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I get frustrated when commentators point to a company and say, "Look, if you bought this stock 50 years ago, you'd be rich!" It's not just frustrating. It's often pointless.
But I'm going to do it anyway with Altria (NYSE: MO ) . The returns are spectacular enough, and there are great lessons from its success that'll hopefully make it worth your time.
If you bought Altria (Philip Morris in another lifetime) in 1970 and reinvested all dividends, you would have made 155,300% on your investment. That's simply incredible. An investment in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A ) (NYSE: BRK-B ) compounded assets during the same period by 190,000% -- better than Altria, but annualized, it's not a major difference. A similar dividend-adjusted investment in the S&P 500 would have returned roughly 4,500%.
What's incredible about this is that Altria's success hasn't been on the back of anything close to innovation. Early investments in Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT ) or Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) offered better returns for many years, but they achieved success either with life-changing technology or rapid-fire business growth. Altria makes roughly the same product it did over a hundred years ago, and smoking rates have actually been declining for decades.
So what explains Altria's incredible success? I think you can narrow it down to three points.
1. Really simple business
Evolution can be dangerous. How many technology companies that were huge in the '70s and '80s are still around today, let along dominant? Very few. Competition is ruthless. That dynamic makes technology investing really exciting, but can turn great companies into losers really quick.
Altria, and the cigarette industry in general, bypasses a lot of that risk. Grow tobacco. Roll. Sell. That's about it. It's how the industry operated 100 years ago, and I'm willing to bet it's how it'll operate 100 years from now.
The benefits of this are that (1) R&D expenses are kept at a minimum, and (2) you get really, really good at what you do. A company like Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL ) that launches new products at least once a year has to organize new contractors, hire new engineers, develop new best practices, and constantly reshuffle its business to remain competitive. Each one of those steps is an invitation to screw up. By producing the same product today as it did decades ago, Altria gets to figure out how to operate as efficiently as possible, and that efficiency remains mostly permanent because its business doesn't change. It's specialization at its finest.
2. Allocation of capital
It's difficult to invest a ton of money in the cigarette business for the same reason described above: The industry doesn't change much. There's no innovation. Altria chugs out a ton of cash, and there isn't much management can do with that cash other than give it back to shareholders. So that's exactly what they do. Huge dividend payouts have been Altria's staple.
That brings me to the third point.
3. Consistently cheap share price
What seems like Altria's greatest fault is one of its secret weapons: Its share price has consistently remained in the dumps. Since the early '90s, shares have traded at an average P/E ratio of less than 12. That's pitiful.
There are a few reasons for this. One, the company isn't a fast-grower. Two, it's a "sin" stock, causing many investors to steer clear. Three, it's been under constant litigation threat, giving investors reason for caution.
But how has that benefited shareholders?
The consistently cheap stock price has made reinvesting dividends a bonanza. Simple math here: Cheap valuation equals high dividend yield. High yield equals lots of shares acquired upon reinvestment. More shares equal more dividends. More dividends equal more shares. Around and around you go. If you look at Altria's performance since 1970, non-dividend-adjusted returns are roughly 6,600%. That ain't bad, but it's a tiny fraction of the 155,000% return received when dividends are reinvested.
You've surely heard the maxim that "low valuations lead to superior long-term returns." Altria is probably the greatest example history provides.
Boring, simple business. Great capital allocation. Cheap valuations. These are three really basic concepts that have made Altria one of the best investments to own over the long term. I'm confident it'll continue to be the same for years to come.


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Big Red in second at OVAC tournament
WHEELING – Parkersburg South and Steubenville are neck and neck heading into today's final rounds at the 60th annual Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament.
With championship semifinal matches beginning at noon at WesBanco Arena, the three-time defending champion Patriots hold a 163.5-155.5 lead against Big Red. After the second day last year, South led Big Red by seven points.
The Patriots have nine competitors in the semifinals and Steubenville seven.
"We're really proud of what the boys have done so far," South coach Donna Dixon said. "It's looking positive for us."
South and Big Red will not face each other in a semifinal match, leaving the possibility of three championship showdowns.
The finals begin at 7 p.m.
Wheeling Park is third in the team standings with 127 points, while Beaver Local (99.5) and University (86.5) round out the top five. John Marshall (86), Brooke (82), Cambridge (81), Shadyside (74.5) and Morgantown (74) complete the top 10.
The Patriots held a five-point lead after Day 1. South won 13 of its 14 matches by pin and the bonus points that were accrued continued to aid in its lead as both teams had solid days Friday.
South sent two No. 6 seeds into the championship semifinals, while Steubenville sent two No. 5s, a No. 6 and one unseeded entrant – Brandon Jones at 182 pounds – into the semis. Magnolia's Alex Newman (285) is the other unseeded semifinalist
All of the top seeds haven't lost. Also, just four of the 14 weight classes (120, 126, 195 and 220) have the top four seeds alive for championships.
Five No. 6 seeds made it to the semifinals, including Park's Danny Colby at 152. He is joined by six teammates in the semis.
"I think all of them have a chance," Park coach Jack Doyle said. "I think if we get guys that wrestle hard and give themselves a chance to win late in matches, I'll be happy."
As for Colby advancing, Doyle wasn't surprised.
"Maybe from an outside standpoint it's a mild upset, but we came in expecting him to win. He wrestled very smart (against Cambridge's Dillon Sunnafrank). He won 1-0, but a win is a win."
"We couldn't have asked more from our guys."
– As part of the "SUBWAY Sports Clinic Series" the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference will be playing host to its annual free youth wrestling clinic in conjunction with the Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament this morning from 7:45-9 a.m.
Registration begins at 7:15 a.m.
The clinic will be led by Branden Lee Hinkle, National Champion NCAA Wrestler, US National Freestyle All-American and MMA participant. The clinicians will teach the basic fundamentals of wrestling and help build the kids' self-esteem. The clinic is free and open to boys and girls ages 5-13.
Parents are required to have insurance and be present the day of the clinics to sign a waiver form.
– The West Liberty wrestling team will welcome Ohio Valley for a match at 10 a.m. The Hilltoppers are ranked ninth in the nation in NCAA Division II.
– Todd Fullerton was presented with the first Cindy Clegg Medical Service Award prior to the start of Friday night's session. Fullerton, currently a registered nurse at Ohio Valley Medical Center, is a fixture at the OVAC Tournament.
– This year's OVAC Wrestling Venerable Patron is Richard 'Dick' Wolf. A presence at the OVACs for more than 30 years, Wolf has served as the creative force behind the event's program for the past 17.
– The following people received Sid Stoltz OVAC Worker of the Year Awards – Robert 'Bob' Butts, Mickey Duffy and Sam Sedosky.

