text:
I looked at him like I usually do - you know, like he's from another planet. I asked, skeptically, "If you had three wishes, you'd wish for a paperclip, a pickle milkshake and a tree filled with blue gerbils???"
He gave me a sideways smile and a knowing nod and said, "Monkey-like gerbils."
OK, now to answer viewer mail....
An idea for Austin's surprise cake: My sister-in-law made a
"kitty litter box" cake for my nephew's 14th birthday... easy and grossly realistic!
I made one of those for Austin's school Halloween party when he was in fifth grade. It was absolutely, disgustingly, realistically gross.
16 long years? Ouch. We've been married five so I'm not an expert, but when do you add the long descriptor? Is it at year 6 or 7?
It depends. If he doesn't know how to load the dishwasher, it may be added at 2 years.
Hi. Got a quick quesiton. How do you deal with plantar fasciitis? I recently found out that I have it and that I need to get more supportive shoes and such. Just wonderng. Thanks!
Here's my suggestion - don't get the "needle of death" shot of cortisone in your heel. It will hurt. You will want to kick your doctor. This is coming from a woman who gave birth 6 times without epidurals.
You know... this last time change gave you an extra hour of sleep...you should be grateful.
This comment is clearly from someone who doesn't have little kids. Little kids don't wake up, look at the clock and say, "Yes! I get to go back to sleep for another hour." There is no such thing as getting an extra hour of sleep when you have little ones.
Hey there! Saw that you were at Woodfield. Do they have the tree up yet? Just wondering
They've had the tree up for a few weeks. Actually, they don't put up the same huge tree that they used to. Now they use a smaller one and surround it with large snowglobes.
Ooh ooh ooh! That SO had potential for a "clever title" contest!
Too bad I can't come up with anything catchier than "Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?"
(And now I have the tune in my head...)
And now, so do I thankyouverymuch. Here's some useless trivia for you - when I was in high school, I used to skip lunch and sneak off to the music practice room and play the piano. I had a book of Chicago songs that I played a lot back then. Most of the time, my friend, Jim, would hang out with me there. He did his German homework while I played. I had a crush on him, but he never knew it. And German is a very "spitty" language, by the way.
Oh, and ummm is that still the bag tag from FL on your stroller? That so sounds like me if so!
I don't know how you noticed that, but yes it is. It'll probably stay on there until June.
So is the little one in the video walking crooked and touching all the windows the one with adhd?
He's not the one who has been officially diagnosed with it, but yeah, he's kind of a spaz.
Ok for the uninitiated when you fry chicken isn't it always chicken fried chicken? Am I missing something here?
LOL! It's called chicken fried chicken to differentiate it from chicken fried steak. (It's a southern thing. Like Waffle Houses. And now that we have a Sonic here, I think I'll have to start lobbying for a Waffle House.)
Facebook really IS like crack. I have to check it every day, several times a day, to see what my friends are doing. Good thing I don't have very many. :-)
I love checking out everyone's updates, but I don't comment all that often. If I were to start doing that, I'd never sleep! Please don't be offended if I don't comment on anyone's updates!
Oh MY! I love your meemee. I wish Iw ould have thought of such creative answers. Now this will sound bad. I dont know what any of those drinks are. care to enlighten me? LOL
1. Coffee Mate Vanilla Chai Spice creamer with a little coffee - that's just coffee with flavored creamer
2. Sangria - this is wine flavored with fruit. I typically use a red table wine and add apples, limes, oranges and lemons, let it chill overnight, and add some 7Up before serving.
3. Mojitos - these are made with rum, mint and lime. They're refreshing.
4. Bellinis - these are made with sparkling white Italian wine (like champagne) and fresh peach puree. Yum!
I love Pina Coladas, Mai Tais, Bahama Mamas, pretty much anything froofy and fruity and served with a paper umbrella.
On your tv shows....you DO realize that the first three aren't on the air anymore, right? Well new ones anyway; I suppose they'll live a good long while on syndication.
I know, I know. I haven't seen a new tv show in years. I don't like what's on TV these days. I hate reality shows. What ever happened to good family shows with a normal family and a moral taught? The Cosby Show, Full House, Growing Pains, Little House on the Prairie... You just don't see good family shows anymore. I'd rather spend my time on my computer.
I laugh because I watched Wildcats too!
Here's some more pointless trivia for you. When I was in high school, I worked at a restaurant called Harry G's Crab House. (I can still smell the nasty fish/garlic smell that was embedded in my uniform.) Anyway, two of the waiters there were extras in the movie Wildcats. You could see them in the last football game. Aren't you glad I told you that?
[in regards to Austin's attitude on his birthday] There was probably something he did want, or he wanted you to make a big deal over him, or who knows what. But he can't TELL you, that would spoil everything! LOL... Don't you remember how stupid your parents were when you were 14?
I was a HORRIFIC teenager and if my kids act like I did, I will ship them off to school in another country. I'm sorry again, Mom and Dad!
Wow! My son is 3....not looking forward to the teenage years. Were you able to cheer him up by getting him a treat at the grocery store? Hope so.
Yep! Key lime pie did the trick. ;)
The way you describe Austin, he sounds like he is "Gifted and Talented". Is he, or any of your other children in a GT program?
Yes, he is. None of my other kids are (at least not yet.)
Wait a minute! You mean you still SEE your teenager? Mine is always in his room, and when he comes out I get grunts and nonsensical answers if I DARE talk to him... Ah the joys of the teens...
Yeah, I'm not complaining. My friend Gin has a son who is Austin's age. I think she's only heard 5 words from him in the past year and a half.
Dawn- SSO question- Which of your offspring is most like you were as a child?
Hmmm, I don't know. They all have some qualities that are/were like me. I think if I just had to pick one, it would probably be Austin (which is probably why he drives me nuts.)
Why haven't you blogged about your amazing lunch on Friday or shared with your viewers the totally cool shoes that Manic wore ESPECIALLY to impress you? But what about the shoes Dawn!?!? What about the shoes!?!?!?
Did you BUY any shoes THIS WEEKEND!?!!?
OK, here's the deal: I went out to lunch on Friday and met up with some Chicagoland bloggers. If you want the lowdown, you can read all about it HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. And yes, Manic had the totally cutest shoes on! Here they are:
It looks great [Austin's birthday cake] -- what did you do to make the grass (since you detailed everything else)?
I used a tip with several openings to make the grass.
Oh, and ummm can I (seriously) pay you to teach me to make spanikopita? It's one of my favorite foods and one of the few that I've never figured out. Give me ANYthing else, and I'm good but that one flummoxes me.
1 10 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach
Cook spinach, onion and garlic over low heat until heated through. Let cool a bit and drain excess water. Combine the spinach mixture with feta and oregano.
When working with phyllo dough, keep dough wrapped up and covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Phyllo dough is tissue paper thin and dries out really quickly!
With pastry brush, brush one sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter, careful not to rip the dough. Place another sheet on top and brush with butter. Repeat with third sheet of dough and melted butter.
Cut dough stack into 4 strips lengthwise. Place a small tablespoonful of filling on one end of each strip. Fold dough at a 45 degree angle over filling. Keep folding in triangles (like a flag) down the length of the strip. Repeat with remaining filling and dough. As I finish each triangle, I place them on a baking sheet and brush with butter to prevent drying. You can make these ahead of time and store them in an airtight container.
To bake, preheat oven to 375. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm and toasty. Yum!
Hey, Dawn...did you happen to buy that birthday banner at a discount party store?
LOL! Ya think?
Do you make your own fondant or buy the tub at Michaels?
This time I bought the box of Wilton fondant. It's expensive and it tastes like glue, but I didn't have that much time so I just got the store bought stuff this time around. If you make your own fondant, it tastes SO much better.
Ok, so someone must ask (assuming it has already been asked but since it is saying "no comments yet" I'll take the plunge...Why the "A" instead of the "y" on Happy?
Because it was made in China?
That is one cool cake. You make the rest of us look bad. When will you be doing v-blog cake decorating class?
Is this something you guys would be interested in? Maybe I could do a monthly or bimonthly feature and teach you guys something about decorating? Let me know.
Oh, and what's fondant and spankonita? Sounds like stuff on Cinemax.
Spankonita??? That sounds somehow naughty. Spanakopita is a Greek dish made with spinach and feta cheese between layers of buttered phyllo dough.
Rolled fondant is a kind of taffy-like icing that you roll out and use to cover cakes and/or make decorations. It has a smooth, porcelain-like look to it.
How's the neck?
It's great!
As long as I don't turn my head.
And, so you know, November is Prematurity Awareness Month. In order to help prevent premature births, Johnson's has partnered with the March of Dimes to launch the "Prevent Prematurity Campaign," in which Johnson's will donate ten cents to the March of Dimes for every Johnson's Baby product purchased during the months of November and December, up to $100,000. So go stock up on all those great-smelling Johnson's baby products this month and help a great cause at the same time!
And finally, the Larsons got some sad news about Coleman's scans. The cancer has spread quite a bit this past month. He won't be able to receive chemo or this other protocol they were thinking he'd be able to get. :( Instead, he qualifies for a new trial that they'll be starting soon. Please pray for Coleman, his twin brother, parents, and doctors.


text:
The winner will receive one tube each of these four luscious colors. Here's what you've got to do to enter:
- Be a U.S. resident.
- Follow The Elixery on Twitter or like The Elixery on Facebook. You MUST do one of these two to enter.
- Leave a comment on this post telling us which color from this set is your favorite, and A VALID E-MAIL. Comments without a valid e-mail in the comment will be disqualified.
- Cross your fingers!
