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Dallas JacksonClick MORE: ACC | Big 12 | Big TenHere to view this Link. is the National Columnist for Rivals.com. Email him your comments or story ideas to firstname.lastname@example.com MORE: ACC | Big 12 | Big TenHere to view this Link. and follow him on TwitterClick MORE: ACC | Big 12 | Big TenHere to view this Link..
The recruiting cycle for the class of 2014 has begun.
With spring practice having already begun for some and just around the corner for most, coaches will begin to see where their recruiting efforts need to be focused, and the press on rising seniors will accelerate.
Rivals.com's team of local writers combined with our recruiting analysts to compile what are believed to be each team's needs and the chances that each program can fill them with this class.
Over six days, Rivals.com is breaking down the five major conferences, as well as select schools that do not play in conferences that automatically qualify for the BCS.
Today is a look at the Pac-12, and the programs are listed alphabetically.
What it needs in '14: At this point, the big areas of need will be along the offensive and defensive lines. Adding depth to those groups will be important. Digging deeper, the cornerback position is another spot where Arizona will be looking to add depth. It could take up to three players at that spot.
Can it be done? This is a really great year in Arizona from top to bottom and at many positions, and that puts the staff in a great position to land players of need. One of the brightest spots in the state is on the offensive line, and that means teams will be coming into Arizona to get linemen out. As far as the cornerbacks, there are a lot of players listed at athlete in Arizona who could play multiple spots -- many prefer to play offense, but that can change with playing time. There has been a recent trend for Tucson kids to head to Arizona, and that has already played out with four-star athlete Cameron Denson of Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe committing to the Wildcats.
What it needs in '14: Arizona State didn't take a quarterback in the 2012 class and then lost Joshua Dobbs on a signing day flip in 2013, making that a position of dramatic need. The school might be forced to take a transfer or junior college player late if it strikes out again, but with only three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster in the spring and the possibility of a transfer always looming at the position, it needs to hit a home run in 2014. The program didn't take a true running back in the last class and is light on scholarship bodies at that position as well. If that wasn't enough, Arizona State will look to take three to four offensive linemen in this class.
Can it be done? The quarterback spot is a must and this is a very good year for the position -- relative to recent classes -- and there is a Rivals250 player in Kyle Allen right down the road at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Desert Mountain. The sales pitch needs to be carefully crafted and effective to get him. If the team misses on Allen, there are more local players who can be had and regionally there are a lot of quarterbacks. Running back is a little more difficult to fill in-state, but the SoCal area is well stocked this year and it is a natural recruiting area for the program. Offensive linemen in the state are good, but they are being raided on a regular basis so the program may need to look elsewhere.
What it needs in '14: Defensive back -- specifically safety -- will be the major need in this class. The team took only two defensive backs in 2013 after losing out on L.J. Moore and Patrick Enewally late, and the Golden Bears head into spring ball with just five safeties and four corners. Running back is a place where the program is extremely light. The coaches wanted to take a second running back in the last class but couldn't find anyone who was a talent and had the grades to fit. This year could bring a three-man class at the position. The class is likely to number around 20; there may not be a quarterback, but there is the possibility of three to four receivers and likely three offensive linemen.
Can it be done? The talent pool in California is always one of the deepest in the country, so the likelihood is that the program can get these spots filled. The bright spot is that defensive back and running back are two of the better positions in California, based on early evaluations. The SoCal group of defensive backs is stronger than the NorCal area's, but that is not a deal breaker. Running backs, from tip to tail, are strong in California this year, so making numbers as well as finding an impact back can happen. The team already has landed four-star athlete Koa Farmer from Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame, and his position is still undefined. With his size (6-foot-2 and 207 pounds), he could play a couple of positions of need.
What it needs in '14: In terms of raw numbers, new head coach Mike MacIntyre did a good job of addressing a number of Colorado's depth issues with the class of 2013, especially on the offensive and defensive lines and at receiver. However, after not signing any tight ends and only one stout defensive tackle, both positions will be needs for the Buffaloes this cycle.
Can it be done? Colorado is not a deep state for talent and the program is hitting the bottom of a bad cycle, so there is work to do in becoming a major player for prospects. The new staff did well in limited time, but the program did not secure the top talents in the state and that needs to stop. This year, there is a true center in Windsor (Colo.) High who goes 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds named Trenton Noller. If Coach Mac can land him, that would be a boon. Name-brand players will be hard to come by, and the staff likely will load up on three-stars at positions of need.
What it needs in '14: The biggest priority will be defensive tackle because the Ducks will lose three starters and depth. It is fair to guess that there will be a minimum of three players in this class on the line, and there could be as many as six if the right players are interested. The class should be in the 21-man range, and there is room. Much of the need is on defense, where Oregon may add three linebackers and three in the secondary. If the class comes in under 20 players, look for 12 on defense and seven on offense, where the priorities are running back and interior offensive lineman.
Can it be done? Oregon has become a program that recruits nationally, and that is good. There are only two players in the state inside the Rivals250. Linebacker Joey Alfieri is ranked No. 221, and defensive end Connor Humphreys is No. 232. Look for each to be targeted, but from there it will be an outward search. The running back spot will likely be filled from Texas, where Oregon and Oregon State have done well.
What it needs in '14: There is a specific list of players whom Oregon State will look to have on its commitment list this year. Offensive linemen will be a priority for the staff, and the Beavers could take four players there. The team will also look for a quarterback and receivers. On defense, the targets at the linebacker position will likely be on the high school level while the staff will need to focus on prep or junior college players on the line to add immediate depth.
Can it be done? Oregon State historically has gone under the radar and found system guys the staff likes -- that is not meant to be a slight but more of a commentary that regional depth or top-level talent often does not define what is brought in. The quarterback class may typify that this year. There are plenty of solid players on the West Coast, but many are looking east. A player who may fit perfectly into the Oregon State class is Morgan Mahalak from Kentfield (Calif.) Marin Catholic. Mahalak was the backup for four-star Jared Goff last year, but he is on the rise and may catch some eyes on the summer circuit.
What it needs in '14: The No. 1 need with a bullet is defensive back. Stanford didn't sign a true defensive back in the 2013 class -- although it seems like receiver Taijuan Thomas will at least begin his career on the defensive side -- leaving a significant need in the defensive backfield. Stanford has offered and is aggressively pursuing a number of top secondary targets. Additionally, look for the program to identify and pursue players at defensive tackle, offensive tackle, middle linebacker and wide receiver.
Can it be done? The program may fall into a very talented player on the defensive line. Four-star Nifae Lealao indicated that he loved the program and it was his top choice because of the athletics and academics. Lealao has been evaluated early as a kid who can play early and anywhere on the line. The same may be said at inside linebacker, where four-star Jamardre Cobb said he was interested in Stanford and could be brought north from Los Angeles. California has loads of defensive backs in all areas of the state. Stanford will have a harder time finding guys at the position who have the grades and who can play at the next level.
What it needs in '14: Even after a solid close to the last class at the position, UCLA figures to go after some speedy receivers. It probably will take a couple of running backs as well. Defensive line will probably be a heavily recruited position, too. Jim Mora is sending his assistants farther east and the program has hosted several players from traditional SEC country, so look for a wider net to be cast for the players than recent history suggests.
Can it be done? Receivers seem to be busting at the seams the last two years, no matter the territory, and if that is what UCLA wants to bring in then it will happen. The team hosted Rivals100 receiver Malachi Dupre on an unofficial visit in early February and has enough talent in the surrounding areas to fill the spot. Running back is absolutely loaded in California, but it is very top heavy with talent and there will be major battles for players developing. UCLA will need to be hot and heavy early.
What it needs in '14: Considering that USC signed only 13 guys in the last class, the needs are plenty. The biggest point of concern is defensive lineman. The program has signed only 2 1/2 defensive linemen the last two years -- the half is because Morgan Breslin is a JUCO transfer. The team will also need offensive linemen because the current roster has only 10, which barely fills a two-deep.
Can it be done? This could be a crossroads class for USC as it continues to recruit nationally but is on the heels of losing a few of its Eastern recruits last season. The results on the field have tarnished the luster for national prospects heading to USC, so the Trojans may cast their net a little closer to home. Right now, they are cleaning up on the offensive line. Three players rated as four-stars in the first Rivals250 have committed. Toa Lobendahn from La Habra (Calif.) High, Jordan Poland of La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day, and Casey Tucker of Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton are great building blocks for a class that needs work in the trenches.
What it needs in '14: The biggest need for the program is on the offensive line. The secondary concern is defensive back -- especially safety. The odds are that the staff continues to look for ways to upgrade the speed and athleticism at the skill positions to compete in the Pac-12. The move to the league has expanded the footprint, but it has uncovered needs within the program.
Can it be done? The talent in Utah is often unearthed later in the evaluation process, so it is hard to say whether the local talent bed will be enough to build on this year. One analyst said that four-star offensive lineman Jackson Barton of Salt Lake City (Utah) Brighton will be the steal of the class if the Utes can keep him committed. The program could dip into Arizona because the talent in that state appears to be at an all-time high and kids have often looked to leave. Playing in the Pac-12 gives a major selling point to Utah for out-of-state kids who may not have otherwise considered the school.
What it needs in '14: This is in big bold text: Washington needs offensive linemen. The program missed on a couple of high targets last season, and seeing Sean Harlow flip to Oregon State at the end of the process stung. The players in the system have been OK but not spectacular, and the depth is limited in comparison with much of the Pac-12. If there is a spot that must be in focus, it is in the trenches.
Can it be done? Washington has sent out more offers in Arizona this year than it has in the last several, and that is smart. It is moving more into SoCal and trying to establish recruiting beds, but as yet that has borne little fruit. This could be a struggle for Washington to land players on the interior of the offensive line, but the program has to push for them if it is going to improve.
What it needs in '14: Mike Leach has been adamant about building the offensive line during his first two years in Pullman, and he has brought over 10 new linemen. Continuing to add on the offensive line will be a start, and then the Cougars need defensive depth, mainly in the secondary. With several key defensive backs nearing graduation, there could be an emphasis on bringing in four to six defensive backs. The theme with this staff has been significantly focused around finding athletes who are capable of playing multiple positions and distributing them once they get on campus. Don't expect that to change in 2014.
Can it be done? Offensive line is a little down in the Pacific Northwest, which will put Washington State in the same position as Washington in that respect. It could be adding bodies to have bodies when the chips are down. There are some high-profile defensive backs in the state and region, but guys like Budda Baker from Bellevue (Wash.) High are likely to be overlooking anything that is happening in Pullman and out-of-state options may be unearthed. The best thing that Leach and his staff are doing is finding athletes and getting them on the field. The blitz-happy defense uses undersized but rangy players all over the field to make up for what it lacks in size.


