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Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
For anyone who is a fan of Disney's fairy tale/princess movies, I think you'll really enjoy this one. We have the evil queen (Susan Sarandon), the fair maiden (Amy Adams), and the charming prince (James Marsden) in an animated world complete with singing and helpful-around-the-cottage forest animals. Queen Narissa doesn't want Prince Edward to marry in order to preserve her seat on the throne, so she has been preventing him from meeting eligible young ladies. One day, on a troll hunting excursion, he hears her singing and looks for her. His valet, Nathan, in order to avoid the queen's anger, lets loose the troll to go after Giselle. Needless to say, in this fairy tale land, Prince Edward saves Giselle, there is much singing, and they decide to marry the next day (even though they've just met). Queen Narissa will have none of this, and intercepts Giselle on her way to her wedding. Disguised as an old hag, the Queen encourages Giselle to lean over the garden well and make a wish. As Giselle is wishing for "happily ever after", the Queen pushes Giselle, sending her to a place where there are no happy endings - modern day New York City...
In New York, she mets up with Robert (Patrick Dempsey), a divorce attorney, and his young daughter, Morgan. Eventually, Prince Edward goes to New York to search for Giselle, Nathan is sent to stop the rescue, and eventually the Queen follows. I won't spoil the rest of the plot (you can pick up this much from the previews...). I will say this was a cute and entertaining film - good for children of all ages (well, maybe not for really little ones, as some parts might be a little scary for them). A good family movie with no PC overtones...
Friday, December 21, 2007
Riding Freedom
Riding Freedom is a fictionalized account of the life of Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst. In the book, Charlotte is orphaned at the age of 2 and is sent to live at a boys' orphanage in New Hampshire in the mid-1800s. After ten years at the orphanage, Charlotte realizes Mr. Millshark, the man who runs it, and Mrs. Boyle, the woman who runs the kitchen, have no intention of allowing her to be adopted. Until Charlotte wins a horse race against the boys, which makes Mr. Millshark mad, Charlotte had been allowed to help out in the stables. There, she found a friend in Vern, the old former slave, who takes care of all the horses. She has also made a friend with one of the boys, Hayward. After the horse race, Charlotte learns Hayward will be leaving to live with a new family, and she has been barred from visiting the stable or riding the horses.
Charlotte makes a big decision: she decides to run away. But, she also realizes that while a boy of twelve can travel alone without question, girls can't do the same thing. So, with a little help from Hayward and Vern, she leaves the orphanage to try and make her own way in the world. She makes her way to the nearest town and purchases a ticket for the stage to Manchester. When the stage arrives, Charlotte is enthralled with the team of six horses pulling the stagecoach. She finds herself seated between two women who are passengers for the remainder of the line. She falls asleep and later awakes to find herself at "the end of the line in Worcester, Massachusetts"(p. 47). She doesn't have much money - only what is left of Vern's money after purchasing the ticket - and doesn't really have a place to go. So, she hides in the loft above the stagecoach horses. Before settling in for the night, she works at cleaning up the barn - it doesn't meet Vern's standards. Eventually, she is discovered by Ebeneezer Balch, but she fesses up to be the one doing work there at night and works out a deal to continue working for room in the loft and board.
Months later, Ebeneezer tells "Charley" that a man came through asking about a runaway orphan girl who might have drown, but that she had run away about the same time as he had found "Charley" in the loft. Did "Charley" know anything about that? Charlotte denies knowing anything and Ebeneezer says the girl probably did drown. But, Charlotte can't help but wonder if Ebeneezer knows... She is scared and tells Ebeneezer she needs to get home - he's moving the stables anyway.
Ebeneezer held up both of his hands to block her way.
"Just stay put," he said. "Now listen. In all my days, I only seen one other person could work with the horses like you. Could put a spell on them and could ride . . . could ride like . . . well, I only seen it one other time. I got me a notion and maybe I'm crazy but I got to see if I'm right. If you can do what I think you can do, I'm not about to let you go."
As Ebeneezer walked out of the tack room, he sais, "Bring around six. I need a wagon hitched."
Charlotte tried to concentrate on what he'd said. Bring around six horses? Do what he thought she could do? Confused, she found the traces for the six-in-the-hand and brought the horses around, one at a time, to hitch them.
When each horse was secured to the traces, Ebeneezer said, "Charley, you drive."
Charlotte stared at Ebeneezer.
"I . . . I ain't drove six-in-the-hand before," she said. "I drove two, but not six."
"I know that," said Ebeneezer. "Get up here and let's take a run, unless you're scared?"
"I ain't scared," said Charlotte. (pp.59-60)
I'll not spoil the rest of the story's details. Charlotte lives a life that most all women of the time - before women's suffrage - would not have been able to live. At the back of the book, in From the Author, we are told what is actually known about Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst, and the creative license taken when writing the story is acknowledged and justified. Recommended for children ages 8 to 11, this would be a good book a young reader, especially one who loves horses, and it gives a young person an insight into how our nation has changed in the last 150 years or so.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Mystery Art
I love this print. I apologize for the weird shadows - it is not currently displayed to its best advantage... It was a gift to me (unframed) from my best friend. She purchased it on one of her trips to Germany before her dad finally retired for good and returned to the States. She doesn't know who the artist is, or what the name of this particular piece is, and I've never been able to find it anywhere on the internet. It took some checking around to find the right way to frame it. Usually, I do pretty well going into some place like Hobby Lobby and picking out a suitable frame and mat (or mats) to really make a piece look good. I wasn't so lucky this time, and the staff I dealt with at the chain store weren't offering any inspired suggestions. So, I went to a local framing shop, and this is what they helped me select. It cost a bit more than Hobby Lobby would have, but I was pleased from the beginning with how it turned out. Still, the name of both the piece and the artist remain a mystery to me. The only hints are the "G. H." in the lower right corner and the fact I know enough about art to recognize this was created with pastels. Can anyone tell me more about it?
Monday, December 10, 2007
When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots
Mrs. Cheney, once again, opens with a note to the reader. She begins:
"One of the tales I like to tell my grandchildren is about Washington crossing the Delaware. It's a compelling story, and it helps them understand that our existence as a free and independent nation wasn't always assured. Given the way that the Revoluntionary War was going in the months leading up to Christmas 1776, the most likely outcome was that we would remain a British colony. But then George Washington and his men took history into their own hands and changed its course."
Throughout the book, Mrs. Cheney's text and Mr. Fiore's paintings are accompanied by a quote from a person who witnessed the events of December 1776 and early January 1777.
The actual story begins with November 1776 when the war was not going well for the rebellious colonists. After defeats in New York, Washington and his men had to retreat in the face of a British pursuit. "How could the Americans, who were mostly new to fighting, ever hope to defeat the well-trained British?"
The Continental Army, under the command of General George Washington, managed to reach Pennsylvania, but they were tired, hungry and cold: many of the soldiers had no coats or shoes, and there were not enough provisions to go around.
With the Americans on one side of the Delaware River and the Hessians, the German mercenaries, on the other, Washington met with his generals to make plans for "a bold and daring course" that the Hessians would not expect. They would attack the Hessians in Trenton, New Jersey, in the early hours of the day after Christmas.
The words of Thomas Paine, who had accompanied the Americans in the retreat through New Jersey, helped to inspire Washington's troops: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
When the time came to advance upon Trenton, not everything went as planned. The river was clogged with ice. It took longer than expected for Washington's men to cross the Delaware, and two of his commanders were unable to defeat the ice and were unable to continue with the mission to Trenton. However, the march to Trenton proceeded with Washington's 2400 men - an hour after the last of the men and guns had reached the shore, they began the 9 mile trek to the city, "hours later than Washington had planned." Although he had planned to attack before dawn, it would now be daylight by the time they reached Trenton, but it was too late to turn back - they had to continue through the cold and icy weather, and hope they still had the advantage of surprise.
At first contact, it was evident that the element of surprise had been maintained. The Hessians were unprepared and were unable to mount a defense, so they retreated from the city's streets into a nearby orchard. A young Alexander Hamilton and a young James Monroe both participated in the Battle of Trenton. James Monroe, our fifth president, was badly wounded leading a charge against a pair of Hessian cannons. The Hessians attempted a counter-attack, but their commander, Colonel Johann Rall, was fatally wounded as were many of his men. In the end, the Americans defeated the Hessians, capturing 900 of the Germans, while suffering few losses of their own.
Washington's next challenge was to get his soldiers to continue the fight against the British, as they were all enlisted to leave at the end of the year. Extra pay was promised, and he appealed to their sense of patriotism. "This was an hour of destiny, he told one regiment, a time that would decide America's fate. If they wanted their country to be free, they had to keep fighting." He succeeded, as many of his combat experienced soldiers chose to stay.
Expecting to be attacked by the thousands of British and Hessian soldiers in Princeton, "Washington sent out a call for more forces." He orders some of the troops to slow the British advance. When they reached the bridge at Assunpink Creek, returning after their mission, they could see General Washington on the other side.
"'I pressed against the shoulder of the General's horse and in contact with the boot of the General . The horse stood as firm as the rider.' John Howland, Private, Lippitt's Rhode Island Regiment"
The British commander, General Charles Cornwallis, believed Washington was trapped, and could be dealt with the next day. Washington knew most of Cornwallis' men would be with him, outside Princeton, so fewer troops would be within the city. In the night, Washington had some of his men remain in the camp to maintain the fires and make noise typical of a full camp while he moved out with the rest of his troops towards Princeton. Washington's plan worked - it was until after dawn that Cornwallis realized what had happened.
