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I've been on quite a hiatus, but I'm back! This summer has been a bit of a whirlwind. I finished things up at my previous job, started my new gig at an LA nonprofit, continued with my community college teaching internship, found a new place to live and moved in, bought a new car, and visited a dear friend in DC a couple of weeks before she gave birth to her first child.
Amidst all of this, my family got the news that my paternal grandfather had experienced a slight stroke in July. When my uncles and father went to see him in Florida they learned that his health was far worse than he had let on in their phone conversations with him. Sadly, in addition to the stroke, he had already been battling cancer but did not want anyone in the family to be "burdened" with taking care of him. About a month after the stroke, just before he was to be transported to a care facility closer to my uncle in New York, he passed away in his sleep.
Kenneth Thomas was my last living grandparent. As a family history researcher, there is something particularly sad and heavy and final about losing the last direct link to a previous generation. Luckily, I recorded a phone interview with him some time in 2008 or 2009 and will share the transcript in a future post. While I did not get a ton of detailed information from this conversation at least I can say I made the effort. And he did provide me with one important gem, saying that he remembered his mother would talk about the part of Barbados she was from, Christ Church. As I had mentioned in a previous post, being able to get more specific information about where in Barbados, St. Lucia, and Martinique my great-grandparents' home was the first order of business in my genealogical quest.
Fortunately, I was able to take a few days off and fly to New York for Kenneth's burial even though I had only been at my new job for just a month. He was laid to rest in a plot next to my grandmother, who had passed away some 20 years earlier. You can see the program for his homegoing here. (Thanks to Uncle Tony for sharing the scanned images with the family and to his friend for scanning them.)
The pictures in this post exemplify two of the things Grandpa Kenneth was known for – or at least two things I remember him for: his love of music and for dressing with style and flair. My cousins will probably agree with me that all of our fathers definitely inherited one or both of these passions. I invite the Thomas family and others who knew my grandfather to share any favorite stories or reflections about his life and legacy. Rest in peace, Grandpa.


text: The Belanger Laminates moulded countertop gives you the look and feel of real stone, marble or wood, with the affordability of laminate. This durable, stain-resistant laminate countertop offers the sophisticated appearance of natural stone in one post-formed piece that is easy to install. The seamless surface prevents dirt from collecting and requires no polishing or resealing to maintain its great look.

subset: commoncrawl


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authors, autobiography, biography, books, fiction, First Edition, history, Hollywood, journalists, lost history, Novels, Politics, Presidents, science fiction
Creating a library of books is a lifetime endeavor. It feels the same when cataloging books, authors, publishers and dates. I decided to put the list up pre-auction as so many of you have asked to view it for fun. I am happy to add more photos if you would like to see something, just ask! These are 95% or more, first editions and all are hardcover. The list is so large that I gave it it's own page tab at the top of this site, Enjoy! https://patddixon.com/book-list/


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LONDON, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- British writer, actor and comedian Stephen Fry will serve as host of the Orange British Academy Film Awards ceremony in London for a ninth time, producers said.
Fry said in a statement Thursday he is "really thrilled and honored to have been asked to host the EE British Academy Film Awards again."
"Despite the nerves and terror that something might go wrong and that I'll make a fool of myself, it's an annual event I really look forward to," Fry said. "Film is one of the arts that most spreads the essence of our identity around the world, and our admiration and appreciation of global film-making ensures that the EE British Academy Film Awards sit comfortably on the world stage of film awards events honoring the best of the best."
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts will present its annual awards for excellence in film Feb. 16 at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.
Fry can now be seen on Broadway in repertory stagings of "Twelfth Night" and "Richard III."


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Jazon and the Dead is a 3D action adventure, set in a futuristic world, where a zombie outbreak is raging. Jazon our anti-hero is suffering from amnesia. In his quest to find out who he really is, he gets involved in bigger issues when he saves a girl named Zoey from two zombies. The game focuses on puzzle solving combined with the satisfaction of blowing heads of zombies. The visual art style is inspired by Mike Mignola & Eyvind Earl which gives the game an interesting and unique look.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
As part of our look development we did a look test to resemble the final look of the game.


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As the West's leading semi truck and trailer dealership, we are determined to gain your loyalty by providing exceptional service. It is a point of pride that so many of our customers have come back to us time and again since our modest beginnings. Our growth is a direct result of our commitment to serve every customer with care and respect, whether you're looking to make a major purchase or need a simple part or repair. That's how we hope to become Your Best Business Partner.Learn More
TEC Equipment - Leasing is dedicated and committed to providing the best commercial fleet management and transportation solutions available.
Whether you're an owner/operator or manage a fleet, our in-house insurance agency offers a variety of products & services to give you what you need.
TEC's finance departments have established alliances with many of the most trusted and respected names in commercial truck and trailer financing.


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A Shinra News graphic appears with some slick music. After a moment, a well groomed young man in an expensive blue suit appears. He is Marty Amer. His mantra is "fair and balanced". But from boardroom to bedroom, he is known as the mouthpiece of Shinra, Inc.
"Good evening. My name is Marty Amer and this is Shinra News Evening Edition. And now a quick word from our sponsor."
A commercial advertising the virtues of Mako energy flashes across the screen. "Cleaner, cheaper, more abundant, more efficient. Mako energy is the key to a brighter future!"
The news anchor appears again.
"And now the news. Our top story this evening, President Shinra's office announced the President again summoned the ambassador from Wutai to officially protest Wutai's treatment of Shinra and its personnel in Wutaiese territories. The President's office noted Wutai continues to charge unfair punitive tariffs on Shinra imports and Lord Godo himself has come out in favor of Wutai's burgeoning 'Tradition First' movement which advocates a rejection of Shinra products, including Mako energy!"


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A snowsuit tells tales of terror
Few people would link a toddler's snowsuit with the horrors of totalitarianism.
Yet this weekend at the Walker Art Center some eastern European performers are doing just that.
In "Show Your Face!" the snowsuit comes alive through a mixture of puppetry, movement and music.
Chance meetings have played a big part of Matjaz Pograjc's life.
He's a Slovenian theater director, a one-time dancer, who years ago went searching for theatrical collaborators during a visit to Riga in Latvia. He was looking for theatrical collaborators.
He asked the woman he was with about some kids he saw drinking beer from a huge beer bottle outside a liquor store. She said they were a street theater group called Umka.
"'They are Umka. They are completely crazy,'" Pograjc said before a rehearsal at the Walker Art Center. "And I said, 'What they are doing?' 'They are doing object theater.'"
Object theater meant using puppetry techniques to make ordinary objects come to life.
Before a rehearsal on the stage of the Walker Art Center three of the performers Andris Kalnozols, Gints Sirmelis and Marcis Lacis demonstrate.
With practiced ease Andris grabs the feet of a blue toddler's snowsuit. Gints works the arms and Marcis spreads his fingers into the top of the hood.
Suddenly what was just a crumpled pile of cloth begins striding purposefully across the stage, head swinging from side to side. Frankly, it's a little freaky.
"And I said, 'This is the character who represents all the history of these no-face people."
They don't always do the same body parts.
"We are changing. Sometimes we are changing," he said.
They speak so fast and finish each other's sentences it's hard to tell who is whom. But they need that co-ordination to perfectly mimic how a real human moves.
"Everybody must feel each other. We know each other almost ten years. We feel each other by back, by side, by arms."
Suddenly the snowsuit, which the company calls Little Branko, steps forward, and despite not having a face seems to peer at the microphone.
"Hello? Hello? Is anybody there?"
Something startles little Branko and he takes off running and jumping. It's unnervingly real.
"It's kind of that," Andris says, breaking the spell. I tell them the hairs are standing up on the back of my head.
Back to that chance meeting outside the liquor store in Riga.
The performers in Umka took Pograjc to the Occupation Museum in Riga. He spent hours there, learning about Latvian life under the Nazis and then the Soviets. He read about the many people who had disappeared under both regimes.
"After the Second World War, many people, many intellectuals, like scientists, culture, artists, they were put in prison or they took them away. Passports, actually, they became people without a face," Pograjc said.
They lost their identities, and became what Pograjc calls people without a face. It was not so different to what had happened in his own Slovenian homeland which was part of Yugoslavia.
Pograjc decided to research the stories of 50 Slovenians and 50 Latvians without faces to use them for the basis of a show.
The problem was so many people had suffered, they had too much choice. They looked for a character who could be an everyman to represent them. They struggled until one day the Umka crew brought in a kid's snowsuit to demonstrate some tricks. It was another important meeting.
"And I said, 'This is the character who represents all the history of these no-face people.'"
The resulting performance, "Show Your Face," is a mad-cap story about a man who learns one night that he is wanted by the government. Seven performers manipulate Little Branko. They are all dressed in black, but wear bright headlamps as they take their character through a nightmare story.
The company has played "Show Your Face" in many countries since it was first staged in 2006.
Walker Arts Center Performing Arts Curator Philip Bither brought the production to Minneapolis. He says he was drawn in by the way the deceptively simple techniques create an almost magical transformation.
"They are able to bring this empty snowsuit to life so that in matter of minutes you are just drawn right in, like the best puppetry -- whether it's traditional or contemporary, you are completely convinced that this has a spirit and a life," he said.
Incidentally the Little Branko appearing at the Walker is the same snowsuit brought to life at that workshop in Riga all those years ago. Despite all the abuse he's received over the years, he remains pretty spritely.