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Bibcursed is a simple curses-based editor for BibTeX bibliography files, especially useful for those who have to maintain a large number of references for a major piece of documentation, like a PhD thesis. It performs everyday functions such as adding, removing and viewing reference entries. Intelligent prompting for fields is used when adding entries so that authors do not have to rely on memory for knowing which fields can and cannot be used for different entry types.
BioJava aims to provide a comprehensive set of Java components for the rapid development of applications in Bioinformatics. It contains interfaces for representing Sequences, Features, and other important bioinformatics concepts. It can also read and write sequence data in a variety of common formats and communicate with Ensembl databases and with DAS and BioCorba servers.
bkmrkconv will convert Netscape's bookmarks.html file into a series of interconnected HTML pages which can be put online. The pages are heavily customizable and examples are included for a Yahoo-like portal. The program is useful for accessing your bookmarks from a remote machine or even just for making your links look prettier.
BlueLava is a Web and WAP (CGI-based) x10 interface. Using commandline-based x10 tools as its backend, it allows you to control x10-compliant electronics and x10 modules from within a Web browser or a WAP/WML-enabled device. Uses of BlueLava include the remote control of lamps, appliances, and other electronics via the Internet.
btn4ws.pl (Buttons for Website) is a Gimp-perl plugin that creates a set of buttons for a Web site. It takes the button labels from a text file, and can easily generate buttons for JavaScript rollover effects. You can add bevel and lighting to the buttons and also keep the .xcf files to work with them after creation. It can also generate example HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code. btn4ws only works with Gimp 1.4.x.
A script to start VNC on a system-determined port.
Allows you to manage a RDBMS via Java and JDBC.

subset: commoncrawl


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Utah's Star Lotulelei was the highest-rated defensive tackle and projected among the top overall picks in the NFL Draft when an echocardiogram conducted two months ago at the NFL Combine detected a heart condition.
Lotulelei did not work out with the other lineman at the Combine and did not speak with the media before returning to Salt Lake City for more tests. Some teams reportedly removed him from their draft boards — no doubt thinking there are enough talented players available without risking a pick on a guy with a health issue — while Lotulelei went about sorting things out.
Subsequent tests came out more normal and Lotulelei was cleared four weeks ago to participate in Utah's pro day. The 6-foot-3, 311-pound All-American impressed scouts with the same physical ability, quick burst and agility that led Pac-12 opponents to use double- and even triple-teams when trying to stop him.
"I came out of it with everything good," Lotulelei told The Salt Lake Tribune. "I played here three years and in high school and nothing ever happened. ... It was disappointing I didn't get to work out (at the Combine).
"Everything happens for a reason, so I came out today and gave it my all."
NFL Draft Related
The belief now is that a virus influenced the test at the Combine. Lotulelei was given a clean bill of health two weeks ago. Utah team doctor Dave Petron, quoted in The Salt Lake Tribune, said a recent MRI revealed "no evidence of dysfunction" and that Lotulelei's heart functioned "consistently with that of a highly-trained athlete."
Lotulelei's status appears to be restored, but it will be one of the intriguing story lines in the first round.
The Chargers could use a run-stopper — can't everyone? — although defensive tackle isn't among the team's primary concerns. Weighing need against the "best player available," the Chargers likely will hope one of the top-rated offensive tackles is available when they pick at No. 11.
Florida's Sharrif Floyd now is listed ahead of Lotulelei by several observers, but Lotulelei is still projected to go in the upper half of the first round. One mock draft on CBSSports.com had him going as high as fourth to the Eagles.
Wishful thinking? It remains to be seen if the earlier health issue adversely impacts Lotulelei, who will be avoiding the spotlight regardless of how things play out.
The NFL extended an invitation to Lotulelei to attend the draft in person in New York City. He politely declined.
Lotulelei was born in Tonga and grew up in Utah. He is married, has two daughters and prefers to be surrounded by family and friends than fans and media members.
"Being invited is a tremendous honor and I am very grateful for the consideration," Lotulelei said in a statement. "After discussing it with my family, I have decided to stay in Utah for the draft so I can share this moment with all of the people that have supported me my entire life. I expect over 50 family and friends at our home for this wonderful occasion."Copyright © 2018, The San Diego Union-Tribune


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Elizabeth wrote:I love Mr. Bill- oh nooo! Here's his Mastercard commercial
Oh! I love that one, too! Just because Mr. Bill is awesomeness.
I love the freecreditreport.com commercials. All of them. I love that guy and want to marry him. Well, not really, but he has a great voice, and all the songs are so funny


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President Obama's visit to Colorado Wednesday is intended to generate momentum for federal gun-control measures that Congress will take up soon.
It also, however, underscores how the substantive action is taking place at the state level.
Colorado, which passsed several important gun-control measures this legislative session, including universal background checks, is exhibit A in this argument. It is among at least 10 states that have either passed or are contemplating stricter gun laws in the wake of recent mass shootings.
Unfortunately, a lack of federal legislation ultimately could undermine positive state reforms.
A state ban, for instance, on the sale and manufacture of large-capacity magazines — like the one passed by Colorado lawmakers — can be circumvented if buyers drive across the state line and make such a purchase.
Of all the measures on the to-do list for Congress, we believe a high-capacity magazine ban and reinstatement of the 1994 assault-weapons ban, with modifications to address weaknesses, should be priorities. We also know those two issues are likely dead on arrival.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, disagrees with that assessment, especially as it pertains to a high-capacity magazine ban, which she strongly supports.
We'd be happy to be wrong on this count, but the fact that the magazine limit and the assault-weapons ban have been cleaved off the main Senate package — to be considered separately as amendments — indicates wavering support.
The remaining elements of the gun measures to be taken up next week include tightening background checks for buyers and increasing criminal penalties for those who buy guns for people not eligible to purchase them. Both of those are good policy, as is the president's administrative move to improve the quality of information going into the federal database used for gun purchase background checks.
Those steps will restrict the types of weapons and accessories available for purchase and they make it more difficult for those who are prohibited from buying them to do so.
Second Amendment absolutists see no place for reasonable, court-sanctioned restrictions. To them, any gun regulation is an affront to the right to bear arms.
We hope that federal lawmakers can see the same nuances that state lawmakers have in considering addressing gun violence.
Restricting gun rights is a far cry from abolishing them, and the sooner Congress seizes upon that distinction and acts upon it the better.


