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Expert Reviews
2010 Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass is built like a car and drives like a car, but it has the kind of versatility and capability associated with a small SUV. It's available in two trim levels and with two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and delivers commendable fuel economy.
The Compass is available with a choice of two engines. The standard engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 16 valves, electronic variable valve timing that continually optimizes the torque curve, and balance shafts. It delivers 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. With two-wheel drive it is EPA-rated at 23 mpg City, 28 mpg Highway with the manual transmission and 21/25 with the CVT automatic. New is a 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder, also with variable valve timing and balance shafts, with 158 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque. With two-wheel drive it is EPA-rated at 23/29 mpg with the manual transmission and 23/27 with the CVT automatic.
The Jeep Compass offers an optional continuously variable transaxle, or CVT, which performs like an automatic transmission. The CVT comes with the Auto Stick manual shiftgate feature. The Auto Stick enables the driver to shift up and down over six preset gear ratios, making it feel like a six-speed gearbox without a clutch pedal.
The Compass rides and handles more like a car than an SUV and it offers plenty of safety features. It has a strong steel structure and a well-planned subframe. Side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control with anti-rollover sensors are standard.
Inside, the instruments and controls are well placed and easy to use. There's good interior space all around, with rear seats that fold flat to make about 54 cubic feet of cargo space. Options for added versatility include reclining rear seats and a passenger front seat that also folds flat, creating either a table or eight-foot-long space for storage. While the interior design is nice, it is largely plastic and doesn't offer a rich or warm feel. Power windows and power door locks are optional.
The few changes for 2010 are active head restraints for the front seats and a couple of changes to some options packages.
Model LineupJeep Compass 2WD Sport ($18,720); AWD Sport ($20,470); 2WD Limited ($23,385); AWD Limited ($25,135)
Walk Around
Jeep offers two car-based SUVs, the Compass and Patriot. Of the two, the Compass has more of a crossover look, especially from the sculpted side, with smoothly angular flares over the wheels and more laid back lines. The rear door handles are vertical, mounted on the C-pillars to preserve the character line. The Patriot, on the other hand, is more upright.
The liftgate on the Compass is sloped at nearly a 45-degree angle, while that of the Patriot is nearly vertical. The third side window, into the cargo area, is a stylized triangle, leaving more sheetmetal and reducing visibility.
That slope at the rear of the Compass is matched by the steeply raked windshield, leading up to a roof that's slightly lower than that of the Patriot. Black plastic roof rails continue from the top corners of the windshield all the way to the spoiler over the liftgate, channeling water over the roof.
The Compass Limited has aluminum-looking trim on the sides and bumpers. The less-costly Sport looks classier in its cleaner monotone. The optional 18-inch chromed aluminum wheels on the Limited will appeal to those who want their Jeep SUV to look more like a Cadillac Escalade.
The Jeep Compass cabin is roomy and comfortable. The front bucket seats are very comfortable without being soft. The Sport is available with Jeep's stain repellant upholstery, a rugged fabric that's stain, odor and static resistant. The front seat jacks upward, which is nice because the long dash makes it hard to see the ground in front of the car, even though the hood is short. The long dash is a result of the sloped windshield.
The cabin layout is functional and roomy, even though the Compass still appears to be built to a price. The cost cutting is apparent when you shut the driver's door and it sounds like you just dented a beer can. There is plenty of room for your stuff, including your elbows and legs. The front door pockets are deep enough to get your hand in, but to make room for stereo speakers, they're short.
The center stack is wide and intelligently designed: Rectangular vents on top, a single-disc AM/FM/CD stereo or the navigation system below it, and below that are three climate control knobs and various buttons for options (including the available heated seats). The gauges are clean and pleasant, white on black with a symmetrical layout and chrome trim rings. The four-spoke steering wheel is solid to grip. The shift lever, manual or automatic, sprouts from the dash. This practical high forward position enhances ergonomics.
Moving rearward, between the front seats, there are two fixed cupholders now nicely lit with LEDs, another small trough for cell phones and the like, the emergency brake handle, and a split center console bin with two levels of storage. The console top is an armrest and it's padded.
Legroom is good, both front and rear. The Compass will be a fine vehicle for a family trip, with reclining rear seats optional on the Sport and standard on the Limited. There are cupholders in the rear but no net pockets on the front seatbacks, which would be nice. Grab handles make it easy to climb out.
The rear 60/40 seatbacks fold flat with the touch of a finger on each side, which is as easy as it gets. The front seat on the Limited model folds flat, making a table. The rear cargo area, a decent 53.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, is carpeted. The space-saver spare tire is neatly stored under the floor. One innovative feature on the Limited is the removable, rechargeable LED flashlight mounted in the headliner above the cargo area.
The one-piece liftgate has panels for structural integrity, and the rear bumper has a non-skid rubber surface for grip when people need to step on it to get to the roof. Overall, it's a spacious environment for a vehicle of this size, but not particularly warm or inviting.
Driving Impressions
The 2.4-liter engine works well in the Jeep Compass. It's relatively smooth and quiet for a four-cylinder in a vehicle with these prices. This is Chrysler's World Engine and it uses the latest technology, including an aluminum block and cylinder head, and electronically controlled variable valve timing that helps optimize torque. It makes a reasonable 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm, and delivers an estimated 23/28 City/Highway miles per gallon with AWD and the five-speed manual gearbox, or 21/24 mpg with AWD and the CVT automatic.
An all-wheel-drive Sport weighs 3223 pounds, so the acceleration is hardly neck-snapping, but the Compass is no dog. It just takes some forethought and bit of patience to get it to do what you might demand. Jeep hasn't quoted 0-60 mph times, but a manual transmission model with the 2.4-liter engine is probably in the mid-to-low nine-second range. We'd expect the automatic to be about a half second slower and 2.0-liter models to be one to two seconds slower. Those estimates are adequate, but not near the best in the class. The Compass can also tow up to 2000 pounds with the available towing package, enough for personal watercraft, a snowmobile, a motorcycle or a small boat.
The five-speed manual works well and gets the most out of the four-cylinder engine. But if you need an automatic transmission, you can also work the Auto Stick to get more power when you need it. The CVT is like two transmissions in one. You can put it in the gear you like or just put it in Drive and go.
We like the Auto Stick's manual shift feature. Jeep has improved noise and harshness levels, but no four-cylinder is as smooth as the V6s available in some competitors. We were impressed by the crisp and immediate upshifts and downshifts using the six-speed Auto Stick. The nature of the continuously variable transaxle makes such quick shifts possible. The Auto Stick in the Compass is as sharp as any manual automatic we've felt. With such accuracy, it always works: Easily downshifting to knock off a few miles per hour for bends, instead of using the brakes; or downshifting to pass on a two-lane, instead of waiting for the transmission to kick down on its own.
Along the winding wooded roads between Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean, the Compass revealed itself to be steady and silent thanks to liberal use of sound deadening material, sealants and structural adhesives. The suspension does all the work as it should, isolating the cabin from the bumps and tosses. We aimed for potholes and weren't jarred when we hit them. There was none of the old Jeep head-toss, or side-to-side jouncing, and there was no trace of wallow over ripples. Only the good feedback was transmitted through the steering wheel to our hands. The turn-in for corners was secure, with no play in the wheel or wandering.
With Jeep's Freedom Drive I all-wheel drive system, virtually all of the power goes to the front wheels, but as traction is needed elsewhere, as much as 60 percent can shift to the rear wheels. The coupling is through a two-stage clutch system that's magnetic and electronically controlled, rather than viscous, and Jeep says this is markedly more efficient. The system also has a locking center differential.
We drove the Compass over 30 miles of loose, wet gravel roads that climbed, descended and twisted in every direction. We pushed it to find some limits, and they were surprisingly high; the Compass didn't skate on the slick round stones as we expected it to, even with standard touring tires, though the ESP activated a couple of times to keep us out of the ditches. We slammed on the brakes at about 40 mph, and the ABS with rough-road detection worked hard but successfully.
When we reached the beach, we climbed into a Compass Sport with the CVT and optional Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires that aren't available with the Limited. The Jeep people pointed toward the top of the nearest steep sand dune and told us to floor it. Amazingly, the Compass climbed to the summit, where there were no other vehicles except ATVs. The CVT is the ideal mechanical means for transmitting engine power in deep sand, because its pulleys and steel belt provide an infinite number of gear ratios, allowing the engine to stay in its most efficient operating range.
It's difficult to imagine getting stuck in snow or mud in the Compass Sport with the Goodyear on/off-road tires. The locking differential can offer the best possible traction from a standing start, and the Brake Traction Control dabs the brakes (at lightning speed) at individual wheels to keep them from spinning. The locked differential keeps the torque evenly distributed at 50/50, up to 10 miles per hour, at which point the torque begins transferring again, as calculated by the electronic control module based on vehicle speed, turning radius and wheel slip.
We charged full blast back down the steep dune, and found a stretch of whoop-de-doos near the waves at the bottom. It wasn't exactly our intention to turn the Jeep into a motocross bike, but we gave it a go. We finally bottomed out the front end, but it wasn't easy.
The Jeep Compass is not a traditional Jeep with go-anywhere off-road capability. On the negative side, it appears to be built to a price and has modest interior materials and build quality. On the positive side, it offers a comfortable ride, steady handling, decent fuel mileage, and the reassurance of all-wheel-drive capability.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Sam Moses filed this report from western Oregon, with Kirk Bell reporting from Chicago.