In the first encounter with British troops, many Americans were killed, and those who survived were in retreat. General Washington, riding a white horse, rallied his troops and lead them toward the British line. When the next part of the battle began, the General was between the two lines, and many thought he would surely die. He came out unscathed, his troops maintained their positions, but the British began to retreat. Several hours later, the battle was over, and the Americans had won the day, again.
"General Washington and his men had stood with their country in a time of crisis. When they were cold and hungry, they did not quit. When the conflict was hard, they fought on. And when they won, the victory was sweet. News of Trenton and Princeton spread across the land, lifting the spirits of patriots everywhere. Many a battle lay ahead, but now Americans could think of winning their war for independence. Now they could imagine that their great struggle would have a glorious end."
Mrs. Cheney cites each of the quotes at the back of the book, if one is interested in learning a little bit more.
Unlike Mrs. Cheney's first two picture books, this one lends itself to be read aloud to a group of children. With Mr. Fiore's paintings depicting the events of that winter, children can see what it was like for those brave patriots at the time of our nation's birth. I can only recommend you add this book to your children's book library, either for your children or your classroom.
Citizen Soldier & 3 Doors Down
- I'll be there to help.
- I fired the shot that started a nation.
- I am an expert and a professional.
- I stormed the beach at Normandy.
- I comfort my neighbors.
- I will always place the mission first.
- I will never accept defeat.
- I will never quit.
- I will never leave a fallen comrade.
- I stepped forward when the Towers fell.
- We are free because of the brave.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Wreaths Across America
From the Wreaths Across America website:
From Arlington to Across America2006 marked the start of an exciting new chapter for Worcester Wreath and its mission to recognize Veterans with remembrance wreaths for the holidays with the creation of Wreaths Across America. What began in 1992 with a trailer load of wreaths, decorated by volunteers and laid at the graves of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery (Click for: The Arlington Story - How the Arlington Wreath Project was born) will now become a new mission to Remember - Honor - and Teach the value of freedom in the world today.
In creating Wreaths Across America, it was the wish of Morrill and Karen Worcester to bring children and Veterans together, as the ideal way of expressing appreciation for the past, present, and future sacrifices our Veterans (and their families) make for this country.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
The Soldiers' Night Before Christmas
Manders' illustrations remind me a bit of the Sunday comics. He's got the soldiers in their desert cammies, body armor and helmets (complete with night vision mounts), and the American flag on the uniform sleeve is facing the proper direction. One helmet seen on the floor next to a soldier's rack, full of gifts from home, has the insignia of the 3rd ID.
And what does Sergeant McClaus look like?
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Through the tent flap the sergeant came in with a bound.
He was dressed all in camo and looked quite a sight
With a Santa hat added for this special night.
His eyes - sharp as lasers! He stood six feet six.
His nose was quite crooked, his jaw hard as bricks!
A stub of cigar he held clamped in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath.
As McClaus finishes this phase of his mission (to "Bring Christmas from home to the troops far away!"), he gives our narrator a salute. This poem ends:
As the camp radar lost him, I heard this faint call:
Friday, November 30, 2007
Appreciate Freedom? Support Any Soldier, Inc.
One of my hobbies is counted cross-stitch. Another of my hobbies is supporting the troops by sending them mail (cards & letters, and care packages when I'm able). At the moment, I've got more time than money, so I thought I would take one of my hobbies to help give back to Any Soldier, Inc., an organization that helps me with another of my hobbies.
To that end, I contacted Marty Horn last fall with a proposal: I sent him a photo of a piece I had begun immediately after 9/11. Once I had completed it (it took months), it remained rolled up, waiting to be framed, for the longest time. I was so pleased to finally be able to get it framed a few years ago. I told Marty I could take the time to make another of the piece, but I would not be able to get it framed - custom framing is NOT cheap. Marty agreed to my proposal, and I finally finished the piece about mid-October (I worked on it while on lunch and breaks with substitute teaching, I worked on it out at the ballpark before and after games, I worked on it while watching TV). I prepped it for framing and sent it off to Marty.
Marty now has it up for raffle at AnySoldier.com. This isn't the only item up for raffle at the moment, but it's the one I'm promoting. If you love it as much as I do, please go purchase as many $5 raffle tickets as you can afford. This round of the Any Soldier raffles ends December 1st.
So, without further ado, I give you
Update 12/3/07:
Marty extended the raffle through December 2nd due to his travel schedule. Congratulations to Kathleen C. of Liverpool, NY, who won "Freedom".
Administrative note: The links to the raffle page get updated with each new raffle, so will eventually become out-of-date.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Operation Holiday Thanks
Operation Holiday Thanks
c/o E.D. Hill
Fox News Channel
1211 Sixth Avenue
17th Floor
New York, NY 10036
I'll be sending mail out to this address ASAP. I encourage you to do the same.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The Lost Story of Thanksgiving
Because of sharing, the first Thanksgiving in 1623 almost didn't happen.
The failure of Soviet communism is only the latest demonstration that freedom and property rights, not sharing, are essential to prosperity. The earliest European settlers in America had a dramatic demonstration of that lesson, but few people today know it.
When the Pilgrims first settled the Plymouth Colony, they organized their farm economy along communal lines. The goal was to share everything equally, work and produce.
They nearly all starved.
"So as it well appeared that famine must still ensue the next year also, if not some way prevented," wrote Gov. William Bradford in his diary. The colonists, he said, "began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length after much debate of things, [I] (with the advice of the chiefest among them) gave way that they should set corn every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves. ... And so assigned to every family a parcel of land."
The people of Plymouth moved from socialism to private farming. The results were dramatic.
"This had very good success," Bradford wrote, "for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been. ... By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many. ... "
Because of the change, the first Thanksgiving could be held in November 1623.
Something I'll be sure to incorporate into my lessons whenever I teach about Thanksgiving with my future students...
'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving
This time, students are on a field trip to Farmer Mack Nugget's turkey farm. The children are excited to see the eight turkeys, but are distressed when they see Farmer Nugget's ax and learn that the turkeys are destined for the Thanksgiving table. The children ask Farmer Nugget for some water, and while he is gone, they each hide a turkey under their clothes. Farmer Nugget returns with the water to the much fatter children. The kids drink their water and board the school bus. Only then does Farmer Nugget discover his turkeys are missing. The children take turkeys home with them, and they all eat vegetarian Thanksgiving dinners with the stolen turkeys as guests.
Needless for me to say to anyone who knows me, but I don't do vegetarian. This book will never find its way into any classroom of mine - if parents want to teach their children to be vegetarians , that's their business. It's not my place (or my way of thinking) to scare children about where meat comes from before it finds it's way to our tables. Children need to understand that, but this isn't the way to go about it.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Who knew 3rd ID had its own rock band?
The article focuses on Spc. William Edwards, lead singer for "The Surge". Edwards left an unsatisfying career in the world of finance in the hopes of making a go of a career in music. He found out about the Army's official bands and auditioned. He was chosen and was sent to the Navy School of Music (which trains musicians for the Army, Navy & Marine Corps). Now, he's performing for a living, and bringing entertainment to the troops in Iraq.
I remember seeing performances by military choirs and bands growing up - they would sometimes come to perform at the DoDDS schools I attended over the years, and I was privileged to be able to attend a performance of The President's Own when they came through Fayetteville when I lived there, but it's nice to have the reminder that musicians like Spc. Edwards, Spc. Aaron Rademaker, Spc. Theodore Dipietro, Sgt. Joshua G. Gardner, and Sgt. Benjamin Smith are still out there making the rounds, entertaining those far from home because of military duty.
The Shaggy Dog (2006)
First, the plot:
Tim Allen plays a deputy district attorney, Dave Douglas, who is prosecuting an animal rights activist for allegedly setting fire to a building in which the activist claims animal testing is taking place. Robert Downey, Jr., plays Dr. Kozak, an executive at this company who says no animal testing is done at this facility, although we see early in the movie that this is not true.
Douglas' teenage daughter, Carly, is taking part in a protest against animal testing in front of this facility, along with her boyfriend. Her dad sees her and tells her to leave, or else she'll be grounded. You can see from the beginning that all is not well between father and daughter. Carly and her boyfriend decide to enter the building to find the animal testing lab, but in the meantime, the dog at the center of this mystery manages to escape from his cage. The dog mets up with Carly and her boyfriend, and they decide to take the dog, but then realize they still have no proof of this alleged animal testing - all they have is a dog with no tags they can't prove came from this facility.
Douglas comes home (late) and finds the dog. Not having ever seen the testing lab (and believing Dr. Kozak), he does not know this dog has come from the lab, and that it's bodily fluids are "dangerous". The dog deliberately bits Douglas. Douglas first begins acting like a dog and eventually turns into one...
Now, my "review":
I won't spoil the rest of the movie, but it all centers around Douglas changing back and forth between being a dog and being himself. Overall, I thought it was a cute movie (although there are jokes connected with natural dog behaviors, like "butt-sniffing", and Douglas' implied nudity after changing back to himself after being a dog) that younger kids (elementary) would enjoy, with positive messages about the importance of family, but I also couldn't ignore the not-so-subtle implication that scientific testing on animals is inherently evil. So, if you allow your children to see this movie, it might not be a bad idea to also use this as an opportunity to discuss the morality of animal testing, as well as some of the other messages contained in the movie.