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Teachers considering fresh strikes
Teachers are gearing up for a fresh round of strikes this summer in a long-running bitter row over pay, pensions and conditions.
Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) could stage walkouts at the end of June if their dispute is not resolved, it has been announced.
The union is due to debate a priority motion at their annual conference, being held in Brighton, which seeks co-ordinated national strike action in the week beginning Monday June 23, if "significant progress" is not made in ongoing talks with government officials.
The move comes just weeks after the NUT staged a national walkout, and raises the prospect of widespread disruption to thousands of schools in England and Wales in the summer term.
The resolution declares that the NUT's national walkout last month was a success, and calls on the union to continue its Stand Up For Education campaign.
It goes on to say that the union should review the progress made in on-going talks being held with the Department for Education at its May meeting.
The resolution adds: "In the event that significant progress is not being made, seek to co-ordinate national strike action in the week beginning Monday June 23 2014, whilst showing flexibility if other school-based, education and public sector unions are planning action on similar time scales, and whilst being prepared to take strike action alone, as on March 26, 2014."
The latest strike date comes at the end of the summer GCSE and A-level exam season.
Exam timetables show a number of GCSE and A-level maths papers are due to be sat by students on the first two days of that week, in subjects such as maths, physics, religious studies and health and social care. An advanced maths extension paper set by one exam board is also scheduled to take place on Wednesday June 25.
However, NUT leaders insisted that they were not seeking to impact on the exams.
NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "This week has been deliberately chosen because we believe that there will be no exams beyond those dates.
"We're not, in this motion, seeking to hit public exams, that is not the intention of these dates."
She later added: "Strike action will not disrupt exams. If necessary exemptions can be given got staff who are needed to supervise an exam, but the NUT is looking to take action at the end of the main exam season."
The NUT's resolution does not restrict a walkout to one day only, with the union's deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney saying it has been written to leave "flexibility".
It also paves the way for further strikes in the autumn, calling on the union to agree to develop a programme of action in that term and beyond if there is insufficient progress in the talks.
Ms Blower admitted that a June strike would could disruption, but said that the move could be necessary.
"Of course parents will say this is inconvenient, it is inconvenient," she said.
"It's actually in the nature of industrial action that you do it because you want to cause inconvenience because you're trying to bring your grievances to people's attention.
"That's not to say that we don't regret that we're inconveniencing people, but even though we are inconveniencing people, we still think the balance is about 70-30 of those people who think that we are right, and actually there comes a point where you do have to do this."
The NUT's motion also instructs the executive to continue its campaign through other means, such as with a parliamentary lobby on June 10, participation in talks and preparing for a national demonstration in London on June 21.
Ms Blower said: "We're putting together the fact that we believe this is a significant campaign, and goes on over a period of time.
"But we have, in theory, negotiations going on with government in the period as soon as we get back from conference, between then and when that first June date occurs, so clearly, we will be expecting to go to those negotiations and to engage with them."
She added: "We do want to engage with that process. We want Michael Gove and David Laws to engage with the process, and we can see some things which they could agree which would mean that moving into the autumn, we would not be setting further dates for industrial action."
The NUT's bitter dispute, which has been ongoing for more than two years, focuses on three issues - changes to pay, pensions and workload.
Last year, the union staged a series of regional strikes with the NASUWT teaching union. Between them they represent the vast majority of teachers.
A proposed one-day national walkout in November by the two unions was called off and the NASUWT did not take part in last month's walkout.
The NASUWT is due to discuss its strategy for industrial action at its annual conference in Birmingham on Sunday.


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Although it was clearly decided before this week's meeting, it would have been nice to see the Worcester County Commissioners ask some more questions during the Department of Liquor Control (DLC) presentation to open a new store in northern Worcester County.
While we congratulate the DLC, a county-run monopoly, for deciding to expand the discount it gives bars and restaurants required to purchase their liquor from the government entity, the decision to build a new "flagship" store on Route 50 deserved more consideration rather than a rubber stamp.
It's unclear when the Berlin store will close, but the West Ocean City store is expected to shutter within the next couple months. The plan is to move into a new shopping center being developed east of Advance Auto Parts on Route 50. In an attempt to basically reinvent its retail presence, the store, as well as all the other county-owned liquor stores, will now be called "Shore Spirits" instead of Liquor Marts. The long-range plan is to close Berlin and merge it with the new "flagship" location on Route 50 that will also reportedly feature wine in a more spacious, modern floor plan, but it's unclear when that's going to happen.
The finances behind this decision were presented in a report to the commissioners this week. The analysis shows what closing the West Ocean City and Berlin stores in favor of the larger, high-profile flagship store is estimated to produce. Rather than the current net loss of $19,751 for the combined West Ocean City and Berlin stores, which is mindboggling considering it's a monopoly, the flagship store is projected to net a profit of $74,696. That's assuming the new location will see sales increase to $1.87 million from the West OC/Berlin combined sales total of $1.71 million and total store expenses will decline 7 percent.
This decision is all about the money, and the numbers do not add up to me. Eliminating two stores in the north end in favor of one larger outlet should result in more than just a 7-percent savings. I question whether the single store's sales will surpass what the two stores currently located in West Ocean City and Berlin ring.
Perhaps most interesting to me is what the private retail industry's reaction to this move will be. Undoubtedly, there will be a void in Berlin without a liquor store. The same can be argued in West Ocean City as there will no longer be a liquor store along the north side of Route 50.
When it comes to new liquor licenses being issued, a "need" has to be proven. It's going to be interesting to see over the coming months how many beer and wine licensees appear before the Board of License Commissioners seeking upgrades to liquor licenses. Obviously, if they are granted, the stores will have to buy from the DLC and then apply their own markups to their spirits, as other private liquor stores do currently. However, for some, the convenience of being able to buy beer, wine and liquor in one place over having to make two stops will be worth the extra cost.
Personally, while the convenience would be nice, I just don't like buying liquor from the government, which already gets enough of my money anyway. I would prefer to pay a little bit more to help the independent business owners who have to compete with the government. I identify more with the underdogs.
——————————————————————- Should Ocean City spend about $10,000 to restore the landmark Indian sculpture at the Inlet?
Based on opinions expressed on our Facebook page yesterday, the public says it should, and I am inclined to agree the Indian should stay after getting some restoration work completed. It's part of Ocean City's history and there appears to be a certain sentimental attachment to the sculpture that might have never been realized previously. I know I was surprised to see so much passion and enthusiasm expressed about the sculpture.
Here's a sampling of some of the constructive comments we received in response to yesterday's story on the subject. There were about 60 simple comments of a simple "yes" along with a couple more wordy expressions of support, such as the following:
One citizen said, "Sure they should, after all if they can keep tearing up roads that are perfectly okay then I think they should take the money and fix the Indian. He has greeted vacationers for many, many years, he deserves to look good and get a face lift I always looked forward to seeing him when I was a kid and my parents would bring me to OC."
Another said, "Certainly. It's a landmark."Another wondered, "How is this even a question? SPEND THE MONEY."
Another suggested, "Ask for donations and redo the bench [behind the sculpture] as well with a dedication plate to whomever the person or group decides to dedicate it to. Save taxpayer $$$."
Another said, "Part of the history of OC….go for it…"
Another quipped, "If they are stupid enough to decide not to fix it, I'm sure a lot of smart people (in the community and past visitors) will get together to raise donations to keep the old Indian well."
Another post read, "Yes!!! The inlet would not be the same without it!"
Another post said, "It's what I look for when I come to OC … Every since I was a kid it's my "I'm here" moment when I see it!"
Yet another reported, "Yes … definitely worth the money and effort to restore/save the landmark! So unique…"


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Attorneys for Dayong (dow yawng) Yang filed a lawsuit Thursday in Pulaski County Circuit Court, saying the city showed "deliberate indifference" in hiring a dispatcher who had been fired from a previous job for poor performance.
The lawsuit comes after Yang's wife, Jinglei Yi (jing-lee yee), called 911 when she and her 5-year-old son were trapped in a vehicle in a pond in January. Yi died. The boy was hurt. The lawsuit says he's still hospitalized.
Authorities say a county dispatcher transferred Yi's call to a city dispatcher, who spoke with Yi briefly before hanging up and contacting an ambulance service.
Police and firefighters weren't dispatched immediately.
The city dispatcher quit in June.


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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
LEADERS: Azerane Bam BinkyBunny JerseyGirl LBJ10 LittlePuffyTail LongEaredLions RabbitPam
I know how much you want to know about new glitches with the website, but I thought I'd better mention this anyway.
When I go into General Forums > Subtopic > open a post, the Subject Line no longer appears at the top of the post.
I noticed because sometimes I refer to the line, or it starts a phrase that is finished in the first post. It isn't just one forum; I just looked in most of them and none had it showing.
Tell Steve I'm sorry.
Hello Newbie
I'm guessing you are talking about your signature? To do this, once you're logged on& in the forum section, click on "My Forum Settings" in the lighter green bar at top of forums. Then click the Edit button. You should see a box where you can add your signature.
If you want to add a picture also, you need to put the pictures HTML code here and it should show up under your post. If you have trouble with pic, it may be too big so resize it and try again. After adding text or piccy, be sure to click on Save.
Hope that helps.


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In the lead-up to the MLS Cup final (Sunday, 9 pm ET, ESPN, Galavision, TSN2) at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, Calif., MLSsoccer.com is breaking down the matchup. We have already looked at the goalkeepers, defenses and the benches. Today, we look at the midfield.
With the midfield stacked with quality attacking threats all over, expect goals from all angles. Add to that the steely determination of David Beckham, Adam Moffat and Juninho, and whoever wins the battle in the engine room will go a long way to determining who hoists the 2011 MLS Cup aloft.
LA have all the attributes to completely dominate the midfield in the final; if they slot together the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle accordingly, they will be a force to be reckoned with. With MLS Comeback Player of the Year Beckham racking up assist after assist, 18 in total now for the regular season and playoffs, the English maestro is hitting top form at the business end of the season with a helper in every playoff game so far. Juninho is an able deputy alongside him in the middle of the field, and with Landon Donovan and Mike Magee a huge threat on both wings, Houston will have to mix it up in the middle to try and exert their presence on proceedings.
Magee has been on fire so far for LA in the playoffs, scoring three game-winners in three games. The Chicago native has been instrumental for Bruce Arena's side, drifting off the left flank to pop up at vital times and grab crucial goals. Landon Donovan has scored two penalties in the playoffs, but he has been somewhat subdued since his injury in late September. The Galaxy will certainly need their captain to put in a Man of the Match display to help unlock the sturdy Dynamo defense.
Houston's midfield will be reeling somewhat from the loss of MVP candidate Brad Davis. The league leader in assists with 16, he went down under an innocuous challenge in the Eastern Conference Championship and told MLSsoccer.com he didn't think he'd play any part in the final.
Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear confirmed Davis would be unavailable this week, meaning Houston will have to find a way to replace the pinpoint crosses and dangerous set pieces that have often been the difference for them this year. However, they coped well in the second half against SKC without him and still have enough dangerous weapons to cause LA all kinds of problems.
On the right, Danny Cruz will look to attack Todd Dunivant, while Scotsman Moffat will look to get stuck into Beckham and Juninho in the middle and pull the defense out through the threat of one of his long-range pile drivers.
Houston will need Corey Ashe to use his pace down the left, as he did to great effect in the second half against Sporting Kansas City. Still, the Dynamo have struggled for goals from midfield, and the four that finished the game against SKC have just three goals between them. Brazilian Luiz Camargo has made a huge difference since joining in August and should add a little punch going forward. Camargo and Moffat will have to be at their destructive best to own the midfield and help bring Cruz and Ashe into the game for the Dynamo.
For their star power alone, the Galaxy should dominate the midfield. But Houston have some determined characters in the center, and it will not be a walk over. However, you can't deny the goal-scoring and creative threat LA pose with Beckham, Donovan and Magee, so they get the nod.
Edge: LA Galaxy


