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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Michigan assistant coaches heard the questions in the beginning. They understood. In some ways, they wondered themselves.
John Beilein revamped his coaching staff in 2010, hiring two new assistants and promoting a third. As he did this, Michigan's head basketball coach explained his processes. Beilein has adapted throughout his career but has a plan for everything in his basketball life. This includes recruiting, where his strategy is different than most.
In the hare-paced world of college basketball recruiting, Beilein moved at a relative tortoise's pace. This took some adjusting from then-newly hired Bacari Alexander and LaVall Jordan and promoted administrative staffer Jeff Meyer.
Beilein adhered to the National Association of Basketball Coaches' recommendation of not offering a prospect until June 15 following the player's sophomore season. Beilein also won't offer a prospect until he's seen him play in person and until the player has visited Michigan's campus.
Initially, this meant his new assistants needed to do some explaining as they recruited.
"I wouldn't say resistance," Alexander said of the reaction on the recruiting trail. "But I would say a curiosity to why haven't you offered my son yet or why haven't you guys offered my player yet."
"Especially when they have a list of [offers]," Jordan said. "That curiosity, when they have lists."
Eventually, questioning turned to understanding as Beilein and his philosophy, which he adopted before he came to Michigan, became educational. Michigan's assistants, who sat down as a group last week with ESPN.com to explain how their recruiting strategy works, now use it as another selling point.
As they evaluate a prospect, they explain what needs to happen. It doesn't mean they won't recruit a player earlier -- they were the among the first schools to recruit 2014 ESPN 100 guard Devin Booker (Moss Point, Miss./Moss Point) and 2015 ESPN 60 guard Luke Kennard (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) -- but they won't offer a scholarship until at least all the previously mentioned criteria have been met.
"That didn't surprise [us]," said Mark Kennard, Luke's father. "It wasn't a surprise or disappointment or anything. We just appreciated that they were kind of the first team to really talk to Luke and recruit him. We were like, 'Coach, that's awesome.' That didn't bother us at all.
"I want schools to be honest with us."
Honesty is part of the process. As Michigan has resisted the changes in college basketball recruiting, it has also thrived for the same reasons.
"I'll throw this at people," Jordan said. "'What's your mom's name?' Because there's a curiosity of why haven't you offered. 'How many brothers? How many sisters? What's your family like? Have you considered the fact that we don't really know each other, but there is a desire for a scholarship offer?'
"So now it's like, 'OK.' It's the education."
How Michigan recruits
Michigan finds prospects like every other program: through a series of recommendations, research and just being in the gym.
Where its strategy differs is in its evaluation style. Unlike at a lot of schools, Michigan's staff does not work territories or positions. They favor a groupthink where all four coaches -- the three assistants and Beilein -- watch a player at different tournaments to determine a fit for what Michigan wants in skill, attitude and academics.
After watching a prospect, each assistant rates him using an internal numbers system they refuse to disclose. Those evaluations are given to Beilein, who averages out the results to aid his decisions.
"A lot of staffs get attached to a young man because of a relationship because it is your guy and you may be the point man in his recruitment," Jordan said. "Here, we just don't get involved in that. It's what's best for Michigan."
The reason for the "cross evals" is the search for the right fit. Alexander describes the Michigan coaches as "throwbacks" because they use scouting systems and rankings only to cross-check their own numbers and evaluations.
What happens when their internal rankings don't match with external opinion?
"That's when we really get excited," Alexander said.
Among the underrated-when-they-committed finds by this staff: Trey Burke, Glenn Robinson III, Nik Stauskas and Spike Albrecht.
"A lot of times it swings on the critical side," Meyer said. "We are looking for kids that play the right way, body language, all the things that we expect out of our kids when they play. When you look at it through a lens, it's almost a critical lens of, does he fit? Will he play the Michigan way, the right way?"
The evaluation goes beyond the prospect. Alexander made this clear through Twitter while sitting in the stands watching players during an evaluation period last July. He tweeted: "Parents need to be mindful that they're evaluated in the stands ALSO!! #uconscious."
Why? Part of this goes to program fit and understanding the dynamics of a prospect's off-court life and situation. The rest, well, Alexander explains.
"Think about how that has changed," Alexander said. "Why is that relevant? Well, now you have the Big Ten's 'Journey' and have CBS Sports, ESPN, all these all-access deals in print or on television. Now what does that tell us?
"Parents have become ambassadors for your institution and they are not even aware of it."
Part of the genesis of Beilein's approach is rooted in academics. He wants to see a prospect's freshman and sophomore transcripts to make sure he is trending correctly educationally. This, Meyer said, is "non-negotiable."
The unofficial visit piece allows for everyone to become acquainted. For Michigan, there is interaction, observation and more informed opinion from non-recruiters like graduate assistants, trainers and strength coaches. For the families, it allows an opportunity to ask any questions they want without the pressure of a commitment.
"How are you going to come here, how are you going to choose Michigan, if you've never been to Michigan," Jordan said. "You've got to know the people."
More than on-court skill
When Alexander visits a player's school, he searches for "indicators" about a player. To do so, he seeks out three people: the academic advisor, who can often give a broader-based picture of a player's academics and family situation; the cafeteria worker; and the custodial staff.
More than any other people in the school, the latter two often silently observe prospects among their peers. They see a player interact when no one is watching. Alexander's best example: Mitch McGary at Brewster Academy (N.H.).
Alexander spoke to Brewster's groundskeeper and was told a story about a freshman bawling when his parents dropped him off the first day of school. McGary spotted the kid from a distance, stopped his conversation and ran to him, consoled him and brought him into school with his group of friends.
"Now if that is not a testament to a young man's character," Alexander said. "Where he's the life of the gathering and is unselfish enough to notice somebody is in need of comfort. To do that was very telling to the groundskeeper.
"As a result, it was very telling to us."
With McGary, who was one of the top prospects in the country at Brewster, it was another sign he would mesh with Beilein's philosophy and locker room, which centers around the tenets of integrity, unity, passion, diligence and appreciation.
The way Michigan recruits forces prospects to display almost all those traits before committing.
When did it click?
While the recruiting strategy is nice, is it practical? Michigan received its answer while recruiting highly rated 2013 prospect Zak Irvin. The Wolverines recruited Irvin out of Indianapolis, with Indiana and Purdue, among many others, offering.
Irvin had teammates who committed early to other schools. Michigan stuck to its deadline.
"The first challenge for us, because it was a little bit of a point of being anxious, was Zak Irvin," Meyer said. "We're thinking if we do not go out of character with our formula, we may be left at the station with a player that [Jordan] had already done a great job with the family and building relationships.
"Coach Beilein stayed the course, went four semesters of academic work, had been to campus several times."
Irvin said Michigan's staff explained things up front. Not enamored by offers, he didn't mind. If anything, the process strengthened Irvin's opinion of Michigan. The Wolverines recruited him for a year before offering. Some programs offered him after viewing him once.
Irvin eventually received his Michigan offer. He committed six weeks later.
"It turned the whole thing from my perspective," Meyer said. "I think from all of our perspectives. If we're doing our due diligence through the recruiting process, a young man speaks very, very loudly through his actions if he's willing to wait. And they kind of look forward to that date."
