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Texas oil man T. Boone Pickens is commencing action, with plans for his company, Mesa Power, to build, over the next four years, the previously announced $10 billion wind farm, the world's largest, that will eventually generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity - the equivalent of building two commercial scale nuclear power plants - enough power for about 1 million homes.
Next month Mesa Power, will begin buying land and ordering the first 500 wind turbines of the 2,700 turbines required for the project, at about $2 million each, to be located across 200,000 acres of the Texan panhandle.
"Don't get the idea that I've turned green. My business is making money, and I think this is going to make a lot of money."
Pickens grand plan, not to be built by him, for resolving the energy needs of the US. is to build wind farms on a corridor of land running north to south through the middle of the US - along the great plains and to harvest solar energy from a corridor running east to west from Texas to southern California.
Pickens certainly thinks big, and somebody has to, as the U.S. government is doing little to resolve our compounding needs for new power sources. I assume thermal solar power would be used for the solar part of his plan as it currently is much less expensive than PV solar and thermal solar power can be quite easily adapted to thermal storage, although that brings the price up to where the total cost is quite expensive.
The only other comment I have is on Pickens grand scheme, and that would be to utilize geothermal power in addition to solar and wind. Conventional geothermal would be used in the northwestern part of the U.S., primarily in California, Nevada, Idaho and Oregon, Hawaii and along parts of the New England coast. Hot dry rock or deep geothermal/EGS can be used in almost all of the U.S. and would serve the southern and eastern parts of the country, where solar and wind are not particularly applicable. The current cost of geothermal is comparable to natural gas power and thus is very attractive. Geothermal has the advantage of being a baseload power source, whereas wind and solar are not particularly suited for this application. Thermal storage can be added to thermal solar but that would be more costly than geothermal. Significantly improved utilization of wind and solar can be obtained by tying geographically diverse sources together with an extensive grid. However, that is costly and would have to be studied in detail.
I personally think that a part of this plan would have to be to use generation III+ nuclear reactors and clean coal with sequestration to compliment the renewable power portions of this plan. This will be required to improve the baseload properties of the grid and provide the required power we need until the renewable power providers have built up sufficient capability. If Pickens, through his companies, can finance a $10 billion project that will supply 4 gigawatts of power, I would think that there would be several other companies, utility companies in particular, that could spend that much and supply all the incremental needs for power. Companies like Glitner and Chevron are capable of very large geothermal plants. Other diversified oil companies could get into the act as the supplies of oil get even more expensive and the world turns to electrictity as a larger and larger share of its power supply.


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As an archivist, historian, and astute collector of the archives and personal papers of key organizations and figures of radical politics and left wing social movements, Michael H. Nash, head of the New York University Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, played a major role in the preservation of left politics and labor. Nash passed away on Tuesday, July 24, 2012. He was 66.
Michael H. Nash (1946- 2012)
Head, Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Harpur College, BA, History, 1968
Columbia University, MA, American History, 1969
Columbia University, School of Library Service, MLS, 1974
Binghamton University, PhD, American Labor History, 1975
As an archivist, historian, and astute collector of the archives and personal papers of key organizations and figures of radical politics and left wing social movements, Michael H. Nash, head of the New York University Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, played a major role in the preservation of left politics and labor. Nash passed away on Tuesday, July 24, 2012. He was 66.
Among Nash's accomplishments, he was instrumental in bringing to Tamiment many important collections and personal papers. These include the papers of Philip Agee, the CIA officer who broke with the agency in 1969; the papers of Esther and James Jackson, pioneering members of the civil rights movement; the papers of journalist Victor Navasky, lawyers William Kunstler and Norman Dorsen, historian Howard Zinn, and documentarian Estela Bravo; the archive of the National Lawyers' Guild; and the Leo Hershkowitz Collection of New York City history.
"He was the respected trusted leader that allowed groups as diverse as the Communist Party USA, the Guantanamo lawyers, and Occupy Wall Street to turn to Tamiment as the custodian of their archives," said Carol A. Mandel, dean of the NYU Libraries.
Nash, a scholar with a particular interest in the Spanish Civil War and the impact on academia of McCarthyism and the House Un-American Activities Committee, was also founding co-director of the Center for the United States and the Cold War and founding co-director of the Frederic Ewen Center for Academic Freedom, both of which attract international scholars and writers to research in Tamiment's twenty thousand linear feet of manuscripts, documents, film, and other material.
For much of its history, Tamiment's collecting policies were centered on the historical relationship between the class-based labor movement and the Left that was the dominant paradigm from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. In more recent years, Nash refocused the collection policies to reflect the change as progressive social movements became less associated with class and increasingly focused on the struggle for civil rights, women's rights, immigrant rights, gay rights, civil liberties, academic freedom, environmentalism, the struggle for affordable housing, health care, and consumer rights.
Nash was a teacher in the NYU Department of History, author of Conflict and Accommodation: Coal Miners, Steel Workers and Socialism, and co-editor of Red Activists and Black Freedom: James and Esther Jackson and the Long Civil Rights Revolution and The Good Fight Continues: World War II Letters from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.
He wrote about the relationship between contemporary scholarship and archival practice and has been published in The American Archivist, Labor History, The Journal of Social History, American Communist History, and The Business History Review.
Nash also wrote two archival management books, one on developing a business archive and the other on establishing a labor archive entitled, How to Keep Union Records, Edited by Michael Nash, Society of American Archivists (2010).
Nash also wrote a chapter in The Records of American Business, edited by James O'Toole entitled, "Business history and archival practice: shifts in sources and paradigms."
Nash came to NYU in 2002 from the Hagley Museum and Library, where he worked from 1982. He served as its Chief Curator from 1991-2002. Before coming to Hagley, Nash was a Senior Assistant Archivist at Cornell University in 1982, and he began his career in 1974 as an Archival Specialist at the New York Public Library where he worked for six years.
Nash graduated with a M.A, in American History in 1969 and a M.L.S. in 1974 both from Columbia University. He earned his Ph.D., in American Labor History, in 1975 at Binghamton University.
Nash was a member of several national professional associations, including: Society of American Archivists; the Academy of Certified Archivists; and the Labor and Working Class History Association.
Nash is survived by his wife Jeanne and his sons Gabriel and Raphael.
Memorial gifts to Tamiment Library may be sent to the Michael Nash Memorial Fund, Dean's Office, 70 Washington Square South, NY, NY 10012.

subset: commoncrawl


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Which daytime soap opera, actor, actress and couple did you enjoy the most during the week of April 15-19, 2013? DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Alison Sweeney, Freddie Smith and DAYS couple Sonny & Will are the reigning champs. But who were your favorites this week?
Vote in the poll below and check back on Monday morning for the results. Voting ends at 9 a.m. ET on Monday, April 22. Scroll down to the bottom and click "Done" when finished.
- Breakdown of the Prospect Park-ABC Lawsuit
- Y&R's Jeanne Cooper out of ICU
- INTERVIEW: Robin Mattson Reflects On Her Career, Roger Howarth and Playing Heather Webber
- INTERVIEW: Kristian Alfonso Reflects On Her DAYS OF OUR LIVES 30th Anniversary
- Y&R's Max Ehrich & His Band INFINITY Cover Rihanna's "Stay"
- DAYS OF OUR LIVES Tops Its Year-Ago Results For Week By 8% Among Women 18-49 & 14% In The Women 25-54 Demo
- GENERAL HOSPITAL Continues 50th Anniversary Celebration with 18-Month Highs in Women 18-49/Women 25-24


