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Just a year or so back, Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos was psyched about a Big Idea.
What would happen, he thought, if he negotiated a deal to put a commuter train on an existing CSX railroad track running between downtown Birmingham and Hoover's Ross Bridge?
The idea was just a spark, but Petelos was stoked like a steam engine. He got the skinny on Colorada Railcars that, for $3 million apiece, could serve as both passenger car and locomotive. He called Sen. Jeff Sessions. He recruited the Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham to test the limits of the possible.
He could just see passengers stepping to a platform with their BlackBerries and newspapers, lining up for daily commutes to start the first wave of real, affordable mass transit in a community that desperately needs it.
It was a Big Idea that would benefit the whole community, he thought. But you probably did not hear about it. The fire went out fast.
Turns out the track was in heavy use, and the railroad would not share. Petelos looked at the idea of building new tracks, but that would cost $30 million a mile -- or $600 million for a 20-mile spur from Hoover to Birmingham.
"I did enough research to find out it wasn't workable," he said.
He didn't go public with his idea at the time. Instead he turned his attention to a partnership that could let Hoover turn wood waste products into ethanol. The Big Idea for commuter rail went back on the shelf, because $600 million was just too rich.
But was it? It's the cost of a domed stadium, or pretty close. It is less than 2½ years worth of interest -- at current auction rates -- on Jefferson County's sewer debt.
In an age when Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford heaves up an idea a day, each costlier than the last, it is almost sad to see a needed Big Idea doomed by practicality.
But the idea -- or a form of it -- is not dead.
The planning commission has been studying rail lines as corridors for mass transportation. And while high fuel costs have caused a surge in rail usage -- making existing track more valuable and hard to come by -- there is still hope.
Planners will study the feasibility of using an old track along Third Avenue West, from Bessemer to downtown Birmingham, for commuter rail.
"We can utilize some federal funds for the study," said planner Steve Ostaseski. "We're thinking of doing the study in the next year or so."
If all goes well, the commission might seek money for a year-long demonstration project to see if people would actually ride such a train. It could lease the Colorado Railcars Petelos wanted.
It's not the Olympics. It's not a dome or an Olympic pool or horseback riding in west Birmingham. But it is not sewer debt, either. It is a Big Idea.
And we need Big Ideas.
Not irrational dreams tossed out without research or reality. Not the dreams that play on our wildest fantasies.
We need real ideas, let's hear 'em. We need Big Ideas that could really happen, that could actually help the Birmingham area, and make it a more complete community.
John Archibald's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Write him at


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In his weekly radio address, President Barack Obama spoke about the deal made this week with the Chinese government, which has agreed to import $45 billion in U.S. goods, including auto parts, hybrid bus systems and electric vehicle batteries.
"If we're serious about fighting for American jobs and American businesses, one of the most important things we can do is open up more markets to American goods around the world," Obama said.
"That's why I met with China's President Hu Jintao at the White House this past week. We're now exporting more than $100 billion a year to China in goods and services. And as a result of deals we completed this week, we'll be increasing U.S. exports to China by more than $45 billion, and China's investments in America by several billion dollars. Most important, these deals will support some 235,000 American jobs. And that includes a lot of manufacturing jobs."Some of those jobs will be in Michigan.
General Electric announced a number of agreements in rail, aviation and energy with the Chinese government.
The lynch pin of the latest aviation partnership is the formation of an avionics joint venture between GE Aviation and China's AVIC, first announced in November 2009, which marks a significant milestone in the growing aerospace relationship between Chinese industry and GE Aviation since the mid-1980s. There are already about 150 GE employees working at our Grand Rapids, Michigan engineering facility to help develop the central avionics nervous system that will power China's new C919 narrow body commercial jetliner, of which more than 2,300 are expected to be made during the 20-year lifetime of the program.Another company in Michigan, Novi-based LP Amina, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Energy to sell de-nitrification engineering equipment and other potential environmental and boiler efficiency improvement solutions, the Detroit News reported.
During his address, Obama said opening new markets to American goods and services is "how we'll win the future."

subset: commoncrawl


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Phantom 295 vs 320
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1st August 2013, 01:02 AM
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 79
I have sailed both in competition and in various conditions.
The 320 is far superior in upwind speed and angle, particularly in light winds.
I think that is because of the longer water line length, much bigger centre board and extra buoyancy.
The 295 is a little easier to turn because of the shorter length and perhaps a little bit more fun when planing.
For light wind performance and general racing racing pedigree, the 320 is way ahead.
The 295 is a good youth board and great if you are racing in a one design fleet.
Since you have a short board for high wind fun, I would go for the 320.
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Costa Magica Cruise Review by Andrew kellaway: Wow fantastic
Overall Member Rating
Wow fantastic
Destination: Baltic Sea
Embarkation: Dover
This was our first cruise and it will not be the last , we sailed from Dover uk on the costa magica I was a bit worried after reading some reviews , let me start by saying never take notice of reviews if you have not cruised before make your own mind up .The ship was fantastic as was the cabin and food , the staff were excellent they could not do enough for you , my wife is celiac and she was catered for just as well as we were .The cabin was cleaned to a high standard every day and the ship was spotless the drinks were a little expensive but we took the j2 drinks package and made good use of it .
I cannot understand why people give this company bad reviews , as this was our first cruise we have nothing to compare it with but if other cruise companies are half as good as this one then I would be happy , yes it is an Italian company so expect to here announcements in different languages but they are far and few between they did not bother us at all , most of the staff speak More good English so communication was not a problem.
I did not take any of the excursions as they are quite expensive as you would expect so I cannot comment on them but a couple we meet on board said they were quite good.
So to sum up the cruise was fantastic and costa are excellent and I would most definitely take another cruise with them.I hope this review helps. Less
Published 08/21/11
Read more Costa Magica cruise reviews >>
Read Cruise Critic's Costa Magica Review >>
Cabin review: 061122
Not disabled friendly
Could be so much more
Great ports and good crew assi...
Very comfortable and enjoyable...
Bad Experience - No Way Ever A...
STAY AWAY of Costa Magica crui...
Any cruise is a good cruise - ...
COSTA...No Way Ever Again!!!!
Serious attitude problem from ...
Not for English speaking clien...
Costa Pacifica Cruise
Great fun on the Fascinosa!
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To the Editor:
In a recent Times article about Glassboro's election, Democrat Councilman George Cossabone Sr., a re-election candidate, said his first priority will continue to be the stabilization of taxes for residents.
"For 16 years, I have fought for stabilization. Non-essential spending was, and is, unacceptable," he said.
Democratic Councilman Anthony Fiola, also up for re-election, is also quoted as saying, "Property taxes should always be the most important issue for elected municipal officials. My overriding objective is to continually search for ways to maximize revenues and limit spending while continuing to provide superior services to Glassboro residents."
However, their record clearly shows they did not do as they say.
The Glassboro administration even went as far as ignoring a 1997 State of New Jersey Budget Review Board audit that "strongly suggested" that they make the very changes the two 2009 Republican council candidates promise to make if elected. Based on the audit, those changes would have resulted in estimated savings in the last 12 years of nearly $7 million, not including annual escalation.
The 1997 audit was based on the following premise: "Government on all levels must stop thinking that more money is the solution to their problems, and start examining how they spend the money they have now. The state's taxpayers cannot afford to keep sending money to their government. It is time for government to do something different."
The audit made "strong recommendations" that the borough correct certain practices and said, among other things, "a number of contract provisions that appear to be excessive when compared to other public sector contracts, as well as provisions that appear to be unreasonably beneficial to the employee at the expense of the taxpayer."
These changes do not appear to have been made.
I believe we should elect the Republican candidates, Tracie Sperratore and Adam Szyfman, who will actually make the hard decisions to cut taxes. We should not elect the candidates who say they will lower taxes at election time, but did not do so when they had the opportunity.


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I will sign these if you like and ship them anywhere in the USA for only $45…Long out of stock!
July 23, 2012
For Sale "Rare Coney Island Surfer Shorts" Brand New Size 40 With Zoo York Beer opener!
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Fast forward over a decade, and we've entered an entirely new publishing world. The advent of e-books changed everything. Thanks to social media and the blogosphere, Knox climbed up to #4 in Science Fiction for Kindle, and #9 overall in Science Fiction on Amazon. After a year, it's returned to earth, but what a trip it was. Thanks to all of you who helped make it a success.
In honor of the anniversary, we're making Knox's Irregulars a free download until November 15th. Feel free to give it a read!
I'm standing on a muddy lawn with the cultural affairs guy, and I say, "If I knew it was going to be so messy, I wouldn't have worn the Bruno Maglis."
A half second later he comes back with "That's what O.J. Simpson said."
A pic from the election day party in Nairobi.
It was a nice party, though it was sad to watch so many Americans cheering for the "Progressive" dismantling of our way of life.
I'm taking a week off from politics to watch The Wire and play Mechwarrior Online. Then it's back to fighting the good fight.]]>
My 11 year old and I went fishing this evening in a longtail boat here in Thailand. Mostly caught small grouper and snapper, but the trip was worth it to spend some time one on one with him. Plus, the boat's captain was Mr. Mee, a chainsmoking madman wearing a Hello Kitty shower cap and an army vest. The only other people on the boat were French newlyweds who were sweet as can be.]]>
Dude. JIII and I went diving with bull sharks today at Sail Rock, near Koh Tao island. They reached up to about 10ft in length, but seemed bigger when they were swimming toward you… Didn't come closer than 4 meters, though that was close enough. We got to watch one eat a squirrel fish - that was pretty awesome.]]>
I think that's bad news for Obama. Romney just needs to keep showing that he's a viable alternative to our failed current president. Obama needed to land a solid punch and stall Romney's building momentum. Romney accomplished his mission, but I don't think Obama got his.
Lastly, the first snap-polls show Obama winning the debate very narrowly, but Romney winning big on the economy. I think the economy's going to be decisive this year.
Just caught two of my kids wearing Big Bang hoodies and dancing to Korean pop music. They were pretty embarrassed. My reaction? "Why can't you be like normal kids and just do drugs?"
|From Random Photos