text:
Organizers intend to break ground Sept. 24, 2014, the 225th anniversary of when President George Washington established the marshals. A commemorative coin will go on sale then, too, with proceeds expected to reach about $5 million.
Museum officials said the grant would help portray the intitution as one deserving of a broader audience.
"Combating the misperception that the museum is merely a Fort Smith project requires a change in focus from mere fund raising to educating the country and prospective donors about the marshals' vital national roles," the museum's president and chief executive officer, Jim Dunn, said in a statement. "We anticipate more high profile organizations, companies, and individuals who will see the national importance of the museum and want to be a part of the effort."
Fort Smith was selected for the new marshals museum because of its frontier history. Outlaws and lawmen went through Fort Smith on travels into and out of Indian Territory before Oklahoma statehood. Another marshals museum was located in Wyoming until 2002.
The $2 million grant is among the largest contributions to the museum since fundraising started last year.
The Walton Family Foundation was founded by relatives of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. Foundation officials did not return a telephone call seeking comment Monday.
Richard Davies, the executive director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, said the gift will promote economic development.
"The U.S. Marshals Museum will be an outstanding attraction for Fort Smith and all of Arkansas. It will complement the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art to give us a threesome of great nationally recognized museums that will bring visitors from all over the country."
Through mid-year, the museum had raised about $12 million. Organizers said they would hope to have about $35 million raised by the time construction starts.


text:
Sunil Gavaskar suggests that the Board of Control for Cricket in India should utilize the services "men on the ground" to educate players across the country to refrain from indulging in corruption.
Points Table | Scorecard | Schedule | Stats
The Board of Control for Cricket in India already has an anti-corruption and an anti-doping unit to educate players about the ill-effects of match-fixing or similar scandals. Also read: Sreesanth, Chavan, Chandila have confessed: Delhi Police to NDTV
In an exclusive chat with NDTV on Friday, Gavaskar said the BCCI should try and use men like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Anil Kumble to reach out to players. Midnight chase through the streets of Bandra led to Sreesanth's arrest
"It's simply because they are men on the ground and spend a considerable amount of time in the dressing room with so many players. If they speak to them, some players may not go astray," Gavaskar said.
The original Little Master, who has been on IPL's Governing Council, admits it will be impossible to eradicate the menace of match-fixing completely.
"Human beings will always be human beings. There will always be a few who will not be able to resist temptation. But at least the extent of things like fixing matches may reduce," Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar is against any penalty on Rajasthan Royals. "Why should the team suffer because of three players? As a team they haven't done anything wrong. In two of three matches where the alleged spot-fixing took place, Rajasthan won," Gavaskar pointed out.
On a lighter note, Gavaskar compared the IPL to the Indian Parliament and the country's often-controversial political system.
On being asked if the IPL should ban teams whose players were caught for match-fixing, Gavaskar asked: "Does the Parliament shut down if a party is caught for scandals? Is a political party banned because one of its members have been caught in a scandal?"


text:
By Annie Reuter, Radio.com
Andre 3000 is exercising his acting chops in a new clip from the Jimi Hendrix biopic, All Is By My Side.
In the clip, Hendrix (Andre 3000) is seated at a New York restaurant with his friend and muse, Linda Keith (Imogen Poots), while future manager Michael Jeffery (Burn Gorman) attempts to convince him to move to London, where guitarists are playing music inspired by the blues.
But Hendrix is on the fence and Andre 3000 does a good job of making you believe him, twirling his hair and chewing his Doublemint gum.
"I don't want to get caught up in those kind of labels, though," Hendrix says. "I don't want it to be, 'Well OK, he's playing the blues,' or 'He's playing R&B or soul or whatever' those cages, man…I want my music to go inside the soul of a person."
The movie will tell the story of Hendrix's road to stardom. Unfortunately, the Hendrix estate wouldn't allow filmmakers to use any of the "Purple Haze" singer's original music, so according to Rolling Stone, the movie focuses on the artist's famous cover versions, including takes on the Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Wild Thing," written by Chip Taylor and made famous by The Troggs in 1966.


text:
TLM: Translation Technology
February 21, 2012
The Translation & Localization Management program at the Monterey Institute prides itself on being at the cutting-edge of technology. Case in point, they are the only translation program in the world using cloud-based technology on a daily level in the classroom.
This benefits our students because the cloud-based environment allows them to get instant feedback on their computer-assisted translation exercises and quizzes. The technology also allows them to work on translations anytime with any type of computer or mobile device from anywhere that has an internet connection.
Being proficient in computer-assisted translation is becoming a very valuable skill as organizations large and small require translation to be performed faster and cheaper. So the training our students receive in that area makes them more employable because they are familiar with the latest technology in the industry.


text:
Call on 'Hungarian extremist' event
The Home Secretary has been urged to stop a Hungarian nationalist party hosting a gathering in London this weekend.
London Assembly member Andrew Dismore has written to Theresa May demanding that Gabor Vona, the leader of the right-wing party Jobbik, is banned from holding the event.
Mr Vona has denied claims by campaign group Hope Not Hate that he is meeting members of Greece's Golden Dawn party - who have openly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler - and the British National Party (BNP) on Sunday.
His spokeswoman said that he is hosting a forum for Hungarian citizens ahead of an upcoming election.
She said that the claims were "false", adding: "He has no intention of meeting anyone from Golden Dawn or the British National Party.
"This is a forum for Hungarian citizens. This is not to do with anyone else.
"There are lots of Hungarians living in London and the election is coming up in Hungary."
The spokeswoman said that the meeting was happening in Holborn, central London, on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Dismore, who as a Labour MP founded Holocaust Memorial Day, told the Jewish News that Jobbik is "the most powerful outwardly fascist political party in Europe".
In his letter to the Home Secretary, he said: " I have no doubt that all decent thinking people in London will join with me in demanding that the Home Secretary says 'No to Jobbik' ".
"While I advocate the right to free speech in our society, this must also be balanced against other human rights.
"It is particularly important to note that his event is being held on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day when the offence of his meeting will be all the more damaging."
Earlier this month BNP leader Nick Griffin told the Associated Press that his party was likely to forge an alliance with the two parties after the European Parliament elections in May.
Mr Griffin travelled to Athens to support Golden Dawn, which has seen a surge in popularity during the country's financial crisis, following accusations it is a criminal organisation.
The party denies any involvement in frequent street attacks against immigrants and other violence.


