text:
Premiers September 19, 2010 on HBO
On The Set
Synopsis: From Terence Winter, the Emmy Award winning writer of 'The Sopranos' and Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese comes a new HBO Original Series.
Boardwalk Empire is set in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the Prohibition era. The show is adapted from Nelson Johnson's book, Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City by Emmy award-winning screenwriter and producer Terence Winter of The Sopranos. The show is being executive produced by Martin Scorsese who also directed the first episode.
The series will detail the life and exploits of Nucky Thompson who is based on the real life person Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, the "boss" of the Republican political machine that controlled Atlantic City from 1911 to 1941. The amazing cast includes Steve Buscemi, Gretchen Mol, Michael Shannon, Michael Pitt, Michael K. Williams and Dabney Coleman.
Early Reviews/buzz
"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO, Sept. 19): I had hoped to get to a movie or two like I usually do when I'm out at TCA, but a good chunk of my free time was devoted to watching the six hours of this period gangster drama about Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition. With a pilot directed by Martin Scorsese (and later episodes directed in very Scorsese-like fashion by Tim Van Patten and others), lead writing by Terry Winter (David Chase's right-hand man on "The Sopranos") and an incredible cast including Steve Buscemi, Kelly MacDonald, Michael Shannon, Michael Pitt and Michael K. Williams, "Boardwalk Empire" is clearly the best new show of the season, maybe the best new show I've seen in several seasons (and certainly stronger out of the gate than some of my other recent favorites like "Breaking Bad" and "Sons of Anarchy"), and well worth not having seen "Inception" yet.
First Look: Why you gotta watch 'Boardwalk Empire'
I may be in love. It's tough to say yet. "Boardwalk Empire" and I have only known each other for six episodes. You have to be cautious nowadays about giving yourself over to a serialized drama, especially one as ambitious as this. There are so many ways your relationship with a TV drama can all fall apart.
I should start at the beginning. You hear HBO is doing its second New Jersey organized crime series and your ears go up. Then you hear it's set in the 1920s, Atlantic City, during Prohibition, and Martin Scorsese is producing the series and directing the pilot. You have this vision in your mind what that TV show could ideally be.
"Boardwalk Empire" is remarkably close to what you imagined.
And its success comes despite a seemingly a crucial weakness.
Steve Buscemi, as the main character, Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, a Boardwalk crime kingpin, is a bit … off. It's as if he's reading lines that were originally written for another actor, somebody of more earthy gravitas.
There's another issue too. The Boardwalk itself is a sprawling set constructed with shops on one side, and a green screen on the other (where the ocean is digitally added). There's a dreamy, unreal, strolling-around-the-deck-of-1999's-"Titanic" quality to these scenes.
So wait, you say: Both the main character AND the Boardwalk set are less-than convincing? How can this show be any good?
Because everything else in "Boardwalk Empire" is terrific. And there's a whole lot of "everything else."
The cast is sprawling. Pretty much every character works. There's little about "Boardwalk" that feels like a TV show. It's rich and cinematic (many shots remind you of "The Godfather" trilogy), heightened with unique period music. There's so much more to the show than Nucky and the Boardwalk, particularly after the first episode (directed nicely by Scorsese, his camera prowling around, though his style stays out of the way of the story). It's almost like the network watched the pilot, then decided to expand the show's scope so Buscemi didn't have to carry the whole production himself.
The scripts are well researched, perhaps past the point of showing off. The research is utilized in interesting ways -- one detail will make you feel nostalgic, another will make you laugh, and still another will leave you horrified (such as a woman using Lysol as a contraceptive after sex).
Oh, and did you know that by the fourth episode, half the show takes place in Chicago? And that the Chicago storyline is, if anything, more compelling than the action in Atlantic City? (It's taking me every ounce of my anti-spoiler convictions not to say more about this subject ... though I suspect everybody will know all about it by the time the show debuts).
Period pieces have a tough time drawing audiences. "Rome," "Deadwood," "Mad Men." As good as they were/are, attracting big numbers is a challenge. "Boardwalk Empire" might be able to break through. Not only is this an excellent organized crime drama, but the female characters are diverse and well done. That's a crucial element for any TV show to draw a large rating, and a rare quality in this particular genre (usually you have the one feisty heroine and an assortment of mob floozies … here, even a mobster's squeeze who's portrayed as colossally stupid, gorgeous, spoiled and cruel manages to generate unexpected empathy).
Production Stills


