Cup last year!
- Heather Kerrigan said...
Looks like we should start a Bloggers Applauding Poulter (BAP) group. I'm on board too. Besides his undeniable style and pink sunglasses, he seems like a cool guy.
I loved how he handled the 17th on Sunday. You would have thought he and Brain Davis were playing a "best ball" game at the local course. It was fun to watch. They both seemed almost giddy after finding dry land.


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If your health plan includes a prescription drug benefit, you can receive your medications at a pharmacy near you. Here's how:
Use our list to find a pharmacy in your area (list updated March 16, 2020):
This list shows which pharmacies we contract with for flu shot clinics.
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Did you know you could have your medications delivered to your home? Instead of driving to the pharmacy and standing in line, consider having your prescriptions delivered right to your door. You can order refills by phone or mail, or order online 24 hours a day. Many plans have a lesser copay for using mail order. Check your pharmacy benefits for details.
Fill your prescriptions through our preferred mail-order pharmacy. Use the mail-order form, register online, or call.
CVS Caremark® Mail Order Services
CVS Caremark Specialty Pharmacy Services is our exclusive provider for high-cost injectable medications and biotech drugs. If you are taking a specialty medication, contact Caremark's Specialty Care Team at (800) 237-2767 to get set up.
Contact our Pharmacy Services Department:
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Sexual assaults reported by women at military academies rose by 23 per cent in a year across all three U.S. military branches, according to a Pentagon report.
The number of reported sexual assaults rose from 65 in 2021 to 80 during 2012 at the Army's West Point, and the Air Force and Naval Academies.
Sexual assault is defined as everything from "groping" to "rape."
'The Invisible War' takes on military sexual assault 'epidemic'
The Air Force had the highest number of reported sexual assaults, with the figure rising from 33 to 52. The number of sexual assaults at West Point increased from 10 to 15.
The Naval Academy saw a drop in reported sexual assaults from 22 to 13.
Victims of sexual assault in military say brass often ignore pleas for justice
Defense officials stress that the increase in "reported" sexual assaults appears to be the result of a more aggressive campaign by the services to encourage victims to come forward.
Assault victims can now report a sexual assault, receive medical care, but chose to keep their report private and not pursue criminal charges against their assailant.
In 2011 more than 3,000 service members reported sexual assaults but according to the Department of Defense, the real number is closer to 19,000. NBC's Natalie Morales reports.
Although the actual number of reported Navy assaults dropped, defense officials are concerned that there appears to be a "statistical" decrease in the number of "anonymous" reports in Navy surveys. It is feared fewer victims are willing to come forward and report such attacks.
More content from NBCNews.com:
- Cardinal: Teacher who gave her life is 'like Jesus'
- Holiday travel alert: Storms deliver foot of snow in central US, tornado in Alabama
- 'You feel helpless': First responders rushed to school after shooting, only to wait
- Mayan end-of-world rumors prompt Michigan officials to close 33 schools
- Reported sex assaults leap 23 percent at US military academies