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Saturday, January 21, 2012 8:00pm $15
The Bohemian Quartet
Blackstone River Theatre
549 Broad St. Cumberland RI 02864
Love You Live!
The Bohemian Quartet books a can't-miss gig at the beautiful Blackstone River Theatre
Watching the Bohemian Quartet perform live is like listening to history being preserved. In many ways, this gifted and exhilarating act is simply keeping a rare musical flame alive by taking on the challenging oeuvre of the Romany, or "gypsy" musical tradition. Those of you who've already seen their show know how mesmerizing and captivating it can be. Those who've missed it thus far are in for a treat! You can see them in all their whirling glory on Saturday, January 21, at what can only be called the perfect venue for the Providence band, the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI.
Here's a little history: BQ borrowed its name from a quartet formed over 100 years ago in Czechoslovakia. That group, later called the Czech Quartet, ultimately disbanded in 1934. Appropriately enough, the two entities—BQ v.1 and today's iteration—share much more than a name. They both embrace a deep passion for the Romany tradition, and the unique ability to perform that historic repertoire with skill and verve.
The acclaimed ensemble—featuring violin, viola, cello, and bass—formed in 2005. Violinist Stan Renard, a composer and virtuoso player with an impressive list of credentials, assembled the group with the idea of preserving the tradition and indulging in the virtuosic playing of classic gypsy music. Renard recruited like-minded and ambitious friends: Christine Harrington on cello, Nancy Richardson on viola, and John DeBossu on upright bass. Together, they are capable curators, tackling ancient traditions, and still leaving room to wander off into newer, lovely, and more modern directions.
Beyond Tradition, the quartet's latest recording and well-worth picking up, reveals that the group's intentions are true and accomplished. Recorded live at the BRT (www.riverfolk.org<http://www.riverfolk.org>) and produced by Harrington and the quartet, the recording is a journey through the musical vernacular of gypsy life, with lightning fast tempos, virtuosicplaying, and all the flair you'd expect from this musical vernacular.
New developments have followed: Accolades have been bestowed on the quartet since its inception. Strad, for example, the highly regarded stringed instrument site, said recently: "The performances are very enjoyable … The musicians play up quite a storm."
In addition, they were featured on the "One World Show," produced by Robert Malin, for which they received an award for Best Music Documentary. Beyond Tradition also enjoyed placement on the 2010 preliminary ballot by the Grammy Association. Currently, the act has signed with MCM Artists booking agency.
So don't hesitate to take advantage of this great musical moment. Go to enjoy the historic traditions. Go to witness the musical virtuosity. But above all, go to have a great time, listening to fine music in a beautiful venue.


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William Chyr - Infinite Architecture No. 1
William Chyr - Infinite Architecture No. 1
Manifold Garden
Manifold Garden is a video game about impossible architecture in imaginary space. This topic refuses immediate categories of explanation, but theoretical models of space are more easily discussed through the video game lens. The game world adds dense visual pleasure as well as the possibility of understanding through participation; two rewards that artist William Chyr offers at the start of the vexing place he begins the conversation.
The architectural forms in Manifold Garden are simultaneously presented as and obscured by alternative models of space. They visually function as a computationally scaled-up version of M.C. Escher's defiance of 2D and 3D space, but the laws that govern their navigation relate more to the physical cosmology of mathematicians such as Jeffrey R. Weeks. Chyr's work resolves a three-torus manifold into a space you can inhabit on-screen. Even though the means for negotiating this world, through play or language, may not be immediately available, the struggle through this moment of disorientation is both a game and a reconsideration of space itself.
This series of prints reveals how the interactive space in Manifold Garden functions as a game and as a drawing machine. The artist has selected particular excerpts of the game to generate indeterminate compositions. On screen these compositions are different every time the program is run. As prints they store individual moments of Manifold Garden for prolonged and close consideration; a different vantage point than the ephemeral experience of interacting with the game itself. The individual images that make up this series have been selected through a conversation between Chyr and VGA.
- Poster: $35 - 18 x 24 inch unframed matte poster
- White Framed Poster: $85 - 18 x 24 inch white framed matte poster (US shipping only)
- Black Framed Poster: $85 - 18 x 24 inch black framed matte poster (US shipping only)
- Unframed Giclee: $225 - 24 x 36 inch unframed premium giclee (comes with hand-numbered and signed certificate of authenticity, edition of 20)
- Framed Giclee: $350 - 24 x 36 inch framed premium giclee (comes with hand-numbered and signed certificate of authenticity, edition of 20, US shipping only)


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Hello all! My name is John and I travel all over the state of Illinois looking for the rare, obscure, abandoned and forgotten. I photograph these sites and document them on my webpage, Off the Beaten Path in Illinois. If anyone knows of some interesting places I might go visit and photograph I welcome your input. This is a Great site and I'll be perusing it for the next few days to glean spots to go visit.
Hi there and nice to meet you! I'm also a newbie here and seems like this is not that active forum.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


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Character Checklist for Screenwriters
In most screenplays, the characters drive the action, so as a screenwriter, you need to make your characters consistent and compelling. To help get a feel for your characters, decide where each character stands on the following characteristics:
|A very distinct and detailed physical form?
|Opinions, beliefs, and world views?
|A job or way to earn a living?
|Friends and/or confidants?
|A place to return to at the end of the day?
|A strong external antagonist?
|A safe place to relax?
|Equally strong internal obstacles?
|Locations he loves, loathes, and fears?
|Talents and the opportunity to express them?
|Concrete, positive goals?
|Unique and age-old routines?


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Will a 430 EZ Speedlite work with a Canon EOS 60D camera either on or off the camera body?
Thank you
Will a 430 EZ Speedlite work with a Canon EOS 60D camera either on or off the camera body?
Thank you
Yes and no with regard to the body... Yes in the respect that it will fire in sync with the shutter but no in respect that there will be no TTL flash control. As the EZ430 has manual intensity control then you can use that to reduce the level otherwise it will fire at full power.
Used with an off camera cord the same applies - the Speedlite will fire but without TTL metering. What the situation is regarding wireless flash I'm not sure but this article may be worth a read.
If you are planning to use a lot of flash then a replacement EX series is probably a better option - I have a 420EX I picked up secondhand that does all I need it to.
You may know me from Another Place....
The new ElSid Photogallery...
Equipment: Far too much to list - including lots of Nikon...
Thank you Nigel
I think I'll start looking for an EX flash.
You might consider a Yongnuo flash. They're clones of the Canon ones, do exactly the same, at a fraction of the price. Lots of people here use them and I've never heard of anyone having any problems. The one I have is the YN-568EX II, £80 from Amazon.
EOS 6D, 6D Mk II, 80D, 70D, 100D, 200D, M50, M100. Canon 10-18, 18 - 55, 55 - 250 IS STM lenses, Canon 16 - 35 mm F4L, 35 mm EF-S macro, 50 mm F1.8 STM, 60 mm EF-S macro, MPE-65 macro, 85 mm F1.8, 200 mm F2.8 L II, M 15 - 45 mm, M 22mm F2, M 32mm F1.4. Sigma 24 - 35 F2 Art, 135 mm F1.8 Art, 17 - 50 F2.8 DC, 105 mm OS macro, 100 - 400 C, 150 - 600 C.
Thank you Richard
I'll have a look