text:
God is "beyond" science!
01-01-2013, 03:02 AM (This post was last modified: 01-01-2013 04:44 AM by amyb.)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(01-01-2013 01:54 AM)Ghost Wrote: Hey, Amy.
What I was saying was that, given the current evidence for it, I would say that the supernatural does not exist. I'd agree that there is pretty much no reason for science to look for it, but that's because I feel it's silly to even consider believing in such things without any evidence. If it's supernatural and not perceptible by the senses, even if it does exist, we'd have no way to understand it or know about it. There's no more evidence to say Christians are right than Zoroastrians, you'd have to totally make it up as you go along, because you couldn't know who was right and wrong until you're dead.
Anyway, this is why it seems much more likely to me that there are no deities. If there were, they'd either be detectable and make themselves known somehow. The fact that there are numerous religions that all think they're right about god, yet contradict each other, seems like pretty good evidence they're all making it up or misinterpreting the world. (And if there were a god, he seems pretty inept and lazy, if not outright evil, so I still wouldn't understand the urge to worship him).
As for "someday," I mean that if something exists, I'd imagine that science could eventually tell us about it. Otherwise, it seems more reasonable to assume no deities exist.
Summary: Why would a modern-day, thinking person believe in deities in the first place? Authority? Anecdotal evidence from ancient people trying to figure out where the rain comes from? If it's unseeable, untestable, and unknowable, then there is no reason to assume it's there. Saying it's "beyond science" seems like the ultimate cop-out to me.
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Chas (01-01-2013)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(01-01-2013 01:54 AM)Ghost Wrote: Hey, Chas.Matt,
Science has commented on the god question. Try Victor J. Stenger.
In general, science has commented on gods by finding no evidence of any gods, evidence which should be there if gods interact with the real world. It is only by defining them beyond the reach of evidence that one can say science has no purview. It is only by defining science as incapable of comment that the argument is made.
I don't accept your definition of science. If we define the supernatural as unobservable, then we have defined it out of existence.
Skepticism is not a position; it is an approach to claims.
Science is not a subject, but a method.
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Hey, Chas.
There's a difference between a scientist taking a personal stand and a scientist having incontrovertible evidence. If Stenger had published inconrovertible evidence, wouldn't this entire thing be over?
If science is incaoable of finding evidence of God then how is it a comment on God that science has found no evidence of it?
You keep repeating that someone has simply defined God as beyond science. But that's not the case. There are very serious arguments as for why God is beyond science, not the least of which come from scientists.
Again, if I light a match and burn a piece of paper, that's a series of natural phenomena. Every single step of that is understandable, measurable, predictable, repeatable and knowable. But if, say, a bush were ro burn without expending its fuel, that is not a natural phenomenon because it violates natural law. How can you determine how it is that the bush burned without expending any fuel if there is no corresponding natural law? You cannot. You can't repeat it. You can't measure it. You can't make predictions about it. And you can't determine the natural cause because there wasn't one. This is what is meant by there being no emmpirical evidence. This is why it's beyond science.
Just seeing something is NOT empirical evidence. If I see a ghost, that's empirical evidence of Ghosts? If I see bigfoot, that's empirical evidence of bigfoot? UFOs? Loch Ness?
This is the central thing that hasn't been mentioned. Revelation. People get their knickers up about God because they say God revealed himself to them. That's God interacting with the real world. That's God being seen. That's nothing even aproaching empirical evidence.
So it's not my definition of science. It's the definition of science. And this isn't just a matter of someone saying God is beyond science without any cause. It's a matter of mechanics.
Hey, Amy.
There's nothing saying that it wouldn't be perceptible by the senses. In fact the claim is that it has been.
That's the quandry isn't it? Do you believe without evidence? But if you're waiting for scientific evidence, you're going to be waiting a long time.
Now we're really getting into the spirit of "God is beyond science". You wouldn't know who was right until you were dead because science cannot tell us which is right. People think they're right because someone somewhere claimed that God revealed themselves to them. They have no evidence of this, because evidence doesn't exist for Gods. So they tell people, "Trust me, it happened." And people either do or they don't, not becuse there's evidence, but because they have faith in it. When all is said and done, science has nothing to do with it.
Returning to someday, maybe someday my Great Grandomther will rise from the dead to do an all-folk music review. Maybe. But bodies don't do that. So why would I think it's possible. Science doesn't comment on the supernatural. So why would I assume that someday it might?
To answer your questions:
1 - Someone said they saw a God once, that idea caught on, the person is acculturated to believe that, they do believe that. But more than that, it's an important part of their culture and their self-identity.
2 - Yes, authority certainly has something to do with it. It say that it has more to do with influence.
3 - I don't even know that the evidence qualifies as anecdotal But yeah. Some dead person said it happened.
4 - It is allegedly seeable via revelation, it is untestable, and it is unknowable scientifically, but knowable on an individual basis through revelation (if one is lucky enough to have one) and knowable through faith. There's no scientific reason to believe it's there, but that's the point of all this. It isn't a scientific question. It's a question of faith.
5 - Saying it's beyond science isn't a cop out any more than saying gravity is measureable is a cop out. It's how science works. Science doesn't just say that God is beyond science. Science says that every singe conceivable metphysical question or supernatural explanation is beyond science. Saying that it's within the realm of science when science is incapable of commenting on it is the cop out. I get it. If one admits that it's beyond science it opens up all kinds of doors for Theists to say "in yo face!" But at least its honest. Isn't that what we as scientists strive to be? Who cares if it's beyond science? It doesn't mean that Theists are right. It doesn't invalidate science in any way, shape, or form. It reinforces the central idea of science, that science is for examining natural phenomena by looking at empirical evidence, it isn't about confirming or denying metaphysical claims. Science just assumes there is no supernatural and goes about its day. Leave the metaphysical to the philosophers and in so doing, let it be known that no metaphysical question can ever be considered to have either the support or dismissal of science. You do your thing, we'll do ours and never the twain shall meet.
Peace and Love and Empathy,
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(01-01-2013 09:01 AM)Ghost Wrote: If Stenger had published inconrovertible evidence, wouldn't this entire thing be over?If evidence had any influence of the position of theists (generally speaking), there would be no adherents of Creationism and Intelligent Design and no apologists.
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Starcrash (01-01-2013)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Hey, Vosur.
Dammit, I knew it. Why the fuck don't I listen to myself? Sometimes I feel that I should put a disclaimer because I know someone is going to take it the wrong way and miss/diminish/dismiss/trivialise the actual point. Et tu Brute?
Peace and Love and Empathy,
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Quote:That's the quandry isn't it? Do you believe without evidence? But if you're waiting for scientific evidence, you're going to be waiting a long time.I have a problem with believing due to faith because how would you know you aren't being deceived? What if the Bible was written by the devil? Or a bunch of half-literate tribal desert people who only pretended it was divinely inspired? If it's not testable or able to be experienced by everyone, no one can be sure they're worshiping the right gods.
As for revelation, IMO, I don't see that as anything more than wishful thinking or, worst case scenario, psychosis. Feelings and hallucinations are not convincing to nonbelievers. The very nature of religious revelation makes it seem very suspicious and to seem very much like hallucinations. It seems to me that religious folks are often unaware that their senses can be deceived. (For example, eyewitness testimony is not very reliable.) There is a lot of evidence that the brain often just makes stuff up (there's a cool video on youtube with 2 faces that distort if you look between them, because your brain makes up some of the image.) Likewise, magnetic fields, trance states, etc can make people believe they see and hear things. I'm often surprised that "religious experience" convinces the person themself, much less other people.
Quote:Saying it's beyond science isn't a cop out any more than saying gravity is measurable is a cop out.You can't see gravity, but its effects can be observed in our daily lives, unlike god(s). It keeps me from jumping out of high windows. I can show the effects of gravity by dropping an object, etc. I don't think the analogy works.
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Chas (01-01-2013)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(01-01-2013 09:24 AM)Ghost Wrote: Hey, Vosur.I'm sorry if I misunderstood the point you were trying to make - do you mind explaining what you actually meant with that question?
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(01-01-2013 09:01 AM)Ghost Wrote: There's a difference between a scientist taking a personal stand and a scientist having incontrovertible evidence. If Stenger had published inconrovertible evidence, wouldn't this entire thing be over?
I don't think you understand quite how religious belief works. Mormonism has been debunked factually in as many ways as a religion could be debunked, and yet it's still a popular religion (and possibly growing). Scientology is about as provably wrong as a religion can be, and yet it still has devotees.
I'm not sure that I agree with Chas that scientists (even Victor Stenger) have provided incontrovertible evidence for Christianity, but even if they did, do you seriously believe that would be the end of it?
My girlfriend is mad at me. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried cooking a stick in her non-stick pan.
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(01-01-2013 09:43 AM)Starcrash Wrote:(01-01-2013 09:01 AM)Ghost Wrote: There's a difference between a scientist taking a personal stand and a scientist having incontrovertible evidence. If Stenger had published inconrovertible evidence, wouldn't this entire thing be over?
I never said incontrovertible.
Stenger has provided compelling evidence that the God(s) of the big monotheisms does not exist.
The natural world provides compelling evidence that no kind of benevolent gods exist.
If by "God" one means something that is undetectable, then it is equivalent to non-existent.
If your "God" acts in the physical world, then "He" is detectable. A non-detectable god that acts in the world is an incoherent concept. It is nonsense.
Skepticism is not a position; it is an approach to claims.
Science is not a subject, but a method.
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Vosur (01-01-2013), Starcrash (02-01-2013)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Hey, Amy.
Quote:I have a problem with believing due to faith because how would you know
True dat.
As for revelation, that could very well be the case. I once had a conversation with a Catholic PhD student and he was very ardent in his defense of revelation.
As for the analogy, science works in very specific ways.
Hey, Vosur.
I just meant we wouldn't be talking about this.
Hey, Starcrash.
Yeah. I already dealt with that one with Vosur
I don't care whether or not other people believe something. I believe in proof when it's provided.
Peace and Love and Empathy,
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text: So I am planning on starting to experiment with adding a winterization process to my technique for producing concentrate. Right now I am somewhat dissapointed by what I am able to make in terms of quality, I usually end up with rock hard oil that shatters and snaps easily and leaves a small amount of black residue on the titanium once I'm done my dab. It is very difficult to use this in my ThermoVape Revolution, so I want to see if winterizing my product will increase it's purity and viscosity so that it works well in the Rev. I live in Canada and have been looking all around the area which I live in to see if I can find pure Ethanol at any brick and mortar stores but have not had any luck finding anything pure. So now I am going to order from a Canadian chemical supply store but I want to make sure that I am getting the best kind of Ethyl alcohol for winterizing with. There are three variations of Ethyl alcohol available from the supplier I'm looking at, distilled, denatured and anhydrous denatured. I'm not entirely aware how exactly the winterization process works so I'm not sure which one of these three option is ideal. Any advice?