Enter by midnight CST on Sunday, October 2, 2011. I'll draw a winner at random the following day. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Delivery Options Available:
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At a Glance
This green water based paint has been specially formulated to provide an colour and great coverage as your little one paints.
Features and benefits for ELC Green Ready Mix 300ml Paint
- Suitable from 3 years
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Product Specifications
|Batteries included
smaller items may be delivered via Royal Mail.
Exceptional circumstances beyond our control such as bad weather or courier delays may cause your order to take longer to deliver
uk returnsELC are happy to refund or exchange any unused merchandise returned within 30 days of purchase upon production of your receipt, as long as they are returned in an unused condition and in their original packaging. Please see Terms and Conditions for details. This does not affect your rights if the product is faulty or mis-described.
International returns
If you are unhappy with an item that you have ordered, you are able to return it to us at your own cost. If the product is faulty, we can re-order this for you. If you do not wish to be re-sent the faulty product, you can send it back to us at your own cost – once we have received the goods, we will reimburse any postal charges you may incur. Click here for more information on our international returns policy.
- bvseo_sdk, dw_plugin, p_sdk_3.2.0
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- bvseo_sdk, dw_plugin, p_sdk_3.2.0
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How does this help my child ?
This toy enables your child to express themselves artistically.
This toy encourages your child to enjoy using their imagination.


text:
A group of local residents have come together to start up a new Friends of the Smyrna Public Library group to help promote the town's library.
The new group came out of discussions within Smyrna's Library Advisory Board. The focus of the new friends group is getting children interested in the library, according to advisory board chairperson Alice Hohman. The group hopes to do this through children's activities and involvement in town activities including parades.
There was previously a friends group associated with the library but it disbanded a couple of years ago due to lack of involvement, said Ruth Hoch, who was a member of the group. Hoch is also a member of the town's advisory board for the library.
"The meetings didn't work in the afternoon, evening or during the day because a lot of people work so it fell apart," Hoch said.
Hohman said individuals and families are welcome to join the new friends group.
Even though the group is geared towards children, Hoch and Hohman said the group hopes to assist the library in any way it can.
Some ideas the group would like to see come to fruition is a program to teach adults how to read or assisting senior citizens when it comes to using the library.
Hohman said if senior citizens want to get books from the library, but can't actually go, maybe the group could set up a system of getting the books to the senior citizens.
Hoch said some senior citizens may need help while at the library, including using the new card catalogue.
"A lot of my friends call the library and reserve books because they don't know how to use the new card catalogue," Hoch said.
The group had a meeting in January. During the meeting, it was suggested that group members pay dues. Hohman explained paying dues wouldn't be so the group could make money but to put into activities.
"It'll be so we can get little gifts. We're not looking to build an account with money to spend," Hohman said. "We just want to encourage more people to use the library."
Hoch and Hohman said the first meeting went well, though there wasn't as big of a turnout as Hohman hoped for.
A definitive meeting time and day of the week has yet to be set, but the friends group will meet monthly. Officers will be elected once the group gets more members. They're hoping to have someone at "I Love Smyrna School District Day" on Saturday, Feb. 23 to generate interest.
Once the new library is built, which is a project being done by the Friends of the Duck Creek Regional Library, formerly known as the Smyrna Public Library Guild, Hohman hopes the work of the new friends group will be continued.
Hohman also noted that the Friends of the Smyrna Public Library group is not in competition with the Friends of the Duck Creek Regional Library.
"We're just trying to promote the Smyrna Public Library. We're not in competition at all," Hohman said. "We're not trying to step on their toes. We just want to make people more aware of the Smyrna Public Library."
The group will have their next meeting Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Smyrna Public Library. For more information, call 653-4579.
Email Jennifer Dailey at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Photos: Snow blankets the Midwest and Northeast
Photos: Snow blankets the Midwest and Northeast
Marcella Bourasa, 2, experienced her full snowfall on Sunday.
Walter helped to dig out friends in Milford on Sunday morning.
Braden Stephens, 6, of Denham Springs, Louisiana reveled in a morning of sledding in Hopedale, Mass.
George Hudgins, and his niece Cassie Marsden, both of Meford, dug out their cars on North Street in Medford.
A boy built a snowman in Somerville, Mass. following an overnight snow storm.
A woman jogged along the Charles River in Cambridge.
Precipitation in Boston was a mix of rain and snow in the early evening, but other parts of the state already had several inches of snow.
A major winter storm that could dump up to a foot of snow started pummeling Mass. this afternoon.
Snow fell on shoppers leaving the Home Depot in Avon.
The storm dumped five inches of snow or more on parts of Pa. That didn't deter this US Postal Service employee.
Children went sledding in Minersville, Pa. on Friday.
Much of the Midwest was hit with snow before the storm headed for the Northeast.
A girl tried to catch snowflakes as she made her way through Times Square.


text:
It hasn't happened for awhile here at Shacknews, but we have some keys to give away. We have partnered with Trion Worlds to get 20 people into the End of Nations alpha. All you gotta do to be considered for a key is to register in our forums and be part of the conversation about the game.
To set the stage for the giveaway, a little background first. End of Nations is an upcoming free-to-play real-time strategy MMO developed by Petroglyph that is currently in alpha. The game is set in an alternate future where the Order of Nations has taken control of the world and two factions--The Liberation Front and The Shadow Revolution-- battle the Order and each other for control of resources and strategic locations.
Now here's where the Shack faithful come in. Make sure you are logged in to our Chatty and then respond in the comments section below, or in the separate thread in the Chatty, to talk about the game or to just let us know you want to be considered for a key. Then Chatty regular dahanese, who also happens to be community director at Trion, will choose the winners and contact you through ShackMessage.
Those who get codes will be able to get in and play immediately with other Shackers and be in the game with other alpha testers for the duration until the game launches some time later this year. Alpha folks will also have to send their email addresses to dahanese to make sure they get into the program.
So get talking. These keys should go fast. Here's the E3 "Match of the Century" trailer to spur the conversation:
BOOM video 12930


text:
Electroresponsive Polymers and Their Applications:
Vivek Bharti
Cambridge University Press, Mar 24, 2006 - Science - 259 pages
Increasing research and development efforts have been dedicated to the field of electroresponsive polymers (ERPs), including the development of materials and devices. In addition to their exceptional physical properties and low manufacturing costs, these materials also show remarkable charge storage and electrical properties. One particular class of these materials is the electroactive polymer (EAP), or artificial muscle - a new type of smart material with a broad range of potential applications such as electromechanical devices, energy storage devices, artificial muscles, air filtration, insulation, etc. This book shows research and commercial advances in the field and highlights the significant industry involvement: 3M is implementing piezomaterials in stethoscopes; Measurement Specialties Inc. highlights a range products employing PVDF sensors and EMFIT Ltd. presents ferroelectrets, in which microporous polymers show a piezoelectric coefficient at the level of ~300 pC/N. Additional topics include: sensors and their applications; polymer actuators and their applications; and polymer dielectrics and charge storage applications.
What people are saying - Write a review
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LesserKnown Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric Applications
Electronic Acoustic Sensor
Piezoelectric Polymers
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Common terms and phrases
2006 Materials Research actuators anode Appl applications applied voltage Avrami azopolymers behavior BZ reaction Chem Cheng circuits composite conducting polymer copolymer crystalline crystallization decrease devices diaphragm dielectric constant dipole dynamics effect elastic modulus electrets electric field electroactive polymers electrode electromechanical electrospinning electrostrictive Emfit EMI-Tf energy density energy harvesting experimental ferroelectric ferroelectric polymers fibers frequency gate dielectric IEEE increase injection interface ionic liquid IPMCs irradiated samples ISBN layer LDPE LEB-PANI Materials Research Society measured mechanical membranes method micro-dots modulus Nafion observed OFETs organic semiconductors OTFTs P(VDF-CTFE P(VDF-TrFE parameters Peak phase Phys polarization polyaniline polymeric polypyrrole Proc properties PVDF pyroelectric response sensitivity sensor shown in Figure shows simulation solution solvent space charge strain stress structure substrate surface Symp terpolymer thermal thickness thin film transducers uptake Volume Zhang


text:
DON'T YOU GET IT? you don't get the joke, people? It's so obvious! Look! Skynet! 999999999! Fitness...something! Guys it's a brilliant joke.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Comic 534: A Fitting End to a Terrible Week
DON'T YOU GET IT? you don't get the joke, people? It's so obvious! Look! Skynet! 999999999! Fitness...something! Guys it's a brilliant joke.
47 comments:
Wow, really? I thought this one was hilarious.ReplyDelete
If you don't like compsci jokes, dont read a god-damned compsci comic. I thought the joke was quite easy to understand.
"Soon perhaps we will begin to see more and more revolt against the terrible sludge emanating from xkcd.com". Are you serious? You think that because you have a handful of people that agree with you that you're suddenly leading some sort of revolution against the comic? Got much of a superiority complex?
By the way, the reason for the increase in google hits for your blog is that it recently was discovered by someone from the xkcd irc server, and people have been coming to read it and laugh at you. For the last week or so I've been visiting this site regularly, because I think this illusion you've got yourself wrapped up in his hillarious.
Really, this stuff is funny, keep posting it.
I actually thought this one was fairly obvious, but whatever.ReplyDelete
The reason the arrow is there is to show what he's referring to in the caption. Without it, presumably even more people would've missed the point.
If you really think that xkcd is a computer science comic then you are just not paying attention. Out of 500 comics, probably about 25 or 30 relate to computer science. By that standard, this is practically a blog about the Perry Bible Fellowship because I wrote about it every once in a while.ReplyDelete
Anyway, the bigger problem wasn't that no one understands this comic, it's that no one likes it. If you think this is hilarious, it's because you just like the idea that somewhere out there on the internet there is someone who knows the same movies as you, and this makes you feel special.