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Is it Possible to Make Healthier Foods Kids Will Eat?
It can be done. Ingredient substitutions exist that can remove fat and calories and insert fiber and whole grains tastefully.
Those chubby cheeks on a baby or toddler are adorable, but they shouldn't last too long.
Childhood obesity has been growing by leaps and bounds, make that pounds, in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
A happy, bouncing baby is one thing, but the percentage of children aged 6-11 who are overweight has grown from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2010. And our teens are even worse. The obese portion of this age group expanded from 5 percent to 18 percent over the same time.
It's not just the case of a little "baby fat." The CDC studies show that children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults. They are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.
Helping children to a healthier and happier future is a goal of many people in high places. Starting at the White House.
"The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake," said First Lady Michelle Obama at the 2010 launch of the "Let's Move" initiative. "It is dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams."
Lifestyle changes are one of the biggest culprits in the widening of our young.
It seems that "back-in-the-day" kids were healthier because more walked to school, ran around at recess and were outside playing before the family sat down for a meal. And at that table, a parent watched the portion size of the home-cooked meal and made sure the vegetables on the plate were eaten.
"Today, children experience a very different lifestyle. Walks to and from school have been replaced by car and bus rides. Gym class and after-school sports have been cut; afternoons are now spent with TV, video games, and the internet. Parents are busier than ever and families eat fewer home-cooked meals," Let's Move says.
Processed foods often take a hit when the diets of the young are addressed. But, in fact, food producers have been a leading soldier in this battle against a flabby future.
"Many of our customers have proactively made commitments to address nutrition and health in their products in general, and, more specifically, in those heavily consumed by kids," says Laura Daly, childhood nutrition marketing manager at Cargill Inc., Wayzata, Minn.
"In some cases food makers are reformulating existing products, in others they are introducing new products designed for kid appeal with the nutritional features that parents are looking for. Many of our largest customers have an array of products that already meet standards such as the USDA program for school meals and foods available under the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), as well as the Children's Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative.
"At Cargill, we are helping food and beverage manufacturers with all of the above - finding formulation solutions with less trans and saturated fat, sugar and sodium, and more whole grains and other beneficial nutrients like fiber and protein – and at the same time meeting the taste expectations of kids and the nutritional features parents are seeking," Daly continues. "Our customers, in turn, can offer a wider variety of choices and healthier options for children."
"Food makers are addressing childhood obesity in several ways, which can range from reducing sugar and fats to portion control," says Jennifer Stephens, marketing manager at Penford Food Ingredients, Centennial, Colo. "For the past decade, soda pop has been the scapegoat for the rise in childhood obesity. Beverage makers have expanded their portfolios to include healthier beverage types such as fruit-based juices made with real fruit and no added sugar and flavored waters."
Ever consider potatoes as a beverage ingredient? Penford offers a non-GMO potato-based soluble fiber, PenFibeRO, that can replace sugar to reduce the caloric content and provide fiber to beverage products.
Snacking: Good or bad?
According to the CDC, snacking between meals is now commonplace. Snacks are now up to three in a day and adding 200 calories, and one in five school-age children eat six snacks a day.
In total, we are now eating 31 percent more calories than we were 40 years ago – including 56 percent more fats and oils and 14 percent more sugars and sweeteners. The average American now eats 15 more pounds of sugar a year than in 1970.
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Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum
Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum was first opened in 1975 and is housed within North Road Station, built in 1842 for the Stockton & Darlington Railway.
The Stockton & Darlington Railway was the first steam hauled public railway and was opened on September 27th 1825.
Venue Type:
Museum, Industrial heritage site, Transport heritage site, Archive
April - September
Tues - Sun 10.00 - 16.00
October - March
Wed - Sun 11.00 - 15.30
Mon - Tues CLOSED
Open most Bank Hoildays except Christmas and New Year but please telephone in advance of your visit to make sure we are open.
Closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day and January 1st
Adults: £4.95
Children (6-16 years old): £3.00
Concessions: £3.75
Children aged 5 and under: free
Family Day Pass (2 adults and up to 4 children): £10
Single Annual Membership (unlimited visits per year): £10
Family Annual Membership (2 adults and up to 4 children): £15
Please note that on special event days, admission prices may vary.
- Museums Association
Additional info
The Ken Hoole Study Centre is open to the public by appointment only.
April to September
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:30 to 3:30
Wednesday: 10:30 to 3:30
Thursday: 10:30 to 3:30
Friday: Closed
The Study Centre will be open on the third weekend of each month: (with effect from June 2009)
Saturday: 10:30 to 3:30
Sunday: 10:30 to 3:30
October to March
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11:00 to 3:00
Wednesday: 11:00 to 3:00
Thursday: 11:00 to 3:00
Friday: Closed
The Study Centre will be open on the third weekend of each month:
Saturday: 11:00 to 3:00
Sunday: 11:00 to 3:00
Study Centre appointments are available subject to staff training, holidays and illness.
The museum collection covers the railway of North-East England, with particular emphasis on the Darlington area. "Locomotion" (1825), hauled the inaugural train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Also on display are 'Derwent', 1463 and 901 (Q7). A range of smaller items including station and lineside signs, locomotive nameplates, lamps etc complements the larger exhibits.
The museums collection of documentary material can be viewed at the Ken Hoole Study Centre located within the museum.
Collection details
Archives, Industry, Land Transport
Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum
North Road Station
General Enquiries
- About
- | Collections
- | Map


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Sub-Forums : OS / Platform
|Search this Forum
Jolla 's first OS
The future release for Neo900
The current release for N9/50, codenamed Harmattan.
The current release for N900, codenamed Fremantle.
Basic functionality and tweaks for the N810 and N800. Also related: Maemo 4, Diablo, Chinook.
Basic functionality and tweaks for the 770. Also related: Maemo 2 - Gregale - Scirocco- Mistral.
Discussion and support about official and community supported developer tools.
Other operating systems powering Maemo compatible devices e.g. Mer, Debian, Android, Ubuntu, Palm (GarnetVM)...
Google's Mobile OS
Mozilla's Mobile OS
Mer Project - Nemo Mobile
Samsung's Tizen OS