subset: commoncrawl


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Aristide Condemns Clinton's Haiti Policy as Racist
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE,
Published: April 22, 1994
WASHINGTON, April 21— After months of waiting for President Clinton to take firm action to restore him to power, the exiled President of Haiti, the Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, denounced the Clinton Administration today and said its policy toward Haitian refugees was racist and was contributing to a holocaust there.
In an apparent effort to placate Father Aristide, senior Administration officials told him later in the day that the White House planned to step up pressure on the military leaders who ousted him. But the revised policy failed to satisfy six Congressional critics, who were arrested after they staged a sit-in in front of the White House.
Father Aristide has criticized the Administration before, but never with as much vehemence as today. Using unusually strong language, Father Aristide directed his harshest words toward Washington's policy of surrounding Haiti with Coast Guard ships that stop refugees on the high seas and return them to Haiti.
"It's a cynical joke," he said at a Washington news conference. "It's a racist policy. It's really a way to say we don't care."
Behind Father Aristide's statement is a sentiment shared by the Haitian President, his advisers and some members of Congress that the Administration has at best acted half-heartedly to reinstate him and has at worst decided to let him languish in exile until his term ends in two years.
At the news conference today, Father Aristide said President Clinton had not shown the "political will" to make the tough decisions to restore him to power, adding that if Mr. Clinton had "done just half of what he promised" the Haitian leader would be back in power.
Later, he met at the Haitian Embassy with Anthony Lake, Mr. Clinton's national security adviser, and Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, who told him of revisions the Administration had made in the Haiti policy after a three-week review. Those revisions included a decision to move more aggressively to press the United Nations to tighten the embargo, so it covers all trade except food and medicine, White House officials said. The embargo currently covers just fuel and arms.
The Administration has held off on pushing to tighten the embargo because it fears such a move would mean more pain for Haiti's poor. The Administration had told Father Aristide that it did not favor tightening the embargo unless he did more on his own to build a political center in Haiti to insure his return to power. Pressing Dominican Republic
Father Aristide was also told that Washington was stepping up pressure on the Dominican Republic to stop the flow of oil across its border with Haiti. Administration officials also promised to increase pressure on the Haitian military to cede power.
"Our objective remains to restore democracy and to restore President Aristide," said Dee Dee Myers at the White House briefing today. "We're looking at ways to revive -- to reinvigorate -- the process that will lead to that goal."
It could not immediately be learned if Father Aristide was appeased by the meeting. Earlier today, he criticized the Administration for not following through on its promise to tighten the trade embargo against Haiti if the military leaders who overthrew him 31 months ago did not step down by Jan. 15.
"So far I don't see any actions," he said at a morning news conference. "I just see statements." Plan for Haiti Revised
Several officials said the Administration had revised its plan so that it calls for Lieut. Col. Michel Francois -- the police chief of Port-au-Prince who oversees much of the country's repression -- to quit the military or leave the country. A plan that Vice President Al Gore presented to Father Aristide three weeks ago called for Colonel Francois to be transferred to a lower-level position -- a proposal Father Aristide rejected.
Some Administration officials sought to cancel today's meeting in response to Father Aristide's scathing words, which one official characterized as a slap in the face. A White House official said that at today's meeting, Mr. Lake told the Haitian leader that the Administration was unhappy with his remarks.
One Administration official said the Americans told Father Aristide that President Clinton would not alter the policy of returning fleeing Haitians. During the 1992 campaign Mr. Clinton condemned President Bush's policy of summary repatriation of Haitian refugees as "appalling." Embracing Bush Policy
But fearing an invasion of refugees, the Clinton Administration ultimately embraced the Bush policy, saying it prevents fleeing Haitians from drowning in their flimsy boats and rafts. The Administration fears that adopting any other refugee policy could cause tens of thousands of Haitians to attempt to flee to Florida.
To protest the Administration's refugee policy, six Democratic members of Congress were arrested after staging a short sit-in in front of the White House. They were Major Owens of Brooklyn, Donald M. Payne of New Jersey, Barbara-Rose Collins of Michigan, Ronald V. Dellums of California, Joseph P. Kennedy 2d of Massachusetts and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland. They were released after being taken to a United States Park Police station in Southeast Washington for processing.
Calling the decision to be arrested a symbolic act, Mr. Dellums said: "Significant numbers of people have died in Haiti. More should not die because of lack of action by this country."
Father Aristide spoke today at the headquarters of Transafrica Forum, a liberal lobbying group and research center. Flanking him was Transafrica's president, Randall Robinson, who began a fast 10 days ago to protest the Administration's policy on Haitian refugees. He said it was unconscionable for the United States to welcome refugees from Cuba while repatriating Haitians when they seek to escape a land marked by brutal repression.
"President Clinton has been an accomplice to the killing of Haitian people," Mr. Robinson said. Clinton's Awkward Stance
In a meeting with newspaper columnists on Wednesday, President Clinton articulated an awkward stance toward Haiti, virtually attacking his own policy and praising Mr. Robinson's fast.
"I understand and respect what he's doing, and we ought to change our policy," he said.
Then, sounding as if he welcomed the pressure from Mr. Robinson, President Clinton said: "He ought to stay out there. We need to change our policy."
Haitians who seek asylum in the United States must apply to the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince, but Father Aristide said just 5 percent of those who apply are granted asylum.
"It's true it's a genocide," Father Aristide said. "It's true it's a holocaust. It's true it's a cynical joke." He likened the plight of Haitians to that of Jews in Nazi Germany who sought to flee only to learn that other countries had closed their borders to them.
Photos: Haiti's exiled President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, standing yesterday with Randall Robinson, a lobbyist. (Stephen Crowley/New York Times); Joseph P. Kennedy 2d being arrested yesterday during a brief protest at the White House. (Reuters)


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» PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 at the PIAA Track & Field Championships
All the gold medals handed out at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University this weekend are, essentially, the same.
But each gold represents something different to the athletes who earned them.
When CD East's 4x100-meter relay team won the AAA girls' gold medal, it represented the payoff of a full year of focus and effort to improve on last year's second-place finish.
"Today was redemption day," Deme'shia Davis said after the Panthers recorded a 47.37 to win their long-awaited gold.
Davis ran the anchor leg, after Bria Mosley, Courtney Mitchell and Sidine Jennings ran the first 300 to give her the lead.
"We had good chemistry, that's why we worked so well," Mosley said.
Local Results: » AAA Boys | » AA Boys | » AAA Girls | » AA Girls | » Meet News
Pennridge was second with a 47.70, but at no point in the relay did it appear that the Panthers were going to to stumble and let anyone else take the top spot on the medal stand.
"It was icing on the cake, because we're all seniors and this is how we wanted to go out," Mitchell said.
Davis added to CD East's gold medal count later in the afternoon by winning the 200 in 24.48.
"[The relay] gave me momentum into the 200," Davis said. "I knew if I got a good start into the turn I'd do well."
Davis and Mitchell each medaled in the 100 as well. Davis was fourth with a 12.20, and Mitchell was seventh with a 12.28.
CD East's 4x400 relay team was seventh with a 3:55.38. Mosley, Johnson, Andrea Street, and Davis ran that race.
The Panthers finished with 29 team points, tied for second with Pennridge and behind first place Coatesville's 33.
The only other gold won by a mid-state girl on Saturday was earned by Marshay Ryan of Chambersburg. Ryan picked up her second PIAA gold of the weekend and third of her career with a 38-8 in the AAA triple jump.
"The heat wore everybody out," Ryan said after earning the gold in the high-80s degree weather of the early afternoon. "You have to stay hydrated, stay in the shade, and not let it get to you as much."
Another Trojan, Jessica Whitmore, finished second in the 100 with a 12.07. She was not sure where she placed until well after crossing the finish line, as Coatesville's Kenya Woodall won it with a 12.07.
"Everyone was so close, it was anyone's race," Whitmore said.
Mechanicsburg's Alexa Gruschow won a fourth-place medal in the AAA 800 with a 2:14.87., moving up from eighth place in the last 100 meters.
"I think my first lap I went out too fast," Gruschow said. "I could feel it at the end of the first lap when I fell back to eighth."
Cumberland Valley's Carol Strock made the medal stand with a seventh-place 4:57.53 in the 1600. She was as far back as 10th midway through the race.
"I wanted to get into a good position from the beginnning but I didn't," Strock said. "I knew if I could get a good pace at the end I could medal."
Katlin Gould of Cedar Cliff was eighth in the AAA 400 with a 57.30.
"I ran my own race. My coach told me that if I didn't start out fast, I'd get eaten up, and he was right," Gould said.
Milton Hershey's Ahmenah Richardson was eighth in the AAA triple jump with a 36-7¾.
Class AA
Trinity won medals in all three of the relay races, with the Shamrocks' best finish being in the 4x800. Anne Maffey, Amanda Kusztos, Emily Dethlefs and Shannon Quinn combined for a 9:32.88 to win the silver medal.
A 49.34 in the 4x100 earned a bronze for Moncia Hunter, Aliyah Graves, Hannah Durbin and Anna Kuntz.
Trinity's 4-x400 team placed eighth with a 4:06.99. Hunter, Quinn, Mary Gronkiewicz and Graves made up that squad.
Kuntz picked up Trinity's only individual medal on Saturday with a 15.89 in the 100 hurdles, placing her seventh. Kuntz had been in Lane 1 of the semifinals and had to surpass five runners seeded higher than her just to get in the finals.
"I knew if I wanted to get to the finals, I'd have to prove myself here," Kuntz said. "I'm going to take seventh place for only hurdling for a couple of weeks."
Kuntz, a senior, started hurlding in the last week of April.
Boiling Springs' Lillie Brown was fourth in the 800 with a 2:13.71.
"The first lap was extremely fast, that's what killed me," Brown said. "I didn't have anything left for the second lap."
Nicole Leonzo of Harrisburg Christian was eighth in the 400 with a 59.39.
"In the beginning of the year, I ran the 400 in 1:06, so I wasn't expecting to to get so many seconds off of it," Leonzo said.
Bishop McDevitt's 4x100 relay team of Kameko Webb, Ieisha Jackson, Imani Crowder and Rachel Pitman finished in sixth with a 49.75.
For details on Boiling Spring's Meredith Speakman winning the AA girls' 3200 silver, click here.
ON TWITTER: @PN_David_Bohr


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This month, Ruth from The Pink Whisk is challenging us to bake something using one of the ingredients of the moment- apples. I love cooking, baking and drinking apples so I knew I had to take part in this challenge. There are many things you can make with apples including cakes, tarts, crumbles, pies and so forth.
For me, the simplest and the best thing to do with apples is make a crumble. It is one of the first things I was taught to make as a child and was left on my own to make as I got older. I know it is not really original or fancy but my opinion is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! My recipe is very traditional. It does not use oats or anything in the crumble mix. I do not even put any cinnamon in with the apples. If you have good local apples like I did, you should just let them speak for themselves. My recipe below is a bit vague as it depends on how many apples, you have and the size of your baking dish as to how much you need. You just need to use your own judgement and don't forget you can freeze any left over crumble mix for another time.
Apple Crumble
- Apples, local if possible, chopped into chunks (1 large or 2 medium sized apples filled up my little Le Creuset dish above)
- 125g butter, unsalted, cut into small chunks
- 250g plain flour (always do half fat to flour, however much crumble you make)
- 125g caster sugar plus a couple of extra tablespoons for the apples
- Lemon juice
- Put the apples in your baking dish and add some lemon juice in with them to prevent them from browning.
- Put in a couple of tablespoons of sugar in with the apples and lemon juice and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the crumble mix by rubbing in the butter into the flour until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. This may take a few minutes depending on how soft your butter is.
- Add in the sugar and mix well.
- Top the apples with the crumble mix (don't do it too neatly- rustic looks better) and bake in a moderate oven until golden brown and bubbling. Eat with custard, cream or ice cream and enjoy!
Happy Cooking!🙂


text: 'The idea that sex is scared is ancient and pretty obvious, but i think in the Western culture this is rarely talked about in the open, or if it is people generally think you're some new ager. Basically the main principle behind it is that the energy built up between two people can be stored and channelled into creative aspects of your life. I mean look at Wilhelm Reich and the idea that that orgasm energy can be harnessed...'May 30, 2014


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Or contact us to learn more about our products & services.
Metrom Rail is excited to announce the launch of our new Roadway Worker Protection System (WPS).
The Worker Protection System provides advanced warning between on-track equipment and workers within customer-defined parameters of operation. By utilizing a simple design and easy-to-operate interface, the WPS is the first generation of a new era of railway safety.
Stay tuned here throughout the summer as more information becomes available, and see the WPS up close at October's Railway Interchange show in Minneapolis!