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Tunabelly on the Royal Star
Tunabelly is on a seven day on board the Royal Star this week:
Timing is what I mentioned yesterday, combined with at least a little fishing savvy the result today was another boomer
hit on 40 - 50 class bluefin that precisely defined why we are here, and why such great lengths are well worth the effort.
To call this fishing anything other than exceptional would be a disservice to the bluefin - they showed the kind of
enthusiasm and dedication for coming on board that the most fortunate among us experience perhaps only once or twice a
Though the weather was calm torrential afternoon rain, courtesy of the remnant tropical storm spinning it's way up the
coast, added to the "it's always something list". Soaked to the bone and pulling on beautiful bluefin for hours the
hardiest souls remained standing for the evening bite that really never waned from the afternoon pitch. They kept hittin',
and we kept fishin' albeit in significantly reduced numbers.
Not wishing to disrupt our immediate winning streak we pitched a tent after dark, stoked the camp fire, and settled in
cozy, dry, and immensely satisfied. This was not only our day, but a big day for the all the guys working in this zone.
Another round of colleagues are presently hard charging so tomorrow should reveal the scope of what has been found.
Photos today feature Royal Star and long range veteran George Valenzuela with his biggest bluefin of the day that weighed
in at 58#, and new to long range angler Jennifer Spohn with her second bluefin of the day and Captain Brian Sims.
Tim Ekstrom
See picture above
Photo Here..
Posted: 10:11:58
Just when one imagines that the top of the world has been reached yet another level is revealed. As for how high it actually
goes, or where or what the ultimate measure is I gather is entirely subjective, which is the best part. Ever expanding from
my perspective, like the big bang on a much smaller scale. Just when one thinks that it can't get any better it almost
inevitably does.
In the present microsm Royal Star those arising from the euphoria of yesterday afternoon's seven hour bluefin bludgeoning
were confronted with an extension of conditions - rain still driving, thankfully reasonable seas, and bluefin still eager to
bite. Only this morning a school of larger models, 60 - 85#'s with a few bonus jumbos dominated the action. From day light
through mid afternoon anglers pulled for all they were worth enjoying the classic "plunker" cycles of one to three hanging
with consistent better intervals. Every fish that came over the rail was worthy of pause and appreciation; beautiful examples
of long range potential.
Ultimately production was tied to two things - will and horsepower. Those who elected to ignore the elements, and pushed
through the fatigued and abused forearms and legs from yesterday, indulged in the proverbial world's oyster to their ultimate
delight. It was the opportunity long range anglers dream of, by far the best I have seen all year.
Itchy feet and my unending drive to seek the next bigger and better opportunity that I know is there rousted us from our
little utopia in the late afternoon. By that point production had slowed to a near stand still and I was eager to know more.
In the end I can't say whether I do or don't - pretty typical when it comes to bluefin, and the ocean in general.
But this I do know - there are lots of bluefin tunas out here to be had. And lots more that will be had in the days and weeks
to come. This was a big day again; for us and every single friend and colleague fortunate enough to make it to this zone.
Everyone loaded up. These are the best, most gratifying days on the offshore grounds - the days when everybody wins. The
different size classes, the spread of fish, and the area we are fishing all suggest that there is plenty more in store. I
hope those of you hanging on the fence are taking note. If you are vacillating about making a voyage you won't see a better
set of conditions or better fishing potential.
Needless to say following two days of bona fide offshore bluefin glory we have exhausted the majority of these champion
anglers that hung tough and produced big time. It is time for a change of pace and scenery. Sunny skies and beautiful weather
beckon from the south. A little variety in the form of yellowtail and other coastal favorites are in our sights for at least
a couple of days before we return to the offshore waters.
Photos today feature catch of the day angler Alan Terre, who muscled in this 134# bruiser on 40# flurocarbon demonstrating
that although not optimal it can be done, and Matt Chang with one of his several seventy pounders coming over the rail.
Tim Ekstrom
Photo Here...
Photo Here...
The sunshine alone made this day. Beautiful scenery, nice steady scratching at quality yellowtail, zero urgency for big
production with a wealth of product already in the RSW tanks; living the dream here, and thankful for it. The on board
atmosphere is about as ideal as one can imagine, and not solely because we are rich with fish. Every angler enjoying this
voyage brought the right frame of mind. They are here to unplug, unwind, and share a fishing vacation with friends. Such
positive intent has a way of manifesting good fortune - I believe.
It's a good point to keep in mind, and a frame of reference for every long range angler; actually for every recreational
fisherman. A certain amount of seriousness and focused application is required to succeed, but there is a stark border
between having, or perhaps better said between making, a good time of fishing and going fishing with the sole objective of
catching fish.
Understanding that a "good time" is rather broad in definition, and wholly subjective, I could draft a chapter on the topic
and probably expand my friends and enemies list in the process. But it is a simple notion appealing to everyone seeking a
positive outcome on their long range voyages; not just for themselves but for everyone on board. That is the key - for
everyone on board.
Tomorrow we will expand on our version of "a good time" sliding down to "half day heaven" as my favorite mentor Steve Loomis
used to call it. While still seeking coastal yellowtail, in particular trophy size "premiums" where they are available, we
will dedicate a portion of the day to pure variety among the weeds in distant nooks and coves discovered many years ago.
Glorious weather - grease calm, balmy, with zero swell and seas will make for a setting sublime. Living the dream.
Photos today feature Charter Master Ben Ouano and his better half Jill who are the finest examples of the above mentioned I
can cite. Ben does the honors with today's catch, a twenty five pound class yellowtail, and Jill with a 45 pound bluefin
landed a couple of days prior.
Tim Ekstrom
Photo Here...
Photo Here...
A setting sublime was the pitch, and how appropriate it turned out to be. It was among those rare few days per season when
the weather is so perfect, so superb, that one can not help but stand in awe of such inspiring design. Flat calm, sun
shining but diffused by a luxurious, velvety haze the state of all things was arranged to perfection - we were exactly
where and how we wanted to be; all was well.
A top of the morning eruption of quality, 20 - 25 pound yellowtail set things in motion and ultimately opened the door for
exactly what we hoped - a pressure free day to explore the shallows for something distinct, and something more. Poking and
prodding our way around the most productive stretch of the Baja coast we were reacquainted with Calico bass central and
the enjoyment and satisfaction catch and releasing the scrappy the devils elicits.
Something about those fish is magic. I don't know what it is exactly but they seem to bring out the best side of all
anglers when we are catching them. For whatever reason there is a distinct satisfaction associated with those fish that
drives one to catch and release just one more, then another, then another. It's near impossible to walk away from the rail
when they are riled up and biting.
Now I am not equating Calico bass with anything else, with any of the apex gamesters that we are in the business of
pursuing, but when the occasion allows they always attract everyone to the rail. Through this moment I have never heard
anyone mutter a negative remark when we stop the world for a few hours and target Calico bass. The exact opposite is the
norm - tackle boxes are rifled through, the lighter outfits are rigged with various swim baits and kelp lures, and anglers
eagerly await the anchor grabbing hardly able to contain the urge to make that first cast.
Such was the theme today. From mid morning through late afternoon we mixed up the scenery and structure poking along from
spot to spot amazing everyone with the consistency of both the pace and the quality of the bass in these zones. And then,
late in day, in the eleventh hour, what we were waiting for finally occurred. One of our trusty premium yellowtail zones
detonated into a melee of big yellows and frantic birds. It just so happened that we were in the perfect place at the
perfect time.
Reading the conditions we set up accordingly and ended the day on about as high a note for this location as one could hope
for. About thirty minutes of action on 38 - 45 pound yellows with the big bruisers all fired up chasing baits and crashing
three hundred sixty degrees around the boat was the perfect closing bell. The surface pluggers with long rods were in the
zone as the ultimate opportunity in yellowtail fishing came to fruition. When those big premiums came over the rail one
after another it made quite an impression - this was one of those long range moments that does not happen anywhere else.
Good fishing to be sure.
Photos today feature the Charter Master Ben Ouano in fisherman's heaven during the big evening hit and Matt Lytle with one
of the worthy, 40 pound class trophy's in the bag.
Tim Ekstrom
Photo Here...
hoto Here...
We started off the day with a fair shot on quality yellows audience to beauty delivered by something far more grand than
explanation will define. God's cathedral was booming thunderous today, and silent. Grease calm, crisp, and infinitely
layered, conditions alone made a day of sublime satisfaction.
It wasn't just about fishing, thankfully in this case as nothing extraordinary occurred, but the combination of events,
conditions, and spectacular scenery could not help but produce a sense of calm, satisfaction, and well being. It was one of
those days - perhaps one of a handful per year, that conditions alone make perfect.
Following the morning yellowtail action we went for a long shot touring the lost coast rarely fishable from lack of
conditions favorable. Not an issue today conditions still did not unlock the potential. Bass fishing was a highlight - even
after yesterday's mid day bassathon for reasons already described - but the trophy yellowtail, and the real prize of some
beefy croakers, was not found. Such is fishing; and exactly why despite the lack of big success there was nothing to lament -
we were fishing.
Plenty of island now resides in our memory as we work north amidst a sea abounding in life of all kinds. A final tour in the
offshore zone just may provide, if we are on the good side of fortune, a starting point, or at least some insight into
what may be in store, on the next run. A few more tuna would fit the bill nicely and put the finishing touch on this
incredibly successful effort thus far.
Photos today feature anglers Alan Tani in the moment during our morning hit on yellowtail and Brandon Cotton with a fine, 22#
model landed mid morning.
Tim Ekstrom
Photo Here...
Photo Here...
Ken - Toadtamer
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Way to go George!
"If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."
- Randy Paush, Carnegie Mellon University
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Congrats George!..............again
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I am your Father.
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Like this is even news. Now if George was not catching anything and not having the time of his life, then THAT would be news.
Keep the roll alive.
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TB does know how to catch a tuna. Love the socks George
If the line's not going out, it should be coming in!
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He Who Never Fishes
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It's Ben's charter......Gil is also on it.
One 200lb Tuna Equals Ten 20lb Yellowtail's
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Awesome catch!!!!
Fish til it hurts!
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Nice BFT fishing report. Doesn't matter the boat, or the charter, George seems to get the big one!!
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Deep Release Specialist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Mission Viejo, CA.
Posts: 2,301
True. Probably on a gold hook!
When I was your age Pluto was a planet
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Just Getting Started
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Nice BFT!
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Today both Suicide Silence and Emmure have released new music videos.
First up Suicide Silence release a video for their song "You Only Live Once" with special guest Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) on vocals. The video comes from the bands new DVD "Ending Is The Beginning: The Mitch Lucker Memorial Show" which pays tribute to their late fallen singer Mitch Lucker.
Next up is a new video from Emmure for their first single "Nemesis" which is off the bands upcoming new album "Eternal Enemies" which hits stores April 15th from Victory Records.