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biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a kind of cirrhosis caused by damage to the bile ducts in the liver. Much like other forms of liver disease, PBC
permanently damages the liver as tissue is replaced with scar tissue
(fibrosis). As more scar tissue develops, the structure and function of the
liver are affected.
The exact cause of PBC is
unknown. But it may be related to a problem with the
immune system, which is the body's natural defense
Many people who have
primary biliary cirrhosis do not have symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they
may include:
With more advanced liver damage, people may have complications related to cirrhosis such as:
Primary biliary cirrhosis is
suspected based on a medical history, physical exam, and lab tests that show
high levels of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase and antimitochondrial antibodies
(AMA) in the blood. Your doctor may also conduct an imaging test such as an
ultrasound, which shows images of the liver and other
tissues inside the body. He or she may also do a
biopsy to remove a small piece of
tissue from the liver. Biopsy is the best way to definitively diagnose
Treatment for primary biliary
cirrhosis is difficult, because the immune system appears to be involved. As
with other forms of cirrhosis, treatment focuses on reducing symptoms,
preventing and treating the complications of the disease, and preventing other
conditions that may cause additional liver damage.
The medicine ursodiol is usually given soon after a diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis. Ursodiol helps move bile out of the liver and into the small intestine. If it is used early enough, ursodiol can improve liver function and may keep you from needing a liver transplant. The medicine may also help you live longer.1
Medicines such as cholestyramine, rifampicin, or naltrexone may be used to help with itching caused by PBC.
If you have fatigue, your doctor will try to find the cause of your tiredness. It may not be caused by PBC. Some medicines have been tried to help with fatigue in PBC, but none have been proved to work well.
PBC can also cause dry eyes and mouth. The best way to help dry eyes is to use eye drops (artificial tears) when your eyes feel dry. A dry mouth can be helped by chewing gum or hard candy to increase saliva. You can also use a saliva substitute. If that doesn't help, there are some medicines that can be used.
Because people with PBC have a high risk of getting
osteoporosis, you should have periodic
bone mineral density scans. Your doctor may suggest
that you take
calcium and
vitamin D supplements and perhaps a medicine called a
transplantation may be the treatment of choice for people who have end-stage
primary biliary cirrhosis, although primary biliary cirrhosis can recur after a
liver transplant.
The American Gastroenterological Association is a
society of doctors who specialize in the digestive system
(gastroenterologists). This Web site can help you find a gastroenterologist in
your area. They also have patient information on many gastrointestinal diseases
and disorders.
The American Liver Foundation (ALF) funds research and
informs the public about liver disease. A nationwide network of chapters and
support groups exists to help people who have liver disease and to help their families. ALF
also sponsors a national organ-donor program to increase public awareness of
the continuing need for organs. You can send an email by completing a form on the contact page on the ALF website: www.liverfoundation.org/contact.
This clearinghouse is a service of the U.S. National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the
U.S. National Institutes of Health. The clearinghouse answers questions;
develops, reviews, and sends out publications; and coordinates information
resources about digestive diseases. Publications produced by the clearinghouse
are reviewed carefully for scientific accuracy, content, and readability.
CitationsLindor KD, et al. (2009). Primary biliary cirrhosis. Hepatology, 50(1): 291–308.Other Works ConsultedAngulo P, Lindor KD (2010). Primary biliary cirrhosis. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 9th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1477–1488. Philadelphia: Saunders.Talwalkar JA, Lindor KD (2006). Primary biliary cirrhosis. In M Wolfe et al., eds., Therapy of Digestive Disorders, 2nd ed., pp. 579–587. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
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Last Revised:
January 17, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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Top Cars
Great Fuel Economy For Less: 5 Affordable Used Cars That are Surprisingly Good on Gas
Seems like the only thing automakers want to talk about these days is how their cars suddenly get great fuel economy. Given this relentless chatter, it's tempting to conclude that most older cars must be fuel-gulping gluttons.
But in many cases, the new models are actually only a little less thirsty than their predecessors. Engines have been pretty efficient for a pretty long time, and that means there are plenty of affordable used cars that can also help you pinch pennies at the pump. Here are five of our favorites.
5. 2006-2011 Honda Civic
It's an open secret that the latest Civic, which debuted in 2012, is generally a disappointment relative to its illustrious predecessors. In terms of fuel economy, though, it's a modest step forward, returning 28 mpg city/39 hwy with the automatic transmission versus the previous model's average of 25/36 mpg. But what does that mean for your bottom line? Well, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a handy Fuel Economics calculator that estimates annual fuel costs, and it turns out that you'd end up paying just $200 more per year to refuel a previous-generation Civic. When you consider the thousands you'd save on the purchase price due to depreciation, not to mention the new Civic's lack of significant improvements, the old model emerges as a compelling alternative.
4. 2008-2011 Ford Focus
No question about it, the appealing current-generation Focus is better than its dowdy predecessor in every conceivable way, including fuel economy. But when the new Focus debuted in 2012, it came with a significant price hike; meanwhile, the old Focus had begun to depreciate quickly. Accordingly, choosing an older example could save you a serious pile of cash, yet you're still going to do pretty well on gas. The previous Focus returned 24/33 mpg with the automatic, and as with the old Civic, it'll run you only $200 extra bucks in gas per year versus the new one.
3. 2003-2008 Toyota Corolla
You don't have to take our word for it that Toyota has grown complacent with the Corolla. Just look at the fuel economy numbers. Way back in 2003, when the previous-generation Corolla debuted, its 1.8-liter inline-4 and 4-speed automatic achieved 25/34 mpg. For 2013, a full decade later, the current-generation Corolla features a 1.8-liter inline-4 and a 4-speed automatic that achieve...wait for it...26/34 mpg. Plus, the made-in-Japan previous Corolla enjoys a nearly peerless reputation for reliability, and it arguably had a nicer interior. Find one in decent shape and laugh all the way to the bank.
2. 2000-2006 Volkswagen Golf TDI
Buying an old German car requires what our friends south of the border refer to as cojones. Maintenance is everything with these diesel-powered Volkswagens: a well-cared-for Golf TDI could run for hundreds of thousands of miles, but a neglected example could nickel-and-dime (or $500 and $1,000) you to death with nagging issues. Still, this version of the Golf TDI was never rated worse than 28/40 mpg, and real-world reports put the car's numbers closer to the 2000 model's great fuel economy of 35/44 mpg (the EPA changed its testing methodology during this model cycle, causing some confusion). Make sure you have any old Golf TDI thoroughly checked out by a VW specialist before buying, but these cars are potentially great deals for the fuel-averse.
1. 2004-2009 Toyota Prius
Let's be clear about one thing upfront: the current-generation Prius is no fence-sitter like the current Corolla. Much has improved in the latest Prius, and we certainly recommend it to those with the means. But if you're on a tighter budget and still want top-shelf fuel economy, the previous-generation Prius is hard to beat. It already had lots of advanced features, including a touch-screen navigation system with nifty hybrid readouts in many models, and it was rated at a truly remarkable 48/45 mpg. Reliability? Don't sweat it. This Prius was widely used as a taxi in Vancouver, and the hybrid components proved remarkably durable. Oh, and it also had a big back seat, as well as a flat cargo floor in its handy hatchback trunk. If you find one in good condition, don't hesitate; it's a winner.


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The Worst of Times
Cookbook writers are ridiculously bad at guessing how long it'll take to prepare a meal.
Every week, the New York Times prints capsule previews of upcoming NFL games. For years, each one included a prediction of the final score—say, Giants 24, Eagles 17. As Gregg Easterbrook reveled in pointing out during his four-year crusade against the quixotic practice, the paper correctly guessed a game's outcome on only three occasions out of 1,085 attempts. The Times quietly dropped final-score predictions in 2003, and now contents itself with publishing the spread.
I am reminded of this little misadventure whenever I see cooking times listed in cookbooks. I don't mean "sauté the onions for five minutes"; I mean the supposedly all-inclusive, "start-to-finish" times. In my experience, these calculations aren't just a little bit off; they're usually not even close.
Yet I can't bring myself to disregard them, because I like to follow directions, and I know I'm not alone in wanting to believe numbers listed authoritatively on a page. In the Gourmet Cookbook, Ruth Reichl says it takes 20 minutes to make halibut with spicy Asian vinaigrette and wasabi cream, and I think, Great! I can watch The Office, skip Outsourced (I don't get the appeal), throw together my halibut and still have 10 minutes to get settled for The Apprentice. Except it actually took me 41 minutes, more than twice as long as promised, and no, I don't have a DVR.
Ruth's halibut is far from the only offender. Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, another personal favorite, claims a pan-roasted swordfish with gingered pea puree will take 30 minutes; I slogged through it in 53. The cucumber peanut salad from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, advertised at 20 minutes, took me 36. Andrew Carmellini's penne with bacon, radicchio, and piave cheese, in his Urban Italian, is described as "superfast; under ½ hour"; it was double that for me, at 59 minutes. (I avoided testing "30-minute" cookbooks, because I wanted to make recipes for which speed was not the main selling point.)
I should note that all of these dishes came out nicely, and pretty much as advertised, which only added to my frustration. No recipe would ever say, "Use two cups of flour, but you may need four." If the other measurements are on target, why can't timing be, too?
I asked my rabbi for some guidance. "I have a theory," he said. "Your pots and pans are too far from each other." If you saw my kitchen, you'd agree that this is not the case. Nor is it an issue of competence: I keep my knives sharp, my cupboard stocked, and my mise en place dishes stacked high. I also know that there are countless variables that recipe writers cannot control—counter space, burner strength, oven heat, and so on. But I figure these factors should add up to just a few minutes' difference.
Then, last week, I tried making some of the Thanksgiving side dishes in the New York Times dining section. Two of them—brussels sprouts with bacon, chili and coriander, and butternut squash with pecans and currants—were listed as taking 30 minutes to make. Each took me 54. I was starting to feel like Vincent Gambini storming around an Alabama courtroom: Do the laws of physics cease to exist on my stove?
With Thanksgiving just around the corner—and amateur cooks everywhere getting ready to whip up multi-course meals for large, potentially hostile groups of friends and relatives—I figured it was high time for some cross-examination.
I called up Ruth Reichl, who told me that each recipe in Gourmet was tested by cooks who made it many times over, and also by a "cross-tester," who made it only once. But the printed times came from the cooks who'd made the dish repeatedly, and Reichl allows that may have been a mistake. "When you've done a recipe eight times, you get a lot faster," she pointed out. "Probably we should've used the cross-tester's time, and not the developer's final time."
Mark Bittman had another take: "Either I'm faster or I'm wrong," he said at first. I wondered whether it was primarily a matter of knife skills, but Bittman insisted that his are "terrible." He also noted that all those uncontrollable factors really do add up to complicate the final calculation. "I make the best estimate I can," he wrote in an e-mail. "I usually take my time and add some time; I don't subtract, at least not consciously." In the end, he speculated that he's faster because he does prep work and cooking at the same time, and worries less about how the food looks at the end.
But it was Chris Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated, who cut to the heart of it. "Utter bullshit," he said when I asked what he thought of cooking times. Kimball is no slacker; CI, as its devoted readers know, has a well-earned reputation for accuracy. They'll bake a chocolate torte 500 times before publishing the results. Yet Kimball doesn't include start-to-finish times in his recipes; he rejects outright the notion that they can be measured with precision. "Thirty-minute recipes are never 30 minutes," he says. "It's marketing."
All-inclusive cook times are actually a fairly new phenomenon. Older recipe books, such as The Joy of Cookingand the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, assumed an audience with a certain level of competency in the kitchen, and so never bothered to say how long it would take to prepare a given meal. Today, obviously, more people with less experience are attempting to put food on the table, and so cookbooks have become more explicit. But if our recipe-writing royalty are regularly off by a factor of two, then they're not helping novices—they're confusing them. We should all accept that these predictions are about as useful as the Times' football-score experiment and, like the Times, just get rid of them.
You're sure a dish takes under 30 minutes? Call it "speedy." Between 30 and 60? Try "leisurely." More than 60? "Labor-intensive." The bean-counters may whine, but better to be honest and leave precision timing to the racetracks and the atom-splitters.