As to my revolt, I should mention that i am DEAD SERIOUS about this and that nothing short of an ARMED INTERNET REVOLUTION will satisfy me. NOTHING!
Anyway, according to google analytics, most of the people typing in "xkcd sucks" are old readers who are coming back after a while not reading, not totally new people. So your IRC theory, alas, does not hold up.
Thanks for writing!
Really? Funny. I was just talking to people about it when I saw you commented back. It appears some of your "Old users" are laughing at you behind your back. Wake up dude.ReplyDelete
I totally agree with Kieran. While I agree that xkcd is sometimes not as funny as it used to be, I being a long time reader of xkcd feel that this one fits in perfectly with the "spirit" of the comic and is one of the best ones he's made recently. If you don't understand the joke try looking it up and learn something new. I have found many people who read xkcd actually enjoy learning things when they don't understand the joke instead of just complaining about it.ReplyDelete
You say that it's a terrible comic because of many things, such as there's too many quirky relationships or the jokes are too hard to get. Read the disclaimer, some of these jokes contain unusual humor and advance mathematics. You must be a liberal-arts major. Plus it is a comic of "Romance, sarcasm, math, and language." You seem to always complain about the relationship ones aren't good. And the computer math ones are too hard to understand. Clearly you are reading the wrong comic then. When I see something that I don't like I don't read it. Reading over your comic is like watching someone run into a wall over and over and complain that it hurts. Utterly hilarious, as Kieran says, but after awhile it just gets sad. You say you see the deterioration of the comics but it seems like you dislike almost all of them and in your section of "offenses" a lot of them are earlier comics. Is there any ones that you do enjoy. You have also previously said that you could make a better comic but your examples of how it could be funnier just aren't at all. You say your job prevents you. But Randal had a job when he started and now he makes a living off of it. Surely you being more funny could do the same. All in all if you don't like it, no one is forcing you to read it. A lot of us happen to like it though so we read it and support someone who's work we enjoy.
Oh, just one more thing. You told us "The number of people who are getting to the website by typing "xkcd sucks" into google is growing rapidly." You also told us "Anyway, according to google analytics, most of the people typing in "xkcd sucks" are old readers who are coming back after a while not reading, not totally new people. So your IRC theory, alas, does not hold up.ReplyDelete
So, which was the lie, then?
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2009 at 8:43 PM
... XKCD is, indeed, a compsci comic. More accurately, it's a comic that caters to a specific demographic- I.E, internet nerds. This comic regularly has random snippets of "funny" code, dick/internet jokes, and constant references to Movies Every Nerd Has Seen Ever, which happens to include Terminator. That pretty much defines the staples of the nerd demographic.ReplyDelete
The fact that XKCD caters to a rather specific demographic is so blindingly obvious, and so many of the complaints of this blog are so blindingly oblivious to that fact, that I'm fairly sure this entire thing is one of the greater undertakings in trolling ever attempted.
I apologize for the few grammatical mistakes I've made. Please don't lower yourself to the level of attacking my grammar, and calling your blog a comic, it's just that funny sometimes. This is a preemptive strike and just to assure you I've all ready made the proper sacrifices to the grammar gods to rectify my mistakes.ReplyDelete
Aww the little troll has his own blog and a couple of people who like to troll around with him. Isn't that cute. Slashdot only gets comments from trolls, xkcd has it's own blog of trolls and flame bait. Just shows how big a thing Randall has become.ReplyDelete
I thought last week's was worse. At least this one wasn't meme vomit. No, I'm effin serious. Last week got xkcd taken off my blogroll. That is SERIOUS BUSINESS.ReplyDelete
OK, I'll deal with Kieran and his IRC buddies later, but just as a little note to A:ReplyDelete
-I don't complain that the jokes are too obscure unless I see a lot of people on the forum - the fans, in other words - saying the same thing. When was the last comic to contain advanced mathematics?
-According to Wikipedia, 3 of the 7 liberal arts of geometry, arithmetic, and logic. You tell me whether xkcd is for liberal arts majors or not.
-I don't know if you even looked at this website before you posted because there's plenty of new comics on this category page and also on this one. And I do have comics I like: right here.
--As to the fact that I have a job that prevent me from making comics, I have no idea what you are talking about and I've never said anything even close to that.
So the next time your buddy Kieran asks you to hop on to a blog he's annoyed at, try to get some background info from him so he doesn't make you look like such an idiot.
"...the average comedy level of the internet will rise ever so slightly."ReplyDelete
I don't think you're really considering what the average degree of funny on the internet is... unless you find porn hilarious, perhaps. And that still leaves YouTube comments.
That aside, put me in the "I got the joke" camp, although I don't think it's great. It might well be the best genetic-algorithms joke ever written, though. But look... you think xkcd is overrated, and yet you become enraged whenever he makes jokes about something esoteric. If Randall sheds readers by making inaccessible jokes, isn't that good for everyone?
Man, usually I like throwing delicious, tender meat at the trolls, but this lot is just not going to be any fun at all. You guys all suck at trolling.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2009 at 10:03 PM
The latest comic makes this one-actually, the previous four-look really, really good.ReplyDelete
Oh Cuddlefish, you are so right. You are...ReplyDelete
holy jesus what is wrong with randall
Yeah, why bother addressing any of the points people make. Oh, and I actually have no clue who A is, thanks.ReplyDelete
Are you really so self-important that you think that if you don't like something, it should shut down and everyone who enjoys it should lose it too? That's ridiculous.
Demetrious: I think you're onto something. Carl's mission statement has been to encourage hatred of xkcd and affect whatever minor change comes about as a result. But so far, all he's done is give former xkcd fans an outlet and excuse for reading more xkcd than ever before! Oh sure, we're doing the Internet equivalent of flipping through someone's diary and giggling at all the doodles, but as long as we get enjoyment out of it, that's justification enough, right?ReplyDelete
I think this blog could use a page titled, "So You Want To Move Past xkcd." It would be a gentle, accessible guide to abstaining from xkcd and politely declining invitations from others to read it once again. It would be part-satirical, part-serious, and would be an outlet for readers to drop the love/hate cycle once and for all.
And if anyone's counting, I'm not a "comp sci" person at all and I got the Skynet joke. Some movies are just notorious!
I thought this comic was pretty clever.ReplyDelete
Basically, it is contrasting the inevitability of Skynet taking over the world in the Terminator movies with the seeming ease in preventing it from happening with one line of code.
And I think the title text adds pretty well to the joke.
I don't do any programming and I haven't seen the Terminator movies, but I still got it.
xkcd comics have over the last year or so drifted away from the type of comic I really like. So I appreciate what you are doing. I hope it can motivate more good comics and less bad comics. But some of the reviews up here have seemed a bit knee-jerk. Like you want something to be wrong with the comic.
I guess if you read enough comics where there is no deeper meaning or sense (as I suspect with the latest comic) you wouldn't give a comic like this the benefit of the doubt. But this one was, I thought, pretty good, and I'm sorry you didn't like it.
Also, I don't think Randall Munroe is under an obligation to produce comics that everyone in his fanbase likes every time. If he has an idea that will be funny to a fraction of his readership and leave another fraction scratching their heads, that doesn't mean it is a bad comic idea.
Lastly, sometimes it is hard to read the forums and not like the comic a little bit less. Don't hold that against the comic.
Anyway, keep up the good work.
Oh my fucking god. The internet is obviously serious business.ReplyDelete
A: "When I see something that I don't like I don't read it. Reading over your comic is like watching someone run into a wall over and over and complain that it hurts."ReplyDelete
So why did you stay long enough to read this and comment?
Kieran: If you think that telling Carl people are "laughing at him behind his back" will insult him or something, I really think you're kind of on the wrong track. As far as I know, he seems pretty good at taking well constructed criticism and even better at not really caring about remarks like yours (poorly constructed/misdirected remarks).
Also Carl will respond to you in due time; he said so himself so stop being so impatient to have someone respond logically to your constant barrage of "HA HA YOU HATE SOMETHING I LIKE SO HA HA I WILL LAUGH AT YOU."
Keith: I was under the impression that trolls were internet dudes that went around leaving hateful, bothersome comments in order to incite anger on a certain forum. I don't think Carl has ever done this (same for all the other regular readers/commenters), but I do think you just did.
YOU GUYS. You're complaining about this comic when there's a new, terribly disturbing one available to freak out over.ReplyDelete
- DoubleBlackbirdJanuary 26, 2009 at 1:16 AM
This comic was OK. That is, it would probably be funny to people who understood it, which I didn't. Two good points: it's white (and blue) on black, instead of black on white, so at least he didn't just scribble something down a few hours before the deadline and call it a comic (he'd have to invert the colours, at least, and the effort is much appreciated); and there's that white arrow, which is a drawing, so this is actually a comic and not just some text.ReplyDelete
That said, the caption seems a bit unnecessary and so does the alt-text, and both of these are recurring issues with XKCD at the moment. Call me presumptuous but I think the comics would get better if he stopped captioning things that don't need captioning. And, you know, made the alt-text funny.
A: I assure you, from personal experience, that not being a liberal-arts major does not make XKCD's 'unusual humour' any more humourous. Or unusual, actually, since most of it is based on internet memes. 99% of the humour on the Internet is memes, and the other 1% is badly-directed porn.
demetrious: But that is called 'fanservice', and it is a bad thing. That is another problem with recent XKCD! It just seems like Randall is making comics based purely on what cult movie reference will get him the most praise, and the largest number of discussion pages on the forum. "Wow Randall we are like kindred spirits, I watched Jurassic Park as well! This comic therefore was hilarious despite [not having a joke/having an unnecessary caption/being the same as last week's comic]."