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Want to try your own Ferrero Roche cuppies? Keep reading to get the recipe.
images by Maddy Hague
2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons premium dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1¼ cups strong French Vanilla coffee, room temperature
Nutella Ganache Filling
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups Nutella
Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream
1 jar (13 ounces) Nutella
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 pound bag of confectioner's sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons heavy cream
finely chopped hazelnuts (for garnish)
Start with the cake. Sift together the flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and vanilla and almond extracts. Set your wet ingredients bowl aside, as well.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Keep the mixer on medium speed until smooth, then set it on low speed as you add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Starting and ending with the flour mixture, add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients mixtures in an alternating fashion. Scrape the sides of the bowl between additions and ensure each is properly combined before switching bowls. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the room temperature coffee into the batter and beat until combined. (Note that standard will also do, and is what the Confetti Cakes recipe calls for, but I highly recommend you use French Vanilla flavored.)
Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Divide the batter evenly into liner lined cupcake pans, filling each cup to about ½ full. (This is important! This recipe tends to rise more than others, and to avoid it overflowing, you want to use less batter. The Confetti Cupcakes recipe doesn't explicitly tell you how much to put in, but in order to get the 24 cupcake yield they estimate, it would need to use a lot more than you really should be putting in.) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out barely clean so as not to overbake, then set aside to cool.
While the cupcakes are cooling, start the ganache. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream. Slowly add in the Nutella, small measured spoonfuls at a time, and stir in between additions until it is combined. When all of the Nutella has been added, set the saucepan aside to cool and thicken slightly.
Using a butter knife, cut a circle in the cupcake that is about an inch wide and thins into a cone shape. Do not cut so deep that you cut clean through to the bottom. Remove the piece of cake and cut off the cone so the circle becomes a coin. Repeat this for all of the cupcakes. When the Nutella ganache has cooled, use a spoon to fill the hole with the ganache. Leave a little room so that you can replace the coin top and push it into the hole until it is level with the rest of the cupcake top while ensuring no filling overflows. If it does, lightly scrape it off so the surface of the cupcake is clean. Set the cupcakes aside.
Make the buttercream. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and Nutella until combined. Add in the confectioner's sugar in one cup increments, allowing each addition to combine before the next is put in. Continue creaming the mixture until it is all well blended.
Adjust your mixer to a low speed and add the salt and vanilla extract to the mixture. Add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until your buttercream consistency is right (for me, it took 8 tablespoons). Adjust your speed setting to high to fluff the frosting, then transfer to a piping bag or tool. Pipe onto the cupcakes as desired, and top with finely chopped hazelnuts. (Note that I bought pre-chopped hazelnuts and cut them down even further. You want the crunch of a Rocher without throwing off the overall texture of the cupcake.)


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Here's a tale that will make you think maybe home schooling wouldn't be so terrible after all: A fifth-grade teacher in Queens, New York is in trouble for having her students write holiday cards to her boyfriend—who happens to be in prison and has a record of being into kiddie porn.
Melissa Dean undertook this special project this past Christmas without the permission of the school or the parents, obviously. She told the 10-year-old kids they were sending cards to spread holiday cheer to people who were sick or lonely. Instead, she mailed them to her boyfriend, John Coccarelli, who is an inmate at a high-security prison near Rochester. He was convicted of gun possession and violating a protection order against his ex-wife, but he was also busted with "dozens of sexually explicit images of young kids" on his computer. Though charges for that were dropped as part of a plea deal.
That makes it even more disturbing that Dean told her students to put their names and addresses on the envelopes if they wanted a reply. At least two of the kids did—because who doesn't want a pen pal at that age? Fortunately, an alert staffer at the prison intercepted the 25 cards, so the children are in no danger. What is in danger, thank God, is Dean's job. An investigation has been done, and it's been recommended that she be fired. That should leave her plenty of free time to write letters to her boyfriend all by herself.
Teacher had 10-yr.-olds mail jailbird beau [New York Post]
Image via igor kisselev/Shutterstock.


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Simon West will begin shooting (appropriate verb) his sequel to Sylvester Stallone's macho man brawl, The Expendables 2, sometime over the next couple of months - and Millennium Films has begun the lengthy process of confirming which rumored stars will actually be showing up in the action-packed blockbuster.
An official cast list for the Expendables followup has made its way online, revealing that Stallone's mercenary crew from the first film (Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Dolph Lundgren) and Mickey Rourke are all set to reprise their respective roles in Part Deux.
Moviehole got ahold of said cast list and is reporting that familiar faces like Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back (sorry) in Expendables 2, while the often-rumored Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, and Scott Adkins are all now officially onboard for the film.
Van Damme will be playing a villain (as was previously rumored) in Expendables 2 alongside fellow muscular martial arts master/actor Adkins (Undisputed II, The Bourne Ultimatum). Willis' Mr. Church made only a brief appearance in the first film, but he's long been all but confirmed to become the main antagonist in the sequel.
There's no word yet if Schwarzenegger's role in the second Expendables movie will likewise be larger (or, rather, more than a three minute cameo), but the 71-year-old Norris is only expected to show up briefly in the film.
UPDATE: Deadline has learned that Willis and Schwarzenegger are signed on for "substantial" roles in Expendables 2, which is slated to begin production in October 2011.
A rumored plot synopsis for Expendables 2 popped up online a few months ago, indicating the film would follow Stallone and Co. as they embark on a mission of personal revenge, after one of their own is slaughtered. That would have been a fitting homage to the iconic 1980s sequel format and its famous tagline ("And this time... it's personal!"), but Stallone ended up refuting said plot description. Bear in mind, that does not guarantee the film won't be heading in a similar direction.
One thing the new Expendables flick will definitely do is embrace the action movie franchise creed that became a tradition during the '80s (i.e. make the sequel bigger). With stars like Norris and Adkins onboard (both of whom were offered, but turned down roles, in the first film), along with Van Damme and the big surviving players from the first movie, Expendables 2 is certain to become even more of a testosterone-fueled throwback to now classic action-fests of the past few decades. If other wanted stars like Christopher Lambert and Christian Slater sign on too, it will just be icing on the cake for fans.
Look for additional cast confirmations in the upcoming weeks as The Expendables 2 heads into production, so as to make its scheduled August 17th, 2012 theatrical release date.
Source: Millennium Films (via Moviehole and Deadline)