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It must have haven't happened, but we don't remember weather making a mockery of key postseason games like this any time recently.
Well, tonight's boys basketball regional final schedule was messed up big time by today's big snowstorm.
We tracked bad weather's effects on the boys regional schedules all day, and just 18 of the 32 games survived to be played as scheduled tonight. The other 14 all have been postponed until tomorrow.
Today's surviving regional final schedule
Thursday's rescheduled regional final schedule
At MLive, we really don't care about all this weather stuff.
We're going to provide top-notch coverage of the surviving games tonight. Then we'll be back for the other 14 games tomorrow - all while providing around-the-clock coverage for girls championship games Thursday-Saturday games at the Breslin Center.
We'll have updates on the MLive scoreboard page all through tonight's regional games, which start at 6:30 p.m., and then we'll have lots of stories, photos and stats on the boys basketball page after the action.
The tasty Class A Romulus-Ypsilanti game, which IS being played tonight won the MLive poll for most interesting matchup.
MLive blanketed Tuesday's girls quarterfinal action with scores, and stories, stats and photos on our MLive girls basketball page.
We have an MLive poll going to see which of the girls semifinal games is the most interesting matchup, and we're planning furiously for our semifinal coverage Thursday and Friday.
Here are the MLive postseason basketball brackets. Besides the matchups and scores, they also connect you with all of the information we've collected on the teams so far this season.
Boys Basketball: The MLive boys brackets go from Monday's regional semifinals to the championship games at the Breslin Center on March 22:
Final Associated Press Rankings
Girls Basketball: The MLive girls brackets go from last week's regionals to the championship games at the Breslin Center on Saturday:


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Session Law
Chapter 219 AN ACT AUTHORIZING A CHANGE OF USE OF CERTAIN LAND IN THE TOWN OF LEICESTER.Prev Next
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. The town of Leicester may change the use of a portion of the town-owned property known as Burncoat Park located off Town Beach road, in the town of Leicester from passive recreational use to active recreational use.
SECTION 2. The portion of the property affected by the change in use is identified as a 20 acre more or less parcel of land located west of the existing paved access road known as Town Beach road and north of Burncoat Pond in the town of Leicester. All other contiguous land not identified in this act shall remain dedicated to passive recreational use.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved July 31, 2008


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ATLANTA -- Insider memos suggest two officials dismissed from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference last month may have diverted some $569,000 of the civil rights group's money to bank accounts they controlled.
Officials announced Dec. 21 the removal of the SCLC's chairman, the Rev. Raleigh Trammell of Dayton, Ohio, and its treasurer, the Rev. Spiver Gordon of Eutaw, Ala.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says it has uncovered documents showing the men are accused of writing checks to themselves, paying for funeral expenses and credit card and insurance bills and sending money to their individual chapters -- all without board approval.
A spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based civil rights group did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press this morning.


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"'The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.'" (Zeph. 3:17, NIV). In the closing section of his book (Zeph. 3:9-20), Zephaniah turns from a theme of anger to one of … [Click to read more …]
Category Archives: 2013b Daily
A Chinese proverb says that the darkest spot in the room is located right under the candle. This proverb could be applied to the moral state of Jerusalem in Zephaniah's time. The prophet just has completed the pronouncement of divine judgments on Judah's neighboring countries (see Zephaniah 2) such as Philistia in the west, Moab and … [Click to read more …]
In Zephaniah 2:1-3, we see the prophet's call to repentance. Even though the destruction is imminent, there is still time to be sheltered from calamity, but only if the nation will repent. The wicked who refuse to repent will be consumed on the day of judgment like chaff. In Psalm 1:4 the wicked are also likened to chaff … [Click to read more …]
The focal point of Zephaniah's message is the "day of the Lord" (Zeph. 1:7). For biblical prophets, the day of the Lord refers to a specific period of time in which God intervenes in human affairs in order both to save and to judge. Most people in ancient Israel believed that on this day the … [Click to read more …]
Read for This Week's Study: Zeph. 1:14-18, Joel 2:1-11, Zeph. 2:1-3, Isa. 11:4, Zeph. 3:1-5, Isa. 62:5, Nahum 1-3. Memory Text: "The Lord will be awesome to them, for He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; people shall worship Him, each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations" (Zephaniah 2:11, NKJV). Key Thought: Judgment is coming; but … [Click to read more …]
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; . . . Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; he will make … [Click to read more …]
Read Habakkuk 3. What is Habakkuk doing there, and why is that so important, especially given the tough circumstances and difficult questions he is facing? Habakkuk expresses his acceptance of God's ways in a prayer set to music (Hab. 3:19). Being fully aware of God's power, he asks the Lord to remember His mercy when the … [Click to read more …]
God's answer to Habakkuk's question in Habakkuk 1:17, as recorded in chapter 2, continues in the form of a song that mocks the proud oppressor. No less than five woes (Hab. 2:6, 9, 12, 15, 19) affirm the message that Babylon's doom is sealed. The punishment on the enemy will be in accordance with the "measure for measure" principle. What … [Click to read more …]
In Habakkuk 1:12-17, God's answer to Habakkuk's questions poses an even more vexing question: can a righteous God use the wicked to punish those who are more righteous than they? Habakkuk's question in verse 17 had to do with divine justice. Habakkuk was puzzled, not only by the degeneration of his own people but also by the certainty … [Click to read more …]
Read Habakkuk 1. What are the questions that the prophet asks of God? Though his situation is, of course, different from ours, how often do we find ourselves asking these types of questions? Habakkuk is unique among prophets because he did not speak for God to the people but rather spoke to God about the people. The prophet … [Click to read more …]


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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Attorney General Andrew Cuomo launched an investigation Wednesday into health care credit cards after receiving hundreds of complaints from consumers who were convinced by doctors and dentists to sign up for them.
Investigators will look into financial incentives providers receive for promoting the cards that can leave patients struggling with overcharges and high interest rates, Cuomo said.
"You can't wear two hats in the operating room," the attorney general and Democratic candidate for governor said in Buffalo. "You can't have the hat of a doctor and the hat of a financing agent at the same time. That's a conflict of interest."
Subpoenas have been issued to 10 providers, some with multiple offices, that promote GE Money's CareCredit card, Cuomo said. Meanwhile, medical associations that endorse the card, including the American Dental Association and American Society of Plastic Surgeons, are being asked to explain their support.
Cuomo's office also issued subpoenas to learn how three other health care card programs are run: Chase Health Advance, Visa Health Benefits and Citibank Health Card.
Cuomo said providers have been urging cardholders to finance procedures including dental work, cosmetic surgery and veterinary services not covered by insurance and even when they can pay in cash. He said CareCredit, for instance, charges providers a fee to offer the card and rebates part of the fee based on how much business the providers get consumers to charge.
Providers are paid within two days of the charge, giving them even more incentive to push the cards, Cuomo said. "Health care debt is the number one cause of individual bankruptcy and this scheme is contributing to the economic burden being felt by consumers," Cuomo said.
GE Money, a subsidiary of Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric Co., received a subpoena to provide its customer list. The card is accepted by more than 125,000 health care practices nationwide. The company did not immediately respond to an e-mail request for comment.
Philip Palumbo, 80, of Rochester said he signed up for CareCredit to pay for an estimated $5,600 in dental work, not realizing he was agreeing to a credit card. After having the work done elsewhere, he continued to receive bills from CareCredit and wound up with a strike on his credit report.
"We are concerned that some health care providers are aggressively marketing these high-interest credit cards to patients without providing appropriate disclosures, protections or refunds," said Chuck Bell, program director for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports.
American Dental Association President Ronald Tankersley said the group, after receiving Cuomo's letter, shares the attorney general's concern about credit financing practices. "Financing can greatly benefit patients when it comes to paying for their dental treatment, provided that patients fully understand the terms of the financing program," Tankersley said.
Phil Hayes, spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said his group had yet to receive the letter. He reserved comment.
Health care providers sent subpoenas include: Allcare Dental Management Inc. of Buffalo; American Laser Centers of Farmington Hills, Mich.; Aspen Dental Management Inc. of East Syracuse; East Syracuse Family Dental Arts; Laser Cosmetica of New York City; Lifestyle Lift of Troy, Mich.; Northern Lights Chiropractic of Watertown; S & Y Diamond Dental P.C. of Brooklyn; Sunshine Dental of Watertown, and Toothsavers of New York City.


