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Linda Aaron has watched through prison bars as her son grew from young to middle-aged, marking the days of a life sentence that even the sentencing judge now believes is too harsh.
Today, Aaron went to Washington to raise awareness about her son's case and try to win sympathy from the only man who can spare her Clarence Aaron -- President Barack Obama.
It won't be easy.
Obama has commuted the sentence of only one inmate out of thousands who have sought clemency. He is shaping up to be the least merciful president in history in that regard.
"That's the only hope that we have," said Linda Aaron, who appeared at a panel convened at the National Press Club by Families Against Mandatory Minimums.
The panel included a reporter who highlighted Aaron's case in a story published jointly by ProPublica and The Washington Post.
Clarence Aaron was 23, and 6 months away from graduating from Southern University, when he returned home in 1992 needing money for textbooks. His grandfather, who had been paying the bills, had just died. And, Linda Aaron said in an interview, she did not have money for the books.
Clemency increasingly rare
So, Clarence Aaron introduced a classmate whose brother was a cocaine dealer to a kingpin he had known from high school in Mobile. Law enforcement authorities accused Aaron of participating in deals involving 15 kilograms cocaine and 9 kilograms of crack cocaine.
Aaron, now 43, turned down a plea bargain offer and went to trial. His refusal to testify against his friends was spotlighted in the 1999 PBS documentary "Snitch." Although he had no criminal record, U.S. District Judge Charles Butler Jr. sentenced him to 3 life prison terms -- a longer term than anyone else involved in the conspiracy.
Since Congress abolished parole for federal inmates in the 1980s, intervention from the president is Aaron's only hope for freedom.
But presidents increasingly have been stingy in exercising that power. Throughout most of the 20th century, presidents routinely granted hundreds of pardons and commutations. That number has dropped steadily over the past couple of decades, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In 8 years, President Bill Clinton pardoned 396 prisoners and commuted the sentences of 61 others. President George W. Bush pardoned 189 and commuted 11 sentences. So far, Obama has issued just 22 pardons and commuted a single sentence out of the 6,258 clemency petitions he has received.
Molly Gill, director of special projects for Families Against Mandatory Minimums, said reasons for the decline include bad publicity generated by Clinton-era pardons that seemed politically motivated and a growing desire among politicians to look tough on crime. But she reserved special criticism for a change in 1980 that placed responsibility for screening clemency petitions in the hands of a Justice Department lawyer known as the pardon attorney.
It is that office that clemency petitions go to die, she said.
"Real people are being impacted by Office the Pardon Attorney," she said. "They wait years and years and years, and hear nothing. And when they do get an answer, it's almost always no. … You basically have this prosecutor-run, prosecutor-controlled office that decides who gets out of prison early."
Since parole is no longer available to release rehabilitated inmates, pardons and commutations are even more critical, said Gill, who added that the courts also have curtailed appeals during the same time period.
"Commutation has become literally the only way out of prison for many prisoners," she wrote in an email.
Pardon attorney accused of misrepresentation
Aaron's case would seem to have all the elements a promising clemency petition -- a sympathetic inmate with a good record of behavior in prison who already has served a long time behind bars. But then-U.S. Attorney David York opposed Aaron's petition in 2002, arguing that the defendant had lied during his trial and disingenuously downplayed his role in the conspiracy. It was Aaron, York argued, who set up the large drug deal.
The pardon attorney recommended that Aaron's petition be rejected. Toward the end of the Bush presidency, the White House asked the office to take another look. York's successor, Deborah Rhodes, agreed that Aaron had mischaracterized his involvement in drug trafficking. But she recommended that his sentenced be commuted to 25 years to bring it more line with a co-defendant.
Significantly, Judge Butler also supported commuting the sentence.
But according to the ProPublica-Washington Post report, the new pardon attorney -- Ronald Rodgers -- misstated the views of the prosecutor and judge in memo to the White House lawyer overseeing clemency reviews. That lawyer, Kenneth Lee, told ProPublica that he would have recommended that Bush grant the petition had he known the full circumstances.
"I don't know what was going through Ronald Rodgers' mind," said Gill, of Families Against Mandatory Minimums.
Aaron's case has drawn newfound attention in Congress. U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., wrote a letter to Obama this week urging him to re-examine Aaron's petition.
Linda Aaron said she did not learn the details of her son's rejection by the pardon attorney until a reporter from ProPublica contacted her. "I think it was very unfair and very cruel," she said. "It was so devastating to me. It just took away everything -- all hope."


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AMHERST ŌĆō Farmers in Nova Scotia can turn in obsolete or unwanted agricultural pesticides between Nov. 5 and 16.
The Amherst Co-op farm store is the lone drop-off location in Cumberland County.
The program is operated by CleanFarms, an industry-led national not-for-profit agricultural waste management organization. More than 30,772 kg of obsolete pesticides have been returned since 1998 in Nova Scotia.

subset: commoncrawl


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Portland police began to stand down about 7 p.m. Friday from an apparent shooting in Southeast Portland.
There was no word yet about who, if anyone, was shot, but Sgt. Pete Simpson of the Portland Police Bureau told reporters that the "crime scene is no longer a threat to the community."
Police were called to the scene of an apparent shooting at an apartment in the 2500 block of Southeast 141st Avenue about 5:30 p.m. Friday. Shots were apparently heard from the apartment and dozens of police and medical vehicles rushed to the scene.
After about 1 1/2 hours, Simpson said that tear gas had been used on the apartment unit, and that no officers had been injured. But he declined to answer questions about whether officers had been fired on after arriving.
One of the bystanders, Latoya Lewis, 28, said that prior to a big boom sound, she heard shots coming from the apartment complex, followed what sounded like a return of fire.
Early on, both the Special Emergency Reaction Team and the Crisis Negotiation Team from the Portland Police Bureau responded to reports of the shooting and police quickly closed off nearby Southeast Division Street, a main arterial, between Southeast 136th and 145th avenues.
Simpson said around 7 p.m. that police were working to reopen Division as soon as possible.
Jeremy Wyse, 18, of Portland was standing outside the police tape near Southeast Division and 142nd. At 6:42 p.m., he heard two large booms.
He was one of many concerned citizens watching the scene from outside police tape. Later, he and many others standing near him began to back away from the tape lines because tear gas had made its way over to the crowd. Some said their eyes were burning from tear gas.
Earlier, a woman who works at the Petco store nearby said that police had come into the business and asked employees to move some of their cars "because they are bringing in the SWAT team. They're blocking off our parking lot."
Other than that, she said, "they haven't told us anything."
The story will be updated as more information becomes available.
-- Kasia Hall