Monday, November 12, 2007
1SG CJ Grisham Recognized for They Have Names
From the Fort Bliss Monitor:
"I was so annoyed when the Soldier's name wasn't mentioned," said 1st Sgt. C.J. Grisham, a senior counter-intelligence agent with B Company, 308th Military Intelligence Battalion. "That U.S. Soldier probably kept those two journalists alive as long as they were alive, and yet they didn't bother to talk about him at all, even though all three died in the same attack."
The May incident was Grisham's determining factor to start the theyhavenames.com Web site, dedicated Capt. James Alex Funkhouser, the U.S. Soldier killed alongside the journalists. The site is also dedicated in memory of all the fallen Soldiers who died defending Americans' freedoms.
Shortly after CJ saw that news report on TV, I read this on my university's website. Captain Funkhouser was an alumnus from Texas State University. Today, I see the campus Army ROTC remembers him, as well.
They Have Names isn't finished telling the stories of our armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice in The Long War. Stop by from time to time to read their stories, and to help support this effort by making a donation.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Veterans Day 2007
Originally posted November 7, 2006
What is a vet?
I don't recall where I got this piece - I'm sure I received it in an email years ago, and ever since, I always dust it off and sent it out in email to most of my address book. This is the first Veterans' Day since I began my little blog, so I thought I would post it here. I don't know who wrote it, and it is becoming dated, only describing veterans through Desert Shield/Desert Storm, but that shouldn't matter. I would be willing to take suggestions for additions to this list.
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye.
Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg, or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity.
Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem.
You can't tell a vet just by looking.
What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another, or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat, but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in the Tomb of the Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket, palsied now and aggravatingly slow, who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being, a person who offered some of life's most vital years in the service of his country and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot "Thank You".
Remember November 11th is Veteran's Day.
"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."
Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC
And don't forget, some of our most recent vets could use your help through Valour-IT. Go click on the "Make a Donation" button and give as much as you are able.
And from me to any vet who reads my post, THANK YOU!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The World of Valdemar
So, if you are interested in reading these books, here's the order in which I recommend you read them (with the caveat that you could read most all of the books within a series first, for those series which are not all written "together" - the exceptions being last three books on the list, which come more than ten years after the previous books in the series):
Arrows of the Queen (1987)(Heralds of Valdemar series)
Arrow's Flight (1987)(Heralds of Valdemar series)
Arrow's Fall (1988)(Heralds of Valdemar series)
The Oathbound (1988)(Vows & Honor Trilogy)
Magic's Pawn (1989)(The Last Herald Mage Trilogy)
Magic's Promise (1989)(The Last Herald Mage Trilogy)
Oathbreakers (1989)(Vows & Honor Trilogy)
Magic's Price (1990)(The Last Herald Mage Trilogy)
By The Sword (1991)(Kerowyn's Tale)
Winds of Fate (1991)(The Mage Winds Trilogy)
Winds of Change (1992)(The Mage Winds Trilogy)
The Black Gryphon (1993)(The Mage Wars Trilogy)
Winds of Fury (1993)(The Mage Winds Trilogy)
Storm Warning (1994)(The Mage Storms Trilogy)
The White Gryphon (1994)(The Mage Wars Trilogy)
Storm Rising (1995)(The Mage Storms Trilogy)
The Silver Gryphon (1996)(The Mage Wars Trilogy)
Storm Breaking (1996)(The Mage Storms Trilogy)
Owlflight (1997)(The Owl Mage Trilogy)
Owlsight (1998)(The Owl Mage Trilogy)
Oathblood (1998)(Vows & Honor Trilogy)
Owlknight (1999)(The Owl Mage Trilogy)
Brightly Burning (2000)
Take A Thief (2001)(Heralds of Valdemar series)
Exile's Honor (2002)(Heralds of Valdemar series)
Exile's Valor (2003)(Heralds of Valdemar series)
There are a few other Valdemar books, collections of short stories, not on the list above. Not all the short stories are written by Mercedes Lackey, but they are authorized publications. I have read Sword of Ice (1997) and Sun in Glory and other tales of Valdemar (2003), but I have not read Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar (2005) or Valdemar Companion (2006), as most of my Barnes & Noble purchases over the last two and a half years have been children's books for my future classroom library.
I will be up front about these books: they aren't for everyone. There are homosexual characters in some of the books. I didn't start reading these books until I was in my 20s, but I would not recommend these books to students (I'm a certified elementary school teacher), and I would only recommend these titles to teens when their parents were okay with it (with the foreknowledge of some of the potentially objectionable content - extramarital sex and homosexuality). All this being said, these books aren't really about the characters' sexuality (although it does figure more prominently in The Last Herald Mage Trilogy). As an adult reader of these books, I understand that while I might not agree with the morality of some characters, underneath some of the character flaws I see, these are people fighting for what is right for Valdemar. These books tell stories, in the context of a fantasy world that could never exist, of flawed people trying to do what is best to safeguard good people against threats rooted in the actions of evil people.
My favorites out of all twenty-six books are the most recent: Take a Thief, Exile's Honor and Exile's Valor.
Take a Thief tells the backstory Skif, a character from the first Valdemar book, Arrows of the Queen. Skif is an orphan, abused by his uncle and his cousin, and running with a gang of pickpockets. Then, Skif is "chosen", although he starts out thinking he has stolen a horse... Skif is mentored by the Collegium's weaponsmaster, Alberich. Between Skif's life experiences prior to being chosen and his tutelage under Alberich, Skif is uniquely skilled for covert missions within Valdemar's capital city, Haven.
Exile's Honor tells the backstory of Alberich, the mysterious weaponsmaster at the Herald's Collegium (someone "seen" throughout many of these novels, as all Heralds are required to receive weapons training - archery, swords, and even knives in some cases). Alberich is not a native of Valdemar. In fact, he is a native of Valdemar's sworn enemy, Karse. As a young boy, Alberich was taken from his home to be trained as a soldier in the service of Karse, a theocratic (and dare I say "fascist"?) state. Karse regularly "sacrifices" children to their god, and when Alberich, a captain in the Karsite army, runs afoul of the priests during one of these "sacrificial fires", he becomes their next target. When he is trapped in a burning shed, his recently captured "horse" comes to his rescue. Only this "horse" isn't what is seems, and Kantor takes Alberich to Haven. Although most all Heralds are "chosen" as children, and Companions are not known for making wrong choices, Alberich is not so easily trusted. Alberich is a soldier and honor and duty are important to him. He must prove himself at a time when the nation of his birth is at war with the country of his exile.
Exile's Valor continues Alberich's story, picking up pretty much right where Exile's Honor left off. There is a new queen, young and untested, and there are those who seek to usurp her power. Can Alberich, as the young queen's personal bodyguard, protect her and discover those behind the plot?
On a side note, when I was first reading Alberich's story, I was corresponding with Major Pain (then "Capt. B") and his XO (through AnySoldier.com), who were in Afghanistan at the time with 1/6 Marines. I couldn't help but think Alberich would have made an excellent Marine...
Monday, November 5, 2007
Express Supports Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
Since the Pacific Coast League season has been over for a while, I haven't been visiting the Round Rock Express website regularly. I popped in this evening, just to see what was there. I missed this article from October 26th.
In a continual effort to help show support for the country's Armed Forces, the Round Rock Express recently raised more than $10,000 for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which serves the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
The Express donned special patriotic jerseys as part of Round Rock's Military Appreciation Night on June 23. Those jerseys were then autographed and auctioned off to the public with all of the proceeds going directly to the fund.
With the auction's close, fans helped to raise $10,626.21 for the fund marking the most successful online auction to date for the Express, which began offering online auctions during the 2007 season.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Project VALOUR-IT 2007 Fundraiser
Voice-Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops
In memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss
"At that time I had no use of either hand. I know how humbling it is, how humiliating it feels. And I know how much better I felt, how amazingly more functional I felt, after Soldiers' Angels provided me with a laptop and a loyal reader provided me with the software. I can't wait to do the same, to give that feeling to another soldier at Walter Reed."
--CPT Chuck Ziegenfuss, on the inspiration for Valour-IT
It's that time of year again - time to raise money for Project VALOUR-IT. I've signed up with the Army Team. First team to raise $60,000 wins bragging rights until next year's competition.
Want to sign up to help with the fundraising? Go here.
In addition to making a donation, there is also an auction set up to benefit this project.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Pepper's Purple Heart: A Veterans Day Story
Claire wakes up to sunshine and puppy kisses. Then, her best friend, Robbie, wearing his dad's Army helmet and a camouflage t-shirt, knocks on her window and urges her to get out of bed. With a stick propped against his shoulder, he marches through the yard. Mom comments she doesn't like it when they play soldiers, but Claire reminds her, "Did you forget, Mom? We're going to march in a parade for soldiers. It's Veterans Day."
Claire comments that Pepper will march in the parade, too, but first, she and Robbie will rescue Pepper "from the enemy - like Robbie's dad did with real soldiers in Viet-raq." Mom clarifies: "He was in Iraq, not Vietnam. They are different countries, dear."
Claire dresses herself, and gives Pepper a "uniform" of an olive drab bandana. They join Robbie outside. After Pepper is tied up to the picnic table, the children decide their mission will be in Vietnam, not Iraq, since the yard has lots of bushes, more like the jungles of Vietnam than the deserts of Iraq. In the process of completing their "rescue mission", Pepper gets loose and runs out the gate the children left open while they were playing Army. Before Claire can tell Mom what happened, Pepper is hit by a car.