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There is no vision in the budgeting process, and all visions discussed outside of the budgeting process have no say here. In the budget process when it comes to spending, you can make cuts, and when it comes to existing, established sources of revenue all you can do is increase it. Alberta's problems though are going to take a lot more than a +/- to specific departments, Alberta needs to re-evaluate it's position and the long-term outlook for revenue and adjust accordingly. This would of course mean deficits for the foreseeable future based on the information presented there but what's important is we spend and invest on a path that provides some sort of a future rather than continually lowering the bar on our standard of living and services and pretend as though balancing the budget is the ultimate goal, it isn't.
Under traditional monetary systems, going into debt wouldn't be that bad under the duties that are supposed to be taken on by the Bank of Canada to be the sole provider of the nation's currency, but under our current model the Bank of Canada simply facilitates entry into a private, international, bond auction. Participating in this type of auction is required if we wish to be involved with free trade which is administered by the WTO. Under this system all of the interest on our debt is given to the private interests which invest in our debt, this goes for the municipal all the way to the federal. All of the interest we pay on our government debts effectively is drained from circulation while at the same time we borrow more which accumulates even more interest, etc.
Under the traditional system the interest on the government debts would be recycled back into the Bank of Canada and always stay within the possession of the taxpayer.
Why are these monetary details important? They are important because they are largely the reason that government finances and budgets now must be treated in the same fashion as corporate or household budgets. It is the reason that not running a deficit is so important as the worse the debt situation gets the worst your credit rating is, and the worst your credit rating is the harsher the interest payments become. We can see the detrimental effect a matured system like this has by observing Europe and soon the U.S. Under the traditional system there is nothing inherently bad about going into debt other than the chance you may inflate your currency away to nothing should you provide too much but under the current system the side-effects can be extremely detrimental and like most consumer debt which is based on the same fundamentals it is increasingly difficult to get out of the more money you borrow.
You can see the results of my budget here and clocked in at a $1.1B deficit. I'll provide some reason to the specific changes I made as my goal when playing with the limited options on budgetchoice.ca was not to balance the budget but to make some of the changes (that the program allows) which would set us up for the future. Again, this is very limited simply due to the fact that when it comes to spending for instance there is no option to increase spending, only make cuts.
Here are the options I changed from their defaults:
- Eliminate future funding for Carbon Capture & Storage [-$60M]. This one was a no-brainer however I would add in addition that to coincide with this change and make it useful the Alberta government should keep emission rules the same as though it was in place and have strict penalties for companies which violate these rules. Let the companies foot the bill for this on their own or cease their operations. CCS is incredible overhead on the backs of the Albertans and we shouldn't have to foot the bill for it. Companies need to start covering their own overhead for Alberta to have sustainable budgets.
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Richard Fantin is a self-taught software developer who has mostly throughout his career focused on financial applications and high frequency trading. He currently works for CenturyLink
Nazayh Zanidean is a Project Coordinator for a mid-sized construction contractor in Calgary, Alberta. He enjoys writing as a hobby on topics that include foreign policy, international human rights, security and systemic media bias.


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Kiplinger's Personal Finance, December 2009 issue, just announced that the Ally Bank Online Savings Account has been rated "Best Online Savings Account".
This ranking recognizes the Best Bank Accounts that "combine higher yields and convenience." Kiplinger's chose to honor Ally Bank's Online Savings Account because it requires "no minimum to open an account, no monthly fees and no minimum balance."
They combine higher yields and convenience. A high-yield savings account at ALLY BANK, formerly GMAC Financial Services, yields 1.30% —far more than you'd get at most brick-and-mortar banks. And Ally Bank has no minimum to open an account, no monthly fees and no minimum balance. Plus, this FDIC-insured institution is one of the only online banks to offer penalty-free CDs, which give you the freedom to withdraw your money early without paying a fee.


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CLIP top – For proven function and perfect design
Open the door for the tried and tested CLIP top hinge! CLIP top stands for utmost adjustment and assembly ease, reliable function and attractive design. Every door equipped with CLIP top opens and closes with reliable ease. And for customers who prefer to slam doors shut, simply combine CLIP top with soft-close BLUMOTION. You can also add TIP-ON, the functional opening system for handle-less furniture.
You can choose from a wide range of hinges with different boss fixing options and mounting plates:
- Standard hinges with different cranked hinge arms
- Profile door hinges for thicker door depths
- Blind corner hinges
- Angled hinges from -50 to +50°
- Alu frame hinges
- Wide angle hinges
- CRISTALLO, glass door and mini-hinges
- Bi-fold hinges
CLIP top applications
Assembly and adjustment
In addition to screw-on and knock-in boss options, CLIP top also offers tool-free boss fixing with INSERTA. Thanks to tried and tested CLIP technology, front assembly and removal is quick and easy. Infinitely variable 3-dimensional adjustment is simple and precise.
Advantages at a glance:
- Tool-free assembly and removal
- 3-dimensional door adjustment is simple and precise
- Can be combined with BLUMOTION or TIP-ON


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Financial Accounting Foundation Seeks Stakeholder Input on Proposed Changes to GASB Agenda-Setting ProcessNorwalk, CT, February 26, 2013—The Financial Accounting Foundation Board of Trustees today issued for public comment a proposal to revise the agenda-setting process for the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) to assist the Trustees in assessing the scope of the GASB's standard-setting activity.
The proposal is the result of discussions between the Trustees and GASB leaders following completion of an independent academic study that documented GASB stakeholders' views on the scope of the GASB's standard-setting activities and authority. The study revealed a lack of consensus about the appropriate scope of the GASB's activities and involvement in government accountability reporting.
"The FAF Trustees believe modifying GASB's agenda-setting process to allow early stakeholder input is the best way to address scope of authority issues," said FAF Chairman Jeffrey J. Diermeier. "Assessing a project to be 'in scope' early in the agenda-setting process would allow appropriate Trustee oversight while preserving the GASB's standard-setting independence. We are seeking stakeholder input to help determine whether the proposed changes will help resolve these issues."
The GASB's current agenda setting process involves three principal phases: 1) Issue identification; 2) Research, and 3) Current technical agenda development. The GASB has classified governmental financial information into three categories:
- Group 1 – Information that GASB assesses as clearly within its standard-setting authority. Included in Group 1 are items recognized in basic financial statements, notes to the basic financial statements, current Required Supplementary Information, and other supplementary information for historical context.
- Group 2 – Information that the GASB believes is within its standard- setting authority, but that is not clearly in Group 1. Included in Group 2 are notes to the basic financial statements containing non-traditional information, current Required Supplementary Information providing operational or economic context, and other general purpose financial reports.
- Group 3 – Information clearly recognized as being outside GASB's standard-setting authority. Included in Group 3 is information outside general purpose external financial reporting.
- The GASB would follow its established agenda-setting process without modification for Group 1 financial information projects.
- Consistent with current practice, the GASB will not conduct research on Group 3 financial information projects and will not add Group 3 projects to the research or technical agendas
- For Group 2 financial information projects, the GASB will modify its established agenda-setting process as follows:
- In the issue identification phase, the GASB will provide an expanded project proposal to the FAF's Standard Setting Oversight Committee. The Oversight Committee may conduct, or request the GASB to conduct, additional stakeholder outreach on the proposed project. The Oversight Committee will then make a recommendation to the Trustees about whether the project is within the GASB's scope of authority for financial accounting and reporting guidance. If the Trustees decide that the project is within the GASB's scope, the GASB will update its project descriptions in the technical plan and continue with its established agenda process.
- At the end of the research phase, the Oversight Committee may request to review the project prospectus. Factors that may lead to Oversight Committee review would include project scope changes and additional stakeholder input. If the Oversight Committee reviews the project prospectus, it may decide to obtain additional stakeholder input. The Oversight Committee will reevaluate the Trustees' previous determination of whether the project is within the GASB's scope of authority, based on any new information. It will make a final recommendation to the Trustees. If the Trustees determine the project still is within the GASB's scope, the GASB will update the project prospectus and continue with its established agenda process.
The proposal, as well as the independent academic study Independent Academic Study of the Scope of the GASB: Accounting and Accountability – Topics and Processes is available at the FAF website. Stakeholders can email comments to firstname.lastname@example.com or mail them to the following address by April 30, 2013: GASB Agenda Process, Financial Accounting Foundation, 401 Merritt 7, PO Box 5116, Norwalk, CT 06856.
About the Financial Accounting Foundation
The FAF is responsible for the oversight, administration, and finances of both the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The Foundation is also responsible for selecting the members of both Boards and their respective Advisory Councils.
About the Governmental Accounting Standards Board
The GASB is the independent, not-for-profit organization formed in 1984 that establishes and improves financial accounting and reporting standards for state and local governments. Its seven members are drawn from the Board's diverse constituency, including preparers and auditors of government financial statements, users of those statements, and members of the academic community. More information about the GASB can be found at its website, www.gasb.org.


text: It forms the basis for understanding our political and physical realities. Want to understand the challenge of global warming, start with understanding the basics of our world...of geography. A great of geography education can be effectively taught through geography games and map games. These geography learning games help form the basis for understanding our country, our states, our world. Play on!