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Mike and I both love grapefruit! For me, it's a recent passion. When I was little, it always felt too bitter to me. However, a few weeks ago, I tasted a really sweet ruby red grapefruit,with just the right amount of bitterness to it. I've been hooked ever since.
I thought it would be interesting to experiment with the flavors of grapefruit, because it is such a strong and distinct flavor. After trying several combinations, I have arrived at one that I really like. Lavender works well with grapefruit. It is a fairly unusual flavor, because until recently it was never considered an ingredient for cooking. It goes very well with the taste of the grapefruit.
I cut four grapefruit, so that I only had the flesh of the fruit. The membrane, the pith and the pits, I set aside, for their pectin. I cooked down the grapefruit in two cups of water for about half an hour. I added two tablespoons of lavender to this.
I experimented with honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. I added a cup of honey to the jam about half an hour into the cooking process. It worked fairly well in this recipe, however, the jam didn't achieve the thick, gel like consistency that I usually get with sugar. I don't mind a watery jam, however, if you feel strongly about the texture of your jam, you can replace the honey with sugar.
After cooking the fruit down on medium heat for an hour and a half, I added two tablespoons of vanilla essence and another teaspoon of lavender. I continued cooking for another half hour before bottling.
This was a fairly small experiment. It yielded five four ounce jars.
All of the flavors come together beautifully. There is still some bitterness, but if you like the taste of grapefruit, you will enjoy this jam. It is fragrant and unusual and delicious.
4 large ruby grapefruit
3 tablespoons of lavender
1 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of pure vanilla essence


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Touted as "a stout as dark as the winters that once engulfed Westeros," the latest "Game of Thrones"-inspired beer by Brewery Ommegang has proven a quick sell in sunny New Orleans.
Take the Black Stout began arriving to local bars and wine shops in late September, drawing a rush of sales from fans of the hit HBO fantasy series.
The Cooperstown, New York-based brewery partnered with HBO to create a beer in honor of the Night's Watch, a group that guards the Seven Kingdoms from enemies in the North.
"It's going fast," said Leora Madden, owner of Pearl Wine Co., which started carrying the beer about two weeks ago.
Elio's Wine Warehouse received the beer about a month ago and sold out quickly, according to an Elio's worker. Stein's Deli sold out its first supply of the beer within two weeks, and only a few bottles remain of a second allotment, said Dan Stein.
Some spots around town still have larger quantities of the brew in stock.
Now that local temperatures better reflect the frigid climes found along the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms, more fans of the show and Ommegang may find a rich, dark stout more appealing.
So far, most of those buying the 22-ounce bombers are "Game of Thrones" fans who try the beer for its novelty or to keep the bottles as collector's items, said Stein and Madden. The beer forms the second in a series of three inspired by the show, with the third planned for the spring, in time with the fourth season of the show.
"It really is the show following that drives the sales," Madden said. "They honestly don't care what it tastes like."
Local shop owners said the taste of Take the Black Stout is not spectacular, but does fall in line with Ommegang's reputation for producing solid brews.
"It's a really rich black stout," Madden said. "They use licorice root in it."
Madden, a big "Game of Thrones" fan herself, said Take the Black Stout does capture the character of the show's third season.
"It's gotten even more dark and sinister in this last season," Madden said. "The beer is very dark and sinister as well."
Here's where you can try Brewery Ommegang's Take the Black Stout:
Pearl Wine Co.
Stein's Deli


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The location of the funeral service for a 25-year-old Jersey City man who was gunned down outside a Downtown deli early Saturday after apparently confronting a drunk who struck a woman with a beer bottle has been changed, according to Watson Mortuary Service.
A viewing for Darren Maurice "Reese" Talington will be Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church, located at 597 Bergen Ave. in Jersey City, with an 11 a.m. funeral service to follow at the church.
After the service, Talington will be buried at Bayview – New York Bay Cemetery, 321 Garfield Ave., Jersey City, according to Watson Mortuary Service.
Talington was killed outside the A-Plus Deli at Grove Street and Christopher Columbus Drive, just two blocks from Jersey City City Hall.
A clerk at the deli told The Jersey Journal that Talington, a regular customer, entered the store with a woman at about 3 a.m. Shortly afterward, a man who appeared to be drunk entered the store and hit a female customer with a beer bottle, the store clerk said. Talington confronted the man and the two stepped outside, the clerk said.
Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Gene Rubino said on Sunday that after the two began fighting outside, another man approached and shot Talington several times in the torso and "lower extremities." Talington was rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:10 a.m., Rubino said.
No arrests have been made but the investigation is active, Rubino said today. Anyone with information is asked to call the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's Homicide Sqaud at 201-915-1345.


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Nearly 200 bicyclists, some with spectacular facial hair and others with hilariously faked facial hair, took to the streets on two wheels Saturday, July 21, for the fourth annual Ability Tour.
The tour is a project of the Peckham Community partnership Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Peckham, Inc.
The foundation aims to raise funds for programs where little exists, filling "critical gaps" in the community's organizations.
"The Ability Tour is not only a great ride for a cyclist at every level, but is an awesome opportunity to demonstrate how recreational events can be accessible and fun," Josh Britton, Ability Tour Co-Chair, said in a press release.
The Ability Tour raises money to help equip other recreational events with resources and accommodations to make events more accessible to all individuals.
Proceeds from the $25 registration fee, along with more than $10,000 in sponsorships, will go toward advancing those efforts.
The tour offers riders a choice of three routes – one an eight mile course, another 30 miles, and a final 50 miles – all starting from Peckham, Inc.'s Lansing headquarters.
The Great American Fierce Beard Organization, or GABFO, also worked to raise awareness and participation for the event.
GABFO describes itself as a club dedicated to promoting facial hair, fun and friendship. The organization moved from a leisure group to raising funds for various community causes.
Riders with mustaches "both real and contrived" received a $5 discount on their registration fee.
Also on hand Saturday was representatives from Programs to Educate All Cyclists, or PEAC.
The group offered assistance through technology and special gear for riders in need of accommodations.
The nonprofit works to enhance the lives of people with disabilities through cycling.E-mail Angela Wittrock: awittroc at mlive dot com and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/AngelaWittrock and Facebook, or reach her by phone at 517.219.7073.


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The New Orleans Indie Rock Collective presents "Foburg: A Music Festival" (official site), a new three-day alternative music festival held in venues along Frenchmen Street March 12 - 14, 2010. The festival features Rock, Indie Rock, and Alternative artists from the greater Gulf South and national touring artists on their way to SXSW in Austin, TX.
Pre-sale weekend passes to all 25 shows are available for $25. Passes will be $30 at the festival.
The first 100 purchasers will receive a 3 CD compilation pack of local indie music when they pick up their passes at the festival. Weekend passes can be purchased and picked-up at the corner of Frenchmen and Chartres streets. Door covers range from $5 – $10, and will be available for individual showcases.
Friday, March 12, 2010 lineup:
The Maison: Downstairs: The Blue Party, Gamma Ringo, New Grass Country Club, Wazozo, Upstairs: Giant Cloud, The Pharmacy, Brass Bed, Front stage: Bionica, Luke Winslow King, 9 Ghosts, Mechiya Lake.
The Blue Nile: Downstairs: Givers, Dirty Bourbon River Show, The Bears of Blue River, One Man Machine, Upstairs: The Happy Talk Band, The Public, A Living Soundtrack, King Ray
Dragon's Den: Downstairs: A Million Years, Black Taxi, Dinosaur Feathers, Frontier Brothers, Upstairs: Savoy, Gris Gris
R Bar: Lefty Parker
Checkpoint Charlie's: We Landed on the Moon, The Burroughs, The Other Planets
Saturday, March 13, 2010 lineup:
The Maison: Downstairs: MyNameIsJohnMichael, Reno Bo, Sun Hotel, Booty Trove, Upstairs: Caddywhompus, Sings, Smiley With A Knife, Freshmillions, Front stage: Alexis Marceaux, Natalie Mae, Andrew Duhon, Kristen Diable, Loren Murrell.
The Blue Nile: Downstairs: The Revivalists, Flow Tribe, High Tide Blues, Upstairs: Glasgow, Big Blue Marble, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Steve Eck and Midnight Still
Dragon's Den: Downstairs: Ratty Scurvics, Dummy Dumpster, Mikronaut, Drumcart, Helen Gillet, Ray Bong, DJ Alison Fensterstock, Upstairs: The Gills, Savoir Adore, Mon Khmer
d.b.a.: The Shills, Yardwork, Los Poboy Citos, Hope for Agoldsensummer
R Bar: DJ Pasta
Sunday, March 14, 2010 lineup:
The Maison: Downstairs: Silent Cinema, Dr. Manhattan, Chris Rehm, Oso Closo, Meg Roussell, Upstairs: Pumpkin, Chaz Knapp & Craft Boys, Vox & Hound, Front stage: WATIV, Davy Mooney and Ghosts, Ben Labat and the Happy Devil, Mark Weliky Trio.
The Blue Nile: Downstairs: Peelander-Z, The Consortium of Genius, The Local Skank, Upstairs: Big Rock Candy Mountain, The Show is the Rainbow, Signals, The Belly's.
The Dragon's Den: Megafauna, Big, Fat & Delicious, High In One Eye
R Bar: Jean-Eric, DJ Bess Knees
Checkpoint Charlie's: Open mic


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YAY! My first time EVER using fondant! I was too scared!!! BUT I LOVE IT!!! It's 100x better than buttercream. Hubby even helped! I still have to dust some of the conf. sugar of the chips, but I couldn't wait any longer to post it!
CakeCentral.com is the world's largest cake community for cake decorating professionals and enthusiasts.
(if this is a private computer)
Yes please, register now!


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June Likins
LIKINS, K. June Scritchfield, 85, of Wheeling, WV, passed away on Friday, November 29, 2013, at her home.
She was born June 3, 1928, in Earnshaw, WV., the daughter of the late Nathaniel J. And Jessie Williams Scritchfield.
Mrs. Likins was a Protestant by faith. She was a past member of the El Tor Grotto Auxiliary. Mrs. Likins loved her family and she loved and enjoyed music and singing.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dewey Carlton Likins in 2004; two brothers; and five sisters.
Surviving are two sons, Dewey C. Likins of Deltona. FL and Kenny Likins and his wife, Sue of Wheeling, WV; two granddaughters, Anna Moore and her husband, Jim of Bellaire, OH and Beverly Pockl and her husband, Jason fo Wheeling, WV; seven great-grandchildren, Devyn Nickerson, Brooke Moore, Clay Moore, Dylan Moore, Faith Moore, J. T. Pockl and Reagan Pockl; several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received from 5-8 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2013, at the Kepner Funeral Home, 166 Kruger St., Wheeling (304-242-2311) where services will be held on Tuesday, December 3, 2013, at 11 a.m. with the Reverend R. Paul Schafer officiating. Interment in Park View Memorial Gardens, Wheeling.
Personal condolences may be offered to the family at www.kepnerfuneral.com.


