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Is it Worth Investing in This Oil Company?
Lior is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Shares of BP (NYSE: BP) resumed their downward trend in recent weeks. One of the reasons for the company's decline may have been related to the tumble in the price of oil. But the main issue continues to be the lawsuits BP faces and its future performance. The uncertainty around the company's future may keep pulling down its stock. But is it worth owning this company's stock? Let's review this issue in greater detail.
Is BP Out of the Deep-end?
By the end of 2012, BP was able to allocate $42.2 billion towards funding the cost and fines of the 2010 oil spill. But BP isn't out of the deep-end just yet. More than 160,000 claims were submitted under the Deep-water Horizon Economic and Property Damages Settlement. So if the company will be able to settle these claims, pay its fines, clean and restore the Gulf of Mexico spill within the amount it set aside, then the uncertainty around the company's future will diminish.
The state lawsuit (Louisiana and Alabama) is still pending and is posing the biggest threat for the company. This lawsuit is likely to keep BP's stock from rising as it will continue to pose a threat that BP will need to sell more assets or cut its dividend in the future. In the meantime, BP is slowly growing revenues, and its high dividend yield is making this company an interesting investment.
BP and Dividend
Due to the company's stock tumble, the annual dividend yield of BP continues to lead the way among oil and gas producers: BP's annual dividend payment is $2.16 per share, which comes to an estimated annual yield of 4.95%. In comparison, ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) pays an annual is dividend of $2.28 per share, which comes to a 2.6% yield; Chevron (NYSE: CVX) pays a yearly dividend of $3.60 per share – a 3.1% yearly yield. Moreover, the payout ratio of BP is one the highest for the industry: BP's payout ratio reached in 2012 55%. Exxon's payout ratio was only 22.5%, and Chevron's ratio was 26.5%. This means that BP investors not only receive a high yield, but they also receive a high share of BP's profit.
BP is also planning to buy back $8 billion of its shares, following the company's sale of its 50% share in TNK-BP to Rosneft. This step will put BP on the same path as Exxon and Chevron. Both Exxon and Chevron have been buying back their stocks in recent years: in 2012 Exxon purchased nearly $20.8 billion of its stocks back, while Chevron bought $4.1 billion. So BP is paying back its investors via a high dividend and a strong buy back program. But will BP's revenues continue to grow? One of the factors that will determine it is the direction of oil prices.
BP and Oil Prices
In recent weeks the price of oil took a hit and declined--during April the crude oil price fell by 4%. This decline didn't seem to be related to a reaction to a fundamental change in the oil market. The decline in the price of oil may have adversely affected the future value of oil producers, and thus pulled down the stock prices of oil producers. The price of oil has a mid-strong linear correlation with BP's stock. Despite the recent fall in the price of oil, the quarterly average price of oil for the first quarter of 2013 was 7% higher than the previous quarter, but 8% lower than the average quarterly average during the same quarter in 2012. This could affect the company's profit margin in the first quarter of 2013.
BP and Profitability
As indicated in the chart below, despite the decline in the quarterly average price of oil in the fourth quarter to its lowest level in the past two years, the operating profitability of ExxonMobil and Chevron didn't diminish: the profitability of ExxonMobil reached 15.4%, and Chevron's profit margin was 20%. On the other hand, the profitability of BP remained low at 3.6%. One of the reasons for the relatively low profit margin of BP is its provisions related to the oil spill.
Considering the rise in the quarterly average price of oil, the profit margin of these oil companies might rise slightly in the first quarter of 2013. In such a case, these companies' stocks may rally in the coming weeks.
Final Thoughts
I think BP isn't getting enough credit for its recovery, and the uncertainty around its future is less significant than the market estimates. Considering the recent steps the company implemented and the high dividend yield it offers, the company should be considered an interesting investment opportunity.
For further Reading:
Disclaimer: The author holds no positions in stocks mentioned and does not plan to initiate positions within 120 hours of the posting of this article. This article is to be used for educational, research and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. There are no guarantees, expressed or implied, of future positive returns in regards to the subject matter contained herein. Understand the risks inherent in investing before making the decision to invest or consult an investment professional for more information. Reasonable due diligence has been performed in regards to the information in this article. However, the author expressly disclaims any liability for accidental omissions of information or errors in fact.
Lior Cohen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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After watching a tragic fire burn her parents' pizzeria to the ground, Reena's life course is determined: The 11-year-old grows up to become an arson investigator. As an adult, she returns to her old neighborhood and falls head over heels for a carpenter named Bo. But she's swiftly knocked from cloud nine when a psycho who likes to torch things and once stalked Reena resurfaces, putting her and her Mr. Right in danger. Reena must snare this pyro before her life goes up in flames -- literally! Alicia Witt, Scott Bakula and Matthew Settle star in "Nora Roberts' Blue Smoke."
Well, it looks like you've wandered over into the US Lifetime site. You should go to the UK one. Over here we've got laffs, fashion, tea and biscuits. And David Duchovny.
Nora Roberts Blue Smoke Videos
Block (first block)
Nora Roberts Blue Smoke:
"Blue Smoke" Star Scott Bakula's Worst Job
Nora Roberts Blue Smoke:
Bakula tells Lifetime about the job he despised
Expires: 12/30/50
Nora Roberts Blue Smoke:
Fascination With Fire
Nora Roberts Blue Smoke:
Roberts gives the lowdown on the book turned movie "Blue Smoke."
Expires: 12/30/50

subset: commoncrawl


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Join me, in collaboration with InterContinental, to explore
The Future of Local.
Daniel Raven-Ellison
National Geographic
Emerging Explorer
This conversation is closed.
How will travel change local places in the future?
We travel to discover the different and new. Different people, cultures, environments and places. But as globalization connects isolated and populated places in new ways, how is it changing what we discover and explore?
In an ideally interconnected world, the tension between local and global can be a positive force that protects what is uniquely local but celebrates what is globally common. Can we find that balance? What does that balance look like to you?
"The Future of Local" is our quest to understand how complex interdependencies between people, countries and global brands are changing destinations -- including those that we call home. This conversation is created by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, which has 170 hotels in over 60 countries. Explore this topic with Daniel Raven-Ellison, guerrilla geographer and National Geographic Explorer.
Closing Statement from Daniel Raven-Ellison
Thank you TED community for taking the time to join our conversation. I have been fascinated by the diverse range of contributions that have been made. The stories that have been shared are particularly powerful, with examples of how globalisation is impacting on the communities that we live in, visit and influence.
What is clear is that many of us are working from very different definitions of what 'local' means. Ronald Estrada describes local as "minimal, ecological, and symbiotic" while Iain Ellwood says it is more of "a state of mind not a geographic destination". This idea links well to Dustin Smith's suggestion that technology "changes who we spend time with, and allows us to choose "our own local".
The diversity of definitions of 'local' goes a long way to explain why we have so many different predictions about the future. Steve Knight had the most radical prediction, suggesting that personal air travel "will allow people to re-populate currently remote and unpopulated areas of the world". Pabitra Mukhopadhyay, Dorian Knus and many others share our concern that global forces are damaging local places and raise valid concerns for the future. These worries are met by many points that express the advantages of globalisation, including one by David Rogers who asks "Is the advantage of globalisation the ability to start a conversation anywhere in the world around common experiences?"
There have been a number of engaging solutions, including ways for tourists, travel companies and host communities to act more responsibly and sustainably. The common areas here appear to be high quality research, learning, education, empowerment and participation. Scan through to find some real gems.
Finally, thank you to InterContinental Hotels & Resorts for sponsoring this conversation. This specific discussion is closed, but you can follow the "Future of Local" project via Twitter on #FutureOfLocal. And we'll begin a new conversation on TED.com in the coming weeks.
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Feb 23 2013: Culture is dynamic; but in the times when the means of tranport are not as fast as they are now, the dynamism takes a longer time.
I think that what is called global is the culture promoted by the big media organisations. It is good to look at the bigger picture; but the more we look at the bigger picture, the more we realise that he interaction of cultures is not creating a homogenous global identity.
The good thing is: we are more open-minded than before; we are more willing to learn about other places and hence more willing to travel to new places. These are good times for the tourism and hospitality business (and the best is yet to come).
Local areas may transform and become cosmopolitan in their outlook; but the interaction of the so-called global and the local, will birth a new thing that is neither of the two.
Different and beautiful.
Feb 23 2013: I think the word 'global' is used in problematic ways too. It suggests that something is everywhere and covering our whole planet. In the UK the mobile communications company Everything Everywhere has a name that reads like a definition for 'global', but they are not everything everywhere. I struggle to think of anything human that is truly global, but the word does give us an idea of scale, influence and/or intent. That said, 'global' brands, systems and organisations are changing places and many are becoming more similar.
"the interaction of the so-called global and the local, will birth a new thing that is neither of the two"
What do you think this will look like?
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How to Build a Killer Trellis and Get the Vines to Grow
A great way to incorporate some greenery into the architecture of your garden is to build a trellis. By setting one up in your backyard, you'll be adding a wonderful, eye-catching piece of art, perfect for climbing plants and vines, and with sturdier trellises, hanging pots full of flowers and herbs as well.
5 More Ways to Mancave Your Backyard
5 Things Bosses Do That Really Annoy Employees
We recently looked at some bad habits workers have that annoy their bosses, reduce productivity and prevent them from advancing up the career ladder. Now it's time to examine how bosses can spoil the workplace environment for their employees.
5 Ways to Get Your Kids Excited About the Backyard: Swings, Climbing Walls and More
If you want to get your kids outside, away from their Xbox or Wii, and interested in some of your backyard garden projects, you'll probably need to be somewhat inventive with your gardening ideas. Pulling weeds and planting flowerbeds just won't cut it for most of children. Think incentive here.
We have some ideas.


