text:
Elk Mountains > Capitol Peak > Climber's Log
Capitol Peak Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|Knife Ridge
Date Climbed: Jul 6, 1996
|This is without a doubt, my favorite 14er outing. We did it from West Snowmass Creek, instead of the usual Capitol Creek approach. We camped at some little lakes just below Moon Lake, and it is stunning in there. From there it is a direct climb up to "K2" and the standard route.
|Posted Mar 5, 2006 5:49 pm
|Route Climbed: Capitol Creek/Knife Ridge Date Climbed: August 2004
|DAM! One of my two scariest moments on a 14er, both times due to the weather. This was actually my 5th attempt on this mountain. Been to the start of the knife ridge twice. I summited by myself. The morning started out with roughly 9 people. See my trip report.
Very intense. The ridge was actually fairly exciting!
|Posted Jan 27, 2006 4:09 pm
|Route Climbed: Captol Ditch Approach Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2005
|What a beautiful hike! Camped near Capitol Lake. The next morning the weather was terrible. Clouds and drizzle. Nonetheless, it was not so bad not to continue. My friends and I hoped the weather would change for the better by the time we reached K2. We continued up over the notch between Daly and K2 and into the basin with all the snowfields. Once we made our way higher, we almost mistakenly thought Clark Peak was K2! However, my 6th sense and my compass lead us in the correct direction towards K2. Unfortunately, by the time we were within a short scramble of the summit of K2, the weather was still fickle. We decided to give the weather 45 minutes to break or we would turn around. Well, we did not even have to wait that long! In 15 minutes the weather took a quick turn for the worse! It started raining and sleeting and snowing. The boulders became slick and dangerous and we had to proceed slowly on the rocks until we reached the snowfields. The snowfields had much better footing. We also glissaded down some of them. I even got to use the ski pole self arrest technique once. Cold, wet, and tired, I finally felt like I was out of danger's way once down from the Daly-K2 notch. Later on in the afternoon, Capitol reared its head out of the clouds as if to taunt me. By the time I reached my car at the trailhead, the peak was obscured in clouds again, refusing to say goodbye. I will definitely have to return and attempt this peak again!
|Posted Nov 26, 2005 6:23 pm
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: August 8, 2005
|This was the most amazing climb ever! Tons of fun and definitely my favorite mountain thus far!
|Posted Oct 21, 2005 1:33 pm
|Route Climbed: Knife Ridge Date Climbed: Aug '03
|Straight forward climb. Nothing really technical. Long day to do it car-to-car, but fun.
|Posted Oct 3, 2005 10:10 pm
|Route Climbed: Standard Knife Edge Date Climbed: August 1998
|This was my third attempt (the first two I was turned around on the Knife Edge by weather fronts). Started from the lake at 3 AM and was on the summit just after 9'ish. One of my most memorable days! The pic I submitted is of my climbing partner as we crossed back across the Knife on our descent. When we got back to the lake, we watched as a paraglider opened on top and descended into Aspen in style.
|Posted Sep 23, 2005 5:04 pm
|Route Climbed: Standard Knife Ridge Date Climbed: September 18, 2005
|Friend and I started around 6 or so to go do the NW Buttress. However, the wind was ummm quite strong and the rock was ummm quite cold so we went for the fun route across the knife ridge. Very cool! The toughest part IMO (and maybe we did this wrong) was around K2. I felt more exposed on that stuff climbing around than on the knife ridge! I"ll be back capitol!
|Posted Sep 19, 2005 12:14 pm
|Brian Kalet
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge aka The Knife Ridge Date Climbed: September 18, 2005
|Summited with Brian Litz, Matt Wentz, Marie Pavlovsky, Rom McGuffin & Wendy Durst.
|Posted Sep 19, 2005 11:40 am
|Route Climbed: knife edge ridge Date Climbed: September 3, 2005
|Drove the night before, slept in the back of my truck. Started hiking solo from Capitol Creek TH at 3:30, reached Capitol lake in 2 hrs, summit in 5.5 hrs. Didnt see anyone else until I neared the knife edge on my descent. Round trip of 9.5 hrs. Very, very cool peak. My favorite Colorado 14er and # 54/58 for me!
|Posted Sep 5, 2005 7:53 pm
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: August 8, 2005
|#2 for me on this one. 2 for 2 tries. I just had to come back and do it all again and make sure the first climb wasn't a fluke. A lot more snow to go up this time.
|Posted Aug 9, 2005 11:39 pm
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: 7 Aug 2005
|Got a late start (~8am), but made it to the lake in 2hrs and the summit in another 3.5hrs. The weather held off all day. Made it car to car in 10hrs. Lots of people up there!! The Knife Edge and final ridge looked intimidating from K2, but turned out to be pretty easy and quite fun!
|Posted Aug 7, 2005 4:20 pm
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge...aka the knife edge Date Climbed: 7/13/2005
|Camped at the lake on the 12th of July and soloed the peak on a perfect 13th. I saw no one on the mountain until the summit when I met 2 others that had come up class 5 west ridge. Great views of Snowmass and the Bells with alot of snow and ice remaining over Pierre Lakes. Quite an exhilarating day.
|Posted Jul 16, 2005 1:03 am
|Larry V
|Route Climbed: Capitol Creek approach, northeast ridge Date Climbed: August 1994, August 1998
|In 1994, climbed with Mike, Chip, and Aaron P. Wet hike up to the camp site below the lake, then sunny all day for the actual climb. K2 and the knife-edge was monumental for me -- had to leave my fear of heights behind. Capitol instantly because my favorite climb. I also regard Capitol Peak as the most beautiful 14er in Colorado.
In 1998, climbed by the same route again, with Alan this time. Twice is enough, with so many other mountains beckoning, but Capitol Peak remains my favorite.
|Posted Jan 9, 2005 9:27 pm
|Route Climbed: Capitol Creek TH Date Climbed: July 25, 2004
|This was the best, for sure!! Solid class 4, with some class 5.
|Posted Aug 1, 2004 3:47 pm
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: July 28, 2004
|I made it up Capitol Peak, my fourth Fourteener! This was my first attempt at the peak. I kind of feel bad that I made it up when others have made several unsuccessful attempts and still haven't gained the summit. I was surprised to find that the incredible exposure didn't bother me. After the climb the afternoon hike out sure was fun carrying a loaded pack!
|Posted Aug 1, 2004 7:50 am
|Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: September, 1994
|My favorite Colorado mountain! After two aborted attempts with Aaron Johnson--one failing due to heavy snow on the mountain, the other a result of running out of time (but we compensated with a highly successful late afternoon loaf on top of K2)--returned on the above date with Aaron and Mark Anderson for a successful climb. The wonderful approach--through what seems the world's largest aspen grove--with views of Capitol's terrific north face does nothing but whet the appetite and get the adrenaline flowing! Our stint from K2 on was in somewhat chilly but good weather (in fact, snow flurries and gusty wind as we returned across the knife edge, but no need for ropes). A memorable trip highlight occurred on our return to Denver, when, after all the hours being folded in the jeep, I got to watch Aaron try getting out of the vehicle and "walk" to the house. Many thanks for the visual memory, my friend!
|Posted Jul 29, 2004 2:16 am
|Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: July 18, 2004
|Used to West Snowmass Creek approach and it proved to be a difficult approach. Our plan was to bivy on the summit of Capitol but the approach involved alot of bushwacking and off trail hiking that we were spent by the time we almost hit the summit of K2. We found a great bivy site that someone had built up with a nice rock wall around it and very smooth dirt ground. Day two climbed Capitol and was able to walk the entire knife edge. Fun climbing and the rock was surpisingly very solid. Although I did manage to knock loose a huge slab and thank god nobody was below me when the slab went.
|Posted Jul 19, 2004 1:17 am
|Route Climbed: The Knife Edge Date Climbed: July 5 and 6, 2004
|Went up Capitol Monday and Tuesday with a guide.
That mountain is no walk in the park and I was glad to be with
a guide because I sure would not want to run off that mountain nor
find the route in a storm. I thought it was hard enough with
someone who knew the route and with good weather. But that's me.
See trip report
|Posted Jul 11, 2004 8:10 pm
|Route Climbed: k2/knife edge Date Climbed: july 01
|Probably the hardest 14er overall. Knife edge was overrated, but the summit block past it, and the K2 downclimb, were noteworthy. Long day, and well worth it. Tight but nice campsite near capitol lake.
|Posted May 20, 2004 9:15 pm
|Route Climbed: Northeast (Knife) Ridge Date Climbed: July 2002
|What a cool mountain - everything from the approach to the peak from Capitol Creek to the campsites below the mountain near the lake to the climb itself was unforgettable! Definitely going to have to go back and do this one again!
|Posted May 12, 2004 3:41 pm