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Bemidji area flooding: Sandbaggers work to protect home
As light snow fell early Wednesday afternoon, sandbaggers worked to keep water from reaching a house north of Bemidji.
The house, where Jeremy and Michelle Leffelman and their three children live, was threatened by flood waters.
"It's just, I don't know, unreal," Michelle Leffelman said in her driveway as she held a bag open and another person filled it with sand. "Luckily the house is still dry on the inside."
The Leffelmans moved to the housing development off Whiting Road Northwest a couple of years ago.
"I've never seen it like this," Michelle Leffelman said.
Water has collected around the house, which sits in a low area.
"It's kind of like a lake on both sides and a river behind us," Michelle Leffelman said. "We did a dike to the south and the north and now we're just sandbagging around the house."
Volunteers from several local agencies and organizations along with others from the area worked Wednesday to prevent water from reaching the house. Among them were 25 students from Kelliher School along with several staff members and a school board member.
Kelliher School Superintendent Tim Lutz, who was with the group, said students and teachers approached him Tuesday to ask if they could help with the flood-relief efforts.
Originally planning to travel to the Fargo, N.D., area to help with the flood-relief efforts there, staff members and students decided to help locally instead. Lutz said they felt that if there was a need, helping out locally would be a better way to use their time and energy.
Volunteering complements the school's focus this month on community as part of a schoolwide respect initiative.
"We thought the timing was perfect for getting involved with the community," Lutz said.
Sophomore Evan Nelson and junior Charlie Schuh were among the students from Kelliher School who were sandbagging at the house.
"It's good to help the people in the house," Nelson said.
"Give back a little," Schuh added.
Dave Warren, maintenance director with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Finance Corporation in Cass Lake, also volunteered Wednesday at the house.
"It's a time of need," he said.
He and volunteer Tim Pierce were able to use the corporation's water pump and hoses to pump water from the flood stage to into the ditches.
"It's going good," Warren said.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, Jeff and Jessica Kemp were able to keep water from entering their house. The couple and their daughter live east of Lake Bemidji on Valley View Drive Northeast.
Jeff Kemp said the area flooded a few years ago. Since then, two holding ponds were put in place to catch runoff from the surrounding area, he said. But, he noted, those holding ponds have filled up with water and now water has crept into the neighborhood.
"Since those have filled up, the water has to go somewhere," Jeff Kemp said. "Yesterday, we sandbagged around my entire house as well as three of my neighbors."
So far, he said early Wednesday afternoon, the sandbags have kept water out of their house and he has been able to pump what comes into the yard out faster than it comes in.
Some of the Kemps' neighbors, however, have not been as fortunate. Jeff Kemp said some neighbors have water in their houses.


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is the only benefit that you can apply with a common application? it's not required to purchase this, right? can you just request individual applications from the schools you're interested in and submit them that way? thanks
What's the alternative to using the CD? Is it just applying directly online to each individual school (cuz that'd be a bummer since it'd so much time)?


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The annual superbowl sporting event in the States is big business and not just on the football field. Superbowl advertising has become staunchly competitive and crazy expensive, with juggernaut companies all pushing for TV viewers attention and ultimately spending dollars. Among these advertisers the car companies use the Superbowl as a time to show off their latest wares and show Americans what they are all about.
When the Superbowl took place last weekend it was the Green Bay Packers that won the game but Chrysler and Eminem that scored big in the advertising war. Chrysler's ad cost around $10 million USD to create and stars Eminem among scenes of his hometown – Detroit. It plays up to patriotism and emotion while also introducing a new and risky new tagline for Chrsyler – "Imported from Detroit". Named 'Born of Fire' the ad is for the Chrysler 200 sedan but has generated more interest and comment than any other this year, making it a total success.
It's a clever piece of advertising and you can view the commercial below. Also there are a couple of runner's up car ads from Volkswagen and GM to check out.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Syria's chemical weapons in a phone call on Monday, a State Department spokeswoman said.
The call came after Russia proposed that Syria put its chemical weapons stock under international control to try to avert potential U.S. military strikes over a gas attack.
(Reporting By Warren Strobel; Editing by Alistair Bell and Jackie Frank)


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There's nothing more relaxing than stepping out onto a tropical beach, feeling the warm sand between your toes, hearing the waves gently lap the shore, and breathing in that moist sea salt air. Many people want to extend this feeling long after their travels end and decide to bring the vacation home by incorporating a tropical theme in the favorite rooms in their home.
Tropical décor can truly fit any room in the home. One of the easiest ways to add that "island vibe" to a room's interior design is a mural. Beach wallpaper and beach murals featuring sandy ocean scenes, and ocean critters like dolphins and fish are very popular and can provide you with a visual escape at any moment in your hectic day.
Where you decide to hang your tropical wallpaper is up to you, but some rooms in the home that are common include the bathroom, bedroom and office. Just imagine unwinding in a hot bath, looking up at a vast expanse of sandy beach laid out on the wall in front of you. Or, on a particularly stressful work day, you can take a moment to look at the tropical palm tree above your desk, take a deep breath and refocus.
Murals Your Way has many beach and tropical murals to choose from, so picking the right one for your walls is easy. You can customize to the perfect size for your home to create a look that everyone is sure to envy. You can even upload your own image if you'd like. Remember, a beach scene mural can be your own personal reprieve, so don't be surprised if you find yourself visiting the room where you installed it more frequently.


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Then there is the Americanizing of these names when immigrating to the United States. This has been a challenge trying to locate family members on census records, naturalization papers, and service records.
During research to clarify these questions I located several very helpful resources on the U.S. GenWeb Project database:
Other helpful resources:
Cyndi's List - Names
Genealogy.com - The Importance of Given Names
Rootsweb - English Equivalents of Foreign Given Names
These sites have been extremely helpful in tracing ancestors using different variations of given names. When discovering my great-grandmother's death certificate her father was listed as Paul. In the Czech (Bohemian and Moravian) Given Name database we find the origin of that name being Pavel. While researching immigration records this information has been helpful in narrowing the possibilities.
So, what is in your name? Have fun discovering the origin of given names.


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Recognizing and treating pericardial disease
The clinical signs of pericardial disease are similar to those of other heart problems whose treatment may conflict with how we treat pericardial effusion. And if tamponade develops, it's a true emergency. Here is the information you need to capably handle these cases, including a step-by-step protocol to perform pericardiocentesis.
May 01, 2010


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The best deals come to your inbox. Sign up for GEMPLER'S emails to get exclusive offers and first dibs on hot new products!
Get all the comfort of a hiker plus the necessities of a rugged work boot. Carhartt Lightweight Waterproof Low-Height Work Hikers feature abrasion-resistant toe guards, slip-resistant outsoles and waterproof/breathable protection. OrthoLite® insoles, comfort tongues and padded collars keep your feet comfortable throughout the day. Waterproof work hikers' rubber outsoles provide oil, chemical and slip resistance. Specify size from drop-down menu above.
2018 Reference Guide: Page 206


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From 'Sewshi' to Stitched Fish: Crocheted Food Dishes by Kate Jenkins
Looks good enough to eat! You could certainly say that about Kate Jenkins' crocheted food dishes.
Ms. Jenkins began crocheting food in 2003, but before that she worked as a knitting consultant for such major fashion labels as Marc Jacobs, Missoni, and Donna Karan, among others. Now one of her food pieces can take as long as three weeks to complete, depending on the amount of detail.
As she tells Smithsonian, she usually lays out the actual ingredients, or at least photos of the ingredients, in front of her to use as a reference while she weaves. "Often I'm making something for the first time, and there's a lot of trial and error involved and stopping and starting," she tells Smithsonian. "It's not as quick as a pencil sketch—it's a lot longer because I'm making a 3D piece."
See all of Kate Jenkins' work → Kate Jenkins - Crocheted Art
Her favorite foods to crochet are crustaceans, which she adorns with shiny sequins. She actually has a whole collection now featuring her crocheted canapes, caviar, "sewshi" and different types of fish.
How fun! Want to have a piece of her work in your home? You can buy a print!
Read More → Look, But Don't Eat: Delicious Crocheted Dishes | Smithsonian
(Images and design: Kate Jenkins)


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Ruth D. Wahlgren, 91 - September 21, 2012Ruth D. Wahlgren, 91, of Grand Island, formerly of Gothenburg, died Friday, Sept. 21, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center.
To honor her wishes, cremation has taken place. Graveside services will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Gothenburg Cemetery with the Rev. Roy Wahlgren officiating. All Faiths Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Wahlgren was born Oct. 12, 1920, at Etna, Wayne Township in Custer County, to George and Lily (Cross) Aunspaugh.
She grew up at Gothenburg, receiving her education at Gothenburg Public Schools and Kearney State College. She attained her teaching certificate and taught at numerous rural Gothenburg area schools including District 89, Darr, 100-R and Valley Schools.
On June 22, 1946, she was united in marriage to Harry F. Wahlgren. The couple made Gothenburg their home, raising four sons.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church and Nebraska State Teachers' Association.
Wahlgren enjoyed socializing and loved to volunteer at Gothenburg Public School, the nursing homes and Gothenburg Senior Center, according to family members. Her hobbies included reading, gardening and quilting. She was also an honorary longtime suffering Dodgers fan, but above all, she cherished her grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by: her husband, Harry Wahlgren; parents, George and Lily; a son, William "Billy" Wahlgren; brothers—Lt. William Aunspaugh and Lt. Merle "Tot" Aunspaugh; sister, Shirley Fochtman.
Survivors include: her sons and daughters-in-law—Col. Van (Kelly) Wahlgren, M.D. of Ogallala, Maj. Lynn (June) Wahlgren of Chesapeake, VA, and Wesley (Shirley) Wahlgren of Grand Island; sisters—Verna Dell Brunkhorst of Mitchell and Janet Schmitz of Medford, OR; sister-in-law, Signe Block of Boulder, CO; seven grandchildren—Stacie and Jonathan Wahlgren, Leslie Reynolds, Jennifer and James Wahlgren and Harry and William Wahlgren.
Memorials are suggested to the Gothenburg Public Library.
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- Middle-of-the-Pack Finishes For Swede Boys and Girls
- Girls Show Support for Teacher's Cancer Fight


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This is fuc**ng important!!! and i hope you don't be one of these motherfu***rs!!!
Source and full story hereBut he warned anyone tempted to access child pornography online that even if you delete images and Internet page addresses from the computer's hard drive, police can still retrieve them, as they did with a PC belonging to pop star Gary Glitter, who was jailed for four months in 1999 for possessing child pornography. "Once you look at a picture of child pornography, that counts as possession which is punishable by jail," Robbins told CNN...


