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|Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
Lorna Dils
I am afraid that my students think of the learning process in the same way they think of watching television. They are used to being passive consumers of television and it seems that, when looking for information in texts, they would like to ôĹswitch the dialsö as they do the channels on their television sets, and have the information they want magically appear before them. They do not realize that searching for information and reading is a very active process, requiring both mental and physical energy. My students are also resistant to thinking at higher levels: these thinking processes require mental energy. They are too used to being passive in their learning; they are consumers rather than producers.
There are two other reasons why my studentsĺ lack of energyŚmental and physicalŚis of concern to me. My own research points out that our high technology world will require even high school graduates to possess good critical and creative thinking skills. Not all of my students will go on to college, and I worry that they will not be prepared for the demands of the future job market, especially since this part of Connecticut includes many high-technology industries. The demands for my students to possess a wide variety of skills as they enter the work place will be great. I want them to be ready for the challenge.
As I continue to look towards my studentsĺ futures, I see that just as they are passive in their quest for knowledge, many of them are passive in the living of their daily lives. Just as they accept whatever comes before them in their school reading and on television, they accept whatever comes before them in their lives. They do not question or, more frustratingly, even make an effort to ôĹswitchö the channels in their lives. Many of them seem to view life as something that just happens rather than as events over which they can exercise some control. Perhaps by providing opportunities for choice-making and decision-making in the classroom, I will enable my students to gain confidence in this same behavior outside of school.
I am not foolish enough to believe that this one unit can rectify all of the many problems I have described. However, I do believe that it is important to begin chipping away at my studentsĺ passivity, to require them to make choices about their studies, to seek information from a variety of sources, to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, and to predict outcomes. It is important for my students to learn these skills in the classroom so that they may carry them over into their daily lives.
This unit is for all of my T.A.G. students in grades four through seven. The strategies in this unit would also be appropriate for most fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students.
The objectives of this unit are:
My students enjoy mysteries. When I told them I was writing this paper and reading childrenĺs mysteries, almost all had one or more favorite mystery as a suggestion for me to read. Mysteries, I feel, will be a vehicle for providing my students with opportunities for problem solving and creative thinking since it is a genre that clearly appeals to my students. I will use these detective series to begin developing the higher level thinking skills that are necessary for critical thinking and problem solving.
- to improve my studentsĺ ability to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information;
- to allow my students opportunities for decision making and choice making;
- to provide my students with all of the terminology used in teaching problem solving skills and in describing higher level thinking skills;
- to introduce my students to two mystery series written for childrenŚEncyclopedia Brown and Tintin;
- to capitalize on my studentsĺ enjoyment of mysteries as a means of teaching higher level thinking skills and problem solving skills; and
- to encourage my students to become more active in their thinking in all parts of their lives, not just in school.
The model of thinking skills that I use to develop my activities in my classroom is Benjamin Bloomĺs Taxonomy of Cognitive Thinking Skills.1 At the lowest level of Bloomĺs hierarchy is knowledge. This is the level at which students recall facts, principles, and concepts. At this level they describe and define information. They locate information in a single text and label it. My students do this fairly well. The second level is the comprehension level where students interpret information. This is more difficult for my students, but they do have some success when asked to infer from information read, to give examples of or explain information. The third level in Bloomĺs model is the application level where students need to be able to apply previous knowledge to a new situation. Here students need to be able to classify, organize, generalize, and summarize information, and it is at this level that many of my studentsĺ skills are lacking. The fourth level is analysis where students need to be able to break material into its components and to look at how it is structured and organized. At this level students need to be able to compare, contrast, solve, discriminate, or take apart. Tasks involving these skills are very difficult for my students. The fifth level, synthesis, requires the ability to put the parts back together; to form a whole that has been taken apart. Where analysis involves divergent thinking, synthesis requires convergent thinkingŚthe ability to hypothesize, design, suppose, and create. The last level, the highest level of thinking skills, is the evaluation level. Evaluation is the ability to make judgments based on the value of the information and on definite criteria.2 It is the ability to judge, criticize, defend, interpret, or assess. It is a skill that is very difficult for my students; even the simplest question requiring evaluative skills is often met with blank stares or shrugs of the shoulders. The difficulty my students encounter when asked to answer questions or demonstrate knowledge beyond the simple comprehension level is partly due to their mental passivity and partly due to a lack of opportunities requiring them to use higher level thinking skills. It is important that I provide my students with opportunities to flex their mental muscles. One way to begin this process is to ask questions that are open-ended, that cannot be answered by yes, no, or one word, and have more than one possible response. During discussions ask students for their opinions about the topic at hand. Questions that require students to use higher level thinking skills will begin to stimulate their thinking.
Knowing that students need to work on these thinking skills is not enough. Not only is it important that I provide students with problems to be solved that require using these higher level skills, but I must also provide students with specific strategies for solving these problems. Problem solving is the process of recognizing an obstacle, difficulty or inability to act, thinking of possible solutions, and evaluating the solutions.3 Students can be taught specific steps to take for problem solving that can be used over and over again. The following is a list of abilities that are necessary for students to possess before developing a problem solving strategy. There is a correlation between these abilities needed for problem solving and Bloomĺs Taxonomy:
If students are allowed to develop these abilities for problem solving, they will automatically be required to think at a higher level. In addition, students can be taught critical thinking/problem solving skills by using a set of strategies which build on the problem solving abilities and which also correlate with the higher level skills I am seeking to improve.
Problem-Solving Abilities Bloomĺs Taxonomy
- [The ability to:]
1. Think of several Knowledge characteristics of a given subject or situation 2. Classify Application 3. Perceive relationships Analysis 4. Think of alternative Synthesis outcomes 5. List characteristics Knowledge/Synthesis of a goal 6. Produce a logical Synthesis outcome4
To the above strategies must be added one more element: creativity. The creative child is often not appreciated in the classroom as this may be the child who talks too much and out of turn, who often has a Ĺsmartĺ answer to questions. Many students find little appreciation for their creativity. They cease to use it. Since creativity plays a large part in problem solving, it is necessary that creativity be fostered in the classroom. There is evidence that creativity can be cultivated. Furthermore, studies have shown that teaching skills must be coupled with the opportunity to explore freely in order to foster creativity.6 Classroom experiences must be structured in such a way as to allow time for creative responses, to encourage all students to participate, to support and reinforce unusual ideas, to allow students to take risks, and to use failure or wrong answers as a positive learning experience.7
Strategy Bloomĺs Taxonomy 1. Recognize the problem Analysis 2. Formulate a hypothesis Synthesis 3. Gather pertinent data Application 4. Test and evaluate Evaluation 5. Draw conclusions5 Evaluation
A final word about teaching problem solving and fostering creativity. All of the terminology concerning Bloomĺs Taxonomy, problem solving strategies, and creativity enhancement as well as discussion about the skills we are developing, should be included as a part of this unit along with the actual activities to develop the skills. Students need a framework within which to operate. If we want good thinkers, good questioners, good problem solvers, we must empower them with this information also. This provides students with a sense of ownership and extra involvement in their learning that may increase their interest and enthusiasm.
Trying to accomplish all of the aboveŚthe development of higher level thinking skills, the teaching of problem solving skills and strategies, and fostering creativityŚis a tall order. Reading detective fiction and developing a wide variety of activities based on the stories is one way of providing students with opportunities to learn and use many of these important skills and strategies. For example, detective fiction requires ôan interest in reconstruction through detail as opposed to the larger picture.ö8 Objectives are looked at closely to determine what they imply or what their purpose is.9 In other words, using detective fiction requires the reader to analyze and synthesize and the teacher can develop activities based on detective stories that single out these skills. Reading detective fiction requires imagination and solving the mystery requires invention.10 It also helps students tolerate a complexity11 as they organize and assess clues to solve the mystery.
I have stated that all of my students enjoy mysteries, but what is it about mysteries that appeals to them so much? Is it the suspense, the desire on my studentsĺ parts to solve the mystery, or just the excitement of reading about the adventures of a person their own age? For some of my readers it is all of these things; for many it is the formula of the mystery that holds its greatest appeal.
The mystery formula always has a desirable and rational conclusion.12 For some readers the appeal is the explanation at the end of the story that allows them to see how close they were to solving the mysteries.13 For others the appeal is the logical solution at the end of the story: ôDetective fiction insists that there must be some explanationö14 and when the explanation is presented, all loose ends are tied up. This is in contrast to everyday life which is full of loose ends and, for many of my students, full of events that have no reasonable explanations.
Detective fiction has a definite plot. There is an order to the story and this sense of order appeals to young readers. In a detective novel there are four parts to the plot. It begins with: (1) a crime to be solved and that crime can only be solved by (2) gathering evidence. Once (3) evidence is assessed, (4) the identity of the criminal and meaning of the events is made clear.15 While mysteries are not always easy to read, this sense of completeness is important to my young readers. It is a place where the rules are followed and if they read the clues carefully, they can solve the mystery. There need not be any surprises.16 If they choose to read along without trying to solve the mystery, there is still the security of a completed story with no loose ends. There is a similarity between the rules of detective fiction and the rules of problem solving and critical thinking. Students will perform well if they have a framework within which to operate.
There is a last reason why I believe my students enjoy mysteries. As in adult literature, most of the stories that they read are also adventures, romances, or spy thrillers.17 The adventures, especially, hold my studentsĺ interest and the mystery is a bonus that adds to the pleasure of the story. Thus, I have at my disposal a genre that holds my studentsĺ attention whether they read to solve the mystery, or whether they just read to enjoy the action of the story and to be surprised at the end. Whichever the case, the genre provides an enjoyable means of teaching higher level thinking skills and problem solving skills to students.
An eleven year old girl listed the following as her opinion of the elements of a good mystery:
The detective series I have chosen for this unit, Encyclopedia Brown and Tintin, do all of the above in addition to providing me with ample opportunity to develop activities appropriate to the goals of this unit. Furthermore, each Encyclopedia Brown book contains several short mysteries and the solution to each is kept separate so that the reader can try to solve the mystery (or the teacher can withhold the solution, allowing students the opportunity to attempt to solve the mystery using critical thinking and problem solving strategies) before revealing the authorĺs solution for comparison.
- 1. an exciting plot that holds her interest;
- 2. suspense;
- 3. enough clues so she can follow the action, and
- 4. clues that allow her to try to solve the crime.18
The Tintin series is in hardcover comic book fashion and has much more complicated plots. The books require the reader to read and observe as clues are in both the text and the pictures. The Tintin books can be broken up and read in smaller sections so that students can predict, based on careful observation and using critical thinking and problem solving strategies, what will happen in the following section. Since I see each of my groups of students only once a week, both of these detective series fit my routine well. Using Encyclopedia Brown and Tintin may work for the regular classroom teacher also, since finding time for these activities may be limited to once or twice a week.
Encyclopedia Brown and Tintin have further appeal. In many respects they mirror the amateur sleuth of adult fiction. Tintin, while Belgian, is typical of the bumbling American sleuth19Śa Columbo for kids. While Tintinĺs adventures take him from his home in England to places all over the world, Encyclopedia Brown stays in his hometown of Idaville where he is the ten year old son of the Chief of Police and ôthe real brain behind Idavilleĺs war on crime.ö20 Encyclopedia is a real ôkidö who worries about the town bully, Bugs Meany, and has friends with whom he hangs around when not solving crimes. He is less bumbling than Tintin, who is a child in an otherwise adult world.
In fact, focussing on the differences between Tintin and Encyclopedia Brown would be a good beginning activity in which students could develop a chart comparing and contrasting the two main characters. Organizing information into a chart requires students to apply what they know about the two characters and comparing and contrasting requires them to analyze what they know about the characters. In addition, if students are allowed to make these charts on large, white, unlined paper and use color and decorate them, they can put their artistic creativity to work also.
Predicting an outcome based on careful examination of the clues requires students to analyze carefully what they have read. Using either a Tintin or Encyclopedia Brown story, students can predict the solution to the crime by listing, after careful reading (and observing in the case of Tintin) all the clues that substantiate their conclusion. This activity requires students to apply and analyze what they have read. This might also be the time to teach students about ôred herringsö in detective stories. Red herrings are the clues that are given to mislead the readerŚthose clues that appear at the moment to have a bearing on the crime but those which, once the crime has been solved, actually have nothing to do with the crime. Once students are aware of red herrings, they can reexamine their lists of clues to determine which clues were valid and which were indeed red herrings.
This same activity can be done using problem solving strategies. Students can begin by (1) recognizing the problem, i.e., defining the crime that has taken place. They can then (2) hypothesize a possible solution, and (3) list clues (pertinent data) to substantiate the hypothesis. Next, they can (4) evaluate the data they have gathered and scrutinize it to see if the solution will hold up against all of the clues. The final step would be to draw a final conclusion as to whether or not, based on all of the above examination, the hypothesized solution is indeed a possible solution to the crime. This kind of problem solving activity lends itself to students working together in small groups and once students are familiar with the problem solving strategies, they will work with ease within this framework. This framework can be used over and over again to predict solutions to mysteries and it can be used for other classroom activities and problems that require solutions.
The opportunities that mysteries present for higher level thinking, inquiry, and problem solving are many and varied. I have presented only a few examples. What is most important is to teach students how to think critically and problem solve and then to provide ample opportunities in the classroom to use these skills and strategies. Once students are familiar with these strategies and more comfortable with activities requiring higher level thinking skills, they will carry these skills to other academic areas and to other areas of their lives outside of school.
- 1. Carolyn Roedell, ôField Trips,ö Challenge, May/Summer, 1989, p. 5.
- 2. Ibid.
- 3. John F. Feldhusen and Donald J. Treffinger, Creative Thinking and Problem Solving in Gifted Education (Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, 1980), p. 33.
- 4. Ibid., p. 1.
- 5. Feldhusen and Treffinger, Creative Thinking, p. 38.
- 6. Neil McAleer, ôGetting Creative Birth of a Notion,ö Omni, April, 1989, p. 113.
- 7. Feldhusen and Treffinger, p. 31.
- 8. Robin W. Winks, Detective Fiction (Woodstock, Vermont: The Countryman Press, 1988), p. 3.
- 9. Jacques Barzun, ôDetection and the Literary Art,ö in Detective Fiction, ed. by Robin W. Winks (Woodstock, Vermont: The Countryman Press, 1988), p. 145.
- 10. Ibid., p. 152.
- 11. Winks, Detective Fiction, p. 254.
- 12. John G. Cawelti, Adventure, Mystery, and Romance (Chicago, Illinois: The University of Chicago Press, 1976), p. 42.
- 13. Ibid., p. 13.
- 14. Winks, p. 5.
- 15. Ibid., p. 7.
- 16. Gladys Mitchell, ôThe Most Asked Question: Why Do People Read Detective Stories?,ö in Murder, Inc., ed. by Dilys Winn (New York, New York: Workman Publishing, 1984), p. 334.
- 17. Cawelti, Adventure, Mystery, and Romance, p. 43.
- 18. Donna E. Norton, Through the Eyes of a Child (Columbia, Ohio: Merrill Publishing, 1987), p. 412.
- 19 Dilys Winn, ôThe Am Eye and Iö in Murder, Ink, p. 225.
- 20. Donald J. Sobol, Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day (New York, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1976), p. 2.
Lesson Plan Comparing and contrasting Tintin and Encyclopedia Brown
Procedure Students should read at least one Tintin book and several Encyclopedia Brown stories (see Bibliography). As a whole group activity, have students brainstorm the similarities and differences between the two characters. For example: they are both boys; Encyclopedia Brown is American, Tintin lives in England; Tintin is wealthy (ask what clues tell this), Encyclopedia is not; Tintinĺs adventures take him all over the world, Encyclopedia Brown stays in Idaville. Once the similarities and differences have been exhausted, help students organize the information into categories. An example of a very simple chart is as follows:
Tintin Encyclopedia Brown 1. 1. Similarities 2. 2. 3. 3. 1. 1. Differences 2. 2. 3. 3.
Lesson Plan Creative writing
Procedure On the board, write the following headings: setting, characters, time, crime. Have students brainstorm several responses for each category and list these under each heading. Ask students to pick one entry from each category (or perhaps two or three from the charactersĺ category) and use these as the basis of a story. This activity requires students to stretch their imaginations to make connections between four or more unconnected items.
After students have been reading mysteries and have discussed the elements of a mystery, this activity can be narrowed by using the same format but with only two categories such as crimes and clues or setting and clues. Students can choose one item from the crime or setting category and two or three from the clues category to write a mystery story.
Lesson Plan Looking for clues and predicting what comes next
Procedure Using The Case of the Broken Ear, have students read to page 3. Ask students why Tintin knows the idol is a fake. Have them reread and observe for clues that will answer that question. Answers and reasons for their answers can be written into paragraphs or this can be a small group activity in which groups of three or four read, observe, discuss, and develop an answer, and make a prediction that is either charted or written into a well developed paragraph. This activity can also be done as a whole group activity with conclusions and reasons listed on the board. Have students continue reading to discover whether their conclusions are correct.
All of the Adventures of Tintin books lend themselves to this kind of activity.
Lesson Plan Predicting possible solutions to a mystery
Procedure Using any Encyclopedia Brown story and the chart below, fill in each category and use that information to develop possible solutions to the story. This chart format can be used over and over again and with other books such as Two Minute Mysteries or You Be the Jury. These charts can be saved over a period of time to compare beginning predicting skills with later skills.
|Red Possible SolutionsŚ
Lesson Plan Creative thinking using codes
Procedure Discuss with students the idea of information and messages written in code. Since secret messages are often included in childrenĺs mysteries, present students with examples of codes to decipher by making up your own or using examples from any of the Usbourne Puzzle Adventures by Gaby Waters and Graham Round (see Student Bibliography). Initially you will have to help students begin learning how to decipher by asking them questions or making suggestions that will guide them towards breaking the code.
Have each student develop his/her own code and write a message to exchange for deciphering with another student. Since deciphering these codes may be difficult for some students, each student may want to develop a set of ôcluesö to be used with his/her code if necessary. Remind them of the questions you asked and suggestions you made when introducing codes to them to be used as models for this part of the activity.
A discussion of popular formulaic literature.
Feldhusen, John F. and Treffinger, Donald J. Creative Thinking and Problem Solving in Gifted Education. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, 1980.
A how-to book for teaching critical and creative thinking and problem solving skills.
Hoomes, Eleanor W. Create-A-Sleuth. Hawthorne, New Jersey: Educational Impressions, 1985.
A teacherĺs guide to helping students write detective fiction. Includes interesting background material for teachers and students. Lesson plans and worksheets which are structured to require students to use higher level thinking skills.
McAleer, Neil. ôGetting Creative Birth of a Notion.ö Omni, Vol. II, April, 1989, p. 113.
A discussion of recent findings in the field of creativity.
Norton, Donna E. Through the Eyes of a Child. Columbia, Ohio: Merrill Publishing, 1987.
A textbook about all kinds of childrenĺs literature.
Roedell, Carolyn. ôField Trips.ö Challenge, Vol. 7, May/Summer, 1989, pp. 4-5.
A discussion of how to plan activities requiring higher level thinking skills around field trips.
Winks, Robin W. Detective Fiction, 2nd ed. Woodstock, Vermont: The Countryman Press, 1988.
A collection of essays about detective fiction.
Puzzles, projects, and lots of information about crime detection, all presented in illustrations by Colin King.
Herge. The Adventures of Tintin. Boston, Massachusetts: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1975.
A series of over twenty books in which Tintin, boy detective, and his dog, Snowy, travel all over the world and even into outerspace while pursuing nefarious criminals.
Hindley, Judy and King, Colin. The Know-How Book of Detection. London, England: Usborne Publishing, 1978.
Puzzles, projects, and information presented in colorful illustrations (by Colin King) about all aspects of crime detection.
Miller, Marvin. You be the Jury. New York, New York: Scholastic, 1987.
Ten courtroom mysteries in which the student has to read and observe clues given to decide the innocence or guilt of an accused criminal.
Sobol, Donald J. Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Handprints. New York, New York: Bantam Books, 1986.
ŚŚ. Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1976.
Two of many books in the Encyclopedia Brown series in which Encyclopedia tackles crime in his hometown of Idaville.
Weber, Ken. Five Minute Mysteries. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:. Running Press, 1989.
For older students (grade seven and up), these two to three page mysteries require the student to read carefully to find a solution to a variety of crimes.
Waters, Gaby and Round, Graham. The Curse of the Lost Idol. London, England: Osbourne Publishing Ltd., 1986.
___. Murder on the Midnight Plane. London, England: Osbourne Publishing, Ltd., 1986.
Wilkes, Angela and King, Colin. Catching Crooks. London, England: Usborne Publishing, 1979.
More wonderful illustrations by Colin King in this how-to catch criminals book.
Winn, Dilys. Murder, Ink. New York, New York: Workman Publishing, 1984.
All about detective fictionŚessays, stories, puzzles. Light and enjoyable reading.
Contents of 1989 Volume IV | Directory of Volumes | Index | Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute


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Farm easement advances
One question regarding whether the Port of Coupeville can place another layer of protection on the open land at the Greenbank Farm appears to have been answered.
The state Attorney General's office provided an informal opinion stating the port could legally place a conservation easement on the agriculture and recreational land at the 151-acre farm.
Port officials had sought an opinion from the state Attorney General's office and went through State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen's office to get that opinion.
Jim Patton, port executive director, said the opinion was needed to answer concerns raised by the Washington State Auditor's Office. There were concerns that such a conservation easement goes against the rationale of a public port's focus on economic development.
Port officials argued that keeping the land at Greenbank protected from development keeps it as a tourist attraction, which would boost local businesses.
With the opinion in hand, Patton is planning to meet with county officials to further discuss the issue. Plans call for Island County to act as conservator for the easement to assure terms are enforced.
Before the easement becomes a reality there are several hurdles that still need to be crossed.
The stickiest point revolves around compensation for the conservation easement. The port has to determine the value of the development rights and what kind of consideration would have to be given to transfer those rights.
In addition to possible compensation, port officials have to complete several other administrative tasks before the easement can move forward.
Work is continuing to develop a Master Site Plan for the Greenbank Farm. Part of the work on developing the plan will better delineate the types of land uses at the farm. Once that task is complete, port officials will approach the county to amend the special review district zoning that encompasses the farm.
A preliminary draft of the Greenbank Farm's Master Site Plan should be ready for public review by the end of January.
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A couple East Shore schools say it's too early to tell whether snowy weather headed for Central Pennsylvania will delay or close schools.
Jim Hazen, spokesman for Lower Dauphin School District, said it's very rare for schools in Dauphin County to cancel classes the night before a storm.
"(Superintendents) like to see what's happening before they start making decisions," Hazen said.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Dauphin County, which will be in effect from 2 a.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday.
Snow should begin about daybreak Wednesday and last until night — leaving about 2 to 4 inches of snow on the ground.
Hazen said Lower Dauphin school staff should be up bright and early Wednesday to assess the situation. By 4 or 5 a.m., they will be checking roads and communicating with one another.
Lower Dauphin School Superintendent Sherri Smith ultimately will decide whether the district will cancel or delay school, Hazen said. But Smith goes through a few early-morning steps before making that call.
Smith talks to the district's maintenance supervisor about road conditions as crews plow the district's parking lots. She also gets information from township road masters, who are in charge of the crews salting and plowing roads in municipalities that feed into the district.
If needed, the district also has a hotline to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to get information concerning state roads.
Around 5 a.m., Smith and other superintendents in Dauphin County do a conference call to talk about the conditions they're seeing, Hazen said. Smith then would decide whether or not to close or delay the Lower Dauphin schools.
If school is canceled, Lower Dauphin students can expect to make it up April 1, Hazen said. Smith must approve the makeup day.
Harrisburg school officials will decide around 5 a.m. Wednesday whether to close any schools, Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney said.
In addition to posting detail online, the district will use its robocall system to notify staff and parents, spokeswoman Julie Lehmer.
Susan Anthony, spokeswoman for Susquehanna Township School District, said if Susquehanna Township schools get the day off, students would have to make it up.
They could do that by coming in for a full day of school March 28, which is currently set as part of their spring break, Anthony said.