There's another, almost unintentional, byproduct. By having prospects wait for an offer and go through myriad steps, Michigan has created more perceived value around an offer from the school. Instead of just another scholarship offer on a list, it is one the player had to work for.
"To see that they still wanted to offer me, it meant a lot after recruiting me for a year and seeing how well I developed and saw how much potential I had," Irvin said. "That was really special to me."
The extra time taken has an added effect when prospects hit campus as well. It is something, however, the current Michigan assistants couldn't see until those recruits they got to know started to hit campus last year.
"It meant a lot to them to get the offer and going through things to make that decision," Jordan said. "So when they get here, getting them to play hard isn't part of the deal. It's about fundamentally getting them to play better and more skilled. Developing and growing them as young men.
"But it isn't going to be a deal of getting them to play hard because that was part of it."
The other secret
Michigan's staff won't divulge everything. Specifics of the internal grading system is one thing. The value of a prospect's birth date is another. The latter is a topic Beilein often brings up in discussing his young players. Asked about it, the three assistants all laughed.
"No comment," Alexander said. "That, we can't tell you."
Michigan's assistants said Beilein brought birth dates into the evaluation process, but that's all they'll say. Consider this: In past interviews, Beilein has mentioned the late birthdays or relatively young starting ages of 2013 commit Mark Donnal and current players Max Bielfeldt, Caris LeVert and Jordan Morgan. (Beilein, who is preparing for his first stint as an assistant coach with USA Basketball, was unavailable to comment for the story.)
It isn't a determining factor, but it is yet another piece that makes Michigan unique.
"He's way ahead of the curve on this stuff," Meyer said.
In some ways, yes. But in others, Michigan's somewhat unique recruiting process has elements of a different, older time. And suddenly, what used to be standard is innovative again.

subset: commoncrawl


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June 28, 2010
Gmail to Use More HTML5 Features
"If the browser supports CSS3, Gmail will render the pages using these specifications, rather than its traditional approach of using the Document Object Model (DOM). The company has found that using CSS3 can speed the rendering time by 12 percent. (...) Gmail will also make use of HTML5's database standards. Now, the e-mail service uses Google Gears to store mail for offline reading, but over time that will migrate to the HTML5 standards."
Another feature that will be added to Gmail allows users to drag attachments to the desktop. This feature is not part of HTML5, but Google says that it will encourage other browsers to use it. Right now, you can drag and drop files from the desktop to Gmail, but only if you use Firefox 3.6 or Chrome.
Adam de Boor revealed how many lines of code are in Gmail: 443,000 lines of JavaScript code written by hand.
Gmail has added many features that used to be available only in desktop mail clients: fetching email from other accounts, threading, powerful spam filters, reading messages offline. Now it's time to better integrate Gmail with the browser or the operating system and to add notifications, a simplified way to handle attachments and a better performance.
{ spotted by George }
10 comments:
- AnonymousJune 28, 2010 at 3:42 PM
I suppose under 1 second would be cached page and mailbox (stored in web db)?ReplyDelete
also, a small but useful feature - ability to select from a rich set of fonts (e.g. calibri) while composing mails.ReplyDelete
Love to see Gmail become better and better.ReplyDelete
It's my choice for mail client!
Sort out that slow, clunky contacts manager too! ;)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 29, 2010 at 4:12 AM
And please put in the feature to get some statsReplyDelete
I hope they implement JavaScript Desktop Notifications coming with HTML5 in Gmail soon.ReplyDelete
Bad(misleading) use of stats on that article : "can speed the rendering time by 12 percent"ReplyDelete
Under specific circumstances it's an improvement, but it would be nice to have a range or average or even an estimate would be better: how much can use of CSS slow the rendering time by? :-(
An educated guess would be nicer - something along the lines of "We expect our average user will experience a speed boost of about 5%"
Yeah right, everytime they add more html5 it takes longer to load, and the it becomes harder to read. Those geek kids at google need to understand everybody is not 20 years old with perfect vision! And they should stop adding html5 fake buttons instead of REAL url links (so we can right click and open in a new window)ReplyDelete
But most of all, make fonts scableable!
i know that gmail more better and better in update their version but its more slow too, so i use old version ^_^ReplyDelete
yes, iam using it for add images, goodReplyDelete


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Hard-core doomers think in terms of die-off, and see the process as a violent struggle that will envelop the world in brutality. James Lovelock, for the climate doomers, believes humanity will devolve to a few struggling tribes in the very high latitudes. Matt Savinar, heir apparent to Mike Ruppert on the Peak Oil doomer side, sees wilderness bunkers stocked with food, water and ammo.
Soft-landers, such as myself, have a tough sell.
In an odd kind of way, Dmitry Orlov has helped me out with a new book, Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects. For those who have read Naomi Klein's recent work, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, the collapse and aftermath of the Former Soviet Union will be familiar territory. Orlov came to the US as a teenager and traveled back to Russia during its special period of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He brings a wry, sardonic humor to his descriptions and predictions that helps the medicine go down.
Orlov wants to get us to ask fundamental questions of all aspects of our daily existence — food, housing, energy, transportation, communication, savings, medical — that betray an underlying sense of hope. His two central questions are "'Is it collapse-proof?'" and, if it is not, 'What can I do to make it collapse-proof?'" He writes, "If, for a given thing, the answers turn out to be 'No' and 'Nothing,' then the very important follow-up question should be: 'How can I live without it?'"
Learning to do without all "the stuff" opens the door to a much better life, whether we were to experience Peak Oil and Climate Change, or not (and who thinks "not" is very likely, now?)
Orlov scorns the archetype of the American Survivalist, holed up in the hills with a bomb shelter, tins of spam and an assortment of guns and ammo "with which to fight off neighbors from further downhill" in favor of a more pragmatic approach.
"It's not a bad idea to own a few of everything you will need, but you should also invest in things you will be able to trade for things you will need. Think of consumer necessities that require high technology and have a long shelf life. Here are some suggestions to get you started: drugs (over-the-counter and prescription), razor blades, condoms. Toiletries, such as good soap, will be luxury items."
To this short shopping list I would add seed. When the tractors run dry, we will once more become a world of small farmers. As everyone plows up their suburban yards and rushes to the store to buy seed for potatoes, onions, carrots and beans (a nice Irish stew, that), they may discover that the shelves have already been picked clean. That happened in Russia. So, put seed packets in a shoebox in your closet, and be sure to rotate through to keep them fresh. Although germination diminishes with time spent in storage, a few seeds always seem to get through. Oh, and something more mouse-proof than a shoebox might be a good idea.
There are many seed banks in the world today. Some are governmental or intergovernmental. Some are private or commercial. Seed Savers Exchange, started by Diane Ott and Kent Whealy in 1975, has gone viral. In 2008, the Global Crop Diversity Trust will spend $260 million to stock the backup's backup, hoarding 4.5 million samples from other banks on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, in the Arctic Circle (78°13' N, 15°33' E). According to press accounts, there are only two reasons a seed would ever leave this vault: (1) to be replaced by a fresh sample or (2) to reseed a crop that's been wiped off the earth. The Gates Foundation is the biggest donor, making a 2-to-1 grant with the Norwegian government.