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Erik Fasick is a one-man fastnacht baker.
The member of the Historical Society of Dauphin County is spending today making 50 dozen homemade fastnachts at the John Harris- Simon Cameron Mansion in Harrisburg.
It's the first year Fasick has tackled the task of making the fastnachts for the historical society. (And for the record, he did have some help in the kitchen.)
Unfortunately, it's too late to purchase them. The fastnachts were made available by pre-order only.
Fasick, who is the former executive director of the Pennsylvania German Society, said he is making the fastnachts for community outreach.
"No one does it other than the supermarkets," he said. "I figured if I wanted them I'd have to make them."
Fasick's granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar and plain fastnachts are made in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. The dough is made from mashed potatoes and all-purpose flour.
The dough is then rolled and cut into squares which are deep-fried in vegetable oil. Traditional fastnachts are fried in lard.
Fasick's version certainly doesn't look like the fastnachts sold at supermarkets or bakeries. They are smaller and square-shaped.
"There's so many variations on the fastnacht. There's no one thing. It doesn't have a hole in it. That's one indicator. More often they are square," Fasick said.


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Capital Idea: WVU Practices In Charleston
CHARLESTON – West Virginia University football coach Dana Holgorsen was looking for two things when he elected to take his Mountaineers on the road for a couple of Saturdays for two of their allotted 15 spring practices.
First, he wanted to give his team a taste of the road during the offseason so that it would be better prepared for the rigors of traveling during the Big 12 season. Plus, Holgorsen wanted to give fans around the state an opportunity to watch what he and his coaching staff had accomplished since the Mountaineers ended their season with a home overtime loss to Iowa State.
An earlier trip to Wheeling Island Stadium brought out more than 1,000 Mountaineers fans. Compare that to an open practice at Milan Puskar Stadium last Saturday that failed to produce much of a crowd and little excitement.
That wasn't the case Saturday at the University of Charleston's Laidley Field as a crowd estimated at 6-7,000 sat through 50-degree weather to witness the Mountaineers go through a variety of drills and some 11-on-11 action.
"Sure, we're excited to be here," Holgorsen said. "It's good for us to get out and show people around the state what we've been doing for the past several months."
The show began with special teams action, then proceeded into some light offense-on-offense and defense-on-defense work.
Next came the Oklahoma drill which featured some big hits as well as some nice runs. Then the team spent time in some individual and special teams drills before going live.
As expected, junior defensive back Karl Joseph delivered the first big hit of the day. But, the offense, led by senior quarterback Paul Millard, moved the ball against its first-team counterparts.
The defense didn't help its cause either when junior K.J. Dillon was flagged for a late hit that kept alive the offense's first drive of the day.
Millard looked sharp and University of Pittsburgh transfer running back Rushel Shell gave a glimpse or two of what fans can expect to see out of him this fall. The drive stalled, however, at the 11-yard line, forcing the offense to have to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Josh Lambert.
Next up was highly touted junior college transfer quarterback Skylar Howard. A first-down pass to Dustin Garrison was followed by a missed handoff that resulted in a short gain.
Then, sophomore Wendell Smallwood showed fans why they shouldn't be so quick to anoint Shell as their savior at running back, as the Delaware native ran through the defense for a first-down gain. The drive stalled, however, bringing in Fairmont's Logan Moore to show the audience what he could do.
"We've still got a long way to go," Holgorsen said. "We've had 10 practices, we still have five practices and one of those will be the Blue/Gold game on Saturday.
"We (were) hoping to get around 80 plays in (Saturday) and that many or more (today). With the number of new kids we have on both offense and defense, every play we can get in helps them."
One player not getting reps this summer is quarterback Clint Trickett. Offseason surgery has sidelined the senior during the spring, but that doesn't mean he isn't staying active.
"Paul (Millard) is solid as far as knowing the signals and getting the play to the offense," Holgorsen said. "Skylar (Howard) is still looking around at times and that is to be expected with any new player, especially at quarterback.
"But, then there's Clint over there on the sideline watching and helping when these guys come off of the field. He's not out there, but he is showing a greater understanding of the offense every day,"
Fans will get one last chance to see the Mountaineers in action when the annual Blue/Gold Scrimmage takes place at Milan Puskar Stadium at 1 p.m. next Saturday. Admission to the game is $10 with part of that going to the West Virginia University Children's Hospital.