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Brief profiles of the ArtPrize 2010 finalists.
PAUL BALIKER, Palm Coast, Fla., 'A Matter of Time'
See it: Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW
Vote: 42561
Who he is: Working in wood or bronze, Baliker has been sculpting for 35 years. Another bronze piece, titled "Fish Story," is located along the Thornapple River in Leslie E. Tassell Park.
The work: "I believe that did help me. By default, I was helped in a big way," Baliker said about the media attention his 13-foot-wide driftwood sculpture received after a portion of it went missing. The focal point of the piece, a planet Earth made of epoxy and sawdust, speaks to the effects of the BP oil spill on area wildlife. "The piece is strong. I'm very proud of that piece. As far as I'm concerned, it's got everything I've ever done wrapped up in that piece right there."
How he'll use the prize money: "Go ahead and do another piece similar to what I just did. You know, I did it as an environmental statement; I want to do it again. It's all about the environment. It's all about the health of the planet."
Website: paulbaliker.com
"Grand Rapids has rocked the art world."
— Baliker, on ArtPrize
YOUNG KIM, Winston-Salem, N.C., 'salt & earth (garden for Patricia)'
See it: Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center
Vote: 38651
Who he is: Kim, born and raised in South Korea, is an assistant professor of art at Elon University in North Carolina. His "Salt & Earth (2009)" was awarded a $5,000 Curatorial Award by the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in the inaugural ArtPrize competition.
The work: Last year, Kim's project involved 50 images of local people. This year, his installation features a life-size image of a woman he met last year when she and her husband hosted Kim during his stay in Grand Rapids.
The woman, whose first name is Patricia, has a debilitating illness, according to Kim, who declined to give her last name. Patricia had worked in a greenhouse, so he surrounded her visage with images of pollen, as photographed through a microscope, set temporarily in granular salt and powdered earth. Each calotype image is lit by a single light bulb. The photographic images eventually will fade.
How he'll use the prize money: To make more art.
"My work continually revolves around meditation over time, memory and the state of the human condition."
— Kim, on his work
CHRIS LAPORTE, Grand Rapids, 'Cavalry, American Officers, 1921'
See it: Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center
Vote: 45391
Who he is: Born and raised in Bay City, LaPorte earned a bachelor's degree from Aquinas College in 1996. After living and working New York City, LaPorte returned to Grand Rapids in 2003 to teach and develop a portrait and caricature business. He teaches drawing part time at Aquinas College.
The work: "Cavalry," a pencil drawing of World War I Army officers, is a portrait of men and a metaphor for the drawing process, LaPorte said. "When one creates a drawing, one makes a series of marks, each with their own character, integrity, purpose, etc. Those marks, when organized in a certain way, may form a larger image. ... The individual soldiers represent those individual lines. The manner in which they are organized ... allude to something much bigger than themselves."
How he'll spend the prize money: "To create more ambitious work, perhaps some travel, pay off some student loans."
Website: chrislaporte.com
"ArtPrize is an opportunity to display work to a large audience, with a wide variety of potential benefits."
— LaPorte, on ArtPrize
BEILI LIU, Austin, Texas, 'Lure/Wave'
See it: Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, 2 W. Fulton St.
Vote: 48341
Who she is: The Chinese-American artist is an assistant professor of art at University of Texas in Austin. Liu, who has held artist fellowships in Finland and Spain, received her master's degree in fine art from the University of Michigan.
The work: Liu said she was inspired by an ancient Chinese legend of the red thread, which "tells that when children are born, invisible red threads connect them to the ones whom they are fated to be with. Over the years of their lives, they come closer and eventually find each other, overcoming the distance between, and cultural and social divides."
Her installation makes use of thousands of hand-spiraled coils of red thread suspended from the ceiling of the gallery. "A disk may be connected to another, as a 'couple,' and each pair is made from a single thread."
How she'll use the prize money: Future creative work and support for nonprofit organizations, such as UICA and Art Farm, she said.
Website: beililiu.com
"ArtPrize ... enables me to reach out to thousands of viewers and to share my work."
— Liu, on ArtPrize
WANDER MARTICH, Grand Rapids, 'Helping mom one penny at a time'
See it: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St.
Who she is: Born in 1976 in the Dominican Republic, the single mother of two artistic daughters lives in Grand Rapids and has become a U.S. citizen.
The work: The 3-D giant penny is constructed from layers of actual pennies. "Every time I look at a penny, I relive the moment when my daughters thought that they had given me a fortune," Martich said. "It was a piggy bank full of pennies. This is how everything started. This art piece is the savings of a woman that couldn't save more than pennies. I want to do something for the women in shelters of our community, women who have experienced abuse, neglect, or lost all hope. This structure is a sign of faith and hope."
How she'll use the prize money: "For sure I want to spend it in Grand Rapids and go to an art school."
"I was always sure about the project itself. This is art from the heart."
— Martich, who said she was nervous about entering ArtPrize
FREDRICK PRESCOTT, Santa Fe, N.M., 'Elephant Walk'
See it: Grand Rapids Children's museum, 22 Sheldon Ave. NE
Vote: 41991
Who he is: Born in Palo Alto, Calif. in 1949, Prescott is the oldest son of the chief inventor and owner of Universal Coin Meter Company. He began working with metal at age 6, and spent countless hours honing skills to transform metal into art. By age 12, he was enrolled in a watercolor painting class. "By both sculpting and painting my artwork, I began my career fascination for bold and colorful sculpture," he said.
The work: The kinetic sculptures of a family of elephants come to life as their heads dance with the wind. "This is my way of telling people to stop for a moment and enjoy life and the unexpected," he said. "How can you not stop when there is a herd of elephants in your way?"
How he'll use the prize money: To purchase cutting-edge equipment and experiment with new materials. "I will build a new monumental sculpture for next year's ArtPrize!" he said.
Website: PrescottStudio.com
"It is very different and new, and I like how it gets the people involved in the arts."
— Prescott, on ArtPrize
BILL SECUNDA, Butler, Pa., 'Dancing With Lions'
See it: The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave NW
Vote: 37291
Who he is: A self-taught artist with a welding background, Secunda has been creating sculpture for the last 16 years for his own enjoyment. His entry in last year's inaugural ArtPrize, "Moose," came in fifth place.
The work: The pride of lions set in a savanna-type environment features five lions and a monkey made entirely of nearly 1,000 pounds of individually welded and shaped cut nails. "It is meant to allow you an opportunity to imagine what it would be like to walk up to such a magnificent predator and observe a scene that is about to unfold, a 'dance' with the lions," Secunda said.
How he'll use the prize money: To remove financial burdens and "allow me to create with freedom. More time could be spent on creating instead of scrounging for material and repairing old equipment."
Website: weldart.com
After such a great experience last year, we ... could think of nothing else."
— Secunda, on ArtPrize
DAVID SPRIGGS, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 'Vision'
See it: Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center
Vote: 42461
Who he is:The Manchester, England, native, who immigrated to Canada in 1992, is an artist in Montreal. He earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, a master's degree from Concordia University in Montreal, and has studied in London and Germany. He participated in the Sharjah Biennial 9 in the United Arab Emirates and has work in the permanent collections of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Quebec.
The work: "Vision" is an installation project that lies somewhere between 2 and 3 dimensions, and uses a technique Spriggs said he developed 10 years ago called stratachrome (layered color).
How he'll use the prize money: "The prize would give me the freedom to expand my art and develop my ideas without the restrictions that are normally imposed by commerce."
Website: davidspriggs.com
"I was pleased to enter ArtPrize even though exposing my artwork to a voting/critique system is very stressful.
— Spriggs, on ArtPrize
STEAM PIG EXPERIMENT, Grand Rapids, 'Steam Pig'
See it: The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. NW
Vote: 50481
Who they are: Thomas Birks works in animation design and editing for film/video. Joachim Jensen is an industrial designer who focuses on high-end office furniture. The graduates of Kendall College of Art and Design were among the collaborators on last year's "Nessie on the Grand," which won sixth place.
The work: Dubbed "Parsifal, the SteamPig," it's a large three-dimensional, multimedia sculpture of a steam-operated flying airship.
What it means: It pays homage to the machinist mentality of the late 1800s and early 1900s, the steam engines that propelled railroads and images from novels by authors such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
How they'll use the prize money: "We would like to continue our work in keeping the arts alive in West Michigan."
Website: steampig.com
"The biggest comment we get is, 'We knew it was going to be big, but we didn't know it was going to be that big."'
— Joachim Jensen's wife, Mary, on the work
MIA TAVONATTI, Santa Ana, Calif., 'Svelata'
See it: DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW
Vote: 44061
Who she is: Tavonatti, who grew up in Iron Mountain, has studied and exhibited in the United States, Italy, France and Greece, and has published art instructional books in more than 20 countries. She was chosen to participate in the U.S. Air Force Arts Program, where she documented training missions of the 550th Search and Rescue teams at Kirtland Air Force Base.
The work: The stained-glass mosaic is one of
22 works also entitled "Svelata," but this is the first in glass mosaic; the others are oils on canvas.
How she'll use the prize money: First, to pay back everyone who helped to make ("Svelata") possible. "The rest will go towards furthering the vision of my company, which is planning its first international nomadic tour of visionary art, and also towards the Svelata Foundation for the Arts, where it will be used to fund our scholarship program I started six years ago in memory of my artist/teacher father Ted Tavonatti."
Website: svelata.org, miatavonatti.com
"I am all about giving freedom back to the artist and helping people reconnect to their creative spark."
— Tavonatti, on ArtPrize


text:
PYONGYANG, North Korea — A North Korean agency that deals with relations with South Korea claims Pyongyang has "powerful striking means" on standby for a launch amid speculation in Seoul and Washington that the country is preparing to test a mid-range missile.
The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland also said today it has entered coordinates for targets. But it didn't elaborate on what it meant. The statement follows a recent torrent of warlike rhetoric seen as an effort to raise fears and pressure outside governments into policy changes.
The comments would carry more weight if they came from a military-related agency.
Analysts believe North Korea is extremely unlikely to stage an attack. But outside officials have said Pyongyang appears to be preparing to test-fly a missile that could reach Guam.
• Life goes on in North Korea despite nation's threats to launch missiles
• U.S. official: Defense could intercept North Korean missiles


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The "Ask the Sexperts" event is free to the public and starts at 7:30 p.m.
The Healthy Relationships & Sexual Health Strategic Health Team in conjunction with Eta Sigma Gamma, the Student Health Center, Health Promotion & Wellness, the Women's Resource Center, SafeZone, and the Counseling Center are sponsoring the event.
Panelists will answer questions from the audience, which can be submitted before and during the event. Students will also get a chance to win door prizes supplied by Eta Sigma Gamma.


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Thirty-two years ago, Jimmy Connors did something that everyone except Jimmy Connors thought was impossible: he won Wimbledon. It had been eight long years since he'd first tasted victory at the world's most prestigious tennis tournament, in 1974. Winning the Big One again after so long wasn't supposed to happen. Once your time was past, it was past.
That is still the case, of course. Roger Federer is 33, nearly four years older than Connors was during that golden summer of 1982. The Swiss great's days of dominance are long behind him. But, like Connors in the years before he secured his late-career breakthrough, he has stayed near the top of the game, consistently reaching the later rounds of the majors. He hasn't forgotten what the rarified air feels like in the matches that matter most.
For Connors, the quest for a second Wimbledon in 1982 was nothing less than a quest for legitimacy. Wimbledon was everything, even more so then than today. If you could make it there, you could make it anywhere -- and it seemed that Connors couldn't. Not anymore. By beating John McEnroe in dramatic fashion in the final -- down two sets to one, he survived a tense fourth-set tiebreaker that, inevitably, included Johnny Mac tossing his racket -- Jimbo proved he was no fluke, no second-rate champion. He washed away notions that his amazing 1974 season had been luck, that he'd simply filled a brief dead spot in tennis history between the belated end of the Laver-Rosewall generation and the full flowering of Bjorn Borg's greatness.
This year Federer is trying to win the U.S. Open for the first time in six years. Those betting on Federer to take the trophy can get 5/2 odds. You will more than double your money if he wins. In other words: he's not the favorite. That would be World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. He's 11/8. Connors had about the same odds for that long-ago Wimbledon as Federer has for the 2014 U.S. Open. McEnroe, the World No. 1 and defending champion in 1982, was the clear favorite.
Oddsmakers know their business. Connors shouldn't have won a second Wimbledon; McEnroe was the more talented player and in the prime of his career. The task ahead for Federer is similar to Connors' in '82. So what can we learn from Jimbo's Wimbledon triumph as Federer dives headlong into the fray?
First of all, it sure helps to have luck. Connors' bête noir, Borg, didn't show up at the 1982 Wimbledon. It just couldn't get any luckier for the American than that. Connors had lost 10 straight matches to Borg, including two on Centre Court during that streak. (Connors was 0-4 overall against Borg at Wimbledon.) Secondly, the field was unusually shallow that year. Borg wasn't the only prominent no-show. Guillermo Vilas, who had topped Connors in the 1977 U.S. Open final and was coming off a final-round appearance at Roland Garros, skipped the tournament. The third seed, behind McEnroe and Connors, was the veteran playboy Vitas Gerulaitis, who was struggling with substance abuse that would prematurely end his career. The fourth seed was another veteran, Sandy Mayer, who hadn't advanced past the third round of a major since 1973. The next generation -- Mats Wilander, Yannick Noah, Anders Jarryd -- weren't yet ready for Wimbledon prime time.
Federer has had similar luck at this U.S. Open. His Kryptonite, Rafael Nadal, is out with a wrist injury. Another dangerous opponent -- big-hitting Juan Martin del Potro, who triumphed over Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open final -- is also out with an injury. Another big hitter who's caused Federer trouble in the past, sixth-seed Tomas Berdych, is in the midst of a slump. 2011 U.S. Open champion Djokovic, 2012 U.S. Open champion Andy Murray and reigning Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka are on the other side of the draw.
Still, getting over the hump won't be easy for the 17-time major champion. It's a long, two-week slog, even with an easy draw. (And anyone who follows tennis closely knows that a good draw on paper often turns into a nasty draw in the real world.) Connors did it at the '82 Wimbledon by harnessing his anger. No tennis player -- not even McEnroe – has used rage better. It was a matter of survival for Connors. He's famous for being a swaggering bullyboy in his day, but that was all an act. McEnroe was tortured by his genius; Connors was tortured by his insecurities. Jimbo dealt with those insecurities by getting mad. "What was I angry about?" he said a couple of years ago. "Sometimes I was just angry about the morning. It was all there inside."
Connors molded that anger into a vicious fighting spirit that often pulled him through tough matches. (The most famous example must be his tirade over a line call in the fourth round of the 1991 U.S. Open that sparked his comeback win against Aaron Krickstein. ESPN made a whole freakin' documentary about that match.) Getting mad always seemed to make Connors play better. It is one area where his 1982 Wimbledon and Federer's 2014 U.S. Open cannot be usefully mined for comparison. The normally amiable Federer has had a few angry moments over the years, but it's a mixed bag. He destroyed a racket while playing Guillermo Canas in 2007 -- and went on to lose the match. He barked at Djokovic's box -- Nole's parents and friends -- to "be quiet" during a 2008 semifinal in Monte Carlo. Djokovic would retire from that contest. Playing del Potro in the 2012 French Open quarterfinals, Federer screamed at noisy spectators to "shut up." He came back from a two-set deficit to win, but it had less to do with Federer's inspirational rage and more to do with del Potro not being quite match fit.
There's one more comparison that doesn't track. Connors beat McEnroe for the Wimbledon title despite 13 doubles faults in the five-set match. At this point in Federer's career, when he needs to keep points short, the serve is without question his most important shot. He will need to serve much better than Connors ever did if he's going to have his Connors-like victory.
-- Douglas Perry