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40 Glocc & Zoo Life Talking Wreckless About Young Money! "Wayne Signed All The Young Homos In The Industry" Drake Writes Lil Wayne's Shit "That Faggot Bitch Nicki Minaj Is Trash"
Raq reports "40 GLOCC VILLAGE BOO & SUN! CALLS YOUNGMONEY BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. 40 GLOCC SAY'S HE LIKES NICKI MINAJ, SAY'S HE'LL FIGHT SUN OVER HER!"
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Our cardiologists diagnose and treat heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease, valvular disease and rhythm disorders. Complex cases are referred to Cleveland Clinic's Heart & Vascular Institute. U.S. News & World Report has consistently named Cleveland Clinic's heart program No. 1 in the nation since 1995.
Family Medicine
Family physicians specialize in the primary care of all members the family. This includes the care of newborns, infants and toddlers, school age children, adolescents, adult patients, and elderly patients. The goal of family physicians is to provide preventive and primary care across the spectrum of common complaints and concerns that patients encounter.
A variety of upper endoscopic diagnostic procedures are offered in order to identify the causes of abdominal or chest pain, nausea and vomiting, heartburn, bleeding and swallowing disorders. More accurate than X-rays, endoscopy can also help identify inflammation, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers and tumors. Lower endoscopy is used to evaluate stomach pain and intestinal bleeding, as well as to detect polyps in the colon that may lead to colon cancer.
General Surgery
Our board-certified general surgeons provide evaluation and treatment, including minimally invasive surgery, for a broad range of medical problems, such as hernia repair and gall bladder removal.
Internal Medicine
Our internal medicine staff provides comprehensive services for adults, such as diagnosing and treating health problems that require prompt attention, conducting general physical examinations and performing screenings, which may detect health problems early.
Medical Oncology / Hematology
Oncologists diagnose and treat both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors. Specialists offer a full range of treatment options, including chemotherapy, and coordination of care with other specialists, such as radiation oncologists or others involved in cancer management, if necessary.
General orthopaedic care, sports medicine and spine care are offered. Patients with orthopaedic problems related to the hands and upper extremities, or feet, ankles and knees can access specialty care from our staff. Arthroscopic knee, hand and foot surgeries are performed in the state-of-the-art outpatient surgery centers in Medina, Strongsville, Wooster or at Cleveland Clinic's main hospital campus.
We understand the special needs of young patients. Our pediatricians offer complete care for newborns, infants, children and adolescents. We encourage the healthy growth and development of children by emphasizing the importance of healthy lifestyles and educating parents and children on safety and accident prevention. We are available for problems that require prompt attention, such as fever, earaches and injuries, as well as preventive checkups, school physicals and immunizations. If necessary, we team up with Cleveland Clinic pediatric specialists from Cleveland Clinic Children's.
Cleveland Clinic's Wooster Family Health and Surgery Center offers comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and management of high-risk pregnancies. Cleveland Clinic's perinatologist provides consultative services to our obstetricians and work in close collaboration to manage difficult pregnancy problems.
For adult patients with foot and ankle problems, podiatric specialists provide comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Most often, problems can be treated using non-surgical methods. When necessary, however, surgery is performed by physicians specializing in foot and ankle procedures. And most surgeries can be performed in our convenient outpatient surgery centers, making it possible for most patients to go home on the same day of surgery.
Psychologists provide individual, group or family counseling for a variety of common problems. If appropriate, they refer patients to other specialists and community resources.
Radiation Oncology
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy X-rays, electron beams or radioactive isotopes to attack cancer. Radiation therapy causes cancer cell death by ionization or by damaging the chromosomes in the cell so that they cannot multiply. Radiation therapy is a local treatment – aimed directly at the cancer. Aside from its use as a single treatment, radiation therapy has been shown to enhance the effects of chemotherapy.
Cleveland Clinic's Division of Radiology offers a full spectrum of radiological services provided by nationally recognized, subspecialized radiologists. The Division of Radiology is one of the leading radiologic academic centers in the world as well as one of the busiest clinical departments in the country. Each year more than 500,000 examinations are performed and interpreted by Cleveland Clinic radiologists. In addition to publishing numerous peer reviewed papers yearly and leading several national organizations, Cleveland Clinic radiologists are involved in cutting-edge research in several areas. These include treatment of acute stroke, magnetic resonance angiography, three-dimensional imaging, digital radiography, digital mammography, cardiac magnetic resonance, cartilage imaging, electronic image distribution and intravascular ultrasound.
Sports Health
Our Sports Health program is designed to give the highest possible quality of care to all sports enthusiasts, both amateur and professional. This means high school athletes and weekend warriors are cared for by the same sports medicine specialists who treat the Cleveland Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Cleveland Clinic's urology program best in Ohio and No. 2 in the nation. Our providers diagnose and treat a wide range of adult urologic conditions including kidney infections, urinary tract infections, urinary incontinence, benign prostatic enlargement (BPH), elevated PSA, prostate cancer, penile disorders, sexual dysfunction and voiding dysfunction.
Women's Health Services and Obstetrics
Cleveland Clinic Wooster Women's Health Services is designed to meet the evolving medical needs women face from adolescence to mature adulthood. Cleveland Clinic OB/GYN providers offer a wide and varying range of medical services for women's health, from general gynecological care to complex oncology surgery for gynecological malignancies.
We offer specialized care for women, including comprehensive prenatal care, preventive health screenings and general gynecology. If necessary, the expertise of other gynecologic specialists is available in areas such as infertility, high-risk obstetrics and gynecologic cancer.
To make an appointment with any of our providers, please call 330.287.4500
Treatments and Services
- Gestational Diabetes
- Group B Streptococcus and Pregnancy
- Gynecologic Cancers
- High-Risk Pregnancy
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum (Severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy)
- Incontinence
- Infertility
- Menopause
- Miscarriage
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pregnancy Included Hypertension (PIH)
- Premature Labor
- Vaginal Birth after Cesarean
- Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Midwife Services
Cleveland Clinic's Ob/Gyn and Women's Health Institute provides world-class obstetrics expertise and family-focused care. Certified nurse midwives are key members of our birthing team. They offer personalized maternity care. Midwives care for you from your first prenatal visit, through labor and delivery, until after your baby is born.
At Cleveland Clinic, midwives care for women at low risk of intervention during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Obstetricians care for women at low or medium risk of intervention. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists care for women at high risk. Learn more about midwifery services.
Programs & Classes
Understanding Pregnancy
Are you a first-time mother concerned about the effect pregnancy will have on your body? Let our pregnancy professionals help you learn about what to expect when you're expecting.
Lower Back & Pelvic Pain
Are you among the 80 percent of pregnant woman experiencing low back pain or pelvic pain? You're not alone. Wooster Women's Health Services provides programs where you can learn more about our Low Back and Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy and Shared Medical Appointments.


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If Bud Selig secretly ran the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, I would not be surprised. For like every grand spectacle dropped in MLB's lap, both institutions have a knack for taking the choicest prime rib and turning it into Hamburger Helper.
Last night's Oscars telecast was just the latest in their series of bloated, unwatchable travesties, this one coming in a year that featured at least four timeless films (Social Network, King's Speech, True Grit and Toy Story 3) and a couple of madly inventive ones (Inception and Black Swan). Having darling young'uns James Franco and Anne Hathaway host the show was a nice idea that went mysteriously flat and was ultimately bulldozed by the typical octogenarian pacing. As I tweeted during the broadcast (Twitter being the only activity that saved me from disappearing to the kitchen by the second hour and overdosing on Chinese takeout), whoever made the decision to haul Kirk Douglas out to present a major acting award "should have been fired, then re-hired and fired a second time." Capped by Melissa Leo's sickening acceptance speech, it had to be the worst Oscars sequence of all time.
Then there was the time-honored disgrace of swelling up the orchestra to boot "lesser" award winners off the stage early in their speeches. Even Aaron Sorkin, who can write screenplay circles around 97% of the scribes in Hollywood, and had memorized a gracious, concise speech ahead of time that wasn't a second too long, was given the cane-around-the-neck treatment, while a rabid blowhard actor like Leo was left out in the yard unleashed.
What a time-sucking farce. And naturally, I'll be watching again next year.
* * *
On to more important matters. The Bragging Rights League now has an official launch date of March 14, and I'll be back here with the official link that morning. My funkyball77 Twitter account will morph into something else at that time, and followers will be automatically taken along for the ride. Subscribers to the blog here will need to re-up their accounts.
Happy Spring Training, folks!