text:
Guillaume Canet Gets Real About Playing Real-Life Characters
For his new film, "In the Name of My Daughter," Guillaume Canet spent hours talking to Maurice Agnelet, the man convicted of killing his heiress mistress in 1977.
"What is crazy about him is that sometimes you really feel he's guilty, and sometimes you absolutely don't," says the French actor, who portrays Mr. Agnelet on screen.
The film's premiere at Cannes in May came one month after Mr. Agnelet, now 76, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Agnes Le Roux, whose body was never found. It was his third trial. When the film was being made, Mr. Agnelet was still a free man. He declined Mr. Canet's early requests to speak, but had a change of heart when he learned that Jean-Charles Le Roux, Agnes's brother, would be involved with the script.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
World Council of Churches (WCC)
From the 2013 Report of the department:
World Council of Churches: Anne Glynn Mackoul
The World Council of Churches (WCC), founded in 1948, arose out of initiatives for inter-Christian contact and cooperation that began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including an influential 1920 encyclical of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that first called publically on all "churches of Christ" to form a fellowship. The WCC continues to be a point of reference for Orthodox theologians, leaders and representatives of the various patriarchates of the Orthodox Church to engage with one another and with representatives of the 350 member Christian churches from around the globe. Since the WCC's Eighth Assembly (Harare, December 1998), the presence of the Orthodox Churches within the WCC has remained constant. Representatives of the Patriarchate of Antioch take leading roles on the staff, governing bodies, commissions and conferences of the WCC.
Commitment on the part of the Church of Antioch to the World Council of Churches was quite strong during the primacy of our late patriarch, His Beatitude Ignatius IV of thrice-blessed memory, who had been engaged in ecumenical work throughout his ministry and who also served as a president of the WCC for a term. The Enthronement Speech and First Encyclical of His Beatitude John X indicate that His Beatitude John X plans to continue strong ecumenical engagement and leadership in ecumenical and inter-religious affairs. The delegation of the Church of Antioch to the planned Tenth Assembly in Busan (November 2013) numbers twelve persons, will be headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Damaskinos of São Paolo and will include bishops, priests and lay persons from Syria, Lebanon and Europe, as well as two from the North American archdiocese: NAC Teen SOYO President Ms. Laney Wagoner and Mrs. Anne Glynn Mackoul.
The current General Secretary of the WCC, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, a Norwegian Lutheran theologian, was elected in August 2009, following the Rev. Samuel Kobia, Methodist from Kenya, who had served one term. The Rev. Dr. Tveit has demonstrated great respect for the Orthodox churches, including in his handling of many sensitive issues. He also has a deep understanding and appreciation for the Christians in the Middle East, having served as a moderator of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum.
Christian Presence and Witness in the Middle East
Of particular concern to the Church of Antioch—and by extension its North American archdiocese—is the Christian presence and witness in the Middle East. Most parishes in the archdiocese include families with roots in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. The continuing illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories and illegal Israeli settlements outside of its 1967 borders, the war in Iraq, and the current turmoil in Syria all have resulted in recent extreme stresses on the Christians in the region. The World Council of Churches, working with the churches in the region, including the Patriarchate of Antioch, has been responsive to the calls from Christians and Christian church leaders for support and solidarity.
The Palestine-Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) initiative launched in Amman, Jordan in June 2007 continues to be a priority of the Council. This programme, which has attracted wide interest and support from member churches including in North America, facilitates networking to produce measurable increased profile and effectiveness among those churches, church-related institutions, NGOs and Israeli peace groups engaged in efforts for peace and justice in the Holy Land. Among the important results of PIEF networking was the Kairos-Palestine initiative, drafted and agreed to by all of the churches in the Holy Land, calling for specific actions and solidarity in prayer and advocacy. http://www.oikoumene.org/...
An additional long-running program of the WCC is its Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme for Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), which program places volunteers from WCC member churches in various locations throughout the West Bank. The program offers an unparalleled opportunity to witness first-hand the impact of Israeli policies on the Palestinian people and to engage in meaningful solidarity with Christian Palestinians. www.eappi.org
In May 2013 the WCC and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) co-hosted in Lebanon a gathering of 150 church leaders and representatives of almost all of the churches in the Middle East and from thirty-four countries. The conference participants met "in order to be the witnesses of our common Christian faith. We believe that the Gospel calls us always to love God and love our neighbours and all people, as did Jesus Christ, the revelation of divine love. In Him, the whole of humanity is reconciled and united in the bond of God's plan of salvation." The statement that resulted from the meeting elaborated twelve agreed-upon principles, called for specific actions of solidarity and advocacy, and offered guidance for ecumenical actions in support of the local Middle East churches over the next years. http://www.oikoumene.org/...
The Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration /Orthodox Relations
The WCC has a broad array of programs and initiatives in addition to the programs related to the Middle East. Following the 2006 Porto Alegre Assembly, the WCC established the Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration to continue the "authority, mandate, concerns and dynamic of the Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC," and give "advice and [make] recommendations to governing bodies of the WCC during and between assemblies in order to contribute to the formation of consensus on matters proposed for the agenda of the WCC." Additionally, the Permanent Committee is charged with facilitating improved participation of the Orthodox in the entire life and work of the Council, offering counsel and providing opportunity for action on matters of common interest, and giving attention to matters of ecclesiology." By addressing in a small, dedicated group issues that might prove, or have proven, neuralgic in the larger governing bodies, approaches have been found to frame the issues and programs in ways that enhance the possibilities for meaningful participation.
The 2009 Central Committee initiated extensive review of the governance structure of the WCC including study of all aspects of WCC organization and government. It was found necessary to clarify the roles, responsibilities and authority at the various levels of leadership, to better articulate the distinction between management (staff) and governance (elected representatives of churches), and to consider adjustments that might address the new financial realities felt by all churches and ecumenical institutions, particularly in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, increasing transparency and accountability. While the Central Committee approved the proposed changes during its final meeting before the Busan Assembly last August and September, the Assembly in Busan must confirm some details of the revision.
Public Statements
At each meeting of a governing body, the public issues committee offers for consideration public statements on a number of issues as well as minutes to the churches recommending action or study. Disparate political positions from the Middle East, particularly Syria, were accommodated in the very careful drafting of a WCC statement issued from the August/September 2012 meeting of the central committee, involving thoughtful consultations among experts from within the WCC staff, church representatives and resource persons. Following this same deliberate, thoughtful drafting process, many statements and minutes have been issued by the WCC over the last two years. www.oikoumene.org.
Delegates from North American churches encounter a different ecumenical milieu at the WCC level than exists in North America, especially in the United States. Few Orthodox from North America are delegates to the WCC. No North American Antiochians participate in the National Council of Churches of Christ USA. When the WCC convenes regional meetings, it is never clear whether it would be better for a North American representing the Church of Antioch to attend the North American meeting or the Middle East meeting, although the opportunity to serve as a bridge of understanding exists in both contexts.
These disparate levels of ecumenical engagement and identity co-exist with some dissonance. Some Protestant churches in North America evince great interest in the churches of the Middle East and invite as speakers representatives from the Church of Antioch from Syria and Lebanon, while other communities here in the US betray little awareness of the east or the indigenous Christians living there. No doubt many reasons exists for misunderstanding exacerbated by great distance, however, the presence of so many faithful Orthodox Christians within the North American archdiocese provides an opportunity to build additional bridges of understanding and cooperation between east and west, emphasizing the best of both worlds and overcoming the worst.
Orthodox participation in the ecumenical movement means different things to different churches, but for the Church of Antioch, the WCC often has provided a forum for our serving the Church as model of dialogue and engagement with "other," as bridge between cultures, communities and peoples. This is a primary purpose, as the WCC member churches work towards "visible unity." In addition, ancillary opportunities are found for the Orthodox engaged in the ecumenical movement, such as the useful back channel provided by ecumenical encounters among its representatives from the various Orthodox churches.


text:
SI.com speculates Isiah may be able to get Shawn Marion in exchange for TT's expiring $14million by the February deadline.
If we can get a better starting center in a 3way, like Dalembert, Chandler or Magloire, in exchange for Sweets/Jamal, then get Marion by Feb, we may be able to get back to the Eastern Conference finals.
A starting 5 of:
Chandler (4,5)
Frye (4,5)
Marion (3,4)
backed by: (9man rotation)
James (5),
Trevor (2,3)
Lee (3,4)
Nate (1,2)
Mo, Allan, Butler (need another point guard) round out the roster (waive Rose or use the Gilbert Arenas clause to waive a future bad contract we may need to take if trading for a big man).
Wouldn't that be one hell of a shotblocking frontcourt (Chandler, Frye and Marion)?


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
The addition of a small amount of Fennel will impart a sweet flavor. A traditional Italian sauce ingredient. I use anywhere from 1/8 - 1/2 tsp for my sauce. A little goes a long way. I never add sugar.PNW
In addition human taste buds receive taste through oils better. Getting the oil into the sauce with the spices rounds the flavors and intensifies them.
This study was specific to salt, sweet and acid.
Try what I have suggested in my recipe.
The flavors I was referring to are those aromatics contained in spices and experienced through the nasal cavities.
Here is at least one study that seems to contradict the studies you cite.http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3394997I really don't see what vapor pressure has to do with smell. Water vapor is by definition distilled and it is hard for me to understand how distilled water can communicate any flavour.Ultimately what matters in my opinion is empirical evidence. Try it you will taste/smell the difference.
Why would I have to search for citations if I had any in mind originally? I simply said I would do some searching.
I will look for some specific citations. Its been awhile.
You seem to want to make much of the distinction between taste and smell.
Then there is this study which says. Well I'll let you read it...http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/011203.Mattes.taste.html
As for my previous citation. Last time I checked pizza sauce is an emulsion. Even your sauce has some fat in it even if in tiny amounts."No main effects of emulsion type occurred for taste intensity or slope of the tastant concentration - intensity relationships" This study found no relationship between emulsions of different concentrations and taste intensity. Are you arguing that even the tiniest amount of oil destroys the flavor and then adding even more oil doesn't destroy more flavor?
It seems to me that you would have us believe that bacon would taste better without the fat, peanut butter would taste better without the oil, croissants would taste better without butter, cheese would taste better without milk fat, lean steak tastes better than marbled, salmon would taste better without fat, ice cream tastes better than ice milk.We all know for our experience with "Fat Free" products over the years that they do not have more flavor.
I believe McGee is where I originally read this.http://books.google.com/books?id=oWqlY5vEafIC&pg=PA399&lpg=PA399&dq=spice+flavor+dissolved+in+oil&source=web&ots=ljF7qf3Z7Y&sig=sAH3sbRIwNxQ9M4s46vOzUcmisw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result
And Raolt's Law in no way demonstrates that more volatile compounds reach your sniffer than otherwise.
You mean this whole discussion is over my use of the word "intensifies"?
(He said trying to choose his words very carefully since he knows he will be quoted by the world at large)
Cooking in general has been more magic than science for centuries. It is a testimonial to the complexities involved that only in this modern age are we beginning to understand fundamental principals. Chefs pass around conventional wisdom as fact even when it make no sense. For example many bakers maintain that salt kills yeast. The flaw in reducing cooking to a science however is that sometimes what we know empirically is not what is predicted by studies.
More Googlehttp://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14434587http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=85352-emulsion-flavour-release-aromahttp://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=185514http://books.google.com/books?id=TFSdiC4i2bkC&pg=PA140&lpg=PA140&dq=flavor+oil+lipid&source=web&ots=gaKfiLl1v5&sig=IsLoFlrQ40L5DcsgLLiaRnV05Zo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA141,M1