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Jose Bautista's twisted ankle kept him out of the Blue Jays' lineup for a second consecutive game.
The decision was made late Saturday morning after Bautista took batting practice and tested his ankle with a series of running drills.
Bautista, 32, was injured in the eighth inning of Thursday's win over Cleveland. He beat out a fielder's choice ground ball but landed awkwardly on first base. He remained in the game to run the bases but didn't take his spot in right field in the ninth.
On Friday, Bautista said the injury wasn't serious and said that he would be playing if the Blue Jays were in a pennant race or in the playoffs.
Bautista remains day-to-day.
Meantime, the Blue Jays made their first roster move of the season.
Dave Bush, 33, has been recalled from Triple-A Buffalo and will be in uniform on Saturday. The right-hander began his career with the Blue Jays, pitching in Toronto for two seasons (2004-2005.)
To make room for Bush, the Blue Jays have designated reliever Jeremy Jeffress for assignment.
Jeffress, 25, made the team at the end of spring training when the club broke camp with an eight-man bullpen. He made one appearance, Friday against Boston, allowing one run on one hit and walking two in one inning.


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I spent most of the last week at the Rotary International (RI) 2008 convention. Rotary International is a service organization with over 1.2 million members who belong to more than 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries around the world. I am very proud of of being a part of this group.
The parallels between Rotary and amateur radio are pretty clear. Just as men and women around the world are amateur radio operators, so too are they Rotarians. Another parallel is the emphasis on promoting international good will. Both promote a respect for people who come from cultures other than one's own and who live in countries other than one's own.
Rotary has a group of "mini clubs" called International Fellowships (IFs). IFs are formed around a particular interest, such as bird watching or motorcycling. There is, of course, an IF for amateur radio. It's called IF-ROAR, short for International Fellowship for Rotarians on Amateur Radio. IF-ROAR has more than 500 members, all of whom are Rotary Club members.
At the RI convention, ROAR conducted their annual meeting, which I had the good fortune to attend. This is how I acquired the ROAR-Japan flag pictured above. The Japanese contingent brought a flag for each of the attendees. Exchanging banners such as these is a time-honored Rotary tradition, and I would like to that the ROAR-Japan members for being so thoughtful.
Rotary also has a tradition of clubs in different countries partnering on international projects. I'm thinking that I might be able to work through IF-ROAR to get my brother clubs idea off the ground. Stay tuned.


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Kidz Bizzzz. Come and feel the new buzzzz!
Extended opening times
Kidz Bizzzz is now open until 5PM every day, including school days!
Monday - Friday: 9AM - 5PM
Sunday, Saturday & Public Holidays: 10AM - 5PM
Parties and special occasions
Spend your time celebrating and leave the food, cleaning and entertainment to us. Call to book your next function with family and friends at Kidz Bizzzz.
Visit us
Address: 4a Mertonvale Circuit Kingston TAS 7050
Phone: 03 6227 2020
Email: email@example.com


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During the summer when my garden is bursting with zucchini, I make this soup in large quantities. I freeze it in pint freezer containers, but do not add the coconut milk until I cook it.
Curried Zucchini Soup
shellycall Posted: 11/22/09
cookiejim Posted: 07/16/10
When using curry, at the end of the saute of the onion, blend in the curry then and cook for a couple minutes, stiring often. This will take away the raw taste of the curry. I prefere to cook most dry spices in the saute protion of a recipe. I also added a small diced serrano chili to the blender for spice. For fresh herbs add at the end of the cooking process to keep the integrety of the spice.
Melindatracy1 Posted: 04/30/09
Eh...just ok. I found it pretty darn bland...I had to add quite a bit of salt to make it passable.
DoggieMom Posted: 09/23/13
As I made this and tasted it along the way I thought I wasn't going to like it. When it was done I wasn't impressed the first few spoonfuls. But as I continued to eat it, it grew on me and by the time I hit the bottom of the bowl I really, really liked it. Definitely a keeper!