Stored at the temperature of the earth on Spitsbergen, corn will store about 1125 years, wheat 1700, sorghum about 20,000.
Given what we now know about sudden astrophysical or geomorphic calamities that have ended epochs and begun new ones on our fragile planet, having a seed backup backup is a great idea. It would have been nice if we had a backup for the atmosphere or our energy future, but we didn't, so what comes next will be very different, and unsettling.
It need not be brutal, however. As Robert Anson Wilson said, "the best antidote to stupidity is a strong counter-game." We should be seeding peace, justice, pacifism, and non-violent conflict resolution the same way we plant a garden. This is not an impossible dream. Just in the way that Naomi Klein said the neo-con/neo-liberal think tanks (those who have the tanks do the thinking) laid their elaborate plans and natural or other disasters provided the opportunities, the peace and justice community has the ability to organize, inspire, and put forward its own plans when crisis strikes.
People get ready.


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We all know that preventing disease or catching it in its early stages is far better than treating it once it has had time to progress to a more severe stage. Preventive health care on a regular basis will help you do just that, and save you and your pet from needless suffering and a larger financial burden. This article explains what preventive measures you can take to keep your dog healthy.
Just as annual physical exams are recommended for humans, they are recommended for our pets as well. If your dog is older or has medical problems, he may need even more frequent examinations. A year is a long time in a dog's life. Assuming our pets will live to their early teens, receiving a yearly exam means they will only have about thirteen exams in a lifetime. That is not very many when you think about it.
During your dog's annual physical exam you should review these aspects of your dog's health with your veterinarian:
Vaccination status Parasite control for intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks, mites, and heartworms
Dental health – care you give at home; any mouth odors, pain, or other signs of disease you may have observed
Nutrition – including what your dog eats, how often, what supplements and treats are given, and changes in water consumption, weight, or appetite
Exercise – how much exercise your dog receives including how often and what kind; and any changes in your dog's ability to exercise
Ears and Eyes – any discharge, redness, or itching Stomach and intestines – any vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, gas, belching, or abnormal stools
Breathing – any coughing, shortness of breath, sneezing, or nasal discharge
Behavior – any behavior problems such as barking, 'accidents,' or changes in temperament
Feet and legs – any limping, weakness, toenail problems
Coat and skin – any hair loss, pigment changes, lumps, itchy spots, shedding, mats, oranal sac problems
Urogenital – any discharges, heats, changes in mammary glands, urination difficulties or changes, neutering if it has not already been performed
Blood tests – especially for geriatric dogs, those with medical problems, and those who are receiving medications
How often?
You may have heard about the current controversies regarding vaccinating dogs and cats. Some researchers believe we do not need to vaccinate annually for most diseases. But how often we should vaccinate for each specific disease in adult animals has not yet been determined. We do not know how long the protection from a vaccine lasts. It may be 5 years for one disease and 3 years for another, and less than 2 years for another. Almost all researchers agree that for puppies we need to continue to give at least three combination vaccinations and repeat these at one year of age. They also agree that rabies vaccinations must continue to be given according to local ordinances. Against what diseases? Experts generally agree that the core vaccines for dogs include distemper,canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), canine parvovirus-2, and rabies. Noncore vaccines include leptospirosis, coronavirus, canine parainfluenza andBordetella bronchiseptica (both are causes of 'kennel cough'), and Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme Disease). Consult with your veterinarian to select the proper vaccines for your dog or puppy. Researchers at the Veterinary Schools at the University of Minnesota, Colorado State University, and University of Wisconsin suggest alternating vaccinations in dogs from year to year. Instead of using combination vaccines (vaccines against more than one disease), they recommend using vaccines with only one component, e.g., a vaccine that only contains parvovirus. So, one year your dog would be vaccinated against distemper, the next year against canine adenovirus-2, and the third year against parvovirus. Then the cycle would repeat itself. Other researchers believe we may not have enough information to recommend only vaccinating every 3 years. As with cat vaccines, manufacturers of dog vaccines have not changed their labeling which recommends annual vaccinations. Again, each dog owner must make an informed choice of when to vaccinate, and with what. Consult with your veterinarian to help you make the decision. For more information on vaccines, see Vaccines, Vaccination, and the Immune System of Dogs.
When and how often pets should be tested for heartworm infection is also a matter of debate. In making a decision on when to test, we must consider how common heartworm disease is where the pet lives, what heartworm preventive the pet is receiving, and how long the mosquito season lasts. The American Heartworm Society (AHS) advises all adult dogs being started on a heartworm preventive for the first time should be tested. In addition, all dogs should be tested annually for heartworm infection. In the past, if a dog had been on preventive methods routinely, it was not considered necessary to test every year, perhaps only every two to three years. Because of reports of animals on preventives that still contracted heartworms, the AHS recommends a more conservative testing routine. It may be too difficult to document when an animal hasn't been checked in three years, and therefore, annual testing will ensure that an infection is caught in plenty of time to effectively manage it.
As with vaccinations and heartworm testing, you will find different opinions on when or if fecal examinations should be performed and when or if pets should receive regular 'dewormings.' Decisions on testing and worming should be based on circumstances such as: the age of your dog the likelihood your dog is exposed to feces from other animals whether your dog is on a heartworm preventive that also controls intestinal parasites if your dog has been previously infected if you plan to breed your female dog if there are children who play with the dog Regular deworming is recommended by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). Puppies* Initiate treatment at 2 weeks; repeat at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age, and then put on a monthly heartworm preventive that also controls intestinal parasites. Using a year-round heartworm preventive/intestinal parasite combination product decreases the risk of parasites.
If not using such a product, worm at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age and then monthly until 6 months of age. Nursing Dams Treat at the same time as puppies. Adult Dogs If on a year-round heartworm preventive/intestinal parasite combination product, have a fecal test performed 1-2 times per year and treat appropriately. If not on a year-round heartworm preventive/intestinal parasite combination product, have a fecal test performed 2-4 times per year and treat appropriately. Also monitor and eliminate parasites in pet's environment. Newly Acquired Animals Worm immediately, after 2 weeks, and then follow above recommendations. * Drs. Foster and Smith suggest that owners of newly acquired puppies should obtain the deworming history of their new pet and contact their veterinarian to determine if additional deworming is needed. Roundworms and hookworms of dogs can cause serious disease in people, especially children who may not have good hygiene habits. Treating your dog for worms is important for your pet's health as well as your own. Many veterinarians would agree that at a minimum, dogs should have an annual fecal examination performed. Fecal examinations are advantageous. By having a fecal examination performed, you will know if your dog has intestinal parasites. If she does, you may need to change her environment and access to other animals. You will also know what type of parasites she has so the proper medication will be selected to kill all of them.