text:
Quick Hits
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Despite my blog entry and efforts see how easy it was for the folks from the Lighthouse to give us a time frame about something.
They should have been doing this all along with a detailed list of the survey's done with a complete list of all agencies involved.
No, you do not post updates to stir reaction but to keep folks respectfully informed of the progress and what's happening.
It should be noted Paul Lancey & Mr Picker have been listed in past Islander press releases as being part of the club in different capacities.
Hockey should never suffer for Lighthouse updates in the Newspapers. No excuse for these editors not to provide additional coverage for our fans or force the beatwriter to make one article fit all.
The Islanders can lose every game the rest of the year 15-0, we are entitled to player and coaches comments in every single publication.
ITV had most of the player comments last night.
For my money I bet anything if the Giants won or the Jets hired a coach the hysteria the Newsday staff created would not have been this bad from a paper with not a lot to write about in terms of sports at this time.
I have read enough things about Charles Wang the past decade that if he wanted to created headlines he absolutely could have.
What happened at best yesterday was the equivalent of throwing a snowball at Nassau County and not one packed with ice.
At the end of the day he and Mr Rechler (who no one talks about) own the Marriot and a big part of whatever happens on the site, Islanders/Lighthouse regardless in the future.
Someone else may own the hockey team ten years from now with Mr Wang/Mr Rechler as the landlord.
I have my own solution to no Lighthouse to make up for the Smg lease that I do not like but would help the Islanders finances.
Sell naming rights to the Coliseum and the team receives the money.
Bottom line if the Lighhouse does not renovate the Coliseum Nassau County has to pay to upgrade it's building or it goes out of business for all events and related revenue for the County.
Anyone wonder if the Kings owner could be considering moving his own team to Kansas City and vacating Staples Center, this is the second time the Kings will play there so I would not count on it being a home game.
Mr Botta got it right on Charles Wang, anyone who thinks he has owned the Islanders for some real estate deal has not payed attention. I have read countless articles of him in Bridgeport taking out players for dinner, from people with business interest about how his mood the next day depends on the game result. He saved Bridgeport a few years ago too.
A bunch of people a few years ago had the same right to bid on the Hub Development, the Mets got involved too and never spent a dime on hockey players.
For folks who think this is about land for Charles Wang and always has been you have not been paying attention.
Anyone else note Mr Dreger's Tsn article before the one on the Islander was all about the Coyotes finances where he has the league's quotes they are committed to that market despite the financial problems?
Seems he cleaned out the files here the last few days.
2 comments:
As far as selling the naming rights to the Coliseum, I don't believe this can be done.ReplyDelete
This is not the greatest confirmation of what I have read, but the current lease does not allow for the changing of the official name to anything other than Nassau Veteran Memorial Coliseum.
"New York Islanders: "HMC agrees that during the term of this lease and any extensions thereof, the Coliseum's official designation shall be and remain "NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM""."
This may have changed, but i believe it is still in effect.
Thank You very much, this I did not know. Seems shortsighted considering what the Mets are receiving and what the CAA in New Jersey received years ago.ReplyDelete
Of course this has been a very shortsighted lease in a lot of ways and as much as I like the name, if it comes down the building's survival vs the name that's a tough choice.
Thanks again.
No profanity permitted under ANY circumstances. Please agree or disagree respectfully, however make any hockey point (hopefully somewhat related to the entry) you would like. No advertising, link exchanges, or promotion of this site or yours anywhere.
Non-profit/publicity site.
Thank You


text:
Give Us Your Back to School Horror Stories
Oh, the day after Labor Day is such torture. Work gets busy again, the weather starts to get crappy, and you can't even wear your favorite white shoes anymore. But at least you aren't back in school like all the kids in America! Let's celebrate by sharing our worst stories of those school daze.
Yes, the Tuesday after Labor Day is the traditional start day for many public schools in America, so let's celebrate by recalling the worst thing that happened to us in a classroom.
I'm reminded of a time when I was a freshman in high school and used to suffer from fairly regular migraines, which would eventually become so severe that I would vomit. While in English class one day, I was beset by such a headache and it was quickly getting worse, and I knew what was coming. I asked the teacher for a pass to the nurse so that I could have some peace for the inevitable heaving and subsequent call to my mother to pick me up from school. However, he thought I was faking and wouldn't give me a pass. After an excruciating 20 minutes with my head on the desk, it was time to do the deed. I got up while he was in the midst of telling us about the similarities between Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story (yeah, he was a show queen) walked to the garbage can behind him and puked in front of the entire class. I turned around and said, "Can I get a pass to the nurse now?" in my best bitch babygay voice. This time, he had quite a different answer.
Now that I've shared mine, let's hear yours. Here are the ground rules.
- Horror stories should be left in the comments section of this post. If you don't have a commenting account find out how to get one here. As much as I love hearing from you guys, do not email the stories.
- Since "awful things that we did in college" is an entirely different contest, let's keep this to stories that happened to you from K-12. Embarrassing home schooling stories count too, as do stories about taking your kid to school or awful things that happened to your child in school.
- Be concise. Keep it short, to the point, and interesting. Don't bog us down with all the extraneous details or back story. Know what is important to your story and stick to it. If it's more than 100 words, you might need to rethink your story.
- The atrocity of the tale counts as much as how well it's told. Try to find some humor in the tale. No one wants a total bummer.
- Don't recap the plot of a movie and try to pass it off as your own horror story. That's not cute, clever, original, or funny. Ever.
- Standard Contest Rules apply.
OK, get to the comments and lets hear those stories about the time when your crush broke your heart by eating paste, when your Show Choir dress ripped while performing "Ease on Down the Road" in front of the whole school, or when you didn't quite make it to the lavatory. We'll crown a winner Wednesday afternoon, and she'll receive a Lisa Frank folder, a Trapper Keeper, and a steaming heap of mashed potatoes served by a woman in a hair net. All the runners-up will receive stars (if they are, in fact, starless).
Good luck, and may be the best pocket protector related story win.


text:
Summer Camp Registration
12:00 am - 11:59 pm
Location: Phone, mail or in person at the Virginia Aquarium
Cost: Payment due at time of registration
Contact: Youth Programs Registrar
Phone: (757) 385-0278
Summer Camp registration opens to members and non-members. Camps are available for children 6 – 15. Learn more about the camps and download the camp registration form.
Under the Sea 3D
10:15 - 11:00 am, 12:25 - 1:10 pm, 2:40 - 3:20 pm
Location: National Geographic 3D Theater
Cost: Adult $9, Child (3-11) $8; Senior (62+) $8.50UNDER THE SEA 3D will offer a uniquely inspirational and entertaining way to explore the impact that global climate change has had on ocean wilderness. This new IMAX 3D adventure will transport moviegoers to some of the most exotic and isolated under sea locations on earth.
Great White Shark
11:20 am - 12:00 pm, 1:25 - 2:05 pm, 3:40 - 4:20 pm
Location: National Geographic 3D Theater
Cost: Members - $5.00; Non-Members: Adults - $9.00, Children ages 3-11 - $8.00, Seniors - $8.50
Contact: Virginia Aquarium
Phone: (757) 385-0300
Misrepresented, maligned and misunderstood, the Great White Shark is an iconic predator: the creature we love to fear… GWS will explore the Great White's place in our imaginations, in our fears, and in the reality of its role at the top of the oceanic food chain.
Above & Beyond Behind-The-Scenes
12:30 - 1:15 pm
Location: Virginia Aquarium
Cost: $15 members, $20 non-members - Reservations required
Contact: Virginia Aquarium
Phone: 757-385-0300Tour through the inner workings of the Virginia Aquarium and find out what it takes to keep the animals healthy and their habitats clean. Learn about the careers that make an Aquarium work, from animal care to engineering. Reservations must be booked before noon of the day of your visit. Book online or call 757-385-0300. Minimum height is 48."


text:
Unlock offers and get exclusive in-game features
The MLB.com Ballpark app is your mobile companion when visiting Fenway Park. The official MLB ballpark application perfectly complements and personalizes your trip to Fenway Park with digital ticketing, mobile check-in, social media, offers, rewards and exclusive content. Check in automatically with iBeacon technology (iOS devices only) at Fenway Park for exclusive Red Sox offers and in-game features.
* iOS requires iOS 8.0 and later. Android requires 4.0 and later
4.0 and later


text:
Sources claim that the Phillies have made an offer to the Dodgers' Derek Lowe.
Phillies make play for veteran Lowe
With Moyer talks hitting snag, club reportedly makes offer to righty
By Ken Mandel / MLB.com
Oh, sure they have. I'll believe it when I see it guys. Preferably in a local paper.
PHILADELPHIA — With negotiations dragging with veteran lefty Jamie Moyer, the Phillies have turned their attention to other possibilities, including some of the bigger free-agent fish.
Derek Lowe's name surfaced in a Boston Globe report, which indicated the Phillies have made an offer to the right-hander, who is represented by Scott Boras. Citing a source familiar with the club's intentions, the report said that the Phillies have discussed the matter "pretty extensively."
The newspaper reported another unidentified team — not the Yankees or the Red Sox, though both teams are expected to meet with Boras this week — has also submitted an offer.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. wouldn't confirm or deny that an offer had been made, but said, "I will tell you that I've talked to Derek Lowe's representatives. He's not the only free agent that we've had discussions with. There have been plenty of them."
The Phillies have also spoken with Darek Braunecker, the agent for A.J. Burnett, though it seems unlikely they'll meet Burnett's request for a five-year deal, though Amaro didn't rule that out.
Philadelphia's interest in broadening its horizons beyond Moyer has been spurred by a snag in talks with the 46-year-old, who earned $8.5 million in 2008 — $5.5 million in base salary and another $3 million in incentives. The lefty went 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA in 196 1/3 innings in the regular season, and he won Game 3 of the World Series.
Despite his age, Moyer is an attractive middle-of-the-rotation name in a market that includes fellow southpaws Oliver Perez, Andy Pettitte, Randy Wolf and Randy Johnson.
Lowe, 35, would command more dollars than Moyer, prompting some creative contract structuring — and may shift the focus toward a more fiscally responsible replacement for free-agent left fielder Pat Burrell.
The Phillies also must prepare for 10 potential arbitration cases, all of which will result in salary increases, and that could limit the team's spending. Philadelphia didn't offer salary arbitration to Moyer, preferring to remaining flexible in its offseason spending, so the club will not receive two Draft picks should Moyer land elsewhere as a free agent.
The Phillies would lose one if they signed Lowe or Burnett. Moyer remains the priority.
"We haven't put any deadlines on [Moyer making a decision]," Amaro said. "He clearly wants to pitch beyond [2009]. The challenge is to try and to add pitching. With or without Jamie, we'll try to do it."
As for Burrell, Amaro declined to say that his time in Philadelphia has ended, despite the belief that the team has little interest in bringing him back.
"I couldn't really put a percentage on it," Amaro said. "We haven't had a whole lot of substantive discussions, but that doesn't preclude us from bringing him back. This is a slow-moving process." (H/T Phillies.com)
My take, I think this is all just a ploy on the Phillies part to get Moyer back to the negotiating table. I mean, remember who's Lowe's agent is, Scott Boras. I do not trust that guy, and not just because of the J.D. Drew fiasco. This guy just yells slime to me. If the Phillies have made an offer to Lowe, I'm sure Boras is going to have him asking the Phils for a lot more than they can afford to give out. Hey, Junior, get off your lazy butt, talk with Moyer, quit being cheap and seal the blasted deal already. Sheesh!!! Oh, and if you are going for Lowe, Junior, you better freaking deliver, dude!!!