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Movie News
GREGOR SAMSA Scurries Into A Screening Of CHEATERS!!
Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
There was a project I first mentioned here on AICN way back in February of this year. In one of my RUMBLINGS, I talked about Andrew Gurland's CHEATERS, which was just getting ready to shoot at the time. Gurland was still new to me at that moment, and since then, I've had the chance to talk to him about the project, and I've also seen a pretty fair sampling of his short film work. If you go to IFilm, you should be able to find BLACK PEOPLE HATE ME & THEY HATE MY GLASSES as well as FUCK GRAMMAGLIA UP, two short films that I find very, very funny. Describing them to you really won't do them justice. They're original, they're wicked, and I really like the sense of humor.
So when Gregor Samsa called me tonight to tell me he'd had a chance to see a screening of CHEATERS, I was interested, and I asked him to send me a report. In the background, I could hear John Robie marching around the Cathouse, adamantly screaming out something about "pretentious crap," but he never did calm down enough for me to talk to him. I liked the script when I read it, and I've heard good things from inside New Line about the movie. Doesn't sound like Samsa's a fan, though, and here he is to tell you why...
Just got in from tonight's screening of CHEATERS. I have to say that this movie is one of the worst so-called 'teen movies' yet. This movie has no soul. It has no heart gives the audience no reason to care about anyone. Here is a brief synopsis of the plot.
Four guys in high school are really good at cheating. They each have their role of importance in the cheating process. The leader of the group is Handsome. That's his name, Handsome. His role is the smooth guy who can get out of anything. Watch for the permanent and very irritating smirk. Then we have Sammy, Handsome's best friend since kindergarten. His role I think is supposed to be a lookout or something. Next is Victor. He has Hollywood hair, and he's very pretty. Puke. He is the enforcer. And last on the list of cheaters is Applebee. His thing is that he can write really really small. Well, they all cheat. Some start feeling like they need to grow up and they all turn on each other. Then everyone hates Handsome. Then everyone loves him.
Ok, that's the gist. My biggest problem with this film is its inherent lack of a soul. People I am sure are going to lump this in with Ferris Bueller's Day Off and liken it to American Pie. Well, both of those films give us something to hold on to...likeable characters. Cheaters, on the other hand, has a bunch of guys that we are just supposed to like, for no apparent reason. I just read Moriarty's script review and I can totally where he was coming from. The idea is fun and different, but goddamn, the execution was in the toilet.
The Handsome character is basically based around the director, Andrew Gurland, and whatever happened to him in high school. After seeing the three hour Almost Famous (director's cut) and absolutely loving it, I am qualified in saying that I don't mind autobiographical stories. But just because I write a movie about myself and I really dig my life, doesn't mean everybody else will. The kids are just plain dumb, and EVERY adult in the movie is portrayed as a total idiot. Seriously, EVERY SINGLE ADULT is played as a jackass.
Handsome is always getting himself into trouble and he always finds a way to wiggle himself out. ***SPOILER WARNING*** One scene just makes absolutely no sense at all. Handsome and his Dad are driving somewhere, his Dad tells him he needs to stop cheating or else. Now, think to yourself, what would I say to my Dad if he said that? Would you possibly just tell him "ok" to get through the situation? Or, would you bring up the DOGPORN you found in his closet? I know that sounds funny, and it would be, if it weren't just so plainly thrown in for American Pie-esque shock value.
Now there is one really funny moment in the film, which is all Matt Lawrence (Victor). I know, I ripped on him for his Hollywood hair earlier, and shit, he is Joey Lawrence's little brother, but hey, he made the whole audience laugh. I won't give it away, just in case you have to sit through this movie someday. It involves him talking on the phone to a teachers adopted son and posing as someone else. Now that joke is funny, except for the next half hour they just keep on harping on adopted kids for some reason. I am not adopted, I have no personal agenda, but ten "adopted kid" jokes are a little much.
Another really bad joke was the Asian janitor, Marty. Woohoo, he's Asian, that's funny right? What the hell is wrong with people? An Asian accent and being dumb is not funny. It's cheap as hell.
You know what else isn't funny? The "weird" girl who calls authority figures "Douchebag." Nobody even laughed the first time she did it. Her whole point in the movie is to show up, call someone a douchbag a few times, and leave. She is a pointless character with a pointless and consistently unfunny joke.
The only character that actually comes off with a heart is Sammy, but it's not until about 70 minutes in that we see it. You'll remember Sammy as Pnub in IDLE HANDS. He is the only character that actually does any growing or really changes at all. I am sick and tired of every teen comedy being set in some alternate universe where every adult is an idiot and every kid is as sly as a fox. Anyway, don't put yourself through this painful mess, unless you are into that sort of thing.
Samsa Out
Readers Talkbackcomments powered by Disqus
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Dec. 14, 2000, 6:02 a.m. CST
Now that was refreshing
by Wicked Raygun
About time we get to hear someone air out my own personal angst against "bad" teen movies. Don't get me wrong, there's a few gems out there, but man, do you have to crawl through a mountain of shit to find them!
Dec. 14, 2000, 6:33 a.m. CST
by Silver_shadow
I hope everyone can hear the happiness in my voice. Oh, well, this movie could be worse. They could actually put in a few of the other token 'teen' stars. By the way, who the hell plays the other characters? Either I skimmed through too quickly again, or there wasn't any info on them.
Dec. 14, 2000, 9:40 a.m. CST
And I thought American Pie Sucked...
by SteelyMax
If Samsa actually liked American Pie as a teen movie and then hated this movie, it must be the worst pile of celluloid ever printed.
Dec. 14, 2000, 12:45 p.m. CST
To the douchebags who made this shitty movie:
by Junior D-Girl
I HATED IT. Cheaters are assholes!! Not role models!! This is the result of letting immature filmmakers have their way, we wind up with nothing. But then that's par for the course these days. Let's put the teen movie to bed it needs a rest. As do the manager-producers who sold this script and the boy wonder exec at New Line who supervised it, these guys are cheating themselves and audiences into thinking cheaters are worthy of admiration. Well guess what boys, they aren't.
Dec. 14, 2000, 1:32 p.m. CST
'cheaters' coulda ruled...
by tommy5tone
moriarty's script review put this on my cool list (but then again, he was mad keen on 'the story of us'...), but this sounds like a right fuck-up now. why didn't they go with the sweet-sounding high version of 'goodfellas' rather than another stale slice of 'american pie' (which kinda sucked BTW - 'road trip' was a far superior teen movie)? five-tone with little to say but sayin' it anyway and OUT.
Dec. 14, 2000, 1:48 p.m. CST
agree with Tommy...
by SteelyMax
I agree that Road Trip is underrated as a teen movie. It was funny and actually had a point to it - unlike American Pie, which i'm not even getting into...
Dec. 14, 2000, 3:40 p.m. CST
by filmgeekazoid
whatever happended to that other cheater movie Slackers?
Dec. 14, 2000, 6:06 p.m. CST
So in other words this movie spinks? Paging Bob Shaye:
by Troublemaker2000
It spinks on ice, is that the general thrust of this Talkback? Ah well can't win 'em all I guess. As the old saying goes, cheaters never prosper...except in Hollywood at New Line, speaking of which here's a memo from New Line prez Bob Shaye as reported on inside.com: ''Things got really confusing when Shaye -- this time speaking off the cuff and nearly tearing up a couple of times -- reminded employees that New Line may claim to work harder, be smarter and outdistance the other studios, but that just wasn't true this year. He went on to say that, when talking to investors over the past 30 years, New Line's motto was 'M-G-M, not Metro Goldwyn Mayer, but Make Good Movies. Except this year it's been a lot more like MSNBC: Make Some Not Brilliant Clunkers.' It is important to note that this moment was not played for laughs. ''An awkward, grade-school-esque move came late in Shaye's speech, when he demanded that everyone in the room 'not interested in serving our customers, the people,' get up and leave, 'because you're at the wrong company, if not in the wrong industry.' You could hear a pin drop. ''Of course, the other big news of the night was that production head Mike De Luca knew exactly what this speech was going to entail and no-showed his first Christmas party in years out of protest, a fact that certainly lends credence to the newest rumors of his departure. ''At least Quentin Tarantino had a good time.'' However, DeLuca's nonappearance may only have surprised the non-New Line attendees, says one person at the company. ''No one holds it against him that he didn't go -- no one expected him to go,'' says the staffer. ''Management is blaming him for a bad year -- it's unfair that he is being held totally accountable, so why would he go?'' While we're spreading the Christmas cheer, what follows is the text of a Dec. 1 letter sent by Shaye to the New Line staff: Dear New Liner, Not only has this year slipped so quickly through our fingers, it has done so with more than the normal amount of turmoil. In short, besides corporate and intra-corporate issues, it was unfortunately scarred by over-budgets, and under-achievement in our production activities. The results are not pretty: a dismal year in our company's history. In learning about the vagaries of professional life, I'll take a page from a real champion, Ted Turner. He knows that it's very difficult to win the pennant, let alone the series, every year. But even if it's tough, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try like hell to be back on top in the twelve months ahead and beyond. We've got some promising movies coming up, hopefully to be crowned with Lord of the Rings next Christmas. In all events, top is where we belong, and I intend to do my best to put us back there. I hope I can count on you to be busting your hump, right along side mine. My warm wishes for an enjoyable holiday season, and for the joy of accomplishment in the year ahead. Sincerely, Robert Shaye//CC: Bender-Spink-Brener/Gurland
Dec. 15, 2000, 2:51 p.m. CST
by Reverb
The script SLACKERS is now the movie HOOKING UP ETHAN. Stars Devon Sawa, Jason Schwartzman, actress/supermodel James King, Michael Maronna. It's due in the spring of 2001.
Dec. 15, 2000, 8:51 p.m. CST
Wasn't this fucking thing an HBO movie already?
by Darth Philbin
It had Jeff Daniels and was based on a true story of a chickenhawk that helped a bunch of inner-city dumbasses to beat a private school in an academic decathalon. It was pretty fucking good, too. It's bad enough that every movie has the same fucking plot nowadays, let alone the same fucking title. Although the late night Cinemax favorite "Sexual Matrix" was way better than that steaming pile of Warshitski.
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"what is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? – it's the too-huge world vaulting us, and it's good-by. but we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies." what did you all think of part two of on the (…) Read more »
Tagged: lifestyle - 41/44 - Free People Blog
on the road: part two
firefly literacy fund
some friends of mine are involved in a nonprofit organization called the firefly literacy fund that I think is really cool…it's all about bridging the opportunity gap in the city of philadelphia by working with families, teachers, schools and shelters. they have donated hundreds of books to elementary school students and this past october they (…) Read more »
michele, ma belle…
you might recognize this gal from our latest catalog…her name is michele ouellet and not only is she beautiful but she's also a pretty rad person. if you weren't jealous of her already, this napa valley native also makes her own wine…read on for brief interview with michele! if you weren't a model, what would (…) Read more »
monday quote
- mahatma gandhi; image. (…) Read more »
space 15 twenty turns one!Dec 04, 2009
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fishtown holiday walkDec 04, 2009
if you're looking for something to do in philly tonight, head on over to fishtown, where they're having a holiday walk this evening from 6-9pm! over 25 local businesses are participating and they've all got specials going on…there will be live music, art exhibits, food and drink, holiday shopping specials and more. a couple of (…) Read more »
a fairytale weddingDec 04, 2009
these wedding photos are absolutely gorgeous…the beautiful bride, who works in our new york showroom, was kind enough to share them for the blog. the wedding took place at the hotel dupont in wilmington, delaware, and the outdoor portraits below were taken at the nearby gibraltar gardens. looks like the epitome of a fairytale wedding (…) Read more »
new blog design!!!Dec 04, 2009
notice anything different? today is a very exciting day on the blog, as we have launched our new blog design! not that we didn't love the old design, but we felt it was time for a fresh new look that will be much easier for you all to navigate around. i'd like to say a (…) Read more »
girls on film on musicDec 03, 2009
*thao with the get down stay down – know better learn faster make no mistake: this is an album about heartbreak. thao nguyen's own heartbreak. even though you're set up for this material to come off as whiney, she somehow manages to avoid this by sending it out with punchy and dancey tunes. a great (…) Read more »
mia overgaardDec 03, 2009
i came across the work of illustrator mia overgaard on the decor8 blog and i just had to share it…she does such cool fashion and beauty illustrations! here are some of my favorites… i also thought her handwritten bio on her website was really cute…it's transcribed underneath, in case it's hard to read :) i (…) Read more »
holiday wallpaper download!Dec 02, 2009
another holiday download for you! click on the image to go to our flickr page and download this cute wallpaper for your desktop, done by our incredibly talented designer kris chau :) (…) Read more »
everything…Dec 02, 2009
images: alicia bock; martin creed; i'm floating, weightless; prismatic-effect; knight cat; lina scheynius; isphotography (…) Read more »


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Thanksgiving is just days away, and many people are heading to the grocery store shopping for a turkey.
However, others who aren't as fortunate are heading to food banks for a helping hand.
Hundreds of people lined up outside St. Mary's Food Bank on Thomas and 31st Ave and waited for a box of food Monday morning.
"It's definitely a blessing, I appreciate every bit of it," says Linda McDaniel.
Linda McDaniel does not know what she would do if she didn't get a box of food.
"I just wouldn't be able to feed my family."
Many of us have no idea what it is like to be hungry for days, but it's a reality for thousands here in the valley.
"Imagine living with the stress of not only being hungry but not knowing where your next meal is going to come from," says Beverly Demore, St. Mary's Food Bank.
Every year, St. Mary's has a turkey drive. Grocery stores and companies around the valley pitch in donating turkeys.
A family of four can feed themselves for a couple of days.
"I think it's great 'cause there are a lot of people that don't have food," says Dee Vaughn, who picked up a food box. She will share it with her neighbors.
Around the corner, people are donating turkeys. And it's not just turkey -- people are dropping off everything they would like to see on their own thanksgiving table.
St. Mary's is hoping to collect 7,000 turkeys. With help from people like the Shanks, they will make it.
"It's a good thing to do this time of year. There's a lot of people that don't have what we have," says Darrell Shank.
The food bank could use your help. The turkey drive will go right through Christmas, and the demand for food is great.
St. Mary's Food Bank - www.firstfoodbank.com
KTBC FOX 7119 East 10th StreetAustin, TX 78701Phone: (512) 476-7777Fax: (512) 495-7001