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Making a gift of a life insurance policy can prove to be anything but simple for clients who may not know what questions to ask in order to ascertain the potential tax consequences of the transaction. Transferring a policy that is subject to a policy loan can prove even more problematic, even if the transferee is a family member and the transfer is intended entirely as a gift.
Though the rule's name might suggest otherwise, the transfer for value rule can create a serious tax trap for a client who transfers a life insurance policy, even if nothing tangible actually changes hands in the transaction. If the transaction is not structured properly, your client may find that the transfer for value rule has stripped the gift of life insurance of its most valuable feature—the tax-free treatment of the death proceeds.
The Transfer for Value Rule
Under the transfer for value rule, if a taxpayer transfers his interest in a life insurance policy for anything of value, the usual exclusion of the policy death benefits from gross income is limited to the sum of:
(1) the value of the consideration transferred and
(2) any policy premiums paid by the transferee.
Therefore, the rule can result in the loss of substantial tax benefits.
There are several exceptions to the rule, including transfers between the insured and himself and transfers where the basis in the hands of the transferee is measured in whole or in part by the basis in the hands of the transferor.
The Trap: Gifts of Life Insurance
Typically, when a client makes a gift of life insurance to a family member, he will not run afoul of the transfer for value rule because the basis in the hands of the transferee will carry over from the client, as transferor. However, if the policy is subject to a loan at the time of transfer, the transaction may be considered part sale and part gift, which, in some circumstances, will trigger the transfer for value rule and could cause the policy death proceeds to lose their income tax exemption.
Whether the transfer of a life insurance policy that is subject to an outstanding policy loan will trigger the transfer for value rule depends upon the transferor's basis in the policy and the amount of the loan.
If the loan value exceeds the transferor's basis in the policy, the amount of the loan that exceeds the basis is a transfer for value. This is because the transfer, while intended as a gift, will be treated partially as a sale—the transferee is considered to have "paid" the transferor's debt. Conversely, if the loan value is less than the transferor's basis, there is no transfer for value.
Structuring the Transaction
An irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) can allow the client to transfer a policy subject to a loan without triggering the rule. In order for the transaction to be effective, the transferor must structure the ILIT as a grantor trust so that the insured-transferor and the ILIT are taxed as a single entity. This structure allows the transfer to fall within one of the exceptions to the transfer for value rule, as it treated as a transfer from the insured to himself.
Since the client is entitled to choose the ILIT beneficiaries, he is able to effectively transfer the policy subject to the loan to the desired beneficiaries without jeopardizing the income tax exclusion of the remaining death proceeds.
Though this structure can help the client transfer the policy to his beneficiaries without triggering the transfer for value rule, the client-transferor takes the risk that he will die within three years of the transfer. If this is the case, the three-year rule (also known as the bring-back rule) operates to pull the value of the life insurance policy back into his or her taxable estate.
Conversely, if the client-transferor instead sells the policy to the ILIT for fair market value, he can avoid the three-year bring-back rule, which applies only to gifts of property made within three years of death. Unfortunately, this has its own drawback, as the IRS could characterize the dual transactions—providing the ILIT with the funds necessary to purchase the policy and the ILIT's actual purchase of the policy—as a single transaction that is treated as a gift.
In reality, if your client is in good health and is therefore not concerned with the applicability of the three-year bring-back rule, structuring the transaction as a gift to an ILIT established for the benefit of his chosen beneficiaries can be key to avoiding the transfer for value rule trap in a situation where a life insurance policy is subject to a policy loan.


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Results tagged ' Tampa Bay Rays '
The Sox's Andre Rienzo to Make Big League Debut Tonight
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Today's News
Tonight's Game
White Sox vs. Indians at Progressive Field, Cleveland (6:05 p.m., CT, WCIU). Starters: Andre Rienzo (0-0) for the Sox (Original starter Jake Peavy was pushed back until tomorrow), LHP Scott Kazmir (6-4, 3.96) for the Tribe. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Rienzo is 8-6 with a 4.06 ERA with three complete games, one shutout and 113 strikeouts over 20 starts with Class AAA Charlotte. The 25-year-old leads the International League in strikeouts, is tied for the league lead in complete games and is tied for second in strikeouts-per-nine-innings-pitched (9.00).
Sox Starting Lineup: De Aza, CF; Ramirez, SS; Rios, RF; Konerko, DH; Dunn, 1B; Keppinger, 3B; Viciedo, LF; Beckham, 2B; Phegley, C.
Roster Moves
To make room for Rienzo on the 25-man roster, outfielder Blake Tekotte was optioned to Charlotte.
Quote(s) of the Day
Jesse Crain, upon being traded yesterday to Tampa Bay, talked about his time in Chicago:
"Great teammates, great city. I had an organization that's been amazing to me. They brought me in here for three years and treated me unbelievably. I think I got better over three years here, for sure."
Catcher Josh Phegley on Rienzo, his battery mate at Charlotte:
"A bulldog and a perfectionist."
Play of the Day
John Danks gave up just one earned run and a pair of hits in six innings of work in last night's 3-2 loss to the Indians.
Tomorrow's Schedule
White Sox vs. Indians at Progressive Field, Cleveland (6:05 p.m., CT, CSN). Starters: LHP Jose Quintana (5-3, 3.55) for the Sox vs. RHP Corey Kluber (7-5, 3.74) for Cleveland.
Did You Know…
…that Rienzo will be the first White Sox player in history to wear uniform number 64?
Photo of the Day
The last time Rienzo took the mound he pitched a no-hitter for Charlotte. Tonight against the Indians he makes his major league debut and as a result becomes the second player from Brazil (Yan Gomes was the first) and the first Brazilian-born pitcher to reach "The Show."
Because Rienzo and Cleveland's Gomes are the only Brazilians in the majors, tonight's game represents a significant news story in Brazil. As a result, ESPN Brazil will be broadcasting our game across the country with the network using the raw audio/video feed of WCIU's broadcast featuring Hawk and Tom Paciorek, who is subbing for Steve Stone. There will be no subtitles.


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Shirtless Celebrity of the Day-Milo Ventimiglia
Fashion Faceoff: Alyson Hannigan and Jessica Simpson
Who do you think wore this shirt/dress better?? Alyson Hannigan or Jessica Simpson?
Zac Efron looks so hot with a ponytail!!
Only someone as confident as Zac Efron could pull off a look like this. He must be looking at the camera saying, "Oh crap, this pic will be all over cyber land tomorrow!"
Guess what??? He's right!
There is still no decision in the Britney Spears, Kevin Federline case!
US magazine is reporting...Britney Spears and Kevin Federline faced off in court Friday, but the verdict is still out on whether Britney will get joint custody back.
After a lengthy hearing, during which a visibly upset Spears took three bathroom breaks, Commissioner Scott L. Gordon made no ruling regarding the custody arrangement of their sons Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1.
Los Angeles Superior Court spokesperson Meredith Pierce said of Friday's proceedings: "Custody issues were discussed. The judge took it under submission and a ruling is forthcoming no sooner than Monday."
"The court will issue a written ruling either Monday or Tuesday," said Federline attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan. "The court heard many exparte motions and a continued order to modify custody. I do believe the order that the court will issue on Monday will be modified by the various expartes. I am not going to speculate what that order may be." (An "exparte" hearing is when one party requests a hearing.)
Kaplan made it clear that his client still has custody, saying, "Mr. Federline has custody of the kids this weekend, but the court did allow [Spears] to spend some time with the kids."