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Trestle trial brings jurors to site of bridge death
The trial of the man accused of pushing a Mill Creek teen to his death from the Bothell trestle began last week, with testimony from one of the men who was there when it happened.
Michael Schuerhoff, 18, fell three-and-a-half stories into the winter waters of the Sammamish River on Jan. 2, 1996, after going to the site with two young women and five men.
Brian Schrader of Mountlake Terrace, now 18, withdrew his guilty plea last summer after three other youths, Steve Garza, 16, Larry Edinger, 17, and Ben Drake, 16, were acquitted of manslaughter in juvenile court in June. He had pleaded guilty in April.
Based on a taped confession, the prosecution maintains that Schrader pushed Schuerhoff off the trestle on a bet from the other teens after all had reportedly smoked marijuana. The bet included $30 cash and a "ten-sack" of pot.
Tyler Wheaton, 18, pleaded guilty and agreed to testify for the prosecution in exchange for a reduced sentence--from second-degree murder in adult court to rendering criminal assistance in juvenile court. Wheaton's testimony for the prosecution took place last week, when the jury also made a trip to the Bothell train trestle where Schuerhoff died. Divers had recovered his body three days following his death.
The five young men, two women, and another man allegedly drove to the trestle in two cars. Wheaton testified last week that the five, Schuerhoff, and one of the women crossed the trestle and smoked marijuana in the woods. On the way back across, Schrader pushed Schuerhoff from the trestle.
Wheaton said Schrader kept walking, and he (Wheaton) could hear sounds as if water was in Schuerhoff's mouth. No one checked to see if Schuerhoff was all right, Wheaton said. When they returned to the car, Wheaton testified that Schrader boasted he "killed a man for 30 bucks."
Schrader had originally pleaded guilty and agreed to take the witness stand against Garza, Edinger, and Drake in exchange for the prosecution's recommended eight-year sentence for the crime, though the standard range was 10 to 14 years with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a $50,000 fine.
Schrader then invoked his Fifth Amendment rights at the trial of Garza, Drake, and Edinger and began the process for withdrawing his plea.