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An "emergency meeting" was held by U.S. diplomats in Libya nearly a month before the deadly attack that killed four Americans because al-Qaida training camps were in Benghazi and because the consulate could not defend itself against a "coordinated attack,"
The emergency meeting was held on Aug. 15, and a classified cable summarizing the meeting – dated the next day – was marked "SECRET,"
The cable, addressed to the Office of the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, appeared to foreshadow the Sept. 11 attack on the consulate that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
It contradicts White House statements that the attack occurred without warning – and in response to anti-Muslim sentiment over a video produced by a California real estate developer.
According to the document, the U.S. State Department's senior security officer – also known as the "RSO," or Regional Security Officer – did not believe the consulate could be protected.
"RSO (Regional Security Officer) expressed concerns with the ability to defend Post in the event of a coordinated attack due to limited manpower, security measures, weapons capabilities, host nation support, and the overall size of the compound," the cable said.
Further, the consulate's Emergency Action Committee was also briefed "on the location of approximately ten Islamist militias and AQ training camps within Benghazi …," the cable said.
"These groups ran the spectrum from Islamist militias, such as the QRF Brigade and Ansar al-Sharia, to 'Takfirist thugs,'" .
The cable also described the security situation in Benghazi as "trending negatively" – and specifically said that the mission would ask for more help.
"In light of the uncertain security environment, US Mission Benghazi will submit specific requests to US Embassy Tripoli for additional physical security upgrades and staffing needs by separate cover," the cable said.
On the day of the Sept. 11 attack, Stevens wrote a three-page cable about "growing problems with security" in Benghazi and "growing frustration" with the security forces and Libyan police.
the Aug. 16 cable served as a direct warning to the Obama Administration that the Benghazi consulate was vulnerable to attack, that it could not be defended, and that the presence of anti-U.S. militias and al-Qaeda was well-known to the U.S. intelligence community.
Obama administraion officials declined to answer questions regarding the cable, citing its classified status.
Benghazi a barometer of Obama's incompetence
By Robert Maginnis 11/5/2012 06:00 AM
The Sept. 11, 2012 Benghazi, Libya terrorist attack left four Americans dead including our ambassador, destroyed our consulate, compromised sensitive information, and made America look weak. This story lingers because it is a barometer on President Barack Obama's competence.
The Benghazi attack exposed Obama's foreign policy record as hollow and his government as incompetent. Specifically, he claims to have decimated al Qaeda and liberated Libya for democracy, but the facts leading up to, during and after the Benghazi attack eviscerate those "victories" and reveal a shocking picture of Obama's poor governance.
Three key questions associated with the Benghazi saga expose Obama's performance.
First, why wasn't our Benghazi consulate better secured?
Part of the answer is related to the administration's denial that Benghazi is a haven for al Qaeda-associated Islamists. That view is associated with the administration's naïve belief that just because America helped liberate Libya the threat is diminished and besides, al Qaeda is "decimated." Further, administration officials ignored calls for help.
The truth is al Qaeda has been active in Benghazi for some time. In fact on Aug. 12, 2012 the Benghazi consulate staff hosted an "emergency meeting" concerning local al Qaeda training camps. And one of the Central Intelligence Agency's missions in Benghazi was to track Islamist groups like Ansar al-Shariah, the al Qaeda affiliated group that attacked the embassy. In spite of Obama's campaign declarations that al Qaeda was "decimated," al Qaeda-linked groups thrive in Libya and were responsible for four of the top five lethal attacks globally in 2011.
Our consulate was not secure enough. Consulate officials warned about the deteriorating security in Benghazi for months prior to the Sept. 11 attack such as a bomb thrown into the consulate in April and another detonated outside the facility in June. There was even an assassination attempt on the British ambassador while he visited Benghazi this summer.
This summer, the regional security officer likewise expressed concerns about the consulate's growing vulnerability in the event of a coordinated attack, according to a leaked cable. That is why he repeatedly asked for physical security upgrades and staffing but those requests were ignored.
Even as the security situation deteriorated the administration failed to field a rapid reaction force or other military force to the region in the event of an emergency, even though intelligence agencies consistently cite Sept. 11 as a time of heightened security threats for the U.S.
Second, why was our response to the attack so clumsy?
The attack succeeded because the compound was insufficiently manned, intelligence was poor, and back-up plans were totally inadequate.
Indicators of a pending attack failed to garner the necessary support. Specifically, a letter found in the Benghazi consulate's rubble expressed fears about the security situation on the morning of the attack. The letter revealed U.S. diplomats noticed a Libyan police officer conducting photographic surveillance of the compound the morning before the attack and the local police had not responded to requests for more security during the visit of Ambassador Chris Stevens.
This suggests elements of the Libyan government might have been complicit in the attack. It is widely known Libya's militias run roughshod over the police and often co-opt officials for their own purposes. Further, the consulate's external security was provided by the Islamist-leaning February 17th Brigade, which reportedly "walked away" from their posts just prior to the attack.
Fox News reports the consulate's contract guards, Blue Mountain Security, notified colleagues in Benghazi of a growing security problem at least an hour prior to the attack. Also, various sources indicate Ansar al-Shariah fighters were pre-positioned around the consulate several hours before the 9:40 p.m. attack. Yet, in spite of the imminent threat, no alarm was sounded and no reaction force was sent to the consulate until after the attack.
Not until the consulate wall was breached by 20 armed Islamists who stormed into the compound and torched the main building was the outside world alerted. That alert sounded at the nearby CIA annex, the embassy in Tripoli and at the Diplomatic Security Command Center in Washington. Shortly thereafter, emails alerted administration officials at the National Security Council, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pentagon, and Director of National Intelligence.
A six person rescue squad from the agency's global response staff departed the annex in short order, arriving at the consulate at 10:04 p.m. Meanwhile, the CIA base chief failed to recruit help from the February 17th Brigade, other militias and the Libyan intelligence service. It is noteworthy that the British consulate in Benghazi was never notified even though they have more people on the ground than the Americans.
Others did respond to the alert, but too late to impact the immediate fight. An unarmed military Predator drone arrived overhead an hour and a half after the alarm and CIA reinforcements from Tripoli landed at the Benghazi airport more than four hours after the alarm but didn't arrive at the CIA's annex until more than seven hours after the attack. Eight hours and 20 minutes after the alarm sounded, Libyan intelligence service forces arrived to escort the survivors to the airport.
Meanwhile, that evening, the U.S. embassy in Tripoli reported to Washington that the Islamic militia group Ansar al-Shariah had claimed responsibility for the attack. It is noteworthy that after the Americans abandoned the consulate, Ansar al-Shariah fighters surrounded the Benghazi hospital, where our dead ambassador was taken, while others pursued the CIA at the annex where they fired mortars that killed two former SEALS, both CIA contract security personnel.
Finally, why is the administration trying to keep the truth from the American people? It is likely that administration officials want to avoid the issue before the presidential election, but their effort to hide the facts makes them look incompetent and manipulative.
Leaked communications indicate top administration officials knew almost immediately about the assault and the culprits' identity. Yet for days after the attack, administration officials — including President Obama — blamed the violence at the consulate on a spontaneous demonstration to an anti-Islam video. Later, the State Department admitted no demonstration had occurred at the consulate on Sept. 11.
The administration is also dragging its feet responding to legitimate official questions. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) has been complaining of the Pentagon's lack of cooperation in providing witnesses for hearings.
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta muddied the water claiming we didn't send reinforcements to Benghazi because "the basic principle is that you don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on." Since when is that a military prerequisite? When people need help, our military gets there fast and develops the situation.
President Obama said during the presidential debates that he "gave three very clear directives" immediately after the attack: "secure those Americans," "investigate exactly what happened," and "go after those who killed Americans." So far, the administration is failing on all three "clear directives."
It took nine hours to "secure" the Americans vis-à-vis the arrival of the unreliable Libyan intelligence services. Obama should have launched a special forces unit poised an hour away in Sicily.
Obama directed the FBI to investigate. It took three weeks for the Bureau to reach Benghazi and once there they spent only three hours examining the 13 acre compound and evidently not very well. After the FBI's visit Foreign Affairs Magazine reporters found important letters in the rubble. Now, the administration turned over the investigation to the State Department's Accountability Review Board. Not surprisingly the White House is hiding behind that board refusing to answer questions.
The president promises to bring the culprits "to justice." That's unlikely because Libya is in chaos. Loyalists from the former regime are still very active and there is growing dissatisfaction toward the central government from both Islamists and regional power centers outside of Tripoli, like those in Benghazi. We saw evidence of that discontent last week when militia groups stormed Libya's national assembly forcing the cancellation of a vote on a proposed coalition government.
The Benghazi attack exposes Obama's failed foreign policy and his incompetence in governing. Specifically, al Qaeda is not "decimated" but very much a threat and Obama's Libya "success" is shaping up to be a good example of how the Arab Spring opened the door to Islamic extremists and criminal militias. It also demonstrates incompetence because our government failed to adequately prepare a vulnerable consulate and then failed to appropriately react once it was attacked. And in the aftermath of the fiasco, the administration is covering up its failures and hiding behind an investigation.
Obama clearly failed his primary responsibility — safeguarding our people. It is incomprehensible that not a single resignation has been offered. Hopefully, the American people will demand Obama's resignation Nov. 6.
Robert Maginnis is a retired Army lieutenant colonel, and a national security and foreign affairs analyst for radio and television.
How dare you question the competency of this President and his staff...you must be a racist.
Current and former intelligence officials say that a classified State Department cable sent Aug. 16 -- and which said the Benghazi consulate could not defend against a "coordinated attack" -- would certainly have gone to the White House National Security Council staff.
"The National Security Council sees everything," said fromer senior intelligence . "The staff are sitting on top of all the cable traffic which means the national security advisor (Tom Donilon) and deputy national security advisor (Denis McDonough) have some explaining to do. If Libya was of interest to this administration, the national security staff saw it."
"…which said the Benghazi consulate could not defend against a 'coordinated attack'…"
We understand that you low-life sleezeballs who are out of real issues to deal with find a need to politicize the unfortunate loss of life at this consulate. ("Bigger than Watergate" "Impeach Him" "the President doesn't care who gets killed or raped" etc. ad nauseam.
Here's a fact for you to consider. NO CONSULATE, anywhere in the world, can defend against a "coordinated attack". I don't care if it's the London Embassy…if foreign nationals in another country attack an embassy, it is impossible to defend it WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF THE HOST COUNTRY!
Are you aware that there are only approximately 1000 Marines in Embassy Duty, total…and they serve at about 150 locations around the globe. You do the math…that's about 6 per location on average. The entire concept of having foreign embassies is based on the International protocol that the host country is responsible for the security of the liaison posted on their territory.
A handful of Marines, with limited weaponry and ammunition, cannot hold off the entire population of a foreign country, nor should they attempt to. Did the Marines in Teheran even fire on the students during the Iranian Hostage Crisis? Of course not. If they had, every one of the hostages would be dead. What if they had? How long would their ammunition last? What would happen if a foreign embassy in Washington opened fire on a student demonstrations?
Where were all you folks when the Beirut Marine Barracks was bombed to the tune of almost 250 Marines killed in 1983?. President Reagan did nothing to retaliate and withdrew the Marines shortly thereafter. I don't recall the opposition trying to imply that it was his fault, or that he was somehow glad it happened, as you disgusting people are doing now.
Yes, the consulate was attacked, and the valiant people did all they could do under the circumstances. Trying to imply that the Commander-in-Chief is personally responsible or worse yet, that he is somehow happy with that outcome is about as unpatriotic as it gets.
Based on his record so far, I feel quite confident that this President will make those responsible for this horrible deed, pay the price. You or I may not even know about it, but that's how it works when you do what has to be done. Maybe a few of you chicken-hawks can enlist and go after them yourselves, instead of playing tough-guy political games with the misfortunes of true patriots.
There isno consulate in Benghazi. Just oner more lie to add to the many others. It was a CIA "safe house". I think they hung the Ambassador out to dry because he knew too much about the gun smuggling to Al Queda in Libya. He was involved in it when it started. We are doing the same thing in Syria. Pure insanity, or? something else.
The Obama administration is doing all they can to delay the truth of this incident coming out. They know that if the truth is told prior to the election, they are finished and so is Billary. They screwed the pooch on this one and they can't figure out how to get out of it. Obama is forgetting one the fundamental truths of politics...when you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING!
If the truth of this failure is ever known, one might think many heads would roll, but if Obama is reelected, it will be swept under the rug much faster than Fast and Furious.
Yes, this makes Watergate look like a non-event. It appears Obama will be able to evade, brush off, and deflect, any real investigation on this, till well after the election. Imagine if a Man of Honor, like Mit, had this Press Corp protecting him. He could be elevated to Sainthood within a month of taking office. Whereas Barrack, should be impeached, and is one step ahead of having to resign, for incompetence. That would leave Biden in charge. And that is way too scary to even think about. Joe, and his 900 person crown at his latest Ohio campaign stop. I wonder if they included the press corp in that 900 number?
Sentiment: Strong Sell
Letters the Ambassador wrote, detailed the Al Queda flags, that flew yards away from the compound. Our people knew this attack was imminent, but no one up the ladder wanted to show doubt, as to the local security forces ability to protect our people.
Sentiment: Strong Sell


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KALAMAZOO, MI -- Paper industry executives and Western Michigan University paper technology alumni from across North America are expected to gather for the Paper Technology Foundation's 54th annual meeting on Sept. 10 at WMU.
A slate of activities focused on paper engineering and paper science students is planned for the annual meeting. And the Paper Technology Foundation, which has provided scholarships to students for many years, will recognize 2013-14 scholarship recipients at a special banquet.
Other events during the day include the foundation's committee meetings followed by the PTF Board of Trustees meeting.
Meetings are to be held in the ParkView conference room at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Other activities will be held in the Fetzer Center.
Among the executives expected to attend the annual meeting are: Rick Hartman, CFO of New Indy Container Board; Jack Bray, vice president of manufacturing for Domtar; Jeff Armstrong, director of quality for Loparex; and Pat Gibney, director of manufacturing support for Verso.
The conference also will celebrate WMU's paper engineering and paper science programs.
According to information provided by the university, "WMU paper engineering graduates continue to be held in high demand by the industry and are currently enjoying 100 percent job placement, with base salaries starting at around $65,000 to $70,000 annually, highest among all WMU majors, plus signing bonuses and relocation packages. In addition, paper engineering seniors normally receive multiple job offers several months prior to graduation, a trend that extends back more than a decade."
In recent years, paper engineering students have generated an average of $90,000 throughout their academic careers by working as professionals during internships and co-ops.
Those interested in registering for the events, of wanting more information, may contact John F. Bergin, foundation managing director, at 414-364-4399 or email@example.com or Kate Miller, foundation student recruiter/outreach officer, at 269-276-3524 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Taking a Chance on Indie Authors: It's hard to take a chance on an Indie these days, but here's why I think you should give us a chance. (Christian Author, Karen Baney was kind enough to host my post.)
Gratitude Blog Hop : This is what gratitude means to me. (Bless Their Hearts Mom hosted me.)
Pen is Mightier than Sword with Emerald: This is about editing, and how I think is a good way to edit that novel you've been working on. (I joined the author of Eternal Beginnings, Christine Cunnigham, for this one.)
What to Expect as a Writer: I joined Mrs. Laura Stanfill on her blog and discussed how I felt what to expect as a writer. Basically, it's what I've learned along the way.
Celebrating the WLC – Emerald Barnes talks Uniting a Community : Join me as I discuss what the WLC means to me.
Finding Your Inspiration: Join me as I discuss finding your inspiration with author Wendy Young.
Never Give Up on Your Writing: Join me as I discuss never giving up on your writing no matter how much you want to with Writer Krissy Brady.
When to Know What to Write: I discuss when to know what to write with Author Amy Durham.
How do you deal with your fickle muse?: I discuss this with Author Lisa V. Proulx.
Community Amongst Writers: Spencer Brokaw hosts me as I discuss a feeling of community with writers.
Confidence as an Author : YA Author, Andrea Buginsky hosted me as I discussed confidence in being an author.
Jean BookNerd: What was the greatest thing I learned in school?