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General Information
Dates: August 8 – 10, 2014
Location: National Trail Raceway, Columbus, Ohio
Gate Open Times: Friday 8 AM – 7PM, Saturday 8 AM – 6 PM, Sunday 8 AM – 6 PM
Ticket Prices: Friday, Saturday or Sunday – Single Day $20; – 2 Day Pass $30 – 3 Day Pass $40 (Children 10 years old & under are Free with a paid Adult Admission. There is Swap Meet Field rights for the Thursday Move-In after 12 Noon. Cost is $25.
Nats – General Info
The 34th Annual Nats is proud to feature the tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the 426 Hemi, the 100th Anniversary of Dodge and the 45th Anniversary of the Scat Pack cars. A special display of these vehicles will be parked together. Special editions and rare collectibles will also be featured.
Drag Racing at the Nats always brings out some of the best and fastest iron that the Pentastar ever produced. Competition is fierce! From Max-Wedges, Hemi's, small-blocks, big-blocks, the Gen II Hemi's, turbo-fours and V-10's, all will compete in side-by-side drag racing action. See the Nostalgic Shoot-Out where Max Wedge and Hemi cars will compete, which will keep all the audience on its feet. The show, racing and judging, the largest all-Mopar Midway in the world and more than 1,800 Swap Meet spaces, make this a weekend to remember.
The Nats is an event you just can't afford to miss! Meet the Dodge people up close and be able to blog on Dodge Red Line, see many major manufacturers in attendance. From Dodge business coupes to coupes than mean business, from Vipers to 300's to Prowlers to GT Cruisers and the SRT products…see it all August 8th – 10th at National Trail Raceway, Columbus, Ohio. Often imitated…never duplicated, it's the 34th Annual Nats…It's going to be blast!
National Trail Raceway is located about 20 miles east of Columbus Ohio on old US Highway 40, one mile north of Interstate I-70 at the Kirkersville exit. From the north, take I-75 south to the State Hwy 15 exit. Go south, and the road turns into US- 23. Continue south until you reach the I-270 Beltway that circles Columbus. Go east on I-270 until you reach I-70. Take I-70 east to exit 122 (Rte. 158), then go north to US –40 (Main Street). At US-40, go east about three miles, and the track will be on your left side with Gate C parking on your right ($5/Day). VIP parking is available at Gate A and C ($5/day). The spectator entrance/ticket booths are at gate A & D. Free parking is available on your left in Lots F & G.
For those traveling from the east or west, take I-70 to Columbus, then either take exit 122 (Rte.158) or exit 126 (Rte. 37) northbound to you reach US-40. If you get off at exit 122, go east on US-40 until you see the track on your left, parking on your right. If you get off on exit 126, take US-40 west until you see the track on the right. VIP Parking is available at Gate A or Gate C ($5/day). General Free parking is down further on your right Lots F and G.
From the south, take either I-71 or US-33 to the Columbus I-270 beltway. Then take I-70 east to exit 122, take this north to US-40. Travel east on US-40 until you see the track on your left side.
100th Anniversary of Dodge
It all started in 1914 with John and Horace Dodge started their own automobile company. To celebrate the 100 years of Dodge, special milestone vehicles will be chosen to be on display. It will be located next to the Mopar Pavilion on the Pit side of the track. If you have a rare Dodge and want to be considered to be a part of the special display, contact us through e-mail and send a few pictures. Participants must arrive on Thursday, and stay until at least 2:00pm Sunday. All Dodge entries will have the opportunity to park in the Dodge Corral located on the west side of the track next to the judged show field.
50th Anniversary of the 426 Hemi
1964 was the introduction of the now legendary 426 Hemi Engine. It started out as a race engine in two configurations, one for NASCAR and one for drag racing. Due to rule changes enacted by the various sanctioning bodies, it had to be offered in a production vehicle to the public. So in 1966 Chrysler offered the "Street" version 426 Hemi. In celebration of this milestone, a display of 426 Hemi cars will be featured around the Mopar Pavilion.
45th Anniversary of the Scat Pack
It was in 1970 that Dodge created the Scat Pack Club. It was Dodge's version of Plymouth's Rapid Transit System. A club created to keep the Dodge enthusiasts informed on the Racing results and new vehicle-offerings. A version of the club still exists in the Motor City even today. The name came from the high performance parts offerings through Direct Connection. Hustle Stuff, was the combination of selected parts that would increase the performance of your car. The various high performance models had stripes positioned around the rear of the vehicle starting in 1968; advertising used the term; the cars with the "Bumble Bee Stripes". In celebration of 45 years and the debut of the new Scat Pack Club and offerings from Dodge and the all-new 2015 Dodge Challenger, there will be a display of "Cars with the Bumble Bee Stripes".
50th Anniversary of National Trail Raceway
National Trail Raceway (NTR) was first opened in 1964 by the Rader family. It grew throughout the years, and held the NHRA's top speed record for the ¼-mile. In 1995, NHRA purchased the track from the family and still owns it today.
Judged Car Show
The Nats is one of only a few car shows that offers participants entered into the Judging portion of the event the ability to have their car judged by professionals in the field. The judges are educated, and have knowledge about the vehicles they are judging. They also have been trained to judge in the modified classes to evaluate modifications based on execution, creativity, and quality. There is no "people's choice" here at the Nats, you must have the "car" to take top honors. The judged show participants are located on the west side of the track.
Drag Race
See Hemi's, Wedges—both big and small, Turbos and V-10's all compete for cash awards and plaques in the 2014 Nats Drag Program. The Nats features some of the fastest cars in the Midwest, all competing for top honors in the various racing classes. Cars come from almost every state, in their attempt to be crowned the Nats Champion. Drag Racing is running all three days, with class eliminations taking place on Saturday and Sunday. Also featured will be exhibition runs from wheel standers and Pro Mods. Drag racing is an integral part of the Nats, where even the Fun Field entrants get to make a pass down the strip and possibly qualify for the 100mph Club.
Fun Field
The Fun Field is for those entrants who want to enter their vehicle in the show for display purposes only. Participants will have a chance at winning door prizes, special awards, and the ability to make a timed pass on the track on Saturday during one of the two open time trial sessions. Pre-registered participants also receive an event goody bag, which is filled with event souvenirs and information.
Original Owners Display
The Nats offers a reserved parking area for those car owners who meet the original owner requirement classification. The vehicle must be at least 20 years old, and the vehicle must be owned by the same person or family member during that time. The Original Owner reserved parking location is on the west side of the track next to the OE tent.
Young Guns
The Nats started Young Guns in cooperation with Mopar Muscle magazine many years ago. It is a judged show classification, dedicated to those entrants 25 and younger (male or female) in both original and modified classes. In original, the vehicle must be restored and be over the age of 20 years old. In modified, any year vehicle will be accepted, but obviously it has to have been modified, and judging is based on the number of modifications, creativity, execution, and quality. A special area in the judging field is reserved for these entrants. We want to encourage young men and women to get into the hobby, and be able to compete with each other on their limited financial budget. We realize that mom and dad will help out, but preference will be given to those who did it on their own with just a helping hand from the parents, not an endless bank account.
Awards Presentation
Sunday at 12 Noon starts the Nats Award presentation. Individual winners in the car show judging classifications will have the opportunity to have their name announced, a brief description of their car and a commemorative pass down the race track. During this time, the Best in Show awards will also be announced along with OE Certification results.
Burn Out Contest
The Nats was the first show to create the idea of a burn-out contest over 30 years ago. At 2pm on Friday and Saturday, registered participants (show, race or vendor sticker) who signed-up at the Nats Registration Tent will get up to 1 minute to show off what their vehicle can do putting up smoke. Judges and the crowd response will be used to determine the overall winner each day.
100 MPH Club
If your vehicle can run the quarter mile in 100 miles per hour or more, you will be awarded a decal honoring your achievement, announcing you're a member of the Mopar 100 mph Club. 100 mph pass can be made in time trials or in competition. Only one decal per car will be awarded, just show your time slip at the Nats registration tent to receive your decal.
Midway and Swap Meet
If you are looking for those hard-to-find parts, that proper date-coded part or that last piece to finish your restoration, the 34th Annual Nationals is the place to go! Visit the many companies on the Mopar Midway, located on the east side of the track behind the grandstands, or the swap meet located in the northeast corner of the track. You'll find new products, reproduction parts, NOS parts, accessories, waxes and cleaning supplies, wheels and tires, for your modern or classic. You can find everything from engines and transmissions, to memorabilia, artwork, collectibles and a lot more. Everything Mopar that you could ever want is available in the 1,500 plus vendor spaces at the Nats. Vendors will be saving their "good" stuff to bring out to this event, as it is the largest all-Mopar swap meet and Manufacturer Midway in the world. It's also one of the last big events of the year, so people want to clear out the merchandise before the winter sets in. Many companies use the Nats to debut their new restoration/reproduction items, and offer bargain, introductory discounts. It is unbelievable the number of unique parts that show up. If Mopar made it, it will be for sale at the Nats. You can plan on spending a day just looking at the parts. While any part can be found at the Nats, most vendors cater to 1960 – to current year items.
Car Corral
For those interested in buying or selling a Mopar or AMC, the Nats offers a Car Corral. This is an area located on the north east side of the track, where all the vehicles that are available for sale are positioned in one area.
Mopar Survivors
Mel Majors and Malcom Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Peebles, Ohio, team up to feature the finest examples of all-original unrestored cars and trucks. These serve as great examples for restoring your car to look just like it did when it came off the assembly line. Many of the participants are original owners, so you can ask questions and get up close to take pictures of what it looked like back in the day. These vehicles are historic treasurers that feature at least 85-percent of their original factory paint, interior, and drivetrains. The Survivor display will be located in the Midway, just north of the Mopar Pavilion.
Dyno Challenge
Classic Industries and Mopar Muscle magazine have teamed up this year to feature the Dyno Challenge. With the phrase the "Numbers Don't Lie" let's see what your car can bring to the table, and you just might get crowned the 2014 Mopar Muscle Dyno Challenge Champion. The Dyno Challenge is located in the Manufacturer Midway right by the Staging Lane cross-over walkway.
Top Eliminator
This year, the Nats will select one vehicle out of all the pre-registered entries (another reason to pre-register other than the discounted entry fee) to be featured in the Mopar Pavilion. The car will be selected based upon appearance, so good photos are necessary. The winner will also be featured in next year's event program complete with story line on you and your vehicle.
Seminars -Instructional and Informational Sessions
The old saying a little knowledge goes a long way to saving time and money. Also, there's a sense of self pride that puts a smile on your face and when doing something yourself. The Nationals features free seminars that offer information for both the diehard Mopar enthusiast and the newbie. Topics include performance, restoration, maintenance and more. Seminars are conducted by some of the biggest names in the business.
11th Annual Kids Coloring and Hot Wheels Contest
On Saturday, starting at 11:00 am at the Mopar Pavilion, kids ages 9 and under will be able to compete in a coloring contest that features the artwork of the Nats T-shirt. Winners will be awarded in two groups, age 6 and under, and ages 7-9. Starting at 12:00 Noon, the action for the kids turns to Hot Wheels drag racing. The participants age 9 and under select a Hot Wheels car supplied by us. (1:64 cars provided). The kids compete in a ladder style elimination drag race. They'll compete in side-by-side eliminations, just like the big guys are doing on the real strip a couple of hundred feet away. You can hear the real engines roaring in the background as the kids (and adults) are excited as their cars are placed on the starting line. The countdown proceeds in Christmas tree fashion and the cars are released to the cheers of the audience. The winner goes on to the next round. Win or lose, the children get to keep their selected race car. There are plaques for the winner and runner-up.