The neighbor, Mr. Jones agrees to watch the "little soldiers" while Mom takes Pepper to the vet to get patched up. Mr. Jones says he knows "all about soldiers." Over milk and cookies, Claire confesses to Mr. Jones that Pepper got hurt because she didn't make sure the gate was closed, like Mom told her. Mr. Jones reassures her: "Rescue missions are always dangerous. Let's wait and see what the medic says about that leg."
Mr. Jones then tells the children that he was a Marine (I'll forgive the "m" in the text...) in Vietnam and had been a prisoner of war. He also lets them know that not all veterans fight in wars, but everyone who serves in the military is considered a veteran. Robbie inquires about the cane Mr. Jones uses when he walks. "I got wounded in the leg, just like Sergeant Pepper."
A part of the book that was very refreshing to read:
"I'm going to be a soldier, too." Robbie tapped his helmet.
"It's important to serve your country, Robbie. But you have to be very alert," warned Mr. Jones.
Robbie teetered on one foot and spun around on the cane. Tumbling off the bottom step, he landed in a heap on the grass. His shirtsleeve had ripped at the seam. "I guess I'm not quite ready to be a soldier."
Mr. Jones laughed and said, "First, you have to go through Basic Training, Private Robbie."
Claire doesn't think she can be a soldier because she's a girl. Mr. Jones sets her straight: when he got out of the prison camp, he went to an Army hospital, where an Army nurse took care of him, and he married that nurse! Robbie says women are always nurses, but Mr. Jones sets him straight, too: his daughter served in Iraq, and she's now a sergeant, and she trains soldiers.
Mom returns with a patched up Sergeant Pepper. It's time to get ready to go to the parade, and the children are still in their dirty and torn play clothes. Mr. Jones comes to the rescue, and lets the children wear some of his old fatigue blouses from Vietnam. Mr. Jones had also changed into what he would wear to the parade: he's in a fancy blue uniform with 4 stars on the epaulettes. It's supposed to be an Army uniform because Mr. Jones was in the Army after the Marine Corps, but it looks more like a Marine evening dress uniform than an Army mess uniform... Mr. Jones then shows the children his medals: a Vietnam service medal, a Prisoner of War Medal, and the third, he lets Pepper wear: "Every wounded soldier gets a Purple Heart."
Robbie knows he isn't ready to be a soldier yet, but he wants to "do something to serve our country." General Jones invites the children to come with him when he visits the VA hospital - he goes twice a week to serve meals, and he says the soldiers would love to met them. After that, it's time to go for the parade. The final illustration shows General Jones, Claire's parents, Robbie's dad and the children marching in the Veterans Day parade. As with the other two books in the Claire's Holiday Adventure Series, Mrs. Henry includes "A Brief History of Veterans Day" on the last page.
As with the other books in this series, this one is recommended for children ages 5 to 9. Unlike America's White Table, this book about Veterans Day may be much better suited to younger readers who aren't yet mature enough to comprehend some of the harsh realities of war, such as those who do not return from it. Pepper's Purple Heart: A Veterans Day Story would be a lovely addition to any children's library, and helps to connect children with an important American holiday.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Lakeway Patriot Committee Supports Our Troops
Friday, October 19, 2007
Some idiot professor thinks we should scrap the Constitution and start over...
In support of his call to redo the Constitution, Sabato trots out a quote from Thomas Jefferson positing that a constitution is only good for nineteen years. The quote comes from a letter Jefferson sent to James Madison on September 6, 1789. In his response, Madison raised several fundamental flaws to Jefferson's (and Sabato's) reasoning. The one most applicable to our times is this one: "Would not such a periodical revision engender pernicious factions that might not otherwise come into existence, and agitate the public mind more frequently and more violently than might be expedient?" Does Sabato really believe that in 50-50 America, we would have any chance at compromising on a new constitution? After all, each side will try to inject its own solution to the "intractable challenges" that Sabato laments.
You think Washington is in a sorry state of affairs now? Just imagine the mess we'd be in if, in addition to fighting Islamofascists, and a Democrat-controlled Congress seemingly intent on legislating defeat in Iraq for their own political gain, we were also in the middle of a very messy, extremely partisan Constitutional Convention? Go read the whole thing.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
ASP reports: Mending Owwies
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Home of the Brave
They are nineteen of the most highly decorated soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines in the United States military, and yet most Americans don't even know their names. In this riveting, intimate account, former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Wynton C. Hall tell stories of jaw-dropping heroism and hope in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Based on candid personal interviews, and other sources, Home of the Brave takes readers beyond the bullets and battles and into the hearts and minds of the husbands, fathers, and brothers who are fighting terrorists overseas so that America doesn't have to fight them at home. These are the powerful, true-life stories of the hopes, fears, and triumphs these men and women experienced fighting the War on Terror. But more than that, these are the stories of soldiers who risked everything to save lives and defend freedom.
*Lieutenant Colonel Mark Mitchell, the Green Beret leader whose fifteen-man Special Forces team took five hundred Al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners, and posthumously repatriated the body of the first American to die in combat in the War on Terror, CIA agent Johnny "Mike" Spann.
*Army National Guard Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, the first woman ever to be awarded the Silver Star for combat, whose sharp-shooting and bravery played an enormous role in fighting off over fifty Iraqi insurgents while her ten-person squad protected a convoy of supplies on the way to fellow soldiers.
*Sergeant Rafael Peralta, a Mexican immigrant, enlisted in the Marines the same day he received his green card. Wounded from enemy fire, Peralta used his body to smother the blast of an enemy grenade and gave his life so that his marine brothers could live.
These real-life heroes remind us of American history's most enduring lesson: Ours would not be the land of the free if it were not also the home of the brave.
This book attempts to help fill the void left by mainstream media reporting: for the most part, the MSM doesn't tell the stories of these heroes unless those same heroes can be portrayed as victims. Also, Mr. Weinberger and Mr. Hall give a shout-out to milblogs, specifically Blackfive and Mudville Gazette, among others. I can't get close to doing this book justice. All I can do is highly recommend you take the time to read it.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Writing my Senators: The Law of the Sea Treaty
I am very concerned the Senate with ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) this fall. Everything I have read about it tells me ratification would subjugate the United States Constitution as being the supreme law of the land. Ratification would make the United States no longer a sovereign nation. I urge you, and all senators, to vote against ratification of this disastrous treaty. Reagan was against this treaty in 1984. It was rejected again in 1994. This treaty would be detrimental to the United States' security and sovereignty. You have no choice to vote against it if you are truly doing what is best for the citizens of Texas and the rest of America.
Miss Ladybug
For more information, you can read here or here or here or here.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella
"Baseball Sluggers" stamp along with Hank Greenberg, Mickey Mantle and Mel Ott.
Then, I found Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella written by David A. Adler and illustrated by Gordon C. James. As I almost always do before purchasing a new picture book, I'll read it in the store to decide whether or not I think it's a keeper. Before reading this book, I had just assumed that Ray Campanella was Italian American. I was only half right...
The book begins with the L.A. Dodgers game on May 7, 1959, when each ticket proclaimed "I was there the night they honored Campy."
For Roy Campanella, their beloved "Campy", it was a long journey to that night of tribute..
We learn that Roy was born in 1921 in Homestead, Pennsylvania to an Italian American father and an African American mother. In 1928, the family of six moved to the Niceville area in Philadelphia, which, in the segregated 1920s was actually "a mixed community, a comfortable place for the Campanellas." Mr. Campanella was a produce vendor, and Roy would help his father, even after getting a job, at age twelve, delivering milk.
Roy liked to play stickball with his friends after school, and he would sometimes get to watch the Philadelphia Athletics from the roof of a house outside the ballpark. Roy decorated his room with pictures of his baseball heroes, including Josh Gibson, "the black Babe Ruth".
Roy played baseball on a boys' team sponsored by a local newspaper, and eventually began playing on men's teams - he was, after all, "big for his age and a good athlete." Roy was a catcher, just like his hero, Gibson.
Campy reminds us that baseball was a segregated sport in the 1930s. Roy joined the Baltimore Elite Giants, part of the Negro Leagues, in 1937 at the age of 15. He lived baseball the entire summer, playing "as many as four games a day" and living on the team bus. The day after his 16th birthday, on November 27th, Campy quit school.
"To do that," he later wrote, he knew he "should at least be grown-up enough to go into the world and earn his way." Campanella felt he could do this, as a full-time professional baseball player.
He played over the next several years on the Elite Giants, and on teams in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba.
After the 1945 season, Roy Campanella met with Branch Rickey, president of the all-white Brooklyn Dodgers system. "Your record is good...a hard worker who loves baseball, a man who gets along well with people," he told Campanella. "Play for me."
Campanella thought he was talking about creating a new Dodgers team in the Negro Leagues, but he wasn't. He meant one of the many white Dodgers teams in the Minor Leagues, maybe even its top team, the Major League Brooklyn Dodgers.
One week earlier Branch Riley had signed another African American, Jackie Robinson. Rickey wanted to get the best players he could for the Dodgers, no matter what their race. And he wanted to end the segregation of baseball.
In March 1946, Campanella signed with the Dodgers.
One of the Minor League teams refused to take him because of his race.
But the one in Nashua, New Hampshire, was glad to have him.
Roy Campanella love baseball. He didn't pay attention to the ugly racial shouts from players on other teams or from people in the stands. Words didn't upset him. He just enjoyed the game. But physical attacks did bother him. When one player threw dirt in his face, Campy warned him to stop or "I'll beat you to a pulp."
The following season, in 1947, Jackie Robinson was promoted from the Dodgers' Minor League team in Montreal to the Major League Dodgers in Brooklyn. Campy was promoted to the Montreal team.