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I'm linking this post to Cook Like A Star, where the featured chef for this month is Martha Stewart, an event organized by Zoe of Bake from Happy Kids and co-hosted together with Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out and Riceball from Riceball Eats.
I'm also sharing this with :
Recipe Box hosted by Bizzy Bakes
Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage
See Ya In The Gumbo hosted by Ms. enPlace
Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon and Breadcrumbs
(adapted from marthastewart.com)
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 pound spaghetti
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons slivered Kalamata olives
2 cans (6 ounces each) chunk light tuna in water, drained
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse bead and 1 teaspoon oil until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, tossing occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain pasta, and return to pot. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, olives and 1 tablespoon oil, toss, adding enough pasta water to coat. Add tuna; toss gently. Serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs.


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My kids added layers of new memories to their relationships.
The Butchart Garden in Victoria B.C. was amazing!
What a great looking family and what a terrific trip to take with them all. I took that same cruise with my mom and sister 1 yr before my mom passed away from cancer...it is with such bittersweet feelings I relive the trip. It was everything you said, and yes the views were breathtaking. So glad to see you back blogging as I always enjoy your posts. Can' t wait to see the quilt that comes from the trip.ReplyDelete
I went to Alaska for the first time this summer! What a BEAUTIFUL place! Looks like You made some wonderful memories!ReplyDelete
wow what an amazing view....I am so happy for you a summer of memories thats for sure....
glad your home and sewing again!
Your photos are breathtaking and it is wonderful that you have had some time to savor and reflect. Thank you for a lovely day of sharing your delicious food, wonderful quilts (tops!) and friendship. Now let's get quilting!ReplyDelete
Hi Sujata, happy to "hear" you again!!
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful images!!
You look happy and full of energy :)
Welcome back Sujata! Looks like you and your beautiful family had a wonderful experience! Love your prose - sun kissed glacier peaks - one of your special gifts.ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. You have had quite a busy summer! It was SO great to see you. I'll look forward to seeing how this summer has inspired your next quilt!ReplyDelete
Glad you are back, and also that you all had such a great summer. Thanks for the wonderful pictures. Time to quilt.ReplyDelete
what beautiful family photos! Everyone looks so happy and relaxed. I'm so glad to hear you had such a fabulous summer - now back to sewing. Glad you had a chance to catch up with your quilty friends.
Lunch was so yummy, thank you again. I bought some Indian chili powder yesterday...ReplyDelete
What a wonderful vacation! Thanks for sharing the photos with us. You have a wonderful family-they all look happy.ReplyDelete
I have missed you so much and I am amazed at your fun and the memories will be CELEBRATED!! Thank you forsharing glimpses of your travels and family. Love, EmReplyDelete
I was wondering where you had to got. What a wonderful holiday. Thanks for sharing those gorgeous photos.ReplyDelete
Beautiful family, gorgeous scenery, and, even more important, wonderful memories!! Now it's time to batten down the hatches. I hope we have power so we can sew while it storms!ReplyDelete
How wonderful to have this time with your family. My parents took the Alaskan cruise last summer and loved it.ReplyDelete
Oh that cruise is definitely on my list.
Look how beautiful!
thanks for sharing your great pictures :0)
I hope to see LeeAnn in Nov. :0).
Happy Sewing
Welcome back, my friend! Missed you lots! I'm glad you had the most beautiful summer wIth family and enjoyed yourself thoroughly! Your pictures are stunning!
Thank you for sharing :)
Absolutely great! what a tripReplyDelete
Ohhh! Lovely!!!ReplyDelete
How fabulous that you got to share it with so many family members. The views are truly magestic, your photos reflect that.
It's good to have you back, enjoy the sewing time.
A beautiful family in a beautiful background. Thank you for sharing your pictures. I have missed you, but know that you must have had the best of all summers with your family and travels.ReplyDelete
Absolutely beautiful and wonderful but oh you do make me miss my family and my beautiful Juneau! The entire inside passage is so lovely and how wonderful to be able to see it and have good weather and great company. Absolutely awesome and such beautiful, beautiful children you have! Hope you are dry, safe and sound from Irene. Do let us know!!!ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing those beautiful landscapes with us! What a great way to share a holiday with family. How nice that you got to meet good quilting friends in person. That is so special ; )
Maybe one day....


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Luxembourg, April 30th, 2014
NoMachine makes available today an update aimed at solving issues affecting the recent 4.2 release. The new version, 4.2.22, provides fixes for the following:
TR04L04378 - The icon to forward the Ctrl+Alt+Del combination is not visible when the server is on Windows Server 2008 TR01L04214 - Tilde and Caps lock are not mapped correctly on Mac OS X 10.8.5TR04L04376 - Cannot authenticate to change server settings when the username contains a dashTR04L04382 - Black screen when connecting to Windows 8.1 on VMware WorkstationTR04L04372 - Special characters don't work in a custom sessionTR04L04380 - Some options are no longer available in the Server Performance GUI after ugrading to 4.2.21TR04L04381 - Connections fail when using a 4.2.21 client on RHEL 5 and the SSH protocolTR04L04388 - Cursor is hidden in a GNOME classic virtual desktop on Ubuntu 13.10TR04L04392 - A warning pop-up is displayed when updating the client on WindowsTR04L04395 - Cannot print when the connection is started from Mac OS X
Supported Platforms
Windows 32-bit/64-bit XP/Vista/7/8
Mac OS X Intel 64-bit 10.5/10.6/10.7/10.8/10.9
Linux 32-bit and 64-bit Red Hat Enterprise 4/5/6 SLES 10/11 Open SUSE 10.x/11.x/12.x Mandriva 2009/2010/2011 Fedora Core 10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18 Debian GNU Linux 4.0 Etch/5.0 Lenny/ 6.0 Squeeze/ 7.0 Wheezy Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron/8.10 Intrepid Ibex/Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope/9.10 Karmic Koala/10.4 Lucid Lynx/10.10 Maverick/11.04 Natty/11.10 Oneiric/12.04 Precise Pangolin
Download NoMachine Packages
You can download the latest packages suitable for your Operating System from the NoMachine Web site at the following URL:
Or from your Customer Area if you are a registered customer.
Automatic updates
To update any of the NoMachine servers:
- Run the NoMachine GUI from your Programs Menu.
- Click on 'Preferences' and 'Updates'.
- Then click on the 'Check now' button.
To update the NoMachine Enterprise Client:
- Then click on the 'Check now' button.
Manual package update
Please follow the instructions to update your installation manually:
On Windows:
- Download and save the EXE file. - Double click on the NoMachine executable file. - As for the installation, the Setup Wizard will take you through all steps necessary for updating NoMachine.
On Mac OS X:
- Download and save the DMG file. - Double-click on the Disk Image to open it and double-click on the NoMachine program icon. - As for the installation, the Installer will take you through through all steps necessary for updating NoMachine.
On Linux:
You can use the graphical package manager provided by your Linux distribution or update NoMachine by command line by following instructions below.If you don't have the sudo utility installed, log on as superuser ("root") and run the commands without sudo.
- Download and save the RPM file. - Update your NoMachine installation by running:
# rpm -Uvh <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.rpm
- Download and save the DEB file. - Update your NoMachine installation by running:
$ sudo dpkg -i <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.deb
- Download and save the TAR.GZ file. - Update your NoMachine installation by running:
$ cd /usr $ sudo tar xvzf <pkgName>_<pkgVersion>_<arch>.tar.gz $ sudo /usr/NX/nxserver --update
If you are installing Enterprise Client or Node run respectively:
$ sudo /usr/NX/nxclient --update $ sudo /usr/NX/nxnode --update
Installation and configuration guides for the NoMachine products are available at:
The NoMachine Development Team