Many veterinarians are starting to recommend screening tests for our older pets. Just as we have our cholesterol and blood pressure checked more often as we grow older, it is suggested our older pets need some routine checks too. Diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, and some hormonal diseases occur much more frequently in older animals. To test for these conditions and identify them before severe and/or irreversible damage is done, blood tests and sometimes radiographs are helpful. An abnormal result means we can diagnose and treat the condition early. Normal results are helpful in giving us a baseline with which we can compare future results. Many of our older animals are also on medications and may require tests to evaluate the medication level and/or potential harmful effects on various organs. Oral health is also extremely important in our older pets, so they may require more frequent dental check-ups. If you have an older dog, discuss these options with your veterinarian. In summary, annual exams along with recommended blood screening in older animals, vaccinations, heartworm testing, and parasite control will help your dog live a happier and longer life.
SOURCE: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2116&aid=229


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Ripping your own DVDs to H.264/MP4 is all well and good. But what if you've previously taken the time and effort to convert DVDs to another less compatible format, such as Windows Media Video (WMV)? In this case, you have two options. You can either re-rip your DVD collection using the superior and more compatible H.264/MP4 format, as outlined in my article, How to Rip DVDs. Or you can attempt to convert your existing videos to H.264/MP4.
My recommendation is to try the latter first: After all, the worst case scenario is that the converted files aren't of high enough quality to save, in which case you can fall back to re-ripping. (Or simply leave things as they are.) But in my experience, WMV-to-H.264 conversions usually work out just fine, especially if the source file is of sufficient quality.
To convert a video from WMV (or from almost any other video format), you can again use the free and excellent Handbrake utility. That's right: In addition to being an excellent DVD ripper, Handbrake can also convert video files to H.264/MP4, using the same high quality and broadly compatible "Universal" preset that you'd use for DVD ripping.
Here's how it works.
Start Handbrake and click the Source button. But now, instead of choosing a DVD as the source, click Video File.
Using the File Open dialog that appears, navigate to the video file you wish to convert and click Open. Note that while you can only select one file at a time this way, you can use Hanbrake's queuing feature to queue up multiple files for conversion and have them all happen sequentially.
In Handbrake, ensure that the Apple, Universal preset is selected. Then, click the Start button. As with DVD ripping, a command line window will open and provide you with a progress indicator as the file converts.
A couple of notes about this process. It only works with non-protected video files, of course. So if you purchased a movie or TV show from Apple iTunes, Zune Marketplace, or another source, this won't be able to convert such a file. Also, video conversion does not require a DVD decrypter like AnyDVD.


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Tella Story has not received any gifts yet
Hi Tella, thanks for the add and for the sweet comment! :) I love the photos of your baby!
I'll gonna visit your blog and add it to my blogroll. Have a nice day! Cheers!
Welcome to the club! I hope we can connect!
I'm a wife, mother, entrepreneur and serial researcher passionate about health, motherhood, living green, travel and helpful life tools. My blog is committed to sharing the things I'm most passionate about with the broader community in hopes to help others live the most fulfilling life possible.
Check me out at:
Blog: www.touttoday.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/touttoday
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tout/128982127156837
Leah K. Dillon
Wife. Mother. Entrepreneur
Hi Marsha! Welcome to the club and feel free to check out my blog: Swanky Baby http://swankybaby1.blogspot.com. I'm looking forward to checking yours out too!


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The Media's Law of Silent Protests
If 150 members of the Tea Party protest at an Obama fundraiser and the press fail to report it, was the Tea Party ever really there?
Back in April 2009, when the Tea Party was just a fledgling movement, the press barely took notice. I sent out hundreds of press releases for that first Tea Party, and I recall only one local TV station showing up -- and that only at the very onset of the rally. The seasoned reporter asked a few questions and conveniently departed before 1,000 protesters descended on Nancy Pelosi's office, delivering tea bags and asking for a town hall meeting.
As most AT readers know, the press coverage those first few years was scant and slanted. The Tea Party was consistently portrayed as racist, anti-government radicals who were mostly white, militant, gun-toting, Bible-slapping, knuckle-dragging, toothless mental midgets.
To bolster that fiction, the press disseminated -- almost universally -- unflattering pictures of Tea Partiers and quotes that often failed to reflect accurately the movement or its participants. All too often, the pictures and quotes were of infiltrators trying to make the movement look bad.
The press intentionally manufactured the myth of the uninformed white Tea Partier who opposed President Obama strictly because of his skin color, while blatantly ignoring the real issues and policies that motivated millions of all backgrounds and political affiliations to get off their couches and take to the streets -- ObamaCare, excessive government spending, balancing the budget, reading bills before voting on them, passing legislation that represents the will of the people, lowering onerous taxes, and minimizing regulations that discourage investment.
This past spring and summer San Francisco, Tea Partiers noticed a surprising surge in press coverage at events, and for the first time in the short life of the Tea Party, Bay Area media were not only showing up, but reporting on the Tea Party's mission, members, numbers, and influence -- and more accurately than ever before.
But that wasn't the case on October 8 at our "Say Good-bye to President Eye Candy" protest, where four to six thousand Obama supporters showed up to see the president at his sixth San Francisco fundraiser of the year.
To accommodate the throngs of supporters, Polk Street was cordoned off around Civic Center Plaza and served as the processing point for thousands of ticket-holders. Protesters of all stripes were situated along the sidewalk directly facing Obama's supporters. We were ten feet away from each other -- literally face-to-face with our Obama opponents -- and it was intense.
Because this was supposedly Obama's last fundraising trip to California, the San Francisco Tea Party made sure it had a solid showing. About 150 Tea Partiers showed up, along with the usual mélange of left-wingers -- a smattering of anti-drone, anti-war agitators; a handful of pro-cannabis warriors; a few PETA fanatics dressed as circus elephants; and even a couple of scantily clad porn stars zipping around on their shiny silver roller skates.
The press was also out in droves, interviewing and filming many of the 150 Tea Partiers. But if you turned on the 11:00 news that night, even though Obama's visit was the lead story on every channel, you would have consistently heard that Obama was in town for his sixth fundraiser and delivered a mighty rebuke against Romney; that 6,000 people showed up to see him and attend the John Legend/Michael Franti concert; and that anti-war, pro-cannabis protesters were out in full force.
The Tea Party either was not mentioned or was lumped together with the other protesters. The average San Francisco viewer would have turned off the tube having no idea that the largest bloc of protesters that night was the Tea Party, with 150 people.
KTVU did not acknowledge the San Francisco Tea Party at all. During its 11:00 broadcast, KRON 4 merely presented a fleeting image of a "Defeat Obama" sign. KPIX Channel 5 did report on all of the protesters, including the Tea Party, but did not comment on its size. And while Channel 7 did air an actual interview with one of our members, the audio failed, so you could not hear a thing he said.
If you are a Romney supporter living in this Orwellian world of "the economy is great, we are better off than we were four years ago, Obama saved us from a great depression and single-handedly routed radical Islam with drone strikes and the killing of bin Laden," you would have turned off the 11:00 news thinking you are the only Romney supporter west of the Golden Gate.
Tea Partiers that night were shouted at, flipped off, and subject to all of the usual epithets hurled at us by Obama's supporters -- racist, sexist, homophobe. None of this is new, and none of this was news.
While the Tea Party was playing 150 Davids to Obama's Goliath, a young reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle asked me how Obama's policies hurt members of the Tea Party (finally, a question with meat on its bones). Even though I recounted for him the many Tea Partiers who are out of work, those who own small businesses but had to cut back on hires, or the college grads who cannot find work -- not to mention the constant worry we all experience about our mortgages, college educations, and retirements -- none of this appeared in his column (although he did acknowledge that the Tea Party was there).