In 1948, Campanella began the season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, but was moved to a Minor League team in the American Association, to break the color barrier. Later that season, he was sent back to Brooklyn. At that time, in July, the Dodgers weren't doing well. But Campy played well, the team began winning and finished third. In 1949, they came in first in the NL.
Campy was a great player on one of baseball's very best teams.
He was chosen the league's all-star catcher eight years in a row. In 1951, 1953, and 1955, he was chosen as the league's Most Valuable Player. In five of the ten years Campy played for the Dodgers, the team finished first in the National League. Each time they faced the New York Yankees in the World Series.
Knowing he wouldn't be able to play ball forever, Campy made plans to support his family after baseball by opening "a wine and liquor store in New York City" in 1951. In the early hours of January 28, 1958, tragedy struck.
"I was tired and it was cold and late, but I drove carefully," he later wrote. "There were big patches of ice in the road....I suddenly lost control. The car wouldn't behave....I fought the wheel. The brakes were useless....I saw this telephone pole right where I was headed....I just did hit it....The car bounced off and turned completely over, landing on its right side."
He viewed those days immediately after the accident as the worst of his life, and he thought he "was a goner."
He couldn't walk or hold a ball, and at first, he didn't want to see anyone, not even his children. Soon, though, his attitude changed. He compared the fight ahead to baseball. "When you're in a slump, you don't feel sorry for yourself...You don't quit."
Campy never walked again, but he still loved baseball. He was able to watch TV from his bed. He watched the Dodgers. He called Charlie Neal, a friend and former teammate, and gave him batting tips. Neal listened and starting hitting better. Campy had a new job: as a spring training coach for the Dodgers.
Even though Campanella was confined to a wheelchair, that didn't stop him from living a full life.
He had a radio program, Campy's Corner, and his own television show, and he held baseball clinics for teenagers.
"He was still Campy," Yankees catcher Yogi Berra later said, "still a special person. He'd always have that big smile despite what happened to him."
Roy was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. He became a role model for how he dealt with his disabilities. He wrote he had "a life such as few people have been fortunate enough to live."
One of his legacies is the Roy and Roxie Campanella Physical Therapy Scholarship Foundation, which he set up with his third wife. "It provides equipment, support, and encouragement for people with disabilities like Campy's and help for people studying to work with the disabled."
Roy passed away on June 26, 1993. At his funeral, Tom Bradley, the Mayor of Los Angeles, said "He had the force of personality to influence us all. Each of us will be bigger, stand taller, reach a little higher because we knew Roy Campanella."
The back of the book contains important dates in Roy's history, as well as citations for the quotes included in the book and a list of suggested reading about Campanella.
Campy is recommended for children ages 6 to 9. While this book does address some of the racial injustices he faced, unlike Jackie's Bat, that is not the primary focus of the story. Through Campy's life story, children can see how the disabled are capable of living full and rewarding lives. Even if you're not a baseball fan, this would be a nice addition to your children's book library.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Why the Rockies should win the World Series
Manager Clint Hurdle revealed Thursday that the team [ed. - as in the players, not management] last week voted a full playoff share to Amanda Coolbaugh, whose husband, Mike Coolbaugh, was killed when hit by a foul ball while coaching first base for the Rockies' Double-A Tulsa squad on July 22.
I'm not completely sure what a "playoff share" is - I assume it's whatever "bonus money" goes to the players for reaching each separate post-season playoff series. Assuming this, it is very generous to remember Coolie's family, and to help them out in this way.
Update 10/8/07:
The Colorado Rockies remembered Mike Coolbaugh at Game 3 of the NLDS on Saturday, October 6th. Mike's brother, Scott, accompanied his nephews to throw out a first pitch before the game.
Updated 10/28/07:
Change of Seasons Mandy Coolbaugh used to look forward to October. Then her husband, former Express star Mike Coolbaugh, was killed last summer on the baseball field. (Austin American-Statesman 10/27/07)
In memoriam: Mike Coolbaugh (7/23/07)
Mike Coolbaugh: The Tributes (8/11/07)
Round Rock Express' Tribute to Mike Coolbaugh (8/26/07)
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Jackie's Bat
Jackie's Bat is the story of Robinson's first season, in 1947, with the Brooklyn Dodgers through the eyes of a fictional bat boy in the Dodgers' clubhouse. This book doesn't speak today's PC language - I think it stays true to what it was like back then, long before the term "African-American" was conceived.
A new player comes in.
I ain't ever seen him play,
but I've heard all about him.
He's Jackie Robinson.
He looks around for a locker,
but there aren't any more.
I do what the manager told me
and point to a folding chair and a nail on the wall.
I don't think any other player had to start with a nail.
But Robinson ain't like any other player-
not in either of the leagues.
He's colored.
In spring training, a bunch of the guys on the team
said they didn't want to play with him.
But old "Leo the Lion" Durocher
just chewed their rear ends
and said Robinson was staying.
Anyone who didn't like it could leave.
No one did.
I ain't leaving either.
Robinson looks at me.
"Hey kid," he says, all smiles and friendly-like.
I don't know what to say.
Pops says it ain't right,
a white boy serving a black man.
So I turn and get to work.
The bat boy admits he cleans all the players cleats until they shine. "All except for number 42's." Before Jackie plays in his first game, the bat boy sees "a mob of colored fans waiting for Robinson", and he seems surprised because "He hasn't even done anything yet!"
Jackie asks the bat boy his name and then asks for a pen, but a fan offers one up while the Joey pretends not to hear the request. He goes about helping the other players but avoids Robinson.
The players are announced and the fans all cheer.
But when Robinson's name
comes over the loudspeaker,
the Negroes jump to their feet,
waving signs like crazy.
You'd think President Roosevelt
came back from the dead.
But they're not the only ones excited.
Everybody wants to see
if Robinson can really play ball in
the big leagues.
Even Pops!
After the game, Jackie speaks to Joey, first commenting that Joey missed his cleats... Then:
"You know, Joey," he says, putting a foot on the bench,
there's people out there who don't
treat me as a man 'cause my skin is black."
His voice is strong, like a line drive.
I don't say nothing.
My eyes are looking at everything but his eyes.
"You know what I've found out about them?"
he asks, almost like I was a friend
he was telling a secret to.
"No," I say.
Normally I'd say "No, sir" to a player.
I couldn't say it now, but I do look up.
I expect his eyes to be angry.
He just looks tired and sort of let down.
"They don't know what a man is," he says.
Then he pulls himself tall and walks away.
Joey worries Jackie will tell the manager he hasn't been doing his job, and he'll get fired, so he cleans the cleats, "but they don't shine."
Jackie gets 5 hits and a home run against the New York Giants, and even Joey cheers. Robinson gets fan mail, but Pops tells Joey that Jackie won't make in "the big leagues," but Joey's not so sure about that.
On the road, Jackie is the target of derogatory comments from the players on other teams:
"Why don't you go back to the cotton fields?"
"They're waiting for you in the jungles, black boy."
A bunch of the players aim their bats at him like guns
and shout the n-word.
I can't believe it!
This is baseball, for crying out loud.
Through it all, Jackie just plays ball, but he makes his first error. The next game, it continues.
But then, at the start of the third game,
our second baseman, Eddie Stanky,
stands and roars, "You yellow-bellied cowards, why don't you yell at somebody who can answer back?"
Everybody knows Robinson promised
he won't make no trouble-no matter what.
Then another Dodger hollers, "If you guys played
as well as you talked, you'd win some games!"
"Yeah!" I shout like the rest. "Shut your faces!"
Jackie suffers a batting slump. On the first of May, he gets a hit. After the game, Joey congratulates Jackie, but feels like Jackie looks at him like he's one of the hecklers.
Jackie isn't living on easy street yet.
Pitchers aim for him-he gets hit six times.
Runners slide into first and try to spike him.
On the road, he can't stay
at the same hotel as the rest of us,
or eat with us, or use the swimming pool.
Letters start coming in so full of hate
the police have to guard him.
If Joey weren't seeing it all for himself, he wouldn't believe it. Jackie gets on a streak, with doubles and homers, and stealing bases so much the pitchers can't pitch for trying to watch him. Joey is doing his best for Jackie, "but I still feel like we're in two different dugouts, and I'm the one who put us there."
The season takes the Dodgers to St. Louis, with the Cardinals only four and a half games back. The Cards resort to dirty tricks to try to get to Jackie.
It's the eighth inning of the last game.
One of the Cardinals hits a foul.
Jackie leaps from first to catch it.
Jumping Jehoshaphat, he's going to crash
into the dugout!
Then suddenly Ralph Branca, our pitcher that day,
is in the air like Superman.
As Jackie catches the ball, Ralph catches Jackie!
Holy Joe! A white man holding a black man!
That takes the gobble out of the Cardinals' turkeys!
The batter's out,
and we go on to win the game 8-7.
The Dodgers win the Pennant, "and Jackie is the first ever Rookie of the Year! September 23, 1947, is Jackie Robinson Day at Ebbets Field."
Joey gets there early because he wants to speak to Jackie before going to sit with Pops.
A bunch of colored boys yell to me from the fence:
"Could you give something to Jackie for us, please?"
A boy about my age hands me a package
and a homemade card.
Jealousy rips through me.
I wish the present was mine.
Joey gets up the courage to interrupt Jackie with all the reporters and gives him the gift. Jackie opens is to find a Louisville Slugger with a wood-burn that reads "OUR MAN JACK". Jackie tells him thanks. Joey wants to take credit, and to apologize for how he's acted.