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Do I hear Jingle bells? The season of gift giving is upon us. How did the holiday season get here so quickly! Weren't we just in flip flops? Santa and his little elves are hard at work, preparing for their big day. And our Jewish friends are dusting off the Menorah for Hanukkah or Chanukah. It's a season of giving, but also a little stress. Have no fear, because we at Bella Branch want to lessen the stress of gift giving. We know Santa can't do everything, and you can't do everything either, so we are here to help! Our Bella Branch elves are working hard to make this the best Holiday season ever! We want to help you pick the perfect gift for that special someone. So, whether you need a gift for Mom, Sister, Grandma, your co-worker, your neighbor, or for your moody Teen, we have the perfect gift! OhÉand we wrap everything for FREE! That's right, FREE Gift wrapping!!!
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In this issue I begin a two-part series that will feature a custom boat project being built at Van Dam Custom Boats in Boyne City, Michigan. We featured a Van Dam boat built in Epoxyworks 14, the beautiful and unique Alpha Z. We want to give our readers a glimpse into what is currently happening at this world-class boat shop.
I traveled to Boyne City in early May and was graciously greeted by Steve Van Dam, the owner and founder of the company. We chatted as Steve showed me around. He introduced me to the guys working


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Will You Use Layaway to Make Your Holiday Purchases? — Survey of the Day
If you want to buy something but don't currently have enough money, one option is to use layaway. Under that plan, the customer makes payments in installments and doesn't receive the item from the store until they have paid the full price.
Those who want to buy their holiday gifts this way probably have to start thinking about doing so soon. So how many holiday shoppers are planning on using layaway this season?
According to a Coupon Cabin survey of 2,339 adults, 34 precent are thinking about using layaway, including 9 percent who answered that they are "very likely" to do so.
The survey also found that the two biggest draws of using layaway is that it "helps a person buy larger items for the holidays that they couldn't afford to buy all at once" and it "helps a person budget his or her money."
The two most-cited drawbacks of the plan where "there's a charge to canceling a layaway order" and "the service fees end up making it not worth it."


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Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood
Recently, I was the surprise commencement speaker at the promotion ceremony for a Seattle alternative high school. I spoke to sixty students, who'd come from sixteen different districts, and had survived depression, attempted suicide, gang warfare, sexual and physical abuse, absentee parents, poverty, racism, and learning disabilities in order to graduate.
These students had read my young adult novel, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," and had been inspired by my autobiographical story of a poor reservation Indian boy and his desperate and humorous attempts to find a better life.
I spoke about resilience---about my personal struggles with addiction and mental illness---but it was the student speakers who told the most important stories about survival.
A young woman recalled the terrible moment when indifferent school administrators told her that she couldn't possibly be a teen mother and finish high school. So they suggested she get a General Education Degree (GED) and move on with her life. But, after taking a practice test, she realized that the GED was far too easy for her, so she transferred to that alternative high school, and is now the mother of a three-year-old and a high school graduate soon to attend college.
After the ceremony, many of the graduates shook my hand, hugged me, took photos with me, and asked me questions about my book and my life. Other students hovered on the edges and eyed me with suspicion and/or shyness.
It was a beautiful and painful ceremony. But it was not unique. I have visited dozens of high schools---rich and poor, private and public, integrated and segregated, absolutely safe and fearfully dangerous---and have heard hundreds of stories that are individually tragic and collectively agonizing.
Almost every day, my mailbox is filled with handwritten letters from students--teens and pre-teens--who have read my YA book and loved it. I have yet to receive a letter from a child somehow debilitated by the domestic violence, drug abuse, racism, poverty, sexuality, and murder contained in my book. To the contrary, kids as young as ten have sent me autobiographical letters written in crayon, complete with drawings inspired by my book, that are just as dark, terrifying, and redemptive as anything I've ever read.
And, often, kids have told me that my YA novel is the only book they've ever read in its entirety.
So when I read Meghan Cox Gurdon's complaints about the "depravity" and "hideously distorted portrayals" of contemporary young adult literature, I laughed at her condescension.
Does Ms. Gurdon honestly believe that a sexually explicit YA novel might somehow traumatize a teen mother? Does she believe that a YA novel about murder and rape will somehow shock a teenager whose life has been damaged by murder and rape? Does she believe a dystopian novel will frighten a kid who already lives in hell?
When I think of the poverty-stricken, sexually and physically abused, self-loathing Native American teenager that I was, I can only wish, immodestly, that I'd been given the opportunity to read "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian." Or Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak." Or Chris Lynch's "Inexusable." Or any of the books that Ms. Gurdon believes to be irredeemable. I can't speak for other writers, but I think I wrote my YA novel as a way of speaking to my younger, irredeemable self.
Of course, all during my childhood, would-be saviors tried to rescue my fellow tribal members. They wanted to rescue me. But, even then, I could only laugh at their platitudes. In those days, the cultural conservatives thought that KISS and Black Sabbath were going to impede my moral development. They wanted to protect me from sex when I had already been raped. They wanted to protect me from evil though a future serial killer had already abused me. They wanted me to profess my love for God without considering that I was the child and grandchild of men and women who'd been sexually and physically abused by generations of clergy.
What was my immature, childish response to those would-be saviors?
"Wow, you are way, way too late."
And now, as an adult looking back, I wonder why those saviors tried to warn me about the crimes that were already being committed against me.
When some cultural critics fret about the "ever-more-appalling" YA books, they aren't trying to protect African-American teens forced to walk through metal detectors on their way into school. Or Mexican-American teens enduring the culturally schizophrenic life of being American citizens and the children of illegal immigrants. Or Native American teens growing up on Third World reservations. Or poor white kids trying to survive the meth-hazed trailer parks. They aren't trying to protect the poor from poverty. Or victims from rapists.
No, they are simply trying to protect their privileged notions of what literature is and should be. They are trying to protect privileged children. Or the seemingly privileged.
Two years ago, I met a young man attending one of the most elite private high schools in the country. He quietly spoke to me of his agony. What kind of pain could a millionaire's child be suffering? He hadn't been physically or sexually abused. He hadn't ever been hungry. He'd never seen one person strike another in anger. He'd never even been to a funeral.
So what was his problem?
"I want to be a writer," he said. "But my father won't let me. He wants me to be a soldier. Like he was."
He was seventeen and destined to join the military. Yes, he was old enough to die and kill for his country. And old enough to experience the infinite horrors of war. But according to Ms. Gurdon, he might be too young to read a YA novel that vividly portrays those very same horrors.
"I don't want to be like my father," that young man said. "I want to be myself. Just like in your book."
I felt powerless in that moment. I could offer that young man nothing but my empathy and the promise of more books about teenagers rescuing themselves from the adults who seek to control and diminish him.
Teenagers read millions of books every year. They read for entertainment and for education. They read because of school assignments and pop culture fads.
And there are millions of teens who read because they are sad and lonely and enraged. They read because they live in an often-terrible world. They read because they believe, despite the callow protestations of certain adults, that books-especially the dark and dangerous ones-will save them.
As a child, I read because books--violent and not, blasphemous and not, terrifying and not--were the most loving and trustworthy things in my life. I read widely, and loved plenty of the classics so, yes, I recognized the domestic terrors faced by Louisa May Alcott's March sisters. But I became the kid chased by werewolves, vampires, and evil clowns in Stephen King's books. I read books about monsters and monstrous things, often written with monstrous language, because they taught me how to battle the real monsters in my life.
And now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don't write to protect them. It's far too late for that. I write to give them weapons--in the form of words and ideas-that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed.
Sherman Alexie is the author of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," winner of the 2007 National Book Award in Young People's Literature. He is currently at work on a sequel. His website is here.
What did you think of the essay? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Other Speakeasy essays:
Off-Camera, My Mom's Fight With Cancer
Should Young Adult Books Explore Difficult Issues?
Goodbye, Oprah. We'll Always Have Paris
Rick Riordan on Four Ways to Get Kids with ADHD to Read
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South Dakota State Football Coach John Stiegelmeier Talks Spring Football [AUDIO]
No matter who you talk to these days in South Dakota, just about everyone agrees: this has been a 'spring' to remember. That includes South Dakota State football coach John Stiegelmeier.
Our wet and snowy weather left the Jackrabbits scrambling to get in workouts this spring, with their new indoor practice facility still a year away. In all, SDSU worked out in nearly a half dozen different places this spring, and had to cancel their spring game because of wet conditions at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings.
So how bad was it? ESPN 99.1's Jeff Harkness asked Coach Stiegelmeier:
Besides the weather, the biggest question marks for the Jackrabbits this spring were on the defensive side of the ball, where graduation has taken its toll. Among the losses, linebackers Ross Shafrath (last season's leading tackler) and Andy Mink (4th in tackles), along with defensive back Skyler Luxa (leading in interceptions, 3rd in tackles).
SDSU should be solid up front with defensive ends Doug Peete and Marshall Peugh back. At linebacker, TJ Lalley (107 tackles, 5 sacks) returns after making the Missouri Valley All-Newcomer Team last season, Matt Romano comes in as the Scout Team Player of the Year, while Winston Wright (59 tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, 1 interception) returns in the defensive backfield.
Offensively, SDSU quarterback Austin Summner was limited in spring drills as he recovers from off-season thumb surgery. But Coach Stiegelmeier is expecting big things from his junior signal caller.
Two of Summner's top targets, Aaron Rollin and Tyrel Kool, are gone, leaving more catches for Brandon Hubert, Trevor Tiefenthaler, and Jason Schneider - who each topped double digits in receptions last season.
No body was better running the football in the FCS last season than Zach Zenner. He finished with a nation-best 2,044 yards and rushed for an average of 157 per game. He will benefit once again this season from a veteran offensive line in front of him, and some help from running back Reggie Gandy.
The Jacks are coming off a nine-win season in 2012. A year that saw SDSU win a home Division I playoff game for the first time, before losing to eventual national champ North Dakota State in round two. How does that success carry into this season?
One thing that will change for the Jacks and other FCS programs after the 2015 season, no more games with the Big Ten, who have voted to stop playing FCS teams starting in 2016.
South Dakota State opens the 2013 season at home against Butler, August 31st.