What happened? Although there had been an uptick in press coverage of the Tea Party in the Bay Area, that was short-lived. As soon as Romney became a contender in the eyes of our Fourth Estate, they went into full "protect Obama in the press at all costs" mode.
When they aren't ignoring the Tea Party or conservative sentiment, members of the mainstream media offer up pabulum. Instead of focusing on the red meat of the many issues facing this country, journalists have been concentrating on our reactions! They are more interested in what Republicans or Tea Partiers feel about the convention, the debate, or a candidate's statement than they are in the underlying issues.
Not long ago, I had a 30-minute sit-down interview with the lead reporter from a major local network about Romney's 47% remark. After congratulating me for my analysis, he let it be known that he was going to air only my reaction to the remark and that, while the other 29 minutes and 30 seconds made for great mental gymnastics, the material therein wouldn't be used.
In sum, the evolution of the Tea Party's relationship with the press looks something like this: at first, the reporting was scant, and then it quickly morphed into heavily biased and inaccurate coverage, which became more accurate and positive for a brief period of time this past spring and summer but noticeably tapered off -- once Romney began to pick up steam -- to its current state, where the media will report only the fluffy stuff, not the substance.
But once a journalist -- who is in the tank for Obama -- is forced to confront the incontrovertible evidence of a $16-trillion national debt, $500 million taxpayer dollars squandered on Solyndra, 23 million un- and under-employed for over 42 months, a drop in median household income by $4,300, 50% of college grads unable to find work, and a fictitious economic recovery barely squeaking by, with an average annual GDP of 2.2%...then that journalist is in the untenable position of having to tackle Obama's failures.
Obama's supporters have chosen to stick their collective heads in the sand. Their chronic denial about the state of the economy, the security of the country, and the integrity of the Obama administration is practically pathological and should be of concern to anyone with a pulse. If Obama says we are in a recovery and better off today than four years ago -- and that narrative is reinforced by the press -- then forget the facts, reality be damned, pass the champagne, and vote for another four! Just smile and pretend things are wonderful in this Orwellian San Francisco fog.
But most of us can see through the fog and are not afraid to confront the deception. Some might have to squint and take it slow, but they will eventually recognize the truth. Two plus two does not equal five, and yes, even when the press intentionally neglects to report 150 Tea Partiers protesting Obama, we were there.


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Evergrande's Extended Yuan Bonds Are Another Risk Hurdle for Developer
A missed payment on a China Evergrande Group unit's yuan bond is raising questions about the usefulness of recent debt extensions granted by Chinese investors.
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A missed payment on a China Evergrande Group unit's yuan bond is raising questions about the usefulness of recent debt extensions granted by Chinese investors.
PineBridge Investments has turned bullish on China saying the authorities are starting to look more determined to bolster the ailing economy and there are fewer headwinds facing private companies.
China's economy showed signs of a stronger recovery in September, according to a firm analyzing the global economy using satellite data.
China Evergrande Group said its billionaire chairman Hui Ka Yan is suspected of committing crimes, escalating the legal peril for a real estate tycoon whose indebted conglomerate has saddled investors, homeowners and suppliers with billions in losses.
(Bloomberg) -- Former President Donald Trump will go on trial next week as scheduled for inflating the value of his assets by billions of dollars, after an appeals court denied his request for a delay.
Oct 25, 2017
The Canadian Press,
OTTAWA -- Not everyone wants to own a home these days, Evan Siddall concedes -- not even his own millennial-age son. For the head of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., that's really saying something.
But Siddall's experience is far from uncommon, the latest census figures show: 30-year-old Canadians are less likely to own a home today than their baby boomer parents did at the same age, mirroring a modest but unmistakable decline in the national home ownership rate.
At age 30, 50.2 per cent of millennials owned their homes, compared to 55 per cent of baby boomers at the same age. Young adults today are more likely to live in apartments than their 1981 counterparts, are less likely to live in single-detached homes, and -- as Statistics Canada revealed over the summer -- more likely than ever before to still be living at home.
The figures should change the way Canada thinks about its real estate sector, said Graham Haines, research and policy manager at the Ryerson City Building Institute in Toronto. Policy-makers have focused almost exclusively on policies to promote home ownership over the last 20-plus years, he said, pointing to tax policy and incentives.
"We have to start thinking about -- if rent is going to start becoming a more important part of our real estate sector once again -- how we make sure we're building the right type of rental, rental where we need it and rental that's affordable for the people who are going to be using it," Haines said.
In 2016, more than 9.5 million of the 14.1 million households captured in the census owned their homes, an ownership rate of 67.8 per cent -- down from 69 per cent in 2011 after 20 steady years of baby boomers flooding the real estate market.
Since 2011, the census shows, the value of homes has steadily increased to a national average of $443,058, up from $345,182 in 2016 dollars. Vancouver had the highest prices in the country with the average home valued at over $1 million; Toronto was at $734,924 and Calgary at $527,216. Montreal came in at $366,974.
As values have climbed in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa, so too have the percentage of renters, even though the supply of purpose-built rental units nationally has been on a decades-long decline as developers build more condominiums than apartments.
Census data showed renters are more likely to be over-stretched financially to keep a roof over their heads.
Almost 40 per cent of renters captured in the census spent more than 30 per cent of their average monthly income on housing -- a figure largely unchanged from 2011 and more than double the approximately 17 per cent recorded for homeowners.
Overall, affordability remains an issue for almost a quarter of Canadian households, a figure that hasn't changed much in a decade, with the pressure most acute in the hot housing markets of Toronto and Vancouver.
The federal Liberal government has promised to address affordability issues as part of an $11.2 billion, 11-year housing plan to be released in the coming weeks. It's expected to have a heavy focus on building affordable units, with a new portable housing benefit that would be tied to individuals, rather than properties.
Speaking earlier this fall about work on the strategy, Siddall said that the focus wasn't solely on helping the ranks of homeowners.
"Rent or own, a home is a home," Siddall said in an interview.
"When we think about housing we have got to think about renters who need support to rent, renters who rent on a market basis, and make sure people can migrate and own homes who should own homes."
The migration to home ownership is likely to pick up for millennials in the coming years as they start families and look for homes or condominiums -- a class of home that saw a 1.2 per cent increase in households from 2011 -- to fit their growing brood. At the same time, seniors will be looking to downsize.
That means the baby boomers will continue to fuel changes in the housing market by how long they remain homeowners and whether their children and grandchildren decide to rent or buy.
Haines said the two age groups, even though they are at different points in their lives, are likely to compete for the same kind of two-bedroom units that are a rarity in the market, potentially driving up costs. That may require policy-makers to get more involved in the market to make more family-friendly housing gets built instead of a heavy focus on studios and one-bedroom units, Haines said.
"We've fallen into this trap of building (condo) units for investors rather than end users," Haines said.
"There are positive signs that we're starting to recognize that over the last 20 years, we've sort of let the market do what the market wants and maybe we need a little more attention (to make sure) that we're actually getting what we need for our population."