But then the words come tumbling out:
"It's not from me, Mr. Robinson. I wish it was."
I'm so nervous I think I'm going to pee.
"It's from some other boys," I add.
"Here's their card."
My eyes go to the floor.
I want to melt into the floor like the witch in Wizard of Oz.
"I don't have any bat to give you," I mumble,
"but I want you to know
I got what you mean about what a man is."
Jackie then tells Joey he looks good because he maintained his composure and the Dodgers won the pennant, but someday he's not going to play well, and he'll start defending himself from the hecklers: "What'll you think of me then?"
It's a test, Joey realizes, and he knows it's deserved: "Well, you didn't take nothing from me before," I say, "and slumps and Dodgers go together-they don't mean nothing."
A laugh erupts from him at that,
and I can see in his eyes
that I just grew a few feet.
He offers me his hand to shake-
one Dodger to another.
When I grab it,
I feel the tight grip of a friend.
The Afterword gives more details about Jackie Robinson's life. There is also a Note from the Author, noting that while Joey is fictional, the things he sees and hears are true. "These descriptions and quotations are all based on historical accounts." On the back cover, Rachel Robinson, Jackie's wife, has a note which concludes "Congratulations... for celebrating Jackie's life and legacy so beautifully."
While the book is recommended for ages 5 to 8, because of the sensitive topics addressed in the book, you should make the judgement about whether or not your kids (either your children or your students) are mature enough to deal with them. Beyond the portrait of life for a black man in pre-Civil Rights era America, this book can be used to teach other life lessons: how should you treat someone that you've just me and decided you don't like? what is it like when you are confronted with your own wrong-doing? if you realize you have treated someone poorly when they haven't deserved it, what should you do? I think this is a great book, and would be a wonderful addition to your children's book library, especially if there are baseball fans around.
Too ironic...
From Talking Points Memo:
Rep. Darrell Issa went on CSPAN's Washington Journal this morning and had this to say about the House oversight committee's investigation of Blackwater (via Atrios):If Henry Waxman today wants to go to Iraq and do an investigation, Blackwater will be his support team. His protection team. Do you think he really wants to investigate directly?
They've got accompanying video.
Are pundits wrongly writing off Fred Thompson?
After a recent Thompson speech in Iowa a member of the audience called out: "Kill the terrorists, secure the border, and give me back my freedom." Thompson replied "you just summed up my whole speech."
No other candidate could have carried off that quip because no other candidate is capable of delivering a convincing speech focused on those powerful themes.
I have not yet made a decision about who I will vote for in the primary - just those I know I won't vote for - so I try to learn as much about the other candidates as I can. I recommend you do the same. Go read the whole thing.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
My connection to the Battle of Iwo Jima
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Michael Medved: Six inconvenient truths about the U.S. and slavery
- Slavery was an ancient and universal institution, not a distinctively American innovation.
- Slavery existed only briefly, and in limited locales, in the history of the republic – involveing only a tiny percentage of the ancestors of today's Americans.
- Though brutal, slavery wasn't genocidal: live slaves were valuable but dead captives brought no profit.
- It's not true that the U.S. became a wealthy nation through the abuse of slave labor: the most prosperous states in the country were those that first freed their slaves.
- While America deserces no unique blame for the existence of slavery, the United States merits special credit for its rapid abolition.
- There is no reason to believe that today's African-Americans would be better off if their ancestors had remained behind in Africa.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Hillary's plan for universal health care
I don't want universal healthcare mandated by the government. When I went to the walk-in clinic, I was in and out in less than an hour. If we had a system like Canada or Britain, how long would I have had to wait to see a doctor? In that situation, I might not have been out the doctor's fee and the cost of the prescription, but I don't think I would have received the same level of care.
I also know that not every "uninsured" person is uninsured because they cannot afford it. Some make the decision, after weighing the pros and cons, to not carry health insurance. A few years ago, I got back in touch with an old friend from junior high school who happens to live in town. He explained to me that he and his wife (both self-employed) don't have health insurance. They take the money they would ordinarily pay for health insurance premiums and put that into a medical savings account. Not an unreasonable decision when you and your family are healthy, and your premium goes "wasted" because you have not had to go to the doctor.
So, for the 15% that are uninsured, and the smaller percentage that truly "can't afford" health insurance, if you need to go to the hospital, you aren't going to be turned away. But why screw the 85% who are insured to "fix" that problem, and in the process create a new, huge government bureacracy that will not be run as efficiently or as effectively as it would be if it were a private enterprise? And I also can't help but think how many of those "uninsured Americans" aren't actually American, and of those non-American "Americans", how many shouldn't even be in this country...
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Longest Season: The Story of the Orioles' 1988 Losing Streak
So, one day this past summer, I was once again looking for new or interesting picture books at the local Barnes & Noble. What I found was The Longest Season by Cal Ripken, Jr., and illustrated by Ron Mazellan. Not having been a follower of baseball back then (I was a senior in high school living overseas when the season started, and I was a college freshman back in the States when the season ended), I was not familiar with the beginning of the Baltimore Orioles' season that year. I quickly read the book in the store and decided it was a keeper - I like the message it teaches to children.
I guess I never realized that Cal Ripken, Jr. comes from a family of baseball players. In 1988, Cal would begin the season with his father, Senior, as his manager and his brother, Bill, as a teammate. "1988 was supposed to be a fun year." However, it didn't turn out that way. They lost their season opener, at home, to the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 12-0.
The next day, the team is still optimistic: there are still 161 games to be played. However, the Orioles lose to the Brewers again, 3-1. Next, the Orioles go on the road to play the Cleveland Indians. They lose again:
We all hate losing, every one of us. Especially Senior, who as manager feels most responsible. I'm not about to let my father down.
They drop the entire series to the Indians:
The worst day of the season. The Orioles lose again to the Indians, 7-2, but this loss hurts more than the others. After the game, Senior is fired as manager despite the fact that not one of these losses was his fault.
I've let my father down. We all did.
Yet it's not as though we haven't been trying. No one likes to lose, especially not me. Especially not when my father is the one who pays the price.
Now I'm angry. It is the only time in my career when I consider not being an Oriole.
The Orioles record stands at 0-12:
The season is only two weeks old, and already the dream has turned into a nightmare. But still, we go out there every game and give it our best.
The record is now 0-18:
The losing continues. Three more losses against Milwaukee and then three more against Kansas City. The entire country is now following the Orioles for all the wrong reasons. Each new loss makes national news, and the once-proud Orioles are the laughingstock of baseball.
Still more losses:
Twenty-one consecutive losses. The team has been on the road for ten straight days and we can't wait to get home, see our families and forget about losing.
But not yet. We have one more series to play on the road, against the Chicago White Sox. In the meantime, the Orioles have become a family of our own. When it feels like everyone is against you, it's good to have teammates.
Game 22. I hit a home run and score three runs. Our pitching is on target today.
Could it be?...
The streak is over!
I can't remember a better feeling win.
And the lesson I like so much from this book?
There is a lot I will remember about playing for the Orioles. The world championship in '83. Two MVP awards and being voted to play in nineteen All-Star Games. Over 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. And of course, the consecutive-games-played streak.
Yet the 0-21 losing streak would be the one thing I wouldn't mind forgetting, were it not for what I learned. Winning is easy on a person, but you learn more from losing. You learn to keep trying, each day a little harder than the day before. You learn how to be a better teammate, and how much you need one another to play well as a team. You even learn how to win.
The Orioles may have finished in last place in 1988, but the following year we started fresh and played together as a team the whole season. Even though we had the same team that lost twenty-one straight games the season before, we fought our way back to become winners. The 1989 season came down to the final games against the Toronto Blue Jays, with the winner taking the division title. We didn't win that series, but we fought hard - and finishing second sure beats finishing last.
I would highly recommend The Longest Season for any children's library (although it is specifically recommended for ages 7 to 11). It's message of perseverance when faced with adversity is one every child should hear, as well as the lesson that sometimes, you are going to lose. I also like Mazellan's illustrations - the focus and detail is on the primary subject of his painting, with the rest of the background painted with a kind of soft-focus lens.


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- Food & Drink
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Search KelownaNow
For 10 years, a group of caring people has been advocating for a food bank dedicated to student use on campus at Okanagan College.
This past September, The Pantry at Okanagan College Kelowna Campus opened its doors to students needing a bit of help.
For some students, the stretched dollars can get pretty thin. They may not be left with much after paying tuition and buying textbooks. And for some who may be living away from home for the first time, rent can be added to the equation.
"With the stresses of classes and course loads, there's a lot adding up, and food is usually the first thing that gets cut", explains Bank Brianne Berchowitz, Executive Director for the Okanagan College Student Union Food.
The shelves at the Pantry are stocked with non-perishables and hygiene items and students can help themselves when ends aren't quite meeting. "Every time a student facing issues comes in here, you can just see a little bit of relief", says Courtney Kindlein, Organizer Okanagan College Students' Union.
The Pantry is located at A149 at Okanagan College, Kelowna campus.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Kingston Value Ram 4GB 1333MHZ DDR3 Ecc CL9 Dimm Desktop Memory
Value Ram 4GB 1333MHZ DDR3 Ecc CL9 Dimm
Selecting A Value Ram 4GB 1333MHZ On The Internet
Upgrade your equipment with the Value Ram 4GB 1333MHZ manufactured by Kingston H. Corporation. The RAM is 7"H x 2.5"L x 1"W. It has got a weight of 0.05 lbs. Selecting a Value Ram 4GB 1333MHZ DDR3 Ecc CL9 Dimm. To get the product now at the best price, click on our partners via the add to cart button below.