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Talk:1192: Humming
406 Not Acceptable The requested resource is only capable of generating content not acceptable according to the Accept headers sent in the request 22.214.171.124 05:14, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
Makes me think of Close Encounters of the Third Kind --Jeff (talk) 12:39, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
That reminds me of the QR-Codes that by decoding it say things like: "And for that you take out your smartphone?" or "It's a stupid Avatar!"... 188.8.131.52 16:44, 29 March 2013 (UTC)
- I read somewhere that an old man once wore a t-shirt with a QR-Code, which redirected to a naked picture of this man... 220.127.116.11 03:42, 26 February 2014 (UTC)
Today's comic is late and it's April 1. I'm worried. Alpha (talk) 06:10, 1 April 2013 (UTC)


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Olney Theatre Center will present "Two Gentleman of Verona" as part of the 19th Annual Free Summer Shakespeare Festival, June 19-29. All performances begin at 8:15 p.m. and the audience is encouraged to arrive as early as 6:30 p.m. to picnic on the theater grounds. The theater is located at 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney. Call 301-924-3400.
"Backstage Broadway," Bethesda Little Theatre's original musical revue will be at The Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, June 20, and 21, at 7:30 p.m., and June 22, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 adult, $12 senior/child and groups of 10 or more, $10 each. Visit http://www.recgov.org/R&W/blt. Proceeds from the show benefit NIH charities.
This summer, Montgomery College will bring two musicals to the stage — "Evita" and "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" — for its Summer Dinner Theatre performances, starting June 20. "Evita" performances will take place June 20-21, 27-29 and July 5-6. "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" will run July 18-19, 25-27 and Aug. 1-3. Tickets for Summer Dinner Theatre are $37 for adults and $27 for children ages 12 and under. Prices include the performance and a full dinner buffet. At Friday and Saturday night performances, the doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with a show time of 8:15 p.m. On Sunday, the buffet will open at 12:30 p.m., with a 2:15 p.m. show time. All performances are held in the Theatre Arts Arena on the College's Rockville Campus, located at 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville. To purchase tickets, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/sdt or call 240-567-7676.
"World of Jewtopia" will be at the Bethesda Theatre, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, through June 22. Tickets for the June 5 performance are priced at $40; tickets for the remainder of the run are priced $40 to $75. Tickets may be purchased at the Bethesda Theatre box office and at all Ticketmaster outlets; by phone at 301-657-STAR, 202-397-SEAT, 703-573-SEAT, 410-547-SEAT, and 800-551-SEAT; and online at www.bethesdatheatre.com.
Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, will present "The Neverending Story" from June 24-Aug. 10. Showtimes are Tuesday - Friday at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at 12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m., Sunday at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Additional shows on Thursdays July 24, 31 and Aug. 7 at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Ages 6-11. Tickets are $10-$20. Call 301-280-1660.
"The Blessing of a Broken Heart" will make its Washington area debut at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, Wednesday, June 25, at 7:30 p.m., with a special guest appearance by Seth Mandell. Tickets are available for $75 in advance, $100 at the door, by calling The Koby Mandell Foundation at 301-654-7045, or 1-888-622-5629.
Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Avenue, Bethesda, will present "The Neverending Story" from June 28-Aug. 10. Enjoyed by ages 6 and up. Performance times are Saturdays 12:30, 3:30 and 7 p.m. and Sundays 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Single ticket prices range from $10-$20, with group rates available. The Box Office phone is 301-280-1660 or visit www.ImaginationStage.org.
Once a staple in Olney's season, the summer mystery play makes a comeback after a 25-year hiatus with Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap." The show plays on the New Mainstage at Olney Theater, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney. through July 6. Tickets are $25 - $48 with discounts available to groups, seniors, and students. Call the Box Office at 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org for tickets.
A brand new version of L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz" will be presented by Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, through July 20. Performances Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Recommended for K - Grade 6. Tickets $8; group rates available. Call 301-320-6668 or visit www.thepuppetco.org.
"Babe, the Sheep Pig" will run through Aug. 3 at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Performances on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Playing time is approximately 1 hour. Recommended for ages 3 and up. Tickets $12. Call 301-634-2270 or visit www.adventuretheatre.org.
The Puppet Co. presents "Tiny Tot Tuesdays," a program designed for our youngest theater patrons (ages 0 - 4). The shows are shorter, the lights stay on, the doors stay open and the show is set up on the floor. Performances on two Tuesdays each month (except December and January, which have just one) at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. $5 for children (including babies) and adults. Reservations are strongly recommended. Call 301-320-6668 or visit www.thepuppetco.org.
Elementary school students in grades 4, 5 and 6 can now enjoy an educational and entertaining 45-minute play called "Clara Barton, the Courage Within" at Adventure Theatre at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo. After the play, students visit nearby Clara Barton National Historic Site where Miss Barton lived and conducted the American Red Cross for 15 years. Tuesdays at 10 a.m. during the school year for school groups and other large groups of age-appropriate children. Tickets are $8. Minimum 50-person audience. No charge for visiting the historic home. Contact Adventure Theatre at 301-320-5331.


text: Leavenworth senior golfer Lizzy Cline finished 58th in the Kansas 5A State Golf Tournament on Monday. It was her second trip to a Kansas State Golf Tournament. She finished 48th in 6A her sophomore year. She finished with a score of 103, which was better than 33 golfers. Head coach Jon LeBar said there were only a couple of holes that kept her from being a top 25 finisher. He added that Cline really brought her game up in the final couple of weeks of the season.


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New Car Review Video
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser: New Car Review - Video
Tired of off-road SUV wannabes that look the part but can never back it up? Consider the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, the truck that's right at home where the pavement ends and the dirt begins.
On the outside, the 2013 FJ Cruiser follows the retro style of the original FJ40 Land Cruiser from more than 40 years ago. Like the original, the 2013 model features a large rectangular grill with a contrasting Toyota emblem, oversized round headlights and a rear-mounted full-size spare tire.
The interior follows the exterior's retro and unconventional flavor not typical of SUVs. For instance, the dashboard is a wall of hard plastic, and the oversized controls are right out of a Tonka truck toy. While the instruments are easy to read and the iPod, USB and Bluetooth connectivity are standard, they are basic compared with current technology on other Toyota models, such as navigation or the feature-filled Entune interface.
If you spend a few extra dollars on the Upgrade, Off-Road or Trail Teams Special Edition packages, Toyota installs a dash-mounted floating-ball multi-information display that has three gauges: an inclinometer, a compass and outside temperature. The display is a good touch for both novice drivers and seasoned off-roaders but can be a little lackluster.
Unlike a Jeep Wrangler that can be found in a true 4-door configuration, the FJ Cruiser comes only with two full-size front doors and two reverse-hinged rear doors. Because of this design, the back seat is a challenge. However, don't worry about getting the interior dirty when climbing into the back since the seats are water-resistant and the floor is rubber-covered for easy clean up.
The 2013 FJ Cruiser has three trims based on the powertrain: 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive with a 5-speed automatic or a 4-wheel drive with a 6-speed manual transmission. All models come standard with a potent 4.0-liter V6 engine that produces 260 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque, offering enough power for any backwoods adventure.
Even though Toyota opted for a V6, don't expect much in gas mileage. With the manual transmission, miles per gallon estimates are high teens to low twenties on the highway. Mileage will be less with the automatic or while using the 4-wheel-drive system.
Base price for the FJ 2-wheel drive is $27,030. Toyota offers great option packages and many TRD accessories, including sweet beadlock-style alloy wheels; however, the Upgrade Package, which comes with larger alloy wheels, a JBL stereo system and the floating-ball multi-informational display, adds another $4,500 to the price.
Competition in this still uncivilized market of SUVs includes the Nissan Xterra and the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The Xterra offers the same amount of power, but it has a more comfortable backseat. The Jeep, on the other hand, comes standard with the famous off-road pedigree, four conventional doors and a more energetic 6-cylinder engine.
To many, the 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser is considered a blunt instrument since its main purpose is to take you anywhere you want to go. While the style might be crude for some and the fuel mileage not pretty either, the FJ Cruiser with the Trail Teams package will provide more "happy trails" than just about any other SUV.