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Washington (CNN) -- For the past year the FBI has been actively working a new lead in the unsolved case involving skyjacker D.B. Cooper. But the information concerns a new suspect who has been dead for more than a decade, an FBI spokesman told CNN on Monday.
In November 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked a plane and succeeded in getting authorities to give him $200,000 and parachutes in return for letting passengers off the plane. The man then asked to be flown to Mexico but jumped out of the back of Northwest Orient Flight 305 somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada. Authorities have never been able to prove whether the man survived or what his actual identity was.
A retired law enforcement officer brought a tip to the FBI about a year ago, said Fred Gutt, a spokesman for the FBI's Seattle Field Office. The retired officer had a contact who thought he or she knew the skyjacker's identity but added the suspect was dead. But that didn't mark the end of the trail.
"Family members of the deceased have cooperated with us and given us access to items which belonged to the deceased," Gutt said. The FBI's lab started looking for evidence that might prove the dead person was the man who skyjacked Flight 305. The FBI wanted to retrieve items with fingerprints belonging to the new suspect.
Gutt said the FBI knows Cooper had handled certain papers, including his plane ticket, and touched plane seats, but many fingerprints were found on those items. Through the years the FBI managed to identify some fingerprints but not all of them.
Gutt would not discuss the suspect's identity, the evidence retrieved or what the lab results were. But, Gutt said, "so far there's not a lot that's inconsistent" with the suspect matching D.B. Cooper.
Gutt added the FBI has not been able to prove the person is the mysterious skyjacker and the law enforcement agency still does not know for certain whether Cooper survived his leap out of the plane almost four decades ago during bad weather.
Although the FBI has been looking into the new lead for a year, it was first revealed during an interview with The Telegraph of London in advance of the 40th anniversary of the unsolved case this coming November.
On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, Cooper -- the "D.B." apparently was a myth created by the press, according to the FBI -- approached the ticket counter of Northwest Orient airlines in Portland, Oregon, and used cash to buy a one-way ticket to Seattle.
"Cooper was a quiet man who appeared to be in his mid-forties, wearing a business suit with a black tie and white shirt," the FBI said in a summary of the case on its website. "He ordered a drink -- bourbon and soda -- while the flight was waiting to take off."
But later, he handed a flight attendant a note saying he had a bomb in his briefcase and asking her to sit beside him. She did as she was told, and the man opened a "cheap attache case" and showed her a mass of wires and red-colored sticks and demanded that she write down what he told her. She wrote a note demanding four parachutes and $200,000 in $20 bills and walked it up to the captain, the FBI said.
When the flight landed in Seattle, the hijacker exchanged the flight's 36 passengers for the money and parachutes, the FBI said, keeping several crew members on board. The flight took off again after he ordered it to fly to Mexico City.
But Cooper jumped out of the plane. "The pilots landed safely, but Cooper had disappeared into the night and his ultimate fate remains a mystery to this day," the FBI said.
One clue came in 1980, when a young boy found a rotting package full of $20 bills -- $5,800 in all -- that matched the serial numbers of the ransom money. The FBI returned most of the bills to the boy, named Brian Ingram, and Ingram has since auctioned some of them, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.
The "D.B." stemmed from confusion in a United Press International newsroom, the Post-Intelligencer said.
"We've run down thousands of leads and considered all sorts of scenarios," the FBI said in 2007. "And amateur sleuths have put forward plenty of their own theories. Yet the case remains unsolved. Would we still like to get our man? Absolutely."
The FBI appealed for help from the public, releasing pictures of Cooper's black J.C. Penney tie -- which he removed before jumping and which later provided authorities with a DNA sample -- along with some of the found money.
The agency reminded the public that Cooper was no expert skydiver. "We originally thought Cooper was an experienced jumper, perhaps even a paratrooper," said Special Agent Larry Carr in 2007. "We concluded after a few years this was simply not true. No experienced parachutist would have jumped in the pitch-black night, in the rain, with a 200-mile-an-hour wind in his face, wearing loafers and a trench coat. It was simply too risky. He also missed that his reserve chute was only for training and had been sewn shut -- something a skilled skydiver would have checked."
Agents also believe Cooper had no help on the ground. If he had had an accomplice, he would have needed to coordinate closely with the flight crew and jump at just the right moment. "But Cooper simply said, 'Fly to Mexico,' and he had no idea where he was when he jumped," authorities said. "There was also no visibility of the ground due to cloud cover at 5,000 feet."
Two flight attendants who were in contact with Cooper gave nearly identical descriptions of him, as did those who encountered him on the ground. He was said to be between 5 foot 10 and 6 feet tall, weighing 170 to 180 pounds with brown eyes.
Carr said in 2007 he believed it was unlikely Cooper survived the jump. "Diving into the wilderness without a plan, without the right equipment, in such terrible conditions, he probably never even got his chute open," he said.
By the five-year anniversary of the hijacking, the FBI said it had considered more than 800 suspects and eliminated all but two dozen from consideration.
Several high-profile suspects have been ruled out over the years. Duane Weber, who claimed on his deathbed to be Cooper, was eliminated by DNA testing, the FBI said. Another man, Kenneth Christiansen, did not match the physical description and was a skilled paratrooper. A third, Richard McCoy, who died in 1974, also did not match the description and was at home the day after the hijacking having Thanksgiving dinner with his family in Utah -- "an unlikely scenario unless he had help," the agency said.
Fred Gutt said while the FBI understands there is great public interest in this long-unsolved case "it's a fairly low-priority case for the FBI" as it pursues new investigations involving cases like missing children that have a current impact on public safety.
Even so, Gutt said the FBI always follows up on any new tips on the case. On Sunday, another FBI spokesperson, Ayn Sandalo Dietrich, told CNN the information on the new suspect is not expected to be "a big break in the investigation."
CNN's Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report.


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Heather Ranck is Director of the Fargo, North Dakota US Export Assistance Center. She is also active on the Agribusiness Team, and in that capacity she promotes the export of US-made agricultural machinery throughout the world.
So Much to Do, So Little Time
I keep telling myself: sleep is overrated! Somewhere between the 1 a.m. airport pickup for my colleague arriving from China; and the 7:30 a.m. Ex-Im Bank finance meeting sleep tends to take a back seat to all the organizing, facilitating, entertaining and crisis management that is inherent in putting on any large event. The Big Iron Farm Machinery Show is the biggest agricultural machinery show in the Upper Midwest, and in 2007 we decided to make it a global event when the former Soviet countries began showing very high interest in our large scale farm machinery built in North Dakota. This, our third year, is once again packed with activity and opportunities for the 150+ foreign buyers who are descending on Fargo to learn about American large scale crop farming.
This year I focused my recruiting efforts on Africa, a new frontier for large scale farm equipment. Having lived in Mozambique and Congo, I wanted to scope out the prospects, so in May 2009 I took a 3-week trip to South Africa, Angola and Mozambique. After 144 meetings I learned a lot about the needs and opportunities for farm equipment in Africa. We had a delegation of 25 Africans at Big Iron this year, and I would like to see American technology helping increase food production in Africa.
The Big Iron International Visitors Program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Commercial Service (the primary federal government export assistance agency) and the North Dakota Trade Office (a state of North Dakota trade promotion organization); and our combined team of 10 people coordinates very closely on all recruiting, events planning, logistics, interpreting, transportation and programming.
During the show, the hub of all the activity is the International Visitors Pavilion, for which the International Trade Administration's Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) provided substantial funding for the meeting rooms this year. This is Grand Central Station for buyers and sellers, with meeting rooms, food and COFFEE!
We are always coming up with new elements to the program, and one of my new ideas this year was to hold an international soccer match. We had a beautiful, sunny day in Fargo and Fargo Parks let us use the best fields in Fargo. The game ended in a 4-4 tie, further ensuring international harmony.
I also have taken on the activity of ensuring adequate language assistance for buyers and sellers. I speak Portuguese, and therefore did quite a bit of interpreting for the Angolan delegation this year. We are fortunate to have 3 universities in the Fargo-Moorhead area, so we recruit student volunteers to facilitate business meetings throughout the week.
Big Iron 2009 was as exciting as ever this year with representation from 12 different countries, many of them new to Big Iron. It is thrilling to watch the years of effort leading to deals being negotiated before our eyes; and millions of dollars of US agricultural machinery being shipped all over the world.