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You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
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SYDNEY — The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles will look to win their second game in a row tonight, but it won't be easy.
Duncan MacIntyre
They challenge the Quebec Remparts, a club that includes both forward Logan Shaw of Glace Bay and defenceman Duncan MacIntyre of Sydney. Game time is 7 p.m. at Centre 200.
Shaw, a Florida Panthers draft pick, is third in team scoring with 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points in 44 games, while boasting a plus/minus rating of +18. MacIntyre, in his rookie season with the Remparts, has a goal and 11 assists for 12 points in 37 games, and is a +5.
"We want to go after the puck, but if we don't have it, we want to be very, very good defensively," said Cape Breton head coach and general manager Marc-André Dumont. "Puck pursuit is a key element of our identity and even with the guys injured right now, we want to still keep at it."
The Screaming Eagles come into tonight's game with some momentum on their side. They're coming off a 2-1 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs on home ice Tuesday night, a victory that snapped a 10-game losing streak.
Cape Breton put in a strong effort on the defensive side of the puck in the win.
"No matter what team we're playing against, we have to keep playing hard and following the system," said Screaming Eagles defenceman Justin Haché, who netted the winner on Tuesday.
Former Screaming Eagles player Blake Millman is also a member of the Remparts. He was dealt during the holiday trade period. One player Quebec is without is star forward Mikhail Grigorenko, who's playing with the Buffalo Sabres.
Saturday, Cape Breton continues its homestand against the P.E.I. Rocket, another 7 p.m. start.
NOTES: The Screaming Eagles are without forward William Carrier (lower body) until early February, forward Kyle Farrell (concussion) is listed as day-to-day, but is showing signs of improvement, and forward Jakub Culek (upper body) could be back next weekend. Defenceman Loic Leduc (lower body) is still being assessed by doctors, so his status is still undetermined.
On Twitter: @cbpost_sports


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Japanese boxwood is a low- to medium-growing shrub that is common in residential and commercial landscapes. The shrub grows in a natural boxy shape that is typically sheared to further refine it. It is fairly cold-hardy, although it does turn a copper color in winter. Since Japanese boxwoods are typically planted when they are small, it is important to space them properly to accommodate the full size of the shrubs once they mature.
Things You'll Need
- Soil pH tester
- Lime (optional)
- Shovel
- Mulch
Insert a soil pH tester probe into the ground of the planting area to ensure that the pH level is between 6.5 and 7.0. If needed, purchase lime and apply it per the package instructions to adjust the pH level.
Dig a hole that is the same depth as the roots of the Japanese boxwood shrub but twice as wide.
Remove the shrub from the nursery pot and insert the roots into the hole. Fill in the sides of the hole until it is full and pack down the top of it firmly around the shrub. Plant additional Japanese boxwood shrubs in the same way, spacing them at least 3 to 5 feet apart.
Water the soil around the Japanese boxwoods until it is saturated. After planting, water the soil once per week.
Spread a 3-inch layer of mulch around the base of the Japanese boxwood to conserve soil moisture while the roots get established. Spread the mulch out at least 12 inches from the base of the shrub.
Tips & Warnings
- Choose a location that has well-draining soil and is in partial sunlight. If you have no alternative, you can plant Japanese boxwood in full sun, but you must water it more frequently.
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Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica) is a form of littleleaf boxwood. It's often used for hedging or topiary, since it shears...
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Winter cold, insects and old age causes boxwood shrubs to look sickly, unkempt and partially dead. Although a traditional low hedge or...
How to Plant a Wintergreen Boxwood Hedge
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SARANAC LAKE - The Saranac Lake girls cross country team picked up one win while the Red Storm boys were swept as hosts of a four-way Champlain Valley Athletic Conference meet Tuesday.
Peru, Seton Catholic and Plattsburgh were the other schools competing, and the Red Storm girls earned their victory against the Hornets by a 22-33 score. Peru's girls swept their way to three wins, including an 18-41 victory over Saranac Lake.
The meet was held under blue skies, comfortable temperatures and on a wet course.
Article Photos
Flanked by Plattsburgh runners, Saranac Lake's Zane Pelletieri picks up the pace shortly after the pack left the start line in Tuesday's cross country race. Pelletieri was the top Red Storm boys runner, finishing fourth.
(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)
Saranac Lake's Zane Pelletieri picks up the pace at the finish fourth in Tuesday's cross country race in Saranac Lake.
(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)
"The weather was fantastic," Saranac Lake coach Joe Merrihew said. "Mud on the course with sunshine from above."
Seton Catholic's Margaret Champagne won the girls race in 19 minutes, 27 seconds and Peru then took three of the next four positions, with Ashley Leta finishing runner-up in 19:47.
Senior Elena Beideck was the top Red Storm runner, placing sixth in 20:51. Johanna Mohrs finished 10th in 21:45. Also for the Red Storm, Jackie Garso was 14th in 22:34, Jacinda Riggs placed 18th in 23:18, Grace Sullivan was 20th in 24:08, Kaliegh Woodruff finished 24th in 24:59 and Remy Orticelle placed 25th in 25:19.
Saranac Lake was narrowly defeated by the Knights 27-30.
Zane Pelletieri was the first Saranac Lake runner to reach the finish line in the boys meet, placing fourth in 18:29.
Jeriqho Gadway led from start to finish to win the race in 16:49 and lead Plattsburgh to triumphs over the Red Storm and Peru. Seton's Evan Page finished second in 17:00, and Kyle Agoney paced Peru, finishing third in 17:56.
Max Paul finished ninth for Saranac Lake in 19:08 and teammate Chris Willette was 15th in 19:30.
Saranac Lake's boys were edged by Seton Catholic 27-29, and also dropped a 24-34 decision to Peru and lost to Plattsburgh 22-28.
Also for Saranac Lake, Chris Scheider was 21st in 20:22, Nate Miller placed 27th in 21:21, Nick Munn finished 30th in 22:04, Haakon Pedersen was 37th in 23:06 and Will Lanthier placed 39th in 23:16.
Merrihew said he was pleased with the performance of both the Red Storm boys and girls teams.
"The boys have shed minutes off their times from six weeks ago - a great sign of improvement," Merrihew said. "The girls had a strong showing today. They looked good throughout the whole race."


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This deal has ended.
This Panasonic 42" Class 1080p 600Hz Plasma Smart HDTV, originally $729.99, is now $399.99 for Shop Your Way members (sign-up is fast and free when you click the link under the price) at Sears.com. It's available for free store pickup only. This is a $100 drop from the most recent sale price, and it puts this new TV at the price of a refurb. Sales tax is charged in most states.No longer available


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Kelsy Myers of Dillsburg graduated from Messiah College in May. In September, though, while working as a marketing associate it became clear her style needed to graduate too.
Her hair was long with a natural curl. She wore it down. While it looked great, it just wasn't doing anything for her. Neither was her current make up application of just foundation.
So we pulled in the experts from Polished Salon in Lemoyne, ser David Shaulis for hair and Lacey Goodrich for makeup, to update Myers look.
Before Shaulis could be let loose on Myers he was given a restriction. The hair could be cut, but not short. Myers is set to be married in June and wants to wear her hair down — and long. Immediately Shaulis set about determining how short she would let him go. "Right now," he said, eyeing her bust-length mane, "it's just... it's just... it's just too long for you."
He held part of her hair so it was just above her shoulder. She vetoed and gave her own length — about an inch above where it currently stood. Shaulis bargained for the middle ground and the agreement stood.
And then he was off.
A big clump, more than an inch thick, fell to the floor. Myer's mother, who had tagged along, gasped. Myers winced slightly, but steadfastly stared ahead. There was no going back now.
Renowned for his razor haircuts, Shaulis prefers the tool to scissors due to the more natural, softer look it gives.
"This is a very safe, smart look for her," he said as he added layers. He asked her about highlights, had Myers had them before? She had. Next question — did she like them? Yes, she did. With that he disappeared into a back room, reemerging with aluminum foil and dye. Soon her head was covered in silver.
"I love doing hair," Shaulis said as he worked. "I love making pretty people prettier, beautiful people gorgeous and gorgeous people — well, the skies the limit."
When he finished, the effect was stunning. Myers curls, previously brushed and crushed down, were now running free, but not wild. There was texture to her hair and an added dimension. The layers framed the face and the new, slightly shorter length made her hair look sophisticated and more grown up.
"Did you ever think your hair could look like that?" he asked Myers. She shook her head.
Best part about the haircut? The versatility of it. According to Shaulis it would look good up, down, or even half and half. Words weren't enough for him though, he even demonstrated. And yes, he was right.
He left Myers with his mantra for hair maintenance "Product, product, product," he said. It's all about getting a good shampoo, conditioner and styling product. Without those, hair care is at a loss.
Next up was Goodrich, who took up her task like a teacher. She smiled and calmly explained each and every step — and there were a lot of them. Make up application, it turns out, is not a simple dab on process. For Goodrich, it is an art — an art which anyone can practice.
Goodrich kept the look fall themed, using slightly darker shades. Reddish browns for the eyes, berry colors for the lips and plums for blush.
The colors sounded heavy, but under Goodrich's hands and brushes they were kept relatively light. While not looking a hundred percent natural, Myers did not looked too caked on either.
Myer's features were accentuated: her cheekbones emerged and eyes appeared larger — wide open and ready to take on the professional world.
Myer's look had finally graduated.
Two weeks after the makeover it was time to check in with Myers to get her thoughts and see if she had incorporated any of the changes into her look.
"I did think the makeover went well," she said, about the experience. "I thought the eye shadow was a little funky, but I like the haircut now."
For her the worst part had been watching her hair fall to the floor. "I am getting used to the shorter cut," she said, "but I still miss my long hair."
"I do appreciate a little less maintenance and brushing in the morning," she said.
As for the make-up, it was one of the highlights of the makeover session for her. "I liked learning some great tips for makeup to use when I want to look extra nice," she said. Now, instead of just foundation, Myers has added eyeliner, mascara and a bit of eye shadow to her routine. And more make-up has been added to a "list of things to buy." "I would like to look into the mineral makeup, but I am still on a college students budget so that may have to wait a little longer," she said.
"I am not sure if I would do [a makeover] again," she said. "It was a little scary."


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Angel Food Ministries is a food purchase program in which boxes of food are purchased at a savings of between 40 and 50 percent over supermarket prices. The ministry, originating in a church in Georgia, ships boxes of food to host churches once a month. Trinity is a host church for this part of northwestern New Jersey.
The food is ordered in pre-determined boxes, whose contents are published in a monthly menu. Interested persons may peruse the menu in the early part of a month, order and pay for it, and then pick it up at the end of the month. In the March ordering cycle, consumers had a choice of nine boxes of food, ranging in price from $18 to $30.
The regular box for March, costing $30, included over 9 pounds of frozen meats, 2 pounds of vegetables, and several miscellaneous food items. Options for ordering include senior/convenience boxes, allergen free boxes, and fresh fruit and vegetable boxes.
Trinity Church began this new ministry as an addition to its long standing food distribution ministry of the Lord's Pantry. That pantry, in service for over 20 years, has seen record numbers of persons coming for food over the past several months, with 199 families seeking food aid in February. Angel Food ministry is available to all persons, with no limitations or requirements whatsoever. It offers financial savings to any and all persons who order the food boxes.
At the first distribution day recently, 24 Trinity volunteers gathered on a Saturday morning to guide the process. Early in the morning four vehicles traveled to Morristown, where a large trailer of food had arrived a few hours earlier from Georgia. The Hackettstown-bound food was itemized and loaded and the four vehicles arrived back in Hackettstown about 9:15. Then, the volunteers proceeded to sort and repack the food into the boxes which had been ordered, and by 11:15 the first of 89 vehicles began arriving in the parking lot. Within 90 minutes the 89 vehicles had arrived at their pre-determined time, and without the drivers ever getting out of their cars, the volunteers loaded each car with the appropriate boxes. A total of 161 boxes were picked up.
One last stop for each car was at the re-order table, where order forms were turned in for next month's distribution. By 1 p.m., the process was completed for the month. Full details of participation in Angel Food ministries can be found on the Trinity web site, www.catchthespirit.org. Those details include the menu for the coming month, the prices of the various boxes, a way to order and pay online, or details of how to order at the church and when. Personal orders can only be paid with cash or food stamps. Online orders are by credit card.
Commenting on the new ministry of the congregation, Senior Pastor Dr. Frank Fowler stated, "We are thrilled to be able to offer all residents a significant way to reduce their economic pressures by participating in Angel Food Ministries. The savings are excellent, the food in outstanding, and the service of our congregation in implementing this ministry is done with great compassion and love. We offer this ministry as an expression of God's love for all people."
To speak to a Trinity staff person about the ministry, call (908) 852-3020, or visit the church at 213 Main St. Hackettstown.


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Syracuse, NY - With state court officials opening the door this year to judges moonlighting on part-time jobs, Onondaga County Judge Bill Walsh decided to see if his request for another career would pass muster.
So he sought permission to become a part-time professional motocross racer.
He got the green light.
State court officials ruled there would be no conflict between that and Walsh's judicial job as long as he did not use his title in his racing career or seek endorsements from lawyers or legal organizations.
Walsh confessed he made the request mainly to see how it would be handled. Does he really plan to try a professional racing career?
"How many 66-year-old guys do you see racing professional motocross?" he asked. Walsh said he was 47 when he started the hobby. You're usually too old for the profession by the ripe old age of 23, he said with a laugh.
No jokes as former caddie takes deal in country club break-in
Christopher Steinhoff had a lot going against him as he stood before Onondaga County Judge Bill Walsh.
There was the burglary charge accusing him of breaking into the Tuscarora Golf Club New Year's Day and stealing golf shirts, a gold club and some golf balls. Much of that property was found in his car when he was stopped by police hours later on a DWI charge.
When police went to Steinhoff's home, his roommate positively identified him as the burglar from a crime-scene video.
Probably worst of all were the five felony convictions that had Walsh warning Steinhoff could be declared a persistent felony offender and sentenced to 25 years to life if he went to trial and was convicted.
On the table was a promised sentence of two to four years in prison that would have to be served consecutively to time Steinhoff still owes on parole.
There was no joking around as there had been during an earlier appearance when Walsh asked if Steinhoff was a golfer or if he had been "just playing through" at the country club the day of the break-in. Informed that Steinhoff had once been a professional caddie, Walsh also asked if the defendant ever gave back the golf bags when he caddied.
It was all seriousness during Steinhoff's recent appearance. Steinhoff said he'd take the deal even as defense lawyer Bob Baska balked.
"You don't have to do the time," Walsh told Baska.
Lawyer's holiday tie adds hearing entertainment
Defense lawyer Bill Balduf was just starting to cross examine a witness in Dean Tuszynski's DWI suppression hearing Monday when a tinny, but muffled, musical sound could be heard in the courtroom.
When it started again moments later, Onondaga County Judge Tony Aloi asked where it was coming from. Balduf confessed it was from the holiday tie he was wearing.
He'd accidentally set if off – playing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" - when he crossed his arms in front of him. Aloi jokingly suggested Balduf handle the hearing tieless or find a different tune.
"How about "Silent Night?" the judge asked.


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Montgomery Ward Porcelain Flush Base w/Opal Shade, c1940 Item # R1086
Sturdy and relatively simple flush-mount porcelain bases like this Moderne-style stepped design were most frequently sold as kitchen fixtures, often outfitted with an opal (or white glass) shade like the one here. Both this fixture and its "gleaming snow-white glass shade" were offered in 1941 by Montgomery Ward. We found this particular flush-mount design so appealing a few years ago, that we reproduced it as our Mathison.
Porcelain light fixtures first rose in prominence during the late 1920s. Their "sanitary" character, easy styling, range of colors, low costs, and material availability made them very popular during the Depression and World War II years, and they remained a mass-market staple well into the 1950s. Most were intended for kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, and they frequently featured exposed bulbs and painted flowers or metallic pin striping.
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Seven Years to Saturn
As Cassini nears its rendezvous with Saturn, new detail in the banded clouds of the planet's atmosphere are becoming visible.
|High, thick clouds and Saturn's rotating dark spot. Image Credit: Cassini Imaging Team/Boulder/ ciclops.org
Cassini began the journey to the ringed world of Saturn nearly seven years ago and is now less than two months away from orbit insertion on June 30. Cassini's narrow-angle camera took this image on April 16, 2004, when the spacecraft was 38.5 million kilometers (23.9 million miles) from Saturn.
Dark regions are generally areas free of high clouds, and bright areas are places with high, thick clouds which shield the view of the darker areas below. A dark spot is visible at the south pole, which is remarkable to scientists because it is so small and centered.
The spot could be affected by Saturn's magnetic field, which is nearly aligned with the planet's rotation axis, unlike the magnetic fields of Jupiter and Earth. From south to north, other notable features are the two white spots just above the dark spot toward the right, and the large dark oblong-shaped feature that extends across the middle. The darker band beneath the oblong-shaped feature has begun to show a lacy pattern of lighter-colored, high altitude clouds, indicative of turbulent atmospheric conditions.
|Scientists would like to know more about the origin of the ring 'spokes' imaged on Saturn by Voyager, but not so far by the current Cassini images. Image Credit: Cassini Imaging Team/Boulder/ ciclops.org
The cloud bands move at different speeds, and their irregularities may be due to either the different motions between them or to disturbances below the visible cloud layer. Such disturbances might be powered by the planet's internal heat; Saturn radiates more energy than it receives from the Sun.
The moon Mimas (396 kilometers, 245 miles across) is visible to the left of the south pole. Saturn currently has 31 known moons. Since launch, 13 new moons have been discovered by ground-based telescopes. Cassini will get a closer look and may discover new moons, perhaps embedded within the planet's magnificent rings.
This image was taken using a filter sensitive to light near 727 nanometers, one of the near-infrared absorption bands of methane gas, which is one of the ingredients in Saturn's atmosphere. The image scale is approximately 231 kilometers (144 miles) per pixel. Contrast has been enhanced to aid visibility of features in the atmosphere.
On May 18, Cassini officially entered the Saturn planetary system. This event marks when the gravitational pull of Saturn began to overtake the influence of the Sun and the probe crosses the outer limits of the most distant group of Saturnian moons, only weakly bound to Saturn and located tens of millions of kilometers from the planet.
The seven year voyage will end when Cassini's main engine is fired, the spacecraft is slowed, and the probe enters Saturn orbit on July 1, 2004.
Early next year, ESA's Huygens spaceprobe will be descending through the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon (Titan), becoming the first spacecraft to land on a body in the outer Solar System. Titan is the only moon with a thick atmosphere.
|The Huygens probe descends through Titan's murky, brownish-orange atmosphere of nitrogen and carbon-based molecules, beaming its findings to the distant Cassini orbiter. The probe is equipped with a variety of scientific sensors to measure the physical properties of the moon's atmosphere; it also carries an imaging device to return pictures of Titan's possibly hydrocarbon-lake-dotted surface.
Credit: ESA
Astronomers think this atmosphere might closely match the one Earth possessed millions of years ago, before life began. Certainly Titan's atmosphere is rich in carbon, the chemical necessary for life on Earth. What is more, this is all stored in 'deep freeze', ten times further from the Sun than the Earth. The haze is much thicker than Earth's worst city smog. It was impenetrable to cameras aboard the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft that flew by the Saturn system in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The big mystery is Titan's surface, which is hidden by a cloud layer. This is why ESA built Huygens, to probe through this layer which is impenetrable by Earth-based observations. Huygens' battery of instruments will return over 1000 images as it floats down and samples the chemistry of this exotic place.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.


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There were three simple differences between the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets tonight.
- One team played all out on both ends of the court for 48 minutes and the other did not.
- One team played aggressive trap and recover on ball screens and fought through on other screens while the other switched most screens.
- One team made their shots and the other did not.
One team was the Celtics and they won by 38. The other team was the Nuggets and they lost by 38.
Playing hard for 48 minutes is a cliché. Every team has slumps of a few minutes here and there where the effort wanes and they get lazy. I promise you the Celtics played their bums off for all 48 minutes. The collective competitive spirit puts the Nuggets to shame. Kendrick Perkins was bickering with the refs with about a minute left after he was called for traveling. These guys do not care what the score is. The score is almost immaterial. They are giving it their all from start to finish.
For the Nuggets the built in excuse is that they have been on a three week long road trip and it was unfair to ask them to play the Celtics a day after they played in Milwaukee. I am not buying it. As has been pointed out by many people, including myself, the road trip they just finished was only a three game trip. Sure they played five road games in a row before that, but they had six whole days off during the All-Star break. The Celtics were the team that had to check into hotels last night after playing in Phoenix.
Honestly it did not matter who suited up, how many days in a row the Nuggets had played or what strategy the coaches asked the players to implement. Boston played with confidence and determination while the Nuggets looked like a scrawny book worm getting ready to ask out the prom queen.
Denver has now lost by 40 points, give or take a couple of points, twice in their last seven games. Does that scream contender? The game in New Jersey could be written off as a fluke, but for it to happen again just seven games later is shocking. I guarantee you the Trail Blazers and Jazz are licking their chops right now.
Denver now has a day off to prepare for an Atlanta Hawks team that was blown out by the Jazz and two days later the Lakers roll into town. They better get their act together by Wednesday or else they will be going back out on the road with a five game losing streak.
Additional Game 57 Nuggets
- After the game George Karl said that they ran into a team who was, "Angry and pissed off and wanted to beat us." Why weren't the Nuggets that team? They gave away two winnable games and were returning home against the defending world champions. Show some heart and show some pride. I know the Celtics are good. Accept the challenge.
- Ahead of the pack and bucket short of a 40 point margin of victory most people probably would not have batted an eye had Bill Walker put home a dunk with just a few ticks left on the clock. I thought he made a classy play by pulling the ball out and running out the clock.
- Was anyone disappointed in the play of Johan Petro? He cannot catch a pass in traffic to save his life (Chauncey will not even pass to him unless he has no other option), but he can has little jumper, decent touch around the rim, can rebound and had a couple of nice blocks. He has been called on twice and in my book came through twice after playing well in Orlando and again tonight.
- Once again George Karl lacked the "courage" to play Renaldo Balkman in the second half tonight. Balkman was the only Nugget other than the injured Nene to record a DNC-CD. As BeefySwats pointed out in the game thread there was a portion of the game where Anthony Carter was matched up against Paul Pierce. Pierce just shot over the much smaller Carter and looked like he could have challenged Wilt Chamberlain's record of 100 points in a game with Carter on him. Could that have been a good time to dust off Balkman?
- Chauncey looked slow tonight. Rondo can do that to his opposition, but it was more than that. His pathetic point total was a result of his very poor shot selection.
- J.R. Smith was the only Nugget who was determined and able to attack the basket. He made a couple of terrible passes, but once he realized he could finish against whoever the Celtics had at the rim he put in layup after layup.
- Even Chris Marlowe acknowledged that the way to beat the Celtics defense is to move the ball and dislodge their defense with quick passing and movement. The Nuggets played almost entirely one on one basketball. Clearly it did not work.
- The Nuggets cut their turnovers down to 17, but for the second straight game they finished with more turnovers than assists.
- I mentioned in my preview that the Nuggets Pythagorean projected record without Nene this season was 6-76. After tonight it is 3-79.
Mindboggling Game Stats
Pace Factor: 89.5
Defensive Efficiency: 127.4 – Fourth worst single game rating this season.
Offensive Efficiency: 84.9 – Second lowest single game rating this season ahead of only the 44 point drubbing in New Jersey.
Featured Blogs: Celtics Hub | Celtics Blog
Latest posts by Jeremy (see all)
- The Least Significant Retirement Announcement You Will Ever Read - March 14, 2013
- A Frightening End of Game Defensive Snafu - January 23, 2013
- The Two Point Guard System – By the Numbers - January 22, 2013


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Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel places you within 2 miles (3 km) of Heritage Sandy Springs and Perimeter Mall. This 142-room, 3.5-star hotel has a restaurant along with conveniences like an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. Art Institute of Atlanta and American Intercontinental University are also close to this Atlanta hotel.
In addition to a meal at the onsite restaurant, you can also enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. Satisfy your hunger from the comfort of your room with room service. For your convenience, breakfast is served for a fee each morning.
Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel's 142 rooms are air-conditioned and provide iPod docks, coffee makers, and free weekday newspapers. 32-inch flat-screen TVs come with cable channels and pay movies, and guests can stay connected with WiFi and wired Internet. Bathrooms offer hair dryers and free toiletries, and beds are dressed in premium bedding. Other standard amenities include free local calls, ironing boards, and desks.
Property features
At Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel, guests enjoy an outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and free WiFi in public areas. You can take advantage of free parking, along with a free area shuttle. Multilingual staff at the front desk are standing by 24/7 to help with dry cleaning/laundry, luggage storage, and securing valuables. Additional amenities include a conference center, a 24-hour business center, and a computer station.
- Free WiFi and wired Internet in public areas
- Free parking
- Onsite dining
- Outdoor pool
Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel800 Hammond Drive Atlanta GA 30328
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel features an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A computer station is located on site and high-speed wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary.
A 24-hour business center is on site at this 3.5-star property. Event facilities measuring 1895 square feet (176 square meters) include a conference center. This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and a fireplace in the lobby. A complimentary area shuttle within 3 mi is available for guests. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel has designated areas for smoking.
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Computer station
- 24-hour business center
- Porter/bellhop
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Total number of rooms - 142
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- ATM/banking
- Elevator/lift
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 4
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Conference space
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fireplace in lobby
- Designated smoking areas
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Luggage storage
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free area shuttle
- Conference space size (feet) - 1895
- Conference space size (meters) - 176
- Number of meeting rooms - 3
- Conference center
- Free self parking
- Outdoor pool
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator (on request)
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( USD 9.95 per 24-hour period ), Wired internet access ( USD 9.95 per night )
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Free self parking
Room Amenities
Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel offers 142 air-conditioned accommodations with iPod docking stations and coffee/tea makers. Beds feature premium bedding. 32-inch flat-screen televisions come with premium cable channels and pay movies. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations, bathrobes, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
This Atlanta hotel provides wired and wireless high-speed Internet access for a surcharge. Business-friendly amenities include desks and complimentary weekday newspapers, as well as phones; free local calls are provided (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is offered daily and refrigerators can be requested.
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Refrigerator (on request)
- Bathrobes
- Room service (limited hours)
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Air conditioning
- Free weekday newspaper
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- Flat-panel TV
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge)
- iPod docking station
- Cable TV service
- Blackout drapes/curtains
Where to Eat
Breakfast is available for a surcharge each morning.
Parkside Grille Lounge - This cocktail bar specializes in American cuisine and serves dinner and light fare.
Parkside Grille - This restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center.
- Golfing nearby
To make special requests for accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- In-room accessibility
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 65.00 per accommodation, per stay
- Up to 40 lb
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: USD 12.95 per person (approximately)
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 9.95 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): USD 9.95 per night (rates may vary)
- Pet fee: USD 65.00 per accommodation, per stay
Hotel Name
- Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel
- Sheraton Perimeter Atlanta North
- Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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By: abc40 Meteorologist Eric Fisher -- Facebook
Our truly stunning run of weather will slowly come to an end over the next few days, but it won't be too rapid or jarring of a change. Temperatures will slowly be falling back, and eventually we'll get into some rainfall as well. Thankfully, it should be a gradual process.
A weak area of low pressure is drifting across the Northeast today, and has brought mainly overcast skies to start the day. A few sprinkles may fall early in the morning, but any precipitation would be very light. And there are signs of clearing to the west, so that I think we'll manage some midday/afternoon brightening. So the bottom line is that it won't be as gorgeous as yesterday, but still a comfortable afternoon with highs in the low 50s. Outdoor plans should be safe!
Just a slight chance of a shower tonight, and a few showers possible tomorrow. But definitely don't expect a washout, as any showers should be light and few/far between. Partly to mostly cloudy skies are likely tomorrow, with highs in the 40s to near 50.
Even as we get into Saturday, rain will make very slow progress northward. I think we'll stay mainly dry into the early afternoon, before our chances for showers start to go up. The steadiest rain should be here for Saturday night and Sunday, as a strong onshore flow develops. The heaviest rain with this storm will likely fall from the Worcester Hills eastward, so that we'll miss out on the big rain totals. But Sunday definitely appears to be the wettest day of the weekend, and the best day for indoor plans. It will also be the chilliest, with highs only in the upper 30s to low 40s. That's seasonable, but a big change from what we've enjoyed recently.
Rain may linger into Monday, perhaps even mixing with wet snow across the higher terrain. Drier air should help to clear us out by Tuesday.
abc40 weather is on Twitter, where you can check out the latest weather updates. And you can always find complete local weather coverage on wggb.com, your online home for abc40 and fox6.
Eric Fisher


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Follow HitFix Follow @hitfix
Interview: Cirie Fields talks 'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains'
Three-time 'Survivor' veteran talks alliance-building and why Coach may be a Hero
I'll admit it: When Cirie Fields finished in fourth in "Survivor: Panama," I felt like she'd stumbled into such a high position, either through luck or by flying under the radar.
It was only watching Cirie again on "Suvivor: Micronesia" that it became clear that it wasn't a coincidence how frequently Cirie kept finding herself on the right side of every alliance, having her voice heard in every vote. She only advanced one place further in that season, coming in behind Parvati and Amanda, but it was suddenly easier to appreciate one of the better social players in the game's history.
Of course, by the time Cirie signed on for her third tour of "Survivor" duty, there wasn't much of a chance she'd be able to be underestimated for a third time. Indeed, that's why when Alpha Males Tom and Colby sensed a threat on Thursday (March 4) night's "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains," they immediately turned their attentions on Cirie and with the help of some opportunistic voting from JT, they took the potential puppetmaster out of the game.
HitFix caught up with Cirie on Friday morning to talk about her alliance-making difficulties this time around, the advantages of being underestimated and why she never considered herself a Hero.
Click through...
HitFix: So how'd you watch the episode?
Cirie Fields: I always watch at home with my family.
HitFix: Had you spilled the beans at all?
CF: No, I never tell them.
HitFix: And how'd they react?
CF: "Awwwwww..." My 12-year-old today, today's his birthday, his name is Jared and he was so sad. He tried to be strong and a big guy for mommy. He gave me a hug and said, "Oh, Mom, it's OK." But I could see on his face that he was so disappointed. Otherwise, it was pretty much just "I'm proud of you" and "It's OK" and "You did a great job" and "Don't feel bad about anything."
HitFix: But as you watched the episode, were you constantly seeing things you could have done to save yourself?
CF: I think the only thing I probably could have done differently is that I should have spent more time cultivating some type of relationship with JT. He didn't trust me. I didn't trust him. We were in alliance together and that was basically the gist of it. When you're aligned with someone that you don't trust, there's always the opportunity to turn on them and get rid of them and he seized that opportunity. Other than that? No regrets. I think I probably would have tried to do everything the same.
HitFix: At Tribal Council, you said you thought you might be going home and Tom said he didn't believe you were really worried. How confident were you that Colby was going to end up being the target?
CF: You know, when you're outside of a numbers alliance, you automatically assume that everyone within that alliance feels safe. What Tom didn't know is that he didn't really understand the structure of that alliance. He didn't understand that I was in that alliance by default because he and Colby would not align with me. He knew the hierarchy of the alliance, but I guess he assumed... And that's the problem. Instead of getting to know someone, Tom basically ran with his perception of me from the previous shows and based all of his decisions around that. If he had gotten to speak with me and gotten to spend time with me and made the effort to get to know me, then he would have known that I was really not as comfortable and I didn't feel as safe as he thought I did and I didn't feel comfortable in the alliance and I didn't trust JT. But he couldn't know all of that, because he never attempted to find out.
HitFix: So what effort were *you* trying to make with Tom?
CF: Oh my gosh. From Day One! Tom and I went to gather material materials for the shelter and it was just he and I. You don't want to jump right out on Day One and put a target on yourself by trying to just come right out and say, "Hey, we should be aligned." So you send out your feelers. I said to Tom as we were carrying a tree stump back, I said, "Tom, my mother really loved you and she told me to stick with that guy Tom." I said that just to see where his head was at. And his response to me was, "Yup. You should listen to your mom." That was it. And unbeknownst to him, my mother didn't even see his season. See what I'm saying? So that my first indication. My second attempt, I went to Stephenie, because Tom and Colby wouldn't even talk to me and Stephenie did make the attempt and we started talking and I told her, "I'd much rather go with you guys than with Amanda and them" and she told me they were all worried about the Micronesia Alliance and I explained to her, "If there's an alliance, I'm not part of it. As usual. I'm left out of it. I've already been down that road and I don't want to go down that road again." And she said to me then, "I don't know. Tom and Colby just won't hear of it." So there were several attempts to try to play the game with them before they lost the power, JT flipped on them, and then they wanted to be aligned with me. Well at that point, I don't feel that comfortable being in a second-choice alliance with you when from Day One, you wouldn't do anything with me and he just kept telling people how I needed to go. That's like a mouse aligning with a cat. When he gets hungry what's going to happen?
HitFix: Do you think, to some degree that this is a flaw in the structure of any All-Star "Survivor" season? That people are aligned from previous seasons or just aligned from outside of the game? And it takes the pure strategy out of the game?
CF: I don't know anything for certain. You hear rumors or whatever. But I think some of the organic-ness, if there's such a word, is lost in an All-Star season, because some people are friends. I couldn't sit here right now and say, "Well these two were aligned" or "These two people were aligned," because I wasn't there and I don't know that for a fact. But you do know who remains in contact. You hear who's friends. And you don't know whether or not that comes into play. It could. Logically you would think it would. But you never know.
HitFix: In your first two times playing, how much of your success to you attribute to being underestimated?
CF: Oooh, I think most of my success was based on that. My first season, and rightfully so, they looked at me like a fish-out-of-water. Because I was, as far as the outdoor living part of it. But I've always been in a position to have to deal with people and manage people. Working in an operating room is a difficult place. You have a lot of egos. You have really smart people. My ability to adapt and get along with people was, I guess, what surprised people and also the fact that I *could* think about the game. Just because I can't start fire or I don't like bugs or leaves, so to speak, doesn't mean that I don't have the mental ability to think about the best strategy or the best decision in voting. I guess good for me that people labeled me as a fish-out-of-water, but the game is more than just living outdoors. I wish people would have *still* thought of me as a fish-out-of-water. That played to my advantage, people underestimating me. By the same token, though, it hurt me, because people no longer underestimate me.
HitFix: Though you were still a bit overlooked your second time through the game. Were you shocked you could be underestimated again? And did that lead you to having a different strategy this time?
CF: I actually thought what happened this time was going to happen the second time. My mother said to me, "I don't know. They saw you play. People know you're not as innocent as they think you are." So I was shocked to make it as far in Micronesia. Foolishly enough, this time around, I didn't feel like people were going to think I was as big of a target as they did. I knew that I was exposed. I knew that. But I just thought with the calibre of player that was in the game, my exposure for being a strategist wouldn't be the biggest threat.
HitFix: But it was probably the right move to vote you out now, wasn't it?
CF: Oh, hey. I agree with them. If I was any one of them, I would have been voted out first.
HitFix: Knowing that, you didn't try mixing it it up differently this time? Or are you just who you are?
CF: That's the problem. I am who I am. I'm good at hiding how I truly feel, but I'm not good at becoming somebody else. This is who I am. I've been the same person every time, because it's hard for me to change. Now if I can't stand the sound of you breathing, I may not show that, but who I am is not going to change. I'm just me and I can't stand the sound of you breathing.
HitFix: So what did being a Hero mean to you?
CF: Absolutely nothing. Being a Hero to me? Honestly, I wouldn't deem any person on my tribe a Hero. I think "hero" is a strong, strong word for these average people. I know a lot of them don't think they're average, but I consider myself an average person and I don't know of anything heroic that I've done in my life or in this game. I actually questioned which side I would be on, because I feel like all of us can fall somewhere in the middle. Except Russell. Now Russell is a Villain. I think that "Hero" title might have gone to a lot of the Heroes' heads and that's why we're not doing so well.
HitFix: How would you have reacted if you'd been a Villain?
CF: I would understand. I felt like I could go either way. If we got there and I was a Villain? Well OK. I'm a Villain. Well, that day, I was a Hero. OK. I'm a Hero. I really think I fell somewhere in the middle. I'm not a complete villain. I'm not a complete hero. They needed to have a middle category. Everybody Else. It should have been "Heroes and Villains and Everybody Else."
HitFix: If Russell's a real Villain and you'd be with Everybody Else, would anybody have been on the Heroes side?
CF: Ummm... Let me think. You know what? After last night, I think Coach maybe should have been on the Heroes side. In his season, I don't remember him doing anything that villainous. And Coach is who he is, almost like I just said. He's a Villain on the Villain's side, but he's over there crying because you still are who you are. Without that title, you are who you are. You can't live up to a title if that's not you.
HitFix: Last question: You've done this three times now. Would you do it again?
CF: That's the hardest question I've gotten today. If you'd asked me this last year, I'd have said "Absolutely." But after seeing people's perceptions of me and spending time with people who aren't willing to give you the opportunity to change that perception, if everyone feels that way and no one is willing to get to know you and let you in, how much of a chance do you actually have at winning this game? To go and play the game is an amazing experience, but to go and not play the game and not be able to come home, back with your family, well then it becomes a toss-up. So now, if I was ever given the opportunity again, I would have to weight, "Do I think I have a legitimate change of winning this game, or do I want to go and try anyway and risk the chance of being away from my family for so long without a chance at the money?"
Previous "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" Exit Interviews:
As always, "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" airs at 8 p.m. on Thursdays on CBS.