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If you want an unlimited smartphone data plan, you're running out of options.
Starting in July, Verizon Wireless will discontinue its unlimited data plans for new subscribers, All Things Digital reports. The nation's largest wireless carrier has hinted at the switch for more than a year, but has now narrowed down its timeline to next month.
Although Verizon hasn't commented on pricing or the exact timing, a report by Droid Life says that starting July 7, a basic 2 GB plan will cost $30 per month, compared to $25 on AT&T. Verizon will reportedly offer more expensive tiers for people who want more data, including 5 GB for $50 per month and 10 GB for $80 per month. Overages will cost $10 per GB, Droid Life reported, and tethering will cost an additional $20 on top of existing tiers while providing an extra 2 GB of use.
The bright side of this, for families at least, is the possibility of shared data plans, which Verizon has teased but not described in detail. Like the shared voice and text plans that many carriers already offer, a family data plan would presumably save money for families who are willing to part with unlimited data and can keep their usage in check.
Verizon's switch to tiered data will leave Sprint as the only major U.S. wireless carrier to offer unlimited data. AT&T scrapped unlimited data in July 2010. T-Mobile's tiered data plans are technically unlimited, but users get throttled after hitting their data caps.
So what's a bandwidth-loving smartphone user to do? Besides Sprint, there's Virgin Mobile, which sells a $150, contract-free Android smartphone with unlimited data starting at $25 per month, with higher price tiers for more voice minutes.
Verizon customers can also hang on to their existing unlimited plans for dear life, as the tiered prices only apply to new subscribers. If the rumored pricing is accurate, Verizon's offering very little incentive for customers to make the switch.
Follow Jared on Facebook and Twitter for even more tech news and commentary.


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RENFREW, GEORGE RICHARD, businessman; b. 9 Feb. 1831 at Quebec, son of Thomas Renfrew, a grocer, and Mary Ann Jane Henderson; m. there 27 March 1855 Eliza Jane Tweddle, and they had three sons and three daughters; d. 4 Sept. 1897 in Shipley, England.
In 1852 George Richard Renfrew became a partner of John Henderson, a Montreal businessman who had started out as a hatter and furrier at Quebec around 1843 and then joined forces with his brother William Simpson to open a store on Rue Buade, under the name of W. S. Henderson and Company. When William withdrew from the business in 1852, John, now its sole financial backer, brought Renfrew and V. H. Marcou into partnership. In March 1862 the firm became Henderson, Renfrew and Company. In anticipation of his retirement Henderson progressively transferred his interests to Renfrew and Marcou. Between 1864 and 1867 his partners became the chief shareholders of the enterprise, which took the name Renfrew and Marcou. In 1871 it had a fixed capital of $100,000 and a production worth $300,000. With 65 employees, it was larger than its closest competitors, such as Jean-Baptiste Laliberté. Between 1875 and 1878 Marcou withdrew and the firm became known as George Richard Renfrew and Company. Renfrew's principal partner at that time was his cousin John Henderson Holt, who had been hired as a clerk in 1867.
In July 1876 Renfrew's personal fortune was estimated at $184,000 and he had invested $80,000 in his business. His financial portfolio was highly diversified. He held $22,000 in shares in the Bank of Montreal and $11,500 in those of the Stadacona Bank. He also held $5,000 worth of shares in the furniture factory of William Drum. In addition, he had invested in shipping, mainly in the Quebec and Gulf Ports Steamship Company and the Quebec and Levis Ferry Company. Later he had interests in public utilities, including the Montreal Telegraph Company, and in the industrial sector, for example $18,000 in shares in the Pullman Palace Car Company.
During the 1880s and 1890s Renfrew made new investments. He was especially interested in the textile industry and in 1881 had a hand in founding the Canada Worsted Company, a cotton and woollen mill. In 1883 he contributed to the subscribed capital of the Riverside Worsted Company, a woollen mill, and he became a member of its board of directors in 1886, when the firm was renamed the Quebec Worsted Company; the factory was destroyed by fire in 1891. At the time of his death he held 15 shares in the Montmorency Cotton Mills Company, a textile plant built on the site of George Benson Hall*'s old sawmill at Beauport.
Renfrew's investments in utilities constituted a substantial part of his portfolio. At the end of his life he owned 400 shares in the Montreal Gas Company, 155 in the Sherbrooke Gas and Water Company, 131 in the Montmorency Electric Power Company, 82 in the Quebec and Levis Ferry Company, 44 in the Quebec Steamship Company (formerly the Quebec and Gulf Ports Steamship Company), and 21 in the Quebec Gas Company. The remainder of his holdings consisted of securities in banking and insurance: 346 shares in the Quebec Bank, 25 in the Caisse d'Économie Notre-Dame de Québec, and 150 in the Quebec Fire Assurance Company.
Renfrew also speculated in personal loans. Between 1879 and 1888, for example, he lent $11,900 to private individuals. This activity increased during the last years of his life. From 1890 to 1897 he advanced a total of $62,300 to various people including Ernest Pacaud* and Charles-Antoine-Ernest Gagnon*.
George Richard Renfrew and Company began a period of spectacular growth early in the 1880s. The company's assets soared from an estimated $75,000 to $100,000 in 1878 to between $400,000 and $500,000 by 1893. There were several reasons for this growth: the enterprise had integrated its production and distribution activities, and it controlled both the sources of supply in furs and the wholesale and retail sales of its products. Renfrew obtained furs from a number of countries, including Russia, but he also bought direct from hunters and trappers in Labrador and along the north shore of the St Lawrence. His success stemmed mainly from the system of sales promotion he had developed as well as from the outlets he had secured. He presented his collections of furs at various exhibitions, especially the one held at London, England, in 1886, and that year he became a purveyor by appointment to the royal family. At the same time he found a much wider clientele for his products, which he sold not only in Great Britain and Canada but also in the United States. This growth led to the enlargement of his shop and to the opening of a store in Toronto in 1889, no doubt to consolidate the company's position in the Canadian and American markets. Although economic conditions were difficult in the 1890s, the company remained financially sound; in 1896 its capital was valued at between $400,000 and $500,000. It was only after Renfrew's death that the firm showed a decrease in assets, which had fallen to between $250,000 and $300,000 by 1899.
When he died, Renfrew's estate was sizeable, if a short item in La Semaine commerciale placing it at $1,250,000 is to be relied upon. But, according to L'Événement, its value was close to $600,000, while the Monetary Times believed it would be worth no more than $300,000. Apart from the securities already described, Renfrew left his family some $30,700 in accounts at the Quebec Bank and the Caisse d'Économie de Notre-Dame de Québec. He left various properties as well, including his shop, a residence on Rue Sainte-Anne purchased in 1895, a farm in Markham Township in Ontario, and a few properties in Manitoba. He also bequeathed $30,000 to each of his six children, as well as substantial sums to anglophone charitable institutions in Quebec.