text:
High Power Ultra-Low-Ohmic Shunt Resistors
5W class ideal for current detection in automotive and industrial applications
ROHM has recently announced the development of high power ultra-low-ohmic shunt resistors ideal for current detection in applications with increased power requirements, such as automotive systems and industrial equipment. The new PSR series includes PSR400, which is rated at 4W, and PSR500, guaranteed up to 5W.
Resistors in current detection applications are typically used to detect overcurrent conditions or remaining battery level. And although current sense resistors have been widely adopted in the automotive and industrial sectors, the recent trend towards greater sophistication and computerization has increased current requirements, leading to a need for high power components. This includes a demand for high accuracy resistors with superior temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) for stable operation in extreme temperature environments and that feature ultra-low resistance values in order to minimize power consumption.
In response, ROHM utilized high quality resistor technology cultivated for the low-power sector to develop a new lineup of high power low-ohmic shunt resistors. In addition, high-yield precision welding technology made it possible to guarantee high rated power in the 5W class, while a high-performance alloy was adopted in the resistive metal for superior TCR in the low-ohmic region. This ensures sufficient margin even in applications with stringent temperature requirements, such as automotive systems and industrial equipment, while lightening design load.
Key Features
1. Exclusive precision welding technology utilized for improved rated power (5W)
To support high power requirements and ensure high measurement accuracy even in the ultra-low-ohmic region (0.2mΩ), technology for bonding copper electrodes without variations is required. ROHM employed original precision welding technology to join the resistive metal to thick copper electrodes, achieving high heat capacity with excellent thermal dissipation characteristics. This increases power-handling capability (5W class) while improving productivity.
2. Superior temperature coefficient of resistance, even in the ultra-low-ohmic region
Generally, as resistance value decreases the temperature coefficient of resistance increases. In response, ROHM utilized a high-performance alloy material for the resistive metal, ensuring superior temperature coefficient of resistance even at ultra-low resistances.
Application Circuit Diagrams
Product Family
・TCR (Temperature Coefficient of Resistance)
The lower this value is the smaller the change in resistance value in response to changes in ambient temperature, making it possible to suppress variations in device operation.


text:
SSuite Accel Spreadsheet 8.44.2
This powerful spreadsheet has all the tools you need to calculate, analyse, summarise, and present your data in numerical reports or colourful graphics
This powerful FREE spreadsheet has all the tools you need to calculate, analyse, summarise, and present your data in numerical reports or colourful graphics.
A fully-integrated help system makes entering complex formulas a breeze. Pull in external data using ODBC, sort it, and produce subtotals and statistical analyses. SSuite Accel has also ODBC connectivity to query any database on your PC through SQL.
You now also have direct cloud access to Dropbox and OneDrive directly from inside Accel. Access all your cloud documents in just one click.
Use the chart wizard to select from eight or more categories of 2-D and 3-D charts including line, area, column, pie, XY, stock and with dozens of variants. Whether you are producing financial reports or managing personal expenses, Accel gives you more efficiency and flexibility to accomplish your goals.
With a few mouse-clicks, you can reorganize your spreadsheet to show or hide certain data ranges, or to format ranges according to special conditions, or to quickly calculate subtotals and totals. SSuite Accel lets you present spreadsheet data in dynamic charts that update automatically when the data changes.
No Java or .NET required, Green Energy Software! Saving the planet one bit at a time...