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The NJSIAA is using power points to seed the state basketball tournaments for the first time this season and we have a look at the first totals to be released.
The power points in all sections for boys and girls are available, counting games played through Jan. 27 and providing an advance look at possible playoff match-ups.
The power point rankings are subject to change and all discrepancies should be reported by an athletic director or coach. The cut-off date for state tournament qualifying is Saturday, Feb. 2.
The power-point listings: BOYS || GIRLS


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Free Subscription & E-newsletter
By Dan Scungio, MT(ASCP), SLS
Safety / Ergonomics
Mary Ellen had a great retirement party. She worked in the lab as a cytotechnologist for almost 40 years. Her goal was to travel to Europe once she was done working. Now though, three weeks after her party, the doctor told her she needed a spinal fusion to help reduce the pain in her neck and shoulders. The recovery would not be quick, and she would never again have the mobility she once had.
Craig had always been an avid outdoorsman. Hunting, fishing and hiking were his favorite activities. When he could get time off from his second shift lab generalist job, he was doing something outside. His goal was to eventually become a park ranger or a guide for adventure-seeking tourists. But now that he was in his 40s, his knees were really bothering him, and his recently-diagnosed tendonitis is starting to slow him down.
Rae had been a busy lab director for 15 years, and she loved the job. Her favorite hobby, however, was reading. She was given an e-reader for her birthday and noticed how blurry the screen was. When she went to have it checked, she found the problem was not the device. After a check-up her doctor told her she had Computer Vision Syndrome. What would she do now?
Ergonomics in the laboratory historically has not been high on any list of priorities, and the consequences of that are revealing themselves more each year. Ergonomics injuries are known as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), and they are tracked nationally by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the Bureau, the total number of MSDs in the U.S. rose from 317,440 in 2008 to 346,400 in 2010.
Regulatory Issues
In 2001, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) put into place the first national Ergonomics Standard. The law was widely criticized as being too complex and expensive for many businesses. Within three months, Congress repealed the law and prevented OSHA from promulgating another that would be "substantially the same" as the first. In 2002, OSHA announced its "Comprehensive Plan to Reduce MSDs in the Workplace." This was not a standard, but rather a guideline for employers. Since then some state OSHA bodies have tried to pass ergonomics standards, but today only California has been successful.
The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) discusses laboratory ergonomics in its Clinical Laboratory Safety document (GP-17). The College of American Pathologists (CAP) has a regulation in the Laboratory General checklist that requires a "documented ergonomics program to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace through prevention and engineering controls." Ergonomics has slowly moved its way onto the laboratory "radar screen," but is it close enough to center? Is your staff aware of the regulations in place? Do they understand the importance of proper ergonomics at work and how it can affect them in the long term?
Impact of Poor Ergonomics
Besides the fact that ergonomics as a subject has struggled to gain a notable position in the regulatory world, one of the biggest reasons employees fail to understand its importance is because they do not see its "big picture." MSDs are generally repetitive motion injuries and their symptoms can take several years to develop. It can be difficult to think about adjusting your microscope when the emergency room physician is yelling at you for stat results on the phone. Unless proper laboratory ergonomics is part of your overall lab safety program and you raise awareness and educate staff, employees will continue to suffer from MSDs and their symptoms without understanding ways to prevent them.
Proper laboratory ergonomics can be a focus in every area of the laboratory. The important thing for employees to remember is to not repeat any one activity for extended periods of time. If you work at a microscope all day, be sure to take a break at least every 20 minutes. If you stand in one place for a long time, shift your weight from side to side or place one foot on a foot rest to ease the stress on your back muscles. Do you pipette or cut tissue blocks? Take breaks to perform other functions.
Computer Vision Syndrome can occur from overuse of a computer workstation. Symptoms include blurred or double vision, dry eyes, neck pain and shoulder pain. As with any other job function, taking a break from the computer is important to prevent these symptoms. A great practice for those who use a computer (or a microscope for that matter) for long periods is the "20-20-20 rule." Every 20 minutes you should look away from your screen (or scope) and look at something that is approximately 20 feet away. Let your eyes adjust and do this for about 20 seconds.
Also, frequent work stretches can help keep you from developing muscle strain from repetitive work. Simple stretches can be done in the workplace-neck rolls, arm stretches, pointing feet and legs, and simple bending are all things you can and should do to help your body stay in balance with the potential rigors of everyday work.
A More Healthy Tomorrow
Ergonomics is the science of adapting the job, equipment and human to each other for optimal safety and efficiency. The effects of ignoring proper ergonomic practices can be severe and lasting. How you work today will impact a later time in your life. Think about that "big picture," and always work toward helping all employees to work smarter today so they can enjoy tomorrow.
Daniel J. Scungio, "Dan The Lab Safety Man," has over 20 years' experience as a certified medical technologist. Today he is the Laboratory Safety Officer for Sentara Healthcare, a system of seven hospitals and over 20 laboratories and draw sites in the Tidewater area of Virginia.
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2900 Horizon Drive, King of Prussia PA 19406


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Hi. This is my introduction into the blogging world. I have been in the Veterinary field since the winter of 1973. I moved into an apartment over an animal hospital while going to school. I received my undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University. I earned my veterinary degree from the University of Milan, in Milan Italy. While in Italy, besides learning the
language, I also developed a taste for wine. While in Europe I did an externship at the London Zoo. I received my Acupuncture degree from the Chi Institute and I am also certified in Tui Na, which is a form of Chinese Chiropractic therapy. Although I am Reiki 1 certified, I use acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines on a frequent basis.I use both Eastern and Western
healing. depending on what the owners are comfortable with.
I have lectured at the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society, The Staten Island Herpetological Club,several bird clubs, at several cat shows and even the Staten Island Horticultural Society.
A client asked if I have any pets and I said, "Do fish count?" She was shocked- "What do you mean? I can't believe you don't have any pets". I repeated the question- "Do fish count?" When she said no I replied, "Since my fish don't count I only have three dogs, three Blue and Gold Macaws" and I then asked if lizards or turtles counted also. Our three dogs range from a Bichon and an English Bulldog- both rescues, or rehomed, or what ever you want to call them, to a Newfoundland. I have had Melissa, the male macaw, approximately 30 years. We have bred Goffins Cockatoos and Blue and Gold Macaws.In my younger days I was an avid martial artist. In my college days I took a summer break and hitchhiked from Turkey to Spain. My current hobbies include fishing, target shooting and bonsai. I also enjoy samurai swords and the sword fittings.
I have been playing an online game called World of Warcraft and I have 4 high level avatars; an arcane mage, a rogue, a palladin and a deathnight. My wife Cindy is a nurse (human), and I have two children, our son Phil who is in college and a daughter Emily who is in High School here in Staten Island. I have lived on SI since the early '80s. Due to limitations of time I will not be able to answer any specific questions. If you would like to schedule an appointment, I am at The Animal Hospital of Staten Island 5 days a week. The hospital is open 6 days a week. The address is 640 Willowbrook Road, 10314 phone number is 718-698- 1400.


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Lone Lab
Feb 27, 12 5:55pm
Lone LabOne of my dear favorites... just awesome. TheSims2Pets
Feb 27, 12 5:35pm
Lone LabGood ole' 64. Not on the 64. SuperMario64DS
Feb 27, 12 5:35pm
Lone LabThis game freakin' rocks. Not kidding. TheSims3Pets
Jan 27, 12 5:05pm
Lone LabThis game has absolutely horrible graphics and customization, but it's still incredibly fun and has that Sims feel to it. TheSims2
Jan 27, 12 5:04pm
Lone Labis staring at a screen and is happy about it.
Jan 21, 12 9:06pm
Lone Lab
Jan 21, 12 8:58pm
Lone LabI like, really want this game. TheSims3Pets
Jan 21, 12 8:51pm
Lone LabAn amazing 3D game with endless awesomeness. NintendogsCatsGoldenRetrieverandNewFriends
Jan 21, 12 8:48pm
Lone Labis staring at a screen and craving Roman Wedding Soup.
Jan 8, 12 1:05pm
Lone Lab
Dec 22, 11 2:51pm
You Shalt Never Knoweth.
- SimCity, SimNation §
- Joined Aug 9, 2011
- private
- private
- private
- Life. Life is my occupation. Yeah, I'm a couch potato.


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Obamacare the next big US job killer. 2014 will be horrible job market because of Obamacare mandates.
On CBS' "60 Minutes", Obama Called His Health Care Package One Of His Major Accomplishments
CBS' Steve Kroft:"Why do you think you deserve to be reelected? What have you accomplished?"
President Obama:"Not only saving this country from a great depression, not only saving the auto industry, but putting in place a system in which we're going to start lowering health care costs and you're never going to go bankrupt because you get sick or somebody in your family gets sick." (CBS' "60 Minutes," 12/11/11)
Yet ObamaCare Has Failed To Make Health Insurance More Affordable
PROMISE: Obama Promised His Plan "Would Save The Average Family $2,500 On Their Premiums." (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks Of Senator Barack Obama's Plan To Fight For Working Families And Take On Special Interests In Washington, Indianapolis, IN, 6/20/08)
FAILURE: FactCheck.org: ObamaCare Is Actually Making Health Care "Less Affordable." "At the moment, the new law is making health care slightly less affordable. Independent health care experts say the law has caused some insurance premiums to rise. As we wrote in October, the new law has caused about a 1 percent to 3 percent increase in health insurance premiums for employer-sponsored family plans because of requirements for increased benefits. Last year's premium increases cast even more doubt on another promise the president has made -- that the health care law would 'lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year.
Obamacare already killing jobs in small business 2 of my neighbors just lost there jobs in Jan 2014.
RACIST! Obama will go down as one of the greatest presidents ever... errr in the eyes of the mainstream media. So will Hillary once they help her get elected.
Good to know the right is already starting to realize the inevitable.