George Richard Renfrew's son Allan Edmund and John Henderson Holt took over the management of George Richard Renfrew and Company shortly after the death of its founder. They invested $300,000. Holt was the general manager and Renfrew was manager of the Toronto branch. In 1900 the firm became Holt, Renfrew and Company. During the first decade of the 20th century it had four clothing factories located at Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg. The head office in Quebec alone occupied an area of 65,000 square feet and had 200 employees. The company's total work-force was estimated at more than 500. It continued to import some of its furs directly from Russia and Germany but preferred local supplies, which came from its silver-fox farm on the outskirts of Quebec and from trappers and hunters of the north shore. Its market was international, since the company was represented in London by prestigious shops. It was also extremely popular at Quebec, where it had set up a public zoo in the park at Montmorency Falls. In 1908 its authorized capital was raised to $1,000,000 when it was incorporated by the federal government. At this time John Henderson Holt became president and Allan Edmund Renfrew vice-president.
AC, Québec, Minutiers, William Bignell, 27 sept. 1843; 23 sept. 1868; 10 janv. 1876; 14 févr. 1878; 21 mai 1879; 27 Oct. 1880; 31 janv., 27 déc. 1884; 12 févr. 1886; E. G. Meredith, 26 janv. 1888; 17 févr. 1892; 7 févr. 1895; 24, 29 sept. 1897; 28 févr. 1898; 21 mars 1899; L.-P. Sirois, 7 oct. 1890; 2 oct. 1891; 9 mars, 18 août 1892; 5 janv., 17 août 1893; 10 janv., 6 mars, 17 déc. 1894; 24 janv., 8–9 mai, 1er août 1895; 5 juin, 3 juill. 1896; 11 févr. 1897. ANQ-Q, CE1-68, 27 mars 1831, 27 mars 1855. Baker Library, R. G. Dun & Co. credit ledger, Canada, 8: 3, 262. Holt, Renfrew and Co. Arch. (Quebec), "Holt Renfrew milestones." Holt, Renfrew and Co. Arch. (Toronto), "Register of events (1886–1901)." NA, RG 31, C1, 1871, Quebec. Bradstreet Commercial Report, ed. John Bradstreet (New York), 1864, 1867, 1875, 1878, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1896, 1899. L'Électeur, 13–14 févr. 1891. L'Événement, 21 Oct. 1897. Monetary Times, 10 Sept. 1897, 26 Aug. 1898, 9 March 1900. La Semaine commerciale (Québec), 10 sept., 22 oct. 1897. Jean Benoit, "Le développement des mécanismes de crédit et la croissance économique d'une communauté d'affaires; les marchands et les industriels de la ville de Québec au XIXe siècle" (thèse de
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Jean Benoit, "RENFREW, GEORGE RICHARD," in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 12, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 2, 2023, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/renfrew_george_richard_12E.html.
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text: Hi, I am running Slackware 10.1 kernel 2.6.16. I followed the instructions given in the following link - http://www.howtoforge.net/custom_iptables_firewall however with the modifications relevant to Slackware. Now when I run the rc.firewall script I get the following error message - the /etc/firewall/firewall.conf.iptables file is missing. Have I missed something or there should be a default file somwhere? Any suggestions?


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If you think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C, taking a test will put your mind at rest or, if the test is positive, allow you to start treatment early.
GP surgeries, sexual health clinics, genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics or drug treatment services all offer testing for hepatitis C.
Who should get tested?
You should consider getting tested for hepatitis C if you're worried you could have been infected or you fall into one of the groups at an increased risk of being infected.
Hepatitis C often has no symptoms, so you may still be infected if you feel healthy.
The following groups of people are at an increased risk of hepatitis C:
- ex-drug users and current drug users, particularly users of injected drugs
- people in the UK who received blood transfusions before September 1991 UK recipients of organ or tissue transplants before 1992
- people who have lived or had medical treatment in an area where hepatitis C is common – high-risk areas include north Africa, the Middle East and central and east Asia
- babies and children whose mothers have hepatitis C
- anyone accidentally exposed to the virus, such as health workers people who have received a tattoo or piercing where equipment may not have been properly sterilised
- sexual partners of people with hepatitis C If you continue to engage in high-risk activities, such as injecting drugs frequently, regular testing may be recommended. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.
Testing for hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is usually diagnosed using two blood tests: the antibody test and the PCR test. The results usually come back within two weeks.
The antibody test
The antibody blood test determines whether you have ever been exposed to the hepatitis C virus by testing for the presence of antibodies to the virus. Antibodies are produced by your immune system to fight germs. The test will not show a positive reaction for some months after infection because your body takes time to make these antibodies. If the test is negative, but you have symptoms or you may have been exposed to hepatitis C, you may be advised to have the test again. A positive test indicates that you have been infected at some stage. It doesn't necessarily mean you are currently infected, as you may have since cleared the virus from your body.
The only way to tell if you are currently infected is to have a second blood test, called a PCR test.
The PCR test
The PCR blood test checks if the virus is still present by detecting whether it is reproducing inside your body.
A positive test means your body has not fought off the virus and the infection has progressed to a long-term (chronic) stage.
Further tests
If you have an active hepatitis C infection, you will be referred to a specialist for further tests to check if your liver has been damaged.
The tests you may have include:
- blood tests – these measure certain enzymes and proteins in your bloodstream that indicate whether your liver is damaged or inflamed
- ultrasound scans – where sound waves are used to test how stiff your liver is; stiffness suggests the liver is scarred
The specialist can also talk to you about any treatment you may need.


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Thankful for Wine and Spokane
It's the time of year when almost every wine blog and major newspaper posts their Thanksgiving wine pairing suggestions. They range from the crazy 1WineDude pairing to the regional suggestions of New York Cork Report or Washington Wine Report or the predictable newspaper offerings. Why? Well, people must want to know. I look at how people arrive to my site almost daily and Google analytics tells me people are searching for Thanksgiving wine pairings. Since I live in Spokane and I love Spokane wine, here is what will be on my table if I can make it to the store in the midst of my schedule.
Listen to my brief wine suggestion interview that aired on KXLY920 (11/23) http://www.kxly920.com/upload/wineguy.MP3
As people arrive for dinner and settle in to watch the Macy's parade or the Cowboys or Lions game, it's good to have something light and refreshing waiting for them. A good sparkling wine is always a hit. I'll be serving the Northwest Cellars 2001 Brut. This wine is made in Oregon from Willamette Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and has a beautiful bready apple aroma and a crisp dry finish ($31) / available at Nectar Tasting Room
Another one of my favorites is Townshend Cellar Huckleberry Brut. A traditional dry sparkling wine with just a touch of huckleberry juice added for an amazing flavor that will please most discerning guests ($19) / available at Townshend Cellar and many local grocers.
Many people struggle with wine pairing at the Thanksgiving dinner table because there are so many varying flavors that compete for attention. Keep one thing in mind…acid. Wines that are high in acid help to cleanse your palate between bites and marry with the acidity that is present in most foods. Two really good options come to mind, Pinot Noir and dry Riesling.
Pinot Noir – Washington is not known for Pinot Noir but there are a few growing regions starting to show a lot of promise. Lake Chelan's Hard Row to Hoe has a Pinot that presents earthy aromas of campfire, bacon and cherry fruit. The finish offers more structure than some candy strawberry Pinot's out of Oregon. This wine reminds me of a traditional Pinot from Burgundy ($30) / available at Nectar Tasting Room.
Dry Riesling – Riesling is traditionally high in acid and pairing a bone dry Riesling with the traditional turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and yams makes a great balance in the flavor. Rieslings subtle apple and pear flavors along with the minerality and stone flavors will enhance the meal. Nodland Cellars Bebop Riesling ($19) is a top choice for me. The wine is available at many local retailers right now for $10-$15. Arbor Crest offers a good alternative with an off dry Riesling from Dionysus vineyards. The subtle peach, pineapple and honey flavors finish with the good acidity that is needed ($10-12). The wine was selected as one of the Wine Enthusiast top 100 value wines of the year – 91pts.
Other Ideas – Some other great wines for the table include the Pinot Blanc from Bridge Press Cellars. With slight citrus and tart characteristics the flavors will balance well with much of what is on the table. I would also suggest having an earthy Syrah on the table. One of my all time favorites is the 2008 Barrister Morrison Lane Syrah. It might be tough to find, but worth it if you can.
Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple crisp…so many dessert options. Finding a wine that pairs well can be a challenge. Once again a sparkling wine would work well here but finding something sweet can be fun too. As a general rule of thumb, find a wine that is sweeter than your dessert. The Latah Creek Mascato D'Latah is a perfect pairing. Flavors of peach, apricot, and honey are balanced by a sweet acidity. At $15, this wine will delight. If you're in need of fruit salad in a glass, give the 2009 Terra Blanca Late Harvest Chenin Blanc a try.
Above all, enjoy time with your family and friends. All the wine you pair over the holidays is amplified by sharing it with the ones you love. Happy Thanksgiving and THANK YOU for all of your ongoing support and encouragement.
Enjoy life with friends, drink happy!
3 comments on "Thankful for Wine and Spokane"
Ahhh… but if high acid is crazy, then I'm first in line to the sanitarium, my man!


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You would think that the Veterans of the United States would be mostly outspoken about traditional war issues, such as pulling the troops out of Iraq or sending more of them to Afghanistan, but a few groups of veterans have decided to take a different route. Operation Free is the name of a veterans' movement that has been touring the country to advocate about climate change and to support the passage of the climate change legislation currently being debated in Congress. They consider climate change a "national security threat" (consider that Homeland Security) and their mission is to "Secure America with Clean Energy."
Here is a video of the group visiting Washington D.C.
Besides the organization's concerns about the security of our food, health, and water, they tie a very interesting view on climate change to terrorism. Since climate change makes certain areas of the world inhabitable, the devastated people of such areas will be more prone to be involved with terrorist groups.
"Shifts in climates will result in shifts in populations as certain areas become more and more inhabitable. The bulk of these refugees will be sequestered away in squalid, wretched camps and largely denied education, medical care, and access to the opportunity of the outside world. This environment is for terrorists like a pool of stagnant water is for mosquitoes: a breeding ground." – Drew Sloan Former Army Captain, Infantry OEF/OIF Veteran
Patrick Bellon, Western Regional Director of another veteran's organization called VoteVets, told Public Citizen that when the public sees veterans advocating for such an issue it gives it more credibility, "But they are often surprised and curious to see veterans talking about it," he added. Bellon thinks that the majority of people still can't fully comprehend the threat of climate change, "when people hear that there will be three degree change in temperature, they don't understand the impact of that."
You can visit the VoteVets blog by clicking here


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Colorado River kisses a toxic mess good-bye
A 12 million-ton relic of the Cold War willget hauled away from Moab
Before mountain biking made Moab, Utah, a mecca for Lycra-clad thrill seekers, the town's fortunes rested on another kind of extreme pursuit: uranium mining. From the 1950s through the '70s, prospectors descended on the area en masse to mine uranium for Cold War weaponry and nuclear power plants.
One of the biggest uranium-processing mills in the area was run by the Atlas Minerals Corporation, just three miles north of Moab on the Colorado River. The mill closed in 1984 when the boom petered out, leaving 12 million tons of radioactive tailings and contaminated soil perched alongside — and slowly leaking into — the river.
For years, the state of Utah and the U.S. Department of Energy have wrangled over what to do about the problem, which landed in the Energy Department's lap when Atlas went bankrupt in 1998. Now, however, armed with new evidence that the Colorado could shift course, undercut the tailings pile, and send the entire mess into a river that supplies drinking water for about 20 million people, Utah seems to have finally convinced the Energy Department to move the pile to higher ground.
"In a big flood, the tailings pile is really right in the middle of the action. The water would be 25 feet deep on the pile," says Bill Hedden, executive director of the Grand Canyon Trust. A recently released U.S. Geological Survey report makes it clear, he says, that "a catastrophic failure is not at all unthinkable here."
Change of course
Back in January 2000, then-Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson announced that the Energy Department had decided to move the tailings. But a year later, Richardson was replaced by Spencer Abraham, a former U.S. senator from Michigan who had, years earlier, called for the abolition of the very agency he now headed.
With Abraham's appointment, Hedden says, "The whole chemistry within the Department of Energy changed immediately." The agency became more reluctant to talk about making the massive effort required to move the pile. Last November, it finally released a draft environmental impact statement containing a range of possibilities: doing nothing; "stabilizing" the pile in place; or transporting it to one of three locations farther away from the river. The department refused to identify a "preferred alternative" — an unusual, shrug-of-the-shoulders attitude that did little to quell the heartburn in Utah.
Then, the U.S. Geological Survey's report, released earlier this year, brought new proof that the river could wreak havoc on the pile. Rep. Jim Matheson, D, whose district includes the Moab area, says the report was one piece of "a growing body of evidence that this was an unstable pile."
The Environmental Protection Agency, which along with the state had funded the study, promptly rated the proposal to leave the pile where it is "environmentally unsatisfactory," citing the "prolonged environmental and public health risk that could result from the continued release of toxic contaminants."
Around the same time, Utah's congressional delegation and Gov. Jon Huntsman, R, sent letters to the Energy Department demanding the pile's removal. (In December, outgoing governor Olene Walker sent a letter to the agency with a tart declaration that "any remediation other than an off-site option is unacceptable.") Utah Sen. Bob Bennett, R, met with new Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman in early April, and on April 6, Bodman announced that the "preferred alternative" for the tailings pile is to move it away from the river.
We'll send the bill
The tailings will be transported — probably by rail — to BLM-managed land near Crescent Junction, a defunct truck stop 30 miles north of Moab just off Interstate 70. Moving the pile to Crescent Junction will cost about $470 million, more than twice the price of stabilizing the pile and leaving it in place. And big questions remain about the final price of cleaning up the mess. The groundwater below the original site also must be treated, primarily to remove ammonia used during ore processing. The Energy Department estimates that the cleanup will take 75 to 80 years, but Loren Morton, with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality's Radiation Control Division, says it could actually take 200 years — and add another $108 million to the cleanup costs.
Now, says Rep. Matheson, "We have to find the money to move this pile." The Utah delegation will ask Congress for appropriations for the project next year. Removal won't begin until at least 2008, and it could take the Energy Department up to three years to relocate all of the tailings.
The author is HCN associate editor.