What I am saying sounds awfully pompous, but that is just how it seems.
- AnonymousJanuary 26, 2009 at 1:52 AM
"Wow, really? I thought this one was hilarious. If you don't like compsci jokes, dont read a god-damned compsci comic."
I think it's probably that he likes GOOD compsci jokes, which haven't been seen on xkcd in some time.
I really don't see how someone can describe this comic as "hilarious". It's just another tired reference to the Terminator movies, but this time in the skin of an obscure piece of computer science. Is that funny? Really?
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I'm a programmer, and I didn't find this comic funny at all. Yeah, I had to look up skynet, but it's pretty clear what he means from the code. It's just not funny. Sanjay thinks it's clever that he "prevented it from happening with one line of code", but it's not one line of code. We never actually see how that variable is used. Also, is it even possible to deduce if a system is self-aware by the means of that system? I think Godel and Turing could say something about that. So, in short, this is not clever at all.ReplyDelete
Oh, and I for one thought that the next comic (535) was hilarious.ReplyDelete
hahaha his program might become skynet! hahahaha! i never heard that one before, ever! certainly not EVERY SINGLE TIME I worked on projects involving grid computing or clusters!ReplyDelete
I like compsci jokes as much as the next nerd, but not when it's a poor variation of the same tired, played out joke uttered by every coder in existence.
- AnonymousJanuary 26, 2009 at 8:49 AM
...you're calling terminator obscure?ReplyDelete
What rock do you live under?
- AnonymousJanuary 26, 2009 at 9:37 AM
Huh. I'm disappointed in myself. I thought I was a nerd, I really did, but I didn't get a single part of this comic's joke.ReplyDelete
I'm a programmer and also distantly acquainted with Skynet, so I got the joke. It was a smile at best, and definitely not a laugh.ReplyDelete
Mildly amusing conjecture: if Skynet was created by "evolving" algorithms, then this wouldn't have any effect since the algorithm would have to be self-modifying to begin with, allowing it to overwrite those nines.
But seriously, where's the commentary on the next one? So disturbing.
It failed for me as a comp sci joke mostly because it opted for doing straight nines instead of, say, the maximum integer value, to mash your 9 key like that is just sloppy coding. And... when did the terminator movies come out? Like in the 80's? And how many "must stop teh skynetz!" jokes have there been since then? I don't have an exact number... but it's far far to many.ReplyDelete
I'm going to reveal a secret. Carl, I don't always agree with you. I read your blog often (as often as I read XKCD actually), but I don't always agree. Here's another shocking fact: I don't always agree with Roger Ebert. Crazy, I know. I don't always agree with critics. But sometimes I do. I really enjoy reading/watching/hearing something and then hearing other peoples opinions on it, whether I agree with them or not. I don't think XKCD is going anywhere, and I hope that your blog won't either (I have no doubts it won't be leaving soon anyway). So, keep it up! lolReplyDelete
At any rate, I am (what I consider to be) a well educated software developer. I "got" this comic. I understood it, I have seen Terminator, I know what SkyNet is. I didn't find it to be funny. I am not saying I find all of his compsci type comics to be unfunny (I actually find this one to be very funny, to me), but this one wasn't. It wasn't even silly or thought provoking for me. It was one I can skip over for the rest of my life.
Oh, and the one for today (#535) isn't funny at all either. But I'll wait for your critique to comment on it.
- SubcultureJanuary 26, 2009 at 12:25 PM
Obvious troll is obvious.
I'm gonna jump on the bandwagon and point out that I'm a computer scientist who is reasonably familiar with artificial intelligence, and it wasn't funny. The joke had to be telegraphed for non-technical people, that's true, but it would have been only slightly funnier without the text and arrow. This comic reminds me of something, and it is this:ReplyDelete
When I learned to program in junior high, I did it with the for Dummies line of books, which were good for a 12-year-old programmer. Each section began with a comic that, I assume, was drawn by some computer scientist who had a set of pens and could reasonably approximate a newspaper-comic drawing style - unfortunately, they also included the newspaper-comic sense of humour, so their punchlines came across as a weak 'hahaha java is a programming language with a name that means coffee.' These comics' only purpose was that the student could look back after they finished the chapter and say, "Oh, hey, I get that now. Har har har, I guess."
This is one of those comics, except slightly more patronising. I fully expect this to show up in the text of at least one artificial intelligence textbook within a few years - intended for the brief amusement of the student, with no greater aspirations. (For the trolls - that's not a compliment in the slightest.)
It does give me some measure of comfort that I'm not the only computer scientist who rejects the premise that xkcd is the pinnacle of computer science humour. I can sleep a bit more soundly at present.
I'm glad so many of you compsci people are coming out and saying "I got it; it wasn't funny." It makes the self-important trolls seem even dumber than they already did, and I appreciate that. So, kudos, sirs!ReplyDelete
Ok Kieran, just for you, and only cause I like your name:ReplyDelete
What google analytics seems to be telling me - with the number of people getting to the website by searching for "xkcd sucks" and with how many of those people are new vs. returning visitors - is that a lot of people who had been to the site before were coming back. More of them now than before. I think this means that more people are seeing xkcd, the new ones, and saying "huh...that did kind of suck. I wonder what xkcdsucks has to say about this." Now of course, it's possible that they are thinking "wow, golly gee that was hilarious! HA, I'd like to see how that shit head Carl Wheeler reacts..." and then they go to the site but they are spending more than a few minutes on here so I doubt that second one is the case.
So lies: averted!
Didn't realize I had a moral duty to respond to every crazy person who comments on my blog, or at least not immediately. Apparently you think I do. Well whatever, we're different people.
Anyway, I don't think that if I dislike something it should be shut down. That's why this blog is about the community of those people who love to hate xkcd. It's about popular expression - I want a significant percentage of his audience to leave him so that he stops. Or so that he works harder.
I should warn you at this point that Amanda is right and nothing inspires me to work harder than knowing that I am pissing people off. So you might want to be careful.
Carl go read today's DC I think it would be pretty fitting to rename T-Rex Randall on this 26th day of January.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 26, 2009 at 5:25 PM
I don't expect a reply, but how come I've tried many of your linked Dinosaur Comics strips and not even chuckled at a single one? And yet some of Randall's comics I find laugh-out-loud funny? He's got to, occasionally, be doing something, right, huh?ReplyDelete
And I'm only Anon. because I don't own a Blogger user and won't sign up because i never need to post more than the odd one.
~ David
You don't need to sign up, Cuddlefish (Or I guess I should probably call you David). Just click the button at the bottom that says Name/URL.ReplyDelete
I'm going to make myself unpopular on here by agreeing, I do not get Dinosaur Comics. I think it's cute and occasionally interesting, but not funny. So many people who I usually agree with seem to like it, though, that I'd be willing to convinced I was wrong.
If you want, you can link to some of the recent comics you liked, and I'm sure the many opinionated people here will be happy to discuss them with you. No one here hates every comic Randall makes... just most of them.
As for the current comic, I work in the compsci field and this comic was shit. The shittiest one I can remember, in fact, and my new least favorite xkcd.
The thing that I never understand is:ReplyDelete
does bloggers owe you something?
I mean it is not as if you pay something to read his comics...
it is the same thing in http://photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com/
... at each post a lot of people says: Hey comon.... it's not a disaster... this blog suck... damn you are bad you should do somethign better...
But why? It is what I don't undestand...
What is the problem if they do something bad? just stop reading it no?
It's not an aggression or whatever... I swear... It is jsut a question.
I mean, ok, on the blog, into the comments, for the sake of trolling... yep (i like flooding, spamming and trolling too). But even doing a blog of it? wtf?
I would be glad if soemone could answer me on this aspect of the that I don't really understand.
I found Carl's site by searching for 'XKCD sucks'.ReplyDelete
I loved XKCD and, while the comics have gotten steadily worse, what really turned me off was the XKCD forum. I've tried to put my finger on exactly what I found so revolting about the comments/people there, but can't. The comments are a mixture of unfounded and exaggerated intellectual snobbery combined with loneliness and a desperate need to be part of something. I was never able to concisely describe why I found it so nauseating. Regardless, I felt the need to find others who were similarly repulsed by it for, if no other reason, simple affirmation that I wasn't like those people.
stadja, this aspect you don't really understand was communicated in a way that I don't really understand. The content of your post could be directed at either xkcd or xkcdsucks. You start with "Does bloggers owe you something?" then move to "But even doing a blog of it? wtf?"ReplyDelete
So I'll just speak for myself and say neither xkcdsucks nor xkcd owe me anything, but if they want my continued readership, they'll have to entertain me. Thus far, I've been able to enjoy each site for what it is and in consideration of the other. If someone were to start a DinosaurComicsSuck.com, and it was amusing, I would read and most likely enjoy it, despite loving the hell out of Dinosaur Comics.
So, to help answer your question, "Why?" I enjoy it.
Aha! Looking at the next comic I see that Randall, having tried to get the Furry readership, is now attempting to draw in TG fetish readers!ReplyDelete
And some pro-xkcd wanker stole my name >:(
I thought this one was ok, if not the best ever.ReplyDelete
But I wanted to point out: it's pretty clear what the joke is, even if you're not a computer programmer (as long as you've seen Terminator, and know what Skynet is). I know Randall sometimes does over-technical jokes to show how clever he is- but you can hardly claim this is one of them. Let's move along to the utterly crap next comic...
No, no, this one was actually quite funny. You just have to be, you know, IN XKCD'S CORE AUDIENCE OF MATH/COMPSCI NERDS to get it.ReplyDelete
Why are internet people so stupid?ReplyDelete
I FIGURED OUT THE JOKE. maybe not on my own, but now I get it.