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A cringe-worthy chorus of "Happy Birthday" is usually all it takes to earn the label of "tone-deaf." Yet fewer than 1 percent of the population is truly amusical, that is, lacking the ability to distinguish different pitches. Many more of us simply can't carry a tune. A study published online in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General reinforces scientists' growing belief that the culprit is not the ear but the throat. In a series of pitch-matching experiments, nonmusicians were pretty good at adjusting an instrument to match a specific note, suggesting that they could hear it just fine. They had much more trouble, however, imitating the same note with their own voice. The authors suspect that poor motor control of vocal muscles is partly to blame—findings that reinforce the idea that almost anyone can learn to sing.
Can't Carry a Tune? Work Out Your Vocal Muscles
Poor muscle control, not aural perception, underlies most cases of bad singing
This article was originally published with the title "Physically Out of Tune" in SA Mind 22, 6, 12 (January 2012)


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Well, this is embarrassing. Grantland had two heartening Father's Day stories up yesterday. Alas, the fathers could not read them at Grantland.com. The site was down, replaced by a picture of a smiling girl and Prince Harry's neck. From the look of things, the domain name registry had lapsed and hadn't been renewed. A registry search and some googling revealed the contact person for the domain to be a mysterious IT/communications expert out of Bali named Ken Grant, who does work for the Indonesian mining industry. I emailed Grant last night. He writes:
Grantland.com was a long time family website that chronicled our travels around the world among other things. About a month ago I sold the domain to the current owner. The registration that I had with Network Solution just lapsed. I did not renew it because I no longer have the domain. I assumed that they had already transferred the registration to another registrar.
Guess not. But Grantland.com is up and running again today, as Bill Simmons gradually figures out the series of tubes that is the internet. (Not that this sort of whoopsie daisy can't happen elsewhere.) Ken Grant didn't respond when I asked for specifics on his deal with Simmons. Let's hope he got some decent coin out of Grantland, which is bankrolled by ESPN, which is owned by Disney, which has cash like Uncle Scrooge.


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Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some stellar articles on saving money on coffee, ways to use your tax refund, and tips for decorating rentals without losing your security deposit.
The Ultimate Guide to Saving Money on Coffee — Save money on coffee by getting a coffee maker and remembering that expensive doesn't always mean good. [PT Money]
6 Ways to Use Your Tax Refund (and 2 Ways Not to) — Consider using your tax refund to beef up your emergency fund. [Parenting Squad]
Tips For Decorating Rentals That Won't Cost You Your Security Deposit — To decorate your rental without losing your security deposit, use adhesive hooks instead of putting holes in your wall to hang things. [PopSugar Smart Living]
5 Very Good Reasons to Become a Cheapskate — Becoming a cheapskate enables you to eliminate your debts for good! [And Then We Saved]
Smart Places to Keep Cash — It's a good idea to keep $50 in your wallet and some extra cash at home in case of an emergency. [Money Smart Life]
Have Huge Medical Bills? Get Crafty with Your Payments — If you have a medical procedure you need done, consider looking at Groupon to see if there are any businesses offering it at a discount. [MoneyNing]
Kissing The w2 LIfe Goodbye - 4 Things You Need To Know About the 1099 Life (Working For Yourself) — When working for yourself, remember to budget and pay your bills as you go. [Girls Just Wanna Have Funds]
Few Ways to have More Spring break Fun with Less Budget — Plan ahead to have more fun this spring break without breaking the bank! [Once Cent at a Time]
Should You have a Safe Deposit Box? — A safe deposit box is a great place for you to keep copies of legal documents or your social security card. [NarrowBridge Finance]
Cell Phone Insurance - Valuable Purchase, or Ripoff? — Cell phone insurance may not be a ripoff, but it isn't the best deal either. [Cash Money Life]
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text: A Brazilian man has been charged for trying to rent out a botnet that would be used to send spam, U.S. authorities said Thursday.Leni de Abreu Neto, 35, of Taubate, Brazil, was charged with one count of conspiracy to cause damage to computers worldwide after being indicted by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.Neto was arrested in the Netherlands on July 29 by the Dutch High-Tech Crime Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. is seeking his extradition.Neto was arrested along with a 19-year-old Dutch man, Nordin Nasiri, and Nasiri's 16-year-old brother. Nordin Nasiri, of Sneek, Netherlands, had built a network of some 100,000 hacked computers. Such networks, known as botnets, are valuable for cybercriminals, who can route their hacking through the compromised computers, making it difficult for investigators to follow. The controlled PCs are used to send spam or perform other malicious actions such as a denial-of-service attack, which can cripple a Web site.Between May and June, Neto agreed with Nasiri to act as a mediator to rent out the botnet to another party for \u00ac25,000 (US$37,290), according to the indictment. Neto expected the third party to use the botnet to send spam. The botnet, called "Shadow" by Nasiri, was spread entirely through social engineering. The malicious code was distributed on Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger instant messaging network. Once on a PC, the malicious code would send instant messages to people on the victim's contact list. The messages contained a link to what appeared to be a harmless file but could actually gave Nasiri control over the PC.If convicted Neto faces up to five years in prison plus three years of probation. He could also be fined as much as $250,000 or more depending on the losses from victims or his own profits from the scheme.Nasiri will be prosecuted by Dutch authorities.


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Is Al Qaeda Just a Bush Boogeyman?
Is it conceivable that Al Qaeda, as defined by President Bush as the center of a vast and well-organized international terrorist conspiracy, does not exist?
To even raise the question amid all the officially inspired hysteria is heretical, especially in the context of the U.S. media's supine acceptance of administration claims relating to national security. Yet a brilliant new BBC film produced by one of Britain's leading documentary filmmakers systematically challenges this and many other accepted articles of faith in the so-called war on terror.
"The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear," a three-hour historical film by Adam Curtis recently aired by the British Broadcasting Corp., argues coherently that much of what we have been told about the threat of international terrorism "is a fantasy that has been exaggerated and distorted by politicians. It is a dark illusion that has spread unquestioned through governments around the world, the security services and the international media."
Stern stuff, indeed. But consider just a few of the many questions the program poses along the way:
* If Osama bin Laden does, in fact, head a vast international terrorist organization with trained operatives in more than 40 countries, as claimed by Bush, why, despite torture of prisoners, has this administration failed to produce hard evidence of it?
* How can it be that in Britain since 9/11, 664 people have been detained on suspicion of terrorism but only 17 have been found guilty, most of them with no connection to Islamist groups and none who were proven members of Al Qaeda?
* Why have we heard so much frightening talk about "dirty bombs" when experts say it is panic rather than radioactivity that would kill people?
* Why did Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld claim on "Meet the Press" in 2001 that Al Qaeda controlled massive high-tech cave complexes in Afghanistan, when British and U.S. military forces later found no such thing?
Of course, the documentary does not doubt that an embittered, well-connected and wealthy Saudi man named Osama bin Laden helped finance various affinity groups of Islamist fanatics that have engaged in terror, including the 9/11 attacks. Nor does it challenge the notion that a terrifying version of fundamentalist Islam has led to gruesome spates of violence throughout the world. But the film, both more sober and more deeply provocative than Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," directly challenges the conventional wisdom by making a powerful case that the Bush administration, led by a tight-knit cabal of Machiavellian neoconservatives, has seized upon the false image of a unified international terrorist threat to replace the expired Soviet empire in order to push a political agenda.
Terrorism is deeply threatening, but it appears to be a much more fragmented and complex phenomenon than the octopus-network image of Al Qaeda, with Bin Laden as its head, would suggest.
While the BBC documentary acknowledges that the threat of terrorism is both real and growing, it disagrees that the threat is centralized:
"There are dangerous and fanatical individuals and groups around the world who have been inspired by extreme Islamist ideas and who will use the techniques of mass terror -- the attacks on America and Madrid make this only too clear. But the nightmare vision of a uniquely powerful hidden organization waiting to strike our societies is an illusion. Wherever one looks for this Al Qaeda organization, from the mountains of Afghanistan to the 'sleeper cells' in America, the British and Americans are chasing a phantom enemy."
The fact is, despite the efforts of several government commissions and a vast army of investigators, we still do not have a credible narrative of a "war on terror" that is being fought in the shadows.
Consider, for example, that neither the 9/11 commission nor any court of law has been able to directly take evidence from the key post-9/11 terror detainees held by the United States. Everything we know comes from two sides that both have a great stake in exaggerating the threat posed by Al Qaeda: the terrorists themselves and the military and intelligence agencies that have a vested interest in maintaining the facade of an overwhelmingly dangerous enemy.
Such a state of national ignorance about an endless war is, as "The Power of Nightmares" makes clear, simply unacceptable in a functioning democracy.
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From: Kimi Herndon
The BLOCK was the first open-layered foam target to hit the market back in 1997, and it took the archery world by storm. Today, it still leads the market with imitations attempting to replicate its look and feel. But the BLOCK is still the original. It is the classic that has stood the test of time, and it's benchmark by which others are compared. And now, it's been reinvented as the BLOCK Classic.
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3M™ Flap Disc 577F, T29 4-1/2 in. x 5/8-11, 40 Grit, 10 pk.
3M™ Flap Disc 577F, T29 4-1/2 in. x 5/8-11, 40 Grit, 10 pk.
?3M coated 577F Type 29 flap disc uses alumina zirconia as the abrasive material and has a diameter of 4 1/2 in. 3M incorporates this alumina zirconia material into the flap disc forming a grit of 40. All abrasive products that rotate or spin, such as the ones in this category, have a maximum speed at which you can run them. This 3M flap disc can be run at a maximum speed of 13300 RPMs. The 3M flap disc uses fiberglass for the backing plate.
Brand: 3M
Abrasive Type: Coated
Flap Disc Type: Type 29
Disc Diameter: 4 1/2 in
Abrasive Material: Alumina Zirconia
Series ID: 577F
Grade: Coarse
Grit: 40
Center Hole Thread Size: 5/8-11
Backing Plate Material: Fiberglass
Flap Backing Material: Cloth
Flap Backing Weight: YF
Maximum RPM: 13300
Color: Green
Package Quantity: 10 discs