26th Annual Mopar Model Car Nationals
The little cars can be as fun as the big ones! AutoKnow of Utica, Michigan, will sponsor the 26th Annual Mopar Model Car Contest. Stop by the AutoKnow tent in the Manufacturer Midway (Space O3 and O4), and view the models for yourself. The amount of work and attention to detail devoted to these cars is unbelievable! Participants ranging from young children to seasoned adults, may enter single or multiple cars, from complete scenes (dioramas) at racetracks, to cars rusting away in a remote field.
Entry is very simple; the model only needs to be a Mopar or AMC product. Register your model at the AutoKnow tent on Saturday, between 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Models will be judged in different classes, with results posted at 4:00 p.m. Participants should pick up their models by 5:00 p.m. Participants are divided into three age groups; 11 and under, 12 through 17, and 18 and over, with each group divided into stock and modified classes. There will also be a class for the diorama entries. Depending on the number of entries per class, First through Third Place trophies will be awarded. If you are into the hobby of building car models, then you can come and compete with some of the best. If you just want to look at the true craftsmanship in these works of art, stop by during your visit to the Mopar Manufacturer Midway.
Win "Door Prizes"
All participants and spectators are eligible to win a door prize at the Nats. Just fill out the top portion of your entry ticket and drop it in the door-prize box located at the Nats Registration tent. You must be present to win. Just check out the door prize winning board for your ticket number. The board is wiped clean at the end of each day and new ticket winners will be drawn.
Car Club Challenge
Are you a member of a Mopar Car Club? Get your members to attend the Nats in force. Clubs with at least 10 entries will receive reserved parking on the west side of the track in the show field. This is a nice grassy area for your club to gather, park, and see the show. The car club with the most entries will win the Car Club Challenge, will receive a plaque, and will also be featured in next year's event program. Pass the word and get your car club involved!
Mopar Super Cruise
The Nats is known as having the largest single-marquee night time cruise show in the world. Each night, downtown Heath and Reynoldsburg open their doors to allow cruising on the streets. This is where the Mopars shine. Starting at approximately 6:00 pm, participants take to Brice Road or I-79 in downtown Heath. Please be careful of the bystanders and obey all traffic laws. While an occasional bark of the tires will be ignored, burnouts or reckless driving will not be tolerated, and you might be awarded a prize that no one wants during their stay at the Nats.
Tri-County Car Show
Each Night, Tri-County Chrysler opens its doors to the cruisers as a place to park and enjoy company with your fellow Mopar enthusiasts, and have a bite to eat along with live music playing. Tri-County offers great deals on their cars, and are a sponsor of the Nats. Make sure to tell them you appreciate their support of the event.
Longaberger Tour
Ladies, make sure you check out the Longaberger Basket Tour on Saturday, and get your unique 2014 Nats Tribute Longaberger basket. The bus will leave from the NTR tower Saturday morning and return late afternoon. You must be pre-registered. The deadline is July 15th. See the Nats website for additional information.
Event Souvenirs
This year's Nats will feature a number of great souvenirs. The first 1,500 pre-registered participants will receive a goody bag with special event souvenirs. The 34th Annual event T-shirt will feature the 100th Anniversary of Dodge, 50th Anniversary of the 426 Hemi, and a tribute to the Scat Pack Club. Also available will be an event ball cap, jacket, dash plaque, series coffee mug, and event DVD. All are available for purchase at the Nationals souvenir stands. We will also be offering a special tribute T-shirt that will feature many of the highlights of the event.
General Info
If you need information about any aspect of the show, go to one of the three information centers, located at Gates A, D, H, and at the Nats registration tent, which is located behind the main grandstands (marked by the Helium Balloon). Event flyers, schedule of events, vendor listing, and maps of the track are available, as well as personnel to answer your questions. If you need security or Lost and Found, call 740/928-5706.
If Someone is Lost
If you are unable to contact a member of your party, wait for them at Mopar Pavilion. We cannot page individuals. Notify Security or any Nats or NTR official if a child is lost.
First Aid
First aid is located at the base of the tower.
Lost and Found
Check for lost items at the Race Tower or the Nats Registration Tent.
Hauling Merchandise
You may rent a hand cart at the Nats registration tent.
You can request hauling assistance from the Nats Registration Tent. If located at the rear of the track in the swap meet area, contact Nats Staff at the Gate H Entrance.
Obtain a temporary-entry pass to drive your vehicle onto the grounds at Gate H in the late afternoon
Any items sent to National Trail Raceway for the Nats event should be properly identified with the name of the company receiving the item(s), (with Vendor location if possible) and addressed to: National Trail Raceway, 2650 National Rd. SW, Hebron, Ohio, 43025. Make sure you mark your boxes CLEARLY with your company name and the 2014 Nationals. Track Phone number is 740/928-5706.
Golf Cart Rental
There are some new rules this year for vehicles allowed onto the grounds. No four-wheel drive big ATV's will be allowed. Only Golf Carts, small ATV's and scooters will be allowed access. All carts/ATV's must have liability insurance on them, and have a ATV/cart permit. You can register your cart at the Nats Registration Tent for $15 for the weekend. Gold Cart Rental is available from the Golf Cart Company, and can be reserved by calling 800/589-8833, and reserving your cart. Note: Reserve early as we always sell out. Golf carts will be limited in usage to operators of age 18 or over. They will also be limited in areas of access. Due to the high level of complaints we received, this will be strictly enforced.
If you plan to bring your own Golf Cart or ATV (participants only), a special permit and fee is required. You will also need to show accident insurance coverage on your cart/vehicle. Permits are available at the Mopar Nationals Registration tent by the main grand stands at the event. Only drivers 18 and over allowed on motorized vehicles and will be strictly enforced. You can Pre-register for a permit by downloading the application off the website.
Phone Numbers and Addresses
National Trail Raceway – 740/928-5706
The Nats Office – 313/278-2240
National Trail Raceway
2650 National Rd. SW
Hebron, Ohio 43025
The Nats
P.O. Box 2303
Dearborn, MI.
Pets are strongly discouraged for health and safety reasons, along with there being very little to no shade available at the track. If you cannot make other arrangements, your pet must be on a leash at ALL times and policing after it is required. Your pet must be under your control at all times and you are responsible for its actions. Any unsafe action by your pet may result in expulsion without refund. Any complaints will be sided with the complaint filer.
Dangerous or slippery conditions can exist on the race track grounds and parking lots. Due to the nature of the goods displayed, racing events taking place, heavy equipment and moving vehicles are present. Mopar Nationals, Inc, nor National Trail Raceway is responsible for the conduct of vendors or participants entering and moving about the premises. Those who enter National Trail Raceway do so at their own risk.
The event takes place in August, and Ohio has been known to be sunny and hot. So plan accordingly. Have sun block, hats and appropriate clothing. As this is a race track, shade is limited. Coolers are allowed that are 13 inches and under. The track does have the Hot Rod Grille and remote food centers located throughout the track serving food and beverages.
Directions to National Trail Raceway
(Participants and Spectators)
National Trail Raceway is about 20 miles east of Columbus, Ohio, on old US Highway 40, 1 mile north of Interstate I-70 at the Kirkersville exit.
• From the North – Take I-75 south to the State Hwy. 15 exit. Go south, and the road turns into US- 23. Continue south until you reach the I-270 Beltway that circles Columbus. Go east on I-270 until you reach I-70. Take I-70 east to exit No. 122 (Rte. 158), and then go north to US-40 (Main Street). At US-40, go east about 3 miles, and the track will be on your left side with Gate C parking on your right and Gate A parking on your left ($5/day). The spectator entrance/ ticket booths are at Gates A and D.
• From the East or West – Take I-70 to Columbus, then either take exit No. 122 (Rte.158) or exit No. 126 (Rte. 37) northbound until you reach US-40. If you get off at exit No. 122, go east on US-40 until you see the track on your left, parking on your right. If you get off on exit No. 126, take US-40 west until you see the track on the right. Parking is available at Gate A or on the other side of the street.
• From the South – Take either I-71 or US-33 to the Columbus I-270 beltway. Then take I-70 east to exit No. 122. Take this north to US-40. Travel east on US-40 until you see the track on your left side. Free parking is available in Parking Lots F & G. Paid parking is in Lots A, C and H.
Spectator Information
Dates: August 8-10, 2014
Location: National Trail Raceway, 2650 National Road Southwest, Hebron, OH 43025-9639
Times: Friday, Saturday and Sunday – 8:00am – 7:00pm
Ticket Prices:: Friday, Saturday or Sunday $20 for a day pass; – 2 Day Pass $30 – 3 Day Pass $40 (Children 10 years old & under are free with paid Adult admission) Sorry we do not accept credit card orders, but you can order your tickets ahead of time and save the wait in lines by sending a check/money order to Mopar Nationals, P.O. Box 2303, Dearborn, MI. 48123 -2303. 313/278-2240. There is Swap Meet Field rights for the Thursday Move-In Day after 12 Noon. Cost is $25. Use the agate H entrance off refugee road.
Car Participant Entry
There are three types of car entries into this year's show, along with the Manufacturer Midway, Swap Meet, and Car Corral.
Regular Entry
Got a Mopar? Got $65? You're in! The cost of the regular entry is $65 (if postmarked by June 30, 2014; $80 thereafter). No mail in entries accepted after July 12. Entries are also available at the gate based on Car & Driver pricing. Pre-registration entries admit two adults and one vehicle to all three days, as well as in the Trophy Race bracket if you choose to race your car or just make time trails during the scheduled open portion of the event on Saturday. NOTE: Your vehicle must meet NHRA rules to be allowed to run down the track. There is no judging on this car entry, but you may win one of the many trophies/plaques awarded by the various magazines. These entrants must park on the east side of the track and use their designated gate. If not pre-registered, use the Gate A entrance for registration (see map). A picture is required of all pre-registered entries unless you are entering the same vehicle as last year. Note: Dodge Tribute vehicles will use the Gate E entrance off US-40 for entry into the West side where the tribute display is located.
Race Entry
Think you're fast? The Race Car entry is $100-$150 depending on the race class (if postmarked by June 30, 2014, add $15 late fee afterwards). No mail in entries accepted after July 12. Entries are also available at the gate Thursday, Friday, and Saturday based on Car & Driver pricing. This entry is for those participants who want to race their cars in one of the many different bracket classes or shootouts. You can enter more than one class with the same vehicle. Pre-registration entries admit two adults and the vehicle to all three days. The vehicle must pass all NHRA rules for its E.T. Cars entered will park on the east side of the track in the designated pit area. Use the Main Gate A entrance on the first day or until tech-inspected. Tech inspection will be on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; NO Sunday Tech inspections. After the vehicle passes tech inspection, park in the designated pit area and use the entrance gate on your confirmation letter to enter the grounds. This year's event will feature the Super Pro, Pro, Quick 16, Street, STICK, New Hemi and Young Guns classes, along with the Nostalgic Shoot-out. A picture is required for all new entries. Vehicles entered in the race entry cannot compete in the Trophy class. RACE NOTE: You must check the trailer box for a trailer permit if you will be bringing a vehicle on a trailer. Only a limited amount of space for trailers is available, and they must park in the trailer-designated areas only. No Regular ($65 entry), Trophy, or ($100) Street class entries will be allowed in on a trailer. This is reserved for the non-plated Bracket drag racers only.


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If losing weight was one of your New Year's resolutions, you might already be growing weary of counting calories and working out. Wouldn't it be great if you could slim down without so much effort?
Anyone looking for a shortcut to weight loss might be tempted to try one of many supplements that claim to burn fat and boost metabolism. These products often contain a not-especially-exotic ingredient that's already a staple of the American lifestyle: caffeine.
The morning coffee drinkers at Dunkin' Donuts notwithstanding, caffeine has a strong reputation as a weight-loss aid. The stimulant is one of the key ingredients of Zantrex-3, the popular weight-loss supplement from Zoller Laboratories, based in Salt Lake City. The company claims each capsule contains "up to" 160 milligrams of "caffeine and caffeine-like stimulants" (from green tea and yerba mate, among other sources), while a government database of supplements says each capsule of Zantrex-3 contains more than 160 mg of caffeine. That's slightly more than you'd get from a typical double shot of espresso. Other ingredients include ginseng and damiana, a Latin American herb traditionally used as an aphrodisiac.
Users are instructed to take two capsules with a glass of water before a meal or anytime during the day when they need an energy boost. According to the label, they shouldn't take more than six capsules in a day. Zantrex-3 is available at many drugstores. You can expect to pay about $20 for a package of 30 capsules.
LipoFuze, a weight-loss supplement from E Nutrition Research, based in Orem, Utah, also packs a significant amount of caffeine. The label says that each capsule contains 200 mg of a green tea extract that is 50% caffeine. Other ingredients include vitamin D, chromium and coenzyme Q10.
Users are instructed to take two capsules a day. A package of 60, a one-month's supply, costs about $50.
The claims
The website for Zantrex-3 says it provides both extreme energy and rapid weight loss — "546% more weight loss than the leading ephedra-based diet pill," to be exact. The site features a picture of reality TV star (and official product endorser) Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi of "Jersey Shore" pulling a bottle of the pills out of her purse. (The website calls her a "celebrity," and, yes, the term is in quotation marks.)
Amy Heaton, director of scientific affairs for Zoller, says that caffeine and caffeine-like compounds have been proved to improve energy, stamina, concentration, mood and metabolism. But, she says, "they have not been shown to significantly increase weight loss."
Heaton adds that "it's not just about weight loss. It's about fat loss and increased energy." To drive home the message, she points to Snooki's transformation "from a self-professed meatball to a sexy and slim fireball."
The website for LipoFuze says that the supplement "increases the metabolic mechanism in your body." The site also says the green tea and caffeine will "rev up your metabolism" and "increase energy, focus and physical performance." The site features testimonials it says are from users who claim they have lost huge amounts of weight with the help of LipoFuze. One man says he dropped more than 100 pounds, although it's unclear how long that took. A woman says she lost 40 pounds in less than a year, including 20 pounds in her first month.
Attempts to reach E Nutrition Research for comment were not successful.
The bottom line
Caffeine shows up in a lot of weight-loss products, but it doesn't seem to be any sort of silver bullet against flab, says C. Michael White, a professor of pharmacy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. White says that, to his knowledge, there are no well-designed studies showing that caffeine works better than a placebo when it comes to weight loss.
White notes that caffeine is a diuretic, which means that people taking large doses might shed some weight through water loss, but that's not the kind of slimming most users are looking for.
As reported in a 2010 issue of the International Journal of Obesity, caffeine may in fact be able to increase a person's metabolic rate by 4% or 5%. But, according to White, there's no clear evidence that this translates into actual weight loss. One possible explanation: Any increase in metabolism might go hand-in-hand with a boost in appetite, he says.
Caffeine does seem to enhance the weight-loss powers of some other ingredients, White says. For example, green tea contains antioxidants that encourage cells to burn extra calories, and caffeinated green tea seems to promote more weight loss than decaf versions. But even this combination yields very modest results. "In clinical trials, the weight loss is 2.5 to 4 pounds, not 40 pounds," White says.
Gerald Endress, the fitness director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center at Duke University in Durham, N.C., says patients often ask about caffeine as a weight-loss aid. "I tell them it's definitely not going to be as helpful as 30 minutes of exercise."
Endress says a little caffeine before a workout might help a person exercise harder and longer, which could theoretically help them control their weight. But the real credit would go to the exercise, not the caffeine.
Endress also warns that too much caffeine — such as the high doses found in Zantrex — could cause jitteriness, anxiety, spikes in blood pressure and rapid heartbeats in some people.
Curious about a consumer health product? Send an email to email@example.com.
Read more at latimes.com/skeptic.