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Mother's Day is in one week. Are you prepared? Skip the flowers and the gift certificates, and make Mom a beautiful breakfast that she won't forget.
To help you out, each day this week I will post an easy, homemade, delicious recipe for a memorable Mother's Day breakfast. I have six recipes in total from which you can choose.
I'm starting with an easy frittata inspired by my mom. Nutmeg has an affinity for spinach. I learned that from her. OK, so she didn't say "affinity," but she loves them together. So will you.
(For individual servings, bake the eggs in ramekins.)
I'm sharing my frittata with dear Nuria of Spanish Recipes, who is hosting her first blog event: Blog Your Omelete, which runs through May 15th. Fortunately, there's enough to share with Ivy of Kopiaste... Of Greek Hospitality, who is hosting a Celebrating Mother's Day event through May 10th.
Spinach and Ricotta Frittata
Makes 8 servings
Print recipe only here.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups baby spinach, thinly sliced
8 large eggs
4 ounces (1/4 cup) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
4 ounces (1/4 cup) grated Grana Padano cheese, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or fresh grated nutmeg
a liberal helping of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt butter in an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms; saute 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Season with salt and black pepper.
In a medium bowl beat eggs. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, 1/2 of the Grana Padano, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Add to the eggs and lightly mix. Pour into the skillet.
With a fork, gently move the egg mixture from side to side allowing the egg to seep to the bottom of the pan. Do this for 5-7 minutes, until the eggs start to solidify and a crust begins to form around the edges. Give the pan handle a jiggle, and when the eggs appear nearly set, evenly sprinkle the second half of the cheese over the top of the frittata.
Optional garnish: In a small bowl toss 1 cups of halved cherry tomatoes with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and fresh herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley. Serve atop the frittata.
Alternative cooking method:
If you'd like to make individual servings, then you can bake the eggs in ramekins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat 6 (4 oz.) ramekins with cooking spray; place on a large baking sheet. Divide the egg mixture evenly among ramekins filling no more than 3/4's full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
You might also like:
Heuvos Rancheros with Salsa Verde
Italian Asparagus, Mushroom, and Parmesan Frittata
Swiss Chard, Potato, and Parmesan Frittata
And a few more:
Spinach with Eggs at Almost Turkish Recipes
Onion and Mushroom Frittata at eat me, delicious
Kale and Cheddar Frittata at Orangette
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876 members18465 Comments 89 Likes
Chris Haughey has not received any gifts yet
"I was trying to reply to something you wrote but I can't find it now lol. U mentioned Robert Ingersoll. Any idea where that was?"
It's in my e-mail In Box, but when I clicked on the link to its place in the discussion, there was a notice that it had been deleted. Don't know why.
Maybe I should start a discussion about Ingersoll; he's a major hero IMO. It's amazing that he made a very comfortable living in the late 1800s, touring the US, and speaking on Freethought issues, among other things. He also spoke on Shakespeare, Robt. Burns, slavery, women's rights, and other topics, but his most popular lectures were on the absurdities, arrogance, intolerance of faith in general, and Christianity in particular.
The best biography of him is American Infidel: Robert G. Ingersoll by Orvin Larson; you might be able to get a used copy at a reasonable price on eBay's Half.com. Or you can get a brand new copy from the Freedom From Religion Foundation $20 for members, and $25 for non-members. I have a very battered copy that I keep on my nightstand, and several paperback collections of quotations, excerpts from his speeches and letters.
And this labor of love:
He was not only a passionate and compassionate orator, he could be funny, too. In "Some Mistakes of Moses" his description of the probable conditions inside Noah's Ark is hilarious.
I wish the man were alive today; we NEED him. Desperately.
(Somewhere on the net there's an audio clip of a recording he did for T. Edison...on one of those wax cylinders. Short and scratchy, but it makes me weep to think what things in this country might be like if he could have been recorded with current technology ... *sigh*)
Hi Chris. Welcome to this rational world of Internet atheism---a haven from the superstitions and fictional god of the masses, especially the Georgia ones.
"Genuine common sense leads to atheism."
We invite you to make good friends by joining the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Gods, Atheism, Evolution, Darwin..." with its 450 discussion topics and 2600 members.
Terence Meaden
Welcome Chris!
If this is too personal, you don't have to reply. I'm just thinking that it must be a challenge for an atheist in GA (or anywhere) to find secular sobriety support... All the more reason to congratulate you now! What are your thoughts on religion-based sobriety programs (like AA) in general?
© 2020 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


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This was published 7 years ago
An app a day keeps the doctor away
First the medical centre changed our relationship with the local GP, now it's the internet.
When all you need is a medical certificate to show your boss the Friday you took off work was for illness - not a long weekend - hunting for a doctor who can fit you in is the last thing you want to do.
Particularly just for a piece of paper or an urgent prescription.
But it is a familiar scenario, with the 2012 Menzies-Nous Australian Health Survey finding that 30 per cent of Australians wait more than three days to get an appointment with their doctors. Half of us struggle to find a doctor after hours.
But the combination of convenience and connectivity has seen a range of smartphone apps explode onto the market to help frustrated consumers. These include 1stAvailable, an all-hours booking service that claims to find the soonest available appointment at a doctor's surgery closest to the patient.
And in October, the federal Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, launched an internet directory that shows the addresses, opening times and phone numbers of GP clinics, pharmacies, emergency departments and hospitals in towns and cities across Australia.
Called the National Health Services Directory, the app particularly targets patients searching for healthcare in unfamiliar areas because they have moved houses or are travelling.
But have all these apps that allow us to pick and choose mean we are less loyal to doctors than we used to be? And is the traditional relationship with the family GP, already threatened by the advent of the medical centre, now a thing of the past?
With websites such as yourdiagnosis.com and WebMD Symptom Checker now being used by patients wanting to plug their symptoms into a box to get a quick diagnosis and treatment recommendation, some are avoiding going to a doctor altogether.
The chief executive officer of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, Carol Bennett, says all of these apps and websites are positive for consumers. She says it is not realistic to expect patients to see a doctor every time they get sick.
''I think it is patronising to tell consumers not to use Google searches or phone apps to look up their symptoms and we know about 50 per cent of Australians are doing so,'' she said.
''Instead of telling patients to stop self-diagnosing, governments should be providing better, reputable apps and websites so when consumers do make a choice to turn to the internet, they are getting the best information possible.''
The cost of seeing a doctor, as well as waiting times and long work hours, means using apps, websites and other technology are legitimate and helpful options, Ms Bennett says.
''Consumers can make informed decisions about who they will see, and can decide if it is even in their best interest to see someone at all,'' she says.
''The health sector needs to grasp this and, slowly, it is. Just this week an app was launched that allows people to go online, search for a doctor and have a Skype consultation with them. Some people just need a quick consult or a script filled.''
The president of the NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association, Brian Owler, says self-diagnosis through Google and phone apps is not necessarily a problem, because both patients and GPs are increasingly time-poor.
''GPs are less available compared with what they used to be and it is much harder to schedule in an appointment now compared with 20 years ago,'' Associate Professor Owler says.
''So while technology helps in helping patients find available doctors, I think it is more lifestyles than technology itself that has changed the doctor-patient relationship somewhat.''
He does not believe the use of websites and apps to self-diagnose is necessarily an issue because he believes patients mostly use them for minor ailments.
''Most patients are pretty sensible and will know there is no substitute for their family doctor in terms of being able to be properly examined and receive a clear diagnosis when they are more seriously ill,'' he said.
''But any tool that allows patients to have more information about their condition and health care, we're generally quite supportive of.''
Although there are plenty of legitimate healthcare apps now available, a lecturer with the Faculty of Medicine at Melbourne's Monash University, Juanita Fernando, says a growing number of health software developers are creating apps with just one goal: identity theft.
''Medical information theft is the fastest growing area of cybercrime in Australia,'' Dr Fernando said. Her research centres on medical and information security.
''With some of these apps, patients enter their names, addresses and phone numbers and SMS information is easily intercepted. Medical apps can be so rich with information about people - and that is big business.''
While much focus has been placed on electronic records for patients and the responsibility of doctors and clinicians to keep that information secure, Dr Fernando says patients are often downloading health apps and failing to read the fine-print about how their information can be used.
''Once you install the app, you have to authorise access and one of the elements in the fine print of some of these apps is accessing the content of SMS messages and address-book information.
''So while the benefits of these apps are handy for people to use, patients need to be aware of what they're risking when they disclose information to third parties.
''And we're not talking about cyber criminals of the olden days when it's a 14-year-old hacker sitting in a back room. I would say many of these apps are developed by international, multi-million-dollar organisations not running within the confines of Australian privacy laws.''
Melissa Davey is a Health Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.