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Amblyraja radiata
|Scope: Global
Language: English
|Scientific Name:
|Amblyraja radiata (Donovan, 1808)
|Regional Assessments:
Common Name(s):
Raja radiata Donovan, 1808
|Taxonomic Source(s):
|Eschmeyer, W.N. (ed.). 2015. Catalog of Fishes. Updated 5 March 2015. Available at: http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp. (Accessed: 5 March 2015).
|Taxonomic Notes:
|McEachran and Dunne (1998) moved this species from genus Raja to Amblyraja.
|Red List Category & Criteria:
|Vulnerable A2b ver 3.1
|Year Published:
|Date Assessed:
Needs updating
|Kulka, D.W., Sulikowski, J., Gedamke, J., Pasolini, P. & Endicott, M.
|Dulvy, N.K., Valenti, S.V. & Musick, J.A. (Shark Red List Authority)
The Thorny Skate (Amblyraja radiata) is found in the northeast and northwest Atlantic at depths of 18–1,400 m, but is most common in 27–439 m. There is evidence which might support population segregation and sub-division into subpopulations, but at this time it is unknown if genetic mixing of subpopulations takes place in either the northeast or northwest Atlantic stocks. Its geographic range includes contrasting population trends: relatively stable in recent years in Canada and the Northeast Atlantic, yet declining in the USA. Moreover, the potential occurrence of subpopulations with different age and growth rates and the potential lack of protection under a continuing USA wing fishery, warranted a precautionary approach to the evaluation. On the other hand, the overall abundance (whether divided among subpopulations or not) still constitutes several hundred millions of individuals. Skates are under fisheries management measures in both Canada and the USA, but the causes of observed declines are not well-understood across its range. Overall, the extent of the decline is considered to warrant a global assessment of Vulnerable. Regional population trends are summarised below.
The Thorny Skate is generally considered a deeper water species off the continental USA where it is not commercially targeted, but is landed as bycatch. The biomass of large size skates (>100 cm TL max. length: Barndoor Skate, Winter Skate and Thorny Skate) has steadily declined since the mid-1980s. Moreover, the abundance of Thorny Skate has declined to historic lows, and is currently 10–15% of the peak abundance observed in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In addition, the most recent NEFSC autumn average biomass index of 0.55 kg/tow is well below the biomass threshold level of 2.2 kg/tow. Thus the Thorny Skate is considered to be overfished (population level is below threshold levels) in the USA. A fishery management plan for the seven species skate complex of the USA Northwest Atlantic was implemented in September 2003. The plan prohibits the possession of Thorny Skate, Barndoor Skate and Smooth Skate in the Gulf of Maine. However, landings are not reported by species (even though this is now mandated under the fishery management plan), with over 99% of the landings reported as "unclassified skates. The low relative abundance, below the fisheries limit reference point compared to early survey abundance estimates, the long-term population decline, lack of population increase with strict management laws, and the inability to monitor species specific landings result in an assessment of this species as Critically Endangered in USA waters.
In Canada this species is found largely on the continental shelf. The population on the Grand Banks, the centre of its mass in Canadian waters underwent a ~68% decline in extent of occurrence between the 1970s and the early 1990s. Causes for this decline are unclear since the majority of the decline occurred in an area that is largely unfished. Recent work suggests that the decline coincided with a period of cold ambient temperatures. Spring surveys there indicate a minimum estimate of biomass about 100,000 t, which has been stable or increasing slightly over the past 15 years. This compares to about 350,000 t observed in the 1970s. Both exploitation levels and population abundance are relatively stable at the present time. It has been recently recommended that Thorny Skate catches in the Grand Banks not exceed current levels. Summer survey biomass on the Scotian Shelf (which lies between the Grand Banks and U.S. Waters) is less than that on the Grand Banks, but has declined by 80% since 1970, with no obvious environmental cause. Survey biomass has been relatively stable at a low level over the past 12 years, and is correlated with greatly reduced groundfish fishing effort. In Canadian waters as a whole, the low abundance relative to early survey abundance estimates and the long-term population decline result in an assessment of Vulnerable in Canadian waters.
Northeast Atlantic
The species is common in the Northeast Atlantic It is the most abundant skate in the North Sea, and has shown a marked increase between 1970 and 1983 in the Central North Sea and from 1982–1991 in English groundfish surveys. Although a survey of this species indicated a decline recently in the North Sea, this is believed to be a result of a change in survey gear. This species is occasionally landed as bycatch of demersal fisheries, but its distribution lies outside the main beam trawling areas in this region. It has a relatively low length at first maturity (44 cm) and demographic modelling suggests this species is less susceptible to fishing mortality in this region than other larger-bodied skate species. For these reasons in the Northeast Atlantic region this species is assessed as Least Concern.
|Range Description:
|Eastern Atlantic: Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland to the English Channel, including the North Sea (except southern part) and the western part of the Baltic (Compagno et al. 1989).
Western Atlantic: Greenland (Davis Strait) and Hudson Bay, Labrador Shelf, Grand Banks, Gulf of St. Lawrence and Scotian Shelf (Canada), Gulf of Maine to mid-Atlantic (USA) (Robins and Ray 1986, Kulka and Miri 2003).
|Countries occurrence:
Native:Canada (Labrador, New Brunswick, Newfoundland I, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia); United Kingdom (Great Britain, Northern Ireland); United States (Maine)
|FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
Atlantic – northeast; Atlantic – northwest
|Additional data:
|Range Map:
|Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
|Northwest Atlantic
Tagging studies (Templeman 1984b for the northwest Atlantic, Grand Banks (Canada); Walker et al. (1997) for the northeast Atlantic) suggest that Thorny Skates are rather sedentary, as most (85%) were recaptured less than 90 km from the initial capture point (some after twenty years at liberty). This information along with differences in size of egg capsules (Templeman 1984a), and the great latitudinal differences in size (length) at sexual maturity among the areas sampled, led Templeman (1987) to conclude that no large-scale migrations of thorny skates occurred between the sampled areas. However, recent distribution studies showed that thorny skate on the Grand Banks undergo a seasonal migration, shifting to deeper waters during the winter/spring and to shallower waters in the summer/fall (Kulka and Miri 2003). They may also undergo a limited migration on the Scotian Shelf.
The centre of concentration of Thorny Skate in the northwest Atlantic is on the Grand Banks where it is managed as a single stock. Spring surveys there indicate a minimum estimate of biomass about 100,000 t, which has been stable or increasing slightly over the last 15 years. This compares to about 350,000 t observed in the 1970s (Kulka et al. 2006). Since the mid-1980s, the range of Thorny Skate on the Grand Banks has been contracting (Kulka and Miri 2003). The centre of mass of this species on the Grand Banks underwent a ~68% decline in extent of occurrence (EOO) between the 1970s and early 1990s. Formerly covering the entire area in fairly dense concentrations, 80% of the biomass is now concentrated into 20% of the area along the southwest slope of the Grand Bank. Twenty-five percent of the area (to the north) is now devoid of thorny skate. This "hyper-aggregation" has progressed although the size of the population has been stable or slightly increasing since the early 1990s. The causes for this decline in EOO are unclear since the majority of the decline occurred in an area that is largely unfished. Recent work suggests that the decline coincided with a period of cold ambient temperatures.
Life history characteristics, such as size at sexual maturity, vary by area. Samples from the Scotian Shelf, (the southern most area sampled) indicated some mixing of small and large reproductive size groups, leading Templeman (1987) to suggest that more than one Thorny Skate stock may exist within this area. A more recent study by Simon and Frank (1996) in the Scotian Shelf found results comparable to those of Templeman (1987). Whether mixing of mismatched reproductive groups is occurring or if separate stocks exist, can not be determined based solely on Templeman's (1984b, 1987) or Simon and Frank's (1996) data. To some degree these lines of evidence would lend support for some degree of population segregation and sub-division into sub populations.
According to the 44th SAW report (NEFSC 2007), the NEFSC autumn survey biomass indices for Thorny Skate have declined continuously over the last 40 years and the 2005 index was a record low in the United States. The decline in Thorny Skate SSB is similar but more pronounced than for total biomass. In addition, Thorny Skate recruitment indices (number/tow between 25 and 35 cm) were relatively high although variable from 1963 to 1990, but have since declined to very low levels.
Northeast Atlantic
Landing statistics (1903–1993), International Bottom Trawl Surveys (1979–1993) and survey data collected in Dutch coastal waters between 1951 and 1994 reported that A. radiata is the most abundant species, representing 80% of the biomass and that showed a marked increase in the central North Sea between 1970 and 1993. (Walker and Heessen 1996).
Scottish trawl surveys in the central and northern North Sea for the period 1929–1956 and 1981–1995 shows that the starry ray was caught throughout the two periods and became more abundant between 1981 and 1995. The length-frequency pattern of the Thorny Skate was unchanged for the two periods (Greenstreet and Hall, 1996, Walker and Hislop 1998).
In and along the northeastern North Sea and the Skagerrak (Norwegian Deep) this species is very common and is the most abundant skate species (Bergstad 1990). In the research cruises carried out in the northeastern North Sea and Skagerrak from 1984–1987 and 1995–1996 the species was caught in 269 of total of 639 trawls (41%). In the central North Sea it has shown a marked increase between 1970 and 1983 (Heesen and Daan 1995) and from 1982–1991 in English groundfish surveys (Ellis et al. 2005). Catches of the Thorny Skate occurred in the entire area, but in the Skagerrak the catches were larger. Although a survey of this species indicated a decline recently in the North Sea, this is believed to be a result of a change in survey gear (Ellis et al. 2005).
The average individual weight was three to six times higher in the Skagerrak that in the North Sea. The larger individuals were most abundant in waters less than 300 m but there were indications of a movement towards deeper waters in winter. Estimates of total biomass of this species in the North Sea are of the order of 100,000 t (Sparholt and Vinther 1991) but the sampling effort was restricted by depth and area hence the results were not representative of the deeper northeastern part of the North Sea and the Skagerrak. The comparatively shallow areas off the west coast of Norway are probably used as nurseries (Skjæraasen and Bergstad 2000). The Barents Sea is considered a spawning ground (ICES 2006).
|Current Population Trend:
|Additional data:
|Habitat and Ecology:
|The depth range of Thorny Skate is from approximately 18–1,400 m but is most common in 27–439 m (McEachran and Musick 1975, McEachran 2002, Kulka and Miri 2003). The temperature range for Thorny Skate appears to be from -1.3°C to 14°C. On the Grand Banks, they are concentrated in bottom temperatures between 2.5°C and 5°C. Thorny Skates are found over a wide variety of bottom types from sand, gravel, broken shell, pebbles, to soft mud (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953, McEachran 2002).
Along with this species' broad geographic range, marked differences in size exist for specimens captured in different regions of the Atlantic. Moreover, a longitudinally increasing trend in size at sexual maturity in this species as one moves south from Labrador. For example, size at 50% maturity occurred within the ranges of 44–50 cm and 44–47 cm total length (TL), respectively, for males and females captured off West Greenland (Templeman 1984), but size at 50% maturity was about 55 cm for the Grand Banks (del Rio and Junquera 2001, del Rio 2002). In the Gulf of Maine, size at 50% maturity appears to be 87.5 cm TL for females and 86.5 cm TL for males (Sulikowski et al. 2006). In the North Sea size at maturity is reported at 44 cm TL for males and females (Skjæraasen and Bergstad 2000) and at 80 cm TL for females in the northern North Sea (Walker 1998). Maximum size in the Gulf of Maine is 111 cm TL (NEFSC 2000), whereas in the northern North Sea the species attains 90 cm TL and in the central North Sea, 60 cm TL (Walker 1998). This skate reproduces throughout the year in the Gulf of Maine and in autumn months on the Grand Banks (Sulikowski et al. 2005, del Rio 2001, 2002). Size at birth is 8–12 cm TL (Berestovskii 1994, Kulka and Miri 2003, Walker 1998). Litters of between 10–45 eggs are reported (Templeman 1987, Walker 1998).