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The Value-Add Moneymaker
Energy management promises to glue security customers to their providers
In addition to saving money, they will assist the security system in the event of an intruder. "The system will turn on selected lights to full bright to scare off an intruder," said Matthews. They can cause the landscape lighting or porch lights to flash, scaring off the potential interloper, making it obvious to security or police which house has sent the alarm. In either case, the local dimmer is locked until the panel is re-armed.
Transitioning to newer technology and methods is not always easy but dealers and integrators need to get on board with integrated security and smart home offerings to reap the benefits of what these value-adds can offer.
The sum of it all
"There is a trend to best-in-class for home systems," confirmed Matthews. "That is the key sales direction for the local dealer-you have a great value proposition by offering the homeowner the ability to save money and interact with elements in the home."
Abid's studies show there were 16 million homes with AMI by the end of 2010. He expects that figure to rise to 55 million meters-or 45 percent of US households-by 2015.
First came the acquisition of Meter Solutions, based in Orem, Utah, a company specializing in the installation of Automated Metering Infrastructure systems (AMI), technology that automatically collects data from utilities and transmits it wirelessly. It was an interesting strategy for APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc., Provo, Utah, which mostly grew "organically," said Alex Dunn, chief operating officer. Then came word that on February 1, APX Alarm, one of the nation's largest security companies, would change its name to Vivint, said Kristi Knight, vice president of Corporate Communications.
Knight told SD&I magazine in an exclusive interview that the name will be indicative of the company's continued move into residential energy management."Energy management and smart grids are the biggest area of growth in home automation and we wanted a name that was indicative of who we are and what we stood for," she said. According to Knight, 'Viv' represents the word live and 'int' stands for intelligence. New logos, colors, yard signs and overall rebranding strategies will be part of the planned change.
Curt Harler is a regular contributor to SD&I magazine. Reach him at email@example.com.
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Mazda Dealer Near Hialeah, FL
Find the complete award-winning lineup of new Mazda Vehicles at your Mazda Dealer Near Hialeah, FL, Ocean Mazda. With an amazing lineup featuring impressive SUV's, outstanding sedans and coveted performance models there's a new Mazda model that fits your auto needs.
At Ocean Mazda the Mazda model you want is within your reach and comes standard with the proven reliability and exhilarating performance you only get in a Mazda. Climb into performance oriented models like 2013 Mazda Speed3 or the world-renowned 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata and enjoy pure driving excitement whenever you climb behind the wheel. The all-new 2014 Mazda6 offers you the best of both worlds, with incredible handling and performance plus exceptional luxury, technology and fuel efficiency. Mazda's SUV lineup, including the 2014 CX-5 and 2013 CX-9, provide the comfortable and spacious interior you desire, while still offering the exciting performance Mazda is known for. Even the sporty alternative to the minivan, the 2013 Mazda5, gives you a combination of versatility and performance driving not available with boring, boxy minivans from the competition.
The technology you want comes standard in many Mazda Vehicles in Hialeah, FL like Navigation, Infotainment systems, Advanced Safety technologies and Bluetooth with available streaming audio capability. Mazda also delivers incredible fuel efficiency with SKYACTIV technology, allowing new Mazda Vehicles in Hialeah, FL like the 2014 CX-5 to deliver the best fuel economy of any SUV on the market today. In fact, the 2014 CX-5 in Hialeah, FL delivers up to 40 MPG—EPA-estimated—saving you money every time you fill your tank.
Shopping Tools
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Choosing Mazda Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles in Hialeah, FL makes perfect sense for buyers looking to save over new model prices while still enjoying Mazda reliability and performance.
With Mazda Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles you enjoy only the best in late model, well-maintained Mazda vehicles, because only the best pre-owned Mazda vehicles make the cut. Purchasing a certified pre-owned Mazda gives you all the mind-blowing, heart-pounding performance you find in a new Mazda while allowing you to spend fewer of your hard-earned dollars. Every Mazda Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle in Hialeah, FL is put through a rigorous 150-inspection and features a Certified Pre-Owned Warranty. It's like taking a fine-toothed comb through every inch of the vehicle before it leaves our lot, guaranteeing every Certified Pre-Owned Mazda offers the best of Mazda before you take it home.
Auto Service & Repair Hialeah, FL
Properly maintaining your Mazda ensures years of reliable performance and your safety on the road. At Ocean Mazda you'll find our Mazda Full Circle Service and Mazda Express Service are always ready to handle your need for Auto Service & Repair Hialeah, FL.
Ocean Mazda offers you a complete Mazda service experience for auto service & repair in Hialeah, FL including Mazda Full Circle Service and Mazda Express Service. With Mazda Full Circle Service we'll handle all your factory recommended maintenance needs quickly and affordably. For all your quick service needs like oil changes and filter replacements Mazda Express Service will have you in and out quickly, because simple auto services shouldn't take up your valuable time. Schedule a service appointment today and experience the difference Mazda service makes in your vehicles performance.


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Just happend 2 nights ago. I am more or less new to end-game raids (having only run about 5 or 6 ever). The other night I was sick of the PVP grind so I decided to take my 59 mage out for a night on the town, and saw a group was forming for live strat.
A few minutes later we had a group of 2 rogues, a warrior, a priest, and myself.
I knew the raid was doomed when the warrior was made leader and then questioned "why was I made leader?"
someone replied "...uh, because you're the warrior."
and the warrior replied, and i'm quoting here, "i'm more of a 'you point and i attack' type of warrior".
needless to say, the raid lasted about an hour and then, after 2 wipes, we all just sort of went our separate ways.


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What we do on the farm
Our lavender is all hand harvested, after harvest some of our lavender is taken to our drying shed where it is bundled and hung upside down to be dried for future us as dried lavender bouquets or further processed and cleaned for culinary use.
Other lavender is harvested for oil. In that process we harvest all the lavender again by hand. Where it is brought back to an area where we cut it up into smaller pieces and put into a basket like container that is then put into our distiller. This is done immediately after the lavender is harvested from the field. Once in the distiller, distilled water is added and we begin the process of heating the water to create steam which the steam is what extracts the oil from the lavender flower/plant. The steam is then cooled and the oil will float on top of the water and is then removed for use in all our wonderful lavender products. The water that is remaining is called hydrosol water, which is distilled water laced with lavender essential oil. We then bottle and sell this product as our lavender water.
Our 10 gallon still takes 5 – 6 plants to fill. The flowers are then steam distilled to produce approximately 4 ounces of lavender essential oil.


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The Cutter has a brain?
Rick676 Wrote: Oct 12, 2012 8:02 AM
DANVILLE, KY - During the vice presidential debate tonight, when pressed about the lack of security at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi before the attack on 9/11,Vice President Joe Biden said, "We weren't told they wanted more security. We did not know they wanted more security there."
Biden's statement is false. As I wrote earlier, documents, State...


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Refugia for biological diversity in arid and semi-arid Australia
Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4
S.R. Morton, J. Short and R.D. Barker, with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce
Biodiversity Unit
Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, 1995
11. Refugia in South Australia (continued)
11.12. Reference number SA12
Refuge area Northern Flinders Ranges
Biogeographic region Flinders and Olary Ranges
Type of refuge Gorges/mountain ranges
Lat./Long. 31°S / 139°E
Quality of refuge: Extremely significant (7)
Area (km²): <10,000
Chief refuge value
Habitat for ANZECC-listed species, and habitat for endemic and relict species.
General description
A north-south trending series of Ranges surrounded to east and west by arid and relatively featureless country. Through the Ranges cut a series of gorges, some of which contain permanent or persistent waters1, 2. Many significant plant species persist in the northern Ranges because of slightly elevated rainfall brought about by the interception of moisture-bearing clouds, and also because of retention of moisture in gorges. In addition, the presence of rare plants at many locations throughout the Ranges provides evidence of the ecological diversity of the Ranges and their conservation significance2.
ANZECC-listed species
The plants Senecio megaglossus, Acacia araneosa and A. menzelii3.
Regional endemics
The plants mentioned above appear almost or totally to be confined to the Ranges. The reptiles Aprasia pseudopulchella (Pygopodidae) and Ctenophorus vadnappa (Agamidae) are endemic to the Ranges4, and a fish, the Flinders Ranges gudgeon Mogurnda sp., is restricted to waterways in the Gammon Ranges National Park5.
Relict species
In addition to the evolutionary relict mentioned above (Mogurnda sp.), the yellow-footed rock-wallaby Petrogale xanthopus has retreated to the Ranges. Although it has greatly declined, it is still known from 180 sites. Population size is estimated at 10,000-20,000; the animals are widespread throughout the region and in some areas are locally common6.
Other significant species
The plants Senecio georgianus, Myoporum refractum, Acacia iteaphylla, Sclerolaena bicuspis, Calostemma luteum, Galium binifolium, Grevillea huegelii, Enneapogon intermedius, Maireana eriantha, Tephrosia sphaerospora, Gypsophila australis, Olearia calcarea, Asplenium flabellifolium, Doodia caudata, Pteris tremula, and Nicotiana occidentalis obliqua2, 3.
Key threats
Land degradation due to over-grazing by rabbits, sheep and goats; declining water quality in streams because of visitation.
Land tenure
Flinders Ranges National Park, Gammon Ranges National Park, pastoral leases.
Key references
1. Morelli and Drewien (1993)
2. Greenwood et al. (1989)
3. Leigh et al. (1984)
4. Cogger et al. (1993)
5. Wager and Jackson (1993)
6. Lim et al. (1987)