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STOCKTON - James Graham will realize his Olympic dream thanks to his ingenuity.
STOCKTON - James Graham will realize his Olympic dream thanks to his ingenuity.
The Pacific water polo coach will conduct statistical analysis for the United States national team at the London Games beginning July 29, utilizing a software program he created and developed in the past eight months. Graham will watch most of the Olympic water polo matches live and input data into his MacBook to try to give the U.S. team an edge to improve upon its silver-medal finish at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
"I always wanted to go to an Olympics and be a part of it - as an athlete, coach even as a ref," Graham said. "I essentially record every action that happens in the game. It's a nuanced look at how the other teams are going to operate tactically. To be able to provide the national team something that may help make a difference is unbelievable."
Graham, who has been Pacific's men's coach since 2008 and added the women's job to his duties last month, will leave for London next week and said he's thankful to his wife, Kelly, and Pacific athletic director Ted Leland for letting him take time away from his family and job to realize his Olympic dream.
Graham was a mathematics major as well as a standout in the pool at the University of Redlands and had long believed a marriage of his two passions could yield meaningful data for coaches. Graham said he was partially inspired by "Moneyball," Michael Lewis' book about how the Oakland Athletics used advanced statistical analysis in baseball to gain an edge in evaluating talent.
Graham began developing simple concepts to measure different aspects of water polo with assistant coach Zac Koerner and shared his thoughts with former Pacific standout Grant Hollis last December. Hollis, now working on his doctorate in civil engineering at Cal Tech, was receptive to Graham's ideas about proving or disproving things that were readily accepted within the sport.
"There are a lot of rules of thumb in water polo," said Hollis, who was an All-American and team captain at Pacific from 2005-09. "People throw out stats, but no one had put in the work to look into these things to see how true they were. So we decided we're smart enough to figure this out."
Graham began breaking down tape of the 2011 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation season and figuring out things like how many times teams scored with a one-man advantage or how many times a particular club was successful in a particular offensive formation. The data was then inputted into Excel files, as Graham and Hollis sought a way to make sense of the numbers. Graham then went to John Mayberry, an assistant math professor at Pacific, who helped him sort through the data.
"We had to figure out what is and isn't useful and then build mathematical models to get accurate results," Mayberry said. "It's unchartered territory, so it makes it an exciting venture to make sense out of this complicated data."
Graham eventually gleaned tendencies and statistics that would be useful to coaches creating game plans and decided to pitch the usage of his newly created system to U.S. men's national coach Terry Schroeder. Graham was friendly with the coaching staff, having been an assistant for the U.S. junior national team in 2006-07, and had a meeting with them April 19.
Schroeder was impressed enough to hire Graham to scout the Dublin Cup in Germany for the U.S. earlier this month and be with the team at the London Games. Graham said he eventually plans to patent his still unnamed software program, but for now it remains a series of Excel files that would be gibberish to most anyone else, but make perfect sense to his development team.
"It started with just looking at different aspects of the game and seeing if we found anything interesting," Hollis said. "If it actually influences the Olympics, that would be absolutely amazing."
Contact reporter Jagdip Dhillon at (209) 546-8292 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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BoatU.S., the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters, recently wrapped up an industry-wide hurricane planning conference. And the news is in: thousands of recreational boaters are facing another challenging year of predicted increased hurricane activity, with potentially more frequent storms this summer and fall, and each with greater intensity.
What does this mean for boaters in hurricane states?
Based on 40 years of hurricane-related insurance claims files and speaking to countless boaters and marina operators about their hurricane plans, "We have learned that although it is difficult to prevent all damage from occurring, there are far more opportunities for hurricane damage to be lessened," says Bob Adriance, director of the BoatU.S. Damage Avoidance Program. "We are talking about the difference between some gel coat scratches or a dinged rub rail, and the total destruction or sinking of a boat," he added.
Adriance says boaters can rise to the challenge, but need to be reminded why they should spend time and effort to prepare their boats for a hurricane. Here are five potential reasons why that some boats may not make it safely through the end of the 2007 hurricane season:
- You did nothing. Year after year, some boaters fail to make a serious effort at hurricane preparation. Whether you are new to boating or been on the water for years, doing nothing or making only a token effort will most certainly lead to a bad conclusion. If you are out of town during hurricane season, pay someone to prepare your boat if a storm comes. Many insurance policies provide coverage for professional evacuation or storm preparation.
- The guy with the boat in the slip next to you, or out in the mooring field, did little or nothing. There is nothing worse than seeing a poorly prepared boat break loose and take down a dozen others that were properly prepared. Boaters need to come together to help ensure their slip or mooring mates embrace hurricane planning. Ultimately, the success or failure of your own hurricane preparation efforts depend upon the steps taken by your slip mates as well your marina or yacht club.
- You didn't talk to your marina about their hurricane plans. BoatU.S. has found that hurricane damage prevention requires a full partnership with your marina or boat club. If you have not already coordinated a hurricane plan with your marina manager, do it today. As in the day before tomorrow.
- You didn't go to http://www.BoatUS.com/hurricanes_ to brush up on your hurricane planning._ You failed to take advantage of the free online hurricane preparation worksheet and storm planning information, or didn't use the Web site's "spaghetti" models to track an approaching storm. C'mon. It's free. You could have done it at any time of day or night.
- Your boat or yacht club's leadership didn't go to http://www.BoatUS.com/hurricanes_ to review the best club hurricane planning guide ever, written by their peers at the Houston Yacht Club._ HYC has developed the most comprehensive boat and yacht club storm planning guide - developed from years of storm hardened experience - and it is completely free to download and discuss at your club's monthly meeting. Finger-pointing after a storm won't get your sunken boat back.
- You waited until the last minute. Did you see the weather forecast on the evening news? Chances are so did everyone else and if you've waited to buy hurricane gear such as extra dock lines, chafe protection, extra anchors and other gear, it will be long gone from the store shelves by the time you got there.