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The wins came first. The recognition and respect gradually followed.
Through it all, the Fort Dodge baseball team always reminded themselves that no one believed like they did from the beginning.
The fourth-ranked (Class 4A) Dodgers played with the usual chip on their shoulder here Wednesday night, solidifying their stance as legitimate state contenders with a resounding 7-2 victory over Sioux City East in a substate final at red-coated Rogers Park.
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This was a landmark triumph in more ways than one for head coach Matt Elsbecker's squad. Fort Dodge (34-7 overall) tied a program record for wins, equaling the total of the 1989 Dodger ballclub that placed second at state. FDSH is Des Moines-bound for the third time in four seasons and fifth since 2005 under Elsbecker despite being unranked in the preseason and graduating seven senior starters from last summer's semifinal lineup.
''Our seniors have been saying from day one that they felt like they had something to prove. They felt just as capable as any of our other (state qualifiers) and wanted to show that on the field,'' Elsbecker said. ''Now here they are. There's something to be said for that mentality, especially if you continue to work hard to back it up - which they've always done.
''These guys trust each other from the top to the bottom of this roster. That's something special. When conventional wisdom said they couldn't do it, they were there to answer the call. And they've been justifying themselves more and more throughout the course of the year.''
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Fort Dodge 021 040 0 - 7 9 1
SC East 000 101 0 - 2 4 1
Will Gormally (W, 6-3; 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) and Devon Harms; Dom Thompson-Williams (L, 6-3; 4 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 0 K), Jake Westphal (2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K), Trey Lapke (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) and Trey Lapke. LOB-Fort Dodge 7, East 4. DP-East 1. 2B-FD: Devon Harms. 3B-FD: Tommy Halligan; East: Taylor Pluim. HR-FD: Isaac Lehman; East: Tyler Franko. SF-FD: Austin Halligan. S-FD: Tyler Vaughn.
Senior Will Gormally went the distance on the mound, while the Dodger bats continued to produce up and down the order in every which way. Senior Isaac Lehman homered and junior Devon Harms delivered three hits for the CIML Iowa Conference champions, who will now face West Des Moines Dowling (31-10) in a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. inside Principal Park.
''I honestly feel like we put more time into preparing for this season than anyone else out there,'' said Gormally, an Iowa Central recruit and one of four regulars returning from last year's ballclub. ''We knew there were doubters out there, and that they probably didn't even see this coming when we got off to a good start. That was fine by us.
''We have good chemistry and are a lot more worried about each other than any individual numbers or records. It feels great to know that we're going to get another chance at state.''
Lehman broke the ice with a deep home run to right field, making it 1-0 in the top of the second against the Black Raiders (34-9). Gormally came through with an RBI single later in the frame, and Fort Dodge plated another run in the third to go up 3-0.
It was 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth after Gormally surrendered a one-out, run-scoring triple to East cleanup hitter Taylor Pluim. The southpaw stranded Plum at third, though, by inducing a groundout and getting a strikeout.
The Dodgers then exploded for four insurance runs to pull away in the fifth. Junior Tommy Halligan tripled to bring home senior Sam Edwards, and Lehman followed with an RBI single.
Harms then ripped a run-scoring double for a 6-1 advantage, bringing a raucous crowd of over 1,000 fans to their feet.
The big inning chased blue-chip Black Raider prospect Dom Thompson Williams (6-3). The junior left-hander allowed five earned runs in four-plus innings.
All nine FDSH batters reached base at least once. Lehman, Harms and Edwards were on three times each in four at-bats, as the Dodgers eliminated East in a substate final for the third time in four years.
Gormally didn't walk a batter and struck out four, improving to 6-3 on the season.
The Black Raiders had won 22 of 23 overall before last night's contest.
''Our mentality was just to be aggressive, and out-work and out-execute the other team. No different than usual,'' Lehman said. ''It was great to get the momentum going with (the homer early), but honestly, I just wanted to reach base however I could to get a big inning started.
''Our lineup is solid 1-9. We all put the ball in play and do whatever it takes to advance the runner or bring runs home.''
Harms agreed.
''We all have the same mentality: get on base, whether it be with a hit or a walk or whatever, bunt the runners over - just do the little things that can be the difference between winning and losing.
''We're like brothers. To be able to go through this together - it's amazing.''
After the final out, Dodger players rushed the field and landed in a pile just in front of the pitcher's mound. Elsbecker was then doused with ice water as the celebration spilled into the outfield.
The FDSH coach is now 112 games over the .500 mark in the last eight seasons after being 50 under in his first three years at the helm.
''The winning culture that these kids have created here as time has passed - I'm very proud of that,'' Elsbecker said. ''These guys expect to be successful. They know it doesn't happen overnight, or if they just show up at the field. They've watched the guys here (graduated players congratulating this year's team afterward) do it the right way and now they do it the right way - the Dodger way.
''Someone had a picture from eight or nine years ago of me shaking hands with some our (current) seniors when they were in third or fourth grade and being introduced as a future Dodger (at McNeil Field). That's what it's all about. We've come a long way since then, but no matter what has happened, we have been and always will be a family.''


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Corbin Boes earned his first home win as a Winterhawk on Monday night, turning away 36 of 38 shots as Portland defeated the Vancouver Giants 5-2 before 6,044 fans at the Moda Center.
Boes was acquired Jan. 9 from Lethbridge and had two previous starts for Portland — both ending in shootouts, including a win against Vancouver last week.
Monday, Portland killed eight of nine power plays and led in shots on goal 31-19 after two periods — allowing just five on Boes in the second. In the third, Vancouver had a 19-12 advantage.
"It comes with taking minor penalties and stuff like that. I'm sure most of their shots came on our (penalty kill)," Boes said. "As a goaltender, you want to be able to thwart that flurry when it comes."
Boes got off to a slow start in the Jan. 12 game at Vancouver, when Portland trailed 3-2 after the first period and 4-3 after the second.
"I think last week I didn't have a good first period against Vancouver," Boes said. "I kind of had that in the back of my mind and I knew I needed to come out with a good first period.
"It's nice to get the regulation win."
The Winterhawks improved to 31-12-2-3 after winning their fifth game in a row.
"We've been on a little bit of a string here since the guys came back," Portland coach and general manager Mike Johnston said. Several players were out of the lineup recently due to international commitments or suspension.
Johnston said he was unhappy with the way the Winterhawks played, though, with 22 penalty minutes to Vancouver's 16 minutes.
Penalties break "the momentum, breaks the flow of the game, "Johnston said. "And we're a team that plays with tempo, with pace, and we really couldn't do that tonight."
Brendan Leipsic scored a goal and added three assists for the Winterhawks. Derrick Pouliot, Nicolas Petan and Paul Bittner each had a goal and an assist. Mathew Dumba scored his first goal as a Winterhawk, after coming to Portland from the Minnesota Wild.
Cain Franson and Dalton Sward scored for Vancouver (23-17-5-3) and goaltender Payton Lee had 38 saves on 42 Portland shots.


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Happy Wednesday!
In my last post, I announced that my sister-in-law, Kenna, and I are training for a half marathon in order to get ourselves back into decent shape.
The half mary?
I've never done the Barry Half before, so I'm excited to run a new (to me) course!
The most I've done in months has been 3 miles at a time for Atlanta Running Tours.
Even then, I would only run once or twice a week…if that.
Kenna and I decided that we needed to keep each other accountable, so we're using an awesome Google Doc to do just that.
I came up with a plan for us that doesn't have crazy high mileage with no more than 4 days of running per week. Below the suggested mileage, there are sections where we can each input our actual mileage.
Plus, we text each other when we ran.
It's been working great for both of us! It's been really motivating to me knowing that Kenna's out there working hard too. I know I can't let her down.
Are you running any late winter/spring races this year? Do you usually train alone or with a group?


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EscondidoSan Elijo Hills (San Marcos)
Home > Palomar Health Home Caregivers > Our Team
Elissa is a registered nurse and has more than 30 years of Home Health management experience. With a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and a Masters in Business Administration, she is also Board Certified in Nursing Administration by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is active with the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH). Elissa is a former Board member, currently sits on the Medicare Committee and was selected to fill an elected seat on the CAHSAH Nominating Committee. She is a fervent advocate for home care and feels that any one who wants to remain in their home should have the option to do so.
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from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- adj. Marked by great passion or zeal: a fervid patriot.
- adj. Extremely hot; burning.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- adj. Intensely hot, emotional, or zealous.
- adj. Very or extremely hot.
- adj. Very passionate.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- adj. Very hot; burning; boiling.
- adj. Ardent; vehement; zealous.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Burning; glowing; hot: as, fervid heat; the fervid sands.
- Vehement; eager; impassioned: as, fervid zeal; a fervid glance.
- Synonyms Fiery, glowing.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adj. extremely hot
- adj. characterized by intense emotion
Here the middle-aged poet recalls the fervid dreams of his youth and thinks of them under the image of airy sprites attending his rushing chariot, like the Hours in Guido's picture.
His letters are not the ardent, passionate, romantic epistles recalling the fervid style and thought of the _Nouvelle Héloïse_.
But lo! the sun recalls his fervid ray, And cold and dim the wat'ry visions fail; While o'er yon cliff, whose pointed craggs decay, Mild Evening draws her thin empurpled veil!
In the fervid atmosphere of the late 60s, not everybody recognized to what extent this was true.
Grand total: 305 hp. The fervid, overreaching exhaust note is what a very fine sports car would sound like if it got a hernia.
His hair, by contrast, he wore with a sharp side part and a fervid rectitude, as if all his phony honor depended on it.
All in all, Christopher Allen has crafted another fun fan film, creating a credible revival of a show beloved by a fervid fanbase.
Quantum Leap / Princess Diana fan film Debuts | Fan Cinema Today
The birds were assembled beneath leafy shade, or made short, languid flights in search of food, all save the majestic buzzard; with broad wings out-spread he sailed the warm air unwarily from ridge to ridge, seeming to enjoy the fervid sunshine like a butterfly.
The name and space of Barbara Stratton 's TriBeCa lunch counter might have changed, but the homey food—and its fervid fans—have remained the same.
So I took a keen interest when, at the fervid climax of the health-care debate in mid-December, a Washington Post blogger, Ezra Klein, declared that Senator Joseph Lieberman, by refusing to vote for a bill with a public option, was apparently "willing to cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands" of uninsured people in order to punish the progressives who had opposed his reelection in 2006.