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November 16, 2013
Grove City keeps Cup with 50-44 OT win
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The Grove City College football team retained the prestigious Mercer County Cup Saturday afternoon by pulling out a 50-44 overtime win at Presidents' Athletic Conference rival Thiel at Alumni Stadium.
Senior quarterback Brian Pell (Streamwood, Ill./Wheaton Academy) gave Grove City (5-5 overall, 3-5 PAC) the win by scoring on a 13-yard option keeper over left end in overtime. Thiel had the first possession in overtime but senior free safety Joe Diani (West Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg) intercepted a pass to end Thiel's drive.
Grove City trailed 37-30 midway through the fourth quarter but tied the game with 8:04 left in regulation when senior wide receiver Khalil Ervin (Malvern, Pa./Phoenixville) hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from freshman wingback Zach Gazdacko (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake) on a halfback option.
The Wolverines then surged ahead 44-37 with 3:17 left when senior wide receiver Anthony Ritchie (Big Rock, Ill./Wheaton Academy) raced 22 yards to the end zone on a reverse.
Ritchie also caught two touchdown passes and threw a touchdown pass in the win. His 16-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Pat Donoughe (Summerhill, Pa./Forest Hills) on the first play of the second quarter gave Grove City a 14-7 lead.
Grove City pushed its lead to 21-7 just 49 seconds later when Pell threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Ritchie on an out-and-up route. The Wolverines took over at the Thiel 42 after senior linebacker Ben Manwaring (Lisle, N.Y./Whitney Point) recovered a fumble.
Thiel quickly answered as Andrew Smith threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Matt Fedzen with 12:37 left in the first half.
Grove City reclaimed a 27-14 lead on its next possession by driving to the Thiel 22. On fourth down, the Wolverines lined up in the "Swinging Gate" and after receiving the snap, Pell threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Ritchie.
Thiel whittled the lead to 27-24 by halftime but Grove City opened the second half with a 14-play, 69-yard drive. The drive stalled at the 6, though, and freshman kicker Ryan Stewart (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) booted a 24-yard field goal.
Thiel (3-7, 3-5 PAC) took a 7-0 lead with 11:52 left in the first quarter on Smith's one-yard run. Grove City answered six plays later when sophomore tailback Steve Maskrey (Cranesville, Pa./Northwestern) bulled in from the 5.
Thiel sent the game to overtime when Smith threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Bill Frizzi with 29 seconds left in regulation.
Grove City finished the game with 26 first downs and 439 yards of offense. Maskrey ran for 117 yards and a touchdown while Pell added 54 yards. Pell completed 13 of 23 passes for 192 yards.
Ritchie had six catches for 117 yards while Ervin pulled in six balls for 91 yards.
Manwaring and freshman safety Dale Klobuchir (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) both had 12 tackles. Junior defensive tackle Robert Rollick (Woodland, Pa./Saint Marys) recorded a sack.
Smith completed 19 of 24 passes for 299 yards. Tim Walker caught six passes for 80 yards. Josh Potter ran for 107 yards on 22 carries while Smith had 94 yards and three touchdowns. Thiel finished with 530 yards of offense.
Grove City improved to 21-9 in the 30-year history of the Mercer County Cup. The Wolverines have won seven straight in the series. It is the first overtime game in the Cup series since 2009, when Grove City won 31-24 at Thiel in double overtime. Grove City is 6-3 all-time in overtime while Thiel is 7-2. Both Thiel overtime losses have been in the Mercer County Cup series.
Saturday marked the 100th meeting between the programs. Grove City leads the series 61-34-5. The 94 combined points are the most ever in a Grove City-Thiel game. It's the first time Grove City scored 50 or more points on the road since a 63-6 win at Bethany in 2004.
Grove City will lose 15 seniors to graduation: linebacker Ethan Albinger (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes), defensive end Ryan Althausen (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson), Diani, Donoughe, Ervin, safety Chris Gibbs (Akron, Ohio/Revere), center Ben Jubell (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora), tight end Josh Latini (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler), Manwaring, offensive tackle Ethan Martin (Hancock, Md./Hancock), linebacker Brandon Miller (Corry, Pa./Corry), wide receiver Mitch Narbe (Orchard Park, N.Y./Christian Central), Pell, Ritchie and linebacker Mitch White (Clinton, Ohio/Norton).
Box Score
Go back to Wolverine Football Home Page


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Judge Recommends Limiting Xcel Energy Rate Hike
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - An administrative law judge says Xcel Energy's proposed electricity rate hike should be held to 4.7 percent.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Xcel said Monday that last week's recommendations by Administrative Law Judge Jeanne Cochran would amount to a $127 million rate increase.
Xcel is asking the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for a 7.8 percent, increase, totaling $209 million, to pay for power plant upgrades.
The state Department of Commerce has recommended a 3.7 percent increase, saying the utility should cut bonuses and other perks for executives.
Xcel's 1.2 million electric customers in Minnesota have been paying an interim increase of about 9 percent since Jan. 1, but likely will get refunds plus interest after the PUC issues a final ruling, which is expected in September.


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Olivia Newton-John in "Physical"
Olivia Newton-John Gets Physical
Welcome to Forgotten Videos, the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards edition, showcasing past GRAMMY winners. For some, these videos are forgotten, for others just filed away, and for others still, a totally brand-new discovery. Whichever category you fall into, each week until the GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 13, 2011, we'll feature a video from a GRAMMY-winning artist that's possibly been collecting dust when what it really deserves is a fresh look. Or, just for old times' sake. We just want to take you on a little trip down memory lane. Yep, you'll remember when hair was really that big, when drums were that up front in the mix, when video was young(er) and so were you.
Olivia Newton-John
What made Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" such a monster hit in 1982? Well, let's just say when Olivia invites you to "get physical," the answer is seldom "no."
By the time this record sat at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks in 1982, Olivia had become as big a music superstar as there was at the time, but "Physical" won her a whole new fan base. The audience that thought of her as a pretty and polite country/pop singer had loved her through the '70s, but now she was embraced by an audience that thought the black leather-clad "Sandy" at the end of Grease trumped the innocent school girl at the beginning of the movie.
With "Physical," the Olivia evolution was complete. She had started as the cute Aussie country singer who established herself with music such as a cover of Bob Dylan's "If Not For You," the mellow pop of "Have You Never Been Mellow," and the straight balladry of the Record Of The Year GRAMMY-winning "I Honestly Love You."
But then came her first real movie role, 1978's Grease. That same year, she released Totally Hot, her first pinup album with a cover picture in (coincidentally?) black leather. The Physical album would follow in 1981, which also included songs such as the Top 5 hit "Make A Move On Me" and "Stranger's Touch."
As for the video, it's safe to say "Physical" was made in the Mesozoic period of music video; by the standards of video's heyday, the clip is boxed-wine cheap. It's hard to think of these special effects being state-of-the-art in D. W. Griffith's time. That's less a criticism of the video as it is a recollection that MTV was barely a year old and "video budget" was a yet-to-be-coined term. It did, after all, win the Video Of The Year GRAMMY in 1982. The song also earned Olivia a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, the previous year.
Perhaps one criticism though: The clip was released at the height of the gym-as-singles-bar craze, but judging from the Three Stooges-inspired slapstick of the video, you'd never know the song was meant to convey under-the-covers lust.
Where is Olivia now? After a few more sexy albums, by 1989 she had released a lullabies disc called Warm And Tender, and later, albums like 1994's Gaia, her plea for compassionate care for the planet. Still, even at more than 60 years old, we think she's just a Total Gym workout away from another saucy comeback.


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San Francisco Night Tour
This live narrated 90-minute tour of San Francisco includes the most interesting and vibrant neighborhoods, such as the Financial District, Chinatown, North Beach, Nob Hill, Alamo Square and the Embarcadero.
The tour starts at Fisherman's Wharf (or Union Square) and covers all the major San Francisco attractions during evening hours with spectacular views from the top if an original open top double decker bus.
Highlights may vary depending on the season, weather conditions and San Francisco's infamous traffic, but generally the tour includes:
- North Beach - San Francisco's Italian neighborhood
- Chinatown - Home to the largest Chinese population outside of Asia
- Union Square - San Francisco's shopping mecca
- Alamo Square - See the famous 'Painted Ladies' Victorian houses
- Civic Center - City Hall, Asian Art Museum, Bill Graham Auditorium
- Nob Hill - California Street - Grace Cathedral, Fairmont Hotel, Cable Cars
- Embarcadero - Bay Bridge, Ferry Buildning, Alcatraz, Pier 39
Duration: 90 minutes
Important information:
- Shortly after your booking is complete, you will receive an e-ticket by mail. Please print out your ticket and bring it with you to be redeemed with City Sightseeing at 2800 Leavenworth Street (between Beach Street & Jefferson Street).
- The tour ends at Fisherman's Wharf.
- We advise you to line up for the tour at least 15 minutes before departure, especially during summer months (May-September) as busses tend to fill up quickly during peak season.
- Children's tickets are available between age 5-11. Children under 5 are free, when accompanied by a paying adult.
- Please note: Depending on the time of year, it may not be entirely dark on the San Francisco Night Tour.
Reserve tickets
San Francisco Night Tour
You must redeem your e-ticket/voucher at this address:
City Sightseeing
1331 Columbus Avenue (between North Point St. & Beach St.), San Francisco, CA 94133
San Francisco Night Tour
The tours departs daily at 6 PM & 7 PM (Only from May-September)
Take the Powell-Hyde line with the Cable Cars to Hyde & Beach.
View map


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Table Linens for Fall
Around my house, we tend to keep summer parties simple, usually planning the menu while at the farmer's market and eating outside on melamine plates. As soon as the air chills and the days grow shorter, however, I start pouring through my cookbooks and planning dinner parties with all the works. One of my favorite parts of these parties is setting the table — while summer entertaining is a blast, I think fall begs for a cozy, beautifully-set table to linger over with friends and family. Here's a roundup of some of the best table linens I've seen this fall — all classic enough to be used for years to come.
Top Row
1. Unison Larch Blackberry table linens, $28-$56 (normally $49-$89) at Unica Home.
2. EAT table runner by EmersonMade, $48.50-$88, depending on length.
3. Suzani table runner, $25 at World Market.
4. Amenity handwoven wool runner, $99 at Velocity Art and Design.
5. Madeline Weinrib Chevron napkins, $24 a pair at Lotus Bleu.
Bottom Row
6. Margot table runner by Danica Studio, $43 at Cherry & East.
7. Midgard table runner (pattern is at both ends), $34 at Fjorn Scandinavian.
8. Monogrammed linen table runner, $32 at Betsy Grace on Etsy.
9. Marimekko Lumimarja linens, $8-$109 at Crate and Barrel.
10. Aviary table runner by Danica Studio, $43 at Cherry & East.