text:
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Norma, from your account of how he describes using this "powder" it sounds like NaOH. I don't know what else it could be. If it were baking soda or any kind of bicarbonate powder, I don't think gloves would be necessary. The reasoning for using warm water is to aid in dissolving the crystals when preparing the solution. The issue here is people tend to add it too fast to water when dissolving. That is the same info that came with the stuff I bought from abel and schafer. Even if they say it isn't NaOH, I certainly would not smell it because if it's any stong base, it is bad for your lungs if inhaled. The easiest way I think you could test this is when you dissolve it use room temperature water. It will take longer to dissolve, but if it's NaOH or a strong base, it will generate heat and warm the water upon dissolving. You should be able to feel this heat by touching the side of the bowl. (Don't touch the solution!) You could also use a laboratory grade thermometer to see the temperature of the solution increase. It should still dissolve in the concentations being used for pretzel making even in room temperature water, it will just take longer and need occaisional stirring. This won't conclusively make it NaOH, but I don't see what else it could be.When you dissolve this powder, sprinkle it in slowly, don't just drop a bunch of it in the water at once.
Yeah I agree with you. I can't imagine they'd have a hot steaming NaOH bath in such a small place. In theory the steam would just be water vapor, but the concentration would increase as the water evaporated unless they were constantly keeping the water at a certain level. Who knows? The suspense is killing me. I hope you figure out what they are using. I would be interested in a less hazardous approach to this.
Do you have any idea of how much of the sodium hydroxide solution I should use when I try to make pretzels? About how much sodium hydroxide to water ratio?I will try basically the same recipe that I tried when making the pizza crust and pretzels at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,10286.msg91547.html#msg91547 I might try replacing some of the KAAP with wheat flour. Since that recipe had brown sugar, I will start from there.
The recipe I have calls for a 3-4% NaOH solution. This means weight by weight or volume by volume. Since the NaOH is in solid form, it's easiest to just use 100 grams of water and 3-4 grams of sodium hydroxide(Weight by weight). You can scale this up if you need more volume. I try to use a glass bowl that is just a little bigger than my pretzels and deep. This way I don't have to make as much solution to fully dip the pretzels (otherwise you're just wasting the stuff). This also depends if you have a deep "dipper" or are using a spatula, it may be easier in a shallow pan, but you'll need more volume. I feel a litte safer handling it in a bowl that is not full to the rim. I don't think at this concentration it will etch glass, but I would do your dipping then dispose of it. Definitely would not store as a liquid. The mix from Abel and Schafer has you make the dough, let it rise, roll out the preztels, then let them "retard" in the fridge uncovered so they dry out. This makes a dry outer surface and creates a dried skin, so when you dip in NaOH just prior to cooking, you get that outer chewy skin that pretzels are known for. The preztzels feel pretty "leathery" just prior to going in the dip. You may also find that any recipe that has brown sugar in it will be uncalled for with the sodium hydroxide. I think those recipes are more akin to Auntie Annie's where NaOH is not used and the sugar is needed to create a sweetness and brown surface. With the NaOH you'll get plenty of browness just from a regular dough. I think you'll find it produces a color, flavor and texture that is nearly impossible to duplicate with something else, which is why the technique continues to be used today. Good luck!
Does anyone know what some of these items are like: Defatted Soy Flour, DATEM, Enzymes, Azodicarbonamide or when I could find these in small quantities?


text:
It's been quite clear for a while now that Jerrod Heard was destined for big things on the football field.
In fact, when Heard was a seventh-grader at Harpool Middle School, Guyer head coach John Walsh said he and his staff had already pegged him as the heir apparent to Walsh's son, J.W., who was the starting quarterback at Guyer for three seasons and is now a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma State.
On Tuesday, Heard took the next step in establishing his own legacy when he committed to Texas, choosing the Longhorns over seven other prominent programs, including LSU and Ohio State, his other two finalists.
Oral commitments are non-binding. The first day a member of the class of 2014 can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 5, 2014.
Heard, 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, is the state's No. 6 recruit in his class, according to Rivals.com's Lone Star Recruiting Top 100 and is the top-ranked quarterback.
"It was mainly because it's Texas," Heard said of his decision. "I really enjoyed the campus and the environment that the coaches put out there. I really appreciated how much the coaches cared about me and my family, too. That's a big plus."
Another factor that played into Heard's decision was the offense the Longhorns run under second-year co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bryan Harsin, who came to Texas after spending 10 seasons at Boise State.
"Their read keys are just like ours [at Guyer]," Heard said. "They do a lot of zone-read and they also have a great passing game. We basically use everything just like them — spread to zone-read to pro-style. They use it all, and so do we."
The fact that Heard is committing before playing a game in his upcoming junior season would normally be cause for alarm, Walsh said.
But with the elite status of the Texas program, Walsh said it's a little bit different.
"It amazes me how quick things go nowadays," Walsh said. "It's the culture we're in as far as recruiting goes in college football and it's the culture we have to live in. It's such an established program, and with [Mack] Brown being such an established head coach, it makes it easier. If he was committing somewhere that I wasn't real familiar with, I'd probably discourage it, but the fact he's going to Texas and with coach Brown it makes it more comfortable for his family and for me."
Heard burst onto the scene last season when he led Guyer to the area round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs, including a thrilling overtime win in the bi-district round against Hebron.
Heard completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,300 yards to go with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also proved to be a legitimate dual-threat quarterback — with 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash — rushing for 717 yards and another five scores.
Walsh said Heard has proven he can do anything a quarterback is asked to do, which has put him in line to be the next big quarterback for Guyer with two more years of high school football still in his future.
"I think a lot of things come natural to him," Walsh said. "That's why he was so easy to recognize in middle school as a potential future Division I quarterback. Whether it's running or throwing or just understanding the game, it's natural for him. It just comes really easy."
Heard follows a long line of quarterbacks coached by Walsh and his quarterbacks coach, Lee Vallejo, who went on to be quarterbacks at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
Previously, the two coached quarterbacks who went to programs such as Miami of Florida and Texas A&M, as well as Jarrett Lee (LSU) and most recently J.W. Walsh.
"If you watch football, or know about football, you know that if you've got a good quarterback, then you're probably gonna win a lot of ballgames," Walsh said. "I've been fortunate to be around lots of Division I quarterbacks in my coaching career."
Heard said he is fortunate to be the next in line, with the keys to an explosive offense on a state-championship contender. If his sophomore season was any indication, the Guyer offense could be in for even bigger things in 2012.
"They're great coaches," Heard said of Walsh and Vallejo. "They have coached a lot of Division I athletes, so that's a plus. They also know the recruiting game, so they really talked to me. They're great mentors for me. They're just great people."
What's next for Heard now that he has his commitment out of the way? Walsh said the decision should come as a relief but it won't add any extra pressure, at least not from within the Guyer program.
"I think Jerrod has expected this since he was an eighth-grader living through J.W.'s recruiting process," Walsh said. "I don't think it will affect him. I think when you commit it takes a lot of that busy time away. A lot of coaches will back off now. I think it will be a relief for him, and we'll do a good job with him as far as not adding any undue pressure. The only pressure he has right now is performing for the Guyer Wildcats, and he'll keep that in perspective."
And there's only one goal surrounding his Guyer team, Heard said.
"Now I'm just focused on what I have to do at Guyer, which is get a state ring," Heard said. "It's not really added pressure. I just look at it [committing to Texas] as motivation."
ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is email@example.com .


text: At this point you then have to come up with a reason for the saucer NOT to be equipped with a warp drive of some capacity. In the Star Trek universe, every vessel above the size of a work-bee gets to have a warp drive. A two person shuttle pod is so equipped. What possible reason could there be for the designers of the saucer to make the conscious decision to exclude a warp drive? I'm not talking about some monster warp nine plus propulsion, but something in the warp three or four realm. Starfleet does seem to favor external nacelles, however they are apparently not a requirement, many of the non-Starfleet ships we see do not have external nacelles. As a emergency only propulsion, enclosing a warp drive internally in the area aft of the main shuttle bay may have been deemed sufficient. As noted above, something the size of a two person shuttlepods has a warp drive. It would seem to me, given missions of long range exploration out in the Federation's "boonies" and beyond, that the Enterprise's lifeboats would all have a warp drive. Depending on where the abandoning of the ship occurred, rescue might be years in the future. If the first can have a warp drive ... why not the second?


text:
Number Three Holds the Key for the Rays
10 Comments
Just to make things even more tense, it's pouring rain at Fenway right now. Not sure they'll get the game in but still waiting to hear. Can't anything be simple?
Congratulations on the Playoff berth! Give em hell; the Ray Way!! Get that division flag.
forgot to say…Love the picture!
They were chatting about a Sunday doubleheader on the LAST day of the season.
Only good thing about that is the Yankees will know going into that second game whether they field the "A" or "C" team.
No matter what the outcome, both teams have lost the momentum to strike hard and fast and take no prisoners.
Right now it is more like going to a gunfight with a Bowie knife.
Rays Renegade
If the Rays come out with a stutter or a hesistation, this Royals team will take it to them for a second night in a row.
Right now we are playing like a pre-2007 Rays team, and that is saying something.
Rays Renegade
All three of those photos are mine.
I am getting better at the old Photog position with every time I click the old shutter.
Maybe next year I can also maybe get myself a She-Fan Cam and do a few pre and post game interviews with players and fans…..I can dream.
Rays Renegade
okay okay , enough of hangover games, it's time the Rays beat the Royals and stopped giving handouts to the Yankees…
Yeah, they could've won three extra games… OR they could beat the Royals. Havin' problems with the second part there. But I'm pullin' for 'em.
For some reason our offense kind of went out the window with the champagne corks. We have played the teams with the worst Team ERAs in our last 5 games and gotten beat 3 times, and two of those were shutouts by suspect pitchers.
Not sure what the cure is, but maybe someone need to go Medieval on the team's heads.
Rays Renegade
Believe me, I have been wondering over the past few hours if this goal of an A L East title is gone,or just in a foggy room knowing the Yankees have to beat the Red Sox twice to even get a chance to celebrate a AL EAst title. Problem is, I am not sure the Rays can win won game right now to even put some fear inthe Yankees.
Do not have my head down yet, but it is listing towards the floor a bit.
Rays Renegade


text:
Submit News
Update: AMD Board Approves Acquisition of ATI, Bankers Confirm
Tuan Nguyen
July 22, 2006 12:20 AM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Reports claim a $5.6B deal is about to close on an unprecedented merger
According to a report in
The Globe and Mail
, the
board of directors at AMD has allegedly approved the takeover of Canadian graphics firm ATI Technologies
. The report claims that the information was released by an investment banker that was part of the discussions. According to other sources, AMD executives were also seen at ATI's headquarters in Markham, Ontario. The report indicated that AMD is considering a
$5.6 billion takeover bid for ATI
Speculation and rumors have run rampant over the last several months about the possible merger between AMD and ATI, but no concrete details have been revealed. According to reports on ATI's share prices, the company's shares have been trading at double the usual volume today. Analysts said that AMD would be making an offer of 20 to 40 percent premium to ATI's current share price. ATI shares traded at $16.12 on the NASDAQ today during after hours, which is up 39 cents from yesterday's closing.
has also picked up on the story
, claiming that "Some analysts have questioned the rationale for an AMD-ATI merger, and others were surprised that the speculation received no attention from analysts during AMD's earnings conference call on Thursday."
had punched in for question during the
investor conference call on Thursday
, but a moderator would not respond.
According to Eric Gomberg, an analyst for investment bank Thomas Weisel Partners, "there has been considerable industry speculation that AMD may pursue an acquisition of ATI Technologies, although such an outcome is by no means certain." Gomberg's comment came in earlier this week, but word circulating around investment bankers who are aware of the talks between ATI and AMD surfaced just several hours ago.
Recent reports indicated that Intel roadmaps
no longer included ATI chipsets
. Although Intel had been producing motherboards using ATI logic, upcoming boards like those that support Core 2 processors are void of any chipset from ATI. Interestingly, ATI and Intel had agreed to several cross-licensing programs that allowed them to take advantage of some of each other's technologies. Several analysts however, indicated that the merger between AMD and ATI to be "out of strategy for AMD and out of focus. Stupidity is no barrier to tech mergers."
A report in the
Wall Street Journal confirms the talks between AMD and ATI
(subscription required) today. Although the deal is not final, the report said that representatives from both companies declined to comment.
AMD has previously indicated that it would embrace embedded processor technologies for its
platform -- some of which would include
math and physics co-processors
. However, the company has recently
exited all non-x86 processor design
Update 07/24/2006:
AMD and ATI jointly announced the confirmation of the $5.4B merger today (July 24, 2006)
"We basically took a look at this situation and said, this is bullshit." -- Newegg Chief Legal Officer Lee Cheng's take on patent troll Soverain
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text:
Okay, here goes. Someone from The Amish buggy babes asked for my ratatouille recipe. Here goes if my fingers don't give out.
3 or 4 TBSPS. olive oil
1large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut up in about 1 inch chunks
2 zucchini squash, quartered and diced
2 yellow summer squash, quartered and diced
Tomatoes- 4 or 5 large tomatoes or a large can of chopped tomatoes- I used Pommi chopped tomatoes
1 TBSP. dried basil -or fresh
1 TBSP parsley
1 tsp. marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil and place onion and garlic in pan to soften. Then add other ingredients and cook until all are softened but not mush. Doesn't take as much salt as you might think to flavor it.
Joni, gardenias have long been one of my favorite flowers. The smell is heavenly.
Chiliwist Valley
Thanks for the pics Joni, they're beautiful!
Millbury, MA
Joni, gardenias have long been one of my favorite flowers. The smell is heavenly.
Me too!
Very pretty, Joni. :)
Joni--I had a house that the entire back yard was creeping charlie. I couldnt'get rid of it for anything! Nothing killed it. I can't imagine having it on purpose, lol! The rest of your pictures are wonderful!
Ginny-Thank you, thank you, thank you for the recipe! I have to find the ingredients so I can make up a batch of it. It was my favorite meal!
Chicagoland, Illinois
Susie, You are welcome. I love it too. Especially in the summer when you don't really want to eat anything too heavy in the heat- though I can eat it all year long. It is great with some good bread and butter. It is good sometimes with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Oh, I'm getting hungry. LOL Ginny
We had our annual summer solstice tie dye party recently... Here are my creations from this year... Please excuse my dye-stained toes in the pictures.. I cropped all of these once and I'm too lazy to do it again. :)
Carolyn. Very pretty. But your toes themselves are a work of art!
In the beautiful Pacific Northwest!
All very nice including your dye stained toes. : )
Carolyn, those tie dyes are all so good. Ginny
Carolyn, what wonderful tie dyes. I live the brilliant colors.
Carolyn (CarolBeau):re are my creations from this year...
Love your creations, even the toes are nice. lol
Had to share this from our drive home today..
Your tie dyes are fantastic. I'm so jealous, would love to try that sometime.
Kelly that pic is scary & beautiful at the same time. I hope you guys are safe.


text:
Facility linked to meningitis outbreak loses license
The Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy has permanently revoked the license of the New England Compounding Center, the facility implicated in a nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis, Gov. Deval Patrick announced Tuesday.
The announcement comes after state regulators announced that an ongoing investigation had uncovered rampant violations at the Framingham-based facility.
On a conference call with reporters, State Director of Healthcare Safety Madeleine Biondolillo said the violations included 14 instances in which NECC officials shipped products without awaiting sterility test results. Officials also failed to verify, at times, that its equipment was uncontaminated, she said.
Story Continued Below
The facility was also violating the requirement that every vial of medication be linked to a specific patient prescription, officials said. "NECC was operating beyond the scope of its compounding license, instead acting as a manufacturer," Biondolillo said.
Biondolillo said investigators witnessed "black particulate matter" in some vials of medicine returned amid the nationwide recall of NECC's products. That substance turned out to be a "fungal contaminant linked to the outbreak."
On a conference call with reporters, Patrick noted that compounding facilities were a new and often inadequately regulated player in the pharmaceutical industry.
"It's time in my view to upgrade our practices," Patrick said. "No one should live in fear that medicine is unsafe. In these times of constantly questioning the role of government, surely we can all agree that protecting the public's health and safety is paramount."
Fatal cases of fungal meningitis held steady at 23 on Tuesday, according to the CDC, but the total number of those sickened in the national outbreak eclipsed 300 for the first time.
Tennessee remains the state with the highest concentration of infected patients, with 70. But Michigan is close behind at 68, followed by Virginia at 41 and Indiana at 40.
This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 4:19 p.m. on October 23, 2012.


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smart is engineered to give you an adrenaline rush. Changing gears is exhilarating. The clutch-less, manual 5-speed transmission - called smartshift® - is easy and simple to operate. It's both a manual and automatic depending on your mood. Oh. Did we mention the smart car gets 38 HWY MPG?
small car. big space.
Many people think just because it's small, there's no room inside. They're pleasantly surprised. Tall drivers feel right at home. (6' 4"? No problem.) And, this unbig car squeezes into parking spaces other bigger, less efficient cars can't.
stuff it.
Think your stuff won't fit? Think again. The trunk is quite roomy - 12 cubic feet to be precise. There's space for suitcases, golf clubs, even a golden retriever. And, if you need to haul oversized items, the passenger seat folds flat.
tap and go.
The steering wheel gearshift lets your fingers have fun, too. These shift paddles on the steering wheel allow you to change gears Formula One-style for an added driving rush. If your fingers get tired, you can shift normally as well.
check out that view.
They say on a clear day you can see for miles. Nowhere is this more apparent than when you're sitting inside a smart. The windows are huge and give passengers a 360° view. It's safer and a lot more practical. And, it's a great way to view the world as you zip around town.


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Everyone loves a parade … right?
El Cerrito High School will treat the community to this year's floats (expect bubbles) and units, led by the Gaucho Marching Band, at its annual homecoming parade that starts at 1 p.m. Friday in front of the school at 540 Ashbury Ave.
The parade is the buildup for the evening's homecoming contests at home against Berean Christian of Walnut Creek, with the junior varsity contest at 4:30 p.m. and the varsity main event at 7 p.m.
The Gauchos, 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division, are coming off a big win at home last week that snapped the 26-game winning streak of Salesian High in Richmond.
Berean Christian is 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the TCAL Rock Division after posting a win last week over St. Mary's High.
Gauchos' Coffee Shop Blend is custom roasted by Mike McLaughlin, a member of the ECHS class of 1957, and his wife and colleague, Barbara Marsicano McLaughlin (ECHS, '68).
Mike McLaughlin is a Kensington native and longtime West Contra Costa teacher who went on to start McLaughlin Coffee, an importer based in Emeryville.
Gauchos Blend sells for $10 for a 12-ounce bag.
Also available are two-toned 13-ounce "Spotlight on El Cerrito" mugs, both ideal for gift-giving to Gaucho alumni.
Coffee and mugs are available at "Adorn & Flourish," a gift boutique at 7027 Stockton Ave. run by ECHS alum Kate Peterson.
Program supporters who live out of the area can get more details or order either or both items and have them shipped by contacting Karen Shebek at firstname.lastname@example.com or 510-525-1539.
Proceeds from sales benefit the theater program.
Tax-deductible donations for the program can be sent to ECHS Supporters of the Theater Arts, P.O. Box 2376, El Cerrito, CA 94530.
Supporters of the program will be having a garage and bake sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 13 at 626 Albemarle St. as part of the annual Citywide Garage Sale.
Offerings will include furniture, collectibles, vintage items, household goods, art, books, sporting equipment and children's items, as well as a "lavish bake sale."
All proceeds will benefit the ECHS forensics team, a 66-year-old program that raises all its own funds.
WEST COUNTY NOTES: We wrote back in August about the new exhibit at the Richmond Museum of History on the Chevron refinery in Richmond.
The scheduled Aug. 6 opening of the exhibit was months in the planning but ill-timed, as it turned out, when a major fire broke out at the refinery a day earlier.
The rescheduled "Other Days, Other Ways, A Refinery Saga" exhibit is opening 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday in the Seaver Gallery at the museum, 400 Nevin Ave. The free reception will include music and light refreshments.
This weekend, George Brown and Richmond-based Totally Led Ministries will present the gospel stage play "For Every Mountain," a live production on dealing with mental and emotional health issues in today's society.
Performances are at 6 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday at the ECHS theater, 540 Ashbury Ave.
To reserve tickets, call 510-904-7045 or visit www.totallyled.org/events/every-mountain/index.php for more details.
The funds will go to purchase 100 trees in 15-gallon containers that will be planted in the city's North & East, Iron Triangle, Coronado and Santa Fe neighborhoods between now and next March.
Funds will also be used to acquire a concrete saw, shovels and other equipment for all the planting.
Richmond Trees and the city will also be working on meeting their end of the ReLEAF matching grant and are planning a Harvest Festival/Tree Planting event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 3 at Roosevelt Avenue and 29th Street.
The first hour (and best selection) is open to Friends members only. The sale opens to the public at 10 a.m.
Friends members also receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases by showing their membership cards. New members may join at the door starting at 9 a.m.
Details: Elaine Sturtevant, email@example.com.
Under the "Start a New Chapter at the Library" program, county library locations, which include all branches in West County outside Richmond, will "designate a day and time when teen patrons can read in the library for an hour to earn a certificate to clear their account of late charges."
Participants must bring their library card or a valid ID to take advantage of the amnesty.
The program does not cover lost materials or accounts that have been sent to collections.
For more details, visit ccclib.org or contact your local branch.
Headliners include Thomas Dolby and Abney Park, plus a host of other acts, as well as glimpses of the Blue Angels and the Americas Cup action from the windows of the Craneway at 1414 Harbour Way South.
Tickets and details: www.steamstock.org.
The Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library is hosting the event and asks participants to register in advance at rgorganicgardening.eventbrite.com.
Contact Chris Treadway at 510-262-2784 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/christreadway. Stay up-to-date on West Contra Costa news at IBABuzz.com/westcounty.


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As I was perusing Pinterest last week, I noticed one of the pins was a toddler lesson plan. Out of curiosity I clicked over and saw that this was a site that had lesson plans for toddlers.
The sample lesson had walking listed as the skill to be mastered. Walking. There were materials listed and instructions for allowing the child to walk on different surfaces.
Now, this very well could have been a site specifically designed for preschool employees, and I'm sure the person who made these lesson plans meant only to be helpful, but as I read over the lesson plan I was imagining stumbling across that plan as my 30 year old self.
I was a young, overwhelmed, stay at home, nursing mother of two children in diapers. I could barely manage to keep the diapers I changed from piling up on the changing table. There were crayon scribbles on the wall, play dough balls ground into the carpet, and lost puzzles pieces floating in the toilet. Dinner and laundry and sweeping were often left undone. During those long days, I was the only person in the house who could pour milk, tie shoes, and wipe a bottom.
I envisioned my tired self coming across that lesson plan and breaking down into tears. Just one more thing to add to my busy day. One more task to complete. One more expectation I couldn't meet.
Dear Overwhelmed Young Mother,
You don't need lesson plans for your toddler to learn to walk. You don't need a list of materials, or objectives, or instructions.
Don't be fooled into thinking your child won't thrive unless you are making marks on a checklist.
Your child only needs your time, your love, and your attention.
Hold him. Read him picture books. Clap when he takes his first step. Hold his hand as he walks beside you. Smile at him. Snuggle with him at bedtime.
I hope you are not writing these things down, Young Mother. There is no need. God has written them on your heart already. Don't ignore the mothering instinct you have been given by your creator.
Love your toddler. That's the only lesson plan you need.
Been There Done That


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text: Kids Taking Action, comprised of a group of area school children, held their latest fundraising effort for the benefit of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. The group operated a lemonade stand at the Berlin Auto Wash last month. Pictured, above front from left, are Graham McColgan, Ben Brandt, Chipper Becker, Will Mears and Teague Quillin; back, Thomas Polk, Davis Mears and Riley Dickerson.


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Prof. George Thornton '62 is First Fort Collins 'Recreator of the Year'
October 28, 2013
George C. Thornton III, professor emeritus of psychology at Colorado State University and 1962 graduate of DePauw University, is the recipient of the inaugural "Recreator of the Year" award. Presented by the city of Fort Collins, the award "honors an individual, family or group that embodies the Recreation Department's mission to promote health, well-being, personal growth and life enrichment," reports the Coloradoan. "The Recreation Department requested nominees via social media and from Recreation staff members. Thornton's name appeared numerous times in nominations for the new award."
Thornton made headlines this summer when he attempted to become the oldest person ever to swim across the English Channel. Hypothermia forced him to abandon the attempt for the record as he reached the separation zone of the Channel -- halfway across.
The city's announcement notes, "Dr. Thornton has prepared diligently for many challenges while living an active and healthy lifestyle. His achievements are noted academically, professionally, athletically and personally. He has dedicated his life to living an active lifestyle," it adds.
According to Thornton, "I believe that intellectual and physical challenges go together to enrich life and keep a person vibrant. My credo is: Do now what others won't, so that later you can do what others can't. City of Fort Collins Recreation Department facilities and staff have been essential to my many years of training."
Read more at the newspaper's website.
A psychology major and Rector Scholar at DePauw, Thornton was on the swimming and diving team as an undergraduate.Back


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What is your most-anticipated game of 2013?
Regardless of which games come out on top of the many "best of 2012" polls being run here on Screen Play, the real winner is you, the gaming public. 2012 has been a fantastic year for games of all kinds, with both sequels to old favourites and brand new properties topping the charts.
2013 is already looking set to be even bigger. The traditional January-to-April gaming drought, when we usually catch up on our piles of unfinished games, will be packed with must-play new releases next year. God only knows when we'll get time for some catch-up. May and June, perhaps?
The games will already be arriving by the middle of January, a period traditionally devoid of any game releases, let alone highly-anticipated sure-fire hits. Only three weeks after Christmas, the new reboot of Devil May Cry, titled simply DmC, will finally be released. I have had some hands-on time with this title, and I love it - it plays well, feeling like classic Devil May Cry, but the visual overhaul is jaw-dropping, moving the action to bizarre nightmare worlds. You'll still be juggling demons with your guns, but with a whole new style.
Also in January, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch will also go on sale. This PS3 exclusive has been out in Japan for ages, but its English-language release is finally just around the corner. A co-production between Level 5 - of Professor Layton fame - and legendary animation house Studio Ghibli, it mixes stunningly beautiful visuals with deep tactical battles. I had brief hands-on time earlier in the year, and it really is like interacting with a Miyazaki film.
In February, things start to get serious, and the release schedule starts to get crowded. Dead Space 3 will be first up, and while the series has lost most of its terror, it's still a damned good third person shooter. In the middle of the month, Gearbox's addition to the Alien franchise touches down, the long-awaited and once rumoured to be cancelled Aliens: Colonial Marines.
A week later, two great new action titles will turn up on the same day. Crysis 3, the extremely fun and ridiculously pretty first person shooter, will arrive on retail shelves alongside Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The latter is not a traditional stealthy Metal Gear game, but is instead an over-the-top action splatterfest, featuring the most gruesome swordplay outside of a Ninja Gaiden title.
Wrapping up February will be what many believe will be the Wii U's first real killer app: Rayman Legends. Forget New Super Mario Bros U, with its screen-tapping block placement. Rayman legends is the game that will show exactly how many cool innovations the Wii U gamepad can add to a platform game. I've played it several times now, and I never get bored of it. This will be a must-buy for Wii U early adopters.
March is when things start to get downright silly, with a huge number of blockbuster games coming out in rapid-fire succession. First we will see the triumphant return of a long absent gaming favourite: SimCity. It's been a decade or so since the last SimCity release, and Maxis has spent that time making something incredibly innovative, intuitive, and fun. The new Glass Box engine simulates every member of your population individually, making for extraordinarily deep and complex gameplay.
Also in March, arriving on the same day as SimCity, is Crystal Dynamics' wonderful new Tomb Raider reboot. I will have an interview and preview up next week, but for now just know that it is a fantastic revision of the aging franchise, and makes Lara Croft really interesting again for the first time in many years. Not so for God of War: Ascension, which appears to be the same old Kratos. Still, fans of that series who want more of the same will not be disappointed.
Kratos will definitely be outshone by Kerrigan, with StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm landing on shelves on the same day as God of War. It's been a long wait since the first chapter of StarCraft II, the human-focused Wings of Liberty, and fans of the series are desperate for new content. Expect this one to shift a lot of units. A week later, fan-favourite Xbox 360 exclusive Gears of War will also be making a comeback, with spin-off title Gears of War: Judgment.
Toward the end of March, a strong contender for 2013 game of the year will launch, the long-awaited and frequently-delayed Bioshock Infinite. As opposed to the quick knock-off nature of Bioshock 2, this is a proper sequel, created by the original Bioshock team. Leaving behind the damp depths of Rapture, Infinite will be set on Columbia, a bizarre flying city full of racists and crazed nationalists. Preview gameplay footage looks astonishing, and I can't wait.
It's a little sad that Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel will be released on the same day, and will no doubt be lost in the flood of Bioshock love. Army of Two has been a fairly terrible series, but EA's decision to give it to Dead Space developers Visceral seems to have paid off. It isn't a classic, but the co-operative gameplay is a lot of fun, and it deserves to shift a few units and redeem the franchise a little.
Finally, we will have Dead Island: Riptide, the sequel to the cult-favourite Dead Island, in April, and naughty Dog's brand new opus The Last of Us in May. As a former Uncharted fan who got fed up with the series going on too long with too few fresh ideas, I am thrilled about The Last of Us. It takes Naughty Dog's industry-defining digital storytelling and free-flowing gameplay and places it in a whole new setting with brand new characters that we will no doubt learn to care about. This one is game of the year material.
A bunch of other games have been announced for a 2013 release but don't have definite release dates yet. Metro: Last Light is out in March, and I am very impatient to get my hands on it. I was a huge fan of Metro 2033, despite its many issues, and Last Light looks set to improve upon it in every way. Beyond: Two Souls, from the makers of Heavy Rain, is set for release in May. I'm not a fan, but I know Heavy Rain has its champions here on Screen Play, so no doubt Beyond will be a popular title.
Of course, one of the biggest releases of 2013 will definitely be Grand Theft Auto V. GTA IV broke sales records, despite being a bit of a disappointment for long-time fans of the series, and GTA V looks set to fix every complaint fans had of Niko's adventure in Liberty City. We've been promised a gigantic environment reminiscent of San Andreas, with both urban areas and wilderness, and everything in between. It looks amazing, and we should be playing it within six months.
Other cool-looking titles with no definite release dates yet include Fuse, ARMA III, Company of Heroes 2, Watch Dogs, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Total War: Rome II, The Cave, Remember Me, South Park: The Stick of Truth, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Lost Planet 3.
Which 2013 game releases are you most looking forward to? Tell us all about it in the comments below.
- James "DexX" Dominguez
DexX is on Twitter: @jamesjdominguez
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The College of Continuing and Professional Education (CCPE) is one of the eight academic colleges at California State University, Long Beach. It is a self-support, interdisciplinary college that works closely with its university, business, community, and international partners to serve California's workforce and economy. CCPE provides expanded access to CSULB's exceptional academic programs and educational resources. We offer a diverse range of degrees, professional development certificates, and international education programs in many disciplines. We create opportunities for our students to study abroad, and bring students from around the globe to CSULB.
Jeet Joshee, Associate Vice President for International Education and Dean
Timothy Mozia, Associate Dean


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Fans in Beijing show their passion
Dodgers' Park creates buzz among Korean faithful
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Chan Ho Park, working on a Minor League contract but a national hero in his native Korea, wanted to sign autographs for fans who traveled to see him allow only one hit and one unearned run in five innings, but stern Chinese security personnel wouldn't allow it. Dozens of uniformed security moved in to separate the crowd of fans from the team bus, voices were raised in anger and the scene was getting ugly.
Team officials quickly quelled the tension with a negotiated settlement for Park to sign at the stadium on Sunday. Park had to explain the decision to his fans in their native tongue.
Meanwhile, for the inadvertent benefit of a few reporters to witness, a bigger point was made. Asian countries do embrace baseball, sometimes fanatically, and there's no greater potential audience than China. That's why the Dodgers and Padres traveled here for the two-game goodwill series that started with Saturday's 3-3 tie and will conclude on Sunday.
Park, moving closer to winning a job in a remarkable comeback story, found himself torn between two emerging markets after his start. He was pleased to have participated in this showcase for China, but suggested that Major League Baseball remember from where he came.
"I'm really hoping Major League Baseball comes to Korea," said Park. "I know this is a big market, but there are a lot of fans in Korea too. I hope they open an academy, because since I came, teams in Korea have dropped a lot. Kids need to see Major League Baseball in Korea. I'm hoping they do it before I retire so I can pitch in Korea.
"Think about it -- if a Chinese Major League player came back here to play, that would be huge, fans would come to the stadium. If the Dodgers and Padres played in Korea, it would be unbelievable. That's my hope."
While Park was playing peacemaker with Korean fans in front of the team bus, Taiwanese fans near the back of the bus chanted the names of Hong-Chih Kuo, who pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Park, and shortstop Chin-lung Hu, described by manager Joe Torre as "a little jumpy in this environment" after he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and numerous defensive bobbles.
Torre said he was "tickled" for Park, who was "great last time and even better this time." Park said he's been working on a changeup with a grip he learned from closer Trevor Hoffman when they were Padres teammates.
Torre also praised Kuo, who is out of options and bidding for a swingman job. Hu is making a bid at a utility infielder job with the injuries to Andy LaRoche and Tony Abreu.
Torre said the crowd of 12,224 "made more noise than I expected."
"I felt, and you could see, they tried to make it fun for the fans at the park," Torre said. "It felt more like a regular-season game than a Spring Training game."
The stadium was nearly empty 15 minutes before game time, but only pockets of empty seats remained once the game was underway.
"I was wondering what was going on, but it was like any other Dodgers game," said designated hitter Matt Kemp. "They didn't show up until the second inning. It's just like playing in Dodger Stadium. But I was a little worried."
Kemp said compared to fans back home, Chinese fans were neutral.
"They cheered for either team," he said. "They just wanted to watch the game."
George Lombard, who homered in the third inning, said the fans were respectful, while the players started the game "in slow motion," feeling the effects of jet lag and a hectic agenda since arriving.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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ByKathy Shwiff
About 95 percent of the dialogue in "Portlandia" is improvised, creators of the sketch-comedy television series shown on the Independent Film Channel said Monday night in New York.
The series, which grew out of "ThunderAnt," online videos created by "Saturday Night Live" cast member Fred Armisen and musician Carrie Brownstein, is now in its third season.
Armisen, Brownstein and director Jonathan Krisel took part in the discussion, which was distributed on the Internet through Livestream.
Brownstein, who became known as a guitarist and vocalist in the band Sleater-Kinney and now is part of the band Wild Flag, met Armisen at an "SNL" after-party in New York. "We had an instant connection … we just share a very similar language," she said, noting that they started working together about a year later.
Krisel, a graduate of New York University's film school, said production of "Portlandia," shot in Portland, Ore., has more in common with a band recording session than with most TV shows. "We have a good family recording-studio vibe going."
That allows the creators to change course and develop the comedy, rather than having to stick to a script that writers thought was funny six months earlier, he said.
"The tangent becomes the center often," Brownstein said.
The three and maybe one other writer map out the sketches in Los Angeles, but most of the words are improvised on the set in Portland, Krisel said.
"Comedy is like alchemy," he said. "You have to be able to find it with the performance and the writing and the improv."
"We have the flexibility 'cause it's sort of this indie film kind of thing" to find what's funny, he added.
Armisen said the editors sometimes find jokes that the actors didn't realize were caught on film.
"Portlandia" deliberately is shot and edited informally "like cable access nightmare was kind of the aesthetic," Krisel said. "A lot of the 'Portlandia' characters and a lot of the moments aren't really TV-worthy but that's what is so refreshing about seeing them," he added.
Even in its third season, the show's format is open-ended. "There's a lot of avenues we can go down."
The creators said the city of Portland has embraced the show, with business owners, residents and town officials opening their stores, home and City Hall to filming.
They even have shot scenes in local police cars, Brownstein said, with police computers and weapons left unattended in them.
Armisen said that when they first started the series, the creators walked around Portland and tried to imagine the people who live and work there.
Krisel said they try to make the show "really grounded in the things that everyone's parents are doing."
He also said the friendship between the show's various characters, played by Armisen and Brownstein, is what brings the audience back. "This is what 'Portlandia' has: Real dynamic between two people. That's what makes it different."
In addition, the show's characters are more real than many on TV, Krisel said. When he sees the actors in costume, he thinks, "I know that guy. … It's funnier when it's rooted in reality a little bit."
Brownstein, who grew up in Seattle, said many "Portlandia" characters have come from the indie music and culture scene. "We feel of this world. This to me is part of an ongoing conversation that people who are trying to live by a certain set of rules and guidelines are having with each other. So it's OK to poke fun at ourselves."
"Portlandia" is known for actors, musicians, even sports stars, such as Martina Navratilova, appearing as guest stars. The creators said the tradition began with Kyle MacLachlan's appearance in the pilot. "We were huge 'Twin Peaks' fans," Brownstein said. "He just said, 'I want to do something cool again.' He was onboard from the git-go."
They have asked friends to appear and used executive producer Lorne Michaels' contacts, adding that many people have been willing "to come and sort of play with us," even paying for their own flights to Portland, she said.
Among the guest stars they would love to have are film director Woody Allen, writer-director Vincent Gallo and actor Tom Hulce, Armisen said.
Armisen said he realized "Portlandia" was a success when strangers who approached him in airports mentioned it rather than "SNL," where he has been a regular cast member since 2004. "That's when I knew that it was something different."
The event was part of the New York Times's TimesTalks series.
[This article has been updated.]