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Stop the hand-wringing on the Saginaw City Council over violence outside of private night clubs, and shut down these public nuisances.
They are a menace to society.
Yet, through legal wrangling and a bizarre, official tolerance, these magnets for violence had managed to carry on in Saginaw for years.
The owners of the clubs in question, Kayla's Country Kitchen, 1215 E. Genesee, and the former Club 310, at 310 Johnson, say that the gunfire and fatal shootings aren't happening inside their establishments.
Well, sure, that's what their bouncers are for — to throw troublemakers out the door. And then rowdies let loose with a hail of bullets outside.
On Nov. 15, Stephon D. Brandon, 27 was shot outside Kayla's Kountry Kitchen, and later died at St. Mary's of Michigan hospital. Police say they have reason to believe he had been in the club. The owner denies that.
Monday night, Brandon's mother, Stacey Brandon, pleaded with City Council to permanently close the place so that nobody else is hurt near the nightclub.
Also Monday, the council heard from a co-owner of the Saginaw Plaza Hotel, who said he locked guests in after a recent night of gunfire outside the former Club 310.
Sitting in the audience were representatives of GlobalWatt, who are considering a $177 million investment in the city to create 500 jobs with a solar-module production facility just blocks away from both of these clubs.
They were given a vision of violence more befitting of Baghdad or Kabul in war zones half a world away than a mid-Michigan city that is desperately trying to claw its way back to prosperity.
Police have said that they respond to an inordinate number of calls to the vicinity of night clubs.
Neighbors, including the City Rescue Mission, say they regularly hear gunshots outside, and pick empty shell casings from the street.
Most tragically, Brandon's fatal shooting near a club was not the first in Saginaw. Others have been killed outside of clubs.
On Tuesday, a City Hall appeals panel refused to overturn City Manager Darnell Early's decision a year ago to close the former 310 Club.
Declare any club where violence occurs either inside or out in its parking lot — or on adjacent sidewalks and streets — a public nuisance.
Close them. Period.
City Hall can cite anyone for tall weeds on their property, abandoned vehicles or any other violations of local ordinances. Bureaucrats can even take away homes and businesses for nonpayment of taxes. That's all done in order to maintain the city in at least a someone acceptable condition, and to fund public services with property.
Yet, here we have these clubs that are damaging our city more than any neighborhood blight, and contributing, however indirectly, to the violence on our streets.
Public servants and bureaucrats have until recently appeared powerless to shut them down and keep them closed.
These two clubs are "getting on my last nerve," Councilwoman Amanda Kitterman-Miller said Monday night.
Ours too.
Councilman Andrew Wendt said he's "sick and tired" of people dying near clubs.
Mayor Pro Tem Amos O'Neal has called Kayla's Kitchen a "magnet for violence."
Councilman Larry Coulouris: "This kind of activity can't be condoned."
Then sweep the city of it.
Close clubs where gunfire and fights break out.
The owners of the two clubs claim that authorities have targeted them for harassment over the years.
Their criticism is misdirected. It is their members who have painted the targets upon their doors.
If any club wants to stay open as a social gathering spot dedicated to whatever purpose, then its members, or the owners, must police themselves.
Or face instant city shutdown if violence erupts either on the premises or nearby.
No longer should any club — or any establishment — be allowed to toss troublemakers into the street, and then shrug that it's no longer their problem.
That makes it the city's problem, society's problem; a public problem.
So solve the problem.
Send the message loud and clear:
Keep the peace, or close.


text:
Originally founded by Desi Arnaz and Creator/LucilleBall to produce ''Series/ILoveLucy'', the studio fell on hard times after Lucy and Desi divorced, and was the only studio willing to take the risk to produce Creator/GeneRoddenberry's ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' (probably figuring it had little to lose). Bought out and absorbed by Creator/{{Paramount}} during ''Trek'''s original production run. Their other productions included ''Series/TheLucyShow'', ''Series/MissionImpossible'', ''Series/{{Mannix}}'', ''Series/TheUntouchables'', ''Series/ByTheNumbers'' and the TV version of ''Series/OurMissBrooks''. Desilu was also the sole backer of Ball's unsuccessful Broadway debut in the musical ''Wildcat'' (1960).
Which is to say: Desilu was responsible for a whole raft of [[TropeMaker Trope Making]] or [[TropeCodifier Codifying]] shows and is direly under-appreciated by many modern television viewers. If you consider yourself any kind of student of media history, you'll want to get very familiar with their shows.
!! Desilu in fiction:
* The story ''Literature/ThatWackyRedhead'' centers on Desilu, in an AlternateHistory where Ball doesn't sell it to Paramount.


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Previous abstract Next abstract
We investigate the effects of X-rays on the ionization state of stellar winds for O and early-B stars along the main-sequence. In our investigation, detailed statistical equilibrium, radiative transfer, and atomic physics models are used to compute ionization distributions for H, He, C, N, O, and Si. X-rays are modeled as a spatially-distributed source within the wind, with parameters constrained by ROSAT and Einstein observations. Our results indicate that the ionization balance in the winds of stars with spectral type B0~V and later is significantly altered by the X-ray radiation field. Unlike the case of denser O star winds, where the X-rays tend to perturb the level of ionization, the ionization state of the bulk wind of early-B stars can be significantly increased by soft X-rays. We examine in detail the case of $\tau$~Sco (B0~V), which has been well-studied at UV and X-ray wavelengths. Comparisons are made between calculated ionization fractions and those deduced from UV observations. In addition, we address the sensitivity of our results to the X-ray source characteristics, the wind temperature, and the photospheric EUV flux. Our results suggest the possibility that for early-B stars X-rays play a critical role in both influencing the radiation line driving force, as well as ionizing and heating the wind all the way down to the top of the photosphere.
Tuesday program listing


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Finding their inner-filmmakers
Sequim Gazette
Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas, and most other directors started somewhere small.
So have several local filmmakers who put their eyes to the lens for the seventh Sequim Student Film Festival at 7 p.m. on April 20.
The event offers Sequim students in grades six-12 the opportunity to create any movie they could imagine so long as it's tasteful and under seven minutes.
This year sees 12 entries and a number of firsts for the festival with the first seventh-grade team, the first foreign-language film, the first international documentary, the first robot film, and the first instructional video.
Films range from documentaries on becoming a firefighter ("The Explorers") or the local area ("Sequim, Washington"), to comedic spoofs ("How to Make a Movie"), awareness videos ("Cowboys Versus Zombies: A Buckle Story") and the fantastical ("Ali in Wunderland.")
Students are competing for college scholarships worth $1,000, $750, and $500. Students can win up to $3,000 for first, $2,250 for second, and $1,500 for third, to be divided among team members. An independent panel of judges selects the winners based on content, presentation, and production techniques.
Prior to the film festival, a spaghetti dinner is held to benefit scholarships.
Students' voices
Sequim High School senior Skyler Lewis, 18, and junior Torrie McIntyre, 17, are returning to the film festival with their documentary "Reduction."
Last year they entered "The Outsiders," a film that Lewis said people mistook for a comedy.
While brainstorming for this year's festival, they axed an idea about hunting trolls because they just didn't see how it could work.
McIntyre then came up with the idea of "Reduction," about the reduction of agriculture in Sequim and Clallam County. The students interviewed local sources on farming that identified causes of that decline and solutions to promote agriculture.
"It was different from what we normally do," McIntyre said about her film. "We wanted to focus on real things that affect us today."
Lewis said they learned a lot about farms in Sequim while filming.
"We learned about the growth of mini-farms and the buy-local movement, and ways to support farms and local stores."
To up their game, he said, they got a new camera and microphone and worked on several elements that judges were looking for: good lighting, sound and story.
"It puts off a feeling of a real documentary," Lewis said.
For their film, they incorporated stop-motion animation, still pictures and film and tried out a method of attaching the camera with a suction cup to their car.
Earlier this year, they participated in a workshop to make their own mini-movie with other students. They learned details of camera angles, lighting and sound and watched last year's movies.
For more information on the Sequim Education Foundation and the film festival, visit www.sequimed.org.
Student Film Festival presents:
"Ali in Wunderland" by Alison Cobb and Stephanie Grow
"Cowboys Versus Zombies: A Buckle Story" by Angelina Morris-Morales, Tyler Jennings, Serena Morales, and Parker Cibene
"The Explorers" by Ashton Earley, and Darren FitzGerald
"First Robotics" by Patrick McCready
"How to Make a Movie" by Cameron Bluthenthal, and Kelley Bluthenthal
"One Earth" by Angela Bentley
"Racers Ed" by Brendon Hudson, and Aran Burke
"Reduction" by Torrie McIntyre and Skyler Lewis
"Sequim, Washington" by Grace Koenigsaecker
"Softball – Fastpitch" by Nicole Anders
"Sequim Bay Yacht Club" by Grant Shogren
"Un Mundo Sin Taco Bell" by Mitch Koonz, Chris Venegas, Ian Jones, Trevor Jones, Derek Chamblin and Tim Guan
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Cicero, NY -- State police are investigating the death of a man Tuesday night at a Cicero town house.
Troopers and Cicero police were called about an unresponsive male about 10 p.m. to 8811 New Country Drive, Trooper Jack Keller said.
When officers arrived, they found Timothy J. Hiltz, 39, of Snowshoe Trail, Cicero, dead in the house, Keller said. Hiltz was a friend of the owner of the New Country Drive home and was at the home a good part of the day, Keller said. The homeowner, who Keller would not identify, and Hiltz were drinking during the day.
Shortly before 10 p.m., Hiltz and the homeowner had a physical fight, Keller said.
There were no obvious wounds to Hiltz and troopers are trying to find the cause of his death, Keller said. Keller said the death was suspicious.
An autopsy was performed today and the results will be announced Thursday, Keller said. A state police forensic team gathered evidence at the home this morning.
Two other people were in the home at the time of Hiltz's death but troopers said the two were not involved, Keller said.
Troopers were at the town house throughout the morning and investigators were seen taking bags marked "evidence" from the residence. The front of the townhouse was taped off and there was a van and a panel truck parked in the driveway.
Neighbors said the pair of circles that make up the subdivision are quiet. New Country Drive is south of Route 31 and runs behind the New Country Max Plaza.