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The new ERGON range of automatic packers is based on design choices inspired by key concepts such as ergonomics, technology, sturdiness and modularity, masterfully blended to mark a new, significant evolution in the history of SMI products.
You can point out the new ERGON packers rather quickly due to the rounded profile of the movable safety guards, which allow to house all the motors on the outside with respect to the mechanical units they run, facilitating line operator access when performing maintenance.
The new heat-shrinking tunnels of the ERGON range boast cutting-edge technical solutions that allow reducing energy consumption and ensure the utmost environmental compatibility of the processes as well as the improvement of the final quality of the packaged pack.
The SK ERGON series is composed of automatic shrink wrapping machines for packing plastic, metal , cardboard or glass containers. Depending on the model chosen, they can make packs in film only, cardboard pad + film, tray only, cardboard tray + film.
The SK ERGON series packers can achieve an output up to 450 packs per minute (can packs in triple lane), depending on the machine model and on the product to be packaged. The pack collations can vary according to the container shape and size. In general, the most frequently requested collations are: 2x2, 3x2, 4x3 and 6x4.
All SK ERGON models are equipped with an electronic grouping device and are available with single or double lane, according to the customer's exigencies.
|Speed (PPM)
|Packaging Type
|Film Only
|Pad + Film
|Tray only
Tray + film
|Size (mm)
|15480 x 1800 x 2500
|15480 x 1800 x 2500
|18040 x 1800 x 2500
1In the machine infeed zone, a group of guides accurately lines up the loose containers carried by a conveyor belt featuring low-friction chains made of thermoplastic material. In the pack formation zone, the containers are clustered in the required format through electronically synchronized combs and dividing bars, operating in continuous motion.
2In P and T models, a corrugated cardboard pad or blank is picked from the blanks magazine by a rotary picker composed of two groups of vacuum suckers. The pad or the blank moves along the blank climb and places itself underneath the group of products in transit with the long side leading.
3In the tray former, special mechanical devices fold the blank's front and rear flaps. The side flaps are sprayed with hot melt glue and then folded, thus forming the tray.
4The unwinding of the film reels, placed in the lower part of the machine, is controlled by a dedicated device ensuring the film precise and constant tensioning. Before the pack enters the shrinking tunnel, the film is wrapped around the container batch and overlapped at the base of the pack.
The innovative "Easy-Load" system allows the automatic loading of the cardboard blanks magazine and features considerable advantages from an operating and functional point of view; in fact, the operator can easily load the cardboard blanks, stacked horizontally in uniform groups, because the feeding belt of the cardboard blanks magazine is positioned at the same working height as the packer's infeed belt, rather than under it.
More in detail, the new system patented by SMI is made up of a series of conveyor belts, fitted with motorized mats, which feed the packer's cardboard blanks magazine; the cardboard blank stacks are carried on these belts up to the area in which they are translated and then continue up to the collection system at case/shrink packer infeed.
Thanks to specific sensors, the layout and feed of the cardboard blanks on the conveyor belts fitted with the motorized mats and their loading into the packer's magazine is, in fact, fully automated.
Therefore, the innovative solution devised by SMI eliminates the disadvantages related to the traditional loading of the cardboard blanks magazine, which force the operator to bend his/her body continuously to place the blanks in the bottom part of the machine.
The technology used in the "Easy-Load" magazine also features the great advantage of ensuring fluid and constant picking operations with a wide range of cardboard blanks having a thickness between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.
The NEW TS (Tray Stacker) stacks on two or more layers clusters of plastic, metal , cardboard or glass containers both clustered in cardboard trays or pad and loose (this latter solution solely for fit-in type cans). This device can be installed on SK shrink wrappers, on WP case packers and on CM combined packers.
It consists of an electronic stacking device operating in continuous motion, which achieves an output rate up to 60 packs per minute according to the machine model and to the product handled.
Pack collations can vary according to the container shape, capacity and size; in general, the most requested collations are: 4x3 and 6x4. It is available both for single and for double lane production.
After coming out of the trayformer, two or more packs are stacked by means of a Cartesian coordinate system.
Before the pack enters the shrinking tunnel, the film is wrapped around the products and overlapped at the base of the pack.
The Easy-Open system can be installed both on the SK shrinkwrappers and on the CM combined packers. It consists of a device piercing the film during the cutting operation, in order to create the required mark.
It can pierce two types of marks, "X"-shaped and "H"-shaped, and is available both for single and double lane production. Thanks to the Easy Open system, the customer's level of satisfaction is definitely improved, because of the easier opening of the pack.
Moreover, this application does not require any specific packaging materials and, therefore, allows to obtain eye-catching packs without additional costs.
SMI customers can now upgrade their SK and CM packers with an innovative film welding device. The "film welding device by heated blade" joins the edge of the film reel about to end with the beginning of the new reel while the machine is running, with no need to stop production. The machine slows down and the film (printed or neutral with reference mark) is automatically joined; the machine is immediately back to running at full pace.
The new system allows dramatic cuts on energy and maintenance costs compared to traditional hot sealing method, as there are no more sealing rollers to be kept at a consistent temperature. The sealing precision of printed film or neutral film with reference mark is higher, with +/-10mm margin from the reference mark. The "film welding device by heated blade" can handle also no-collant film.
* Data provided on this page are not binding, as they have to be confirmed by SMI according to the machine user's production conditions and technical specifications.
Privacy statement - Legal notice
In compliance with the Italian Law no. 196 dated June 30, 2003 (Code concerning the protection of personal data), SMI S.p.A. informs you that your personal data will be used by SMI S.p.A. for purposes associated with marketing and business activity only.
SMI S.p.A. will treat all the data you provided it with in the utmost secrecy and will be allowed to transmit them for the same purposes to its subsidiary or associate companies only, both in Italy and in those countries where SMI S.p.A. operates, it being understood that these subsidiary or associate companies will adopt equivalent criteria of security and secrecy.
The provision of your personal data is not compulsory; in case of denial, it will not be possible for you to send this form on-line.
Moreover, you will be entitled to consult your data and to ask SMI S.p.A. to correct, update and, if applicable, to cancel or block them by writing to SMI S.p.A., Via Carlo Ceresa, 10- 24015 San Giovanni Bianco (BG) - Italy. Any communication is to be addressed to the attention of "the person in charge for the treatment of personal data".
With regard to cookies, our website uses exclusively technical cookies, whose utilization is not aimed at the collection of the user's personal data; it is limited to the transmission of session identification data. Technical cookies allow IT authentication, session monitoring and the memorization of specific information to let the user browse or get a specific service. Technical cookies allow to keep the identification of the user in the course of the session, their memorization is not enduring on the user's device and they are automatically canceled once the browser is closed.
You are kindly requested to attentively read the above mentioned information: by ticking the box below and clicking on the "send" button, you will give SMI S.p.A. your consent to use and transmit your personal data for the purposes related to the declared activity, in compliance with the Italian Law quoted hereinbefore.
I have read and understood the above mentioned information and, hence, in compliance with the Italian Law quoted hereinbefore, I give my consent to the use and the transmission of my personal data for the purposes related to the declared activity.
SMI S.p.A.
Sede amministrativa: Via Carlo Ceresa, 10 - 24015 San Giovanni Bianco (BG) - ITALIA
Sede legale: Via Monte Grappa, 7 - 24121 Bergamo (BG) - ITALIA
C.F. e P. IVA IT03942700166 - R.E.A. 421708
Capitale Sociale Euro 5.000.000 i.v.


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GS:GameSpot spoke with Nintendo director of product marketing Bill Trinen after the presentation about why the company continues to return to its existing franchises.
Nintendo would rather play it safe instead of taking the risk of creating new characters&franchises
because people buy and play them so there's a market, when they sell 30m retail units of Mario kart (no other publisher has ever sold that many units of a single game on one platform and many many strugle to reach 5m on multiple platforms) you think there not going to make another one. like it or not all of Nintendo's main franchises are the highest selling and amoungst the highest rated games. they also make new IPs but everyone dismisses them because there not Mario or zelda. regardless if you don't like Nintendo franchises but millions and millions of people do. how many final fantasy games, metal gear games, cod, splinter cell, assassins creed, resident evil and silent hill games are there just to name a few, and uncharted has only been around 5 years and has 4 games already along with a board game. every company does it not just nintendo
Keep Em coming Nintendo the best IP's in the business along with Valve =)
Nintendo is going to ride the nostalgia train until it derails. Been saying this for years they have a lot in common with Activision same thing every year but they sell millions.
And now all the Haters started crying and bitching coz all these games are going to sell millions and Fans,Fan-boys are happy coz games like Starfox,f-zero,Wave race and more will be coming back. LOL.