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KAFE 104.1 is your Haunted Headquarters! Click on the links below for Trick-or-Treat times in your neighborhood, Haunted Houses, and Safety Tips.
Downtown Bellingham
Historic Fairhaven
Downtown Ferndale
Downtown Anacortes
Downtown Mount Vernon
Downtown La Conner
Downtown Sedro Woolley
Cascade Mall
The Haunted Forest
Haunted Maze
Pumpkin Patch in the Pool
Halloween at the Marine Life Center
Depot Market Square Halloween Carnival
Halloween Stories
Nightmare at the Spark Museum
Skagit & Island Counties
Haunted Forest
Tips from AAA on ways motorists can help keep roadways safe this Halloween:
- Avoid driving through neighborhoods. If possible, avoid cutting through residential streets where trick-or-treaters are likely to be.
- Watch for children in the street. Trick-or-treaters may not pay attention to cars and cross mid-block or between parked cars.
- Slow down. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian is more than twice as likely to be killed if they're hit by a car traveling at 35 mph compared to 25 mph. What seems like a small difference—just 10 mph—can be the difference between life and death.
- Drive sober. Always designate a sober driver if you plan to drink. Visit www.PreventDUI.AAA.com to learn more.
Simple steps for parents to help keep trick-or-treaters safe:
- Check costumes. Choose disguises that don't obstruct vision, opt for non-toxic face paint instead of masks, and add reflective material or tape to keep kids visible.
- Trick-or-Treat together. AAA recommends that parents accompany young trick-or-treaters.
- Make a plan. Review trick-or-treat safety precautions and plan your route ahead of time. Remind children never to cross the street mid-block or from between parked cars.
Buckle up. If driving trick-or-treaters between neighborhoods, always use appropriate seat belts or car seats and have children exit and enter on the passenger side of the vehicle.


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Elizabeth Edwards said this weekend that she and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who have both been treated for cancer, have one thing in common: "Neither one of us would be covered by his health policy." Under McCain's plan, insurance companies "wouldn't have to cover preexisting conditions like melanoma and breast cancer," she said, since cancer survivors are routinely denied insurance when they try to purchase it as individuals. Read more about McCain's health care plan at the Wonk Room.
Elizabeth will be writing a post on ThinkProgress soon to further discuss her views on this issue.


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Channel 19
Todd Dills
CSA-Proofing, part two: Closed greasing system
I wanted to highlight a maintenance tip today you may have missed from owner-operator Gordon Alkire, leased to Landstar, down in the comments section on my "CSA-proof your rig" cover story for this month's Overdrive (if you haven't read that story yet, find it here in text or in digital mag format here). Essentially, Alkire's engineered a solution to the problem of needing to get under the truck to grease front and rear suspension components with a system he says he's spent a mere $75 on.
"This is not a commercial system but a homemade one," says Alkire. "Kudos to Bill Marciniac," a close personal friend of Alkire's and a "really good mechanic and owner-operator. It is his idea, and he furnished and drilled the blocks for me…. He has the same system on his truck."
And not only does it keep you off the ground, says Alkire, but helps avoid tickets for excess oil and grease: "Yes, you can get a ticket for excess grease and/or oil on the truck. Stupid, I know, but with the economy as it is and towns and states misspending our money, it is to be expected."
Alkire says Marciniac's gotten several DOT inspector compliments on his system over the years for its cleanliness, a quality that can go a long way toward avoiding detailed inspections at the scale house. It's "a sign that he does his best to take care of his equipment."
Following find Gordon's explanation of the system as well as several pictures he took and sent to me. Next step, he says: the suspension of his 48-foot dry van.
How-to: Build a closed greasing system, by Gordon Alkire
The system is comprised of several solid aluminum blocks about 1.25-1.5-inch square and about 6-8 inches long. Aluminum is easy to drill and lightweight. I use three blocks on the tractor. One block for the rear (set-up pictured at right and in next pic below) and two for the front end due to the many moving parts in the steering assembly and to keep the lines as short as possible.
The blocks are drilled completely through and then thread-tapped to accommodate the brass fittings on the bottom and the grease Zerks on top. This allows grease to pass through unimpeded. It would not hurt to drill and tap a couple of extra holes just in case one strips out at a later time. Don't forget to drill mounting holes in the blocks also.
It is not recommended to use T fittings in the lines, as you will not know if the two fittings are getting equal grease or not. One may be getting all of the grease and the other none. That is not your goal.
I bought a 100-foot roll of quarter-inch plastic line to use on the system, a bag of quarter-inch brass compression fittings for both ends. Make sure brass fittings and Zerks are the same size and the threads match. I bought several packages of Zerk fittings. (Set up on rear shown in detail at right.)
Don't forget to be sure to check the Zerk sizes and threads, as many look the same but are not.
You can use some of the grease fittings you take off the brake and slack adjusters and put them on the blocks instead. I prefer the 45-degree-angle ones to ease the position of the grease gun.
I bought several rolls of plastic loom to protect the lines from road debris and rubbing damage, likewise a large package of 10-inch black UV-resistant plastic ties to fasten the lines up in several places each. Don't forget to allow for suspension movement.
Once you get the length of line for each fitting measured, hook the block lines up first. Be sure to have the fittings installed on the brakes and other grease points underneath, but do not hook those lines up yet. Once you're ready, and all lines are in place, on the block begin to apply grease one fitting at a time. When you see grease come out of the end of the line, stop. (Line to slack adjuster in rear pictured here.)
OverdriveOnline.com strives to maintain an open forum for reader opinions. Click here to read our comment policy.


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Inspire Art picked a winning design in their logo design contest
For just $299, they received 575 designs from 98 designers.
From logos and business cards to websites and stationery, you can get anything designed by running your own design contest on 99designs.
Create the next logo for Inspire Art
- Qualifying
- The contest was open to all designers
- Selected finalists
- The contest holder selected 6 finalists
- Final round
- Finalists continued to submit designs
- Selected a winner
- The contest holder awarded a winner
Top entries
Design brief
Inspire Art
Inspire Art is a global call to artists, thinkers, talkers, dreamers and anyone who wants to use their talent as a vehicle to fight for human rights.
Simultaneously, this initiative creates a broad network of gifted people who gain international visibility for their efforts. The more art we create, the more attention we will bring to these gifted artists, and all matters pertaining to human rights.
You can see more on Inspire here:
You can see a gallery of international contributions thus far here: http://www.pinterest.com/sarahfimm
Community & Non-Profit
None specified
If you come to Facebook, and join our group called 'Inspire Art', it may help provide insight into what this is all about. I look forward to seeing your beautiful work, and I am really looking forward to the process. Thank you so much!
connecting 880,848 designers with customers seeking design services.
I need something designed I'm a designer


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I made this last Christmas to rave reviews. It looks gorgeous in a glass dish. Friends seemed a little skeptical since it doesn't look like a chutney or jellied sauce - but the flavors convinced them. I thought the amount of sugar might be excessive, but followed the directions exactly. The ratio was perfect - I like my cranberries a little tart to cut through all the fattiness of the traditional heavy meal.
Julie's Brandied Cranberries
More From Sunset
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
- Calories: 166
- Calories from fat: 0.5%
- Protein: 0.2g
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated fat: 0.0g
- Carbohydrate: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sodium: 1.3mg
- Cholesterol: 0.0mg
- 1 bag (12 oz.) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 tablespoons finely shredded orange zest
- 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Discard any soft or decayed cranberries.
- 2. Mix cranberries, sugar, brandy to taste, and orange zest in an 8- or 9-in. square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Make ahead: Cover and chill up to 1 week.
- Note: Nutritional analysis is per 3-tbsp. serving.
My Notes
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Julie's Brandied Cranberries Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Sauces/Condiments
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining, 5 Ingredients or Less
- CUISINE: American
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Fruits
- COOKING METHOD: Bake
- OCCASION: Thanksgiving
- PUBLICATION: Sunset
More Recipes Like This
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Harrison's resignation is apparently a concession to the U.S. Justice Department, which is investigating whether Solyndra misrepresented the company's financial situation in order to obtain — and later refinance — a $534 million loan from the federal government.
The company's epic collapse has become a major thorn in the side of the Obama administration, which now faces a Congressional investigation into whether the Solyndra loan was politically motivated.
After Harrison and Solyndra CFO W.G. Stover refused to testify before Congress, the DOJ filed a motion to appoint a trustee in the company's bankruptcy case, noting that concerns that executives would not be forthcoming about Solyndra's operations.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the company is now looking to replace Harrison with Todd Neilson, the former bankruptcy trustee for Mike Tyson and Suge Knight.