Age estimates are available for the Gulf of Maine: Age at maturity is estimated at ~11 years and longevity at 16 years (Sulikowski et al. 2005). Generation period is estimated at 13 years (Sulikowski et al. 2005, 2006).
Prey of Thorny Skate in the western north Atlantic includes hydrozoans, aschelminths, gastropods, bivalves, squids, octopus, polychaetes, pycnogonids, copepods, stomatopods (larvae), cumaceans, isopods, amphipods, mysids, euphausids, shrimps, hermit crabs, crabs, holothuroideans, and fishes. However, the diet of Thorny Skate is size-dependent. Skates of less than 40 cm TL feed mostly on amphipods while fish >40 cm TL fed mostly on polychaetes and decapods. Mysids decreased in the diet while fishes increased with increase in size of the Thorny Skate. Fishes are a major component of the diet of skates >70 cm TL (McEachran et al. 1976). Scavenging behaviour has also been observed, Templeman (1982) recorded that nearly 14% of the stomach contents of A. Radiata >61 cm was composed of fish offal. In the northeast Atlantic the diet of juveniles and adolescents consisted mainly of polychaetes and crangonid shrimps. Upon reaching maturity, a major diet shift to fish, larger shrimps and squat lobsters occurred (Skjæraasen and Bergstad 2000).
|Use and Trade:
|In the northwest Atlantic, the wings of this species are exported to Europe for human consumption. In the northeast Atlantic, Thorny Skates are taken as incidental bycatch in trawl fisheries, but there (North Sea, Irish Sea, Barents Sea), the species is not considered as desirable and thus it is not targeted.
|Major Threat(s):
United States
Skates have been taken primarily as bycatch in groundfish trawl fisheries in New England waters for decades (Burgess et al. 2005). A. radiata is primarily landed for wings in the U.S. Since 1981, U.S. skate landings have increased substantially, primarily due to the increased export market for 'skate wings' and to a lesser extent because of the increased demand for lobster bait. It is thought that the winter Leucoraja ocellata, Thorny Skate (A. radiata) and Little Skates (Leucoraja erinacea) comprised most of this catch (Dulvy 2005). However, in the USA, landings are not reported by species, with nearly 100% of the landings reported as unclassified skates. "Skate landings reached 9,500 mt in 1969, but declined quickly during the 1970s, falling to 800 mt in 1981. Landings for all skates increased to 12,900 mt in 1993 and then declined somewhat to 7,200 mt in 1995. Landings have increased again since 1995, and the 1998 reported commercial landings of 17,000 mt were the highest on record (from Packer et al. 2003)".
The biomass of large size skates (>100 cm TL max. Length; including Barndoor Skate, Winter Skate and Thorny Skate) has steadily declined since the mid-1980s. The abundance of Thorny Skate has declined to historic lows and current abundance is about 10–15% of the peak observed in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In addition, the most recent NEFSC autumn average biomass index of 0.55kg/tow is well below the biomass threshold level of 2.2 kg/tow (NEFMC 2007). Thus the Thorny Skate is considered to be overfished (population level is below threshold levels) in the USA.
The principal commercial fishing method used to catch thorny skates is otter trawling. In USA waters these skates are frequently taken as bycatch during groundfish trawling and scallop dredge operations and discarded. Recreational and foreign landings are currently insignificant, at <1% of the total USA fishery landings (Packer et al. 2003).
The main human induced threat in Canada is a directed fishery on the Grand Banks where an average of about 11,800 t have been removed during the past five years using trawl gears (Kulka et al. 2004). Thorny Skate are also taken as bycatch in much smaller amounts in other areas from the Scotian Shelf, north to the Davis Strait. Recent work also shows that the decline on the northern Grand Banks is correlated to the period of cooling in that area (Colbourne and Kulka 2004). The cause of the cooling and the likelihood of future similar occurrences are unknown. Summer survey biomass on the Scotian Shelf (which lies between the Grand Banks and U.S. Waters) is less than that on the Grand Banks, but has declined by 80% since 1970, with no obvious environmental cause. Survey biomass has been relatively stable at a low level over the past 12 years, and is correlated with greatly reduced groundfish fishing effort (McPhie 2007). About 3,000 of the 11,800 t of removals from the Grand Banks fishery from the Grand Banks and 100% of the landings are exported as wings to Europe. Most of the remainder of the landings are attributable to Spain, Portugal and Russia in the NRA (NAFO Regulatory area outside of Canada's 200 mile limit). All non-Canadian catches are landed in Europe.
Northeast Atlantic
This species is occasionally landed as bycatch of other demersal fisheries in the northeast Atlantic. Thorny Skates are known to be scavengers (Templeman 1982) and are less susceptible to fishing mortality in this region than other skates because of a low length at first maturity (~44 cm TL in the North Sea). Moreover, this species is distributed outside the major beam trawling areas in the southern and southeastern North Sea (Walker and Heessen 1996). They are bycatch in demersal trawl fisheries in the North Sea, Irish Sea and Barents Sea. They are not considered a desirable species and thus are not targeted.
Thorny Skate is the most abundant skate species in the North Sea and Skagerrak, and populations trends appear to be stable or increasing throughout this area. It is taken as bycatch in the Barents Sea and it is the dominant skate species in this area, comprising 96% by number of total number and about 92% by weight of skates caught in surveys or as bycatch (ICES 2006). Relative CPUE data for A. radiata in the Barents Sea from 1997–2003 indicate that biomass and abundance increased during this time period (ICES 2006). Obtained fishery-independent survey cruise data (from 1998–2001) on stocks of A. radiata in the Barents Sea remained almost unchanged during survey timeframe, possibly suggesting stable stocks in the examined area (Dolgov et al. 2004, ICES 2006).
|Conservation Actions:
United States
Commercial and recreational fisheries for Thorny Skates are now prohibited in the continental U.S. as per the current fisheries management plan (NEFMC 2003, 2005, 2007). However, landings are not reported by species (even though this is now mandated under the fishery management plan), with over 99% of the landings reported as "unclassified skates.
Recommendations for future conservation action: Enforce U.S. species-specific landings reporting requirements and increase scientific research and government sea sampling attention to skates. Reduce bycatch by closing and/or reducing fishing effort (particularly otter trawling) in areas of high thorny skate concentration (USA and Canada). Reduce discard mortality by encouraging and/or mandating, gear modifications, more careful handling and discard techniques.
The current quota for skate (90%+ of the catch is thorny so we assess as thorny) on the Grand Banks is 13,500 t inside and outside Canada's 200 mile limit, managed by NAFO. NAFO is presently setting the quota for the next three years. It has been recently recommended that thorny skate catches in the Grand Banks not exceed current levels. The rationale is that abundance as well as catch levels have remained relatively stable in years. Skates are recorded to species by fishery observers at sea but not reported in logs to species (Kulka et al. 2006).
United Kingdom
Maintain current efforts to reduce the fishing effort of the demersal fleet.
|Kulka, D.W., Sulikowski, J., Gedamke, J., Pasolini, P. & Endicott, M. 2009. Amblyraja radiata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009: e.T161542A5447511. . Downloaded on 26 September 2018.
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While some farms are still facing cash flow deficits and a decline in real net worth, the majority of those included in a recent study by Texas A&M University appear to do better under the new farm bill.
"Frankly, the new farm bill as we know it is projected to put most producers in a lot better shape than they would have been under the previous farm bill," says Joe Outlaw, an economist with the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University. "Are there problems still? Yes, but things are significantly better."
The study, which used representative farms across the South to analyze the farm level impacts of the 2002 farm bill, based its findings on expected cash flow and real net worth under both the previous farm bill and the 2002 legislation. Specifically, Outlaw projected the probability of cash flow deficit and the probability of losing real net worth under both farm bills.
The probability of cash flow deficit was based on the chance that net cash farm income is less than family living, taxes, principal payments, and machinery replacement costs. The probability of losing real net worth is based on the chance that a producer's net worth, when adjusted for inflation, is less than his net worth at the end of 2001.
In simple terms, how many times out of 100 did a producer have to go back to the banker during the crop season? How many times out of 100 was the producer's ending net worth at the end of the projection period below what it was at the beginning of that crop year?
After determining a farm's overall financial position, Outlaw rated each farm using a stoplight analogy for both cash flow and net worth. In a nutshell, green is good, yellow is not so good, not so bad, and red is poor.
More specifically, a green "good" rating means a farm has less than a 25 percent chance of suffering a cash flow deficit and losing real net worth. A yellow "marginal" rating gives a farm a 25 to 50 percent chance of cash flow deficits and loss of real net worth, and a red "poor" rating predicts a greater than 50 percent chance of cash flow deficits and loss of real net worth.
Assuming no market loss assistance in 2002, every representative feed grain farm in the study would have experienced financial distress under the 1996 farm bill, according to Outlaw.
"From year to year, some farms may still have cash flow problems, most will be in better financial condition under the new farm bill," he says. "It's a situation where, relative to not having that market loss assistance payment, we should see significant improvement in economic viability across all farms."
According to the economic analysis by the Agricultural and Food Policy Center, six of the eight representative feed grain farms in Tennessee, South Carolina and Texas would be in the "red" category for cash flow deficit in 2002 under the 1996 farm bill. One of the remaining two farms would be labeled "marginal," and one would be labeled "good."
Anticipated declines in real net worth put three of the farms in the "red" category, three in the "yellow" category, and two in the "green" category.
Under the 2002 farm bill the economic outlook for these eight feed grain farms improve slightly with three in the "green," three in the "yellow," and two in the "red," for cash flow deficit probability. Things look even brighter when it comes to a decline in real net worth, with six of the farms moving to "green," one to "yellow," and one to "red."
The outlook for cotton farms is "considerably better," Outlaw says. "Our estimates are that cotton will get a full counter-cyclical payment this year.
"Under the 1996 farm fill, not much out there was good, with four of our representative farms in moderate shape and seven in poor shape."
Jumping to the 2002 farm bill, all of the 11 representative cotton farms in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina, face a less than 25 percent chance of losing real net worth this year. The probability of suffering a cash flow deficit is also low for six of the 11 farms, with three ranked as "marginal," and two as "poor."
The study's representative rice farms in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, also appear to be better off for the most part.
Outlaw says, "There are some cash flow problems still out there, but there seem to be less under the new farm bill."
A continuation of the 1996 farm bill would have put five of the study's farms in the "red," and one in the "yellow," when it comes to cash flow deficit probability. The probability of losing real net worth in this scenario was greater than 50 percent for four of the farms, a less than 25 percent for the remaining two farms in the study.
Outlaw says that under the 2002 farm bill, the probability of losing real net worth is less than 25 percent for each of the representative farms. Cash flow, however, continues to be a problem for three of the six farms.
"Across the board, we expect to see some general, significant improvement in the economic viability of Southern row crop farms," Outlaw says.
"There may still be considerable cash flow pressure for some operations, but pressure on equity should decrease as land values are expected to step from recent slides."
The Texas A&M study assumed that the 2002 Farm Bill continued through 2007 with no market loss assistance payments after 2001, that farmers are able to update base and yields to maximize government payments, and that farms are structured so payment limits are not binding.
In addition, the study's representative farms borrow all of their capital, and real estate debt assumed to be 20 percent for grain, cotton and rice farms.