text:
4 bedroom terraced house for saleWoodside, Calcots Road,Elgin,IV30
Under Offer £225,000
Do you like this property?
Call: 01343 206006
Property Description
Key features
- Semi-rural Location
- Stunning "Courtyard" Development
- High Quality Finishings
- Spacious and stylish living accommodation
- Under Floor Central Heating
- Solar Panel Heating
- Close poximity to Elgin
- Countryside Views, Spacious Gardens
Full description
Tenure: Freehold
The development is situated in a superb semi-rural location just outside the thriving town centre of Elgin. These lovely homes benefit from countryside views and offer energy saving features which include solar heating panels.
The accommodation comprises entrance vestibule, hallway, lounge, kitchen/family room, utility room, ground floor shower room, 4 double bedrooms (master bedroom with en-suite dressing room/walk in wardrobe and en-suite shower room, bedroom 2 also benefits from an en-suite shower room), family bathroom, single garage, generous sized gardens. The property further benefits from oil central heating/double glazing and all internal oak doors and wood finishing's.
EPC Rating - C
Council Tax Band - E
Listing History
Nearest station
- Elgin (1.2 mi)
Nearest schoolsUse the school checker
To view this property or request more details, contact:
Grampian Property Centre, Elgin52 High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BU
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Nearest station
- Elgin (1.2 mi)
To view this property or request more details, contact:
Grampian Property Centre, Elgin52 High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BU
How much will it cost me to call the number displayed on the site?
Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles apply and calls may be included in your telecom provider's call package.
There are no nearby secondary schools found.
Nearby Schools:
Due to the frequency with which Inspection bodies, such as Ofsted, provide us with updates, there could be a delay of up to 8 weeks between a rating being updated and it being displayed on Rightmove. This data is provided for informational purposes only and Rightmove plc does not accept any liability for decisions based on this data. The data is sourced from 192.com. 192.com Ltd. does not accept responsibility for any inference or conclusion derived from the data by third parties.
Market Info
Disclaimer - Property reference GPC7121. The information displayed about this property comprises a property advertisement. Rightmove.co.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information, and Rightmove has no control over the content. This property advertisement does not constitute property particulars. The information is provided and maintained by Grampian Property Centre, Elgin. Please contact the selling agent or developer directly to obtain any information which may be available under the terms of The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 or the Home Report if in relation to a residential property in Scotland.
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Fast start buries Bearcats
A blink of the eye and the quick start by the Oak Harbor wrestling team could have easily been missed Thursday night.
The Wildcats exploded out of the blocks with their heavyweight wrestlers receiving three pins in a row over the Monroe Bearcats. The impressive start helped the Cats cruise to a 53-14 team victory.
Junior Blake Ward (189) started the evening off by pinning his opponent with 13 seconds remaining in the first round. Sophomore Nathan Davis (215) followed suit with a second round pin and brother Michael Davis (275) completed the sweep of the heavyweights with a first round pin.
We started off strong with our heavyweights, which is real pleasant, Oak Harbor head coach Brian Farmer said. I knew Blake would do his usual good job at 189 but I was really, really pleased with the Davis brothers, Nathan and Michael who just did a fabulous job against two pretty tough kids. They just took it at them and both came up with huge pins. I think we just kind of roller-coastered from there. They got the momentum going for us then we got the forfeited three and we just kept going.
After receiving a forfeited win at 103 pounds, the Wildcats had a commanding 24-0 lead over the Bearcats.
By the time the meet was over, Oak Harbor captured wins in 11 of the 14 weight classes.
Junior Tony Nicolas (140) improved his record to 24-1 with a hard-fought 12-7 decision over Monroes Mike Studley, who he narrowly beat last year.
I wrestled him last year and beat him like in the last eight seconds, Nicolas said.
Nicolas, who worked extremely hard in the off-season, is pleased with what the extra effort has done for him. He has already beaten five potential state contenders.
So far Im right where I want to be, Nicolas said. I want to be district champion this year, top two in the region and top six in the state.
Also receiving wins by decision, were juniors Joel Crouch (119), Grayson Miller (125), Randy Eggen (130) and Eric MacMillan (145).
Junior Patrick OBrien added on to his outstanding season by improving his record to 24-2, with a second round pin over Mike Ancera. OBriens only losses have come in non-league matches while competing in tournaments. Also picking up a pin was sophomore Chris Wichers (135), who took his opponent down 1:32 into the second round.
With the WesCo North win, Oak Harbor improves to 3-4 in league and 5-5 overall.
Despite losing their previous three meets, everyone still seems to have their head up.
Weve had a good season so far, Im happy with it, OBrien said. The losses I could do without but they happen every once and a while. They keep your head from getting too big.
Up next for the Cats is their final dual meet of the season at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 30 at Arlington.
Arlington is a good tough team too so well have to wrestle tough, Farmers said. Theres no weak schools in the WesCo North, theyre all tough, so well just have to keep wrestling our best.
The next step for the Cats is the sub-regional tournament, which takes place Feb. 7-8 at Stanwood.
103-Miller (OH) won by forfeit; 112-Lampers (M) tech fall over Lemme, 16-0; 119-Crouch (OH) dec. Pwedt, 7-3; 125-G. Miller (OH) dec. Shepard, 10-5; 130-Eggen (OH) dec. Jacobsen,19-6; 135-Wichers (OH) pinned Pearson, 1;32, 2nd; 140-Nicolas (OH) dec. Studley, 12-7;145-MacMillan (OH) dec. McKenzie, 10-2; 152-Ward (M) pinned Taflinger, 1:57, 1st;160-Huber (M) dec. Poole, 12-6; 171-O'Brien (OH) pinned Ancern, 1:10, 2nd; 189-Ward (OH) pinned Hopkins, 1:47, 1st; 215-N. Davis (OH) pinned Hoeker; 275-M. Davis (OH) pinned Van Bulle.
Records-Oak Harbor 3-4, 5-5; Monroe 1-6 in league, 3-7 overall.
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National holds off Wasserman in Thursday feature | Emerald Downs
National took command into the stretch and edged away from Wasserman for a 1-½-length victory Thursday in the $12,700 Ashbaugh Beal Claiming Challenge Qualifying Event at Emerald Downs.
Ridden by William Antongeorgi, National ran one mile in 1:36.69 and paid $4.80, $2.80 and $2.20. Jim Penney, assisted by Kay Cooper, is the trainer for owner Donald Lang.
Wasserman, ridden by Jennifer Whitaker, chased the winner home but had to settle for second place and payoffs of $3.20 and $2.10.
It was 1-¾-lengths back to Mr. Mad Max, ridden by Debbie Hoonan, and a $2.20 show payoff. Hunter Kane and Free Beer completed the order of finish.
A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Awesome Again, National has a 3-1-2 record in 11 career starts with earnings of $28,875. His last two defeats were against two of the track's sharpest claiming horses, Go With Gusto and Rocky's Quest, and the drop into a slightly softer spot did the track.
National swept past Hunter Kane into the lane, and then held off Wasserman in the stretch for the victory.
"He's a tiger," Lang said of National after the race. "He just digs in. I love him."
Wasserman, meanwhile, earned a second-place check worth $2,540 and pushed his track records earnings record to $547,691. The 10-year-old gelding has raced five times with one second and one third at the meeting.
Antongeorgi and Mawing erode three winners apiece on the eight-race card and are closing ground on the top spot. Through Thursday, Juan Gutierrez leads with 62, followed by Mawing, 56, and Antongeorgi, 53. Mawing also is 10 wins shy of 2,000 career victories.
NOTES: Olympic Lights ($3.60) scored his first 2012 victory and 13th at Emerald Downs in 1:15.68 for 6-½ furlongs in the third race. The 8-year-old Tropic Lightning gelding is now tied with Chickasaw Park for most wins by an active horse at Emerald Downs*Rockymstar ($3.20) and Ontheshadyside ($2.10) produced the third dead-heat for win at the meet in Thursday's fourth race. The 4-year-old geldings hit the wire in 1:09.59 for six furlongs*Whiskey Miner ($5) rallied to win the sixth race and the 3-year-old filly is 3-2-0 in her last five starts for owner Jack Porter and trainer Neil Knapp*Live racing continues Friday with first post 6:15 p.m.
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The goal of Splash Ministry is to share the love of Jesus and build up Spiritual Champions by partnering with you (parents) as you raise your kids in their God-given purpose. As the primary teacher and nurturer of your children's faith and values, you have the power to be their greatest influence. Splash wants to stand by your side as a community of teachers and peers that's ready to help foster your child's spiritual development.
We're here to give spiritual strength to your children by offering hands-on volunteering opportunities for you to work within the kids department and by providing your children with the most exciting and effective children's programming each week. Raising kids in their faith dosen't have to be rocket science. There are many ways to model and share our faith with our kids every day, and we reconize that sometimes parents would like a little help understanding how to do it. At Splash we believe that by working together as a community of believers, your children flourish!
In our efforts to support you as the primary spiritual leader for your children we frequently offer tools to support you in that role. Keep an eye out for those materials located at either the 3rd or 1st floor Splash Welcome Centers!
Contact Tina Propes, Interim Children's Pastor if you have any questions, 270-465-8115.