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Sunday, January 1, 2012
Farewell, 2011...Hello, 2012
The first three months of the year (especially January) are mostly ones of waiting, planning and watching. It seemed to me to be a pretty mild winter in 2011, but those who've lived here longer have told me it was actually quite a bit colder than usual. Nevertheless, being Portland, the early spring bulbs (Daffodils, Hyacintoides) were already poking above ground. By the time the Spring Home & Garden Show rolls around in mid-February, most Portlanders are itching for any excuse to think about gardening again. February also brought a short-lived snow storm to Portland, which melted away within a day. Still, it was a nice way to bid winter farewell. By the time March arrived, spring was well underway...one highlight for me this year was the first bloom of our newly-planted Parrotia persica trees...not especially showy, but interesting, nonetheless.
April brought us full-swing into spring, and with it, Plant Sale Season! The HPSO sale, Canby Sale and a slew of others keep gardeners busy...alway seeking out something new for the garden. April also brought my first nursery outing with a fabulous group of fellow garden bloggers...a true highlight of the gardening year for me. Our spring was mostly dominated by our backyard makeover (post forthcoming...I promise). It was also the start of Astrantia season here in my garden. It was the first year for these plants in my garden and I found them to be quite a success. Who knew that a plant that looked so delicate could be so tough? May is the month where it seems like all the little sprouts finally start to surge into real plants. Within the span of a few weeks, plants shoot up and bare ground becomes scarce overnight. Before the flowers appear en masse, it's the fresh foliage that sustains us. One of my perennial faves are the Rodgersias. They have the merit of having large, lush leaves that manage not to look overly-tropical. If May is the month where the plants start to grow in earnest, then June is the month they seem to all simultaneously burst into bloom! In the past, I've planted mostly for late summer/fall interest, but after feeling extremely jealous of other gardens around town last spring, I planted more spring/early summer bloomers...and boy was I glad I did! The Lupines were especially wonderful this year, even if they do disappear soon after blooming.
Here in Portland, we are gifted with unbelievably nice spring weather. We get ample rain paired with cool temps and a mix of sunny and cloudy conditions...which makes for lush and explosive growth. July, traditionally, is the start of summer. In the past, as strange as it sounds, it's rather as if someone flips a switch...and suddenly the heat is on! This year, however, the cooler temps of spring continued on and on. As a result, plants seemed to rejoice in the reprieve from heat and scorching sun. The garden seemed more full and vibtant than ever...and I barely watered at all...it was rad! Of course, everything comes at a cost, and for those with veggie gardens...well, they probably gnashed their teeth a bit. The first days of August brought with them the first blooms of my beloved lilies. It also continued the trend of cooler-than-usual weather and I was loving it! Instead of retreating into the house (and A/C) during August, I was out in the garden all the time. I even moved and planted a few things...which I would NEVER have attempted during our typical hot & dry summers. Amazingly, we managed to make it all the way to September this year without having a day over 90°...but it wasn't to last...and September brought with it a heat wave. Sun-lovers rejoiced...and I slunk into the house! The warm blast brought with it unsettled weather...strong winds and hazy skies. The haze did make for some wonderful photo opportunities...the unearthly quality of the light was amazing! Sadly, the hot weather had a somewhat negative effect on the turnout for the Fall HPSO Plant Sale, according to the vendors.
Fall is my favorite season, even if it does signal the end of the gardening season. October started with brilliant weather, alternating between warm and sunny and the return of the rains. As always, it's the grasses that really shine at this time of year. This was the year I embraced Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'. I had thought it too common in the past...of course, I was the one missing out. I realized this year just how amazingly versatile and beautiful it really is...and at no time is it more glorious than in fall. Portland was blessed with an amazing fall this year, which stretched on for months. November was wonderful, full of pleasant, sunny days. We had some of the best fall color in years, and without the typical rains, they leaves remained on the trees for weeks! The garden reached a real crescendo of fall color in Mid-November and was fabulous. December has come and gone, and with it the first killing frosts. Unbelievably, there are still quite a few plants that have managed to stay standing, and practically everything in the backyard is still green...must be it's own special little microclimate (must remember if I ever have some tender plants).
2012 has been good so far...starting off the new year with a bright, sunny day here in Portland. I have SO MANY plans yet for this year. I'm hoping to rip up and plant the remaining hell strip in front of the house. Sadly, that will be the last of our property that I haven't planted yet...what to do after that!?! Luckily, as is always the case with gardens, it will never be done. Even as I plan the new parts of the garden, I'm thinking of re-doing older parts (mostly adding more structural plants). Each year I spend here I get better acquainted with the idiosyncracies of this location.
I have to take a moment to thank all of you out there, my fellow bloggers, followers, readers and gardeners. Garden blogging has gone from something I just sort of "put out there" to something I really value. I can't begin to express how much I enjoy reading other blogs and reading your comments here. I love the community these blogs foster, they are an amazing source of inspiration and solidarity between us. I can't wait to see what 2012 holds for us all...Happy New Year, Everyone!
41 comments:
Perhaps its the day after New Years Eve syndrome, or perhaps it is just the fact that you are so talented, that leaves me without words to describe the beauty of the above photo-calendars.ReplyDelete
I am sooo impressed with the compositions.
Lovely photos Scott. You made some good choices. Your gardens always look beautiful and are good examples of what someone can accomplish with combinations. Look forward to seeing all your wonderful photos this year. Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Cher Sunray Gardens
- AnonymousJanuary 1, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Hi Scott,ReplyDelete
Lovely to look back on the past year :) It certainly has been a year of strange weather and the UK hasn't gotten away free from the strangeness either. We had a very dry spring, which moved into summer and although it wasn't scorching hot it was always pleasant and warm but also very dry - for months I was unable to do any digging or planting.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing more of your beautiful photos :D
p.s. btw, I dead head my lupins and they always come back later in the year but with more blooms. I love them so much!
Great composition of our year Scott! I know we are much colder than you are in Portland but this year we are very temperate so far. I am not sure what to do, already mulched but no snow cover yet. Hope we do not lose a lot of perennials.ReplyDelete
What a creative way to present the months and seasons! All the best to you in the months ahead! It will be fun to see your projects and changes in your garden. BethReplyDelete
Happy New Year to you and yours! I love the detail and colors in your photos, as always. I am looking forward to seeing what you do with your hellstrip.ReplyDelete
This promises to be an interesting gardening year for me as we face the very real possibility of NO outdoor watering.
Happy New Year, Scott! This was a wonderful look back at your garden for the year. Have you planted the back yard? I remember seeing a post with plans, but no pictures of actual plantings yet. I love the blogging community too.ReplyDelete
Why did it take me so long to discover your blog? Odd. Our Spring pre-HPSO sale field trip was so much fun, I hope we do it again this year and you don't have to work! I look forward to seeing how your garden develops over the coming year...and I would really love to see it in person someday!ReplyDelete
Very nice review of your garden through the seasons. I hope your 2012 garden brings you many wonderful blooms, ideal weather conditions and many magnificent surprises! Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Happy New Year! We also had a beautiful day yesterday and it already got me thinking about gardening. You are right about the weather last year, other than the vegetables, the garden loved the weather. I've sort of run out of places to start new gardens here too, we have a small yard, but am constantly rearranging and moving things around. I bet the hell strip will be amazing!ReplyDelete
How fun to look at your beautiful picture of your garden recap for this year. I am glad it was a good year for your garden.I hope it is a better year for everyone with so many extremes over last year. Gardeners are never done. LOL! I am certain your revamp of the Hell Stripe will be lovely and we will want to watch as it develops. Gardeners want to know. LOL! I have enjoyed your postings and lovely pictures this past year and wish you the best in this new year.ReplyDelete
Happy New Year Scott! Your blog has been such a treat this past year. I'm even planning to plant a few grasses at my new place in West Linn next year thanks to your posts :) Cheers, JenniReplyDelete
Your photos are always incredible! Great reminder that spring is coming sooner or later!ReplyDelete
Enjoy your positive attitude Scott. your garden is well done, and your photography is first class. Have a great 012.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 2, 2012 at 11:48 AM
What a lovely review. You had an amazing year, with so much interest in the garden every month, not an easy thing to do. I love watching the seasons play out in your planting, and my wish/seed lists keep getting longer and longer...ReplyDelete
Wishing you a very happy New Year (and that adorable plush cat). S x
Your post was beautiful. Isn't it nice to be able to look closer at photos of the year past and to enjoy (again) garden beauties and favorites? :-) I totally agree with your last paragraph with regarding to blogging and getting to know others! Happy 2012!!ReplyDelete
Wonderful recap. And to think your relatively young garden will be more mature in 2012 -- how much beauty can we stand? Bring it on!ReplyDelete