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Heat up the pot or pan that you will be using. Add a little butter. Fry the pork in small batches until they are brown. Set the fried pork aside to rest.Using the same pot, which will now contain a nice layer of caramelised pork, add some more butter and fry the onions and green pepper until brown. They will pick up the caramelised bits of pork. Add the garlic and chillies and fry them for thirty seconds. Add the dry spices and fry these for fifteen seconds, then add the tomatoes, the potatoes and the pork. Reduce the heat when it starts to boil and simmer until the potatoes are done. Check for sufficient saltiness, the potatoes may make the dish somewhat fresh.Only then add the beans. Drain the fluid from the kidney- and butter beans. The baked beans go in complete with the tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly. The sauce will thicken substantially towards the end, so do make sure that nothing sticks to the bottom and burns.Allow the dish to cook through, then remove from the heat and allow the dish to rest before serving.Recipe reprinted with permission of The Hungry Sailor. To see more recipes, please click here. To receive quick and convenient weekday recipes, join our Easy Weekday Meals mailing list, and for up-to-date trending food, restaurant and wine news subscribe to our Editor's Weekly newsletter.
24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment.


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HC of Gujarat Result 2019
High Court of Gujarat - HC of Gujarat published result for Legal Assistant exam. You can view this result online through your web browser or download this result in pdf format by below mentioned link. This exam was held on 20/01/2019 by HC of Gujarat. You can also view other related updates for above said examination in this update.
Exam details
- Name of posts: Legal Assistant
- Exam held on: 20/01/2019
- Viva-voce Test (Oral Interview) will be conducted on: 23/02/2019
Legal Assistant Written Exam Result 2019:
- View result for Legal Assistant: Click here


text: Meet Our Newest Account Executive, Maggie! Hello! My name is Maggie Lindaman and I'm excited to join the Blue Compass team as an Account Executive. I'm happy to be here and I look forward to utilizing my marketing skills and knowledge to assist clients with their goals. My Background I grew up in Ankeny, Iowa and attended Ankeny High School. I went on to play Division 1 soccer at the University of Northern Iowa where I was a three-time captain and obtained a History degree with Minors in Political Science and Journalism in 2016. During my time at college, I had marketing internships at a software company and a nonprofit in Cedar Falls, IA. It was then when I found I enjoyed marketing and wanted to pursue a career in it. For the last two years, I have been a full-time marketing and sales coordinator for a commercial landscaping company in the Des Moines area where I've gained valuable marketing and project management experience. Outside of Work Outside of work you can find me coaching the Ankeny Centennial High School Girls Soccer team and helping out with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It truly means a lot to me to volunteer, be a part of the community and make an impact. When I'm not volunteering, you can find me hanging with my dogs, Calvin and Russell, enjoying the outdoors with family, trying out different breweries or enjoying the wonderful trails the Des Moines area has to offer. I'm also involved in my church that I attend and a book club. Joining the Blue Compass Team When the Account Executive role at Blue Compass opened up, I knew it was going to be the perfect position for me. I enjoy building relationships with clients, managing projects and helping clients meet their business goals in a fast-paced environment. I look forward to doing just that in the Account Executive role. I'm happy to join a company with such a positive and engaging culture that stays true to its core values. Categories: Blue Compass Culture, Blue Compass News Maggie Lindaman Maggie Lindaman is an Account Executive with strong marketing and project management experience, focused on assisting clients with their marketing goals. Outside of work you can find her coaching her soccer team, at book club, playing with her two dogs or enjoying the outdoors with family. Previous Next


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Policy on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement
This policy is about identifying and preventing both individual and systemic racial profiling in law enforcement. It is meant to be a resource, primarily for law enforcement authorities.
Under the Code, every person has the right to be free from racial discrimination and harassment in the social areas of employment, services, goods, facilities, housing accommodation, contracts and membership in trade and vocational associations. You should not be treated differently because of your race or other related grounds, such as your ancestry, ethnicity, religion or place of origin.
Canada, its provinces and territories have strong human rights laws and systems in place to address discrimination. At the same time, we also have a legacy of racism – particularly towards Indigenous persons, but to other groups as well including African, Chinese, Japanese, South Asian, Jewish and Muslim Canadians – a legacy that profoundly permeates our systems and structures to this day, affecting the lives of not only racialized persons, but also all people in Canada.
Relevant policies:
This policy is about identifying and preventing both individual and systemic racial profiling in law enforcement. It is meant to be a resource, primarily for law enforcement authorities.
The Windsor Police Service (Service) and the Windsor Police Services Board (Board) for many years have been open to the concerns brought forward by various ethno-racial, cultural and faith organizations and communities. The Board and Service responded with Service-wide change initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting human rights and equity, including the development of a Diversity Statement in August, 2004.
In view of these factors, the Board and Service approached the OHRC proposing a project charter modeled after the Toronto project charter.


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INTNLREL 114D: Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (IPS 230, POLISCI 114D, POLISCI 314D)
Links among the establishment of democracy, economic growth, and the rule of law. How democratic, economically developed states arise. How the rule of law can be established where it has been historically absent. Variations in how such systems function and the consequences of institutional forms and choices. How democratic systems have arisen in different parts of the world. Available policy instruments used in international democracy, rule of law, and development promotion efforts.
Terms: Aut | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
Instructors: Fukuyama, F. (PI)
2016-2017 Autumn
5 units |
UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI |
Class #
Section 01 |
Grading: Letter or Credit/No Credit |
| Students enrolled: 12
09/26/2016 - 12/09/2016 Mon, Wed 9:30 AM - 11:20 AM at 260-113 with Fukuyama, F. (PI)
Exam Date/Time: 2016-12-13 8:30am - 11:30am (Exam Schedule)
Instructors: Fukuyama, F. (PI)
Additional Resources:
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Young, flexible, dynamic company "Engineering Procurement Services Kazakhstan" (abbreviated – "EPS"), which quickly make decisions and react immediately to any request of the customers.
The Company's employees, from the managing to the executive staff, intend to achieve an effective result through the application of advanced and innovative approaches to the implementation of the tasks of varying complexity.
Availability of skilled employees and direct co-operation with leading manufacturers of the industry, enable "EPS" Company to offer competitive prices for equipment and services.
- • EPS pursues to be one of the best employers, encouraging employees to exercise their best competency
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The company has the necessary license for electrical installation works of varying complexity.
Thanks to the excellent knowledge of local standards and the characteristics of the industry, the company offers clients the most optimal and cost-effective solutions.


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We decided that "flavoursome" wouldn't do. "Tasty" was out, too, and "toothsome". "Moist" was banished without a murmur of objection. When someone suggested that "grub" and "nosh" should be consigned to the bonfire of words that were unacceptable in the orderly world of food writing, I wondered if there were going to be any words left at all. I've always found the pool of words at the disposal of the honest gastro-scribe to be pretty limited at the best of times, and now half of those were now deemed to be off limits. It's a gloomy prospect. Perhaps we should use sign language.
The inquisition panel in this case were the 15 women and men who had paid to spend two days learning about the finer points of writing about the world's most important subject. On my right was Tom Parker Bowles, still young enough to be seen as a wunderkind of the genre – in a remarkably short period of time, Tom has established himself as one of the most deftly readable and stylish of contemporary food writers, with that enviable ability to inform painlessly, and divert at the same time. On my left was Bob Granleese, who is what you might call a grizzled veteran of the business of food writing – he has applied the nips and tucks to my articles in the Guardian, and to those of every luminary who has contributed to that newspaper's food pages, for the last 12 years.
In the course, we were also joined by Tim Hayward, the driving spirit behind the small but perfectly formed Fire & Knives, a quarterly magazine devoted to intelligent, expressive food writing of a kind that has largely disappeared from the periodical tables; by Richard Corrigan, a towering figure of the restaurant universe in every sense of the word (and with Richard there are always a great many words); and by Mark Hix, a more pianissimo figure than Richard, but whose quiet articulation in the Independent and doughty support of food producers through his column and in his restaurants is a model that more might follow with credit.
The 15 guinea pigs for the first ever Guardian Food-Writing Masterclass (the word "masterclass" might also be usefully added to other verbal funeral pyre) came from diverse backgrounds. There was a much-travelled man from the United Nations, and a lady who worked for Nottingham County Council, promoting food producers in that county. There was a lawyer and a novelist, a Australian lady who worked in IT, and a civil servant. Three had been given the course as a present by grateful spouses or partners as a kind of long-service award. Ages ranged from the mid-20s to 60 or so, I would guess.
As I explained at the beginning of the first session, the purpose of the exercise was not to turn them into food writers. You can't expect to do that in one weekend. No, it was to sketch out the broad horizons, give them the means to explore them, and add on such tips, hints, tricks and advice as the panel had gleaned over hard years at the business.
Over the two days, we galloped through a short history of food writing; touched on the basic disciplines; explored why anyone would want to write in the first place; for whom they thought they were writing, and what they were writing about. We talked about the difference between voice and style, and about our favourite books and writers, and inevitably spent a good deal of time peering at new media and assessing its relevance.