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It's been ages since I've had the orange chicken from Panda Express but I still vividly remember how I felt after eating anything from that place. Bloated, sluggish and extremely thirsty (yes, I am 100% sure they put MSG in their dishes even if they say they dont!) -those are the things that I never want to feel after eating. A meal should make me feel satisfied and not "ohmygodifeellikecrap".
Now that I am done with the 21 Day Sugar Detox, I have started incorporating some fruit and honey into my meals again. I first made Honey Orange Chicken a couple of months ago and it earned D's seal of approval so it is on our repertoire of go to Paleo Asian dishes. For dinner tonight, I enjoyed it with garlic cauliflower rice while D ate it over white rice (he's semi-Paleo anyway!).
- 1 lb chicken breast, cubed into bite sized pieces
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp chili sauce
- juice from 1 orange (about ½ cup) *
- fish sauce to taste
- green onions, chopped
- Stir fry chicken pieces in coconut oil over high heat until it starts to brown.
- Add ginger and garlic, sautee until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Lower heat and add coconut aminos, honey, chili sauce, orange juice and fish sauce.
- Stir to incorporate everything together and simmer for 8-10 minutes until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked.
- Top with green onions and serve with cauliflower rice.


text:
The Answer Center is your place to ask fellow eBay Community members questions about buying and selling on eBay, and for you to share your best information, tips, and insights to help other members get answers to their own questions.
Meet other eBay Community members who share your interests and passions.
Groups are a great place to connect with other community members who share similar interests. Give support, share information, and connect with fellow members. Create or join a Group today!
The latest news and updates affecting eBay buyers and sellers
The single source of information for new and professional sellers
Our policies are designed to create a safe and fair environment for all eBay members. Learning what's allowed can help you avoid unintentionally breaking the rules and helps everyone in working with reliable, trustworthy members.
on 03-21-2013 08:52 PM
Today, while paying for an auction, I clicked on the option to link my PayPal account to eBay. Now, when I go to the pay screen for another purchase which I made, my Internet Explorer browser becomes inoperative, and I cannot get to PayPal. I try to click on the link "unlink from PayPal," but since my browser stops working, I cannot navigate anywhere on the pay screen...not even to pay via a different method than PayPal. How can I unlink the two? I've gone to the PayPal website, and cannot find anywhere on that site to unlink either. Help, I can't pay, and I am stuck, stuck, stuck!
on 03-21-2013 11:17 PM
Internet Explorer has well known problems with Ebay. If you switch browsers and use Firefox or Chrome you will probably not have those problems.


text:
Courtesy of the Congressional Budget Office:
My pal Don Luskin gets it just right in the WSJ today: America is wrong on both taxes and trade.
Interesting piece by former FDIC head Bill Isaac on the bank bailout:
In truth, customers of money market funds had already been calmed when Treasury issued a 100% guarantee of their money – before TARP was enacted. The FDIC had the authority to reassure depositors under existing law, as was in fact done shortly after the TARP was enacted.


text:
My daughter is closing in on 4-years-old now and we still have that big old bed rail guard thingy we got when we first transitioned her from a crib to a bed.
It's not that she can't climb out of the bed on her own, obviously, but I just don't trust her not to flop off the bed while sleeping and bang her tender little noggin.
But the bed rail is big and bulky and annoying. I didn't realize there was an alternative, until now…
As usual, Jezebel, one of my most favorite websites in the whole word, showcased a quick, easy and inexpensive solution to keep your kids from flopping out of bed in the middle of the night.
A user on Reddit submitted the idea. All you need is one fitted sheet and a couple of pool noodles which you can buy for a song at Walmart. Put the fitted sheet on the bed and add a pool noodle UNDER the sheet on each side – or just the one side if your kid's bed is against the wall.
As Jezebel notes, " It may not work if your kid is a heavy duty roller, but for two bucks worth of pool noodles it's worth trying out.
Anybody ever tried this before? Did it work? Fill us in!
Photo Credit: Jezebel


text: With its aggressive styling and supercar performance, the C5 Z06 is imitated by many, but rivaled by few. Tasteful accents like our C5 Z06 inserts and decals are the sort of details that move the awe-inspiring looks of the C5 Z06 from the realms of merely intimidating to the simply sublime. While you're personalizing your LS6 powered beast, check out some new wheels or headlights for a more C5.R inspired look.


text:
Welcome to DBSTalk
Like most online communities you must register to view or post in our community. Sign-up is a free and simple process that requires minimal information. Be a part of our community by signing in or creating an account. The Digital Bit Stream starts here!
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Official DBSTalk ViP622 DVR Review
Posted 24 February 2006 - 04:15 PM
One thing I've noticed on the 622 that I didn't see in the review is that when you want to again watch a recorded show you have stopped watching, the default is to "resume" not "start over."
Another thing that's not as nice, in my opinion, is with my 721 remote I could press "mute" and (after setting my TV to do this) get closed captioning when the TV was muted. Not a necessity, certainly, but just a nice little extra. I can't see how to do that with the 622.
Posted 24 February 2006 - 04:17 PM
I have my $100 ready now for April 1st.
Future former 942 user
Posted 24 February 2006 - 04:27 PM
Posted 24 February 2006 - 07:47 PM
Posted 24 February 2006 - 08:07 PM
DISH Hopper, Hopper w/Sling, & Joey User
Posted 24 February 2006 - 08:17 PM
Hoever one thing I was looking for was screencaps of How SD & HD pictures can be formatted on the TV1 HD outputs, SD outputs, and TV2 Outputs. I've heard that on SD out there is no formatting, it's just 16x9 cropped, and 4x3 normal. But I'd like to see pics of this thanx!
Posted 24 February 2006 - 08:38 PM
wow that was one snazzy looking review you did.
Hoever one thing I was looking for was screencaps of How SD & HD pictures can be formatted on the TV1 HD outputs, SD outputs, and TV2 Outputs. I've heard that on SD out there is no formatting, it's just 16x9 cropped, and 4x3 normal. But I'd like to see pics of this thanx!
That would be good information to have, maybe we can include it in a future revision.
In the meantime, the modes for TV1 are: Normal (full image on HD Widescreen content, Black bars on the sides for 4:3 content), Stretch (Stretches 4:3 content to fill a 16:9 screen), Zoom (Zooms in 4:3 content to fill a 16:9 screen), Partial Zoom (Combination of zoom and stetch so 4:3 content will fill a 16:9 screen), and Gray Bars (Replaces black bars on 4:3 content with gray bars).
As for TV2 in dual mode, if the channel is an SD channel you can't change the mode, it is normal 4:3. If the channel is an HD 16:9 channel you can choose between normal (which cuts off the sides of the show, or letterbox which puts black bars on top and bottom and keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio.
DISH Hopper, Hopper w/Sling, & Joey User
Posted 24 February 2006 - 08:39 PM
At the moment TV1 is exactly what you would see on the HD feeds just downrezzed. If you're watching 16:9 HD and your HD display is set to 16:9 your SD output is stretched. As you peg through the screen stretch options appropriate for the HD side the SD follows suit (as if it were a 16:9 display).
I've heard that on SD out there is no formatting, it's just 16x9 cropped, and 4x3 normal. But I'd like to see pics of this thanx!
TV2 is like the ViP-211 and has less options (SD output is always "4:3" showing 4:3 SD feeds and either letterbox or zoomed in showing 16:9 HD feeds).
I say at the moment because when I first got my ViP-211 it behaved exactly like the TV1 output on the ViP-622 DVR. E* has since "fixed" that so now HD and SD stretch is controlled seperately. As of today the 622 has not been "fixed". (The ViP-211 allows all the appropriate modes in HD but limits the SD side to full screen 4:3 or letterbox/zoom if showing a 16:9 feed.)
The current TV1 modes are: "normal" "stretch" "partial zoom" "zoom" and "gray bar"
The TV2 modes are "normal" or "letterbox" with letterbox disabled when watching 4:3 feeds.
I see Rob was answering at the same time ...
Posted 24 February 2006 - 08:57 PM
I kinda like that for DVDs, so hopefully when they make an update they leave that in and possible label it as Squeeze when htey isolate the HD and SD formatting, like the 211 and 811 has
Posted 25 February 2006 - 12:33 AM
That is correct. I like it for recording to DVDs myself, so I can record them as widescreen.
Ok so basically the SD output on TV1 can be sorta thought of as Anamorphic?
I also like your request for adding a section to the review that shows all of the different zoom modes. Maybe using the HDNet Test Patterns to show what effects each of the modes have on the picture. I'll talk this over with Rob and maybe we can add an addendum.
ViP622 DVR: L612RBDD-N / 1710RBDD - Dual User Mode
SATS: 61.5/110/119/129 all DishPro Plus with DPP44
TV: Sony KD-34XBR960 CRT HDTV
Dish Network Customer since April 1998
Posted 25 February 2006 - 07:17 AM
Fios TV subscriber on 3/8/10
Posted 25 February 2006 - 07:39 AM
I can understand your point of view but read a little further. It compares the 622 with the 921 and 942. Also take a look at sections 4.1, 5.1, 7.2 and 8 (just to name a few). There is stuff in there you won't find in the manual.
Alot of work went into this to not only make it informative, but to outline how it stacks up against other DVR's in Dish Network's lineup.
Well I will definately look through it. As I mentioned I didn't want to sound like unappreciative but seeing the first 6 pages reminded me of the manual. If there are tips, comparisons and opinions in there then I will definately read through!
Posted 25 February 2006 - 10:08 AM
Posted 25 February 2006 - 02:34 PM
Ghostwriter- if you are looking for some "conclusions" that does not sound like a manual writing style, go to page 44 and read backwards. They have some opinions posted near the end of the manual. I agree the entire work reads more like a manual than an editorial review but IMHO, this is a good thing. Already read Scotts "first impression install review" and there are several posted first impressions from users here but what was lacking for non-owners is a manual on how it works. That we now have. I like it that way!
I have one suggestion for the authors- Would you consider making your excellent pdf into an interactive DVD? Now that would be a great thing to have for first time users. The DVD menu could be the hot link table of contents. There are some easy DVD authoring tools for doing this in an automated process but I don't recall seeing it done with a PDF file.
Posted 25 February 2006 - 02:39 PM
Posted 25 February 2006 - 04:44 PM
Nice job fellows. Do I have your permission to print it out to keep by the equipment when I get a 622? I suspect that your manual is far better than the one Dish will supply.
Thank you very much, and yes, of course you or anyone else for that matter has permission to print it out for personal use.
As to the whole, Review vs. Manual talk, I guess you could call this a "Revual" , it's really both. It started out as a "First Look" type doc and really out grew that so we started calling it a Review, maybe Overview would have been more accurate. Regardless the information is there to supplement what your going to find in the manual and help prospective customers determine whether or not it's something they would want to purchase/lease.
Anyways, we're glad that everyone is enjoying it.
DISH Hopper, Hopper w/Sling, & Joey User
Posted 25 February 2006 - 05:09 PM
I didn't read the whole thing in study mode but will later as I offload it to my PDA for those moments I have time.
Yes, I do plan to order after 4-1 but may need to delay the install for mid May because I will be traveling quite a bit in April and first week of May. NAB is one of those weeks. Their 4-1 timing couldn't have been worse for me so we'll see.
Posted 26 February 2006 - 11:21 AM
Posted 26 February 2006 - 11:43 AM
On the last page, it says on April 1 current owners of a 942 can upgrade for $99, $50 more than a new sub. Does that mean on April 1 new subs will only pay $49 for the VIP622?
Posted 26 February 2006 - 11:57 AM
There is no deal coming where a new sub can get a ViP-622 for $49.
Posted 26 February 2006 - 01:01 PM
DISH Hopper, Hopper w/Sling, & Joey User
Posted 26 February 2006 - 01:02 PM
is there a way for the 622 to allow a 50/50 split of the pip or just the larger / smaller sizes?
Just the larger or smaller sizes, and you can move them around the screen. There is no 50/50 split like you can do on most newer TVs.
DISH Hopper, Hopper w/Sling, & Joey User
Posted 26 February 2006 - 01:42 PM
Posted 26 February 2006 - 03:47 PM
DISH Hopper, Hopper w/Sling, & Joey User
Posted 26 February 2006 - 05:34 PM
DishPro 500 w/34switch
Dish 942