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Martha Stewart is showing her sympathy for Jessica Simpson's loss after comments that chided the singer after her dog, Daisy, was snatched by a coyote earlier this month.
In an episode of "The Martha Stewart Show" on Thursday, she reached out to the reality star, who is currently filming "The Price of Beauty" in Uganda.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Stars Go Naked For PETA
"I said that she should have been watching her dog more closely, but I feel very, very sorry for anybody that loses a pet," Martha said. "Jessica, I hope you find your pet, but if you don't, I'm really sorry that you lost one."
However, shortly after Daisy was taken, the domestic maven lashed out at the pop star for her dog's disappearance.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Dogs And Their Stars
"[Jessica] should've been more careful," the lifestyle mogul told Us Weekly at the mag's 25 Most Stylish New Yorkers party on September 15. "She should have watched it more closely."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Jessica Simpson
PLAY IT NOW: Is Jessica Simpson Falling Apart? (September 22, 2009)
PLAY IT NOW: AH Nation: Is Jessica Simpson A Jinx? (September 22, 2009)
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Jessica Simpson - Reality TV - News - Martha Stewart - Pop


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One serving of Golden Tips Tea can be brewed over five times. Just keep pouring hot water after you finish drinking each cup. With each steep another element of the flavour could be enjoyed
You are drinking the least processed tea in the world within days of harvest.
© Copyright 2014 by druera.com
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Not-so-rich Fairfield County
A Texas city has edged out Fairfield County as the country's richest metropolitan area.
Midland, Texas, ended Fairfield County's 26-year reign as the area with the highest per capita income, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The two counties that make up the Midland metro area had a per capita income of $83,049 compared to the second-place $81,068 for the metro area that includes Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich and Danbury.
San Francisco, San Jose and Washington, D.C., rounded out the top five metropolitan areas.
The change at the top is the story of two very different metro areas, figures show. Midland is heavily dependent on mining, a sector that includes oil and gas, economist David Lenze said.
Fairfield County, meanwhile, has an economy centered on the financial services industry.
While there was an $800 million increase in the mining sector in one of the two counties that make up Midland's statistical area, there was a nearly corresponding $798 million drop in the financial services industry in Fairfield County, said Lenze, who works at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
"Not everyone who lives in those areas works in those industries, obviously, or benefits directly from them,'' Lenze said. "But the growth in mining accounted for $3,610 of the increase in per capita income in Midland, while the financial services industry accounts for a $951 drop per person in Fairfield County.''
More InformationBy the numbers
Per capita incomes, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
$83,049 -- Per capita income for two counties that make up Midland, Texas, metro area.
$81,068 -- Per capita income for Bridgeport metro area, including Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich and Danbury.
Midland's rise to the top was fueled by a 12.1 percent increase in personal income growth.
And Fairfield County's personal income growth last year? A modest 3.2 percent.
Midland is enjoying an upswing due to new technologies that are unlocking new pockets of oil and natural gas. Those technologies have dropped Midland's unemployment rate to under 4 percent, making it the lowest in the state.
BMW sales in the Midland area increased 50 percent more than two years ago, according to State Impact Texas.
Fairfield County was also near the top in 1969, the first year the data were compiled. That year, if you took all of the personal income earned in the county and divided it among every man, woman and child living here, each would have $5,834.
That was good enough for second place; Bristol Bay, Alaska had $5,972 in personal income.
The Alaska oil boom kept that state on top until 1985, when Fairfield County took the top spot for the first time.
There are three major components of personal income, Lenze said: net earnings, dividends and interest and transfer receipts. Transfer receipts are benefits like Social Security and Medicare payments, the economist said, and net earnings include more than hourly wages.
"Proprietorships and partnership income is included in that too, so this reflects the income of business owners and investors,'' he said.
The Fairfield County area saw total growth of $1,969 per person between 2011 and 2012, the data show; more than half of it, $1,120 in net earnings.
While Midland saw a $5,554 increase per person during the same period, transfer receipts -- government benefits -- actually fell by $281. That was more than offset by the $5,700 increase in net earnings. Dividends and interest increased by $1,134 in the area of Texas that Midland comprises.
The shift in fortunes is not so much about the fall of Fairfield County but rather the rise of Midland, Texas, said Edward Deak, professor emeritus at Fairfield University and Connecticut model manager for the New England Economic Partnership.
Midland's oil and natural gas industry has been revitalized recently by new technologies in fracking and horiztonal drilling, boosting its economy, Deak said. Still, Fairfield County saw a slower rate of expansion in 2012.
"Is there some reason for concern that Fairfield County is advancing at a slower rate, in terms of nominal income, than the national average? Yes. But it's something you'll want to look at for this year and for 2014. There's no way you can look at one year and say this is the beginning of a trend."
Though the shale deposits that have made Midland even richer don't extend into Connecticut, there's still a benefit for Fairfield County in the Texas county's growth. Deak pointed out that finding new ways to tap into America's natural resources, though they raise necessary environmental concerns, allow the U.S. to produce more domestic energy and import less oil.
"So there's some benefit for you and I in Fairfield County for Midland County to be doing so well," Deak said.


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Police Department
Click It ot Ticket Mobilization
The Lincoln Police Department is participating in the National 'Click It or Ticket' Mobilization, from May 18 through May 31, 2009. We will be placing special emphasis on those drivers who are not wearing a seatbelt. We will also be watching closely for child restraint violations. The Nebraska Office of Highway Safety will be providing funding for additional officers to assist with this enforcement.
Wearing a seat belt is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injuries on Lincoln's roadways. Yet, in 2008, Lincoln Police wrote 5,203 seat belt and child restraint violation citations. Those citations increased 7.8% from the total in 2007 of 4,384. Our goal is to help increase Nebraska's statewide seatbelt usage rate to 87.6%.
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Arizona Police Searching for Child Missing From Cancer Ward
(PHOENIX, Ariz.) -- The welfare of a missing 11-year-old leukemia patient who was taken from a Phoenix hospital by her mother the day before she was scheduled to be discharged is the prime concern for authorities, who fear a catheter in the girl's heart could become infected and endanger her life.
The patient, who is known as Emily, recently battled an infection and had her right arm amputated. Surveillance video captured Emily, a young boy, and Emily's mother, who police are only identifying as Norma, walking out of Phoenix Children's Hospital at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
"In this particular case, we have again an 11-year-old girl who can't really decide for herself," said Sgt. Steve Martos of the Phoenix Police Department. "Her parents are now removing her from the hospital and putting her in danger by not providing that last bit of medical attention that she needs."
The search has been difficult for officers, Martos said, since Emily and her family are from Mexico and have no locally listed records in Arizona.
A nurse supervisor called 911 when she realized Emily was missing and described how she was able to avoid detection.
"She was wearing a wig, which is not unusual , a lot of our cancer patients wear wigs," the supervisor said. "She wasn't wearing a wig when she went into the bathroom though and then she was wearing a wig when she came out and she was actually covering her right arm, the amputated arm."
Police said Norma removed Emily's IV before walking her out of the hospital in street clothes.
The family left the hospital in a black van and have not been seen since.
It's not clear how long Emily had been a patient at the hospital or what may have prompted her mother to take her before she was scheduled to be discharged.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio


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This was an excellent course. Although I have no co-teacher or aide, I will be able to adapt the ideas given. As compared to the other classes I've taken, I would rate this as the one that I could benefit from the most.
Great stuff! Today I did a student self-assessment of modality strengths and the kids loved finding out about themselves as far as how they learn best. I like the idea of calling it "smarts" because my seventh graders were a little confused by the more elaborate terms.
Great course! The knowledge that I gained will be of tremendous value during the school year.
I always had inclusion students, now I have a toolbox to open and use with them! Thank you! I appreciate all of the knowledge you have shared with me in the last few months. This is my third class with you and I am reccomending you strongly to other teachers who are struggling with these same issues.
Thank you for a wonderful course! I wish I had taken this course before I started teaching. I feel this course has help me have a better understanding of how to meet each and every students' need in the classroom. I will definitely make more of an effort to be sensitive to ones smarts and how it can effect their learning.
I enjoyed the course and all it had to offer! I feel confident knowing that I have been successfully implementing some the strategies taught to support my special needs students and I look forward to using other strategies as well. I really like the strength based interview, and will be more aware of the MI I use to deliver my lessons/activities.
You have given so many good tips, tools, and processes that I will use when I get back into a classroom. I like the strength based interview idea a lot (had never seen that before) and I love all the different types of assessments that you gave examples of (and the templates for!) in this lesson...I have learned a lot of different ideas from this course and will be more than willing to establish these in the classroom for success.
I have learned so much from all the lessons. I am excited to use them in my classroom. I have done some of it, but not to the depth I plan too. Thanks for all the time spent putting all the material together and allowing us to copy them.
Thanks for the delightful journey! I really enjoyed this class and could relate from many viewpoints; having been a parent, classroom teacher, SPED teacher, and currently a school counselor. This information, the creative ideas, and additional resources have been very helpful...I also appreciate you including and reminding us about the importance of self-reflection as well...Thanks again, you did a great job presenting this information in an inspiring way, I will definitely use it!
This course opened my mind to the fact that every student learns in a different way, and I should consistently modify my approach to teaching the material to meet the learning needs of all students.
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It has been awhile! I am still alive and well in Maryland, just extremely busy! I just began a huge undertaking and it is taking up all (and I mean ALL) of my free time! I just began a graduate certificate program for my "day" job! The certificate is in Administration & Supervision and will open some more doors for me in the future if I decide to spread my wings!
Nevertheless, a new blog post landed in my lap today when I opened up an email from my Mother. She is a wonderful writer and does a fabulous job as the family oral historian. I have both of my grandfathers on tape (gotta get them on some digital device!) and now she is working on my father. So far, I think they are in written form, but I do believe my niece made a podcast of him singing anAlsatian anthem in the Alsatian Dialect (Note to self--get ahold of that tape!).
Here is the story that my mother transcribed and emailed to me and my three brothers:
[Note: I added the photos to illustrate his story!]
Question Prompt: Mark, what do you remember about the corn harvest when you were growing up on the Andrew Kempf farm?
This was about in 1943 and I was not old enough to pick the corn – I was about 7 years old – and my job was to "drive" the wooden wagon, which was pulled by 2 mules. The mules were owned by my dad, Andrew. I had to hold the reins and say "giddy yap and whoa" I would tap the rear ends of the mules with the reins and say something and they would go – and they would stop when I said "whoa" – most of the time. Daddy (Andrew) picked 4 to 6 rows of corn on the side and Gerald (my older brother) picked the two rows that the wagon drove over that were on the ground – they would throw the ears of dried corn on the wagon. The wooden wagon (we still have the wagon in the barn) had a high board on one side opposite they would throw the corn so it could fall into the wagon on the low side. They went up and down the rows till the wagon was full. Then came the hard part. We took the wagon back to the house and we had to shovel the ears of corn into the barn, using a big corn shovel ( I still use that same shovel in the garden now). The ears were still in their shucks.
The Andrew Kempf Homestead, unknown date
Andrew and Lucille Kempf on their wedding day, December 29, 1931
Mark Kempf's Reply: [As told to Roselyn Keller Kempf, his wife]
The Andrew Kempf Homestead, unknown date
Andrew and Lucille Kempf on their wedding day, December 29, 1931
Mark Kempf's Reply: [As told to Roselyn Keller Kempf, his wife]
Back into the field and picked more corn until it was picked. Gerald got 10 cents a row and I got 10 cents a load. The corn was not planted as close together as it is now. But you could buy a lot of candy for 10 cents at that time. There were about 60 acres in corn and it made about 50 or 60 bushels to the acre. It was also a different kind of corn in those days – it was white corn and not hybrid, meaning some could be saved to replant the next year – which Daddy did. It may have taken a month or more to get all the corn in from the fields and it was around May or June. That was our summer job. The corn did not have to be completely dry as it is now with the combine method, because the corn went into a barn to finish drying before it was shelled. Now with the combine shelling the corn as it is harvested, it goes straight to some grain company, like Keller Grain Inc., so they wait until it is dry in the fields. The first improvement we had on the Kempf Farm, was that we got rid of the mules, and used a tractor to pull the wagon. But we still hand picked the corn. This was when I was about 10 – can't remember for sure how old I was. Uncle Ulrich Kempf bought a corn picker (not a combine) a 2-row picker that was mounted on a tractor. It pulled the corn off the stalk and augered it into the wagon – all at one time. We thought wonder what – we did not have to pick corn any more. When that wagon got full, we pulled it to the barn and we had a lift that was run off a belt from the tractor that got the corn into a trough and the tractor would run the elevator up and push the corn into a hole into the roof of the barn. Before the elevator system, we shoveled the corn into the barn by hand. The problem with the mechanized corn-picking system was a lot
of the ears would fall onto the ground when the tractor turned the corner to go to the next row. So - guess what – we had to go and pick the end of the rows of corn by hand before the corn-picker got there – so no corn would be wasted. And sometimes we just went down the rows to make sure that no corn had fallen to the ground and would be left behind. No waste. After the corn was in the barn, we had to wait for someone to bring the corn Sheller to by – there about 3 or 4 people in the county that had a corn Sheller – it was a big investment and few could afford one. They would bring the corn Sheller by and go up to the barn and a few boys and men would get inside the barn on top of the pile of corn (it was dirty and dusty in there) and shovel or push it into a trough at the barn door on the ground and it would elevate it up on the metal trough to the Sheller where it would separate the shucks and cobs from the kernels of corn – the machine would auger the kernels into a wagon – from there we would take the wagon of corn kernels to Mangold Grain Company at La Coste. Nowadays the combine does the picking, shelling and putting into the truck in one operation and it takes maybe one full day to complete what took us a month or more, not counting the shelling. When the corn was shelled, we let the cobs lay on the ground on a pile – but the shucks were baled into big bales to feed to the cows in winter. We put a little molasses on them sometimes to make them more palatable for the cows. (What great fiber ! – r.k.) The same guys who came to shell the corn brought a baler along for the purpose of baling the shucks. I think the Zinsmeyers had a Sheller. Everybody helped everybody when there was a shelling. The farmers would follow the Sheller and go from place to place. I remember Uncle Bernard Biediger, Uncle Ulrich Kempf, Ernie Rhin, and some Echtles, all helping and going to each other's farms. There was a crew of guys with the Sheller, but the relatives and friends also were there. We had to feed them a break in the morning – probably homemade bread and homemade butter and homemade molasses (most every year we took our sugar cane to the Echtles at LaCoste – Aunt Oliva's family to have molasses made) Also a dinner - mostly fried chicken (we raised the chickens), homemade beans and noodles (If it was Friday it was only beans and noodles). Another break around 3 in the afternoon – more homemade bread and butter and homemade preserves like fig (we lots of fig trees) – lots of water, tea and lemonade. Mama (Lucille) and whoever was around – the wives of the farmers – would cook in our kitchen, which had no air conditioning. We came into the house or on the porch to eat – there were no disposable plates, so the women washed dishes and got ready for the next meal while we men went back to corn shelling. At the end of the day, there were a few cold beers – but we young kids never drank beer.
It was bottled beer as there was no canned beer in those days. It would take a day or two to shell all the corn. One of the barns still stands that Daddy built to store the corn. The elevator and lift still is at Gibby's place. I helped with the corn picking and shelling through the draught of the 1950's and then it became more mechanized – the combines came into being – and when I was in High School, I went to work at Leon's
(now Sammy's) and also went on a milk delivery truck, which went to Uvalde, delivering glass bottles of milk to stores. I had to get up a 4 in the morning to get on the truck – I did that only one summer – did not want to get up at 4 in the morning. I got about 50 cents or less an hour for that job.
[Note on photographs in the above story. They are not necessarily meant to depict the people at the time period my father was talking about. They are to give the reader a better idea of the people in the story. The top photo of the little boy with long hair (sitting in a chair) is my father, Mark Kempf! Later, there is a photo of him with his older brother, Gerald. There is also another one of my father by himself as a young boy. The photo of the horse & tractor team is not identified. The photo of the men working on the tractor (Biry tractor) shows Ulrich Kempf (my father's uncle) in a dark black hat on the far left. The other men are not identified. The two young men standing next to the old car are my father's uncles, Bernard (left) and David (right) Biediger).]
More photographs:
This is an early photo of Andrew Kempf, Julius Mechler & Joe Naegelin playing around!
Andrew Kempf's brother, Ulrich. Andrew & Ulrich's property was adjoining and part of the larger, original Alsatian homestead (from Benjamin Kempf)
Ulrich's son, Gilbert (Gibby) Kempf--Dad's first cousin and the same age. They grew up together and then Gibby's children and my brothers' and I played together. Gilbert still lives on part of the Ulrich Kempf homestead with his wife.
Note from Roselyn Keller Kempf:
I asked Mark about his early memories of corn harvest and as we are at the computer, we can look out and see the field of now harvested corn that borders our yard - the same field Mark worked in as a young boy. The farmer who is renting the Kempf Farm land, Morris Salzman and his son, Travis, have about finished combining. They started yesterday afternoon late and came today to finish. They got into their pickup and left for lunch – no homemade beans and noodles or fresh homemade bread and butter unless they went to Sammy's, who I think still makes homemade noodles and beans on Fridays. Their combine and tractor are air-conditioned with a closed cab so they do not have to sit in the dust and heat and they told Mark they have a GPS system so they can set the first round when they are plowing or planting and then the tractor automatically follows that pattern – they do not have to steer so can plant or plow a straight line – but still hand turn the corners at the end of the rows. I do not think the combine has the GPS only the tractor.
Times have definitely improved the lot of the farmer – but he still is at the mercy of the weather – they have not figured how to order rain at the right time! The Salzman's rent a lot of land from various people, some of which is irrigated and some of which is not – as the Kempf Farm. I am sure they will make much profit on the irrigated corn this year – because here the corn got maybe 6 inches of rain. And a lot of heat! It is 103 on the patio now – and I can see the sunflower field at Gibby's is blooming bright yellow out the window. They planted that for Dove Hunting season.