It's about stopping your computer program from turning into the evil monster computer from Terminator. I understand that when you make the cost high in a genetic algorithm, that means you are making the program not inclined to do that thing.
That doesn't make it funny.
First, Skynet didn't "become Skynet" in The Terminator. It was born Skynet. You might as well weight your algorithm with a "thisAlgorithmBecomingMyGeneticProgrammingWankingDotPy" variable. Once again, xkcd butchers the reference.
Second, even as a programming reference, it makes no sense. There's no one line that any algorithm can add to keep from becoming "evil".


text:
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If you cannot attend a workshop in person, you can watch our 14-minute Get Prepped workshop video here.
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text:
The NVIDIA GameWorks™ Graphics samples are a comprehensive set of OpenGL, OpenGL ES and Vulkan samples that programmers of all levels can use to better understand modern 3D graphics techniques and enhance games, simulations and other 3D projects.
The samples are built on a common framework providing developers with samples that run on Windows, Android and Linux. The framework provides base functionality but does NOT abstract the core graphics APIs so developers can see the exact details of the implementation. NVIDIA also provides a set of DirectX samples for developers targeting that API which are available here.
GitHub Full source code to all OpenGL, OpenGL ES and Vulkan samples are available to browse, clone or fork on GitHub:
Docs Browse and read full documentation for the samples here:
This sample demonstrates how to render enormous amounts of geometry by generating not only animation data but even command buffers in multiple threads using Vulkan.
This sample demonstrates how to render skinned meshes in Vulkan using both one or two bones in a vertex shader. Skinning allows organic shapes (such as humans) to deform nicely around joints as they bend. Without skinning, joints have a rigid appearance that is more similar to a mechanical joint like you would see in a robot.
This sample demonstrates how to render rigid models using Vulkan, including transforms and materials.
This sample demonstrates how to use threading to render huge numbers of objects and geometry efficiently in OpenGL using different approaches including Approaching Zero Driver Overhead (AZDO) techniques.
This sample demonstrates the large performance increase in OpenGL that is made possible by 'Bindless Graphics'. These extensions allow applications to draw large numbers of objects with only a few setup calls, rather than a few calls per object, thus reducing the driver overhead necessary to render highly populated scenery.
This sample implements a two-pass additive blending anti-aliasing technique using Target-Independent Rasterization (TIR), which should give comparable results to MSAA with a reduced memory footprint.
This sample demonstrates creating a glow effect by post-processing the main scene. It heavily leverages FBO render targets across multiple steps/passes with custom effects processing shaders. It also integrates shadow mapping to demonstrate self-illumination cutting through the shadow effects.
This sample implements the cascaded shadow mapping technique using Viewport Multicast and Fast Geometry Shader.
This sample demonstrates the use of the NV_command_list extension. In this sample the NV_command_list is used to render a basic scene. Texturing is performed via ARB_bindless_texture.
This basic sample demonstrates how to interoperate between OpenGL [ES] and a simple OpenGL Compute Shader-based compute kernel.
The Compute Particles sample shows how OpenGL Compute Shaders can be used along with OpenGL rendering to create complex animations and effects entirely on the GPU.
This sample demonstrates dynamic, interactive water surface animation using compute shaders.
This sample demonstrates the pixel-level effect of enabling the conservative rasterization feature supported in OpenGL. It allows applications to shade every pixel whose area is touched by a fragment, rather than only those touching specific samples.
This sample demonstrates how to render anti-aliased geometry when using a deferred shading pipeline.
The Feedback Particles sample shows how normal vertex shaders can be used to animate particles and write the results back into vertex buffer objects via Transform Feedback, for use in subsequent frames. This is another way of implementing GPU-only particle animations. The sample also uses Geometry Shaders to generate custom particles from single points and also to kill the dead ones.
This sample presents a high performance and high quality screen-space software approximation to anti-aliasing called FXAA.
This sample demonstrates High Dynamic Rendering with Auto-Exposure and Tonemapping.
This sample demonstrates how instancing can be used to efficiently tessellate objects in real-time.
This sample demonstrates how instancing techniques can be used to speed up drawing operations for scenes that consist of many copies of the same object rendered with slight differences.
This sample demonstrates how to use compute shaders to generate and render particle-based implicit surfaces.
This sample shows a method of simulating motion blur of fast-moving objects using multi-pass rendering. In the first pass, the fast-moving geometry is rendered unblurred into a framebuffer object. In the second pass, a special vertex shader stretches the geometry between the previous and current vertex position based on the normal at the vertex and apparent shutter duration (stretch length), and the fragment shader applies supersampling to the first pass results to generate a blurred visual.
This sample shows a filtering method for simulating motion blur of fast-moving objects. The method used is a 2D full-screen post-process that works on a normal framebuffer augmented with a screen-space velocity buffer; thus, filtering performance is not dependent on scene geometric complexity. The algorithm is based on the paper 'A Reconstruction Filter for Plausible Motion Blur', by McGuire et. al. (SIGGRAPH I3D'12).
This sample demonstrates how to use extensions to OpenGL to offload the CPU in generating rendering work when you have a large number of objects in a scene. The extensions and core features used are a subset of the features commonly known as 'AZDO' (For Approaching Zero Driver Overhead).
The Normal Blended Decal Sample demonstrates how to use the OpenGL PSI(Pixel Shader Interlock) feature to blend normals when drawing screen-space decals. This sample compares the performance of PSI with glMemoryBarrier.
The Optimization Sample demonstrates several generic performance-improving rendering techniques. These include down-sampled rendering and depth pre-passes. The sample also demonstrates the use of app-level GPU and CPU timers, which allow apps to create focused timings of actual GPU work. This is extremely important, since it is otherwise difficult to actually determine parallel CPU and GPU timings.
The Particle Upsampling sample uses a combination of rendering techniques to simulate a cloud of particles casting shadows on a model and a floor object. The particles are rendered into a lower-resolution offscreen surface, and then up-sampled to the screen to lower the cost of the high depth complexity.
NVIDIA has created several samples that use NVIDIA's Path Rendering extensions to demonstrate rendering stroked and filled 2D line-art, such as you would implement with Skia, SVG, or HTML Canvas, fully leveraging the power and speed of OpenGL hardware.
See the "NVPR" code samples on github and in the full documentation.
This sample demonstrates how to render skinned meshes using both one or two bones in a vertex shader. Skinning allows organic shapes (such as humans) to deform nicely around joints as they bend. Without skinning, joints have a rigid appearance that is more similar to a mechanical joint like you would see in a robot.
This sample demonstrates various cubemap rendering techniques, including ones that use the Multi-Projection Acceleration feature introduced in Maxwell GM20x.
This sample shows two methods of simulating soft shadows with complex casters and receivers. The Percentage-Closer Soft Shadows method includes a convincing impression of the shadow edge (penumbra) sharpening as the shadow caster approaches contact with the shadow receiver.
This sample shows how OpenGL hardware tessellation support can be used to implement a highly-efficient terrain engine that supports high geometric detail.
This sample demonstrates how to use a Texture Array to render a terrain with visually-complex texturing at high performance. The texture array is similar to a 3D texture, allowing for multiple 'slices' or sub-textures bound to a single texture ID, but arrays are much higher performance due to disallowing trivial filtering across the slices. We get great terrain rendering performance by eliminating the need to perform multiple, blended passes over the geometry, and improved quality by avoiding boundary issues that would occur with 2D atlas texturing.
Weighted Blended OIT Sample demonstrates how plausible OIT (Order Independent Transparency) can be rendered in a single geometry pass without any depth sorting, as described in [McGuire and Bavoil 2013]. The idea is to use additive blending to compute a weighted average of the translucent colors with a weighting function that falls off as the linear depth increases. This sample compares the quality and performance of Weighted Blended OIT with Depth Peeling.


text:
If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know that I love blog giveaways. I love entering them and hosting them. In the evening while DH channel surfs, I read blogs. I've been blessed to win a number of giveaways (thank you, friends) Just this week, I received an email from April at KoolBeenz . April does lots of neat things on her blog especially a weekly giveaway.
I was fortunate to win a gift certificate from SkyeReve fabrics. Natasha has lots of cute fabric; but once I saw that she had Ruby by Bonnie & Camille for Moda, my decision was made.
But wait! I've been wanting to do another giveaway and what better thing to giveaway than something I'd love to have myself. Natasha has agree to this change in the giveaway. She has set not 1, but 2 of the Ruby charm packs aside for us. The giveaway will end on Monday, Dec. 12th at 5:00 EST. To enter the giveaway for the 2 Charm Packs of RUBY fabric, leave a comment telling me the name of a movie that you enjoyed. Next Wednesday, I'm having hip replacement surgery. I plan to watch lots of movies during my recovery period and need some suggestions. Thanks for entering "OUR" giveaway! Thanks especially to April and Natasha for their generosity in their giveaway!


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We are seeking attorneys to assist us in filing a multi-billion dollar lawsuit on behalf of the Republic of Lakotah and the People of the Crow Creek Indian Reservation based upon Article VI of the Constitution for the United States. Attorneys interested in pursuing this claim should contact email@example.com
CBS Blows the Whistle on Lakotah Electricity Scandal
March 3, 2009 by admin
CLICK TO LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST njas-mar-03-09
Date: 03/02/2009 Length: 00:01:29
The Sioux who live on the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota are struggling. Will the Obama administration step up to help America's oldest people?Harley Carnes has more.