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"Thank you VERY much Stephen. I received the flies today, and they look awesome. I'm heading out to some pristine trout water on the header waters of the Miramichi - some 5lb + lunker brookies are lurking in these waters... let's see how your flies work. Cheers."
Tim Smith, New Brunswick, Canada"
"Thank you once again for a super fast delivery. This is my third fly purchase and your flies are just perfect. Keep up the great work. Tight Lines."
Oscar Williams, Quebec, Canada----------
"Awesome job guys! I was a little apprehensive when I saw your prices, but I have to say your flies are just the best I have seen. I will be recommending Reelflies to all my fishing friends. Regards."
Greg Silvia, Montana, USA
"Thanks for the timely shipping and the flies look very good"
Daryl Auger, BC
"Hello Steve,
I received my flies today. Thank you so much for getting them here before I left for my trip. The flies look really nice, I can't wait to try them out. Thanks again,"
Patrice Manning, AZ, USA
"Hi Steve,
The fly order arrived today and looked good.I appreciate your efforts.
With thanks,"
Don Fraser, Ontario, Canada
Pack 21: Sub Surface Fly Selection - 12 Flies. An excellent selection of deadly nymph's will surely bring a trophy or two to the bank.


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Lawsuit Dampens UNM Hospital Groundbreaking
Health care coalition sues over public records
Last week Gov. Bill Richardson held very still while clutching onto a carefully maneuvered shovelful of dirt. No, he wasn't burying his pride in a belated post-election realization; he was posing after breaking ground on the UNM Children's Hospital Expansion Project (or, at least, breaking through the dirt in a very symbolic sandbox atop the UNM hospital parking garage). Last week's ceremony celebrated the groundbreaking of the $233 million public works project, one of the largest in the state's history, and was aflutter with highly impressive individuals and well-crafted public relations, gathered to celebrate upgrades at the state's only teaching hospital. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2007.
Thin Line
Who's Your Congresswoman? The Republicans in Congress, at least those in the House of Representatives, no longer give a crap about ethics or good government. What they care about is power. Nothing else. That, we know for sure, following the disgraceful Republican conference this week where GOP House members revised ethics rules so that Tom DeLay, the Republican majority leader, could continue to serve as one of the nation's most powerful fundamentalist righ-wing bullgoose loonies despite being investigated for corruption in his homestate of Texas. The GOP had been big champions of ethics rules and good government—hell they even claimed to be fiscal conservatives—back in the days when the Dems had control of Congress. But that was all bluster. All they really wanted was power.
On Assignment
If At First You Don't Succeed
Will presidential defeat cause the new crop of leftist activists to give up?
Desi Brown has a funny quirk to his dance step; it's an extra little stompy kick that marks not only his swinging, but often the steps of the dancers he teaches every Tuesday night at the Heights Community Center near TVI. For seven years now, Brown and an evolving group of friends, called The Calming Four Primordial Swing Dance Group, have hosted weekly dance practice sessions and lessons. The three dollar donation they collect at the door goes to cover expenses. Brown and his buddies give away the rest; overall they've donated nearly $20,000 to local and national groups, including La Cueva High School Drill Team, Keshet Dance Company and the Red Cross 9-11 Relief Fund.
Council Watch
Phoenix Envy
Various groups crowded council chambers on Nov. 15. Stop the War Machine people supported a bill encouraging the city to work with Kirtland Air Force Base on an emergency plan in case things go wrong with the 2,500-plus nuclear weapons stored there. ("Hold it under the cold tap, Love.") Vietnamese-Americans supported a bill recognizing the flag of the former Republic of Vietnam as the official symbol of Albuquerque's Vietnamese-American community. Supporters and opponents of development impact fees faced off.
Payne's World
Filling the Old Flux Capacitor
Sharing my autumnal good mood with all
Fall is simply the best time of year here in Payne's World. Complimenting the brisk nip in the air and autumnal color of the turning leaves is Thanksgiving—a guilt-free opportunity to fill the ol' flux capacitor to the brim with stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pie and enchiladas (it is New Mexico, you know).
Close Encounters of the Presidential Kind
My stint in the "Freedom Corps"
When I first received Yale Scott's message from the White House on Wednesday, Oct. 27, I thought it was a prank call, but after verifying its legitimacy, I called him back. He seemed OK. He interviewed me about my experiences as a volunteer, then told me that I had been chosen as one of the many people to be considered for the opportunity to be in the "Freedom Corps"—really just a fancy term for "greeter"—and that I would find out by Friday whether or not I had been selected to greet President George W. Bush on Monday evening, Nov. 1, as he made the rounds on his final day of campaigning. Over the next two days, I get a series of phone calls from several people associated with Scott and the White House, all of whom seem to ask the same questions. I feel like I'm being interrogated. When Friday rolls around, I am told that I have been selected as a "Freedom Corps" representative. I will greet the president at Kirtland Air Force Base, ride in the presidential motorcade and sit on stage at Journal Pavilion while President Bush gives his address. Oh, what to wear?
Odds & Ends
Dateline: England—If ever there was an endorsement for Head & Shoulders, this is it. Veteran criminal Andrew Pearson was recently convicted of armed robbery thanks to 25 flakes of dandruff he left behind at the scene of the crime some 11 years ago. Andrew Pearson, now 40, and two other men escaped with $70,630 in cash after raiding a caravan company in the northeastern city of Hull in June 1993. Using a new DNA profiling method, investigators matched a swab of Pearson's saliva with the flakes of dandruff, which were found inside a stocking that he had worn as a mask during the robbery. Using that evidence, a jury needed only 75 minutes last Monday to convict Pearson of robbery and possession of a firearm. Pearson--who has been convicted 76 previous times for burglary, assault, robbery and other crimes--was sentenced to 12 years for the robbery and an additional three years for possessing a firearm.
House Republicans have done something truly appalling. They've knocked down an ethics rule that banned House members from holding leadership positions if they've been indicted on felony charges.


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ATLANTA (AP) - Jailers in Atlanta have a challenge for inmates: Get past the new locks being tested on cell doors and win free food.
Officials have been trying to figure out what to do about hundreds of locks which can be jammed at the Fulton County Jail, allowing inmates to get to each other.
Fulton County's chief jailer, Col. Mark Adger, tells WSB-TV he's offering free food for any inmate who can defeat the new locks being tested in one cell block.
Adger says jailers are choosing experienced lock beaters, to try to beat the new locks.
County Commissioner Tom Lowe has said the lock issue has been blown out of proportion, but others say it puts inmates at risk of being attacked by other prisoners.
Information from: WSB-TV, http://www.wsbtv.com/index.html
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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Mobile Commerce
Your customers are mobile, sales occur where they are
• Shopping via smartphone or tablet
• Directly download product or get access to the App or service
• Capture the on-the-go buyers
• Fulfill road-warriors' digital purchase needs
• Reach out to a new breed of online buyers
How can you increase your sales? An easy way is to offer online shopping via smartphones and tablets. Shoppers can complete the entire purchasing process mobile. Goods are delivered to their doors or downloaded to their PC or mobile phone via download link in the order confirmation e-mail.
Streamlined purchase process
• Simplified registration process requires minimal data entry
• Customized multi page shopping cart
• Registration by email address only
• Reduced purchase steps
• Layout minimized to fit the mobile device display
• Optimized design for minimum data upload
• Online purchase for physical fulfillment and digital fulfillment
• Compatible for all mobile browers that support HTML
• Complete back-end processes including
• Payment handling
• Messaging (order confirmation, download links, etc)
• Full reporting
• Customer service
You have further questions or interest about Mobile Commerce?Contact us


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Novation ReMOTE and X-Station series keyboards get eagerly awaited Template Editors
With only three months having passed since Focusrite\'s acquisition of Novation and yet so many improvements to Novation having already been made, it appears that the venture has indeed been a beneficial one to both companies, not to mention the end user; not only have unit prices been reduced across the board, including the latest addition to the family, the fabulous X-Station, but the now expanded R n D team are busy working on updates, software giveaways and new product development.
Operating systems for the ReMOTE, X-Station and KS-range have all been revamped, in response to customer suggestions, with extremely pleasing results. Templates for both MIDI controllers now include the option of up to 4 keyboard zones, fixed note velocity and \'step-wise\' button action. Additionally, the X-Station\'s onboard synthesizer can now be transposed and synchronised to MIDI clock. The KS-range synthesizers have been so dramatically transformed by the new OS that they are barely recognisable and perform to a truly magnificent sonic standard.
Meanwhile, the \'coding collective\' at Fort Focusrite are slaving away constructing free software to compliment the ReMOTE and X-Station series, in the form of the eagerly awaited Template Editor. This sleek and sexy looking software is another masterpiece from the team that gave you LiquidControl and the Forte Suite. Available before the end of the year, the Template Editors will allow Novation controllers to be easily moulded to suit the user\'s specific requirements.
Next on the list for a makeover are both the V-Station and Bass-Station, which will also be accompanied by the TC Powercore version of the former of the two. Plus, throughout November and December, the big brothers of the ReMOTE and X-Station series will appear in 49-key (4-octave) and 61-key (5-octave) formats. Watch this space!
Last but definitely not least, work has recently begun on the designing of an entirely new website. This will boast a comprehensive user section for increased interactivity with and feedback from the end user, and allow an intuitive and stylish platform for accessing product information and support.
With all of these developments scheduled for completion in time for the new year, it can definitely be said that Novation are picking up speed once again. We look forward to the forthcoming months and, starting as we mean to go on, expect even bigger things from a company already critically acclaimed by the international digital audio community.


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Exclusive all types of company (Items) are available, Visit (Company), (location), 0000000000.
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Kitchenar Kitchen Chimney. Auto Clean Technology. Free installation. Call Now: 0000000000.
Sale! Sale! Sale! Zardausi, Silk, Chiffon, Banarasi, South Indian and many more Sarees. Date: (Date) at Venue: (Location, Address). 0000000000