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By Brandon Lowrey
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California's attorney general on Friday called on lawmakers to update the state's definition of sexual assault after appellate judges overturned a rape conviction on grounds that an obscure, 19th-century law fails to protect unmarried women when a rapist impersonates a lover.
The 1872 statute makes it a crime for a man to have sex with a woman while posing as her husband. But it does not address the case of an impostor who poses as a woman's boyfriend, which was key to the overturned conviction because the woman in that case was unmarried.
"The evidence is clear that this case involved a nonconsensual assault that fits within the general understanding of what constitutes rape," Kamala Harris, the state's Democratic attorney general, said in a statement. "This law is arcane, and I will work with the Legislature to fix it."
One state lawmaker said on Friday he planned to introduce legislation to change the statute. Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, a Republican, said in a statement that closing the loophole in the rape law would be his "top legislative priority."
The ruling, handed down on Wednesday by a three-judge panel of the state's Second District Court of Appeal, stems from a 2009 case in which an 18-year-old woman fell asleep next to her boyfriend in her darkened bedroom. Her boyfriend left, another man entered the room, and she awoke to the sensation of having sex, the judges' written opinion said.
In mid-act, a ray of light fell on her partner's face, and the woman discovered it was not her boyfriend but Julio Morales, a friend of her brother, according to evidence from the trial cited in the appellate ruling. She screamed and pushed Morales away, then fled, the court papers said.
Morales was later arrested, convicted of rape and sentenced to three years in state prison - a sentence the appellate judges reluctantly overturned on Wednesday.
A scenario in which a man impersonates a boyfriend in order to have sex with an unmarried woman would not be illegal under California's 19th-century law, the judges said in their ruling.
"Has the man committed rape?" said the ruling from the judges' panel. "Because of historical anomalies in the law and the statutory definition of rape, the answer is no, even though, if the woman had been married and the man had impersonated her husband, the answer would be yes."
The panel said it had no choice but to overturn the conviction because it could not be sure the jury convicted Morales based on sound legal reasons. In the ruling, the panel urged state lawmakers to close the loophole in the law.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office has not decided whether it will retry the case against Morales on a different legal theory or appeal the appellate court's decision to the California Supreme Court, a spokeswoman said on Friday.
An attorney for Morales could not be reached for comment.
Achadjian, the California lawmaker, said he last year introduced a bill to make it a felony rape offense for someone to sexually assault a person by impersonating a live-in boyfriend or girlfriend. The bill won unanimous approval in the Assembly, but died in a committee of the state Senate, he said.
The state lawmaker said he championed the legislation in response to another suspected rape case in Santa Barbara County that the local district attorney found she could not prosecute under the 19th-century law, because an intruder had impersonated the boyfriend of an unmarried woman.
(Reporting and writing by Brandon Lowrey; Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Steve Gorman)