Families Freezing in Nation's Poorest County:
(Fort Thompson, SD) Electric company caught "pulling meters" (CLICK TO VIEW THE VIDEO) in the poorest community in the nation, leaving America's most vulnerable people without power in the dead of winter. Predatory electric companies continue to conduct these atrocious practices amid growing public outcry and damning national media scrutiny. Headlines in newspapers across the country highlight unnecessary tragedies as arctic winter months reveal the electric company's controversial conduct of shutting off the community's power, despite the rest of South Dakota having Seasonal Termination Protection Regulations.[1]
From Central Power's Website:
"Central Power Electric Cooperative, Inc. exists to assist its member systems in becoming the electric suppliers of choice.
To accomplish our mission, we will:
* Serve as a leading and unifying force among our membership.
* Provide a reliable, economical and efficient electric supply.
* Perform those functions that can most efficiently be provided as a united effort.
In accomplishing its mission, Central Power will adhere to the ideals of consumer ownership and cooperative principles, where the member-consumer is placed first in determining policies, procedures and practices.
"Putting Value on the Line"
Contact CPEC: Address: 525 20th Ave SW, Minot, ND 58701
Phone: (701) 852-4407 Fax: (701) 852-4402 - Operations & Eng. (701) 852-4401 - Business Dept.
McLean, Garrison
President Alvin Myers, Manager Reginal [sic] Rudolph"
Putting LIVES on the Line:
This winter, the Crow Creek Indian Reservation is experiencing record-low temperatures reaching fifty below zero. Hundreds of families living in government housing have had their electric meters removed by Central Electric Cooperative, the local electric cooperative. When these power meters are pulled the residents are left without power; the propane heaters do not run; pipes freeze; and there is no water for cooking, drinking, bathing or flushing toilets. Many of these households have family members whose lives depend upon electronic medical equipment such as defibrillators.
Ironically these families are paying some of the highest electricity rates in the country even though they live adjacent to the Big Bend Hydro-Electric Dam on the Missouri river. These homes are poorly insulated causing electric bills in excess of $300.00 in the coldest months.
Median income in the region is approximately $5,000 a year (typical of the thirteen Lakotah (Sioux) Reservations in the "Great Sioux Nation" as defined in the Treaties of 1851 and 1868 with the US Government).
"I've been to disaster areas around the world including Sri Lanka after the tsunami, hurricane Katrina, and after the Iowa floods, but, I have never witnessed such blatant disregard for human life as I have here in my own country on the Crow Creek reservation," stated Eric Klein, Founder and CEO of Compassion into Action Network – Direct Outcome Organization (CAN-DO). "Especially now, with the new administration focusing on the development of America's infrastructure, we need to focus our energies and resources immediately to address this critical situation where such infrastructure is being blatantly misutilized."
Appalled by the abuse and neglect, one US Marine and Crow Creek resident took action to publicize the exploitation. Using a hand-held video recorder, he documented local power companies physically cutting electricity lines and removing meters in the peak of winter.
Watch the footage at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wIVgpMK5-Jo&feature=channel
Utilizing their proven approach to providing lasting solutions with full accountability, efficiency and results, CAN-DO is addressing the operation at the Crow Creek Indian Reservation on the local level to raise the nation's awareness of the urgent human right abuses taking place in the South Dakota region.
"We are calling for a collaborative effort by ethical individuals, organizations, schools and political leaders to assure that this damage is reversed," said Klein. "Together, we can contribute to real change here at home."
View the complete Crow Creek plan at www.can-do.org. Join in the 'Call to Action.'
49-34A-2. Service required of utilities. Every public utility shall furnish adequate, efficient, and reasonable service.
49-34A-6. Rates to be reasonable and just – Regulation by commission. Every rate made, demanded or received by any public utility shall be just and reasonable. Every unjust or unreasonable rate shall be prohibited. The Public Utilities Commission is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to regulate all rates, fees and charges for the public utility service of all public utilities, including penalty for late payments, to the end that the public shall pay only just and reasonable rates for service rendered.
Source: SL 1975, ch 283, § 16.
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe:
"Every night, the sun slips quietly away behind the bluffs of the Missouri River. These bluffs flank the western edge of the Crow Creek Reservation in central South Dakota. Located one mile south of tribal headquarters at Fort Thompson is Lake Sharpe, one of South Dakota's Great Lakes. Water recreation abounds on the 80-mile reservoir created by the Big Bend Dam. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and swimming as well as picnicking and camping along the water's edge. The tribe's wildlife department offers guided fishing and hunting trips. It also maintains a buffalo herd that often grazes north of Fort Thompson. " http://www.travelsd.com/ourhistory/sioux/tribes/crowcreek.asp
… thousands of hectares of Indian land have been lost to dams. In North Dakota, a quarter of the Fort Berthold Reservation, shared by the Arikara, Mandan and Hidatsa peoples of the upper Missouri, for example, was flooded as a result of a staircase of dams (the Missouri River Development Project (MRDP), built during the 1950s and 1960s. The land lost included the best and most valuable and productive land on the reservation – the bottom lands along the river where most people lived.105 Five different Sioux reservations also lost land. Again, the impact was quite severe: the dams destroyed nearly 90 per cent of the tribes' timberland, 75 per cent of the wild game, and the best agricultural lands.106
Ultimately, the Missouri dams cost the indigenous nations of the Missouri Valley an estimated 142,000 hectares of their best land – including a number of burial and other sacred sites – as well as further impoverishment and severe cultural and emotional trauma. A guarantee, used to rationalise the plan in the first place, that some 87,000 hectares of Indian land would be irrigated was simply scrapped as the project neared completion. As researcher Bernard Shanks puts it: "MRDP replaced the subsistence economy of the Missouri River Indians . . . with a welfare economy . . . As a result of the project, the Indians bore a disproportionate share of the social
cost of water development, while having no share in the benefits.".107
104 Pittja 1994:54.
105 Guerrero 1992.
106 United States v David Sohappy, Snr et al., 477 US 906 (1986), cert. denied. Cited in Guerrero 1992.
107 Guerrero 1992.
About CAN-DO:
Founded by Eric Klein, CAN-DO has set a new standard for humanitarianism and is changing the face of philanthropy. It quickly has become an organization people can trust and depend upon to "get it done" fast and effectively. It is a 501c3, relief organization dedicated to working on the local level to provide lasting solutions, with full accountability, efficiency, and results.
Video footage, photographs and the web site offer documentation of the organization's efforts at every phase. CAN-DO supporters take pride in watching their generosity directly affect the lives of those in need through the organization's VirtualVolunteer.TV.
CAN-DO's successful missions to bring immediate and direct relief to areas in need have captured the attention of renowned philanthropists including Oprah Winfrey and former president Bill Clinton. The organization was recently awarded the Global Compassion Award at the United Nations for its global impact, unparalleled transparency and accountability. For further information, please visit www.can-do.org or email Eric Klein at firstname.lastname@example.com .
About the Republic of Lakotah:
We are the freedom loving Lakotah from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have suffered from cultural and physical genocide in the colonial apartheid system we have been forced to live under.
We are continuing the work that we were asked to do by the traditional chiefs and treaty councils at the first Indian Treaty Council meeting at Standing Rock Sioux Indian Country in 1974.
During the week of December 17-19, 2007, we traveled to Washington DC and withdrew from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law.
We do not represent those BIA or IRA governments beholden to the colonial apartheid system, or those "hang around the fort" Indians who are unwilling to claim their freedom.
For further information, please visit www.republicoflakotah.com or call 605-867-1111.


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Surprised Miles: Sold Out Sign Just a First Step
Randy York's N-Sider Blog
The Official Blog for the Huskers
Lane Grindle had the tweet of the day Friday when he heard a sold out sign is needed six months before Nebraska plays its first basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Area. One of the voices on Husker football and baseball, Grindle makes a compelling point.
Football has been sold out for an NCAA record 50 consecutive years, but will have 6,000-plus new seats this fall with the East Stadium Expansion Project increases Memorial Stadium capacity to 92,000-plus.
Volleyball has been sold out for 12 consecutive years – the longest sellout streak in the history of NCAA women's sports. The Huskers will increase their venue capacity by 3,000-plus this fall when they move into a renovated Devaney Center.
The real shocker in this triple crown sellout achievement is men's basketball joining those two legendary Nebraska programs. The Huskers have sold out their new 15,000-plus seat home in the downtown West Haymarket Area.
"I truly am surprised that we sold out the arena this quickly," Nebraska Coach Tim Miles told me early Friday evening. "I think we're blessed with tremendous fans. I think they want to see a winner, and I think they're excited about their new surroundings."
Miles Asks Fans to Show Up, Stand Up and Shout
As excited as he was, Miles reminds everyone he wants more than just a sold out sign to keep Husker fans motivated. "I want everybody to show up. I want everybody to stand up, and I want everybody to shout at the top of their lungs when they get inside the arena.
"This is just the first step in a whole bunch of steps that we need to be a championship-level type team. That's the goal," Miles emphasized. "Selling out is very important in my book, but it's just part of getting the wheels to turn up on that hill that we will all start climbing together."
Selling out a season for the first time in Nebraska basketball history "is a great thing for our program," Miles said. "It says a lot about our fans. It says a lot about the excitement of Pinnacle Bank Arena. It's a positive sign for everyone associated with our basketball program. I give a lot of credit to our administration for making tickets affordable, so people can get inside that building and become an important part of the experience."
Fans Make Their Statement with a Sold Out Sign
Marc Boehm, Nebraska's executive associate athletic director in charge of basketball, said NU's administrative team set an aggressive goal of selling 11,000 season tickets for the Huskers' first year in the arena. "This is a great statement for our fans," Boehm said. "But it's also a testament to our people who have worked hard behind the scenes to make all this happen."