Perhaps the most electrifying part of the proceedings was the time spent with Richard Corrigan, who joined us for lunch at Hix Soho on the Saturday. Richard so galvanised the party with his unfettered views on food, other chefs, the importance (or otherwise) or restaurant critics and food writers, the politics of food, his own food childhood, the economics of running successful restaurants and a good many other topics along the way, that lunch stretched out through the afternoon, until some of us sloped off to his own restaurant, Bentley's, on nearby Swallow Street, where Richard poured Marston's Oyster Stout down our throats while we watched England cane the French at rugby.
I paid a mild penalty for such cheery indulgence on Sunday, but not enough to stem the flow of opinion and information. It struck me that everyone there was united by a passion for food, a good many nurturing it pretty much in solitude, and by a desire to be able to express themselves not so much better as with greater confidence. If nothing else, I think they achieved that, largely because they spent time with people who shared their excitement. The greatest encouragement of all is to discover you are not alone in this world.
Eating Your Words, Guardian Food-Writing Masterclass, http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian-masterclasses for details


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IoT Agenda
June 2018
Industrial IoT: Speaking the same (connected) language- NS1 29 Jun 2018
IIoT data protection demands new ways of thinking- Stratus Technologies 29 Jun 2018
How analogue makers can further their craft with digital tools- Arrow Electronics 28 Jun 2018
To fully realize the benefits of industrial IoT, we will need a protocol around how devices talk to one another. NS1's Carl Levine explains why DNS might be just the thing to fill the gap.
Just as industrial IoT has changed how industrial organizations operate, says Stratus' Jason Andersen, so too must it change how those organizations protect the data IIoT generates.
Digital tools are helping physical makers expand their horizons, allowing them to take their trade or hobby to the next level. Arrow Electronics' Zach Wendt discusses three such tools.
Hacking the factory floor: Cybersecurity in smart manufacturing- Momenta Partners 28 Jun 2018
New mobility and digital identity: The vehicle for success- ForgeRock 27 Jun 2018
Exploring an AI foundation for networking in the IoT age- Mist 27 Jun 2018
IoT in agriculture: Producing the next generation of farming technology- Vodafone Americas 26 Jun 2018
Three predictive capabilities that move the needle for business- Bsquare Corporation 26 Jun 2018
How IoT can help prevent catastrophic events in oil and gas- Cloudera 25 Jun 2018
Supercharge IoT analytics with GPUs- Kinetica 25 Jun 2018
The security threats toward manufacturing have only been exacerbated with the proliferation of IoT and BYOD. Momenta Partners' Ed Maguire offers tips to help stay safe in smart manufacturing.
Digital identity is the ultimate "vehicle for success" that must underpin the new mobility. ForgeRock's Ashley Stevenson reviews the fundamentals of digital identity and explores its value and use ...
AI is a must-have for businesses that need to keep up with soaring numbers of new devices, things and apps in today's IoT world. Mist's Sudheer Matta outlines the four key components for building ...
One of the oldest occupations in the history of mankind is getting a massive makeover filled with efficiencies thanks to the internet of things. Vodafone's Ludovico Fassati discusses the benefits ...
The ability to predict the future is powerful knowledge for any business. Bsquare's Dave McCarthy discusses three predictive capabilities to consider, as well as tips for getting started.
With environmental protection a priority in oil and gas, enterprises need to embrace evolving technologies. Hortonworks' Kenneth Smith explains how IoT fits in.
When it comes to the internet of things and the deluge of data it creates, traditional CPU-powered databases don't cut it. Kinetica's Nima Negahban explains why an insight engine powered by GPUs is ...
Four steps to monetizing the internet of things- Flexera Software 22 Jun 2018
Avoiding the hidden cost in IoT devices is critical to business success- Keysight Technologies 21 Jun 2018
Automation vs. humanity: A false binary choice- Drishti 21 Jun 2018
Five steps toward making smart IoT testing a reality- Eggplant 20 Jun 2018
Build a smarter supply chain with IoT- Magic Software Enterprises Americas 20 Jun 2018
It's clear that now's the time to start monetizing your business for IoT, that is, if you haven't already begun. But what steps should you take to get there? Flexera's Eric Free offers four steps ...
The potential impact of IoT is extraordinary. However, as Keysight Technologies' Cheryl Ajluni explains, underestimating the true cost of an IoT device can have profound consequences on your brand, ...
Drishti's Prasad Akella advises to ignore the scary "human versus robots" headlines; the complex reality is actually one of mutual growth and gradual change, one of humans and machines.
Testing in the day and age of the internet of things poses many challenges. Eggplant's Antony Edwards offers five steps DevOps teams must take to start delivering smart IoT testing today.
Manufacturers today are using IoT to track products through their lifecycle and achieve higher levels of efficiency. Magic Software's Javier Jiménez outlines the top five benefits of a smart supply ...


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Fuel Economy Restart
EPA Launches Review of Obama Regulation; Ethanol Industry Could Benefit
OMAHA (DTN) -- President Donald Trump's announcement to review fuel economy standards set by his predecessor could give the ethanol industry a chance to make its case for including fuels along with technologies to improve energy efficiency.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced they would revisit the standards. Trump made an announcement during a speech in Detroit.
The Obama administration's rule from 2012 finalized standards to increase fuel economy to the equivalent of 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by model year 2025.
Some ethanol industry groups argue EPA should identify the fuels that could help meet the standards.
Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, said in a statement that taking a second look at the rule could benefit the ethanol industry.
Recent evaluations of corn ethanol have found the fuel has 43% lower carbon emissions than gasoline. The ethanol industry has been pushing the agency to update ethanol's carbon footprint data in the Renewable Fuel Standard to reflect the current state of ethanol-production technology.
"Today's actions allow the opportunity for EPA to slow down, remove politics from the process, and take a more comprehensive approach to fuel-economy standards," Dinneen said.
In 2012, the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration promulgated final regulations that established the fuel economy and greenhouse-gas standards for 2017 to 2025.
The final rule included a requirement that the agencies conduct a midterm evaluation for the 2022 to 2025 standards to determine whether the standards were still appropriate in light of new data.
The RFA was one of several groups that filed comments focused on the role fuels have in enabling more-efficient vehicle technologies.
"By rushing through a cursory review to finalize a rule before the transition, the agency clearly did not fully consider our comments, or the comments of other stakeholders," Dinneen said.
In that mid-term evaluation, EPA identified technologies that would improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases. But EPA failed to consider the fuels that will enable those technologies, Dinneen said.
High-octane, low-carbon fuels like ethanol can play a "significant role" in helping to meet fuel-economy targets, he said.
"That is an omission that must be addressed moving forward if future vehicles can in fact help us address climate change without backsliding on other critical air quality and public health priorities," Dinneen said.
Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol, said the move by EPA will put the ethanol industry in a better position. Jennings noted the Trump administration's action doesn't roll back the higher fuel economy -- Corporate Average Fuel Economy -- standards, but requires a new review.
"This is good news because reconsideration of the 2022-2025 standards will enable us to emphasize the need for EPA to allow high-octane, high-ethanol blends to be used in meeting future efficiency standards," Jennings said.
In addition, Jennings said the review will allow the industry to make the case for "meaningful incentives" for flexible-fuel vehicles and engines designed to operate most efficiently on high-octane, high-ethanol blends.
"Currently, the standards are biased in favor of electric vehicles," he said, "and ignore the role that FFVs and engines optimized to run on blends in the range of E25 to E40 can play in meeting fuel economy and GHG reduction goals."
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in a statement the current standards are "costly" for automakers and the American people.
"We will work with our partners at DOT to take a fresh look to determine if this approach is realistic," Pruitt said.
"This thorough review will help ensure that this national program is good for consumers and good for the environment."
EPA announced it was revisiting the so-called midterm evaluation process established as part of the 2012 greenhouse gas emissions standards for model years 2017 to 2025.
The evaluation requires EPA to determine by April 1, 2018, whether the 2022-2025 standards established are "appropriate," according to a news release.
If the new evaluation finds that meeting the standards is not feasible, the EPA would submit a new proposal for public comment.
In a joint statement, House Environment Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus, R-Ill., and Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, welcomed the announcement.
"We applaud President Trump on his decision to resume a collaborative examination of the stringent fuel economy standards rather than the midnight political decision of the previous administration," they said.
"Our nation's motor vehicles are getting more efficient and will continue to do so, but we must ensure that the standards set are not rigid and that they do not raise sticker prices or threaten the auto industry."
Read more here: http://bit.ly/…
Todd Neeley can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com
Follow him on Twitter @toddneeleyDTN
© Copyright 2017 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.


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by Amanda C.
(Port Lavaca)
Lady Bug Themed diaper centerpieces
I made a ladybug themed diaper cake, diaper carriage and diaper teddy bear.
In the 3 tier diaper cake, I simply rolled 1 package of 50-60 size 1 diapers and attached a rubber band around each diaper to secure it.
To make the first tier, I added a single 8 oz bottle in the middle and started standing up the rolled diapers around the bottle. To secure this in place, use another rubber band to that attaches around the layer of diapers and also the bottle.
I continued this process till achieved the correct width I wanted for my cake. Continue this process with all the additional layers, but please note that you will need an additional bottle to attach a 3 layer cake together.
I also attach 2 small dowel rods in between the layers for more stability. Once the layers are completed, hide your rubber band marks by attached colored themed ribbon to embellish your creation.
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liniLED® Product Family
The liniLED professional LED system is a commercial grade waterproof and highly flexible LED system using the latest powerful, low energy LED's from Osram. Our dedication to flexible, specification grade, LED systems ensures that we offer unique cutting edge technology. Organic Lighting offers a full line of liniLED products.
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