text:
A Muscatine man faces several charges in connection with sending a 15-year-old girl more than 11,000 text messages.
The Quad-City Times newspaper reports 40-year-old Mark Sievert was charged last week on four counts of attempted enticement of a minor and other charges, including attempted production of child pornography.
Court records unsealed this week show Sievert sent the teenager text messages between July and September.
The records show Sievert and the girl sent each other explicit messages that allege to sexual activity. They include video and photos.
Records show Sievert received more than 9,000 text messages from the girl.
Court records do not list an attorney for Sievert.


text:
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP — The New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad was on its way to Somerset County mid-day to remove a mortar shell that might be active, police said.
In a community alert issued just after noon, police said someone had found the shell and brought it to police headquarters for destruction. Police described the item as a "possible explosive."
The immediate area in front of police headquarters was closed in response.
Police anticipated keeping residents updated through the Nixle community alert service used to issue the initial message. Police also post such alerts through their Facebook page.
NJ.com expects to post an update to NJ.com/somerset as more information becomes available as well. Update 1 p.m.: Franklin Township police have since said State Police have removed the mortar, though it's still unclear whether it was an active device.
At almost the exact same time as Franklin Police became aware of the possible explosive, police in Parsippany responded to a bomb threat in that community. A police spokesman said he didn't have specific details on that incident yet, but the threat was already determined to be unfounded.
In another apparently unrelated incident Friday morning, a bomb threat was called in to Jersey City's School 41 — the Fred W. Martin Center for the Arts — but the school has since resumed normal activities.
— NJ.com reporters Justin Zaremba and Walter O'Brien contributed to this story


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I'm looking for a ride to the brick-nic this weekend! I live in Columbia Heights -- 14th and Columbia -- but would happily bike to a ride originating from somewhere in Northwest. To sweeten the deal, I'll give you first crack at the homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I'll be making for the event (and I'll be happy to pay for gas, too).
Kris Kitto


text:
i might add you just msg me if you want me too, 1421-3761-4077
Please add me Name:SMK14 Code:0863-1627-5446
i might add you just msg me if you want me too, 1421-3761-4077
Ok I'll add you if you add me
Project M.
... But no one's making you. You can just stick to vBrawl if you like and wait.
New fc:1035-2699-7746 add me
Ssbb fc:2195-0668-1262
Strikers fc is 253881-343740
Wii code:6921-7388-4141-1269
These (two) conversations sorely need t' be stopped here. Keep it on-topic, y'all.
... Yes, I'm well aware I was part of the problem and am therefore the worst mod on the internets.
Add me plz 0863-1627-5446
I'm good but it's because of the freaking lag
Last edited by Splash_King; 10-12-2013 at 07:36 AM.


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Julie Fott, (right) executive director of Lake Erie Wine Country, and Rotarian Patty DiPalma pose after Fott addressed the Westfield/Mayville Rotary for the club's rural-urban day. Lake Erie Wine Country has 24 winery members - 13 are in New York and 11 over the Pennsylvania border. In addition, 63 "tourism partners" support the wineries; the majority are dining, lodging and related businesses. Fott said plans for the organization include a new website, more tourism signs throughout the area and signs that point the way to wine trails. Information can be found at www.lakeeriewinecountry.org or by telephoning 1-877-326-6561.
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Basketball Camps Provide Lessons for On and Off the Court
Basketball camps for boys and girls held this week at Penn State DuBois gave youngsters of all ages the chance to build their basic skills in the game, and offered lessons in sportsmanship and discipline that can be applied to everyday life.
Offered as part of the Kids in College (KIC) and Art, Science, and Technology Institute Summer Youth Programs, the camps teach the fundamentals of the game, including ball handling, passing, defense, one-on-one moves, layups, and the basics of team play. Penn State DuBois men's and women's basketball coaches run the camps, and even teach young players drills that they can use to practice at home.
"We try to focus on the fundamentals, plus we stress the importance of hard work and sportsmanship," said Penn State DuBois head men's basketball coach Dave Bennett.
This year, camps were available for children in grades one through eight. Noting the important structure and discipline that children can learn by participating in athletics, Bennett said the camps are a great way to build life-skills.
"The competitiveness we teach in sports shows children of this age how to strive to do well, work together with team mates, and work hard," Bennett said. "It goes beyond athletics. It helps to instill discipline and a work ethic that will extend into their whole life."
Campus sports camps for this summer are not over yet. There's still time for boys in grades one through twelve to sign up for the Penn State DuBois Lions Wrestling Camp.
The wresting camp is scheduled for Monday, July 9, through Thursday, July 12. It will run from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. daily.
For more information, visit www.ds.psu.edu/youth or call Jeannine at 814-375-4836.


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Nature Abhors a Vacuum
officer and rushed around the side. Unfortunately, he met the warrior's armoured knee
with his chest, propelling him into the wall.
Discarding subtlety, Aiden picked himself up and lunged at the mercenary, crashing
directly into him and bowling both of them over. Aiden slammed his sword hilt into the
helmeted head with a resounding 'clang', but it seemed to have minimal impact on the
man who responded by shoving his elbow into Aiden's head.
The mercenary then punched him in the gut and threw him to one side. Aiden"s
sword went skittering across the polished floorboards and under the bed. His adrenaline
pumping, Aiden tried to scramble away from the warrior but one of his legs was held and
he couldn't get away. In desperation, he reached over his shoulder and grabbed the handle
of his sceptre, pulling it out and swinging it at his opponent. The weapon impacted on top
of his opponent"s head, connecting with his helm and leaving a sizeable dent in it.
The mercenary staggered backwards for a moment until he regained his footing, but
it gave Aiden the precious time he needed to get back on his feet. Holding the sceptre
before him, he spoke the command word and a brilliant shaft of light sprang forth, slicing
the armour protecting the officer and burning the flesh beneath.
Roaring with pain, the mercenary charged, catching Aiden completely off guard.
They crashed into the wardrobe, demolishing it as both wrestled for supremacy. Aiden
was momentarily winded, and tried to push the warrior out of the way but he was held
fast by a gauntleted hand.
Panic started to set in as the young man knew he was completely outmatched by this
opponent, so he started swinging the sceptre wildly, hoping to do enough damage to
finish off his implacable foe.
Aiden was in mid-swing when the mercenary suddenly stiffened, giving him hope
that he'd actually done some damage to the warrior, then watched in disbelief as the
mercenary suddenly dropped to the ground, revealing the rather battered form of Criosa
standing behind him with a sharp carving knife in one hand.
Aiden leaned back against the wall and slid to the ground, his breath coming in short
gasps as he was flooded with relief. O ut in the hallway, he could hear the sounds of battle
dying down, and he could only hope his companions had managed to survive.
He sat there, exhausted, looking up at the young lady who was trembling like a leaf.
She dropped the small knife which clattered off the breastplate of their fallen enemy. The
bodice of her elegant blue dress was torn, and the skirt was in tatters. Her silky blond,
shoulder- length hair was unkempt and matted with blood.
"N ice work with that knife, Princess Criosa?†Aiden asked, seeking confirmation.
The young lady nodded silently, her sight still focused on the body of her assailant.
"Are you injured, Highness?†Aiden continued when no other reply was
"I'm... yes, a little,†she replied in a shaking voice. "I am more concerned about you
at the moment, sir. Your chest...†Aiden looked down and saw that his breastplate had
been torn open and his shirt was soaked with blood. Strangely, he didn't feel any pain,
probably because the adrenaline from the fight was still pumping through his veins.
"Yes, I'm sure that's going to hurt in a few minutes,†he remarked distantly. "I think
we'd both better have our wounds looked at.â€
"O h it's nothing, I assure you,†she gushed, trying to fix up her dress in places where
it was a little too revealing. The entire skirt had been ripped at some point, leaving tatters


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How can I hide ONLY certain plugins options to admins?
Hi all.
I don't know where exactly to place this question. But it has to do with multisites. So….
Is there a way to have certain plugins activated on the whole network but having their options show up only for the super admin or even better to only certain sites? Right now there is either show ALL plugins or not.
Let me explain. I use the wp db backup. It is a very good but also a very dangerous plugin in the wrong hands. I want to have it activated globally but NOT show it's options on other admins. Only to super-admin. Same with plugins like shokingly simple favicon or Custom Headers and Footers etc.
Things were simpler when I was the only administrator. I could hide specific options using Adminimize.
Thanx in advance
- The topic 'How can I hide ONLY certain plugins options to admins?' is closed to new replies.