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Walras-Lindahl-Wicksell : What equilibrium concept for public goods provision ? I - The convex case
AbstractDespite the large number of its references, this paper is less a survey than a systematic exposition, in an unifying framework and assuming convexity as well on the consumption side as on the production side, of the different equilibrium concepts elaborated for studying provision of public goods. As weak as possible conditions for their existence and their optimality properties are proposed. The general conclusion is that the drawbacks of the different equilibrium concepts lead to founding public economic policy either on direct Pareto improving government interventions or on state enforcement of decentralized mechanisms.
Download InfoIf you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Bibliographic InfoPaper provided by Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne in its series Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne with number 09009.
Length: 23 pages
Date of creation: Feb 2009
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:mse:cesdoc:09009
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Phone: + 33 44 07 81 00
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Web page: http://centredeconomiesorbonne.univ-paris1.fr/
More information through EDIRC
Related researchKeywords: Private provision equilibrium; Lindahl-Foley equilibrium; public competitive equilibrium; abstract economies; equilibrium existence; welfare theorems; core.;
Other versions of this item:
- Monique Florenzano, 2009. "Walras-Lindahl-Wicksell: What equilibrium concept for public goods provision ? I - The convex case," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00367867, HAL.
- D51 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Exchange and Production Economies
- D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General
- H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2009-05-23 (All new papers)
- NEP-HPE-2009-05-23 (History & Philosophy of Economics)
- NEP-PBE-2009-05-23 (Public Economics)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Damage tax gone FTW.
// QQ on..
Dropping flag in battle ground gives 3 second debuff? FTL
Oh how I loved Ice Blocking, Removing it and picking back up the flag! A little risky but kinda fun! It made us somewhat viable flag runners! I guess not so much anymore. Why does it seem this debuff punishes the people that were SEMI-GOOD for flag running. What's the point in that?
Hunter's dead zone being removed (not sure if this patch)? FTL
I rem having to deal with big red pets chewing me up on low level battlegrounds. What skill that must have taken to hit 1 button for an easy kill. The only saving grace was landing a frost nova on hunter and non bw'ed pet and get some shots off in dead zone. I'm kinda meh on this one.


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Price drop alert! Circuit City has lowered the price of the Kodak EasyShare Z1085 IS 10-Megapixel Digital Camera. It's now $250 – $70 instant savings + Free Shipping = $180 Shipped!
- 10MP CCD with 5x optical zoom
- 2.5-inch LCD screen
- Image stabilizer and face detection
- Shoot movies in HD on a digital camera
Buy it: Kodak EasyShare Z1085 IS 10MP Digital Camera – $180


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Archive for April, 2008
1000 days to build a $250.000 BRSaturday, April 12th, 2008
Found this site and decided to give it a plug as I love it a lot. Good luck to BigBrother in making his goal — I'll be here supporting (I'll be giving periodical updates when this guy makes it past milestones on his Bankroll).
2009 World Series of PokerThursday, April 3rd, 2008
I realize I'm a year early, but I've decided I'm going to try hard to get into the series in 2009. I'm not going to Vegas to just play one event so I'm hoping to have at least $20k to buy in to a couple events apart from the main event.
I'll probably be doing a couple of small-number player satellites hoping to get in on the cheap and I've started putting 5% profit asides from this month on. I'll keep you up to date of my progress. Wish me luck!


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Welcome to Experience Bath!
We specialise in taking the stress out of planning and experiencing your trip to Bath, ensuring that you make the most of every moment in this historically rich and beautiful city.
Our prices are competitive and our staff are friendly and approachable. Click here for examples of what we've done for our clients so far.
Our Services:
- Customized itineraries to suit your requirements, selecting from a range of tours, activities and accommodation according to your needs. We offer the opportunity to explore "hidden gems" - places only the locals know about and the tourists often miss in the limited time they have on holiday.
- Lively and informative local guides (some in period costume!), to enable you to fully appreciate the historical significance of Bath and its surrounding area whilst having lots of fun at the same time. Special interest tours of all sorts available. We also offer a wide range of exciting activities to really make your visit unforgettable, including our unique Jane Austen activity package.
- Our trusted accommodation providers ensure a comfortable, relaxed visit, whether it be hotel, Bed & Breakfast or self-catering. We specialise in providing homestay accommodation to those visitors who are looking to experience real British life within a friendly, home environment.
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Here is my first mapping attempt using RobA's regional tutorial with the addition of DanChops's forest method.
Created in GIMP with several hours hard work. I am still not happy with the forests, but it is WIP.
Attachment 8688
Printable View
Here is my first mapping attempt using RobA's regional tutorial with the addition of DanChops's forest method.
Created in GIMP with several hours hard work. I am still not happy with the forests, but it is WIP.
Attachment 8688
Your forest shape matches the coastline too much. I would create your forest outer edge as a very rough shape, generally following current forest but much more jagged. Also consider cutting out the forest around the roads and around your structures in the woods.
Just some suggestions.
The execution of the tut looks pretty good so I'd say you pass there. Now ya gotta take it a step further...the coastline is too regular so break it up and make it more jagged (same with the forest). Then the hard part is finding your own unique style, which takes some time to develop. So do as many maps like this as you need and slightly change things as ya go. So far so good, so keep going :)
If it's a good-looking style; why not use it? You'll eventually find some things that are uniquely yours to hang onto. Until then, keep picking up techniques and adding them to what you've already got. Eventually you'll start inventing your own, and what started as recognizably RobA or Butch Curry or Ascension will turn into distinctly you.
Here is another variation on the forest, this time with the rivers cut out and the area around the towns cut out (Foreston not as much, due to its history. You can guess by the name.) I made the forest less regular, but have not worked on the coasts yet.
This was actually a commissioned piece. I had told the DM of my campaign that I would like to try to get a better version of the sketch that he had, so the original sketch is not mine. He was quite pleased with the first draft though, so I guess I did well there...
Attachment 8734
I like the forest a lot better now. The irregularity of the forest along with the texture are good. I might have to ste....borrow that later. ;)
As for style, style relies on the technique that you use, and these techniques get refined as you use them and choose ones that you like the best. Your own style will start to show once you have modified your initial techniques and learn other methods and made them your own.
Personally I think you are starting to show already.