Nebraska's Marketing, Ticket Office, Husker Athletic Fund and Media Relations teams worked closely together to pull off a preseason upset. "I have to say our social media played a big part in this success, too," Boehm said. "Tim's one of the best and most creative coaches in the country. He knows how to communicate just like he knows how to coach. It's going to be a lot of fun filling that place up. It's a new era, and there's a lot of excitement that comes with it."
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Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Dale Junior's Press Conference In-Progress Comments
Wednesday at 1:30PM Eastern Daylight Time, both SPEED and the ESPN News Network will carry live the Dale Earnhardt Junior press conference from Dallas, TX.
Junior is expected to announce his new sponsorship package for 2008, as well as which number his car will carry when he moves to Hendrick Racing next season.
While SPEED has been covering NASCAR-related events live for several years, this is ESPN's first season of dealing with such issues.
The ESPN News Network will devote its time to live coverage of the entire series of announcements, and will stop their normal thirty minute "wheel" of sports news.
Over at SPEED, Steve Byrnes will host that network's coverage from the SPEED Studios in Charlotte, NC.
Please feel free to post your TV-related comments about this live coverage on this page, bearing in mind that comments not addressing the TV issues will be deleted.
It should be interesting for many people not into the NASCAR scene that a press conference about a sponsor and a number will be carried live on two national cable TV networks. There is no word on how long the press conference itself should take.
To leave a comment, simply click on the COMMENTS button below, there is no membership and you do not have to leave your email address. The rules for comments are on the right side of the main page. Thanks again for stopping-by The Daly Planet.
29 comments:
- Anonymous said...
I see that Jayski, who claims no ESPN bias, despite the fact that the network owns his site, says in his top story that ESPN and ESPN360 will carry the press conference.
He fails to mention that SPEED wll carry it as well.
Nope, no ESPN-ownership influence there.
- September 19, 2007 at 10:02 AM
- William said...
Unfortunately I see this as the beginning of a slowdown in NASCAR. I do hope Junior is happy with this move but this represents the loss of one of the major popularity surges in sports history.
NASCAR had lightning in a bottle with Dale JR driving for his fathers team, after his fathers death on the track, and in the red Budweiser car.
Dale Jr has been the most popular driver in NASCAR for six years now. Not by a little but by nearly double the fans of next in line. Ask anyone that has watched the backstretch at 'Dega empty after JR has crashed out of the race.
I believe that Jr's slump over the last couple of years has directly led to the TV ratings drop we are seeing as well as the resurrection of empty seats at races. I sincerely hope that NASCAR stays healthy over the next few years with increased costs of putting a car in the filed and the increasing difficulty of finding sponsorship. I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Dale Jr has killed the golden goose by leaving DEI and switching sponsors.
- September 19, 2007 at 11:50 AM
- Anonymous said...
Dale Jr has killed the golden goose by leaving DEI and switching sponsors.
Ratings will only drop if you believe people who watched Junior did so because of the team he drove for, not who he is.
I don't agree with that. Anyone who is a legit Junior fan is happy to see him get a quality ride and management that cares enough to show up at the track.
They'll watch.
- September 19, 2007 at 12:24 PM
- Anonymous said...
William, I disagree.
My NASCAR viewership hasn't declined because Junior isn't winning. My NASCAR viewership has declined because Junior isn't winning, AND ESPN STILL ACTS LIKE HE'S THE ONLY EFFING GUY ON THE TRACK.
If ESPN would stop sucking up to Junior Nation and spread its coverage around a little more to drivers who actually deserve the attention, I'd watch again. And live coverage of Junior's press conference only reaffirms my deepest fears.
I haven't been paying attention, but did ESPN go live to the Kyle Busch press conference, or the Gibbs/Toyota press conference? I'm suspecting not, but Junior speaks and the world stops.
- September 19, 2007 at 12:24 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
Wow...I do not believe because Jr felt he had to move on and be his own person, after years of behind the scenes struggles, is the blame for the downfall of NASCAR. I like and support Jr and he needs to make the changes to live his life.
He cannot HELP he is so popular with fans but if they give up and stop watching, they were simply casual fans anyway.
Much like apparently Tiger Woods has made the ratings in golf go up. Really? I have watched golf tournaments on tv since I was a child coming from a family of golfers.
But to lay all the blame on Jr is a bit harsh. This guy gets much more attention than he ever wanted? You can see it in recent interviews where the mic is SHOVED in his face as soon as he gets out of the car.
He cannot help it his dad was a legend.
He cannot help his father is dead.
He cannot help it if fans of his dad latched on to him and expect MORE out of the boy.
From what I have read over the last 4 years or so, the reasons for NASCARS slump and fan displeasure is much deeper and complicated than Jr switching teams?
Ticket prices, tracks making more rules,moving races, campground prices skyrocketing, the "Hollywoodization" of the sport from Brian..too many cautions, too many commercials, THE CHASE (OVER Hype)...and now such HORRIBLE ESPN coverage a handful of writers are writing about it on their columns. These are just a few reasons off the top of my head.
Years ago from what I have read, races started around noon and were over by dinner. Now with all the pre race and LONG races (should shorten some of the 500 mile races) Watching NASCAR is an endurance contest.
AND with folks wanting to tape or DVR the race, no easy feat with ESPN channel hopping THREE times during one race.
Sorry, Jr has nothing to do with that. And I personally feel it unfair to blame this young man for the "downfall" of NASCAR.
NASCAR has nobody to blame but themselves. And they can thank ESPN for the continuing disenchantment of ALL the fans.
- September 19, 2007 at 12:30 PM
- Anonymous said...
I'm the one who wrote the disagreement with William.
Junior is partly the problem, but ESPN is the problem. Just like ESPN is the problem with sports as a whole.
I compare Junior to Alex Rodriguez. When A-Rod is winning and hitting home run after home run, ESPN shoves it down our throat. He's the greatest ever, he's gonna break the home run record, he's the Tiger Woods of baseball.
And then, 24 hours later, he makes a throwing error, he strikes out with the bases loaded, he's caught with a stripper, his wife wears a shirt to the stadium with an f-bomb on it. And then all of the sudden, ESPN says he's the most overrated player of all time, "he's not a real Yankee," he hasn't "earned his Pinstripes," he's not worth his ridiculous salary, and so on.
But either way, A-Rod is the story. And so is Junior.
ESPN is nothing but a bunch of sycophants who talk out of both sides of their mouth, just to get a rise out of its audience. It's time to see them for what they are and call them out on it.
I wish that ESPN would just realize that we would still watch their programs, even if they didn't make it all about the "celebrity athletes" and the big-name teams.
- September 19, 2007 at 12:42 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The ESPN News Network has a Program Alert graphic up that promotes the 1:30PM coverage of the press conference.
SPEED is showing the NASCAR Modifieds race at Martinsville, but has no graphics promoting the coverage, and no promos in the show so far.
The cable news networks are all caught-up in the OJ Simpson coverage, and have not mentioned this press announcement.
- September 19, 2007 at 12:48 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
SPEED crawls the promo for the press conference about ten minutes after our post. Makes you wonder who is reading The Daly Planet at work!
- September 19, 2007 at 12:59 PM
- Anonymous said...
ESPN is nothing but a bunch of sycophants who talk out of both sides of their mouth, just to get a rise out of its audience.
This is pretty typical of sports "reporters," especially those on TV. They got into the job becuae they were fans, not journalists.
So it's no surprise that they act like fans first...or that they are afraid to ask the hard questions of their heroes. Standard response: We can't make them angry--we need them later. Yeah, that's journalism.
- September 19, 2007 at 1:12 PM
- Anonymous said...
Lots of other more important sports "news" on ESPN, I guess, since they dumped out early.
Once again, only SPEED covers the story completely.
- September 19, 2007 at 1:43 PM
- Anonymous said...
In ESPN's defense, they probably haven't given us our daily dose of news about the COMPLETELY WORTHLESS 0-3 Notre Dame football team.
Notre Dame, the Junior of college football.
(It's an ESPN coverage analogy, not a cheap shot on Junior)
- September 19, 2007 at 1:53 PM
- Anonymous said...
ESPN: The Worldwide Leader in Stick and Ball Sports
- September 19, 2007 at 2:02 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
OK, I love Jr but they are really dragging...I had to do some cleaning. BUT I JUST NOW clicked to ESPN and was HORRIFIED to see them covering OJ!! WHY GIVE THAT CREEP ANYMORE TV TIME..sheesh.
I was hoping to see the new car paint scheme..I pretty much knew the other stuff.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:06 PM
- William said...
Hmm, I didn't think what I said would be taken that way.
I'm not against any of what is going on. I'm stating what I believe to be the truth. I don't think that Junior should have stayed where he was or that the actions of his stepmother should have been condoned.
Can anyone tell me that the combination of Junior at DEI, driving the red eight, sponsored by Budweiser is as compelling as Junior at Hendrick motorsports, wearing a pressed polo shirt, Driving Dale JARRET'S number, in a Mountain Dew car? Are the fans gonna get jacked up on Mountain Dew now?
I just don't see this combination drawing new fans or keeping some of the casual Younior! fans. Understand?
- September 19, 2007 at 2:12 PM
- Anonymous said...
OK, I love Jr but they are really dragging
This is why most press conferences are not shown live. They are for the press, not people at home--and every time someone runs one live, somebody someplace complains that it's dull...or they ask dumb questions...or whatever.
That's why you only see a soundbite when you watch the news.
You wouldn't want to see sausage being made, either.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:21 PM
- Anonymous said...
Oh, no, look at that hair. Did they make him go to Jeff Gordon's barber--er, stylist? I hope to God that they don't turn Jr. into some clean-cut Hendrick clone. That is my only fear about his changing teams.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:22 PM
- Anonymous said...
wearing a pressed polo shirt,
He wore a untucked button-down today.
I think Junior's image is well-established and will do just fine.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:22 PM
- Anonymous said...
Are the fans gonna get jacked up on Mountain Dew now?
I know plenty of Junior fans who can't stand to drink Bud.
They follow the man, not the sponsor. Or the car number.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:25 PM
- Kevin in Indy said...
I know this is kinda off topic but did anyone see the Kasy Kahne Budweiser annoucement yesterday? I had never seen a man hold a beer bottle that way before. Definitely not familiar with proper technique. Maybe Ray Evernham should have gotten Kasey a sponsorship from Zima or something more fitting like that.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:34 PM
- bevo said...
Well Sirius really dropped the ball on the press conference. Can't schedule breaks even though they've promoted the coverage since it was announced. Then some smug management type comes on and says they have to pay the bills. Jackasses like him are what's wrong with the media.
I'm not a big Jr fan but that kind of stuff is irritating.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:36 PM
- Desmond said...
Sophia, SPEED Channel showed some of the paint schemes briefly. They were from a publicity video shot at Texas Motor Speedway.
The conference itself was typical, the car owner, the driver, and the sponsors were all there.
Interestingly, Kelly Earnhardt Elledge wasn't there, or at least not on the podium. She conducted the negotiations on the new car number, according to Dale Jr.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:37 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
I MISSED seeing Kasey with the beer bottle but he did not look that comfortable just RIDING on the Bud wagon imo.
Also, I like sweet kasey but he HONESTLY looks like he needs to show an I.D. to drink Budweiser?!:)
Oh, the last couple of Jr press conferences I DID watch in entirety...today I was distracted with a new comforter and drapes that were delivered at the same time...I also MISSED IT if they viewed the new car?? I just saw some quick clips of the paint scheme. THAT will take me some getting used to..
Also, I did NOT watch the Kyle Busch interview except for 5 minutes.
Also I did not watch the RGR going to Toyota racing...so Jr is NOT the only one who gets LIVE PRESS CONFERENCE for the Jr haters out there.
I really felt sad when jr said the last lap of Homestead is going to be very emotional on him as to what it represents.....I can already see the ESPN VULTURES circling his car no matter how he finishes that day. They will want to EXPLOIT his emotions to the max.
I realize sports does that in many areas but I still find it sickening and they ALL get to the drivers too quickly or even BEFORE they get out of the cars anymoe....let the guys catch their breath, collect their thoughts or emotions. I don't care who the driver is...Like the death of common sense, I do believe civility has died as well.
ESPN showing OJ instead of Jr press conference?? Nuff said.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:44 PM
- Anonymous said...
Message to anonymous 10:02 - Jayski DID list SPEED's planned coverage. I read about the news conference yesterday on his site. If ESPN was totally in control at Jayski, I do not think there would be a link to Daly Planet every day.
RE: the press conference. Speed hung in there for around 50 minutes, ESPN left after 10 or 15 minutes. In ESPN's defense, they reported the germane facts about the number and sponsors. SPEED gave fans more background by covering the Q&A session. I think that both networks fulfilled their respective missions.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:47 PM
- Anonymous said...
ESPN showing OJ instead of Jr press conference?? Nuff said.
As much as I love NASCAR, the OJ story is much bigger than Junior's number/sponsor change. And people who would say, "Junior Who?" know who OJ is.
- September 19, 2007 at 2:48 PM
- Anonymous said...
Yeah. Both networks pretty much fulfilled their obligations to NASCAR which is about all we can expect.
Man, what ugly cars. It's a shame a driver as popular as Junior is now being sponsored by a product that probably won't even be around in five years.
Of course, the new Bud car is pretty ugly too with that stupid looking Evernham 9.
Oh well, I guess the world will keep turning. 88 will still be Jarrett's number to me.
- September 19, 2007 at 3:21 PM
- William said...
It's an ugly car too,
Has anyone noticed that? It'll be HARD to pick out of a group on the track! I'm personally liking Harvick's new yellow car there is only one car I can mix it up with. This car is different colors from the front, back and side. Not very fan friendly. Fortunately it will be smack in the middle of the TV screen nearly all the time.
- September 19, 2007 at 3:22 PM
- Anonymous said...
"the OJ story is much bigger than Junior's number/sponsor change."
Personally, I think that neither story is newsworthy.
The OJ story is only newsworthy because it reaffirms a lot of people's opinions of him (he did it). Frankly, I've moved on, I think he's pathetic, and I would be happier if I never heard from him again. The rest of you need to get over it and ignore him.
As for Junior, it is no more newsworthy than other NASCAR-related events (Kahne and Bud, Gibbs and Busch, Gibbs and Toyota), and those were not covered live, or even halfway considered for live coverage.
If Peyton Manning was forced to change his uniform number, would it be that newsworthy? I have a Peyton Manning "18" jersey and lots of Manning memorabilia, and I don't care. And I wouldn't be happy if ESPN interrupted regular programming to tell me about it.
- September 19, 2007 at 4:06 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
There is now a new column up about the media coverage of this press event today in Dallas.
Thank you for all of your great comments while this live program was in-progress.
- September 19, 2007 at 4:31 PM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- September 20, 2007 at 9:18 AM


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Rally round Cedar Key
Cedar Key is one of the nominees for the Ultimate Fishing Town through World Fishing Network.com (WFN). Now is the time for all you fishermen, guides, restaurants and accommodation owners to share your pictures and videos, so the rest of the world can see why Cedar Key should be the Ultimate Fishing Town. Follow this link: www.worldfishingnetwork.com/uft/town/cedarkey-fl.
Please share this information with your database and encourage them to supply their fishing experiences in Cedar Key by downloading them to the website.
Rally your friends, get the word out on Facebook, tweet til your heart sings and let the world know Cedar Key is the Ultimate Fishing Town. Cedar Key could win a $25,000 donation and be featured on WFN.
Earth Day scavenger hunt
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Fanning and Manatee Springs State parks and Nature Coast State Trail will host a scavenger hunt throughout the park for Earth Day.
Park Ranger Howard Meyer will read a book by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings called "The Secret River" before the hunt begins. The reading will take place on the stage located in the park from 1-1:30 p.m. and from there the hunt will begin. There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place participants and everyone will receive a certificate of participation.
Activities are free with a paid park admission of $6 per carload of up to eight people. For more information, please call the park at 352-493-6072 or visit www.floridastateparks.org.
The event will take place: on Sunday, April 22, from 1 – 4 p.m. at Fanning Springs State Park. 18020 N.W. U.S. Highway 19, Fanning.
April 27
A sweet tradition continues...
For many years, the Cedar Key Woman's Club has offered to bake for restaurants over Festival weekends. This offers a service to our Island hosts over three extremely busy days when thousands of visitors come to Cedar Key and the donations for "Festival Cakes" help our community. The CKWC supports the community with donations to the school, to our punlic library, the food pantry, the seniors' lunches and other Cedar Key charitable projects.
For the past two years the Woman's Club extended this service for private household orders, too – and the community responded.
A large homemade cake or other dessert may be ordered and delivered. You can request a delicious dessert and support our community by calling 352-543-9409 anytime up to Festival weekend.
April 28
AMVETS gets ready for Wild Hog race
AMVETS Post 88 is getting ready for another great running of the 35th Annual Wild Hog Canoe & Kayak Race on April 28. This is our 7th year hosting this wild and exciting canoe and kayak race. Two kayak classes have been added this year: women and seniors.
Please check out the website www.wildhog.wetpaint.com.
The annual race benefits the Levy ARC in Otter Creek.
The community's help is needed to make this happen. If you would like to sponsor the race, regardless if you are a business or individual, we welcome you. We need racers. AMVETS members are out and about in the Levy county area selling sponsorships and raffle tickets and asking businesses to be sponsors. If you would like a sponsor form or a brochure to register for the race or if you have any questions, call Margie or Clyde McGarva at 352-486-2535.
April 30
Workshop for Certified Shellfish Wholesalers
The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture, announces a public meeting to which all persons are invited. The event will be held on Monday, April 30, from 6-8 p.m. at the Senator George Kirkpatrick Marine Laboratory, 11350 S.W. 153rd County, Cedar Key. Staff will discuss certified shellfish processor HACCP plans and new/time temperature requirements recently adopted by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference's executive board. Attendance of this meeting by certified shellfish processors is highly encouraged. A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Chris Brooks at 1203 Governor's Square Boulevard, Suite 501, Tallahassee, FL, 32301-2961, 850-410-0858 or email at: email@example.com.
May 9
Recycling awards coming May 9
The City of Cedar Key, in conjunction with the Energy Advisory Panel, is holding an educational/awards meeting on May 9 at 9 a.m. at the Community Center. This meeting, which is intended for business owners and managers, will be brief and to the point. Awards will be given to businesses that have fully implemented recycling along with information and assets to help all businesses to increase recycling.
April 29
Worldwide Pinhole Day
Sunday, April 29, is Worldwide Pinhole Day. On that day anyone, anywhere in the world, who makes a pinhole photograph on that last Sunday in April, can scan it and upload it to: www.pinholdeday.org where it will become part of the annual Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day celebration's online gallery.
Those Arts Center members interested in participating in the Pinhole Day will meet every Wednesday between now and April 29 at the Arts Center darkroom to learn about and explore pinhole photography. No prior knowledge in photography is required. Participants, with help from Chris Harkness, will learn how to make their own pinhole cameras, and make and process pinhole photos in the Arts Center's Darkroom.
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