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Immensely peaceful classical ambient by The Ithaca Trio. Click through for further links, but here's the entire TESLA VERSES THE NIGHT EP.
Tesla Verses The Night
Published in music
WARREN ELLIS is a graphic novelist and author of the NYT best-selling novel GUN MACHINE. His graphic novel GLOBAL FREQUENCY is being developed for television by Jerry Bruckheimer and FOX. He is the writer of the graphic novel RED, adapted into the film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. His next book is NORMAL from FSG.


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Now that you have the sample how do you share the generated data?
Welcome to DIGGS
Welcome to the Data Interchange for Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (DIGGS) website. We are looking for your involvement in the DIGGS community as we refine and implement DIGGS 2.0.
- For detailed project activities, please visit the DIGGS Blog
- Join the DIGGS Standard Committee
The DIGGS project involves development of a GML (XML-based) geospatial standard schema for the transfer of geotechnical and geoenvironmental data within an organization or between multiple organizations. DIGGS can work with existing software, hardware, databases and data storage facilities to easily transfer and share your data.
Once implemented by your organization, the DIGGS data transfer standard will help meet your needs for information and data asset management. It is anticipated that DIGGS will save state and federal agencies, and other public and private organizations millions of dollars. Savings will be realized through a combination of avoided drilling and laboratory testing costs, and efficiencies afforded by the availability of geotechnical data for multiple projects in a standard format.
Latest Blog Posts
Please help by completing a survey by April 17, 2015. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DIGGSsurvey. The survey will help us better...
The DIGGS Advisory Board is busy finalizing several items in preparation of DIGGS pilot testing planned for the May - August 2015 time frame.
The Transportation Pooled Fund Project TPF-5(111) project took DIGGS to version 2.0a on June 30, 2012. This entry gives an status update at the end of the pool fund study.


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If Camden can't afford raises for its firefighters, the state doesn't have to pick up the cost, a state appeals court ruled today.
Firefighters in the struggling city received annual raises of 2 percent over the last four years based on a faulty decision from a labor mediator who appeared to be biased in their favor, a three-judge panel said.
The mediator acknowledged that Camden — one of the nation's poorest and most crime-ridden cities — couldn't afford raises at a time when it was laying off hundreds of police officers and one-third of its fire department. But the remaining firefighters deserved "modest" raises for the extra work, the arbitrator, John J. Pierson, said, adding that Camden officials could turn to the state for help since it already provides most of the city's budget.
More than $100 million comes from the state every year, while the city only draws about $20 million from its taxpayers.
"The arbitrator made a policy decision that the services could not be reduced further," Judge Marianne Espinosa wrote for the court, adding that Pierson "ignored (state laws) he knew to be in effect."
Espinosa and Judges Ronald Graves and Michael Guadagno said only Gov. Chris Christie and the Legislature could decide how to spend state funds. Despite the ruling, firefighters may win the day, since Camden paid more than $1 million in raises from 2008 to 2012. So although the dispute is heading to a different arbitrator, it's unclear if the city can get a refund.
"It's already spent," said Raymond Heineman, attorney for the International Association of Firefighters Local 788. "They've been fighting fires and protecting the city of Camden. You can rest assured they've been supporting their families and paying their mortgages and investing in the Camden economy."
Bill Tambussi, the attorney for Camden Mayor Dana Redd, said that in any case, "this decision reinforces the basic principle that the city can only be ordered to pay what it can afford."
"Mayor Redd has been working hard to restore fiscal sanity to the city's contracts with its police and fire unions," Tambussi said, adding an agreement is being drafted for police that freezes salaries for the next four years. Heineman said the firefighters union would decide in the next few days whether to appeal to the state Supreme Court.


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|[TenTec] 301 Advice
|firstname.lastname@example.com (K7FD)
|Thu, 5 Nov 1998 16:19:24 -0800
Just cabled the Omni VI to the com1 db25 port on my pc and also installed the keying circuit (2N4440) via lpt1... happy to report both work like a champ (with NA and Log-EQF)...I guess I'm ready for this weekend and the BIG CW SWEEPS!! Can hardly wait to try it w/ REAL qsk... > And of course those of us with a computer, AND a > Model 301, AND a Model 253 might want to build > a "W" adapter. > > 73, > > Mike > WB4HUC -- FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm Submissions: email@example.com Administrative requests: email@example.com Problems: firstname.lastname@example.com Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
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Each year, the National Baseball Hall of Fame honors its newest inductees during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, which takes place in July.
This year's recipients were Barry Larkin and the late Ron Santo, whose award was accepted by his wife, Vicki. Many former teammates of both Larkin and Santo were present, as were 44 of the other living Hall of Fame players.
While the induction ceremony itself is quite special, it certainly is not the only event taking place, nor the only reason for fans to travel there.
There are many other events taking place during that weekend each year, and each event makes the entire experience that much more special.
Here are 10 reasons why fans should attend Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.