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According to this page: http://www.jboss.org/projects, all JBoss community project are covered by ECCN code 5D002. Having that infomation so clearly stated is nice. However, I have not been able to find if this is accompanied with some license exception, e.g. TSU. Would anyone have that kind of information at hand? I'm especially interested in Richfaces project.
Thanks in advance for any answers.
Hi Marko,
The License Exception is TSU.
Retrieving data ...


text: Student Profiles Alice Lee '07 Alice Lee '07 Major: Mathematics Hometown: Seattle, Washington Why did you choose to come to Bowdoin? I basically chose colleges to apply to by looking at a map of the United States and crossing out all of the states where I didn't want to live. Although I had never visited Maine before I took a tour at Bowdoin, I enjoyed the landscape and the intimacy of the campus. I especially liked how the students seemed able to have close relationships with their professors. I also saw a dog in one of the classes I visited and thought that a college where students could bring their dogs to class would be a place I would enjoy. Why did you choose your major? I took the standard amount of math classes before I came to Bowdoin and it had actually never crossed my mind to become a math major. Near the end of my freshman year, a friend told me that more cool people should major in math, which made me start to consider the major. I also liked how the Math Department here is full of incredibly friendly and open people. I have always felt entirely welcome and encouraged and the professors have always given me all the support I needed. What has been your favorite course at Bowdoin? I really enjoyed both my independent study in poetry with Professor Anthony Walton of the English Department and Biology Professor Patsy Dickinson's animal physiology class. My poetry has improved incredibly since working with Professor Walton, but there's also something that just tickles me about dripping serotonin on a lobster heart to see what happens. What professor or professors have especially inspired you during your time at Bowdoin? Professor Walton has been great about giving me honest and sometimes brutal feedback on my poetry and guiding my development in that area. Professors Jennifer Taback and Thomas Pietraho in the Math Department have basically made me part of their family, which means a lot to me because I don't go home to Seattle very often. I also consider Michael Schiff-Verre and Deb Puhl in the Theater and Dance Department among my best friends at Bowdoin. They were some of the first teachers I had and I am still very close to them. Have you engaged in any independent research while at Bowdoin? Because I missed taking geometry while I was studying abroad, I examined the same material in an independent study with Professor William Barker of the Math Department for two semesters with two other students. I really enjoyed the fact that we began with basic concepts such as how to define a line and in two semesters have reached the point of studying the geometry of spacetime. I've also studied poetry with Professor Walton. I have been writing poetry since I was in fourth grade and Professor Walton has really pushed me to move beyond purely personal materials to explore broader issues. What extracurricular or work experiences have you had at Bowdoin? I have been a DJ at WBOR, Bowdoin's radio station, since my first year here and a manager of the radio station since sophomore year. Currently, I'm the senior editor of the music and arts zine put out by the radio station. I also write for the zine, which publishes concert and album reviews, as well as poetry, photography, black-and-white drawing, and creative writings. Submissions can be sent directly to me at email@example.com. I've also worked in the theater throughout my time at Bowdoin and have done a lot of lighting design both with the Theater and Dance Department and with Masque and Gown, Bowdoin's student theater group. I'll be lighting the department's spring show Enemy of the People this coming semester. As one of the math department student reps, I act as a liaison between the department and students. I have had a ton of fun and have been able to help organize fun activities such as holding a pumpkin carving party for the department. I also enjoyed helping to design the Math Department t-shirts, which have been a big hit — don't worry, we'll be designing new t-shirts for this year. Finally, I'm leading an Alternative Spring Break trip to Nicaragua in March with Alden Karr '07, during which we'll be building a house for a family there with a non-profit company called Bridges to Community. In preparation for the trip, we're leading a seminar with our participants about the importance of service. Did you study abroad during your time at Bowdoin? I went to Cádiz, Spain during the fall of my junior year. I was the first Bowdoin student to study abroad there with my program, API. I really enjoyed being able to improve my Spanish skills and spend time in the city, which is the oldest city in Europe. I also enjoyed traveling around Europe and visiting friends who were studying in other countries. What have you done during your summers? For two years I worked as a tech at Lab/Cor, a small industrial lab in my neighborhood in Seattle. I prepared samples of air and other materials for asbestos analysis. The summer after my sophomore year I went with art professor John Bisbee and other Bowdoin students to Bonnaroo, a music festival in Manchester, Tennessee. While there, we built sculptures in the 700 acres of campground. I really enjoyed creating art from discarded junk that provided both a clean space amidst the chaos of the campground and an interactive outlet for the concert-goers. Last summer I earned a Surnda Fellowship, a Bowdoin scholarship that supports summer research, to work with Professor Bruce Kohorn in the Biology Department. I helped him with his research examining the function of WAK and TAK proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. What is your best Bowdoin memory? Some of my best memories are from my first year here. For instance, the time my roommates and I had a nacho party with the microwave under my bed. I also enjoyed the time my first-year roommate decided to make me Indian for a night and I woke up with a bindi on. What are your plans for after graduation? I'm definitely going to go home to Seattle at least for the summer. I might try to work in a theater or a lab there at some point. Directly after graduation, I'm going to be hiking the 100-mile wilderness in Maine with my roommate, then driving to Tennessee to work at Bonnaroo again. After that, I'm driving back to Seattle, and my sister, who will graduate from high school, and I have tentative plans to go to Mexico for a week or so to celebrate our joint graduation. What advice would you give to a prospective student or first-year about the Bowdoin experience? Just remember that every person here is amazing at something and try to figure out what it is. Some people will really surprise you. What quirky or fun thing did you wish you knew before you came to Bowdoin? When I was a first-year at Bowdoin, access from one end of the dorm to the other was through bathroom corridors. I wish I'd known how much fun it was to hang out and talk with people while walking through the bathrooms. Alas, incoming freshmen will never experience what I'm talking about, since all the first-year dorms are being renovated. Story posted on January 02, 2007 « Back | More Student Profiles | Go to News Home


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A redesigned Acadia crossover SUV arrives for 2017, smaller, lighter, but still able to carry up to 7 people. A new Duramax turbodiesel engine arrives for the Sierra Heavy Duty models, complete with ram-air induction and higher towing and payload capacities. GMC also enhances the Canyon and Sierra 1500 light-duty pickups, upgrades the Yukon and Yukon XL lineups, and continues to offer the Savana full-size van.
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NEW YORK (AP) — In a sun-splashed rehearsal room recently at Lincoln Center, the knives were out for Ayad Akhtar's new play.
Its four-person cast and director were running through "The Who & The What" and it was agonizing, start-and-stop stuff. Virtually every line was picked apart.
The most surprising thing was that the person with the sharpest knife was Akhtar himself, the author of "American Dervish" and the newly crowned Pulitzer Prize drama winner.
An actor stopped a scene to say he thought another character actually wouldn't do something in the script. "We'll see. We could cut it," Akhtar replied, genially.
At another point, the playwright took a line cut from an earlier moment and resurrected it, welding it into another scene. He also sliced four lines from a character, explaining, "We've heard that 400 times already," and later stopped the run-through to admit that the sequence he wrote wasn't working.
"Guys, I'm sorry," he said. "Thank you for rolling with it."
Most playwrights wouldn't be so keen to wield a scalpel to their own work, but Akhtar, one of theater's most vibrant, exciting young writers, is not precious about it.
"I don't experience it in my body until actors are doing it," he says. "Their human flow is something I can only know fully when they start doing it. They give me feedback through the doing. Sometimes they give me feedback from the inside that I can't even know."
Akhtar, a Pakistani-American, has found rich material in the fault lines between East and West and his new play is no exception. "The Who & The What" centers on a Pakistani-American writer whose potentially shocking novel about women and Islam threatens to tear her family apart.
It's a thought-provoking work, one that smashes together references to "Big Love" and David Letterman with quotes from the Prophet Muhammad and academic arguments about gender politics. It comes on the 25th anniversary of death threats made against Salman Rushdie for "The Satanic Verses."
"This play would start riots in some countries even though it's a very loving play ultimately and, in an odd way, very respectful," Akhtar says. "So many Muslims will not agree with what I'm doing and others will."
The play marks the fourth time the playwright has collaborated with director Kimberly Senior, and the pair have become fast friends who now share a secret language and push each other.
"Both of us have this tremendous fear of making boring theater," Senior says. "Every decision we're making is about keeping tension alive and keeping the action of the play moving forward."
Akhtar, 43, is these days like his plays — moving ever forward. In addition to "The Who & The What," which opens this month at Lincoln Center Theater, he's reworking his play "The Invisible Hand" for the New York Theater Workshop this fall, which is when his play "Disgraced" hits Broadway. This winter, he's due in Berlin to finish writing another book. Oh, and there's a play about Wall Street he's just finished.
"I'm very monastic in a way. I feel very, very responsible to this," he says. "I waited so long to connect to myself as a writer that I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing anyway."
A graduate of Brown and Columbia universities with degrees in theater and film, Akhtar is the son of doctors who grew up outside Milwaukee. Drama and friction were part of his everyday life.
"I grew up in a Punjabi house. Everyone's yelling at each other all the time," he says, laughing. "It's like the southern Italians of north India."
His nonstop output is the product of a profound moment about eight years ago when he was forced to re-examine his identity, a move triggered by the aftereffects of 9/11. Up until then, he'd been trying to remake himself, like all Americans, by avoiding looking back.
"I was myself psychologically not at home with my own identity," he says. "It became increasingly clear to me that there was a question of 'Why am I trying to do this? What am I ashamed of? What do I want to be?'"
Soon ideas began pouring out of him — plays, books, screenplays. "Bam! Like that," he says. "It's been eight years. I'm only halfway through all the ideas that came up in a very short period of time."
Then he smiles. "I understand what I'm doing now."
Online: http://www.lct.org
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