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Justin Tuck didn't practice today due to a shoulder injury he aggravated against the Dallas Cowboys last week, but Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he was just sore and it isn't a concern. He is listed as probable for Sunday's playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Tuck has battled injuries all season — from his neck down to a toe — but turned the corner over the final two weeks of the regular season by fighting through the pain mentally, as he put it. Last week against the Cowboys, after suffering the shoulder injury, he sacked Tony Romo to force a fumble.
Tuck wouldn't talk to reporters, who asked him several times about the injury and his status. All he offered was a "no comment."
TE Jake Ballard went through today's practice without a setback and said he expects to go "full speed" against the Falcons. Ballard hasn't played since partially tearing his PCL against the Washington Redskins in Week 15.
LB Mark Herzlich (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday. Herzlich said he wasn't pain-free earlier in the week and hasn't played since sustaining the ankle injury against the Saints on Nov. 28.
The rest of the players on the injury report are all listed as probable:
DE Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee)
CB Corey Webster (hamstring)
RB Da'Rel Scott (knee)
RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot)
Jorge Castillo: firstname.lastname@example.com; twitter.com/jorgeccastillo


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UNIVERSITY CENTER -- Opening the season on a Thursday gave the Saginaw Valley State University football team some time to think about its Week 1 loss to No. 4 Northwest Missouri State University.
The extra few days didn't make the Cardinals feel any better.
"Our guys were dejected about the loss (to NWMSU) because they know they didn't execute like they are capable of," SVSU coach Jim Collins said. "The talent on the field wasn't lopsided. I thought we competed right until the end, but they played a really good game."
Saginaw Valley will get a chance to turn the page with the start of its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) schedule.
The Cardinals host Malone University (0-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday in their home-opener at Harvey Randall Wickes Stadium.
Last year, SVSU beat the Pioneers 37-14 in the schools' first-ever meeting.
Collins said the focus this week has been on preparing for the option offense Malone likes to run.
Even though the Pioneers lost in Week 1, they put up 204 yards on 38 carries for a strong 4.6 yards per carry. The Cardinals defense held Malone to 102 rushing yards last year, and only 2.7 yards per carry.
"Our defense is going to have to be extremely disciplined," Collins said. "A lot of times with an option team, they will lull you to sleep and then hit a big play. We can't let that happen."
Opponent: Malone Pioneers
Location: Harvey Randall Wickes Stadium
Date/Time: Sept. 14; 7 p.m.
Record: 0-1
Last Year vs. SVSU: 37-14 L
Key Players: Will Szpor (QB); Bryce Pratt (RB); Justin Davis (RB); Demarco Donaldson (DB)
All eyes on SVSU's defense will be on running backs Bryce Pratt and Justin Davis.
Pratt, who sat out last season after transferring, looked sharp in his debut with Malone. The 6-foot-1, 200-pund junior out of Rocklin, Colorado rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries and had 25 receiving yards.
Davis also did a little bit of everything in Week 1 with 41 rushing and 23 yards receiving with a touchdown on the ground.
"Malone really executes what they run well," Collins said. "They are going to block hard all game, and they aren't going to make a lot of mistakes."
While the extra few days didn't help the sting of SVSU's Week 1 loss to NWMSU wear off, the added practices have helped the team prepare.
Collins said the Cardinals had a great practice Sunday, which they wouldn't have had with a game Saturday.
"You never want to drop a game, but the lose gave us a blueprint for what we need to work on," Collins said. "We have been going at it hard in practice, to get it 100 percent cleaned up."


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After a down season in 2012 that saw the New York Giants miss the postseason after winning the Super Bowl the previous season, the G-Men need multiple players to have breakout campaigns in 2013.
We're all looking for the Giants' defense to improve upon its 31st-ranked total defense from last year and help Big Blue secure a playoff seed, but in order for that to happen, there are a number of players who need to break out and make those feats possible for New York.
Who am I talking about?
Scroll on through, folks.


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BOISE, Idaho — A former Idaho prosecutor and current gubernatorial candidate has been acquitted of bankruptcy fraud charges in federal court.
A Boise jury deliberated about four hours Friday before acquitting John Bujak. The Idaho Statesman reported Saturday that the verdict followed four days of testimony on charges that Bujak concealed a high-priced Rolex watch from creditors and lied about it during a personal bankruptcy case.
It was the fifth trial in recent years for Bujak, a former Canyon County prosecutor who is running as a Libertarian candidate for governor.
In the previous trials, all in state court, two juries acquitted Bujak, and two couldn't reach verdicts. Three of those trials related to allegations that Bujak took several hundred thousand dollars in public funds while serving as Canyon County's prosecutor in 2009 and 2010. The other concerned an unrelated theft charge involving an estate.
"I've been through a lot of trials, and I can't help but believe it's been vetting me for something bigger," Bujak said Friday. "I'm thinking the governor's race is it."
Bujak was charged with bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets, making a false statement under oath, money laundering and obstruction of justice. The charges carry penalties of five to 10 years each.
Prosecutors alleged that Bujak hid his then-wife's Rolex watch when the couple filed for bankruptcy in late 2010.
Bujak, representing himself, said his former wife told him that she'd given the watch to her mother years earlier, and that's why he didn't include it when filing bankruptcy papers.
Bujak said he bought the watch for his then-wife, Pepper, in 2006 for about $50,000. He said it wasn't among the couple's possessions when they prepared bankruptcy documents, so he asked Pepper about it. He said that she told him that "years ago" she'd given the watch to her mother.
In closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Lindquist told jurors that Bujak's defense defied "common sense, defies reality and because of that he stands guilty."
Bujak countered that the case against him was motivated by his ex-wife and her family after he admitted having an affair, later filed for divorce, and refused to agree to a hefty settlement.


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brake light problems
Hi need help well i have a 2005 jeep liberty renegade. when i push on the brakes they come on but when I turn on the head lights the brake light on the driver side doesnt work when i push the brake.
:confused: Any suggestions here how to fix it? I cant drive at night without a brake light.
Re: brake light problems
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Posted by Editoress on 08/13/06
58th edition of the Classique Louis-Garneau Montréal-Québec Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures QCCourtesy Louis Garneau SportsRyan Roth won the oldest and longest bike race in North America, the Classique Louis-Garneau Montréal-Québec. A member of the Jet Fuel team, Ryan won the 252 km race in 5 hours 11 minutes. He beat Hugh Moran (Aerospace) by 2 minutes. Erik Lynan (Calyon Litespeed) and Pierre-Olivier Boily (Sleeman Clear Energy) finished third and fourth respectively. The 2006 edition of the Classique Louis-Garneau Montréal-Québec was a great success with 164 cyclists from Canada and the United States. For the five year in a row, the race started from Montreal and finished in Quebec, in front of the Louis Garneau Sports' factory, in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures.La Cyclosportive was also a great success, with a total of 46 cyclists who raced the 252 km between Montreal and Quebec for les petits frères des Pauvres a charitable organization with the sole mission of relieving loneliness and isolation among the elderly.


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Tasting Notes
characteristic bouquet with notes of green pepper, tomate leaves and unripe peach. Mineral taste, balanced and refreshing with a long aromatic
Wine Maker Notes
Vineyards:Location: different vineyards in the Collio areaAltitude: 45 to100 m. above sea levelExposure: North-west, south-west and southSoil: The clayey soil of the Collio DOC area results from the disintegration of the stratified marl and sandstone in the subsoil. It is rather marly in the higher areas and has a finer composition at the foothillsMicroclimate: Mild temperatures with rainy springs and warm, dry summersVine planting system: Double GuyotVine planting density: 3500 to 5500 vines per hectareAge of the the vineyards: 10 to 30 years
Vinification and Ageing:Manual harvest in 18-kilos cases.The grapes are destemmed and go through a light, cold maceration. Alcohol fermentation without skin contact in stainless steel tanks for approx. 10 days at a controlled temperature. The wine rests on the lees though the winter, then is bottled the following spring.


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Offense Beats Defense in Jersey Scrimmage
The offense had 542 total yards and six touchdowns
FB Hosts Old Oaken Bucket Game on Saturday
Saturday is Senior Day in Ross-Ade Stadium
FB Heads to Iowa City to Face No. 6 Iowa
The Boilermakers face their second top-6 opponent this season
FB Makes First Trip to Evanston Since 2010
The Boilermakers look for their first ranked win since 2011
Illinois Comes to Town for Homecoming
Saturday is Purdue's latest Homecoming game since 1931
2015: Started all 12 games at right tackle.
2014: Appeared in all 12 games, starting five games at left tackle and three at right tackle.
2013: Did not play.
2012: Did not play.
High School: Three-star prospect by Rivals.com … blocked for an offense that averaged 354.2 yards per game, including 208.5 yards on the ground with 28 rushing touchdowns, in 2011 … unanimous first team All-District 12-5A his senior season ... 2011 Academic All-State ... anchored an offensive line as a junior that helped Consolidated average 400 yards rushing per game, including five contests with 450 more yards on the ground, and score 59 rushing touchdowns in 2010 … honorable mention All-District 12-5A and Academic All-State ... high school football coach was David Raffield … also played basketball and baseball.
Personal: Given name is Cameron Cole Cermin ... born Sept. 4, 1993 ... majoring in civil engineering ... interests include basketball, hanging out with friends and video games.