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Three Up, Three Down
Just like a rainbow themed slap bracelet, this is gonna be loud, colorful and could quite possibly cause a ripple in your otherwise tame relationship.
The Iron Fist of King Bud's Court
Troy Tulowitzki pisses off Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez subsequently beans Tulowitzki. Jimenez gets slammed with a 5-game suspension. And speaks:
"I can't control what people say. People act like this is the first time that somebody got hit. It happens in the game. That's part of the game. It's always been part of the game."
Ubaldo is right. We don't know if it was on purpose. Beanballs happen all the time. We can assume it was intentional considering the circumstances, but we can't be sure beyond a reasonable doubt. This is the beauty of the unwritten rules of baseball, a game where players police themselves and do what they gotta do to survive. But alas, there is no constitution in King Bud's dictatorship. If these guys didn't bank millions of dollars I'd expect an uprise.
If Only 4 Days Meant "Forever"
Pennsylvania Taliban leader, Rick Santorum, is taking 4 days off from his fledgeling (not to mention INSANE) republican primary campaign. Why? I dunno. Maybe he realizes a 4th grade life skills level isn't enough to be in such a demanding position. Maybe he fears a widespread Santorum epidemic. Or maybe his invisible friend in the sky who hates women and gay people told him to. I don't know. I only wish it were forever.
The Heat Is On!
Baseball is back to FULL THROTTLE, my friends, and that means no more dirt kickin', no more gloomy day sobfests, no more Perfect Strangers marathons on sleepless nights (okay, maybe I can't go that far, yet). But the truth is: baseball is back for a long, long time. So let's live! To celebrate, Igive you the song I remember most from my youthful, endless summers at Busch II. Whenever I hear this song, I immediately picture an Ozzie to Tommy to Jack double-play.
Happy Friday!


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Most Americans are concerned with their weight and are changing their food choices. Although losing weight remains a key priority for most adults, a surprising number of consumers are now less concerned about the amount of food they eat than they were a few years ago. If these statements sound contradictory to you, it is because they are. Both food manufacturers and health care industry try hard to make sense of America's eating habits. Not a week goes by without another survey reporting the discovery of new trends in consumers' behavior. The picture is anything but clear.
It is true that many more Americans have become interested in healthy eating. Concerns about food safety have definitely increased, and for good reasons. In response to several outbreaks of food-related illnesses in recent years, there is now greater demand for organic food products, even if it means paying higher prices. But for most of the population, nutritional quality is still not a priority when it comes to food choices.
Most Americans don't eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which recommends five servings of each in its dietary guidelines. Milk and eggs are being consumed in lesser amounts, but cheese is more popular than ever. Meat, poultry and fish consumption continues to rise. The overall fat content in the average American diet is undiminished.
Americans love their snacks. According to USDA studies, almost 20 percent of daily calorie supply comes from snack food in this country. Half of younger adults skip breakfast on most days, a quarter goes without lunch, and home-cooked dinners are becoming the exception rather than the rule even among families with young children. Especially kids suffer in growing numbers from malnutrition and weight problems due to unhealthy eating patterns.
Working men and women eat on average 25 percent of their meals away from home. That doesn't mean the other 75 percent are being made from scratch. Fast food, pizza, take-outs and frozen dinners are the preferred choices of those with busy lifestyles. Pre-packaged meals, so-called "convenience foods," became available in the 1950s when women started to enter the work force in large numbers and being a full-time "homemaker" was no longer attractive or financially feasible. The invention of the microwave, the omnipresence of fast food chains and a growing appetite for cheap food to go all fed into these trends and continue to do so.
While many aspects of these lifestyle changes are positive, the downsides are quite devastating. We are in the midst of a national obesity epidemic that has reached crisis level. Childhood obesity has become by far the greatest health threat to the country's future.
And yet, there is growing evidence that Americans are getting fed up with dieting and weight loss. Finding themselves ceaselessly barraged with often contradictory information and expert advice, people become less enlightened and instead more confused and helpless. Others feel increasingly resentful about being lectured on what they see as their private business. As important as good health may be to them, many Americans find it too arduous and time-consuming to follow suit in their diet.
The number of people who say they watch their food intake at least occasionally for weight management and fitness purposes is stagnant, according to reports by three leading weight loss companies. "People are just saying: The hell with it. I'm going to eat whatever I feel like," said one spokesperson for Marketdata Enterprises, a research firm specializing in data gathering for the weight loss market.
According to a survey conducted by the American Dietetic Association (A.D.A.), over 80 percent of Americans now rate nutrition as "only moderately important" to them. Most experts agree that people are clearly moving away from being obsessed with being thin. Some have suggested that the aging Baby Boomers are at least one of the reasons. When folks get older, they are more set in their ways, which is also reflected in their eating habits.
"I think there is some cultural backlash to our societal urge to live forever," said John Lyons, a psychologist at Northwestern University. "It's like a realization of one's limits and an acceptance, something you see in the 40s to 50s age group. Maybe you just accept your lot and do the best you can."
Not surprisingly, support groups for overweight people are emerging all over the country. Demand for better protection of the rights of the obese is getting louder and keeps gathering followers. Obesity has been stigmatized for far too long in our society, they say, and it's time to question what counts as the ideal body image. Of course, this is a valid point. Many people with serious weight problems suffer from low self-esteem and other emotional distresses, which often complicate their efforts to lose weight in the first place.
Still, it is plain to see that the continuing obesity crisis is not a sustainable situation. Throwing our hands up and walking away in resignation is not an option. Too much is at stake here. There is no way that we will ever be able to provide affordable health care for everyone if the health of vast parts of the population continues to deteriorate at this pace. We won't be able to dig ourselves out of this crisis, no matter what health care model we try to follow.
The necessary lifestyle changes will not happen without awareness and recognition of the consequences we will face if we continue on the current path. Unfortunately, the immediate forecast is not hopeful.
Timi Gustafson R.D. is a clinical dietitian and author of "The Healthy Diner – How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun™," is available on her blog http://www.timigustafson.com and at Amazon. Her latest book, "Kids Love Healthy Foods™" is now available in e-book format at www.amazon.com