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To the Beyond
I just read the obituary for the fine barber I wrote about back in August.
It's tough to find a good barber, and it's tougher still, I think, to find a good man.
Rest peacefully, Barty. May your memory be eternal.
Blessing the Waters
Members of the Orthodox Church of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, gather at Furnace Dam Park on S. 10th Street in Emmaus to bless the waters during the 2010 Theophany season. (The building in the background is one of the main sites of the Rodale Institute.)
Christianity and Ecology: Lessons on Sustainability from the Early Irish Sea
A fascinating event held recently at St. Paul's was this seminar and discussion led by Prof. Alfred Siewers of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (referenced in this previous post). You can now listen to both parts of the recording made of the seminar via Ancient Faith Radio:
- Part One—the bulk of the seminar, introduced by your host, in which I warble on a bit about my 2001 pilgrimage in the British Isles. Prof. Siewers gives a fascinating talk about Irish Christian monasticism and how it lived in terms of ecology ("the story of home").
- Part Two—the question and answer session, featuring both Prof. Siewers and your humble servant.
Interested parties can also download Prof. Siewers's handout here.
My Emmaus
I remarked to my wife the other day that I now really don't want to live anywhere but in Emmaus (we live in Allentown for the moment but hope that that will change in the next few years). I have started referring to this place occasionally as "my Emmaus." (The genitive case is, of course, not merely the possessive.)
I've moved a good many times in my life and grown fairly suspicious (and sometimes cynical) at interactions with any sort of organization that might be deemed "official." My assumption is typically that the Great Machine, whoever its local representatives might be, is not really interested in us. This is why it wants from us only what can fill out blanks on a form.
But one of the reasons I have begun referring to our new home as "mine"—that is, it is becoming "mine" in the manner that my wife is "mine" or my father is "mine"—is that a lot of "officialdom" hereabouts really does want more from persons than just fill-ins for blanks on a form. One example of this is that the local community event organizing bunch, the Emmaus Main Street program, will gladly advertise events happening at churches.
And when I say this, I mean that they'll pass on word about more than just the latest secular self-help seminar that happens to be meeting in a church. They'll actually put out the word about my lecture series comparing various theologies with one another or an upcoming outreach seminar we're having on Orthodox Christianity and the created world (with a healthy dose of localism, sustainability, etc.). With my long-developed cynicism regarding any sort of officiality, this has me wallowing in just a bit of incredulity. But they do it. Really.
I really do love this little borough.
Barton Decker, barber
This past Friday, I made another assay into the streets of and around Emmaus to find myself a decent barber shop. My first haircut experience in Emmaus, to put it frankly, hurt. I have no idea exactly why that gent had such a need to dig the clippers with such fervor into my neck, but, suffice it to say, once I did my fiduciary duty to the gentleman, I resolved not to darken his establishment's door again. I've had many haircuts in my day, and, despite the ancient connection between barbers and dentists, I believe that association has now been firmly and properly severed. It does not have to hurt. (I won't mention the establishment's name, lest I turn away custom from a man who may simply have been having a bad day.)
Thus, when it came time this month for my haircut, I first decided to check out a shop on my usual route home, just outside Emmaus, titled simply "The Barber Shop." I pulled up in my car and peered inside the window. I saw rows of shampoo bottles on shelves and immediately began to suspect I was in the wrong place. Then I saw a sign with the prices on it and was confirmed in my suspicions. This was not the old-school, small-time barbershop I'd come to trust on sight. This, despite the name, was some sort of "salon." I did not go in but immediately got back in my car.
I turned back toward Emmaus proper and decided to try a place I'd seen on Chestnut Street not too far past the Emmaus Triangle. (We don't have a town square. We have a triangle.) Barty's Barber Shop was small, not very impressive on the outside, and thus, probably just right on the inside. Even the sign emblazoned with the proprietor's name, Barton Decker, was not awfully visible from the street. There is, however, a barber pole, and that is quite enough. And one cannot go wrong with a name like Barton Decker. It is hard to imagine a more "barberly" name.
As I glanced into the window at Barty's, I saw walls smothered in photographs, many black and white. Opening the door, there was a faint whiff of pipe smoke. I was in the right place.
Mr. Decker was clipping the hair of a customer in his chair, pipe snugly in the corner of his mouth. The two—barber and, ah, barbed—were jocularly trading mild jibes. I was most definitely in the right place.
Eventually, the gentleman left, satisfied with his haircut, and I took the chair. I removed my clerical collar and unfastened the neck button of my shirt. Mr. Decker and I introduced ourselves to one another. He told me he'd lived in the house which included his barber shop since the 1930s. To let him know what I wanted for my haircut, I told him, "I'd like to keep what I've got. Just less of it, please!" My standard line, which always gets a smile out of a good barber. This time was not an exception.
I spied a prominent painting on the wall amidst all the photographs, itself adorned with a few snapshots embedded asymmetrically in the edges of its frame. It was the USS Lenawee, a USN amphibious attack transport used in the Pacific at the tail end of World War II, as well as in the Korean and Vietnam wars. I asked Barton about it. He then regaled me with a fountain of tales of his time in the U.S. Navy. Was he an engineer, gunner, etc.? No, he was a U.S. Navy barber. Never fired a gun. Just clipped sailors' hair. And he loved it.
He almost single-handedly raised morale aboard the Lenawee, stemming from a conversation he had with the captain. The captain, it seemed, liked to have a little more hair on his head than was the Navy custom in the early '50s, because his wife liked it that way. But of course the men on board the Lenawee had wives, too. And Decker was the man for the job. He gave them a little something to run a comb through. Not a Hollywood haircut. Just a good, clear haircut. And it was one of the happiest ships in the whole of Uncle Sam's Navy.
I told Barton about my painful experience at the other barber shop. He didn't comment directly, but mentioned that he'd been cutting hair in Emmaus for 55 years (as if, perhaps, to suggest that the other fellow was "new" and thus, well, suspect). I asked him if he thought there was a future for him there in Emmaus. He laughed. He said he'd wanted to be a barber since he was in 6th grade. I asked him if it had been a family business. "Nope. I just knew that, 'cause I wasn't too smart, a barber was a pretty good thing to be!"
By the end of the haircut, he'd done a fine job. (How could he not? He'd been doing this since before my father was born.) I thanked him. We both smiled. I tried to pay him. Nope. He'd have none of it.
Ancient History meets American History
On Saturday the 15th of August, after we completed services for the Dormition, members of the Orthodox Church of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, manned a booth at the festival marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Borough of Emmaus. One could say that we are a church obsessed with history, and so it is only fitting that we should make one small footprint into the history of the borough which has been the home of our parish for 25 years (22 since our official founding).
We're contemplating putting something into the next time capsule.
A time capsule is rather a curious thing—an archive buried in the ground. I suppose it helps to keep those things archived from growing stale in a museum somewhere.
History is peculiarly significant for the Orthodox, who prize the Incarnation so very highly and make it the touchstone of all theology. That the immaterial, trans-temporal God should become material and temporally bound is still a contradiction the human mind cannot grasp, despite its familiar feel by means of the Christian tradition.
We sometimes need to be scandalized anew by this reality, much as the woman who visited the aforesaid booth and was scandalized by all the "stuff"-ness of our church life. Surely the God Who stepped into history and made crude matter capable of carrying divinity could not have meant to be worshiped by liturgy! Certainly, our visitor probably did not think of herself as a spirit-matter dualist, but that is of course the assumption underlying all suspicion and rejection of history, liturgy, virginity, asceticism, and—what is more—all that kissing of stuff that I didn't get a chance to describe to her.
"This ancient and honorable name"
The image above is of the Knauss Homestead, one of the founding family homes in Emmaus, established in 1777. It was the patriarch of the clan, Sebastian Knauss, who first donated land in 1759 on which Emmaus was to be built. The Homestead property borders directly on that of St. Paul Orthodox Church, where I am pastor. It's probably a decent assumption that we now worship on what used to be Knauss land.
I ran across the following passage today which both amused and comforted in a curious way. It is from The Guardian: A Monthly Magazine for Young Men and Ladies, published by the Reformed Church in America. This particular issue was printed in 1881, and this text figures on page 88:
It is curious to observe how frequently the names of places are miscalled by railroad officials. On the North Pennsylvania railroad there is, for instance, a station called Bingen. The name is beautiful; derived from the old town in Germany which furnished the title for Mrs. Norton's noble ballad, "Bingen on the Rhine." Of course, it ought to be pronounced with the g hard: Bingen. Travelling that way, some years ago, we repeatedly heard the name announced: "Bin-jen! Bin-jen!" It put us in mind of "Old John Brown, who had a little Injun" It is, however, but just to say that this error has since been corrected.
On the East Pennsylvania railroad, near Allentown, there is a thriving town which was named by its Moravian founders after the village of Emmaus, to which the two disciples were going, on the day of the resurrection, when they saw the Lord. It should be pronounced in three syllables—Em-ma-us. We would like to know by what authority it is now spelled Emaus, and pronounced by railroad conductors, with an indescribable drawl, "Ee-maws." Somewhere in that region there was once a guide-board, at a cross-road, which directed the traveler to "Amouse." That was bad enough, but the modern form is hardly an improvement. We think the citizens of Emmaus should protest against the corruption of this ancient and honorable name.
In 1859, twenty-two years before this issue was published, Emmaus was incorporated as a borough of Pennsylvania (having been founded in 1759). Its original name was indeed spelled Emmaus, but one of the M's was dropped in 1830 and the borough incorporated as Emaus (the Pennsylvania Dutch spelling), but petitions circulated in 1938 via the local Rotary Club, and the spelling was reverted back to double-M status.
I find it doubtful that The Guardian in 1881 knew the circumstances of the change which had occurred more than half a century before its publication. One might well also read some Anglophonic snobbery in the text above, especially since it is quite possible that Emmaus's first hundred years or so probably heard a lot of German being spoken in her streets and fields on the north slope of South Mountain.
All that said, one has to take some small delight at citizens being encouraged (in a magazine for "Young Men and Ladies," no less!) to mount up a protest against the "corruption" of their town's "ancient and honorable name." There is a certain honor that attaches to a name, and if you've ever had your own name mispronounced, you know what I mean. Names are something shared in a community. They not only mean something to individual people, but they also convey a common understanding and are an element of the economy of the place, the commerce of personhood that flows between persons.
Religion's Changing Face in Emmaus
My koumbaro (fancy Greek term for "ecclesiastical relative," in this case, my daughter's godfather) is visiting with us here for a few days, and this afternoon, he and I visited my favorite local coffeehouse to get a little caffeination and chat in. While we were there, we talked a bit with the proprietor, as well as with a fellow who stopped in and was distributing posters and pamphlets for a new church in Emmaus.
We learned that apparently there has been a decent amount of new religious exploration going on in Emmaus, often in terms of "alternatives" to the more established religious types in the area. This actually tells me a couple of useful things:
- People are becoming more open to religious experiences that might otherwise be new to them.
- Some of the church-growth-marketing types have probably researched, identified and targeted Emmaus as a potential growth area.
No doubt most of the targeting folks are probably looking into introducing Emmaus religion to the mega-church and/or "postmodern"/"emerging" types of religious practice. Orthodoxy has a major leg up on these types, mainly because it's built for staying power. While the mega-churches and their spin-off ilk are often intriguing and exciting to people, they have no real roots to, well, root people. They are inherently non-local sorts of phenomena, connecting people mainly to an ephemeral sort of spirituality that interests but fails to transform. Folks may "have an experience," but even the statistics produced by these kinds of groups show that those experiences usually are not enough to keep people in the congregation for more than a few years. Indeed, one demographic report that made its rounds in the Evangelical mega-church world admitted that the people most likely to be discontented in their churches were those who were regarded by those churches' standards as the most spiritually advanced and mature in the congregation.
The upshot to all this is that there is likely a high potential in Emmaus for introducing people to Orthodoxy. On the one hand, it is something probably "new" and "exotic" to them—this is by no means a good reason to choose or stay in a faith (because the newness wears off), but it may well be enough to get people to give the introduction a chance. On the other hand, we offer something that these other groups by their very nature lack—an ancient tradition, deeply informed and comprehending of human nature, which is capable of powerful and lasting transformation. Orthodoxy is also the very stuff of true civilization, because it is built for staying power. Orthodoxy builds and transforms people and whole cultures, not target markets.
In our chat at the coffeehouse, I mentioned that while Emmaus was celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, the Church of Antioch (of which St. Paul's is a part) is celebrating its 1,975th anniversary this year. The response from one of the baristas: "You win."
We're looking forward to raising the parish's level of engagement here in Emmaus. A number of ideas are in the process of being implemented. The first will be something simple: hosting a booth at the 250th anniversary celebration of our borough. Another possibility might be a "theology on tap" series of events, where local religious leaders publicly talk about the differences between their faiths.
Whatever we end up doing, our hope is that we're soon going to inaugurate a new period of real outreach and witness in our home. This is Christianity like most of these folks have never seen before, something they've never heard of, and it's just down the street.
Like the saying goes: We're not Jewish, but we are Orthodox. We're not Roman, but we are Catholic. We're not Protestant, but the Bible came from us. We're not Denominational [or Non-Denominational, I might add], we're Pre-Denominational.
In the world, but not of the world
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, July 5, 2009
Rev. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen.
Yesterday was the 233rd anniversary of our country. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the town of Emmaus and its 150th anniversary as an incorporated borough of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This parish is also 22 years old this year, depending on the starting point one chooses. And this year marks the 2000th birthday of our parish's patron, the Holy Apostle Paul.
I mention all these anniversaries, because they have in common one thing: place. One cannot conceive of the birthday of the United States without calling to mind the continent which is its home or of the city of Philadelphia just south of us. Likewise, the borough of Emmaus has a geography and a history which define it. The same is true for our church, and even in remembering the birthday of St. Paul, it brings to mind his own home town of Tarsus, and it brings to mind this church.
Our modern society, however, seems to have an antipathy toward homes and places. Most people in America almost gladly move to any part of the country to follow their careers. We have no problem traveling to the other side of the Lehigh Valley to get the best price on groceries. If we want something unavailable locally, we simply get online and order it via the Internet. Most of us do not know the people who produce our eggs, beef or milk, those who grow our vegetables, those who build our cars. For many of us, the concept of a "home town" is almost foreign, since the place where one was born, the place where one lives, and the place where one works can easily be three separate towns.
This placelessness is nearly endemic to our world, especially as globalization turns the world not into a global village but rather into an impersonal monoculture which is piped into our homes through our television and computer screens, enabling us more and more to be alienated and separated from the people whose relationships to us used to be mediated by our basic acts of commerce and community. Though there are exceptions, and I hope that many of us are among them, Americans in general do not know their neighbors, even if they share a wall with them.
English is rare among languages in that it can make the distinction between a house and a home. When we think of "home," what do we think of? Do we think only of our house? Do we think of a home town? Do we think about family? Do we think about our church? We might be tempted as Christians to say that we truly have no home here on Earth, because our true home is in Heaven. Stated like that, that is certainly true. But does this mean that our modern placelessness is somehow a theological good, that our society has evolved to such a state of detachment from the world that we are nearly ready for Heaven? I think any honest assessment of our culture would quickly and resoundingly deny our readiness for Heaven. Our cultural placelessness has not detached us from the world and prepared us for the Kingdom of God.
We know from the Scripture that God calls us to be in the world, but not of the world. Placelessness does not fulfill this command but rather denies its whole context. Placelessness is in fact the opposite, making us of the world but not in it. We as a culture are deeply attached to the pleasures of this world, all the while blind to the very place in which we stand. We know more about politics in California or in Washington, D.C., than we do in Emmaus. We know more about musicians born in Canada and performing on gigantic stages than we do those born in the Lehigh Valley and performing at the local farmer's market.
So what is the proper relationship of the Kingdom of God to the kingdoms and boroughs of this world? What should we as Christians be doing in and for the places where our homes are, the place where our church is? We know that, in the end, there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth, that the kingdoms of this world will be baptized with fire and superseded by the Kingdom of Heaven. Does this mean that we should simply ignore this place where we find ourselves, just waiting out the Apocalypse?
As you may imagine, the answer to that question is "No." We are called to be pilgrims in this world, journeying to the Kingdom of Heaven. But if you have ever gone on a pilgrimage, you know that the whole experience is dominated by place, whether it is the destination or the journey to it. One cannot be a pilgrim and be nowhere. The pilgrim is where he is. He is changed by the place where he is, and his presence changes it.
The very word parish comes from a Greek term meaning "sojourning." We are sojourners here in Emmaus, here in the Lehigh Valley. We are taking up our residence here in this home for a while as we journey to our ultimate Home, which we shall not see in its fullness until after death or until Christ comes again. But in our sojourn, the Master of this home and of the Home which is to come has called upon us to do whatever we can to make this place reflect the Home toward which we are oriented.
Yes, we are surrounded by a world afflicted by entropy, the tendency to break down, to fall into corruption, both physical and spiritual. But especially here in this holy house, in this holy home, we are also surrounded by the divine energy, the creative and dynamic power of God which heals that which is broken and restores that which is corrupt. Though we find ourselves in a world of decay and death, we worship and participate in the God of resurrection, the God of the living.
Thus, we who are Christians wield a curious and awesome authority. We have the authority to participate in the transformation of this place, not to make it something other than Emmaus, Pennsylvania, something other than the Lehigh Valley, something other than America. History may well make those changes all on its own. Rather, we are called to make Emmaus, the Lehigh Valley, and America into what the ancient Christian Celts would have called "a thin place," a place where the boundary between this world and the next is so thin that the divine breaks easily through the veil and touches those on the other side. If you have ever been to such a place, such as Iona or Lindisfarne, the grave of St. Raphael of Brooklyn, the relics of St. John of San Francisco, or the tomb of Christ, then you will know what I mean. If you have never been, it is time to begin the pilgrimage.
Our calling is to bring the Kingdom of Heaven into the kingdoms of this world. We accomplish this by the authority given to us by God and through the power that He alone wields. If you know anything about the Biblical Emmaus which gives this borough its name, you know that when the disciples broke bread there with the Lord Jesus Christ, they saw Him for Who He was. It was in that Eucharistic moment that true communion, true community was possible.
Every Sunday and perhaps every day, we find ourselves on the road to this Emmaus. And in this one, like the first one, we are also called to commune with our Lord Jesus Christ, to know the dangerous possibility of real community by means of the one Cup and the one Bread. And in doing so, we begin to make the boundary between this world and the next just a bit thinner, so that at this place on 156 East Main Street in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, people will say that here is a holy place. Indeed, the boundary within ourselves becomes thinner, and when people draw near to us, they find themselves encountering Christ.
The degree to which we are serious about our own faith is the degree to which this can happen. It can happen if we pray every day, teaching our children how to do so and using our authority in their lives to prioritize not the passing pursuits of this world but rather what it takes to gain eternal life. It can happen if we put our money where our mouths are, giving back to God just one tenth of the abundance He has given us. It can happen if we are serious about worship, praying not just privately at home but also corporately in this holy house, not just on Sunday morning for 90 minutes but every time we can get away from worldly pursuits to plunge ourselves into Heavenly ones. What happens here, this miracle of communion and community, is not just "a part" of our lives—this is our life.
This past week, I moved for the 20th time in my life, and for those keeping score, it was the 21st move for my wife Nicole. I have lived in six U.S. states and one unincorporated territory, including fourteen separate towns and cities. We know well what placelessness is all about, and we are tired of it. Our hope and our prayer as we begin this new chapter in our own lives is that all the many relocations which have preceded our time here turn out to be simply the prologue to the story of our sojourn for the rest of this earthly life, here in Emmaus.
Our prayer also is that together as a parish family, for as long as God may grant to us, that we work together as co-workers, building and growing not only the quantity of people in this holy house, but also the quality of those in this holy house. We pray that we and this place may become thinner and thinner, more and more transparent, that people will come here, whether invited by us or more directly by the Holy Spirit Himself, and they will say, "There God dwells among His people. In that place, Heaven shines through."
To God therefore be all glory, honor and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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A father has been arrested after allegedly leaving his baby daughter alone in a locked car and "forgetting" her on one of the hottest days of summer.
Firefighters rescued 18 people from a huge fire in a high rise block of flats in south London.
Video: This is the moment a pensioner was savagely assaulted in an "unprovoked attack" which could cost him his eyesight.


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FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons coach Mike Smith addressed the arrest of defensive end John Abraham on Tuesday.
"Anytime anyone in our organization shows up negatively in the paper we are very disappointed as an organization," Smith said. "There are certain policies and procedures that we have to follow in terms of the NFL and this is a legal process and we're going to let the legal process and run its course."
Smith would not say if Abraham will be disciplined and added that he expected him to play on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
"Our discipline policies are something that we keep internally," Smith said. "There are certain guidelines that are set by the NFL and NFLPA that were collectively bargained. Anything that we do, we'll keep that internally."
Abraham was the second player arrested over the past week. Running back Michael Turner was arrested for driving
Continue reading UPDATE: Coach Mike Smith addresses Abraham's arrest »