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Maybe the "No Flu Shot" Approach?
We have a guest post!
This is something we have not tried before but I was so engaged by Kevin Struz that I asked him to share with us some of his knowledge about food and nutrition that he has learned over the years.
I met Kevin at one of our family caregiver support groups that we put on here in Phoenix. Kevin left the corporate world years ago because he was "killing himself" with the lifestyle that many times comes with climbing up the economic ladder. His daily diet was filled with nutrition-less calories, stress was peaking, sleep and exercise was almost non-existent. So if he was to see his 50th birthday he had to change.
One morning he walked in and told his boss he quit and he walked out the door and into the unknown (to him) world of proper nutrition and better living. He fully immersed himself into the science and the practicality of better nutrition and at our first meeting I sat wide eyed listening to him expound on how easy it can be.
We are not advocating that you do not have a flu shot but if you have decided, for whatever reason, not to get that shot then here are nutritional changes you need to look at possibly making. Kevin's post is about educating you on how to help your body defend itself against those nasty bugs.
Teresa and I (both seniors) have not had a flu shot in many, many years and have not had the flu either. We realize that this is a controversial subject and strictly a personal decision but we want you to know some things if you decide not to have a flu shot.
Please leave your comments below or you can email Kevin.
Choose the No Flu Shot Approach
to this Cold & Flu Season.
By using your immune system instead of a Flu Shot is the better choice for our over all health.
What is the immune system?
Your immune system is like a finely tuned orchestra whose purpose is to defend your body from unhealthy attacks from the world around you. Like an orchestra, your immune system contains many different instruments that work harmoniously together with one goal, protecting you from foreign insults that can cause damage to your body. And, like an orchestra, the different parts of your immune system must be present, play their part at the right time, and then stop when they have completed their function.
By supporting your Orchestra with Nutrition, your immune system will be armed and able to fight foreign invaders to your body, like pathogenic bacteria and viruses, and also for destroying cells within your body when they become cancerous.
Choices Which Will Get Your Orchestra Out of Tune.
Sugars – It suppresses the immune system for about 4-6 hours. This can make you vulnerable to illness.
Processed Foods – Puts incredible stress on the body, particularly on the pancreas since it has to produce massive quantities of metabolic enzymes because the food lacks digestive enzymes. All the enzymes are destroyed in the cooking process.
Over Cooked Foods – Denatures the proteins, vitamins & minerals and they become unusable to our bodies. Basically it becomes "Dead Food"
Dehydration – Water regulates every single function in our bodies, from growth to metabolism, also your digestion to cardiovascular function. Numerous studies have been conducted on athletes since the 1940's and they all demonstrated that even mild dehydration drastically impairs performance.
Sleep – Not getting enough sleep has been linked to a laundry list of mental and physical health problems, including those that stem from an impaired immune system. Our immune system is designed to protect us from colds, flu and other ailments but when it is not functioning properly, it fails to do its job. The consequences can include more sick days.
Stress – The long-term activation of the stress-response system and the subsequent over exposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can disrupt almost all your body's processes. This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems. That's why it's so important to learn healthy ways to cope with the stressors in your life.
Choices Which Will Get Your Orchestra Back in Tune.
When you choose to eat a little more raw fruits or vegetables before and with each meal you will find that this creates better digestion.
Eating a rainbow color of foods supports our bodies orchestra and reduces the stress on our immune system.
Eat smaller portions of animal protein at each meal and this will help lessen the stress on the digestion system.
Small changes can help a lot. A diet that is over 51% in raw foods will keep the immune system in tune & in the ready mode at all times.
Apples – "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Today, this old proverb in backed up by science. Research suggests that due to the Vitamin C and other antioxidants in apples, this fruit may reduce risk of cancer by preventing DNA damage. Also, fibers control cholesterol levels, helping with heart disease and weight loss.
Coconut Oil – Coconut Oil's antimicrobial effects reduce stress on the immune system, allowing the immune system to function more efficiently. The stronger our immune system is the better the body is able to defend itself against all types of illnesses, whether infectious or degenerative.
Water How much should I drink? – The rule of thumb is to drink about half an ounce of water per pound of body weight. If a person weighs one hundred pounds, then your daily water intake should be 50 ounces a day of water. Drink the greater part of your water in between meals. Drinking too much water with a meal dilutes your digestive juices, delays & blocks the digestive process considerably. When we drink enough water, our body can eliminate toxins much quicker.
Sleep – Seven to nine hours of sleep every night and going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time every morning will strengthen our immune system. By avoiding caffeine after lunch and not consuming any alcohol within six hours before going to bedtime sets up your body for a better night sleep. No computer or TV in the bedroom.
Cherries for Better Sleep– Tart cherries contain a significant amount of Melatonin, a hormone also produced in the brain's pineal gland that regulates sleep and circadian rhythm. Melatonin has antioxidant properties and is especially beneficial because it is soluble in both fat and water, so it can enter cells that other antioxidants cannot.
Stress – By living in the present & looking at life from a humorous angle allows us to let go of stress & heal faster.
The Possibilities of a Smile– The simple action of a Smile can immediately switch you into a clam, Positive Awareness.
Try this for 10 Seconds & feel yourself change.
First, Think about Someone or Something that you LOVE, that always puts a Smile on your face,
Second, Now hold that thought & Smile for 10 Seconds.
The Longer we Choose to do this the Better it Gets.
NOW Life has the Possibility to become Very Good all Day!!!!
Supporting your Immune system with supplements
Digestive Enzymes – Offers a comprehensive blend of ten enzymes that enhances digestion (100% non-animal) that all function together to extract all the nutrients from the foods that we eat at breakfast, lunch, dinner and our snacks. Undigested foods will create inflammation and creates other health issues in our bodies.
Probiotics (beneficial bacteria) – Maintain the intestinal micro flora balance, promote good digestion, immune function, help us maintain healthy cholesterol levels & increase resistance to infections.
Colostrum is Life's first food & is an Immune supplement. – Colostrum has a Virus Antibody that acts against viral invaders. Bovine colostrum, has the same ability to regulate activity of the immune system as hormones of the Thymus gland. The colostrum immune factor not only boosts the under active immune system but it also works toward regulating the over active immune system.
Whole-food Vitamins – These are more readily and acceptable to the digestive system than processed multivitamins . With the additional benefits of using organic herbs and naturally occurring minerals, organic whole-food vitamins are a much better source of nutrition. Inorganic vitamins and minerals offer little or no absorption through the walls of the intestine. Most of this inorganic material will just pass through you.
Chlorophyll – This is a blood cell builder which helps the elimination of toxins from your body. It's a nutritional aid for the immune system and one characteristic of chlorophyll is that it contains abundant minerals, vitamins, protein and trace elements. This is the reason why, as a food substance chlorophyll constitutes to be one of the richest food supplements known to us today. Chlorophyll is therefore essential to our vitality and well-being, ensuring that we stay and remain healthy.
So give your body the tools that it needs to fight off the flu and strengthen your immune system.
Any questions or comments email Kevin Struz
E-Mail – email@example.com
"I have a standing appointment to get my hair done every week and then go grocery shopping. My "angel" is always there and it's the only time of the week that I get out."
— Betty
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IBM's Activity Kits are designed around specific opportunities – helping not-for-profit organizations understand their technology needs, sharing the fun of math and science with school children, and more. Each kit provides supporting materials such as presentations or educational modules, to prepare and equip volunteers to assist schools or community agencies.
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NOBODY SHEDS A TEAR when the class bully gets his comeuppance, and there were plenty of dry eyes in the supermarket industry this year as Wal-Mart Stores seemed to repeatedly stub its toes. The Bentonville, Ark.-based behemoth saw its sales momentum deteriorate throughout the year, which it attributed to causes ranging from the high cost of gasoline through the summer months to difficult comparisons with 2005's post-hurricane spending in the fall. The company also admitted to mishandling ...
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The modern Venetian Carnival runs up until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (known as "Mardi Gras"), starting two Saturdays before the Tuesday. In recent years, the official Carnival organisers have started to add a prior weekend, which we see as quasi-official – it's not within the traditional dates, but there's plenty going on. Venice carnival dates therefore vary in step with Easter as follows:
- Venice Carnival 2016 dates:
January 23-24 (add-on weekend, quasi-official), January 30 – February 9 (official)
- Venice Carnival 2017 dates:
February 11-12 (add-on weekend, quasi-official), February 18-28 (official)
- Venice Carnival 2018 dates:
January 27-28 (add-on weekend, quasi-official), February 3-13 (official)
- Venice Carnival 2019 dates:
February 16-17 (add-on weekend, quasi-official), February 23-March 6 (official)
- Venice Carnival 2020 dates:
February 8-9 (add-on weekend, quasi-official), February 15-25 (official)
Carnevale di Venezia events
The official Carnival site is part of the Municipality of Venice website – click on "English", then "Program". Many event organisers also gradually add their events throughout the year to the private Carnival of Venice website, so it's worth checking both.
Venice Carnival in history
The word carnival comes from the Latin for "Farewell, meat!". As Lent (which begins on Ash Wednesday) obliged people to fast, during the period up to Ash Wednesday all meat, butter and eggs had to be used up. This religious formality became the excuse for a party that echoed pagan festivities. In late Rome Saturnalia and Lupercalia were moments when licentiousness and wantonry were celebrated – a deliberate upturning of the usual social order. Christianity licensed a comparable period of celebration from Twelfth Night until the midnight of Shrove Tuesday. Popes Clement IX and XI and Benedict XIII were among those who tried hardest to bring Carnival back within proper religious limits, but they didn't have much influence over Venice.
The history of the Venice Carnival tradition began after 1162. The Republic defeated Ulrico, Patriarch of Aquileia in that year, and began a tradition of slaughtering a bull and 12 pigs in the Piazza San Marco around Shrove Tuesday to commemorate the victory. This celebration gradually grew and 1268 dates the first document mentioning the use of masks.
History of Venice Carnival – the 18th Century
The eighteenth century was the heyday of Carnival. Venice's decline in power was accompanied by a conspicuous consumption of pleasure. Rich young nobles doing the European "Grand Tour" made sure these pleasures were theirs as well. The paintings of Francesco Guardi and his contemporaries, and the diaries of Giacomo Casanova (1725-1798) are the best-known symbols of the age – the languid spirit of carnival an ever-present implication.
History of Venice Carnival – Retirement and revival
Carnival's significance declined gradually through to the 1930s, when Mussolini banned it. In 1979, a group of Venetians and lovers of Venice decided to revive the tradition. Within a few years, the image of the masked reveller had become a worldwide icon of Venice in winter.
Venice Carnival masks
Masks made the Venetian Carnival unique. If you cannot identify the wearer of the mask, you do not know his social status. In this way, Venice temporarily overturned her social order. Some of the masks depicted Commedia dell'Arte characters. Others were more sinister. The white-beaked mask so famous from photographs is that of the plague-doctor; the beak echoes a doctor's long breathing apparatus that held a sponge doused in vinegar, thought to hold the plague at bay. The Doges were frequently exercised by the dangers masks allowed, and passed laws limiting their use to within the carnival period; if you wore a mask at any other time of year, penalties were severe.
Masks are a big cottage industry in today's Venice, and sold all year round. If you are looking for a mask for carnival, one of the better mask shops is Carta Alta – their website not only gives you a catalogue of masks for sale, but flash movies showing how the masks are made.
We offer three great Venice rental properties with excellent central heating available in January, February and March – perfect for Carnival. All three of our properties are highly rated on Tripadvisor, and we have years of experience in offering a great service to visitors.
For a lively account of Carnival 2012 with pictures, see our blog for "Wizzy" Pollitt's carnival musings. For a still different account, see the column on the right.