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The Liberty baseball team then enjoyed a sun-splashed week in "America's Finest City" that included surfing, a college baseball game and four big-time tournament games against tough California competition.
So, what did the Falcons learn from the experience?
"Well, we learned that it's a lot more fun playing in the sun than it is in the rain, that's for sure," Liberty senior Dakota Drake said Friday night as raindrops fell from the bill of his cap.
Welcome back to reality, Falcons.
Five errors contributed to Liberty's 7-3 loss to Milwaukie in a soggy – and sloppy – Northwest Oregon Conference baseball game at the Mustangs' Lake Road Field.
It was the Falcons' fourth loss in their past seven games, taking a bit of the shine off their encouraging 5-0 start. But it was only Liberty's first loss to an in-state opponent, with its other three defeats coming in its four-game San Diego tournament.
"Starting out 5-0, we were doing great and there was no team that could stop us," Drake said. "But right now, we're just not performing to our best. And it shows. And that's in the field, that's hitting, that's everything. We really need to step it up."
Drake was the hard-luck loser on the mound Friday, with five of the six runs he allowed being unearned. The senior right-hander had five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings of soaked baseballs and a muddy mound.
"It was extremely difficult, and I was getting stuck in the mud all over the place," Drake said. "Wherever I went on the field, there was mud, mud, mud, mud. But you can never blame it on the weather. You've just got to overcome it and do your best and that's what I tried to do. Can't have the weather as an excuse."
After trailing 2-0, Liberty seized momentum with a three-run top of the fourth inning. Sophomore Tyler Parker opened the rally with a walk and senior Jason Sandwisch followed with a double to left field.
The Falcons (8-4, 2-1 NWOC) then scored their first run when a balk was called on Milwaukie lefty Randall Sam II. A couple batters later, senior Zach Chitwood put Liberty ahead 3-2 on a two-run single to left field.
The Mustangs (3-7, 1-2) tied the score at 3-3 on an unearned run in the fifth inning, and it could have been worse as Milwaukie had the bases loaded with no outs. But Derek Beeler made a nice running catch in right field, a Mustangs runner was tagged out in a rundown on the third-base line and Drake ended the inning by freezing a batter with his curveball for a called third strike.
"That was a really big moment for us," Drake said. "My curve was definitely working for me. That's my favorite pitch."
The Falcons wouldn't be as fortunate in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Milwaukie took control with four runs that were also fueled by errors to take a 7-3 lead.
"Dakota threw well, and it breaks your heart when a kid pitches his heart out and the defense lets him down behind him," Liberty coach Jackson Gillett said. "We have a serious problem right now with defense. That's the frustrating thing. In our last seven games, we've literally only given up seven earned runs. Every other run has been unearned.
"And that's on the coaching staff. We're obviously not doing the right things to get the defense better. So I take responsibility for that."
Gillett pointed out a two-game stretch – a 7-6 loss to close out the San Diego tournament and an 8-7 win over Parkrose to open NWOC play – that included 11 unearned runs out of the 14 the Falcons gave up.
"We've got to fix that," Gillett said.
The bright side, of course, is that it's still plenty early in the season and Liberty's 2-1 conference record is only one game back of league-leading Sherwood (7-4, 3-0).
But the frustration shown by the Falcons on Friday is a direct result of the high expectations of the tight-knit team. Liberty cares deeply about performing its best and doesn't want to waste a season with a fortunate blend of individual talent and overall team chemistry.
That bond was strengthened by those combined 40 hours in a bus together driving down and back up Interstate-5 over spring break. Whether it was giggling at the 20-year-old classic movie, The Sandlot, or playing MLB The Show on PlayStation, the vibe was always positive.
"We definitely grew closer as a team," said Drake, one of eight seniors on the roster. "It was a very good trip to bond. Our teammates, there's no team like ours around. We all get along great. We're all best buds pretty much."
And that closeness is why losses like Friday hurt so much. But it's also why the Falcons are confident that this mini-funk won't last long.
A rematch with Milwaukie awaits at 4:30 p.m. today at Liberty High School. Then comes a two-game NWOC series with Sandy, on the road Wednesday and back at home on Friday.
"There is a lot of time to change, and I feel like we will," Drake said. "We'll bounce back and we have these guys again on Tuesday and we're going to bring it. We'll be ready."
That confidence and awareness of what needs to be corrected is why Gillett chose not to have a postgame team meeting Friday.
"We've got some awesome players that are super capable of turning this around," Gillett said. "At this point, there's nothing left to say. We've just got to do it."
-- Jeff Smith


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Michael Hussey appoints spinner Nathan Lyon as new leader of Australia cricket team song
- From: AAP
- January 06, 2013
Nathan Lyon the player has struggled for results this summer but, on character alone, the offspinner has been anointed the new heart and soul of the Australian cricket team.
The 25-year-old is still very much a work in progress, looking forward to the massive challenges ahead against India in the sub-continent and the Ashes in England.
If there was greater depth in Australia's spinning stocks, Lyon could be under significant pressure to hold his spot.
But retiring great Mike Hussey's decision to hand the custodianship of the team song to Lyon is a telling development.
An expletive-laden tune belted out in a beer-soaked change room might sound slightly trivial, but in a Test team largely bereft of experience, Lyon has been handed a central role in fostering the team's new culture.
Hussey believes in what his singing successor has inside him.
One of Australia's great team men had no hesitation in telling Lyon after the Melbourne Test last week that he was the man to take over.
"I picked Nathan because I think he's a man of great character," Hussey said after Sunday's win over Sri Lanka.
"He plays the game for the right reasons and understands and respects the fabric of the baggy green cap.
"That's what I want to come through from him when he leads the team songs in the future.
"The people before me certainly have had great character so I wanted to look for those sort of traits in the next song master."
Lyon, who took just two wickets in spin-friendly conditions in Sydney, told Channel Nine he was honoured.
"I feel pretty privileged and pretty shocked. I'm looking forward to it, hopefully I learn a few more things off Mike tonight," Lyon said.
"I think I know the words, we'll test it tonight though."
Handing the baton to Lyon was an easy decision for Hussey.
But he's less forthcoming when it comes to giving an opinion on who should succeed him as the anchor in the Test middle-order.
In his heart he would love that to be brother David, but he believes there are six worthy candidates.
Selectors are a long way from making a decision, but Hussey sees no need for stress.
"I'm not worried about the team at all. History has shown that the game always moves on and players come and go,'' he said.
"I'm really excited for Pup (captain Michael Clarke) and the team because I think there are some brilliant candidates that could come in.
"The emotional one would be for Dave to come in and play Test cricket. I know he's wanted to do it for a long time and that would be pretty amazing."
Relive the action from Mike Hussey's final day of Test cricket with our interactive blog.
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12th July 00:49
External User
Posts: 1
What got you started on pipe smoking?
I grew up in the farmland of western Kansas, USA. It was always a joke
amongst my peers that life was 100 years behind out there; most of the
trends/fads in life passed us by, as we kept doing the same old thing.
My grandfather smoked Carter Hall tobacco (though he had switched to
cigarettes by the time I knew him). My father had smoked mainly London Dock
tobacco( again, a cigarette smoker by my time). The only pipe smoker in my
family I remember as smoking a pipe was my great uncle Albert (who, I found
out later, smoked Prince Albert). This old man would sit at the table with
his bourbon and pipe, entertaining the children with his stories and his
smoke rings. I remember fondly the aroma of his pipe; but mostly his
When I was 12, I began my own foray into tobacco usage, "dipping" Skoal and
Copenhagen snuff we would "earn" from my friend's older brother. This was
the "cowboy" thing to do, plus was fairly easy to hide from the parents
after 2 or 3 pieces of gum afterwards. ;-) I continued dipping Skoal until
I turned 15 and got braces. I was no longer allowed to chew gum, and after
one disastrous experiment, found that Skoal was incredibly difficult to
remove from braces.
I began smoking cigarettes at the rate of three or four a week (Camel
non-filters). My first pipe surfaced around this time, when my friend Josh
produced two pipes and some tobacco (Velvet, I believe) out in the field as
we were feeding cattle. The smoke was long, luxurious, and enjoyable, but
left a lingering note that would be impossible to hide from parents who only
smoked cigarettes. I remained an occasional pipe smoker (once a month or
so) until I left for college.
Once in college, I became involved in various extra curricular activities,
both athletic and academic, and found that cigarettes and Skoal (my braces
were gone. Hurrah!!) were much more time efficient and suited to my
purposes. I still had the old pipe and some Velvet, and smoked it maybe
three times in three years.
One day at Wal-Mart (I was almost 19), I got a wild hair and purchased a $10
Grabow pipe and some Middleton's Cherry. For the next year, I smoked maybe
15 bowls a day out of that pipe, Middleton's, Prince Albert, Sir Walter
Raleigh, and Carter Hall. I finally scoffed at the "inconvenience" of the
pipe and returned full time to cigarettes and Skoal (1 pack + a day of
Marlboro Reds plus 1 can + of Skoal per week).
Flash forward to one year ago. I not only find out that my father-in-law is
a pipe smoker, but also that my dad used to smoke a pipe. I renew my
interest in the hobby, and search the internet for some "better way" to
enjoy this pastime. I inherit pipes from both dad and my father-in-law,
plus buying a couple myself. I find ASP and a whole new world is opened up
to me. I still smoke cigarettes at work and dip snuff (I'm working on that,
dammit) but exclusively enjoy a pipe while I'm at home. Oddly enough
(childhood memories???) my favorite blend thus far has been Prince Albert,
far outweighing all other blends, even the mighty Haddo's. Maybe it's due
to the smoke rings and stories?
"The road goes ever, ever on,
down from the door where it began,
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow if I can." J.R.R. Tolkein.
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- If the object in Max Angelelli's mirror was closer than it appeared, he wasn't the least bit bothered by it.
Alex Gurney was gaining on him in the final stage of Saturday's Porsche 250 Rolex Grand-Am Series race at Barber Motorsports Park.
"I wasn't worried," Angelelli said. "I knew what I had. My car was so strong. I knew I could pull away. And I think I showed it ... Our car was really good. It's been a great weekend."
Angelelli, taking the wheel from lead-off driver Jordan Taylor, sped to a 4.116-second advantage over Gurney and teammate Jon Fogarty, the pole-sitter, to earn his 22nd series victory. For the 21-year-old Taylor, who shared the seat in the Velocity Worldwide Chevrolet, it was his first Daytona Prototype victory but his third as a Grand-Am driver.
John Edwards and Robin Liddell won the GT Class by .733 seconds over Jeff Westphal and Alessandro Balzan.
Dr. Jim Norman and Spencer Pumpelly captured the GX class, the third win of the year for Norman.
Taylor, who was miffed after a qualifying session on Friday that saw Fogarty emerge as the pole-sitter at almost the last second, drove the first sesson and called it "a pretty exciting day." But he was able to get past Fogarty when the latter was held up by a slower car; ditto the move he put on his older brother Ricky, driving along with defending winner Richard Westbrook, who would finish third.
"Jordan allowed me to have such an easy race," Angelelli said. "He put the car in such good position."
Then, unaccustomed to turning over the wheel in races, "the last 50 minutes were pretty stressful" for Taylor to watch.
Because of the rain earlier in the week, the first lap Angelelli took on Saturday was his first of the entire week on a dry track.
Edwards had a stressful time when he went off-track in turn 4, but was able to make what he called "an opportunistic move" to get his Chevy back in front of the other GT competitors. Then Liddell had "the pressure to go out and stay in front and get in rhythm."
It was his 19th Grand-Am victory and the fifth for Edwards. It was also the second win here for Edwards -- dating back to a race he won as a 13-year-old in the Skip Barber School. Said Edwards on Friday, "I think I'm due for another one."
There was even more stress on the duo of Norman and Pumpelly. Their Porsche had transmission problems on Friday and their crew "worked through the night on it," Norman said. The new transmission was "flawless," he said.
However, "There was a little anxiety," Norman said. "But there was a handful of Porsche experts working on it and the big thing was when they looked me in the eye and said this is what we do. And it was perfect."


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SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority was honored with a Gold Standard award last week by the Transportation Security Administration for building a program to keep passengers safe from terrorist threats.
Federal officials from Washington D.C. and Boston came to Springfield in person to present a plaque to PVTA Administrator Mary MacInnes at a meeting of her Advisory Board.
"We want the public to know we are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety," said Fred C. Goodline, an assistant deputy in the Transportation Security Administration.
He praised the PVTA for fulfilling "the highest standard of excellence" in the voluntary program.
The PVTA is one of 17 transit systems nationwide to be honored with the Gold Standard award this year, including the Washington Metropolitan Area, Spokane and New Orleans Regional Transit Authorities.
MacInnes said she was surprised to be selected. "By national standards, we're a relatively small transit authority," she said. "My message to new riders and people who don't use public transportation is to say how safe the PVTA is to ride."
PVTA Advisory Board Chairman John Musante said that in Amherst, where he is Town Manager, "over a million passengers a year" ride the bus.
He did, too, as a student. "I went to UMass in the early '80s and I didn't own a car," he said. "I just remember how crowded the buses were – and our ridership is up again this year!"
The Transportation Security Administration was formed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the first Gold Standard awards were given out in 2010, to six transit systems. There are 6,000 transit systems in the country, said Goodline.
If the public isn't aware of the measures that are being taken to keep them safe, that's fine, said Goodline, who survived the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. His office was below ground level.
One slogan he does want passengers to be aware of is: "If you see something, say something." Report anything that doesn't look quite right, whether it's unattended luggage or a guy taking pictures.
Transportation Security evaluates a transit system conducting a "baseline assessment" of its security, pointing out vulnerabilities, offering guidelines and giving a comprehensive review. Security plans and trainings, drills, background checks, closed-circuit TVs and public outreach are considered.
In addition to awarding the plaque, Goodline read to the gathering a congratulatory letter from John Pistole, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
PVTA wins TSA award for keeping passengers safe from terrorist threats
on April 02, 2012 at 7:33 PM
SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority was honored with a Gold Standard award last week by the Transportation Security Administration for building a program to keep passengers safe from terrorist threats.


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SAYREVILLE — An appeals court unanimously reversed a Sayreville man's robbery conviction today, arguing the judge failed to determine if the man was able to present "a complete defense" as required by the federal and state constitutions.
The three-judge panel said the judge in Daniel Blazas's trial in 2010 "erred" in failing to conduct a hearing when Blazas complained that the prosecutor was interfering with the defense investigator's efforts to talk to state witnesses.
In addition, the panel said the judge, who was not identified, concluded that Blazas could represent himself at trial "without adequately advising him (Blazas) of the consequences of his decision." The judge made the decision after watching Blazas represent himself at a pretrial hearing.
The panel also said the trial judge failed to instruct Blazas that by representing himself, known as pro se, he could not appeal any conviction based on ineffective assistance of counsel, even though the judge did appoint a public defender to advise him during the trial.
Blazas was convicted in April 2010 of charges arising from the robbery of a convenience story in Sayreville on Dec. 12, 2007 in which the robber took $1,330 after showing the store's lone employee a gun.
The employee identified Blazas in a photographic display the next day at the borough police station. Blazas was arrested on Dec. 14, 2007.
He was indicted several months later and in 2008 asked the judge to remove the public defender who had been assigned to him and let him try his case pro se. The judge first refused, but later relented after watching Blazas at a pretrial hearing, according to the appellate panel's 31-page decision published today.
Blazas also filed a motion, charging the prosecutor with prosecutorial misconduct and asking to dismiss the indictment because the public defender's investigator, who sought to question several state witnesses on his behalf, was told they were instructed not to speak to him. The judge denied the motion.
The appellate judges said the judge should have held a hearing and taken testimony from everyone involved to determine what was said, by whom and whether it violated Blazas's right to a fair trial.
Blazas was convicted of second-degree robbery and third-degree theft, but acquitted of first-degree robbery. The trial judge threw out an aggravated assault charge before the jury began deliberating, the appellate decision said.
Blazas was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, of which he must serve 10 years and two months before he is eligible for parole.
Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Andrew Carey said his office is reviewing the trial record and contemplating whether to file a petition for certification with the state Supreme Court -- the first step in an appeal to the state's highest court.
• Convicted Sayreville robber gets additional 12-year sentence for armed theft


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text:
Steyn describes the interchange thusly:
"He was asked a question by a citizen of the United States. The cost of a gallon of gas has doubled on Obama's watch, and this gentleman asked, 'Is there a chance of the price being lowered again?'
"As the Associated Press reported it, the president responded 'laughingly.' 'I know some of these big guys, they're all still driving their big SUVs. You know, they got their big monster trucks and everything . . . If you're complaining about the price of gas, and you're only getting eight miles a gallon — (laughter) . . .'
"That's how the official White House transcript reported it: Laughter. Big yuks. 'So, like I said, if you're getting eight miles a gallon, you may want to think about a trade-in. You can get a great deal.'"
Here is Steyn's conclusion:
"America, 2011: A man [Obama] gets driven in a motorcade to sneer at a man who has to drive himself to work. A guy who has never generated a dime of wealth, never had to make payroll, never worked at any job other than his own tireless self-promotion, literally cannot comprehend that out there beyond the far fringes of the motorcade outriders are people who drive a long distance to jobs whose economic viability is greatly diminished when getting there costs twice as much as the buck-eighty-per-gallon it cost back at the dawn of the Hopeychangey Era.
"So what? Your fault. Should have gone to Columbia and Harvard and become a community organizer."
To me, the whole thing is ridiculous: The idea that the president can control the cost of oil, a commodity traded by literally thousands and thousands of people, businesses and institutions every day.
But a president and Congress, it has been shown over our long history, can indeed screw up the pricing mechanism of free markets.


text:
Flat Footed wrote (see)
And is fruit spread sort of like jam or sort of not?
And is fruit spread sort of like jam or sort of not?
There was a commons debate on just that...what a waste of time and money (it's down to the sugar content)
As for nut butter, I use Shea nut butter to stop chaffing (seriously) and have done for years. I bought a jar in 2007 and it's still going strong, I wouldn't put it on toast though
God no, I wouldn't put that on toast, it's 6 years old!
Chafing. ChaFing. There's only one F in chafing...
There's more than one F when I get into the shower afterwards...
There was only one full stop at the sentence when I went to skool.
can you remember that far back?
Who threw that?
Wasnt me, im sweet and innocent...
It's an ellipsis, innit!
itis. . .
If it's an itis, you need to put some cream on it
and we're back to nut butter
fat buddha wrote (see)
CD - you weren't the only person to comment y'know....
CD - you weren't the only person to comment y'know....
I was only going on what CD told me! It's still all his fault, y'know!
If we are discussing ellipses.................or whatever
is that like when the moon gets in the way of the sun and then it goes dark but not all at once and then there is a diamond ring and all the birds go to sleep and it's really weird and cold but then only for a minute or so before the sun comes back and you can't look at it with your eyes, you have to look through something to protect your eyesight or even project an image of the sun on to a card or something...or is it like an oval shape made by a point moving in a plane but not on a plane such that the foci is constant or even its made when a cone is cut at an angle, but that angle isn't so angled that it cuts the base...
I'll have a pint of what Pete is on
I don't think it comes in pints Melds, I think it comes in a rizzla!
Unlike Gladys, who comes in socks.
So many possible replies...
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