You are a very talented photographer, and I loved seeing your garden through the year. How nice that most of your backyard is still green! And how fun to start another project! And even though that may be the last, gardens are always changing, and never finished. Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Hey dude,ReplyDelete
You know how much I admire your work, both for photography and prose. I think more of the world should see so much so I thought that Timber Press should about it. And lo' and behold one of their editors said she was stunned, yes stunned, about your photography and she's taking a look at your blog, and mine too.
What a nice retrospective Scott; stellar photos as always . We had similar weather patterns here on Norcal in 2011, with the odd absence of rain so far this winter. I have already completed a good portion of spring clean-up.. and had a glass of wine sitting in the garden at 4:30pm today Jan 2nd..60's!ReplyDelete
I know exactly what you mean about the sense of community that blogging fosters. And I'm glad that SOMEONE had a great gardening year in 2011. We all reap the rewards thanks to your beautiful photographs.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 3, 2012 at 9:29 AM
Scott, needless to say all the pictures are terrific, I like the way you arranged them. I am too a little worry about running out of space in the garden... Do you know if some of your neighbor put his house on sale? Did you tell that's not a good place to grow their children? their house may be haunted? In short: any plan to get rid of them and expand your garden??ReplyDelete
Absolutely stunning photos Scott! Wow! Seriously, it gets me all fired up to see these photos. I want to run out and photograph my garden all day. Big time ups!ReplyDelete
Happy New Year and here's to another great year of gardening!
Hi Scott,ReplyDelete
You don't get killing frosts until December? I am so jealous! I get them in early October.
I am looking forward to seeing what you do in your 2012 garden.
Happy New Year, Scott. I hope we can have a repeat of COOL weather this summer. I'm not fond of 90 degree weather either. Gorgeous photos.ReplyDelete
I'm so sad that I didn't find my way to your blog earlier in 2011. This was such a nice look back at the year--I'd already forgotten how mild our summer was, or those terribly hot weeks in September. I can't wait to see what you create this year!ReplyDelete
I have enjoyed getting to know you through your blog, and seeing your beautiful garden and photography. Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Love the photos! I'm totally jealous of your Portland weather, although here in Spokane it's been milder than usual the past week. So nice to see the sun and break into the 40's once in a while!ReplyDelete
What an inspiring blog - and gorgeus garden!ReplyDelete
Here in Southern Finland we're still waiting for the "real" winter to come, so no snow or frost still... hope it's not sign of the climate change, but I like the winter this way. Usually we have plenty of snow and -20°C in January, brr.
Wishing you a successful gardening year 2012!
A great post, and great photos. You have quite an inspring garden (all the hard work is paying off).ReplyDelete
Your garden is a year-round wonder...and if it were not, your skills with a camera would make it so. Thanks for all the inspiration found here in the year past...looking forward to lots more.ReplyDelete
Lovely review of the past year. I had so many plans to catch up on missed plant posts, sort through photo's, post about garden blogs I love (esp. yours) and finally get decent December shots - but DIY disasters seemed to take up most of Oct and Nov so December was a whirlwind of everything except gardening. Very frustrating, so I've been trying to get my head back into gardening mode this week, even though our continuing severe gales are keeping me out of the garden itself. I'm so glad the extremes didn't hit you because your garden has been such a huge pleasure to watch all year. Thanks for sharing it.ReplyDelete
I enjoyed the walk through last year in photos. You all have some beautiful plants up there. I have never been but I feel like I have visited in reading your blog. Yes we had a intense summer this past year preceded by an equally as intense winter. Both the worst we've seen in years. Hopefully the last of that! Looking forward to your posts for 2012! Always enjoy sitting reading your posts and viewing the incredible photos!!!!ReplyDelete
This was a good post, and that last paragraph sums up why we are here. I hope you and yours have a great new year.ReplyDelete
Hi Scott, Happy New Year! I am just getting to know your garden and blog, but from what I have seen so far, both are beautiful! Like you, I am always adding to my garden. I have a long wish list of plants I want to add this spring. More grasses figure prominently on that list. Here is hoping for an early spring. I can hardly wait to get gardening again!ReplyDelete
Hi Scott, a belated Happy New Year to you. I have to tell you this past December (last month) I heard Dr. Michael Dirr. He is a big fan of Parrotia persica. He led a tour through an arboretum and he talked a great deal about them. I love them too!ReplyDelete
I always enjoy looking at your photos, Scott. You have an eye for stunning planting combinations aswell as a taking excellent photographs. So there,s a bitof replanting in the pipeline? Then where? Perhaps you'll have to take over next door's garden. Happy gardening and blogging in 2012!ReplyDelete
allanbecker: Awww…shucks…I'm blushing :-)ReplyDelete
Sunray Gardens: Thanks…I do delight in making different combos in the garden…glad it's paying off!
gwirrel: Isn't the weather this past year odd…makes me worried for what we can expect in the future. Good info on the Lupins…I'll have to be more diligent in my dead-heading!
Gatsby Gardens: Thanks! Me too…I worry when our weather is unusually warm or cold…eek!
PlantPostings: Thanks…and same to you…let's hope for a great gardening year!
Bluestem: I am totally itching to get out and work on the hellstrip…and I must have gone through 30 rounds of revisions on my plans so far. I can't imagine not being able to water at all..especially with the heat you get…ouch! I'll cross my fingers it doesn't come to that…as amazing as your garden is, I'd hate to see it suffer from such severe drought :-(
Alison: Oh yeah…my next post is going to be the start of a 2 or 3-part series where I talk about the back yard…it just kept getting longer and longer…so rather than clog up the inter webs with the godzilla of blog posts, I'm breaking it up into more manageable sections…I hope you'll enjoy it!
danger garden: I wonder about that with other blogs too. Amazingly, yours was one of the very first blogs I started following as I started blogging :-) I hope we can do the sale trip again too…I was talking to Derrick the other night and we both agreed it was a blast. OMG…you should totally visit…in summer…when it isn't sticks and mud ;-) I totally want to come over see the Danger Garden too…I've been wanting to take lots of pics of it for a while.
Karin/Souther Meadows: Thanks so much…you and me both :-)
Catherine@AGardenerinProgress: OMG…me too…I can't stop re-imagining all my spaces…having a small garden is definitely a mixed blessing, right!?!
Lona: Thanks so much…I'm so glad you're enjoying my posts…I have to admit, I love other blogs for the same reason…seeing the changes people can do…totally inspiring!
Jenni@RainyDayGardener: Thanks so much…yours has too! LOVE that you're planting some grasses…can't wait to see what you pick!!!
Tim: Aww…thanks! And yes…can't wait for Spring!
Greggo: Thanks so much…same to you!
hill wards: Thanks so much…it was a great year for us here in PDX…let's hope this year is the same ;-)
Shady Gardener: It's is so much fun…I've been spending time tagging and sorting a lot of this past year's photos…and sometimes I get distracted just looking at them!
Denise: Bring it on, indeed! I know…it's hard to imagine that the garden will be going into it's 4th year already.ReplyDelete
HolleyGarden: Thanks! You are so right…I shouldn't fret too much…there's always something to be done in the garden :-)
Patrick's Garden: Wow…that's so very flattering, Patrick…both from you and the editor…what a compliment!
ks: How awesome…I cleaned up a bit yesterday, as well…the dry weather makes it much more tempting to get out and get things done!
Pam/Digging: Awww…thanks! I'm hoping for better weather for everyone else this year…I felt very guilty when reading all the Texas blogs, especially. I hope you all get some relief this year!
altroverde: Thanks, Alberto! Hahahahahaha…believe me, I'm totally scheming ways to get my neighbors to give me their yards to garden in!
John Markowski: Thanks…glad I could provide some motivation…hope you have a great year too-sounds like you're going for it and taking no prisoners ;-)
Zoey: Usually, yes…although we've had earlier frosts…they are pretty rare…we've actually not had one that really knocked everything back yet…go figure!
Grace Peterson: ME TOO! Let's put our heads together and figure that one out!
Heather: Oh yeah…wasn't it crazy…I know a lot of people were lamenting the cool summer…but I loved it!
sweet bay: Thanks so much…same to you!
VW: Totally…let's hope the pleasant summer weather prevails again this year :-)
Geranium: I can totally feel for you…I grew up in the Midwest, where winters are pretty brutal as well!
Why I Garden: Awww…thanks!
rick 'sprig to twig': I do try my best to make it so…and you're so right…a little creative framing can make the world of difference!
Cally: Oh no…I hope you've emerged from your DIY headaches for a while and can focus on the good and fun things! Let's hope we all have a great year!
kacky: So glad you like your "visits" here ;-) I'm hoping it's a mild year, weather-wise, for us all…but it seem to not be the case for the most part :-(
Les: Thanks again, and same to you!
Jennifer@threedogsinagarden: Glad to hear you're getting excited about grasses…I'm adding more and more to the garden, especially new plantings. Especially now in winter, I REALLY appreciate their form and structure!
Janet, The Queen of Seaford: Same to you! How very cool…I would have loved to have heard what he said about them! They are quite nice…and are already forming their flower buds!
Janet: Thanks very much! I think you've hit the nail on the head…I'm going to have to commandeer my neighbors' land to keep my garden growing ;-)
Great post Scott! Love the story of the nuts and bolts of tackling your yard, as well as the overview of the gardening calendar, Portland-style. Hope next year continues to be a great one for you in the garden :)ReplyDelete
Nice recap of the year. I feel like your blog gives a really clear idea of your taste in plants. Which is pretty much the same as my own taste in plants. And your photos do a really nice job of using a part of the plant to show the overall effect of the plant or the garden. So we should be thanking you. Rock on.ReplyDelete