text:
American Samoa Cablevision v. Am. Samoa Power Auth.,
AMERICAN SAMOA CABLEVISION, Plaintiff
AMERICAN SAMOA POWER AUTHORITY, Defendant.
High Court of American Samoa
Trial Division
CA No. 51-00
June 29, 2000
[1] In choosing between reasonable interpretations of a contract, the court will normally construe the contract against the drafter.
[2] Where both parties were involved in choosing the language of the contract, the primary reasons for construing contracts against the drafter were not present and Court refused to employ such rule.
[3] The Court will not reword a contract provision that is clear both on its face and when read in context.
[4] When a contract states no time frame for performance, the court will imply a reasonable time.
[5] Only an unreasonable delay constitutes a material breach.
[6] For an accord and satisfaction to discharge an existing debt, there must be: (1) a good faith dispute over the amount of an unliquidated claim; (2) substituted performance that is tendered and accepted; and (3) valuable consideration for the agreement.
[7] If there is a reasonable basis for a good faith dispute as to the amount of a debt, that dispute may be settled by an accord and satisfaction, even where the claim or defense giving rise to the dispute was invalid.[4ASR3d200]
[8] A party offered an accord has no duty to accept substituted performance, but the acceptance of performance in the disputed amount operates to discharge the duty, despite a declaration of not assenting to the condition that payment is payment in full.
[9] Acceptance of partial payment as payment in full, despite a statement that it is accepted only as partial payment, constitutes acceptance of a substituted performance.
[10] Where lessee had tendered late payment at less than contract rate, lessor could not accept payment and also claim a default under the agreement.
[11] A written agreement may be modified by oral agreement.
[12] An unwritten modification is enforceable when it has been acted upon by the parties so that it would be an injustice or fraud to refuse to carry it out.
Before RICHMOND, Associate Justice, SAGAPOLUTELE, Associate Judge, and TAUANU`U, Temporary Associate Judge.
Counsel: For Plaintiff, Charles V. Ala`ilima
For Defendant, Roy J.D. Hall, Jr.
This dispute arose out of a 1995 agreement between plaintiff American Samoa Cablevision ("ASCable") and defendant American Samoa Power Authority ("ASPA"). This agreement, entitled Agreement for Joint Use of Electric Poles ("the pole agreement" or "the agreement"), provided for ASCable to share the use of ASPA's utility poles by attaching its cable lines to the poles.
ASCable filed a claim against ASPA for declaratory relief in order to require ASPA to submit to binding arbitration on the proper rental amount, and for an injunction to prevent a declaration of breach by ASPA and to prevent ASPA from taking action against ASCable's cable lines. ASPA filed a counterclaim, alleging alternatively that the contract is void, making ASPA entitled to reasonable rental fees, and that ASCable breached the rental contract. ASPA seeks both a declaratory judgment and judgment for breach of contract.
ASCable requested a preliminary injunction, and the hearing on the injunction was combined with trial. Trial then proceeded, with attorneys for both parties present, on May 2, 2000.[4ASR3d201]
I. Contract Validity
ASPA first argues that its executive director, Abe Malae, did not sign the pole agreement and that Malae's signature stamp was used in place of his actual signature, rendering the agreement invalid. Malae stated in an affidavit that he has no independent recollection of signing the agreement, and that the signature on the agreement looks like his signature stamp.
The Court has compared a copy of the signature stamp to the signature on the various versions of the signature page of the pole agreement that have been filed with the Court.[1] The signatures on these signature pages do not appear to match Malae's signature stamp. Malae's failure to specifically recollect signing the agreement five years ago does not necessarily indicate that he did not sign it. Furthermore, by demanding payment in accordance with the agreement and not questioning the agreement's validity for the past five years, ASPA has acted as if the agreement were valid, indicating a likelihood that the agreement was signed by its executive director. We therefore find that Malae signed the pole agreement.
ASPA also argues that the pole agreement is invalid because it was not approved by ASPA's attorney, Marshall Ashley, as required by ASPA's Procurement Regulations Rule 10.0311. Two of the signature pages filed with the Court were signed by Ashley, although his signature was not on every version. It is unclear, therefore, whether Ashley signed a final version of the agreement. However, it is clear that Ashley approved some version of it very close to the final version, and therefore approved it as to legal sufficiency. At any rate, the Court fails to see why ASPA's failure to obtain its attorney's signature renders the agreement invalid. Two parties with either actual or apparent authority to enter into a contract signed the agreement. ASCable should be able to rely on the validity of a contract signed by ASPA's executive director.[4ASR3d202]
II. Breach of Contract
Both ASCable and ASPA allege that the other party has breached the pole agreement based primarily on different interpretations of Article IX, paragraph (c) of the agreement. Article IX, paragraph (c) of the agreement reads, in relevant part:
The parties hereto have agreed to sign this Contract using a One and 00/100 Dollars ($1.00) per pole per month Rental Rate. The owner, however, has agreed to review the Pole Rental Rate for a possible reduction in the Rental rate charged Licensee. In no event, however, will the rate exceed One and 00/100 Dollars ($1.00) per pole per month. If, after making its review of the Rental Rate, the Owner and Licensee are unable to reach an agreement on the Rental Rate for the Poles, the Parties hereto have agreed to submit the Pole Rental Rate to binding arbitration. . . . The Rental Rate for the Poles as so determine[d] shall be substituted for the One Dollar ($1.00) per month per pole.
The provision allowing for a change in price was apparently included in the agreement because the parties were having difficulty finalizing price, but wanted to proceed with the project.
The parties entered into the pole agreement on or about January 25, 1995. Soon thereafter, ASPA began a project to remove its power lines from the poles and place them underground. ASCable did not participate in that project at that time and proceeded to use the poles for its cables.
A. ASCable's Failure To Pay Full Amount
Under the pole agreement, payment for both 1995 and 1996 were due simultaneously at the end of 1995. ASCable believed that a reasonable rental rate was 30 cents per pole, and in May of 1996, ASCable paid ASPA $6,512.40 for the use of 1,206 poles at 30 cents per pole for 18 months, comprising six months in 1995 and all of 1996. ASPA accepted payment of this amount as a partial payment, but continued to demand payment at the one dollar per pole rate, totaling $21,708. ASCable has not made another payment to date. According to ASPA, ASCable has breached the agreement by failing to pay one dollar per pole per month as stated in the agreement.
At some point, ASPA reviewed the pole rental rate and determined that the reasonable rental rate exceeded one dollar per pole per month. ASPA nonetheless decided that it would accept one dollar per pole in accordance with the pole agreement. ASPA submitted its assessment to ASCable in September 1996.[4ASR3d203]
By the unambiguous terms of the pole agreement, payment of one dollar per pole per month for the years 1995 and 1996 was due at the beginning of 1996. Although the contract allowed for a reduction in price, the price to be paid was one dollar unless and until the price changed. The renegotiation and arbitration clauses were not conditions precedent to ASCable's agreement to pay. By failing to pay one dollar per pole when it came due and failing pay anything for five months, ASCable was in material breach of the agreement unless ASPA had already breached the agreement by failing to submit to arbitration, which might prevent ASCable's performance from coming due.
B. ASPA's Failure to Submit to Arbitration
According to ASCable, ASPA is in breach of the pole agreement for failing to abide by the clause in the agreement that provides for binding arbitration in the event that the parties are not able to agree on a rental rate. ASPA argues that it was only required to submit to binding arbitration if it determined that the contract price was to be greater than one dollar per pole. In support of this interpretation, ASPA argues that it would be redundant for Article IX, paragraph (c) to state both that ASPA would consider a possible reduction and that the rate will not exceed one dollar per pole. To avoid this redundancy, ASPA argues that the words "possible reduction" should be read to mean "possible adjustment". Under this interpretation, ASPA would only be required to submit to arbitration if it wanted to adjust the price above one dollar and ASCable objected.
[1-2] In choosing between reasonable interpretations of a contract, the court will construe the contract against the drafter. Am. Samoa Gov't ex rel. Uikirifi v. Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., 10 A.S.R.2d 31, 38 n.3 (Trial Div. 1989). In this case, it appears that both parties were involved in creating the pole agreement. ASCable drafted the agreement, but it did so from a form provided by ASPA. The primary reasons for construing contracts against the drafter, that the drafter is more likely to protect his or her own interests and to know of uncertainties of meaning, Restatement (Second) of Contracts, § 206 (a) (1982), do not apply in this case because both parties were involved choosing the language of the agreement. It would therefore be inequitable to construe the agreement against ASCable on the basis of drafting.
[3] At any rate, we find ASPA's construction of the pole agreement unreasonable. The redundancy ASPA speaks of merely emphasizes the parties' understanding that the pole rate would not exceed one dollar per pole. We will not reword a contract provision that is clear both on its face and when read in context. ASPA's construction goes against the language in the agreement, which states that the parties will submit to binding arbitration if they cannot agree on a rental rate after ASPA had [4ASR3d204] reviewed the rental rate for a possible reduction.
[4-5] The pole agreement did not indicate a time frame by when ASPA would review the rental rate and by which the parties would submit to binding arbitration. When a contract states no time frame for performance, the court will imply a reasonable time. Hodges v. Pa. Millers Mut. Ins. Co., 673 A.2d 973, 974-975 (Pa. 1996); Restatement (Second) of Contracts, § 204(d) (1982). Only an unreasonable delay constitutes a material breach. Kleller v. Hummel, 334 N.W.2d 200, 203 (N.D. 1983).
We have little information from which to determine what would constitute a reasonable amount of time for ASPA to perform since there was not testimony on this issue. ASPA did not provide ASCable with its assessment of reasonable rates until September 1996, approximately 21 months after the parties entered into the agreement. However, the relevant question is whether it was unreasonable for ASPA to have not performed at the time ASCable's rental payment became due in December 1995.
With the information available to us, we cannot find that ASPA's delay was unreasonable. There is no way for the Court to know what is involved in determining a fair rental rate under these circumstances. ASCable seems to have believed that the issue of rental payments would be resolved by the time they had to pay for 1995 and 1996, but the pole agreement did not set such a time frame. ASCable has submitted no evidence on the subject, such as testimony about what constitutes a reasonable time for determining a rental rate, or correspondence from ASCable to ASPA requesting the rate assessment before its payment came due. There is nothing, other than the length of time itself, to even suggest that the time was unreasonable. ASPA was therefore not in breach for its failure to submit to arbitration when ASCable's first payment was due at the end of 1995.
C. Accord and Satisfaction
[6] Although ASCable failed to pay the full amount due for 1995 and 1996, ASPA effectively waived ASCable's breach and an accord and satisfaction operated to alter the parties' pole agreement. For an accord and satisfaction to discharge an existing debt, there must be: (1) a good faith dispute over the amount of an unliquidated claim, (2) substituted performance that is tendered and accepted, and (3) valuable consideration for the agreement. Baum's Dairy Farms, Inc. v. United States, 996 F. Supp 705, 711 (E.D. Mich. 1998).
[7] In ASCable's May 21, 1996 letter that accompanied its 30 cents per pole payment to ASPA, Neil McKay, ASCable's Managing Joint [4ASR3d205] Venturer, indicated that ASCable was submitting a good faith payment on the rental rate, indicating that ASCable believed 30 cents to be a fair rental rate. As discussed supra at II.A, ASCable owed one dollar per pole for 1995 and 1996. However, "[i]f there is a reasonable basis for a good faith dispute as to the amount of a debt, that dispute may be settled by an accord and satisfaction, even where the claim or defense giving rise to the dispute was invalid." Kent Samoa v. Shimasaki, 27 A.S.R.2d 140, 142 (Trial Div. 1995) (citing Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 74, cmts. b & c, & ill. 4 (1982)). Although ASCable was incorrect that it owed ASPA less than one dollar per pole, it had a good faith belief that the proper rental rate was 30 cents, and that it owed either 30 cents or an amount to be determined by arbitration. Thus, whether the proper rental rate was 30 cents, one dollar, or something in between, was a matter of good faith dispute.
[8-10] A party offered an accord has no duty to accept substituted performance, but the acceptance of performance in the disputed amount operates to discharge the duty, despite a declaration of not assenting to the condition that payment is payment in full. Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 278(1) & cmt. a (1982). Acceptance of partial payment as payment in full, despite a statement that it is accepted only as partial payment, constitutes acceptance of a substituted performance. Rhone v. State Auto Hut. Ins. Co., 858 F.2d 1507, 1510-11 (11th Cir. 1988). ASPA's acceptance of the 30 cent per pole payment, despite its accompanying letter that it was accepting it as only partial payment, therefore constituted acceptance of the substituted performance. Furthermore, despite the fact that ASCable's payment was late, ASPA could not accept payment and also claim a default. May Centers, Inc. v. Paris Croissant of Enfield Square, Inc., 599 A.2d 407, 410 (Conn. 1991). Its acceptance of the rent, therefore, operated as a waiver of ASCable's breach. Id.
In ASCable's May 1996 letter, it cited the pole agreement clause that allowed for ASPA to submit a proposed rate and allowed for arbitration if the parties could not agree, indicating that it was willing to submit to these provisions if ASPA did not agree to ASCable's 30 cent assessment. ASCable's payment was thus intended as payment in full, while still leaving ASPA the option of submitting a proposed alternative amount and submitting to binding arbitration if the parties disagreed on ASPA's suggested rental rate. Binding arbitration is now necessary to determine the fair rental rate for 1995 and 1996.
D. Summary of Legal Findings
1. ASCable was in breach of the pole agreement with ASPA for its failure to pay the agreed rental amount of one dollar per pole when it came due.[4ASR3d206]
2. ASPA did not breach the pole agreement in failing to submit to arbitration.
3. There was an accord and satisfaction on the parties' pole agreement, insofar as it involved the years 1995 and 1996.
4. ASPA waived ASCable's breach by accepting rent from ASCable.
5. By accepting ASCable's 30 cent per pole payment, ASPA accepted payment in full for 1995 and 1996, except that ASPA could still submit a proposed alternative amount and submit to binding arbitration on the proper amount of payment.
III. Modification By Swap of Infrastructure
A. Factual Background
In the September 1996 letter from Perelini Perelini, Acting Executive Director of ASPA, to Charles Ala`ilima, General Manager of ASCable, in which ASPA provided its analysis of the proper rental rate, Perelini suggested the following:
To resolve this issue of non-payment, ASPA proposes that ASC enter into an agreement and immediately carry through with a swap of infrastructure. ASPA offers to allow use of all ASPA poles for a period of one year, at no charge in return for ASPA['s] use of dark fibers between ASPA Wide Area Network members for the same period.
There is no written contract finalizing an agreement on this issue.
Nonetheless, ASCable did allow ASPA to use its fibers between ASPA's Wide Area Network members.
In July 1999, ASPA entered into an agreement with American Samoa Telecommunications Authority ("ASTCA") for ASPA to provide access to its underground conduit to ASTCA. This agreement allowed ASTCA to place fiber optic lines in ASPA's conduit, and also provided for ASTCA to supply fiber optic lines for ASPA's computer network. After this agreement was effectuated, ASPA no longer needed ASCable's fiber optic lines.
ASPA used ASCable's fibers until sometime in 1999, when the ASPA/ASTCA agreement went into effect, and also did not again request payment on the pole agreement until 1999.[4ASR3d207]
B. Implications of Fiber Use
ASCable believes that Perelini's letter and the parties' subsequent actions indicate that ASCable and ASPA agreed to offset the pole rental with fiber access. ASPA argues that there was no formal, written agreement between the parties that allowed for an offset, and because there has been no modification to the pole agreement, ASCable is still bound to pay one dollar per pole for the years it has been using ASPA's power poles.
[11-12] There was no final written agreement modifying the pole agreement. However, a written agreement may be modified by oral agreement. Piatt's Admr. v. United States, 89 U.S. 858, 861 (1875). An unwritten modification is enforceable when it has been acted upon by the parties so that it would be an injustice or fraud to refuse to carry it out. Canada v. Allstate Ins. Co., 411 F.2d 517, 519 (5th Cir. 1969). Here, the swap of infrastructure took place, and the parties acted for several years as if there were a contract. ASPA used ASCable's fibers, and no longer requested payment on the pole agreement. The parties' actions, therefore, manifested their assent to orally modify the agreement, and they are estopped to deny its validity.
From the letters between the parties, it is clear that the parties intended the modification to tie in with the original pole agreement. Two documents, a memorandum from Ken Knoche of ASCable to Robert Morrell of ASPA on September 19, 1996, and a letter from Robert Morrell to Ken Knoche on November 1, 1996, state that ASPA and ASCable will agree to the values of the data transportation, also referred to as the fiber access, and the pole rental, and will "arrange a mutually agreeable 'exchange of checks' to provide payment." According to these letters, the term of the agreement was to be concurrent with the pole agreement, and was to run from December 1, 1996 to November 30, 1997.
There is no indication that the parties ever formally agreed to a price for the offset, and they neither requested nor demanded payment while the swap of infrastructure continued. The value of the pole rental is to be determined in binding arbitration, as indicated above. To calculate the amount of the offset under the modified agreement, it is necessary to determine the value of the fiber access, as well. The issues in binding arbitration shall therefore also include determination of the value of the fiber access.
1. ASCable and ASPA shall submit to binding arbitration to determine a fair rental rate for ASCable's use of ASPA's power poles, and shall also [4ASR3d208] submit to binding arbitration to determine a fair rate for ASPA's access of ASCable's fibers.
2. ASCable shall pay to ASPA 30 cents per pole per month from the date of ASPA's discontinuing the use of ASCable's fibers until the present. ASCable shall then continue to make payment at 30 cents per pole, at the times indicated in the pole agreement, for as long as the parties continue with the pole agreement. The 30 cents per pole rate shall be replaced with the arbitrated amount as soon as arbitration is complete.
3. For the period comprising 1995 and 1996, and for the period after ASPA discontinued using ASCable's fibers, ASCable shall pay ASPA the difference between the arbitrated amount and the 30 cent amount, once arbitration is completed.
4. For the time during which ASPA used ASCable's fibers, ASCable shall pay to ASPA the difference between the 30 cent price and the arbitrated price, minus the amount of offset for ASPA's fiber use, once the arbitration is completed. If this number is negative, however, ASPA shall pay to ASCable the amount of offset for its fiber use, minus the difference between the 30 cent price and the arbitrated price.
It is so ordered
[1] Several versions of the pole agreement have been filed with the court. One was filed by ASCable with its complaint, which was also submitted as Exhibit 1 at trial, one was filed by ASPA with its opposition to injunctive relief, and another was filed by ASPA as Exhibit 7 at trial. All versions appear to be very similar in substance. In addition, a signature page was filed with ASCable's May 2, 2000 memorandum. It appears that there are multiple versions of the agreement and signature page because the parties signed faxed copies of signature pages as well as multiple original copies of the agreement because not all parties were on-island.