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1. Flavia as budding chemist. She is a chemistry genius and has her own laboratory! For any woman who considered going into STEM fields of study but did not, or anyone who wants to raise a daughter who feels confident in her ability to do traditionally male roles, Flavia is a role model. She is smart, she knows she's smart, and she'll tell anyone who doubts her just how smart she is.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
My somewhat unorthodox girl crush
1. Flavia as budding chemist. She is a chemistry genius and has her own laboratory! For any woman who considered going into STEM fields of study but did not, or anyone who wants to raise a daughter who feels confident in her ability to do traditionally male roles, Flavia is a role model. She is smart, she knows she's smart, and she'll tell anyone who doubts her just how smart she is.
28 comments:
Normally I don't like books written for adults but with young narrators. I am happy this is not the case with these books. :)ReplyDeleteReplies
I don't know many others that are for adults with young narrators - do any jump to your mind?Delete
This is brilliant! Yes yes yes!! I love Flavia! And I'm not sure it's wrong to have a girl-crush on Flavia. In reality, she would be in her 70s or 80s by now, right? :PReplyDeleteReplies
Such a good point! Not sure if it is less weird to have a girl crush on an 80 year old woman ;-)Delete
I also adore Flavia. A new series featuring her today, in her 70s, would be excellent ;)ReplyDeleteReplies
Oh, I completely agree. So many ways that Alan Bradley could take her life!Delete
Well, you've convinced me to try them! And just in time. I've been looking for a new mystery series. Thanks for the tip.ReplyDeleteReplies
I hope you enjoy them - I think they're delightful, though they are probably less so for the mystery solving than for the characters.Delete
YESSSSSS. I love Flavia. Love this series. I'm actually making myself NOT read A Red Herring Without Mustard right now because I want to save the series longer. And I might have to collect that series of covers, too. Just sayin'.ReplyDeleteReplies
Aren't they great?! I have never seen them at the store, either, but perhaps they are the paperback versions. I have only seen the hardcovers.Delete
They're so enjoyable - I thought I might find her irritating, but absolutely not - I think her naivete about so many things really saves her from that.ReplyDeleteReplies
You're very right. Sometimes I DO find her irritating but what 11-year-old isn't, sometimes?Delete
I read the first book in this series and I enjoyed it, but I didn't continue. I'm tempted to start again because you reminded me why I love Flavia so much! Also! Those covers! I like them so much more!ReplyDeleteReplies
Same! They are maybe the UK ones...?Delete
My dad and I read the Flavia books together. They are definitely fun, but the humor doesn't overwhelm the mysteries at all. Great post!ReplyDeleteReplies
Oh, that's such a fun way to read them!Delete
Those covers are awesome! I still haven't started this series but I do have the first book and will probably read it during these three months of Triple Dog TBR Dare.ReplyDeleteReplies
Do it! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.Delete
I saw the audiobooks of this series at the library today and wanted to read it but eventually put it back. I need to go back and pick it.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes, they are truly brilliantly done on audio. To the point that I may just read any book that Jayne Entwhistle does the narration for.Delete
I keep ALMOST starting this series, and then not quite getting there. Maybe I'll have to check them out on audio, since you like the narration so well.ReplyDeleteReplies
I am on the waiting list for the 6th book at the library and it seems they do not have it in audio version yet. I am torn over whether to read it in e-book format or to wait however long is necessary to get it on audio...Delete
Yes, Flavia is wonderful! I loved all of the first five books and can't wait to read The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, especially after the way the fifth book ended.ReplyDeleteReplies
SAME! I hear it sort of ends this story arc, but that there are more books planned in the series, so I am interested as to what will happen...Delete
I love Flavia! I just reviewed Speaking on my blog. It's such a fantastic series!ReplyDelete
I've read several of the Flavia books but looks like I need to catch up on the latest ones. You are so right that Flavia helps fight stereotyping of girls' aptitudes & abilities. Besides the books are fun. Glad to know about the quality of the audio books. I'll keep that in mind for my next road trip.ReplyDelete
I've got a crush on this whole family, and every quirky person in the village. I have collected these all and am up to date except for the current one. Over the past three novels I've fallen hard for the audio versions. I really like the narrator. So when the books come out I buy them and then order the audio from the library. I'm in the queue right now and impatiently waiting for the next one.ReplyDelete
Forgot to mention that I'm thrilled you like these too.ReplyDelete
I read every comment posted on this blog, even if it sometimes takes me a while to respond. Thank you for taking the time and effort to comment here! Unless you are spamming me, in which case, thanks for nothing.


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NEW YORK -- Jerry Manuel took over an embattled Mets team in June. He did such a splendid job that he will soon be rewarded for it.
The Mets are poised to offer Manuel an extension, which could occur in a matter of days, according to someone familiar with the thinking of Mets management, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the parties have not officially agreed to a deal.
The Mets were 55-38 under Manuel after he took over for Willie Randolph, who was fired in California during a road trip. Even with the stain of another disastrous September, the executive board was quite pleased with the way Manuel skillfully handled the transition.
Manuel also had to maneuver around a season-ending injury to closer Billy Wagner, as well as the late-season loss of starting pitcher John Maine with a shoulder ailment. He was also brought into a difficult situation, tapped to lead a team coming off their 2007 collapse.
"Jerry did a great job coming into a very difficult situation," said general manager Omar Minaya. "I thought that he was able to get us back to playing better, and I thought that our team overcame a lot of things -- injuries of Wagner, Maine, a lot of things."
Neither Minaya nor Manuel would say if the Mets were committed to a new contract, only that there would be some dialogue this week. After the game, Manuel said he would welcome an opportunity to continue with the Mets. And his players all made a collective plea for ownership to bring Manuel back.
"You should have a great deal of interest in a job such as this," Manuel said. "This is probably one of the best places to be if you want to manage and do some things."
Mets chairman and chief executive officer Fred Wilpon is not misty-eyed over the upcoming demolition of Shea Stadium, despite his family's longtime connection to the building.
"It's time for it to go, and for us to get a new home," Wilpon said yesterday before the final game.
Wilpon has been an owner since 1980, and his son Jeff is the Mets' chief operating officer. The elder Wilpon has two favorite Shea memories: the 1986 World Series championship, and the first game at the stadium after 9/11, when Mike Piazza hit a home run that won the game.
"That was the most draining, emotional time, and when Mike hits that home run, it says, "You're not going to beat us,'" Wilpon said. "We were going to fight back, and win the war on terrorism, and we are."
Wilpon also remembered being at Shea in 1969, when the Mets won their first World Series.
"Jeff was 8 or 9, and when the people ran onto the field and started tearing things up, he was frightened," Wilpon said. "It was almost a riot. To think years later, he'd be the COO.
"In '86, I had to make sure the police knew what to do if that happened again, because I knew what had happened with my son."
Stadium memorabilia is being sold off, and Wilpon is among those who wanted to take a piece of the building with him.
"I bought two seats," he said. "They're going in my exercise room."
Maine will have surgery to remove the troublesome bone spur in his right shoulder tomorrow. The procedure will be performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. It's an "in-and-out" operation and the Mets are not expecting that Maine will miss any spring-training time in 2009.
Maine was 10-8 with a 4.18 ERA before the Mets shut him down in August. He attempted to come back and pitch out of the bullpen, but Manuel did not want to risk using him if there was pain in his shoulder.
The decision is not up to Pedro Martinez, so he doesn't have an answer. When asked if there was a chance he could return to the Mets next season, Martinez said he had no idea.
"I'm going to take myself some time to rest and finally finish taking care of all the problems that occurred when my father passed away," Martinez said. "Hopefully I'll clear my mind, and if my body continues go the way it is, hopefully I'll come back next year. So I'll see you somewhere! Either here or elsewhere."
Martinez's contract expires after this season. Injuries robbed him of his immense talent, but Martinez never lost his joie de vivre. But when he left his start earlier this week, he treated it as if he had pitched as a Met for the final time.
Dan Graziano and Bridget Wentworth contributed to this report.


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Mobile World Congress: Just the headlines
Mobile World Congress is in full swing and, as you can imagine, here at Pocket-lint we are all over it like a bad rash, getting the scoops, bagging the exclusives, and getting up close and personal with the latest phones, tablets, apps, and everything in between.
You'll also have to forgive us, we get excited, we write a lot, and so chances are you might have missed the barrage of news from the likes of LG, HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Research In Motion, Asus, ViewSonic, Fujitsu, Nokia, Microsoft, Panasonic, Skype, Orange, Google, Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia and everyone else.
To say there is a lot to take in would be an understatement, so here in quick headline format are all the headlines of the stories we've covered from the show so far.
We will continues to update this article as we go so you've got a one-stop shop in finding out what's what.
- Asus Padfone: Phone, tablet, pen with a speaker in it... eh?
- Asus Padfone pictures and hands-on
- Asus Transformer Pad Infinity range announced
- ASUS Transformer Pad 300 Series launched
- Asus Transformer Pad Infinity pictures and hands-on
- HTC: New Windows Phones with Apollo
- HTC and Dropbox expand partnership, new models get 25GB of storage
- HTC Mirror Mode: Android gets AirPlay
- HTC adopts micro SIM but dumps microSD in flagship One X and One S phones
- The HTC One family and Sense 4.0: Welcome to a new HTC
- HTC One X: quad-core, 4.7-inch Android confirmed
- HTC One X pictures and hands-on
- HTC One S has a space-age body, acceptable specs
- HTC One S pictures and hands-on
- HTC One V: Legendary design for the entry level
- HTC One V pictures and hands-on
- HTC Media Link HD pictures and hands-on
- Fujitsu quad-core smartphone pictures and hands-on
- Huawei Ascend D quad claims to be world's fastest smartphone
- Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD claims to be world's first quad-core tablet
- Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD pictures and hands-on
- Huawei Ascend D quad pictures and hands-on
- Huawei Ascend D1 pictures and hands-on
- Intel CEO: mobile phone processor cores don't matter
- LG Optimus Vu pictures and hands-on
- LG Optimus 4X HD pictures and hands-on
- LG Optimus L3, L5 and L7 pictures and hands-on
- LG Optimus 3D Max pictures and hands-on
- Nokia Lumia 610: Windows Phone on a budget
- Nokia 808 PureView: The 41-megapixel camera phone, out May
- Nokia Lumia 900 coming to UK
- Nokia Lumia 610 pictures and hands-on
- White Nokia Lumia 900 pictures and hands-on
- Nokia 808 PureView pictures and hands-on
- Snapped: What pictures from the Nokia 808 PureView 41 megapixel camera phone look like
- Nokia updates Drive app, intros Nokia Reading and Nokia Transport
- Nokia PureView Pro explained: 41-megapixels isn't the headline
- Orange Santa Clara pairs Intel Medfield and Android in an affordable package
- Orange Santa Clara pictures and hands-on
- Panasonic Eluga Power: Its second Android smartphone
- Option XYfi: the world's smallest portable hotspot
- Renault opts for iPhone CoPilot Live GPS in new Twingo
Research In Motion
- Confetti: Collaborative content app concept for PlayBook demoed
- Samsung Beam projector phone, er... beams in at MWC
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 breaks cover at MWC
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 confirmed
- Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 4.2: Android media player pitched at gamers
- Samsung Beam pictures and hands-on
- Skype app for Windows Phone 7 finally arriving, beta goes live today
- Skype for Windows Phone 7 pictures and hands-on
- APP OF THE DAY: Skype for Windows Phone 7 beta review
- Sony Xperia P pictures and hands-on
- Sony Xperia U pictures and hands-on
- Sony Xperia U and Sony Xperia P get official launch
- SwiftKey could bring a smarter keyboard your TV, not just your phone
- Swiftkey powering BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 keyboard
- Vimeo takes on iMovie with new Apple app
- ViewSonic E70, G70, E100, and P100 tablets detailed, Ice Cream Sandwich now starts at £129
- ViewSonic ViewPhone 4e, 4s and 5e dual-SIM phones mix work and play
- ViewSonic ViewPad E100 pictures and hands-on
- ViewSonic ViewPad E70 pictures and hands-on
- ViewSonic ViewPhone 4s and 4e pictures and hands-on
- ViewSonic ViewPad G70 pictures and hands-on
- ViewSonic ViewPad P100 pictures and hands-on
- ZTE Era quad-core smartphone unleashed at MWC
- ZTE Orbit expands Windows Phone 7 offering
- ZTE expands in Android: PF112 HD, Kis, Acqua announced
- ZTE Mimosa X pictures and hands-on
- ZTE Orbit Windows Phone 7 pictures and hands-on
Google Pixel exclusive features explored: A cut above the rest of Android?
Best smartphones 2016: The best phones available to buy today
Best smartphones to look forward to in 2017
Apple iOS 10 tips and tricks: See what your iPhone and iPad can do now
- Google Pixel tips and tricks: Getting to grips with Google's phone
- Best smartphones 2016: The best phones available to buy today
- Google Pixel vs Apple iPhone 7: Which should you choose?
- Now LG is planning to abandon modules with new G6 phone
- Xiaomi Mi Note 2 with curved edges, 2K screen and iris scanner to launch on October 25
- Samsung on its knees begging LG for phone batteries
- New Razer Blade Pro laptop has a 4K touchscreen, mechanical keyboard
- Google Pixel XL vs Apple iPhone 7 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 7: What's the difference?
- Android Nougat: How to get Android 7.1 on your phone right now
- When is Android 7.1 Nougat coming to my phone?
- Google Pixel tips and tricks: Getting to grips with Google's phone
- Best smartphones 2016: The best phones available to buy today
- Google Pixel vs Apple iPhone 7: Which should you choose?
- Best VR headsets to buy in 2016, whatever your budget
- What is Google Assistant, how does it work, and when can you use it?
- Now LG is planning to abandon modules with new G6 phone
- What is Google Chromecast and why should you care?
- Leica competition: Win a place on an exclusive Leica SL photography workshop
- Here's why you can't access Netflix, Twitter, Spotify, or Reddit
- Never stop at a red light again with future Ford and Jaguar Land Rover cars


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Tornadoes in Springfield, MA; banana-belt weather in London, England; a muggy heat-wave in Atlanta, GA; and Alaska weather in Silicon Valley! Depend on Tech Thursday for a few good links:
- Use websockets and CSS 3D to rotate your iPhone and watch your desktop browser respond.
- A video of dogs on skateboards in ascii text.
- How-to customize your background on Twitter.
- IMDB 250 on Netflix Instant, project from a former Yahoo! hacker @ptarjan.
- Polygonal map generation. What could you do with 1,000 polygons?
- Use mobjectify to quickly mock up your mobile website prototype.
- A quick reference to get you up to speed on how to do everything you know in Adobe Flash with Corona SDK.
- Build canvas-based heatmaps with heatmap.js.
- Things not to do in order to succeed at Agile project management.


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Mandeville Police caught a pair of car burglars red-handed in the Woodstone subdivision early Thursday morning and authorities believe the two men may be responsible for several recent break-ins.
Dylan Baker, 19, and Adrian Adels, 21, were trying to break into a vehicle on Woodstone Drive about 3 a.m. when they were spotted by a police officer in the area, Mandeville Police spokesman Officer Eric Gulino said.
The men were caught and police were able to connect them to another burglary in Woodstone around the same time, he said.
Officers found that Baker and Adels were in possession of several items that appeared to be stolen but which did not come from either of the cars they had burglarized Thursday, Gulino said. Some of those items do not match the descriptions of items taken in other burglaries and police believe they may come from burglaries that were never reported, Gulino said. Police are now trying to identify the owners of those items.
The case stands out from other, more frequent car burglaries in the Mandeville area in that the suspects were using tools to actually break into locked cars. In most of the vehicle burglary cases in the area, the thieves simply go through cars that have been left unlocked.
Baker and Adels, both of Mandeville, were each booked with two counts of vehicle burglary.
Police were questioning Baker and Adels at the Mandeville Police station Thursday afternoon about other vehicle break-ins that have happened in the area and additional charges are likely.
Jeff Adelson can be reached at email@example.com or 985.645.2852.


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SARANAC LAKE - The village Board of Trustees voted Monday to reopen its contract with the union representing most of its workers in an attempt to lower their, and the village's, health insurance costs.
In July of last year, the village approved a four-year contract with Service Employees International Union Local 200. It provided the union's members with a 3 percent pay increase in the first year of the deal, which was retroactive to June 2010, and 2 percent raises each of the following three years. It also required all members of the union to contribute 20 percent toward the cost of their health insurance premiums by the last year of the deal.
Mayor Clyde Rabideau said Monday that the village now wants to explore looking at different options for health insurance, such as plans that include higher deductibles but lower co-pays.
"If somebody has a family plan going, they're paying $4,000; that's their co-pay," Rabideau said. "If we increased the deductible by, say, $500 a year, and they could save $1,000 or $2,000, why not do that? We have an opportunity to look at different options on our health plan, different co-pays for drugs, and there's an opportunity for labor to save money and for the village to save money."
Rabideau said the union's leadership supports reopening the contract.
"They requested it," he said. "We told them about the opportunities, and they sent us a letter. We'll sit down, look at all the options and see if we can save money."
SEIU represents village fire drivers, mechanics, and Department of Public Works, sewer plant and clerical staff.
Contact Chris Knight at 518-891-2600 ext. 24 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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A Tribute to Sid Watkins
Today, Formula 1 racing is the pinnacle of motorsports. Championship drivers are treated like gods, automobile manufacturers gain massive profits based on the outcomes of their teams (more specifically their cars) in the races, and most technologies in the car you drive has trickled down from years of F1 R&D. For almost 20 years, F1 racing has also been one of the safest motorsports in terms of casualty rate. Not a single driver has died in a Formula 1 race since the late great Ayrton Senna in 1994. [keep reading]


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The other finalist for the position was Coopersville High School Principal Peter Bush.
"It was a difficult decision for the Hastings Board of Education as both candidates showed they were well prepared to be Hastings' next superintendent," said Gary Rider, search consultant with the Michigan Leadership Institute. "It came down to the board felt that Duits had the skill set the district needed at this point in time."
The vote was unanimous to offer the job to Duits.
Duits, 56, replaces former Hastings superintendent Todd Geerlings, who resigned last November to take the principal job at Muskegon Catholic Central High School. Geerlings had been on the Hastings job just 18 months.
Duits grew up in Hastings and still has ties to the community even though she has worked in Colorado for more than 25 years.


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(Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Rep. Virginia Foxx
It is time that we emphasize the facts about the price of gas in our country.
On inauguration day for President Obama, the average price of gasoline was $1.84 per gallon. Today, it's $3.75. That's an increase of 103 percent. The estimate is that it will be $4.50 by May. A 1-cent increase in the cost of gas equals $1 billion out of the economy, and it's a $4 million-per-day cost to consumers.
As the price of oil continues to rise at an alarming rate, the President and the congressional Democrats have tried to deflect the blame of their failed energy policies and point the finger at Wall Street speculators for the rise of the cost of a barrel of oil. But that's not the problem, Mr. Speaker. The Obama administration's energy policies are creating uncertainty in the marketplace and are driving up costs.
We need this President to assume the responsibility for the problems that he has caused the average hardworking American taxpayer and to do something about the price of gas.
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SMEs riding economic storm successfully
As in most other European countries, small and medium sized enterprises in Malta seem to be riding the economic storm that still rages in the EU. The latest evidence of this comes from a European Commission report published during an SME week organised across the EU.
According to the report, "Malta leads the EU average in terms of the value added created by SMEs in the services industries. So far, Malta's SME sector has been much less affected by the crisis engulfing the eurozone". The report goes further and "places the performance of Malta's SMEs at par with those of Austria and Germany".
While these findings are flattering, one must be cautious in interpreting their significance. The EU report qualifies its comments on Malta's SMEs by "complaining for the second year in a row about lack of data concerning Maltese SMEs which form the backbone of the island's economy". Why is it that we are often criticised by EU statisticians for presenting late or insufficient economic information about our businesses?
The 30,000 Maltese SMEs, unlike those in some other EU countries such as Germany, mostly cater for the domestic market and, as such, are less exposed to the fortunes of the international economy.
One can, therefore, conclude that the fact that consumption has been quite buoyant in Malta in the last few years gave small businesses the opportunity to continue to operate successfully.
On a more positive note it seems that the Government is at last getting a good grip on issues that affect small business negatively. One such issue is, of course, unnecessary bureaucracy. The setting up of Business First – a one stop shop developed by Malta Enterprise – and other initiatives aimed to promote the access of credit to SMEs seem to be giving positive results.
The effort to reduce the impact of bureaucracy on small businesses is also evident in the Government's decision to eliminate the need to apply for a licence with the Trade Department for those wanting to set up a new business that is not health and food related. The war against unnecessary bureaucracy may not be won by a big bang strategy but by implementing effective surgical tactics that identify and eliminate the worst stumbling blocks in the growth path of small businesses.
During a seminar organised by the Malta Business Bureau and the European Commission Representation in Malta, speakers highlighted that "despite Malta's accession to the EU more than eight years ago, parochialism and inward-looking attitude and insularity were major stumbling blocks to making inroads into the market of 500 million consumers". This sobering reality presents a formidable challenge both to the Government and also to business leaders for the coming decade.
This country's SMEs will have a more promising future if they start looking beyond our shores to boost their business. An MBB survey confirmed that "location and insularity were factors limiting Maltese business operations within the Single Market".
The report also notes that "the Single Market has intensified foreign companies' competition in the Maltese market but local operators wishing to conduct cross-border business in Europe were finding it harder to compete in the Single Market due to limited capacity and resources". This is indeed an eye opener for all those who are involved in managing small businesses.
A clinical analysis of the challenges facing SMEs will help us to ensure that they promote economic growth despite the difficult international economic climate we are facing.
See our Comments Policy Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated.


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Schwartz also believes that people have to understand that football still is football.
Delmas was flagged for unnecessary roughness after rocking Packers tight end Jermichael Finley in the second quarter of Thursday's game at Ford Field. It was a violent collision, as Delmas hit Finley high in the chest, but replays showed Delmas leading with his shoulder and not his helmet. The officials ruled that Finley, who had the pass sail over his head, was in a defenseless position.
Schwartz was asked how he would coach Delmas differently on that play.
"There are some things that you're not going to be able to. As long as he's not leading with his head and he's not intentionally trying to hurt somebody or things like that, you've got to play hard," Schwartz said. "The officials are going to err on the side of player safety, and they did in that case.
"When you have a situation like that, when you have a defenseless receiver -- even if you don't attack his head -- if you're in a position where you can pull off, you can. It's tough because it's a full-speed game. Delmas is going full speed, and if the guy tips the ball and makes a catch -- we saw their guys make some great catches in the first game, laying out and putting a hand out and making a catch. You want your guys to finish plays, but the officials threw the flag."
It's too bad Delmas didn't return that interception for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks earlier this season.
In the first quarter of that game, Delmas picked off the ball at the 31-yard line and returned it 29 yards to the 2-yard line. If he had taken it all the way, Delmas would have pulled off an interesting trifecta: scoring three ways as a defender this season.
Delmas already had returned a fumble for a touchdown, against the New Orleans Saints, and he recorded a safety Thursday against the Packers.
While Delmas continues to blossom at safety, problems remain on the defensive line.
The Lions are forced to blitz 40 to 50 percent of the time during each game because they can't generate a respectable pass rush with their front four defensive linemen.
While defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has been creative in how he brings extra pressure, it also greatly reduces his overall versatility because he has to commit so many players to the rush.
"We haven't been able to get good pressure on the quarterback. We've had to blitz quite a lot," Schwartz said. "You saw circumstances there where Gun dialed up good blitzes because we had guys running totally free toward the quarterback, but he got rid of the ball.
"Most of the time when you're blitzing, you're not blitzing to sack the quarterback. It's very rare that you blitz and actually sack the quarterback. What you're trying to do is force a bad throw, force him to throw somewhere he doesn't want to throw. On third-and-10, you blitz, they throw a 5-yard pass and you're off the field."
In theory, Schwartz is correct. However, the Lions rarely have a team in third-and-10. It's usually third-and-5 or less, and that's why those short "hot reads" can be so effective. Not to mention the Lions aren't real strong in tackling receivers after the catch.
To be an effective defense in the NFL, a team must generate consistent pressure with the front four. That has been a problem in Detroit for more than a decade.
"Generally, your sacks come from coverage with a four-man pass rush where the quarterback has to hold the ball and wait for those plays down the field. It's happened to our offense," Schwartz said. "We're not doing a good job with our four-man pass rush, but a little bit of that goes hand-in-hand with our coverage. There have been times when we've had a good pass rush and then blown a coverage in the back end. But that's really the life blood of what you do defensively: stop the pass with a four-man pass rush.
"We need to do a better job of that. The bottom line is that we haven't rushed well enough."


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Family members of Thomas Bianco, 40, and his wife, Jennifer, 38, scuffled both inside and outside a courtroom in state Supreme Court in St. George Tuesday morning, witnesses said, after a justice handed down a stiffer sentence to the husband.
Bianco received five and a half years behind bars, his wife four and a half.
At one point, one of Bianco's family members brandished an umbrella at a member of Mrs. Bianco's side of the family, recounted Mrs. Bianco's defense attorney, Mario F. Gallucci, who saw the brawl unfold in the hall.
Court officers separated the parties, and ultimately, no one was arrested, Gallucci said.
"They'll have five years to work it out," quipped one law enforcement source familiar with the case.
The Biancos pleaded guilty in July to a felony count of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, just a few months after police arrested the couple on charges they sold thousands of dollars' worth of oxycodone, a prescription painkiller, to undercover officers.
The Biancos were among 19 suspects arrested around Staten Island in a February drug sweep dubbed "Operation Pill Crusher." The suspects sold drugs on the street, inside cars, and out of homes, dealing oxycodone, Xanax, cocaine and crystal meth, prosecutors said. One suspect allegedly sold the hallucinogen LSD.
Police arrested Bianco on Feb. 15 while he was in uniform, attending a training session in Long Island City, Queens. Suspended without pay, he resigned on May 21, said Judie Glave, an MTA spokeswoman.
Besides oxycodone, the Biancos allegedly dealt cocaine and marijuana.
One of their young sons told authorities they regularly sold drugs while he and his brothers, who ranged in age from 6 to 13, were inside their Tottenville home, said a law enforcement source. Once, the boy walked in on his father cutting cocaine in the parents' bedroom, and another time, the boy and his siblings were ushered out of the kitchen so a drug deal could take place, the source said.
Bianco had even peddled narcotics at one of his son's football games, said a law enforcement source.
Gallucci yesterday described the sentence that Justice Leonard P. Rienzi handed down to Mrs. Bianco as fair, noting that she'd be eligible for a "shock incarceration" regimen that gives non-violent offenders with drug abuse problems the chance at release in six months.
Thomas Bianco's lawyer, Lance Lazzaro, declined comment when contacted on Tuesday.


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This deal has ended.
6pm takes up to 56% off Emu Boots, beating the best and most inclusive sale we've seen from them on this brand this year. Check out the pictured Women's Hip Boot in Chestnut, originally $99, now $49.50, matching the all-time low. Compare this with $98.95 at Amazon! Shipping is $6.95 and there's no sales tax (except KY, NV, NC, NY). Some sizes and quantities are limited, so act fast.No longer available


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May 21, 1976: John F. Kennedy, Jr., on the tarmac at the Athens airport.
Aug. 27, 1977: John and then-girlfriend Meg Anzioni sit courtside at the RFK tennis tournament in Forest Hills, Queens.
July 12, 1977: Gearing up for a month-long sailing trip.
Oct. 27, 1978: Chatting with sister Caroline at Harvard, during the dedication of the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
John in January 1979.
June 5, 1980: John at Caroline's Harvard graduation with his uncle, Sen. Edward Kennedy, and mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Portable stereo in hand, John struts down the streets of Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in the late 70s.
John during an evening out in Hollywood, 1981.
Sept. 1, 1980: John goes for a Labor Day sail with his cousins in Hyannis Harbor.
Apr. 11, 1981: A college-aged John playing football at Brown University, his alma mater.
July 8, 1986: At Hyannis Harbor the day before his sister Caroline's wedding.
Jan. 25, 1995: John reflects on Hyannis Port beach the day after the death of his grandmother, Rose Kennedy.
John hits the slopes. Date and location unknown.
Jan. 1, 1997: John and wife Carolyn walk their dog in New York City on New Year's Day.
John on a bike ride from Massachusetts into New York. Date unknown.
Duffel Coat
Unlined and water-resistant, the duffel coat offers a rugged combination of looks and utility that has made it an American staple. Never mind that it was born in Britain. Like the U.S.A. itself, it's won its independence.
Duffelcoat, $1,195, by Polo by Ralph Lauren. Crewneck, $78, by Tailgate. Shirt, $148, by Tommy Hilfiger. Blazer by Dsquared2. Henley by Ralph Lauren Blue Label.
Aviator Shades
Despite their name, aviators haven't been just for pilots since the time of the Second World War. For decades now, they've called to mind the American obsession with getting behind the wheel and hitting the road.
Peacoat, $198, and tie, $60, by DKNY. Shirt, $70, by J.Crew. Corduroys, $54, by Levi's. Sunglasses by Ray-Ban. Bag by Gilded Age. Vintage belt by Melet Mercantile.
Zip Cardigan
The off-white cable-knit cardigan—modernized here with an easy-to-wear zip front—began as an Irish fisherman's sweater. It's now a trademark of New England vacation spots like Cape Cod's Hyannis Port, where JFK Jr. spent his summers.
Cardigan, $129, by Nautica Jeans Co. T-shirt, $27, by Ivysport. Pants, $267, by Nice Collective. Boots, $130, by Clarks Originals.
Ringer Tee
Dean and Brando might have made the white T-shirt quintessentially American, but it's the ringer teewith its contrasting collar and sleeve hems—that strikes a singular style note.
T-Shirt, $50, by Splendid Mills. Swim Trunks, $120, by Sundek. Sneakers, $58, by Nike Sportswear. Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren. Necklace by Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons. Vintage watch by Rolex at Aaron Faber Gallery.
On her: Henley by DG. Cut-off jeans by Levi's. Sneakers by Nike Sportswear.
Classic Polo Shirt
Like the tee, the polo is a timeless work of minimalist perfection tooled to the specifics of the laid-back American lifestyle. It's at its best when it's slim and snug.
Windbreaker, $200, by A.P.C.; Polo Shirt, $80, by Lacoste. Necklace by Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons.
On her: Sweater by Maison Martin Margiela.
Created by English shoemaker Clarks, Wallabees appeared in the 60s and instantly resonated with Americans, from the prepsters who still like to wear them beat-up to members of the Wu-Tang Clan, who won't wear them with a scuff.
Sweater, $575, and shirt, $395, by Michael Bastian. Corduroys, $175, by Boss Orange. Wallabees, $130, by Clarks Originals. Socks by Wigwam. Belt by Tommy Hilfiger. Vintage Watch by Rolex at Central Watch in Grand Central.
Shetland Sweater
Coarse and sturdy, Shetland wool ain't like cashmere. But that functionality—and lack of pretentiousness—is why it has suited Americans so well for so long. It's tough rather than luxurious.
Sweater, $145, by Steven Alan. Shorts, $245, and hat by Michael Bastian. Vintage sneakers by Nike Sportswear. Socks by Wigwam. Vintage watch by Rolex at Aaron Faber Gallery.
Down Vest
Puffy down vests hit it big in the '70s but still look as strong as ever, whether you wear one as a layer deep into the winter or on a blustery early-fall day at the beach.
Vest, $345, by Vince. Sweatshirt, $98, by Polo by Ralph Lauren. Sweatpants, $110, by Splendid Mills. Sneakers, $52, by Nike Sportswear. Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren. Backpack (on stool) by Jansport.
On her: Sweater by Ralph Lauren Blue Label. Cut-off Jeans by Levi's. Sneakers by Nike Sportswear. Cap by Dsquared2.
Blazer by Brooks Brothers. Shirt by Gap. Tie and bag (on shelf) by A.P.C. Khakis, Polo by Ralph Lauren. Belt by Billykirk.
On her: Shirt by Rag & Bone. Jeans by D&G. Bracelet by J.Crew.
Corduroy blazer, $138, by J.Crew. Polo shirt, $345, by Michael Bastian. Pants, $570, by Marc Jacobs. Scarf by J.Press. Vintage Watch by Rolex at Central Watch in Grand Central.


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Monday, November 7, 2011
Devils' penalty kill an early-season strength
Although the Devils' power play has yet to click consistently, their special teams still have been helping them stay in and win games.
That's because their penalty kill has been among the NHL's best.
The Devils rank third overall in the NHL on the PK with a 91.3 percent success rate (four power-play goals against on 45 times shorthanded). They remain perfect at home, killing off all 24 power plays they've faced at Prudential Center. Anaheim (19-for-19) is the only other team in the league that has yet to allow a power-play goal at home.
"I think Dave Barr should get a lot of credit," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said when I asked him about the PK today. "He's come in and right from Day 1 has worked diligently at it. We've been aggressive. We've gotten good goaltending, which is always critical for the PK. But we've worked at it just like we've worked at our power play. The PK has been good and it's definitely got us some points here through the first 10, 12 games."
DeBoer has stressed the importance of taking pride in killing penalties and bringing that attitude to the ice.
"The PK starts with a good frame of mind that comes from everyone that's killing taking pride in it," defenseman Bryce Salvador said. "Once you have that, it comes down to work ethic and the stuff we get from the coaching staff in getting us prepared and watching video and understanding the tendencies of opponents and their strengths. So, a lot of things go into it."
The Devils have killed off 14 consecutive power plays over four-plus games dating back to Ray Whitney's power-play goal in the second period in Phoenix on Oct. 27.
"I think we're learning and we're getting better at pressuring at the right times and jumping at the right times when a guy is fumbling the puck or if you read that he's got no other options," Devils captain Zach Parise said. "We're doing a good job of retrieving the puck when they dump it in and it seems like that when you can kill off power plays it gets the other team really frustrated."
Like with the power play, confidence can be a factor in both directions. When a team is on a roll killing penalties, the PK unit feels it can help the team out of a jam by killing off a particular power play at a key moment.
The PK played a huge role in the Devils' 4-3 shootout win in Philadelphia on Thursday, killing off all six Flyers' power plays including a 5-on-3 for 50 seconds in the first period.
"You definitely get confidence from it where if you get (shorthanded) you feel, we'll kill it off no problem," Parise said. "The power play is the same way where if you don't get in the zone a couple of times early in the game, you get frustrated. So, it's kind of the same."
As Salvador noted, the PK unit will make certain strategic changes to adjust to the power play of the team they are facing. That used to be a specialty of former Devils coach Jacques Lemaire, who had a knack for identifying ways to nullify the strengths of the opposition's power play (That was Lemaire's specific assignment as an assistant with the 2010 Canadian Olympic team). This season, that's one of Barr's responsibilities.
"We talk a lot about it," goaltender Johan Hedberg said. "We have plan for every game, a main idea of how we want to play and make some adjustments each game. There's some work in it. You've got to stay on top of that. It takes sacrifice and really hard work from the penalty killers willing to sacrifice their bodies to keep the puck out of the net."
Trying to score shorthanded goals is not something that the Devils' PK focuses on, but their aggressive approach has led to some shorthanded scoring chances and two shorthanded goals so far.
"We don't stress that," DeBoer said. "We're not trying to score a goal. We're trying to get the penalty killed. Having said that, part of our mindset is being very aggressive and I think that leads to some offense, but it's definitely not something that as a staff we stress."
Rookie center Adam Henrique has demonstrated his offensive skill with three goals and two assists in the last three games, including the OT winner and another goal in Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory over Winnipeg. DeBoer said that Henrique still needs to work on other parts of his game, though, to become a complete player.
"I thought he was great last game offensively," DeBoer said. "As a young guy, there's still details of the game that he has to continue to work at and we're going to continue to work with him at. But, like I said, he's been impressive offensively."
Hedberg disputed rookie defenseman Adam Larsson's claim Saturday that Hedberg is "the worst" in the mini ping pong tournaments the Swedish players have in Hedberg's apartment. Hedberg, Larsson, Mattias Tedenby and Jacob Josefson live in the same building and pass the time sometimes when they are home by playing ping pong.
"On a good day, I'm the best," Hedberg said. "On an average day, Teddy probably is. Jacob, obviously, is dropping in the rankings right now."
That's because Josefson is recovering from a fractured right clavicle. Josefson's clavicle was fractured in two places and required surgery to repair.
He's recovered enough now, though, to be able to fly home to Sweden to see his family for a week.


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Touring Cairo (religious sites and more)
Trip Start Jun 16, 2008
36Trip End Jul 20, 2008
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Our tour started today by visiting some religious sites.
First we visited a famous Chrisitan Church. This is where Jesus and his family fled and prayed while in exile.
Next we visited Ben Ezra Synagogue. The Synagogue of Ben Ezra was originally named El-Shamieen Church, and is situated behind the "hanging church". The Synagogue once had an old copy of the Old Testament, and it was said that Ezra the Prophet (Al-Azir) had written it. It is believed that the site of the Synagogue was where the box of Baby Moses was found. ". The Ben Ezra Synagogue was originally a Christian church that the Copts had to sell, to the Jews, in 882A.D in order to pay the annual taxes imposed by the Muslim rulers of the time, and therefore Abraham Ben Ezra, who came from Jerusalem during the reign of Ahmed Ibn Tulun, bought the church for the sum of 20,000 dinars. It is built in the shape of a basilica (rectangle), consisting of 2 floors; the 1st dedicated for the men while the 2nd is dedicated for the women. The entrance is situated on the north side. The decoration goes back to the Turkish Period. It is clearly seen on the side halls with patterns such as, star patterns, pentagonal patterns and rectangles.
Then we visited the Mohammed Ali Citadel The mosque was built between 1830-1840. This mosque is also sometimes referred to as the Alabaster Mosque due to its extensive use of that stone on some of the exterior walls and other surfaces. Sometimes it is popularly known as al-qal'a, meaning citadel, and thus confused with the fortress in which it is located. The complex consists of two parts, the mosque proper to the east and the open courtyard, or sahn, to the west. Within the mosque are two minbars, or pulpits. The larger one of wood is decorated with gilt ornament, and is original. It is said to be one of the largest in Egypt, incorporating significant gold in its decorations. The smaller one of alabaster was a gift from King Faruq, dating to 1939. The mihrab, or prayer niche, is made of Egyptian marble.
Later we visited the masive Cairo Museum. There are over 147,000 artifacts here. The bottom floor of the museum contained a variety of artifacts throughout all of the dynasties of Egypt.
Perhaps the most famous were the contents of King Tut's tomb. He was never a powerful King, but is so famous because his tomb was the only one ever found untouched. All of the valuables found inside his tomb were now on display in the museum.
Maybe the most impressive piece found in Tutankhamun's tomb is not the mask, although that is the most well known. The kings gold inner coffin displays a quality of workmanship and an attention to detail which is unsurpassed. The coffin is made of solid gold. It is 74" long, 20" wide and 20" high. The king is shown as Osiris holding the crook and flail, traditional symbols of kingship. There is little doubt that the most famous icon from Ancient Egypt is the funerary mask of Tutankhamun. It is a stunning example of the Ancient goldsmith's art.
The mask itself is made of solid gold, inlaid with lapis lazuli, cornelian, quartz, obsidian, turquoise and colored glass.
The last stop for the tour today was the Khan El Khalili market. Diana and I stolled around here for over an hour bargaining like professionals and making some great purchases.
The market was built in 1382 by the Emir Djaharks el-Khalili in the heart of the Fatimid City. Together with the al-Muski market to the west, they comprise one of Cairo's most important shopping areas. But more than that, they represent the market tradition which established Cairo as a major center of trade, and at the Khan, one will still find foreign merchants. Perhaps, this vary market was involved in the spice monopoly controlled by the Mamluks, which encouraged the Europeans to search for new routes to the East and led Columbus, indirectly, to discover the Americas. During its early period, the market was also a center for subversive groups, often subject to raids before the Sultan Ghawri rebuilt much of the area in the early 16th century. Regardless, it was trade which caused Cairo's early wealth, even from the time of the Babylon fort which was often a settlement of traders.