text:
Historical records matching Catherine Zeta-Jones Douglas
Immediate Family
About Catherine Zeta-Jones Douglas
Keeping it in the family: Catherine's elder brother, David, is VP of a film company, while her younger brother, Lyndon, works for her production company and is her manager
Read more: DailyMail
- Reference: Catherine Zeta Jones - Wikipedia
After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, Catherine Zeta-Jones came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film
The Mask of Zorro and the 1999 crime thriller film Entrapment. Her breakthrough role was in the 2000 film Traffic, for which she earned her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.
She subsequently starred as Velma Kelly in the 2002 film adaptation of the musical Chicago, a critical and commercial success, and received an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. Later, she appeared in the 2003 romantic comedy film Intolerable Cruelty and 2004 crime comedy film Ocean's Twelve. Zeta-Jones landed the lead famale role in the 2005 sequel of the 1998 film, The Legend of Zorro. She also starred in the 2008 biopic romantic thriller Death Defying Acts. In 2010, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Desiree in A Little Night Music.
Biography for Catherine Zeta-Jones More at IMDbPro » ad feedbackDate of Birth 25 September 1969, Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK
Birth Name Catherine Jones
Height 5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Mini Biography Catherine Zeta-Jones was born on 25 September 1969, in Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK, the daughter of Dai Jones, who formerly worked for a candy factory, and Pat Jones. Her brother David Jones (b. 1967) is a development executive and brother Lyndon Jones (b.1972) works at her production company. Catherine showed an interest early on in entertainment. She starred on stage in "Annie", "Bugsy Malone" and "The Pajama Game". At 15 she had the lead in the British revival of "42nd Street". She was originally cast as the second understudy for the lead role in the musical but when the star and first understudy became sick the night the play's producer was in the audience, she was given the lead for the rest of the musical's production. She first made a name for herself in the early 1990s when she starred in the Yorkshire Television comedy/drama series "The Darling Buds of May" (1991). The show was a smash hit and made her one of the United Kingdom's most popular television actresses. She subsequently played supporting roles in several films including Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992), the miniseries Catherine the Great (1996) (TV) and a larger part as the seductive Sala in The Phantom (1996) before landing her breakthrough role playing the fiery Elena opposite Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro (1998). She starred in many big-budget blockbusters like Entrapment (1999), The Haunting (1999) and Traffic (2000), for which many believed she was robbed of an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. In November 2000 she married actor Michael Douglas. She gave birth to their son Dylan Michael in August 2000.
IMDb Mini Biography by:email@example.com
Spouse Michael Douglas (18 November 2000 - present) 2 children
Trivia Is a trained singer and dancer.
Her father was the manager of a candy factory.
Became engaged to Michael Douglas in Aspen, Colorado. [31 December 1999]
Chosen one of 1998's Most Beautiful People by People Magazine.
Her first child with fiance Michael Douglas, a boy named Dylan Michael was born on 8 August 2000 about 6 p.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The baby weighed in at 7 pounds and seven ounces and measured 21-1/2 inches.
Sister of David A. Jones, an executive at Initial Entertainment group, the company that co-financed Traffic (2000).
Named after her grandmothers: Catherine Fair on her mother's side, and Zeta Jones on her fathers.
Catherine and husband Michael Douglas share the same birthday, 25 years apart. He was born 25 September 1944; she was born 25 September 1969.
Daughter-in-law of Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas.
Stepmother of Cameron Douglas.
Sister-in-law of Joel Douglas, Peter Douglas and the late Eric Douglas.
Her character in Traffic (2000) was changed to a pregnant woman, because Zeta-Jones herself was pregnant at the time with her son, Dylan.
Speaks Welsh fluently.
Mother is Irish, father is Welsh.
She portrayed Palene, the beautiful Thracian prophetess and woman of Spartacus, in Jeff Wayne's 1992 musical version of "Spartacus." The role of Spartacus was played by her future father-in-law, Kirk Douglas, in Stanley Kubrick's motion picture Spartacus (1960).
In the June 1998 of Yahoo! Internet magazine, she was listed as the number one actress being searched on Yahoo!.
Gave birth to her first daughter, named Carys Zeta Douglas, early Easter morning in New Jersey (April 20, 2003).
A traditional Welsh choir sang at her wedding.
Her wedding ring includes a Celtic motif and was bought in a Welsh town called Aberystwyth.
As a child, she was exposed to a virus that gave her breathing difficulties. This required a tracheotomy surgery, which ultimately left a surgical scar on her neck.
Is an avid fan of musicals, particularly the ones she saw as a child: Mary Poppins (1964) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968).
Thursday December 11 2003 she was a hostess, together with husband Michael Douglas, at the 2003 annual Nobel Peace Price Concert in Oslo Spectrum in Oslo, Norway.
Ocean's Twelve (2004) reunited her with previous colleagues Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Don Cheadle.
She is a spokesperson for Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics.
Was born in Swansea but grew up in the small seaside town of Mumbles in Wales.
Her production company is Milkwood Films, named after the play "Under Milkwood" by Welsh writer Dylan Thomas. She and Thomas are both from the same Welsh town, Swansea.
Her friend, singer Bonnie Tyler, sang at her wedding. Both Zeta-Jones and Tyler come from the same region of Wales.
She released the singles "For All Time" in 1989, "In the Arms of Love" and "I Can't Help Myself" in 1995 and a duet with David Essex, "True Love Ways", which was her only chart single. It appeared at #38 in the UK Top 75 singles chart in 1994.
Ranked #50 on VH1's "100 Hottest Hotties".
21 October 2004 - Filed lawsuit against the Spice House, "Reno's Friendliest Topless Cabaret" for the unauthorized use of her photo on its website.
On an awards show, speaking of her role of Velma Kelly in the movie Chicago (2002), she stated that while it was as exciting, it was almost as painful as giving birth to her son.
In 1992 the Columbia single 'For All Time' peaked at #36 in the UK charts; In 1995 she spent a week on the UK chart at #72 with 'In the Arms of Love'.
Ranked #68 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement.
Ranked #82 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" special supplement.
Was once engaged to Angus Macfadyen.
Was considered for the role of Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).
Was originally approached to play "Roxie" in Chicago (2002), but wanted to play Velma Kelly because of the song "All That Jazz". Renée Zellweger ended up winning the role of Roxie.
In 2004, she began a two year $20 million contract as the spokeswoman of T-Mobile.
Turned down the role of Claudia Nardi in the musical Nine (2009) when Rob Marshall refused to expand the part for the film. Nicole Kidman was later cast instead.
Was in consideration for the part of Satine in Moulin Rouge! (2001) but Nicole Kidman, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.
Born at 2:40 PM (MET).
The 2009 Sunday Times estimates her and husband Michael Douglas' net worth at $278 million.
Was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's 2010 Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.
Won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 2010 for her portrayal of Desiree in A Little Night Music.