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The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush was sent to the Persian Gulf last week in response to the situation in Iraq. Geoff Dyer was nowhere near it.
Dyer spent two weeks on the massive aircraft carrier, an experience he wrote about in "Another Great Day at Sea." The book is both a natural extension of the kind of writing Dyer has been doing for years -- intensely personal, closely observed, precise in description and form -- and a departure. The 56-year-old Englishman favors form over facts and thinks fiction and nonfiction are often merely labels without much difference between them, a concept we talked about when he last visited Portland for his novel "Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi."
This time Dyer was touring behind three books, "Another Great Day at Sea" and his first two novels, "The Colour of Memory" and "The Search," which have just been published in the U.S. for the first time. We met again at the Heathman and picked up right where we left off.
You had three books published in a week.
Yes, last week I had three books published in America. It's this weird sort of tardiness on the part of you, the American public. You were 25 and 21 years late in publishing my first and second novels. So the new book, the aircraft carrier book, was coming out and they brought out these two novels. It made sense to combine a 25-year career in one epic celebration. It's like Thanksgiving Day and Independence Day rolled into one.
How do you feel about those novels now?
I'm quite fond of them both, really. Time goes by so quickly. "The Colour of Memory" in particular I have great fondness for. The main thing is they decided to use the author photographs that were around at the time. That's the awful thing. It's not so much my feelings about the writing of those books as it is seeing the person who wrote them. Now I've got gray hair and I'm looking at someone who's almost half my age. But I've had plenty to do in those 25 years. I really wonder about you, my American readers, and what you've all had to do in those 25 years.
One of the things we talked about before was the line between fact and fiction and how you either walk all over it or ignore it completely. Where would you say these three books fit in that concept?
Well, "The Colour of Memory" is quite interesting in that regard because it was commissioned as a nonfiction book about life in Brixton, a very first-person account of the lives my friends and I were leading. I signed up for that and gradually it morphed into a novel, or let's put it this way: it drifted away from its commission to the extent that it drifted toward the coastline of the novel. It didn't quite land on that coast but it got far enough into those waters that we thought it was better to refer to it as a novel than anything else.
"The Search" is much different. That's the closest I've come to writing a wholly fictional novel. In the time that's passed since we last spoke, I've really become more conscious about this fiction/nonfiction divide and how it's not so much a question of did it happen or did it not happen. Now I think it's much more a question of form, and even more than being a question of form, it's a question of the expectations that certain forms give rise to. People expect a form to behave in certain ways and sometimes are disappointed if a book, irrespective of its quality, doesn't behave in accordance with how we expect certain conventions to operate.
For example?
People have often expressed disappointment with how my books have gone. That might be because they are disappointing. I think actually -- in my egotistical, vain way -- that people are disappointed because they're not behaving in ways that they expect novels to behave. I've never had any desire to write a novel that behaves like other novels.
What about the aircraft carrier book?
Of all the books I've written, that one had a real obligation to be factually correct. I actually found that ... well, before that I thought being factually correct wasn't a strength of mine (laughs). It was much more anchored to what was really going on than any of the other books. For me, that made it quite a boring book to write for much of the time. It was only quite late in the day that I started having a good time with it. All of the fun bits, the digressions and the speculative passages that I enjoy writing, that was stuff that was not about the external world of the carrier. That was stuff that was going on in my head.
If you spend two weeks on an aircraft carrier and don't stick to the facts, the people who would be most inclined to read it would be disgusted that you're making it up.
Yeah, there was no real way the book would be improved by making stuff up. But to continue with the word that's made itself felt in this conversation, I think those readers who go to it for that experience are going to be disappointed in it because I think they might find the persona of the author to be too irritatingly present.
That's the risk you run, isn't it?
It's not so much of a risk in the other books. But I noticed in Seattle that a couple of people came to the reading only because of the book's subject matter. They subscribed to Boats and Boatmen or some sort of military magazine and I suspect the book will be not only disappointing but incredibly irritating to them.
Do you care?
Well, I prefer to be liked. I'd always prefer to be stroked rather than punched. Also, in some ways I sympathize with them. The carrier was such an interesting environment that the stuff there is to be reported about it is incredibly interesting.
But you knew that on a basic level, this was a journalism job, and you had to make sure you were describing the right kind of gun.
Yeah, absolutely.
Was that the boring part for you?
Writing has always been a journey of discovery for me, whatever the subject is -- the first World War, jazz, photography. The writing of the books is to find out what is it about this subject that is so fascinating to me. In this case, I had the experience, it was great, I knew exactly why it was great, and I had to transcribe that experience. I don't just mean the literal transcription of interviews -- which I didn't do, I just listened to a bit -- but that's why it only became interesting to write quite late in the day.
What did you feel you were bringing to a book about two weeks on an aircraft carrier?
Well, I've always felt that I'm not that great a reporter, but you try to turn your weaknesses into some kind of strength and say "OK, it's me on this boat and not 10 other kind of reporters so let's bring to the table what I can bring."
Which is?
Well, there's a certain tone and a style. There's some jokes that I particularly like, and there's some digressions or whatever you want to call them, all the stuff that got eliminated in The New Yorker serialization of the book.
And your observational prowess?
Yeah, I think so. But of course there's all sorts of traffic between the observational and the cognitive and the speculative, and the traffic is constant. For me, the noticing is (a ) more personal and relaxed and (b) I would spin off from that into other stuff.
I felt that everything about this book had to be directly experiential. A book about the USS George H.W. Bush as a tool of American foreign policy would be a very, very different kind of book. Maybe I wish I had included a bit more of about that. Maybe I should have done that ... done the other stuff, but not with the majesterial confidence of Christopher Hitchens. That would be too difficult for me to have done.
Going on the aircraft carrier was the fulfillment of a longstanding interest and fascination with matters military and a love of military aircraft. It was like a dream come true. I don't think I'd sign up for another thing like that, although, like half the writers in the world, if it's possible to get a free ride into space when commercial space travel opens up, of course I'd be up for that. I'd love to be the writer in residence on the space station. Maybe if you could help me by writing about that?
People who embed with the military or do a kind of deeply reported book about a year in West Point or something almost always come back with glowing descriptions of the people involved. Whatever they think of the mission, they're impressed with the quality of the individuals, and it seems like that was the case with you.
I completely agree with what you're saying, and I've read loads of the books coming out of Afghanistan and Iraq. You're absolutely right, that's always the message or the conclusion, so I wasn't surprised to discover this. But what I should say that the nature of my embeddedness is insulting to the likes of David Finkel and Dexter Filkins and Evan Wright, it's insulting to them to mention me in the same light as them. Mine was such a free holiday, in a way. But yeah, having read all their books, I wasn't surprised that I was so full of admiration for these military people. That's a consistent response, isn't it?
As a reader, I find that there's a disconnect between the quality of the individuals performing these missions and the way some of the missions are so clearly wrong-headed.
Yeah, it's the conundrum of military service, isn't it? You don't say "why," you just say "where?" You read "The Good Soldiers" or "The Forever War" and you come away with these two reactions that compete with each other: why are these people who are so outstanding on this mission that was destined from the outset to be catastrophic?
-- Jeff Baker


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As the summer vacation months begin, the Dauphin County 2013 Performing Arts Series will offer four music festivals and eight free Sunset Music and Movie evening shows throughout the summer.
The music festivals will feature 15 wineries, 18 national recording artists and 20 of the area's performing artists with music that ranges from pop, neo-soul, bluegrass, rock, funk, folk, blues, R&B, country and smooth jazz.
6th Annual Music and Wine Festival
The two-day festival will begin Saturday, June 15 with Blues Day featuring performances from national recording artists Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Nick Moss, Gretchen Emery & Dirty Boots and Acoustic Stew. Sunday, June 16 is "Throwback Day" featuring a Las Vegas-Atlantic City style Legends Show with Loni Gamble and Sound Cheque and UGO Horns with celebrity impersonators. Erin Cruise will perform as Cher, John Monforto and Kerry Sharp as the Blues Brothers, Brad Crum as Elvis and CP Lacey as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and James Brown. The festival will also have wines from the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country and regional wineries as well as national and local arts.
DETAILS: 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 15-16 at Fort Hunter Park, $25 in advance, $30 at the gate, free for children 12 and under.
2nd Annual BrewFest
BrewFest will feature live music from Trypod, Ben Gallaher and Suzanna Choffel and more than 20 craft beers and food from local restaurants.
DETAILS: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 21, $35 in advance and $50 at the gate. Ticket sales are limited to 750.
6th Annual Cultural Fest
This free festival will feature national recording artist Doug E. Fresh, Be'la Dona Band, Rumba Con Son, Kid's Corner, Talent Showcase, ethnic foods and crafts.
DETAILS: 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2 on the 100 block of Market Street in downtown Harrisburg in front of the county's courthouse.
7th Annual Jazz & Wine Festival
The Jazz & Wine Festival will include performances from artists Euge Groove, Art Sherrod Jr. and his Motown show, Matt Marshak and Octagon Jazz Band Saturday, Sept. 7. Sunday's festivities will include Maysa, Marcus Johnson, Steve Rudolph and the Dauphin County All Star Jazz Band and Friends of Jazz Youth Band. Educational wine sessions and food and craft vendors will also be available.
DETAILS: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 7-8 at Fort Hunter Park, $25 in advance, $30 at the gate, free for children.
Sunset Movie and Music Series
The free Sunset Movie Series will include outdoor showings of "Despicable Me," "Hotel Transylvania," "Paranorman," "Lincoln," "E.T." and "Ghostbusters." Dauphin County Drug and Alcohol Services will provide children's activities at the showings of "Despicable Me," "Hotel Transylvania" and "Paranorman" at 7:30 p.m. The showing of "Lincoln" is part of Dauphin County's 150th Civil War Commemoration events.
DETAILS: "Despicable Me" 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 14 at Fort Hunter Park; "Hotel Transylvania" 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Shope Gardens Park in Middletown; "Paranorman" 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 28 at Fort Hunter Park; "Lincoln" 8:30 p.m. Sunday, July 30 at the National Civil War Museum; "E.T." 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 5 at Fort Hunter Park; "Ghostbusters" 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 12 at Fort Hunter Park
The Sunset Music Series will include the Dave Stahl Big Band and Susquehanna Folk Music, Tuckahoe Ridge and the Keystone Concert Band.
DETAILS: Dave Stahl Big Band 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 at Lykens Borough Park; Susquehanna Folk Music, Tuckahoe Ridge and Keystone Concert Band 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 at Fort Hunter Park.
All festivals will be held rain or shine.


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Work will be suspended on all state highway construction projects in Idaho for the Memorial Day holiday (May 31), except in special circumstances. In most cases, work will resume Tuesday (June 1).
ITD requires contractors on highway construction projects to discontinue work on any roadway open to the traveling public during the holiday, except for normal maintenance operations. This includes any day of a three-day holiday weekend or July 3-5, unless otherwise permitted. In the vast majority of cases, this means that work will be suspended during that time period.
Some of those rare conditions in which work may continue are:
"The contractor is just like anybody else, and has no interest in working over the holiday," said ITD Chief Engineer Tom Cole. "Most would probably take these days off even if it was not required to keep the road open to travelers."
Published 5-28-2010


text: Happy holidays all . I am trying to work up a load for my marlin 20" 44mag. I have a box of Laser-Cast 240gr rnfp and I would like some data for a fun and accurate target load. I have some random leftover brass, I just need some powder and primer recommendations.