text:
Degrees: B.S., M.S.
Minimum Requirements for Degrees: B.S.: 134 credits; M.S.: 30-33 credits
Geological engineering deals with the application of geology. Geological engineers work with the environment in the true sense of the word. Properties of earth materials exploration activities, geophysical and geochemical prospecting, site investigations and engineering geology are all phases of geological engineering.
The undergraduate and graduate programs prepare students for employment with industry, consulting companies and government agencies.
Undergraduate Program
Geological Engineering -- B.S. Degree
1. Complete the general university requirements.
2. Complete the B.S. degree requirements.
3. Complete the following program (major) requirements:*
** Satisfies core or B.S. degree requirements but not both.
*** Technical elective credits must contain engineering design and be selected by the student from a list of approved technical electives from the geological engineering program in conference with his or her advisor and approved by the department.
Note: Candidates for the B.S. degree in geological engineering are required to take a proficiency exam at the end of their sophomore year. They must also take a comprehensive exit exam in their general field before graduation (as well as the State of Alaska Fundamentals of Engineering examination). Fundamentals of Engineering examination is a first step toward registration as professional engineers.
Note: Students may initiate their geological engineering program in Anchorage and transfer to Fairbanks upon completion of the freshman and sophomore years. Students intending to transfer to UAF should communicate with a faculty member of the UAF mining and geological engineering department.
Graduate Program
Geological Engineering -- M.S. Degree
1. Complete a comprehensive entrance exam.
2. Complete the general university requirements.
3. Complete the master's degree requirements.
4. Complete the thesis or non-thesis requirements:
a. Complete the following:
Send comments or questions to the UAF Admissions Office.
Last modified March 22, 2001 by University Relations Web Developer.


text:
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Toyota Sienna Navigation System
After years of making hybrid discs with the older 5.1 loading.kwi file and dealing with its inherrent antiquites I purchased a LockPick 2WF from Coastaltech. It allows "the Passenger" to use the navigation while moving and allows the "front Passenger" to watch the movie playing on the rear entertaiment screen.
My newest disc GEN 5 V9.1 continues to improve upon the voice commands for both voice dialing and points of interest. The bluetooth compatability is much improved over version 7.1 & 8.1.
trav2 Posts: 10I made a hybrid disk using the 5.1 loading.kwi file to allow the GPS to be used by the passenger while my Toyota Sienna is moving. However, I could never get the DVD to work on the front screen while moving. With your new hybrid disk, when the passenger watches the movie playing on the rear entertainment screen, does it affect the GPS? I thought there was a signal from a unit below the passenger seat that indicated car movement to the DVD/GS unit and it had to be tricked into thinking the car was moving to allow the DVD to play on the front screen. However, when one did that, the GPS lost track of where it was. Does your hybrid disk over come that set back? If it does, how does one make the disk your are talking about, or are you selling it. If you are, what are you asking? I wouldn't mind either making one or buying a hybrid disk. Thanks!
The only way I was able to view the movie on the front screen was with a Lockpick 2WF. No hybrid would allow it. I believe Coastaltech interrupts the signal you speak of. The newer v9.1 firmware gave me features I wasn't willing to give up with 5.1 loading.kwi. I apologize if I mislead or wasn't clear about the firmware
peter9999 Posts: 5hello all
i would like to buy a 2011 XLE with the navigation package. I live in SF bay Area. Anyone has bought the same car? What would be a good deal? About $3300 below MSRP would be a good deal?
also, does anyone know if the GPS would work in Canada? How do you update this in the future? how much do you have to pay for potential upgrades? Is the nav pack worth the $2000 or so they ask for?
Thanks so much for your help.
I think (but verify this before ordering) that the maps are for all of North America.
bserick Posts: 1I have this same issue as well. I was able to eject the map DVD when it was attempting an initialization sequence. I've seen some posts regarding this issue on a few different sites, but never any resolution. Anyone find one?
Let me know what you find... I'm looking for the same thing also in the bay area - happy to share my experiences. From what I can see $2K off seems a typical deal; $3K off seems a great deal.
For those of you who got the Nav package on the 2011 - was it worth it?
We're in the Sienna forums so must be for the 2011 Sienna.
OEM Navi offer a big screen and a backup cam, for a price.
Some have complained that updates are infrequent, so the maps are out of date. And you can get a backup cam without getting Navi now.
I like portables, but there are pros and cons to both.
I didn't realize, it was just kinda strange an entire new thread was composed. Lo siento.
rslandarch1 Posts: 2I was quote over internet at $34880 XLE with navi package and roof rack cross bar.
GPS should work in Canada. At least mine does (2006 Lexus GS300). Map upgrade cost is $199 (again, for 2006 Lexus GS300).
gjk2 Posts: 1I purchased and installed a gen4 ver. 09.1 U24 disc and want to be able to use nav functions while in motion.
Any idea why the disk modification hack did not work for me? I can now access the overide menu however the search by address is inoperative although not grayed out along with several other things. It appears the problem is tied to location (area?) to search. I used my original gen4 ver. 5.1 U20 disk.
If you do NOT have a radar detector on or near the center of the dash, and the current map version installed is V5.1 (86271-53020), a new DVD map disc is necessary to correct this condition. I suggest obtaining the newest version V9.1 (86271-GEN05-09) from a Toyota dealership at $199.
If you don't want the newest data you can buy a used version on ebay. First, the 10 digit PN must be 86271-5302X. The last digit must be a 1 or higher. Second, if you buy another disc with a different suffix (-5302x) it will cause issues!
When you get your new disc just eject the old one and insert the new disc. It will automatically boot up the new software.
Good luck!
avis1001 Posts: 3How to upgrade the Navi in this vehicle. I bought it last month and It is 3 yrs old and is not showing many new addresses. So, want to upgrade. How much does it cost? Can I do it myself? If so, how and where can I get the DVD for the upgrade? It has only 28K miles - and so still under warranty. Does it covered by warranty? Do I need to take it to Toyota dealer? Thanks in Advance.
It's fairly easy, if not expensive. Just go to your Toyota dealer and tell them which model and year you have and they can look it up. Most probably they will have to order it, for about $200. It won't be under warrantee.
I have a 2004 Sienna and the disk drive is under the passenger side front seat and the access door faces toward the back of the unit. It's easier with a flashlight in hand to see everything. There is (on mine, anyway) a switch that you slide to the side to expose the DVD eject button. Push the button and swap the disks and in a few seconds you should be semi- up-to-date (it will still be behind to some degree).
twinsdad23 Posts: 1I just purchased a used 2004 Toyota Sienna with a Navigation that states that it is 2.1. I have never updated any type of navigation system before. My question is am I able to just upgrade with the latest software or disks or whatever is used? I would also like to know where I would be able to find what I needed? I understand that I could contact a dealer but I am assuming that would cost a lot. :confuse:
The upgrade disk is $200, regardless of previous version, from the Toyota dealer. You could take a chance and try to find one on eBay, but more than likely, you'll be buying a cheap, illegal copy that may or may not work. For the same 200 dollars you could just buy a Garmin unit and then a power adapter and a weighted base or sucker mount to hold it. In the end the disk upgrade from the dealer is your best option and as I've mentioned earlier, it's a simple disk swap to upgrade.
There are also instructions on this forum on how to override the safety protocols to use features of the navigation system that are normally not accessible while driving.
rjeok Posts: 7I currently use a Garmin GPS in my 2004 Sienna, no Toyota Nav system. I am planning on buying a 2011 LTD FWD and know I will have to take a Toyota Nav system. My questions about the nav system are:
1) Can you put in a destination and a "via" point, so you can control how the nav system will direct you.
2) If you hit a snag on the road, can you have the system "detour" and give you an alternate route.
Love my Garmin. Hope the nav system will have similar functions.
Also, is there a place on line where I can see a detailed manual for the nav system..
Thanks for the help.
tarantara Posts: 3I have several Garmins and a 2006 Sienna w/GPS
Compared to the least capable Garmin, the Sienna _planning_ capabilities are abysmal. The Sienna display is very nice.
a. max __ 5 ___ user controlled via points( e.g. mapsource, Google Maps, etc)
b. no ability to import routes from external planning systems
c. Very outdated and expensive map updates (250.00 for my last update and it was missin gmajor roads in Norther Virginia that were nearly 24 months olds)
d. Inserting via point does not simply extend route(1 of 3 you have chosen) - it forces a recalc and you may lose the preferred route that was acceptable to get 3 routes that are not.
e. no ability to save routes!!!
f. no ability to get on-line map updates
g. In most cases - Touching places of interest on the map display does _not_ provide the name of the feature!!
h. Moving around the display in small increments is very difficult.
i. Icon sizes obscure important display information
I could go on and on.
Just buy another GPS and save $1000s
I live mny Sienna but do not use the GPS system for detailed route planning.
I highly recommend you buy the Sienna without the GPS and use a different one for in car routing and navigation.
I believe you can get the 2011 Sienna without GPS but still get the DVD and dashboard lcd display for other system controls.
I looked at 2011 Sienna
a. make sure you closely examine the 2nd row seat operations if you are buying that option. Try and extend the seats in a way that is useful for adults with the driver's seat in a comfortable position and with cargo in the rear.
b. Move the 2nd row seats full back and experiment using the console cup holders while in mothion.
c. If you want the 2nd sunroof, make sure to operate one and observe its positioning and resulting configuration before you make the leap.
Good Luck.
My problem currently is trying to find an LTD w/o NAV...nearly impossible.
that being said....dealer here in Cincy is more willing to reduce price of what is in his lot vs. getting van I'm asking for....nothing is easy!
taruky Posts: 18A little off topic, but my 2005 SIenna is not picking up the GPS signal all of a sudden (going haywire, no "GPS" written in upper left). We have a Toyota extended warranty, but the dealer says that if they examine the car and find nothing wrong, I am out $100. Is there anything simple I could me missing here? I'm not sure where the satellite receiver is located, is there anything I could adjust myself? Thanks.
Most likely the GPS antenna has become disconnected. This explains why no GPS logo appears at the top left of the screen, and why the incorrect position appears on the map.
Has anyone removed the navigation unit in the dash? If yes, the GPS antenna has been disconnected. The GPS antenna has a square grey connector that is attached to a black wire leading to the actual GPS antenna. It simple needs to be plugged back into the back of the navigation unit. After reconnecting the GPS antenna leave outside with a clear view of the sky and the key in the accessory mode. The engine does not need to be running. Once the GPS logo reappears you are all set. The positioning will display the current location of the vehicle.
should i get a portable gps to replace the one in my van? If so, which one? Mine is outdated and I hate the fact that i can't put in a new address unless the car is "stopped." I can't always pull over to the side of the road. Also, there are too many new streets and address changes for my car gps. Is it worth it to buy something separate if I need something really reliable? I am a visiting nurse and I need something that works well! thanks!
Good question - gagrice did just that. He has navi on his Seqouia and got a Garmin rather than pay for map updates.
The updates cost $200 plus, while Costco has a 5" Garmin for $179.99. So the portable is actually cheaper, but the screen is 5" instead of 7" or whatever you have now. Lifetime map updates retails for $89.99 now, but you can get that bundled and pay even less.
Hmm, I looked on-line and didn't find the same deal, so you may have to go to the store. They did have a Tom Tom for $169 with free lifetime map updates. Nowadays you can buy them bundled.
Given you're not happy with the OE Navi, I would not pay to upgrade something you don't like.
Thanks, Ateixeira, I don't even know if a newer version OE Navi is available. There appears to be many options. Of course, I like the bigger screen. I will check into the Garmin among others. I have a 2005 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited
Thanks again
I have an 07 Sienna, funny.
I looked because I got an e-mail offer...
The 1490T is $230 from Factoryoutletstore.com. If you want to bundle it with lifetime map updates, it's $320.
Garmin does quarterly updates, they're on 2011.10 right now IIRC.
Tom Tom prices are cheaper, but try them out. I prefer Garmin, while others like Tom Tom. Both tend to rate highly in reviews.
abigail5 Posts: 2I own a 2002 Landcruiser. Took car for collision repair. Got car back and car would stall during idle; navigation system screen is blank except for cursor: the is no map. This thread has been heavily discussed here. Questions please: a) what is best course of action? b) side question: does the navigation system require the system disk inserted in the ECU to operate?


text:
Sunday, June 8
Practice your woodworking skills while using real tools. Design and make a wooden creation to take home.
Materials Fee: $8 per family (with paid general admission) $5 per family (with NYSCI membership).
For more information, please visit: nysci.org/little-makers
This program is supported in part by funding from the Liu Foundation and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. Maker Space is made possible thanks to an investment by Cognizant through its Making the Future education initiative.


text:
Discussion in 'Star Trek: Voyager' started by Adm_Hawthorne, Oct 24, 2011.
This is stunning..
Leave her alone, folks, please.
Um that's what fictional characters are for, lol, to have fans posting stuff about (nowadays) and discussing their favorite(s), ha.
No, objectifying people is not allowed.
Fantastic. I like this pic of the Orange cast.
Noddy these threads have been running for years. The first one with this title began in 2010 and went for 8000 posts, as soon as it reached that number (the maximum for a thread with this board software) another thread (this one) was opened. Prior to 2010 there were other long threads on the same topic. It is literally the single longest running thread topic on this board. So asking people to stop posting in it is a little pointless.
Gov Kodos I love that too though I would like to see her in the FRONT of the group LOLOL.. but wow her legs looks great!
Doesn't change the fact that it's basically reducing a character to a sex object.
Your thread got shut down. Take it up in the Questions forum or Moderators forum. Stop trying to derail this place.
Reducing? I really don't think so since this whole thread is about how kick ass Janeway is, how brilliant she is, how charismatic she is (as played by the wonderfully nuanced Kate Mulgrew) AND how sexy she is. We don't reduce here, we worship.
Let me tell you young man about "reduction"..
That's your opinion, lol, others don't agree w/ you, heh.
eh I just looked up the closed thread, this person seems to be just trying to make trouble. No gritty and bitey discussions about objectifying the fictional to be had today.
I wasn't hurting anyone, but I still got in trouble.
What you may not realize, Teacake, is both of these are "Xena/Lucy" ones. The leather jacket pose is from a Lucy Lawless / Battlestar Galactica publicity shot. The soccer mom hairdo, however, doesn't really go with this look.
I think I would have chosen something longer, like the "original" had.
I LOVE the one in armor!
Oh Teacake...
I'll give her a cannon for Chakotay!
I don't think anyone could really derail this thread... too many of us love Janeway (and her sexiness).
In J/C land Chakotay IS a cannon!
That was a present for you JRulez.
These detractors just stimulate us more. We're like one of those nebulas that feeds on stuff.
I thought so and I love your thoughtfulness!
Oh... and since you love Lucy lawless, here's one in a similar armor.
You're welcome.
Oh wow.. you know what I love about that? The dark circles under her eyes. Fantastic, gorgeous stuff.
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Marcy Playground: Not the Most Obvious of Valentine's Day Music, But Hear Me Out…
Mrs. Toad and I tend to ignore Valentine's Day. That's not to say that we are scrooges when it comes to romance, in fact I would say exactly the opposite, but for us the compulsory nature of it doesn't feel very romantic. Everyone's different, but we'd rather take our sentimentality when it naturally wells up during the normal working week, which is actually pretty frequently, so we don't exactly miss out by missing out.
We also, as I suppose do most couples, have a few songs which have ended up being strongly associated with our relationship for a variety of reasons – songs we played a lot when we were courting, songs which played at our wedding at key moments (even if entirely by happy accident of the shuffle function), or songs with lyrics with which we strongly identify. It's all the usual stuff really and the songs themselves, whilst not exactly classic choices, are at least the sort of songs you would expect people to gravitate towards for this kind of thing.
This one is an exception though, and it's also one I have never mentioned to Mrs. Toad either, as it is a song which I have ended up associating with her, and with my falling in love with her, entirely by accident: All the Lights Went Out by Marcy Playground.
It is a love song, I suppose, but it's not even my favourite song on what is not even my favourite Marcy Playground album. The reason it stuck is a bit convoluted, but bear with me…
I was always pretty pragmatic about love and marriage. At the time I met Mrs. Toad I had had a couple of girlfriends I knew I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with, so I had an inkling I would know what I was looking for when I found it. I never expected the struck-by-lightning, love at first sight thunderbolt stuff, but I knew that those previous relationships had lacked something, even if I didn't know what it was, so I guessed that when I met the girl I wanted to marry the lack of that absence at least would be some sort of indication.
That wasn't the case, though. It was a classic case of an absolute, life-changing, instantaneous thunderbolt. It even seems silly to me now, but right from the the very start I knew absolutely and without a shred of doubt that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Mrs. Toad.
The result was in some ways related to the shock of grief you feel at extremely bad news, in that I was walking around in a sort of glazed over, detached daze for days afterwards. Of course, it didn't have that hollow, sickening undertone that grief brings, it brought a sort of terrified, wobbly excitement instead, but I think the sense of shock was similar.
Of course, I still had a job to go to, but I found myself sitting at work with my headphones on gazing into the middle distance an awful lot of the time. I remember exactly what I was thinking, too. I was thinking 'Holy shit, is this it? Is this the girl I want to marry? Can I really be this sure this fast? This really is it, isn't it? She really is the one. This is what it feels like. This is what people talk about when they say 'you know'. You really do fucking know. Holy fuck. I think this really might be it. Fuck. Oh crap. Fucking hell this really is it!'
I was not, as you can probably imagine, at my most capable.
At that point I was listening to Shapeshifter by Marcy Playground an awful lot, and I tended to turn the volume up a wee bit louder, just to drown out the rest of the office so I could be alone with my thoughts. I ended up playing All the Lights Went Out over and over again, without ever really knowing why.
The lyrics aren't exactly sophisticated, but maybe that helped. Maybe that hypnotic repetition of the line "Well today, all the lights went out in heaven" helped soothe my dizzy brain. Maybe that talk of short-circuiting, well, basically everything struck a nerve too, because that's what I felt like, like my brain had blown a fuse and was scrabbling about trying to get everything working again before it had to do something complicated like cross the road safely.
And the music isn't exactly classic love song stuff either. It's not the most aggressive guitar in the world, but the crescendo of the song is a bit loud for a serenade. Again though, maybe that helped, maybe the volume to which the song builds struck a chord with the kind of inner turmoil I was experiencing at the time; it was like a tornado was bouncing around inside my head half the time.
This was, of course, never a love song between Mrs. Toad and I, like most of the songs you would tend to associate with a relationship. Instead, it was a song which caught me at the exact moment lightning struck and somehow seemed to represent what had happened better than anything else around me at the time, so I sat in work and stared into the middle distance, turned up the volume, and played it again and again thinking 'Holy shit, is this really it?'
And yes, it was really it. I knew immediately, and with total certainty that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, and every single day since has done nothing but cement the clarity of that decision. It was easy, really. Obvious. And the best and most important thing that has ever happened to me. There are just a few odd quirks in the soundtrack, that's all.More: marcy playground, mrs toad is fucking awesome


text:
Missouri State Teachers Association filed a lawsuit against the state, state governor and
attorney general last month to battle a new law that would forbid teachers from
having "exclusive access" with students on Internet sites.
The law, which was to take effect on August 28 and was called the Amy Hestir
Student Protection Act (after a Missouri student who was molested decades ago),
aimed to prevent inappropriate behavior between teachers and students by restricting
out-of-school contact. Teachers would not be allowed to interact with students
on the internet "exclusively," meaning through private messages. The
contact would have to be publicly seen by parents and administrators.
But teachers fought back, saying that students needed that out-of-school
contact for help with homework or confidentiality about subjects like bullying.
Now, the Missouri State Teachers Association has won the battle. The law has
been repealed through the Missouri Stat Senate, according to ZDNet.
Senator Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield), who sponsored the Amy Hestir Student
Protection Act, filed Senate Bill 1 this month, and the Senate now passed SB1
33-0. It will now be taken to the House, be assigned to a committee, and if
approved, will become eligible to be debated on the House floor.
SB1 requires each Missouri school district to have a written policy regarding
employee-student communication by March 1, 2012.
The Missouri State Teachers Association also asked the Circuit Court of Cole
County to review the constitutionality of the law's social media section last
month. Teachers worried that this new law was broad enough to ban them from
having a Facebook, or from "friending" their own children who are
Missouri students. They argued that this infringed on First Amendment rights.
Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem granted the group a preliminary injunction
that lasts for 180 days and will expire February 20, 2012.
The Missouri State Teachers Association has not dropped its lawsuit despite
this win.


text:
Showcasing two big showdowns between ranked conference teams -- LSU at Georgia and Ole Miss at Alabama -- this looks like a more promising weekend of SEC football than the one that preceded it. Let's take a look at 10 things to watch around the league this Saturday:
1. Another top-10 matchup for Georgia: A common criticism leading into last season's SEC championship game was that Georgia hadn't played anybody. Well the schedule has certainly toughened up since then. Starting with that game against then-No. 2 (and eventual BCS champion) Alabama, the Bulldogs have faced No. 2, No. 16 (Nebraska), No. 8 (Clemson), No. 6 (South Carolina) and now-No. 6 LSU in their last six games. The Bulldogs are 2-2 in those games heading into Saturday's key conference showdown at Sanford Stadium -- LSU's first game this season in an opponent's stadium.
2. Can Ole Miss keep its mojo alive?: Resurgent Ole Miss already has a couple of impressive wins on its resume, winning at Vanderbilt in the closing minutes and running away from Texas in the fourth quarter in Austin. Good luck this weekend, though, Rebels. No. 1 Alabama -- which will host No. 21 Ole Miss on Saturday evening -- is in a far different class than the aforementioned opponents. Ole Miss has won in Tuscaloosa only once (1988), and that doesn't figure to change this weekend, even if Alabama's offense has underwhelmed lately.
3. All eyes on Murphy: When Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel went down with a season-ending injury last week, little-used backup Tyler Murphy got his first chance to shine. Murphy took advantage of that opportunity, completing 8 of 14 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown and rushing for another score in a 31-17 win over Tennessee. Now he's THE guy after watching an assortment of Gators take snaps ahead of him over the last three years. He'll be taking his shots against a Kentucky program that hasn't beaten Florida in 26 years -- the second-longest active series winning streak in the country.
4. Clash of styles in Fayetteville: The offensive approaches in Saturday's Texas A&M-Arkansas game could hardly be more different. On one hand, you have the wide-open Kevin Sumlin offense at A&M, with triggerman Johnny Manziel helping the Aggies post 602.2 yards and 50.2 points per game -- both SEC highs. Arkansas has run the ball effectively (246.0 ypg, third in the SEC), but that's about it. If the Razorbacks have any hope of hanging with A&M, they'd better hope that their impressive running back tandem of Alex Collins (SEC-high 120.2 ypg) and Jonathan Williams (second at 104.5) can extend clock-eating drives that keep Manziel and company on the sideline.
5. Mettenberger's homecoming: One of the most popular storylines this week concerns LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger returning home to Georgia, where he competed with Aaron Murray for the starting job in 2010 before being dismissed from the team after an offseason arrest. Mettenberger's mother is a longtime employee in Georgia's football office, and Bulldogs coach Mark Richt gave her the week off to avoid the obvious conflict of interest that accompanies this game week. Players from both sides have answered plenty of Mettenberger-related questions, and the Tigers' quarterback seemed to be getting chapped by the subject by midweek. LSU needs him to play a composed game on Saturday, so this is a distraction that the Tigers didn't need.
6. Can South Carolina finish?: Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks built a 28-0 lead in their last game against Vanderbilt, only to see the Commodores rally to within 35-25 early in the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks protected that lead the rest of the way, but it was hardly a positive sign when they had scored only six points in the fourth quarter the week before in a 41-30 loss to Georgia after it was 24-all at halftime. Playing at Central Florida (3-0), which beat Penn State in its last game, South Carolina might not be able to afford another sloppy second half.
7. Alabama's cornerback competition: Nick Saban's defense rotated five cornerbacks last week against Colorado State with two veterans out of the lineup. Deion Belue should be back in the lineup against Ole Miss, but the Rebels' up-tempo offense is much more capable of exploiting defensive vulnerabilities than the Tide's previous opponent. Alabama needs to get its secondary concerns sorted out quickly or the Rebels could make things interesting on Saturday.
8. Mizzou angling for 4-0: Saturday's game against Arkansas State marks the fourth straight nonconference matchup for the Tigers. That means it's all SEC games from here on out, and there are some tough ones on the list. Mizzou has posted some nice yardage totals so far in wins against Murray State, Toledo and Indiana. With a challenging October schedule ahead (at Vanderbilt, at Georgia, Florida, South Carolina), quarterback James Franklin and company need to keep the offensive momentum going.
9. Get-well game in Knoxville: Following two straight horrendous showings -- against Oregon and Florida -- things aren't looking too pretty for first-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones. The Volunteers desperately need a win against South Alabama on Saturday or it could get really ugly in October with Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama on the schedule. The first step for Jones is settling on a quarterback, with Justin Worley apparently stepping back into the starting job he lost last week before replacement Nathan Peterman injured his hand against Florida.
10. Will the real Commodores please stand up?: Coach James Franklin raised expectations in Nashville with a nine-win season last year, but Vanderbilt hasn't even looked like a bowl team in the wake of a sexual assault case that rocked the team and campus. Vandy is 2-2 overall and 0-2 in league play coming off last week's underwhelming 24-7 win at UMass. The Commodores reached the 2012 postseason based largely on wins against second-tier foes like Saturday's opponent, UAB. If they want to play in another bowl this season, they need to start getting their act together against the Blazers.


text:
float: right; width: 220px; margin: 6px">
Preseason State Rankings:
Pick a State
District of Columbia
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Rocky Mtn. states
South Carolina
West Virginia
The state of Florida is always teeming with elite college talent but the class of 2011 is special even for Sunshine State standards.
The preseason Florida Top 100 features no less than 49 four-star prospects, 40 of which are featured in the initial release of the Rivals250. It features two five-star prospects in James Wilder Jr. and Tony Steward and it features another nine or so prospects that are already within striking distance of five stars.
The strength of the 2011 class can really be best embodied by those two five-stars though. Not only are Steward and Wilder two of only 11 five-star prospects nationally, but they sit at No. 2 and 3 respectively.
Anyone that saw Wilder's play on offense and defense on his way to leading his high school to a 2009 state championship needs no explanation for his lofty ranking. Dominating play on both sides of the ball and a freakish physique could understandably make a No. 3 ranking even seem low. But the state's No. 1 player may just be that good.
"To see Wilder sitting as the number two player in any state is a little bit of a strange sight because he's such a freaky guy athletically but that just shows how much we love Steward," said Southeast Recruiting Analyst Barton Simmons. "Steward is a high-character kid with a great motor, great hips and remarkable instincts. From the standpoint of knowing his position, having the mental makeup and the physical tools, he's probably the biggest sure thing in this whole class nationally."
What's even more impressive is that despite the rankings and hype that has bestowed on both Steward and Wilder, the two both attend camps and combines as if they were scraping for offers and looking to be discovered. That fearless attitude and competitive nature is rampant in the state.
"It's refreshing to see a guy with nothing to prove go out and just compete," Simmons said. "That's something unique to Florida. It doesn't matter how many offers these guys have. They want to go out and prove that they're better than the next guy, whether that kid lives two blocks away or on the other side of the country."
Beyond its two five-stars, there are a number of other elite national players, led by a phenomenal running back crop. Clemson has already cashed in on two of the best the state has to offer by landing the state's No. 3 prospect in Mike Bellamy and its No. 11 prospect in Marlin Lane. Both running backs were drawn to Clemson by the allure of following in another Floridians footsteps in current Buffalo Bill, C.J. Spiller.
Mike Blakely of Manatee, Demetrius Hart of Dr. Phillips, Andrew Buie out of Jacksonville Trinity Christian are all fellow Rivals100 running backs out of the state that add to the stable of breakaway backs.
Despite the two Clemson running back commits, the state is indecisive as a whole. Within the top 100, only 32 prospects have verbally committed to college programs.
Florida State has hit the recruiting trail the earliest with nine commitments in the Top 100. Florida is close behind with six Top 100 commits, four of whom are represented in the top 30. Miami rounds out the state's big three programs with four commitments, two of which are from a familiar program in Teddy Bridgewater and Eli Rogers out of Miami Northwestern.
From outside the state, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Alabama join Clemson with two commitments each from within the top 100.
From a reputation standpoint, Florida is fittingly known for producing skill players and particularly receivers and defensive backs in bunches. However, the state is always knocked for its inability to produce quality quarterbacks. It looks like that trend is beginning to change.
In the 2011 class, Jeff Driskel is teetering on the edge of five-star status but he's not alone. Bridgewater has become one of the state's most high-profile players with his ability to make plays on Friday nights with his arm or his legs. Phillip Ely is emerging as the next in line at a veritable football factory at Tampa Plant. Jerrard Randall heads to Oregon as a perfect fit for that Duck offense. Meanwhile Jacoby Brissett may have as much upside as any of them due to his size and arm.
"I really like the group of quarterbacks that the state of Florida has got coming out this year," said Simmons. "What's great is that it's a diverse group. There's some really polished guys like Ely and Driskel but then you've got guys like Bridgewater and Randall that are just starting to figure out the things they're capable of and putting all their tools together."
Rounding out the state rankings releases on Thursday are the Colorado Preseason Top 20, Minnesota Preseason Top 5 and the Washington Preseason Top 15.


text:
Tonight's TV Hot List: Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009
Dec 26, 2009 4:00 AM EST
Doctor Who9/8c BBC America The hook made famous by the cheesy, '80s hair-metal band Europe seems appropriate here: "It's the final countdown!" For David Tennant, that is. John Simm resurfaces as the Doctor's archnemesis, the Master, who, like the Gri… Read more


text:
Topic: Fat cunts on planes
Should have to pay for two seats.
Fuck off its discriminatory. Its fucking discriminatory that you hang over into my area that I fucking paid for you fat fuck.
I have to bin loads of MY shit to get down to my 20kg and and I weigh a perfectly normal 85kg so thats 105kg totes. Old fat fuck gets on weighing trice me and my bag and pays exactly the same?? BUT hangs over in to the area I FUCKING PAID FOR.
1 FAT FUCKER = 2 SEATS. Now fucking deal with it.