Was seven months pregnant with her son Dylan when she completed filming on Traffic (2000).
Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Dylan in order to begin filming America's Sweethearts (2001).
Admitted herself into Silver Hills Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut on April 6, 2011 for a five-day treatment of her Bipolar II Disorder before leaving the hospital on April 11, 2011.
Signed a per-nuptial agreement whereby she will receive $3,000,000 for every year of marriage if her husband cheats on her.
Her wedding dress was designed by Christian Lacroix.
Met her husband at Deville's Film Festival in September 1998, while she was promoting her upcoming film 'The Mask of Zorro'.
Catherine moved to London, from Wales, at age 15.
Acquired her first actor's guild card at the age of 15.
When she was 14, former Monkees star Mickey Dolenz was touring Britain in a musical that required the participation of local teens in each city it visited. She auditioned for the Welsh version of the show and won a chorus spot. She so impressed the producers that they whisked her off to London to star in a production of The Pyjama Game.
She began singing and dancing at the age of four, largely as a result of her involvement with the local Catholic congregation's amateur performing troupe. She began acting at age 11, playing the lean in a production of Annie and at 13 starred in a West End production of the musical Bugsy Malone.
Before moving to LA, she had a house in Fulham, London.
Her birth name is Catherine Jones, but she took her grandmother's name (on her father's side) because there were many others Catherine Jones, especially in her school class.
Listed on AskMen.com as one of the 99 hottest women (2002 #57) (2001 #5) (2003 #36).
The British press gave her the nickname "Catherine Zeta, The Maneater" due to her busy love life at the time.
Fluent in Welsh, French, English and Spanish.
Attended Dumbarton House School in Swansea.
In the 1980's, her parents won £100.000 at the game of Bingo and moved to St. Andrews Drive in Mayals, uptown Swansea.
Was originally approached to play "Roxie" in Chicago, but wanted to play Velma Kelly because of the song "All That Jazz". Renee Zellwegger ended up winning the role of Roxie.
Ranks #11 on Rateitall.com as one of people's favorite actresses. [April 2005]
Likes listening to soul music. Is a big fan of Gladys Knight. She also likes Elvis Presley and Van Morrison. Every Sunday morning for 15 years, her father woke her up to Elvis Presley singing "American Trilogy" or Van Morrison's "Moondance".
Personal Quotes I used to go around looking as frumpy as possible because it was inconceivable you could be attractive as well as be smart. It wasn't until I started being myself, the way I like to turn out to meet people, that I started to get any work.
I like women who look like women. I hated grunge. No one's more feminist than me, but you don't have to look as if you don't give a - you know. You can be smart, bright, and attractive aesthetically to others - and to yourself.
In Wales it's brilliant. I go to the pub and see everybody who I went to school with. And everybody goes "So what you doing now?" And I go, "Oh, I'm doing a film with Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins". And they go, "Ooh, good". And that's it.
After Scottish actor Sean Connery presented her with the Oscar: A Scotsman giving a Welsh girl an Oscar - oh my God!.
After The Mask of Zorro (1998), people spoke Spanish to me for ages. I'm Welsh but that movie instantly gave me a new ethnicity.
For marriage to be a success, every woman and every man should have her and his own bathroom. The end.
[on her duel/strip scene from The Mask of Zorro (1998)]: I kept thinking 'Thank God I have long hair in this movie'.
This film holds a lot of meaning to me, both professionally and personally. I actually met my husband when I was promoting the film in Deauville, France, and it was such an amazing time for me, being completely unknown, really, in America or in Mexico, where I shot the first one. It's a very important film for me and it's very close to my heart. [on The Mask of Zorro (1998)].
I wish I was born in that era: by dancing with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, going to work at the studio dressed in beautiful pants, head scarves, and sunglasses.
"Did I want this role? That's like saying did I want to wake up in the morning wanting to breath!" on landing the part of Velma Kelly in Chicago.
I do think I'm lucky I met Michael. Not just Michael Douglas the actor and producer with two Oscars on the shelf, but Michael Douglas, the love of my life. I really do think it was meant to happen.
I like to feel sexy. I know my husband thinks I'm sexy. I think he is too. But I don't go out half-naked with 'sex' written across my back.
Humor and that wonderful word called 'charisma.' You cannot translate it. I can't nail it on the head, other than to just say that I'm completely over the top about my husband. - on what makes a man irresistible.
Yes, I was in love with my husband at first sight and still am. We have the most solid relationship.
I don't go into the triple-X sites. I'm certainly not going to pay money to see myself naked, when I can just go into the bathroom and whip it off for free. -speaking on the Internet and its fascination with celebrities and porno.
I'm more insecure than I ever let anyone know, sometimes you protect yourself with this kind of armor that people see more than they see you.
I was a chorus girl. That's all I ever wanted - to be onstage. I would queue up for auditions and then change my costume or put on a different leotard and audition again. It might take me two tries, but I always got the job. I figured out what they wanted.
[on playing Desiree Armfeldt in "A Little Night Music" on Broadway in 2010]: There's no jazzy hands, no high kicks, no fishnet stockings, but really that's what excited me. With most musicals you have to fill in the gaps, but here you have what's already a beautiful Chekhovian play, and the music is a bonus. The characterization is everything. It's not one of those shows where you can dig about three inches and come out the other end. You can keep digging and digging and digging.
[on singing "Send in the Clowns" in "A Little Night Music" on Broadway in 2010]: As an actor what do you do? You try to make it your own. It was never supposed to be a big song. It's very intimate, about a woman being told that she's not going to be with the love of her life. How are you supposed to sing when you're that deflated?
[on playing Desiree Armfeldt in "A Little Night Music" on Broadway in 2010]: I'd read the phone book with the people here, people of this caliber. I feel at this point in my life I'm in my second chapter. You have to be quite frank with yourself. There's that wonderful curve, and then this is the way it is: the second act. It's great that now I can go back to my roots but in a completely different way.
[on being awarded the CBE in June 2010] As a British subject, I feel incredibly proud, at the same time it is overwhelming and humbling. And my mum and dad are delighted beyond belief.
I didn't even think about movies where I came from. I wanted to be on the stage. When I was 10, I did Annie in the West End. I did Bugsy Malone when I was 11 and 12. And then at 16, David Merrick saw me in 42nd Street. I took over the lead and he cast me. I was there for two and a half years. Right now, these young kids are going crazy. I never had that because I had a work ethic. I had to turn up and be there six nights a week.
Salary Traffic (2000) $3,000,000 Chicago (2002) $8,000,000.
Where Are They Now (August 2005) Was on the winning European team of 'The All Star Cup' a celebrity version of golf's Ryder Cup. Michael Douglas was on the losing American Team.
(January 2010) Starring as Desiree in Broadway's comedy "A Little Night Music" with 'Angela Landsbury' directed by Trevor Nunn.
(June 2010) Mayfair, London, England
Catherine Zeta-Jones Douglas's Timeline
September 25, 1969
Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom