text:
NOTICE OF HEARING To the owners and all persons interested in the lands corporate, and other property in and adjacent to the Flagler Estates Road & Water Control District You are notified that the Flagler Estates Road & Water Control District has filed in the office of the secretary of the district a resolution to consider approval of a water control plan or an amendment to the current water control plan to provide the District's commitment to improve water quality, decrease flooding, safeguard and improve the groundwater supply, and to create economic opportunity within and adjoining the District boundaries. The District plans to achieve these goals through a combination of legislative amendments to the District Charter; Agreements with offsite responsible parties; creation of a Rural Center District overlay zone; and implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). BMPs include Public Education and Outreach, Community Involvement, interagency coordination and cooperation, road paving and stabilization, canal bank stabilization, and construction of stormwater treatment facilities to meet new stringent state and federal requirements. The water control plan proposes possible annexation of lands into the District and possible changes to voting rules to protect existing landowner rights in the event of annexation. The water control plan proposes contractual agreements with landowners outside the District boundaries to authorize and increase drainage capacity through the District drainage system. No proposal of eminent domain is proposed in the Water Control Plan. On or before its scheduled meeting of June 7, 2008 at 10:00 am at the district's office located at 9859 Light Ave., Hastings, FL 32145 written objections to the proposed plan or plan amendment may be filed at the district's offices. A public hearing on the proposed plan or plan amendment will be conducted at the scheduled meeting, and written objections will be considered at that time. At the conclusion of the hearing, the board of supervisors may determine to proceed with the process for approval of the proposed plan or plan amendment and direct the district engineer to prepare an engineer's report identifying any property to be taken, determining benefits and damages, and estimating the cost of implementing the improvements associated with the proposed plan or plan amendment. A final hearing on approval of the proposed plan or plan amendment and engineer's report shall be duly noticed and held at a regularly scheduled board of supervisors meeting at least 25 days but no later than 60 days after the last scheduled publication of the notice of filing of the engineer's report with the secretary of the district. Date of first publication: April 25, 2008 Walter E. Smith, Jr President, Board of Supervisors St. Johns County, Florida L1185-8 Apr 25, May 2, 9, 2008
Posted from 25-Apr-08 to 9-May-08
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


text:
Goldenrod is often falsely accused of being an intensely allergenic plant,
because of its unfortunate tendency to bloom brightly at the same time and often
in locations quite near to the truly allergenic ragweed. However, actual
allergic reactions to this gorgeous herb are unusual.
There are numerous species of goldenrod (27 have been collected in Indiana alone) but all seem to possess similar medicinal properties, and various species are used interchangeably in Europe.1
In Germany, goldenrod is used as a supportive treatment for
bladder infections, irritation of the urinary tract, and
bladder/kidney stones. Goldenrod is said to wash out bacteria and kidney stones by increasing the flow of urine, and also, soothe inflamed tissues and calm muscle spasms in the urinary tract.2
It isn't used as a cure in itself, but rather as an adjunct to other, more definitive treatments such as (in the case of bladder infections) antibiotics.
However, we don't know whether goldenrod actually helps. Several studies have found that goldenrod does in fact increase urine flow,3
but there is no direct evidence that this in turn leads to any other medical benefits.
Urinary conditions such as kidney stones are potentially serious. For this reason, medical advice is recommended.
A typical dosage is 3 to 4 g of dried herb 2 to 3 times daily. Make sure to
drink plenty of water while taking goldenrod, to help it do its job.
The safety of goldenrod hasn't been fully evaluated. However, no significant reactions or side effects have been reported.4 Safety in young children, pregnant and nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established. Individuals taking the medication lithium should use herbal diuretics such as goldenrod only under the supervision of a physician, as dehydration can be dangerous with this medication.5
If you are taking
do not use goldenrod except under the supervision of a physician.
Tyler VE.
Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. New York, NY: Pharmaceutical Products Press; 1994:74–75.
European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy.
Solidaginis virgaureae
herba (goldenrod). Exeter, UK: ESCOP; 1996–1997:1–3. Monographs on the Medicinal Uses of Plant Drugs, Fascicule 2.
European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy.
Solidaginis virgaureae
herba (goldenrod). Exeter, UK: ESCOP; 1996–1997:2. Monographs on the Medicinal Uses of Plant Drugs, Fascicule 2.
Pyevich D, Bogenschutz MP. Herbal diuretics and lithium toxicity [letter].
Am J Psychiatry.
Last reviewed December 2015 by EBSCO CAM Review Board
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Information Services. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Moose keeps flashing leather to match hot bat
TEMPE, Ariz. -- There hasn't been any falloff in the defensive dash of Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas. Continuing a spring-long trend, he pulled off sterling plays in back-to-back innings against the Angels on Friday.
In the third inning, along with left fielder Alex Gordon and shortstop Alcides Escobar, Moustakas rushed deep into foul territory and caught Vernon Wells' high popup. When Alberto Callaspo tried to advance to second base after the catch, Moustakas quickly fired the ball to second baseman Chris Getz, who applied the tag for a double play.
"It was a foul ball that started off in the stands and the wind was blowing pretty good so it came all the way back in. I didn't give up on it, Gordo didn't give up on it, Esky didn't give up on it and I was just the one that came down with it," Moustakas said.
Both Gordon and Escobar yelled to Moustakas that Callaspo was breaking off first base.
"They helped me out tremendously over there," Moustakas said. "Telling me where the wall's at and letting me know the guy's going, so that's one of those plays that doesn't show up on the scorecard. Our shortstop and our left fielder don't get an assist, but they helped me out."
Moustakas opened the fourth by soaring to his left for a diving stab of Mike Trout's hard line drive.
"I was fortunate enough to catch it and not let my glove rip off," Moustakas said.
In the fifth, he was back at it, making a diving down-the-line stab of Wells' sharp grounder. However, he had to throw from his knees and the ball skipped past first baseman Eric Hosmer. Moustakas was charged with an error that allowed an Angels run for a 9-9 tie. The Royals ultimately won, 13-9.
"Our defense was phenomenal today," starting pitcher James Shields said. "You've got Gordon throwing out a runner at home, and Moose had some really, really good plays that you don't see that often so that was impressive. If we can have that kind of defense all season, we're going to be in business."
Butler likely set at No. 3 spot in lineup
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Manager Ned Yost is still tinkering with the Royals' batting order, but it appears that designated hitter Billy Butler might start the season in the third spot.
Butler most often batted fourth last season. He was in the cleanup spot 102 times, as opposed to 56 starts in the No. 3 position.
On Friday against the Angels, it was Alex Gordon leading off, followed by Alcides Escobar, Butler and Mike Moustakas, with Salvador Perez fifth and Eric Hosmer sixth. The important consideration here is that Moustakas and Hosmer are left-handed batters.
"We're trying to find ways to protect Billy. We're trying to split our lefties," Yost said.
By stacking the heart of the lineup with Butler (right), Moustakas (left), Perez (right) and Hosmer (left), Yost not only is alternating sides of the plate but avoiding one possible strategy by opponents.
If the Royals had Moustakas third, Butler fourth and Hosmer fifth, in a tight situation the other team could bring in a left-handed reliever to face lefty Moustakas, walk Butler intentionally and pitch to lefty Hosmer.
In that event, as Yost pointed out: "You've got one of your best hitters on the club not getting pitched to and you don't want that. You want to stay away from that as much as you can. So that's why we slip Billy into the three out of the four."
He also noted that Moustakas and Hosmer could be switched between the fourth and sixth slots, depending on how they're hitting.
On Friday, he had Lorenzo Cain batting seventh, Jeff Francoeur eighth and Chris Getz ninth. Francoeur could move up if and when he emerges from his spring slump.
"The last week, we're just going to get a feel for things and look at it and see if guys get a little comfortable in those spots," Yost said.
But he saw pluses in the lineup he used on Friday.
"It's got good flow, it's got good sequence on it. I like it," Yost said.
Royals release Chavez from Minor League contract
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Outfielder Endy Chavez, a non-roster invitee, was released from his Minor League contract by the Royals on Friday.
Chavez, 35, had returned to the Royals this winter, 12 years after beginning his Major League career for them with 29 games in 2001. He'd since played with the Expos, Nationals, Phillies, Mets, Mariners, Rangers and Orioles.
In 18 Cactus League games, Chavez batted just .188 (6-for-32) with no extra-base hits or RBIs.
His departure leaves the Royals with 38 active players in camp.
All Royals players back in camp after Classic
TEMPE, Ariz. -- At last, all of the Royals' players were back in camp from the World Baseball Classic on Friday.
Infielder Miguel Tejada and pitchers Kelvin Herrera and Atahualpa Severino were back from the champion Dominican Republic team, as well as infielder Irving Falu from runner-up Puerto Rico. They returned Wednesday, but Thursday was an off-day for the Royals.
The Dominicans' victory set off big celebrations in the island country after they won the title on Tuesday night.
"We are excited; there is nothing better than that," Tejada said. "The people were really happy to see what we did. The country was really waiting for that moment."
Tejada played in all three Classics, but this was his first title.
"That was the third time for me and I was very happy to do it, because this is my last one so I'm happy to win it," Tejada said.
When the Classic began, the Royals had nine players taking part.
Francoeur's long homer adds to minor groove
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Eric Hosmer smashed a three-run homer off the Angels' C.J. Wilson in Friday's 13-9 Royals victory but Jeff Francoeur out-distanced him.
After Hosmer's blast sailed over the center-field wall, Francoeur hoisted a solo blast over the towering batter's eye that looms 30 feet or more over center field.
"I got jammed," Francoeur joked.
The two homers, helped by a brisk wind that was blowing out, were part of a seven-run third inning that wiped out a 7-1 Angels lead.
"That was great of the team to do what we did today," Francoeur said. "We got behind a guy like C.J. Wilson and confidence-wise -- it is Spring Training, but to come back the way we did and hit balls hard, I thought that was really good."
Francoeur was asked if he was able to follow the flight of his blast.
"No, but it felt really good, I'll just let it at that," Francoeur said. "I had to show Hoz."
Francoeur, fighting to get in a hitting groove, is 3-for-6 in his last two games, and his average is up to .237.
"I'm starting to see it, so that's the key for me," Francoeur said.
Two Royals spring games to be televised next week
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Royals' Cactus League schedule comes to FOX Sports Kansas City for two nights next week.
The network will televise Monday's game against the Dodgers and Wednesday's game against the Cubs, both starting at 8 p.m. CT. The Wednesday night game will be preceded by a Spring Training preview at 7:30 p.m. CT.
FOX will carry 140 regular-season games on TV.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Everyone knows trout prefer clean water. But is it possible those same trout can degrade the water quality of some lakes?
That's what researchers are trying to find out in the case of Square Lake, which is north of Stillwater.
For first time in years, Square Lake was not stocked with rainbow trout this fall.
Instead, on Tuesday, Nov. 20, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released 140 nice-sized rainbows — from 6 to 7 pounds — into Lake Elmo, which has become the beneficiary of the Square Lake experiment.
The hefty rainbows follow about a thousand 1-pound rainbow trout that were released in Lake Elmo earlier this fall. It's the first time in at least seven years Lake Elmo will have a trout fishery. The season for inland trout starts Jan. 12.
Those trout would have been plopped into Square Lake in years past, but the DNR and the Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District are finalizing an agreement on a three-year moratorium on trout stocking in Square Lake.
The lake has seen a decline in water clarity over the past decade or more, according to a study completed several years ago by watershed district consultants that supported what some lake homeowners had been witnessing.
Phosphorous runoff from residential or agricultural fertilizers is the usual suspect when a lake begins to cloud with algae in the summer. But the recent study, as well as a previous study in 2000, found no increase in phosphorous.
"It was a head-scratcher," said Jim Shaver, watershed district administrator.
One of the district's consultants hypothesized the stocked trout might be responsible. Here's how it would work:
Although most anglers think of rainbow trout as predators that eat small fish as well as flies and larvae — or an earthworm on a hook — a favorite food of rainbows is zooplankton, specifically one known as daphnia, which are no more than a few millimeters long and often much smaller. Daphnia feed on smaller phytoplankton, or algae.
Researchers found low numbers of daphnia, which could translate into a boon for algae. Perhaps taking out the trout will allow the daphnia to rebound, and they'll feast on algae. In three years, Shaver said, researchers hope to know the answer.
The trout are not native to Square Lake or Lake Elmo and will not reproduce. Like game fish — such as walleye and muskies — that are released in many metro lakes, the fish are stocked using proceeds from sales of fishing licenses.
Dave Orrick can be reached at 651-228-5512. Follow him at twitter.com/OutdoorsNow.


text:
Normally on Fridays, I like to talk about movies, only there's only one major new release so we'll touch on that briefly and then get to some of the new awards nominations that have just come out. Joining blockbuster box-office behemoths Breaking Dawn, The Muppets, Happy Feet Two, and Immortals (those are the movies who'll get the most viewers this weekend) we have something a little, em, controversial. A film all about sex addiction. (There. I said it.) Michael Fassbender stars alongside Carey Mulligan in Shame, which is all about a New York City yuppie with one thing on his mind, and only one thing. This is not, however, a comedy (hence the title and rather brooding star) and it got all sorts of raves at film festivals, although with an NC-17 rating, it may not be for everyone. That said, Fassbender is definitely on a fast track as an actor, and he does tend to pick interesting movies (Inglourious Basterds, X-Men) plus, he's likely to get nominated for this or his other film, A Dangerous Method, in the coming months. Expect to hear plenty about this guy. Shame looks like very powerful, if not exactly uplifting, stuff. Will you check it out? If you do, let us know what you think!
Speaking of awards, the Independent Spirit Award nominations were just announced, and some of our favorites made that list. Rachael Harris (who's about to be on Fox's new comedy New Girl – which is aces) has landed an Independent Spirit Award nom for her superb performance in a little film – that you can and should rent – called Natural Selection. It's really, really good. And wildly funny. The Independent Spirit Awards are that show that always happens the day before the Academy Awards on the beach in Los Angeles where nobody dresses up and they play up the whole anti-Oscar thing. In recent years, however, the Spirit Awards have also started to share nominees and winners with Oscar, so they're not quite as independent as they'd have you believe. George Clooney's movie The Descendants got several nominations (although curiously he didn't) and Beginners was also tapped repeatedly. Including a nomination for Christopher Plummer, who will most assuredly get an Oscar nod. Beginners is a terrific film, by the way, and another one totally worth renting.
Of course, the other big awards buzz surrounds the Grammy nominations. Not too shocking really, when you think about it: lots of action for Kanye, Adele, Bruno, and the Foo Fighters, with some interesting side notes. I was especially pleased to see Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, Death Cab for Cutie, and Radiohead get recognized. Plus The Band Perry – that plucky little sibling threesome, also scored big, which is great to see. In fact, we'll make today's poll all about the Grammys. Now don't forget to cast your PCA votes because our polls will close sooner than you think. Have a great weekend!
Today's poll:
These artists got the most Grammy nominations this year. Which is your favorite of the bunch?
1) Adele
2) Kanye
3) Foo Fighters
4) Bruno Mars
For the latest pop culture news and voting, make sure to sign up for the People's Choice newsletter!


text:
Leagues first Hispanic ref promoted to a director
NEW YORK The NFL promoted Alberto Riveron, the leagues first Hispanic referee, to senior director of officiating.
Riveron was born in Cuba and moved to Miami with his family at age 5. He became a referee in 2008 after serving four seasons as a side judge. The 52-year-old Riveron takes the newly created position as second in command of the department under new vice president of officiating Dean Blandino.
In his new job, Riveron will oversee the NFLs instant replay program and assist Blandino in assignment and evaluation of officials and developing and distributing weekly training videos and other materials to improve accuracy and consistency.
Montreal looks to Colorado for its next head coach
MONTREAL Former Boise State and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins was hired to coach the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
Hawkins succeeds Marc Trestman, who was hired as the Chicago Bears coach last month. Trestman led the Alouettes to Grey Cup titles in 2009 and 2010 and was the CFLs coach of the year in 2009.
Hawkins never has coached in the CFL. He was 19-39 at Colorado and 53-11 at Boise State and has an overall coaching record of 112-61-1.
Hamilton says he paid tens of thousands for blood
MADRID Former U.S. cyclist Tyler Hamilton said he paid tens of thousands of dollars a year to the doctor at the heart of the Operation Puerto scandal.
Hamilton, the former University of Boulder ski racer, told Judge Julia Santamaria by video link that he used blood doping services about 15 times and also bought blood booster erythropoietin, testosterone, growth hormone and insulin from defendant Eufemiano Fuentes.
Hamilton said he paid $33,000 to $40,000 for the services in 2002 and 2003, then agreed to pay $67,000 for 2004, but he was not able to complete the treatment because he tested positive for receiving someone elses blood in September 2004.
Prosthetic legs on or off? The two sides disagree
PRETORIA, South Africa Oscar Pistorius wept Tuesday as his defense lawyer read the athletes account of how he shot his girlfriend to death on Valentines Day, claiming he had mistaken her for an intruder.
Prosecutors, however, told a packed courtroom that the double-amputee known as the Blade Runner intentionally and mercilessly shot and killed 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp as she cowered inside a locked bathroom.
Pistorius told the Pretoria Magistrates Court at a bail hearing he felt vulnerable in the presence of an intruder inside the bathroom because he did not have his prosthetic legs on, then fired into the bathroom door.
A major point of contention emerged Tuesdays bail hearing: Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Pistorius took the time to put on his prostheses, walked seven meters from the bed to the enclosed toilet inside his bathroom and only then opened fire.
Goal-line technology will be used at 2014 World Cup
ZURICH FIFA committed Tuesday to using goal-line technology at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and could have four systems competing for selection.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter insisted on giving World Cup referees high-tech aids primarily to make goal-line decisions.
USA women will play Canada in an international friendly
CHICAGO The U.S. womens soccer team will play an exhibition against Canada at Toronto on June 2.
Under new coach Tom Sermanni, the Americans started 2013 with 4-1 and 3-1 victories over Scotland this month.
Associated Press


text:
INTERCESSION CITY, Fla. - Osceola County investigators arrested a couple after investigators say they found a meth lab in a home with children inside.
Robbie Heckman, 35, and Catrina Reynolds 26, have been arrested during a meth bust by Osceola County Investigative Bureau on Wednesday at 1685 Lake Lane in Intercession City.
They were both charged them with trafficking in methamphetamine over 14 grams, conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine over 14 grams and use of structure to traffic methamphetamine with a minor present, OCIB reports.
Agents seized 8.2 grams of methamphetamine, prescription pills and a handgun and the Department of Children and Families placed three children - ages five, two and 10 months - into custody.
DCF said the children have been placed with a relative and will undergo health screenings Wednesday.
The investigation is ongoing with additional charges pending.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
"They did an unbelievable job of putting an unbelievable group of girls together And we shined this year. We did amazing. And for a first-year franchise that doesn't usually happen. But that's a
lot of credit to [owner] Joe [Sahlen] and [Coach] Aaran [Lines] for putting this group together and having faith in us."
-- Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris after helping the Western New York Flash win the WPS title with in a penalty-kick shootout after Saturday's final with the Philadelphia Independence ended in a 1-1 tie. (WPS.com)


text:
SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake Captain Kyle Beckerman, DF Tony Beltran, GK Nick Rimando and FW Alvaro Saborio have all been called up to next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Beckerman, Beltran and Rimando will report to the U.S. Men's National Team on Sunday, following RSL's Saturday match at Toronto FC. Saborio will depart Salt Lake City to join up with the Costa Rican squad today.
Real Salt Lake fans will have an opportunity to see all four players in action on Saturday July 13, when Rio Tinto Stadium will host a Gold Cup doubleheader featuring a U.S.-Cuba tilt and a Costa Rica-Belize match. A limited number of tickets to the Gold Cup doubleheader are available for purchase at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RioTintoStadium.com/events/gold-cup.php or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
The 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup will begin on July 7 and run until July 28. Beckerman, Beltran and Rimando will miss a minimum of two MLS games while at the tournament and Saborio will be gone for at least three league matches.
Both the U.S. and Costa Rica are in Group C of the Gold Cup. Group C will kick off the tournament on July 9 in Portland, with the U.S. taking on Belize and Costa Rica taking on Cuba. They will then head to the Wasatch Front for Rio Tinto Stadium's Gold Cup doubleheader on July 13. The U.S. and Costa Rica will close out the Group Stage on July 16, facing off against each other in the Group C finale at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn.
Beckerman has 25 appearances for the United States and was called in for the U.S.'s 1-0 World Cup Qualifying win over Honduras at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 18. The 31-year-old holding midfielder captained the U.S. in its 0-0 draw against Canada on Jan. 29 in Houston, a game that featured a very similar roster to the group called into the Gold Cup.
Called in for the last two games of the U.S.'s recent World Cup Qualifying run, Rimando has six career caps with the U.S. The veteran 'keeper is one of three goalies on the U.S. roster and will likely start ahead of youngsters Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire) and Bill Hamid (D.C. United) in the Gold Cup.
Beltran has one cap with the U.S. senior national team, starting and playing the first half in the Americans' scoreless draw against Canada on Jan. 29. The 25-year-old fullback was called up to the U.S. for its March World Cup Qualifiers against Costa Rica and at Mexico.
One of Costa Rica's most important players, Saborio captained the Ticos side that qualified for the Gold Cup by winning Copa Centroamericana in January. Now fully healthy, the 31-year-old striker played with Costa Rica during its recent World Cup Qualifying run, coming off the bench while recovering from injury in Costa Rica's 1-0 win over Honduras on June 7 and its 0-0 draw at Mexico on June 11 before playing the full 90 in Los Ticos' 2-0 win over Panama on June 18.
The winner of the 2013 Gold Cup will compete in a playoff with the winner of the 2015 event for the right to represent CONCACAF at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The U.S. has reached the final of the Gold Cup in five of the last six tournaments, winning three titles. Costa Rica has never won the Gold Cup.
Real Salt Lake will return to action this Saturday, traveling north of the border to take on Toronto FC at BMO Field. The Claret-and-Cobalt has a quick turnaround following this weekend's match, hosting the Philadelphia Union in a fireworks game next Wednesday, July 3 at 8:00 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets are available to next Wednesday's match at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.


text:
How To Cook Potatoes
Believe it or not, these silhouettes were created with rubber stamps ($25 for two, Rubber Stamps, Inc.; 212-675-1180). Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut fondant into circles and leave out overnight to stiffen. Paint a clean rubber stamp with black food coloring and press image onto the circles. If needed, fill in bare spots with a small paintbrush dipped in food coloring. Just before serving, place the circles on top of cupcakes with buttercream frosting.
Summon this nocturnal scene by first rolling out black and white fondant separately. Use cookie cutters ($1 for a 3-inch moon or 4 1/2-inch bat; randm.us) to create bat and moon shapes, then let fondant dry overnight to stiffen. Just before serving, perch atop buttercream-frosted cupcakes.
Bright Idea! Take cupcakes one step further with paper spiderweb wrappers ($13 for 12; cspost.com).
Custard Pie Recipes


text: Adult film star, Tera Patrick, is certainly known for her on screen screams in the United States. But the 34 year old actress is known for her screams in a completely different way in Indonesia. In 2010, Tera was the star of the Indonesian horror flick whose title loosely translates into "Moan of the Virgin Ghost." Although the title sounds like one of her US DVDs, she stays fully clothed in the film due to Indonesia's laws against nudity. The former Penthouse Pet of the Year, will be shooting a sequel called "Virgin Ghost's Girlfriend" with fellow porn starlets Vicky Vette and Sasha Grey. They were probably cast because there's nothing scarier than a porn star's acting. You can follow Tera Patrick on Twitter to find out where she'll be screaming next.


text:
Residents voice concerns about Water Street
JAMAICA -- Although Tropical Storm Irene took out four homes on Water Street, there are still about 13 homes left on the block.
The Jamaica Selectboard last week listened to current homeowners' concerns about the future of their street. If buyouts occur for the previous homeowners, the town will own that property along the Ball Mountain Brook.
A greenspace and park were two possibilities for that land but without knowing if the buyouts will occur, the Selectboard cannot make too many plans.
"We learned very quickly that money doesn't come pouring in," said Selectboard Chairwoman Lexa Clark. "I mean, you have to jump through hoops to get that money. And, we spent a lot of money getting the roads fixed and we have to. It's part of the town's responsibility. But we still aren't sure."
When buyouts through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program fell through, previous Water Street homeowners were told that buyouts could still potentially happen through a different set of means. The funds would come from Community Development Block Grant, provided by the state's Housing of Urban Development program.
If these buyouts occur, the town will own the property. Then, the Selectboard will decide what will be done with that land.
"This is my opinion: to just leave it as it is and see what happens with the buyouts," said Clark. "We have no idea if that program is going to fall through like the last one did. That was costly to the town, when (the FEMA) program fell through."
For now, the previous homeowners are waiting to hear back from the facilitators of the program, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission. Clark said this would be the first time the regional commission would be doing this type of program.
"They're just trying it out," she said. "They're working on how to get the kinks out of it."
An idea for that property that the current landowners proposed included planting trees and flowers to give the current homeowners privacy. They were vocal on not making the land a public park.
Clark told the Reformer that there are about 11 full-time homeowners on Water Street right now. She thought there were no more than two seasonal homeowners.
One current homeowner asked, after widening the street and taking rocks off the road, if the street was complete and if it was measured.
Selectboard member Lou Bruso said the board had hired a company that re-surveyed the street "back to where the right of way was."
"The street was put back into position," he said.
The question of paving then came up. The board had been told by attorneys not to do any paving until more information was gathered from Two Rivers.
"We could pave it but if we turn to the grant and they tell us we can't pave, we may have to rip it out," said Bruso. "There is some discussion that the grant might have a requisite that it can't be asphalt."
Bruso said the town's attorney looked into it and said there was no guarantee that the road could be asphalt even when and if the town owns it.
"We haven't heard from the grant people yet, so we don't know what their reaction is," said Bruso. "We can't fight it until we've heard what their reaction is. It's very preliminary as far as if we can asphalt that or not."
According to Bruso, the town attorney had told the Selectboard that the federal government "does take into consideration municipal right of ways on property they purchase."
"So they will recognize our right of way," Bruso added. "But it's not guaranteed they'll recognize our asphalt. If for some reason, they come in and tell us they wouldn't put asphalt down, we'd probably fight that. But we can't guarantee we're going to win that fight."
One current homeowner complained of the conditions of the road, which has been causing dust to come inside his house through the windows.
"I can't even open my window," he said.
The road commissioner said he'd put something down on the road to help with the dust, which he had done during previous work on Water Street.
Another resident said that plow trucks caused rocks and dust to go on the Water Street home's property. Mold and mildew were an outcome from this, she added.
There had been some concern over "Residents Only" signs that had been taken down, stolen or were missing. This had caused people to come down the street fast, making the dust situation even worse.
Also, with sidewalk construction under way, people are avoiding Main Street and going down Water Street, a resident said. Other people are going through Water Street to get the Jamaica State Park.
Board member Andy Coyne, who lives on Water Street, had to tell a bicyclist who parked his car at one of the previous home owners' property, that this was private property.
Chris Mays can be reached at 802-254-2311, ext. 273, or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Chris on Twitter @CMaysReformer.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text:
Bullpen usage different in postseason play
By Jason Beck and Bobby Nightengale / MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Tigers spent most of the regular season using their bullpen for specific innings. If a reliever entered the game to start the seventh, there's a good chance he'd get an opportunity to finish the inning if he retired his first and second batter.
Postseason bullpen usage is different, especially against a lineup that matches up well. The American League Championship Series has brought out a batter-for-batter matchup strategy from manager Jim Leyland, taking a page from his longtime friend Tony La Russa.
The inning it involves changes, but it usually involves the middle of the Red Sox order. Phil Coke, Al Alburquerque and Drew Smyly teamed up to handle the seventh inning in Game 4. Jose Veras, Coke and Alburquerque retired the same spots in the lineup in the ninth inning of Game 3.
The Game 2 mixing and matching, of course, drew plenty of attention once the Red Sox loaded the bases and emptied them on David Ortiz's grand slam off Joaquin Benoit, the fourth pitcher of the inning.
"When it's late in the game, every out is important," Coke said. "Your preparation doesn't change whether it's one guy or not. I mean, there was more than one time last postseason I was ready to get lifted and I stayed in."
That 2012 postseason, of course, was the time Coke became a closer for the ALCS against a lefty-heavy Yankees lineup.
Leyland makes small tweak to Game 5 lineup
DETROIT -- Jim Leyland couldn't stop tinkering with his Tigers lineup. This time, however, the manager's tweak was small.
Omar Infante and Alex Avila flipped spots in the batting order for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Red Sox on Thursday night, giving Leyland a right-handed hitter to place behind Jhonny Peralta in the lineup against Boston left-hander Jon Lester. Other than that, Leyland kept the unorthodox batting order from Game 4 that earned him kudos for shaking up his offense, even though he continues to downplay the significance.
"I don't think the lineup was a big factor at all," Leyland said. "I think that our mission was accomplished. [Austin] Jackson, by his own admission, said it relaxed him a little bit. That's what the mission of that lineup change was all about. So from that standpoint, it helped, but it still doesn't mean it had anything to do with Torii Hunter getting a big hit and knocking in two runs. The credit still goes to those players that produced.
"I don't want to make it sound like we won the game because I made out some fantastic lineup. I don't think that had anything to do with it. I think in one player's case, it relaxed him a little bit, and it helped us win a game."
The lineup could undergo at least another change for Game 6 Saturday at Fenway Park (4:30 p.m. ET on FOX, unless the National League Championship is over, in which case Game 6 will be at 8 p.m.), depending on what Leyland decides to do with Jose Iglesias. He started Peralta when Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander started Games 2 and 3.
Leyland said he hasn't made up his mind yet, but he's leaning towards starting Iglesias behind Scherzer on Saturday. The lack of production from Detroit's left fielders might well play a role in that.
Leyland not concerned about Prince's production
DETROIT -- Prince Fielder entered Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night with one extra-base hit, a double, in his 8-for-33 postseason performance. He has gone without an RBI for 16 postseason games since the opener of last year's ALCS, a drought that ranks 16th longest in Major League history. He has gone homerless since Game 4 of last year's AL Division Series in Oakland.
Fielder has hit in the postseason. He just hasn't hit like his normal self. His manager, however, came to his defense on Thursday.
"I think that people are looking for faults, but he's actually gotten some hits in this series, and really hasn't swung the bat all that bad," said Jim Leyland.
"I think a lot of people, when they think of Prince, they think of home runs, and he doesn't have a home run. But we've never asked Prince to hit home runs. We just want Prince to produce. That's what we got him for, and that's what he's done since he's been here."
One factor Leyland cited was Miguel Cabrera's limited mobility with his groin injury, slowing him on the basepaths. With his ability to take an extra base severely limited, Leyland said, it takes more to drive him in for a run.
Iglesias knows Red Sox are dangerous on bases
DETROIT -- Besides making his usual dazzling plays in the infield with his glove, Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias has been aggressive with his arm to make plays.
In the third inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night, Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury drilled a ball off the right-field wall, and thought about stretching his single into a double. While he wasn't far off the base, Iglesias fired the ball back to first on the relay and nearly threw Ellsbury out as he retreated back to the bag.
The downside to Iglesias' aggressiveness would be his errant throw on an infield single in the ninth inning of Game 2, which the Red Sox turned into the winning run on a walk-off single. However, with the speed of Boston, Iglesias doesn't want to take any chances with runners on base.
"I'm just trying to make some plays for my team," Iglesias said. "Little things when you can turn a double play is big. They are pretty good. We don't want those guys on base. They run pretty good, they're really good baserunners. So we just try to turn double plays as much as possible."
Iglesias also respects that the Red Sox are trying to make additional defensive plays of their own. Shane Victorino fielded a sharp single by Iglesias in right field during Game 4 and fired the ball to first base, though Iglesias was hustling down the line.
It's nothing new for Victorino, who tried to throw out Miguel Cabrera at first base on a couple of singles to right field in their series at Comerica Park in June.
"You never know with Shane," Iglesias said. "He's a pretty talented player. It was a good try. He tried to make a play for his team. He did what he's supposed to do."
Smyly getting good results against Ortiz
DETROIT -- Drew Smyly entered this American League Championship Series as the Tigers' lefty reliever without the strong history against Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who was 3-for-4 with a home run off the young southpaw. There's still some potential meetings left, but in two chances, Smyly has bucked the trend.
After retiring Ortiz on a fly ball to center in the eighth inning of Game 1, Smyly got another chance in the seventh inning of Game 4, this time with a runner on, a run already in and a Red Sox rally building.
Smyly mixed sinkers and fastballs and fell behind, but escaped with a groundout to second base.
If there's a specific strategy, Smyly is not letting on, but he did suggest a small sample sizes.
"I think it's just executing," Smyly said. "I faced him one game, I strike him out his first at-bat, then he gets three hits in a row off me. I don't know. He's a great hitter. I try to make my pitches. If he hits it, he hits it. If I execute, hopefully I get him out. That's all there is to it."
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. Bobby Nightengale is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Alright, let's do a poll here and see who's going to stick it out on Wednesday night and stay up for the free agent frenzy come midnight.
No one can sign until the 8th anyway. And since Lebron is meeting with a handful of teams for a few days after the 1st I doubt anything major will happen. Maybe you'll hear news about some 2nd or 3rd tier guys like Boozer and JJ but I don't think many, if any, will verbally commit to a team right away.
...on the other hand I'm usually up that late anyway...
i voted yes because it's canada day and i'll be partying. i don't really give a crap about it until something of substance happens canda day is more important. plus, I usually stay up that late/early anyways.
If Your Uncle Jack Helped You Off An Elephant, Would You Help Your Uncle Jack Off An Elephant?
Sometimes, I like to buy a book on CD and listen to it, while reading music.
no but i will be getting up real early on thursday for the NHL and NBA free agency and well start drinking my face off due to Canada day!
The news will be there in the morning for me. I'll get some sleep instead.
Ya, I'm not sure what the point would be to staying up. I doubt there will be any decisions made early Wednesday morning, anyways, and if there are, I'll find out about them when I wake up.
wait a minute this is confusing you mean staying up on wednesday night until midnight on june 30th?
i thought you meant staying up until midinight on thursday july 1st.
midnight is still the previous day it isn't until 12:01 that they can start signing guys.
If Your Uncle Jack Helped You Off An Elephant, Would You Help Your Uncle Jack Off An Elephant?
Sometimes, I like to buy a book on CD and listen to it, while reading music.
I'll stay up with you Doc. wait...which timezone are they going on?
No ill but i hope when i wake up in the morning it will all be over and everything in with the Raps will be all settled !
"Hello, Hello !.....You Play to Win the GAME!!"
Herm Edwards
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
Manager Wallid Ismail would like his client Erick Silva's loss changed to a win, or at the very least, a no-contest.
As early as next week, he could get an answer. Ismail today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner has assured him a review of the Silva vs. Carlo Prater, which took place this past Saturday at UFC 142.
"Erick didn't lose the fight," Ismail said. "No way he lost the fight."
Silva was disqualified by Mario Yamasaki after 29 seconds in the cage with Prater on the main card of the Jan. 14 event, which took place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro and aired live on pay-per-view.
After the fight, Yamasaki told UFC commentator Joe Rogan that he made the ruling due to Silva landing strikes to the back of the head, which are illegal under the unified rules of MMA.
Replays of the stoppage appeared to show at least one strike landing illegally after Silva sent Prater to the canvas with a knee and followed with a flurry of hammerfists that prompted Yamasaki to wave off the bout.
At the post-event press conference, UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com that despite the official result, Silva would be paid as if he won the fight. He also expressed openness to a review of the bout.
"I would appeal it if I was him," he said. "The thing is that when you do it, Ratner is the guy to talk to about this. We try to run things the way that they're supposed to be run, like the athletic commission would."
In countries without athletic commissions, the UFC acts as the de-facto regulator of its events, a job that Ratner oversees. For his part, Ratner confirmed today that he hasn't yet reviewed the tape, but will do so within the week.
"He clipped the guy with a knee, the guy fell, blacked out, and the [referee] don't understand about the business," Ismail said.
Multiple attempts to reach Yamasaki and Prater's representative were unsuccessful.
Ismail said he'll accept whatever decision the UFC makes, but he's hopeful that Silva won't have a black mark on his record.
"We need to [have] replays," he said. "We have the technology. Why not use it?"
Ratner indicated that instant replay was not available at UFC 142 but plans to implement it for future international events. Domestically, he hopes to expand its use, as well.
"We hope that more states will institute instant replay to help the sport," he said.
For more on UFC 142, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.
(Pictured: Erick Silva)


text:
Halos like what they're seeing from Kobayashi
By William Boor and Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
TEMPE, Ariz. -- After what was a promising 13-year career playing Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Hiroyuki Kobayashi is not sure why he spent the 2012 season in Japan's Industrial League.
The 34-year old right-hander played in the NPB from 1998 to 2011 and posted a 3.53 ERA. In 2011, Kobayashi's ERA was a solid 3.00 and he struck out 45 batters in 39 innings.
While the NBP clubs did not see enough out of Kobayashi to advance him past the Industrial League in 2012, the Angels like what they have been seeing in 2013.
"I think his arm stroke looks good," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's got a little bit more life than people might have seen or we saw on video. And he's got a nasty split. We'll see."
Through a translator, Kobayashi said he throws a slider, split-finger fastball and a forkball.
Kobayashi -- who has dreamed of playing in the United States since 2001 -- was familiar with the Angels organization and surprised when they called to invite him to Spring Training. Kobayashi was signed to a Minor League contract in early February.
"I was very surprised with the Angels," Kobayashi said. "I've been a big fan of the Angels because their games [were] broadcast a lot when they had [Hideki] Matsui."
General Manager Jerry Dipoto scouted and signed Kobayashi after receiving a call from his agent saying the pitcher was looking for a chance to pitch in the United States.
"I thought a lot about him when I saw him in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and that really was the last time I saw him," Dipoto said. "He was very good, he's got an outstanding changeup, he's got a very good split-finger pitch and it's a different look than what we can provide in our bullpen. If it just so happens that he finds a spot on our team, then we all walk away very happy."
Pujols unlikely to play in games before mid-March
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels first baseman Albert Pujols, recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, may not be getting into Spring Training games until mid-March.
The Angels don't believe he needs to do so any sooner than that in order to be ready by Opening Day on April 1.
Pujols, who had the procedure done early in the offseason, showed up to Spring Training a couple days before he was scheduled to and has been taking batting practice ever since. The 33-year-old has also been taking ground balls hit right to him, jogging on a treadmill and doing bunt defense, but he is playing it safe and isn't sure when he'll start running full speed.
"We'll see where he is week to week," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters on Wednesday. "Right now he feels really good targeting Opening Day being ready. If he's playing by mid-March, he's fine. That's probably the back end of what he needs. I think if he's ready sooner, fine, we can work him in. I think he's approaching it the way he needs to."
Focused Calhoun hopes to stick with Halos
TEMPE, Ariz. -- As a result of the valuable experience he gained a year ago, the theme of Kole Calhoun's offseason was focus.
"I kind of got a taste last year of what it's really going to take to get up here [in the Majors] and stay up here," Calhoun said. "I didn't change much this offseason, but was really focused on bettering myself to be able to play up here and stay. I did a lot of things with my swing, worked at all spots in the outfield and a little bit more at first base."
The Angels selected Calhoun in the eighth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, and he is currently ranked by MLB.com as the No. 5 prospect in the organization. Calhoun made his Major League debut on May 22, 2012, and he had 23 at-bats during his stint with the Angels. He hit .174 in the big leagues, but spent the majority of the year with Triple-A Salt Lake, where he hit .298 with 73 RBIs.
The left-handed hitter's stint in the Majors was brief, but the experience -- which Calhoun described as "unbelievable" -- is what fueled his offseason.
"You get a taste of it, you get to touch your dream a little bit and you want to get back," Calhoun said. "It gives you the driving force to keep working and getting better."
Scott Cousins, Trent Oeltjen, J.B. Shuck and Matt Young are among those competing with Calhoun for the final roster spot, but the 25-year-old Arizona native is not spending any time worrying about other players.
"I'm working on getting better," Calhoun said. "You know what spots are open and there are some things that can happen, but if I'm focused on that my head's not where it should be. I'm getting ready to play, no matter where it's at."
Whether Calhoun begins the 2013 season in Anaheim or Salt Lake is yet to be seen, but either way, he is using the Spring Training experience to learn as much as he can while sharing a clubhouse with established players.
"There are guys that have been MVP, [made] numerous All-Star [games and] been World Series champions," Calhoun said. "They've played at the highest level for many, many years. If you can pick and take something for each of those guys and have half as good of a career as those guys, that's a pretty good life."
Burnett says back slowly getting better
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sean Burnett's back injury -- a fluke accident that occurred while he was grocery shopping -- does not have either Burnett or the Angels worried.
"He's better," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's day to day. We expect to see him hopefully make improvements over the next week and get evaluated. We don't have a timetable, but the prognosis is good for him to get this inflammation behind him until he starts throwing."
Burnett, who signed with the Angels in December after having spent the past four seasons as a reliever with the Nationals, said his back felt better Wednesday than it did Tuesday.
"It's slowly getting better," Burnett said. "As soon as it loosens up, I'll be good to go."
Scioscia said Burnett will be evaluated over the next week. However, that does not mean he will be out for the entire week, as Burnett's doctors told him to listen to his body and play it by ear.
While there is still no timetable on Burnett's return, it is only Feb. 20, and Scioscia believes there is no reason to worry about the 30-year-old left-handed reliever missing Opening Day.
"I think if you look at the big picture, this is something we don't see as an issue for him to get ready to start the season," Scioscia said. "If he was a starter, there would be more concern, but being in the bullpen, there should be no reason, at this point, [for us to] be concerned."
William Boor is an associate reporter for MLB.com and Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
For the first two innings of Ryan's game Friday night, the Raiders were staying within striking distance of one of Class 5A's best baseball teams.
But on the field and in the dugout, Ryan head coach Bret Warnack sensed something was missing.
The quiet team in the dugout and the quiet bats at the plate were small indicators to Warnack that his team was lacking the energy needed against the team ranked seventh in 5A by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association.
Flower Mound Marcus' bats made up for the silence in the third inning. The Marauders scored four runs in the third to spark the visiting team to a 9-2 victory over Ryan at Raider Field.
Despite his team's 7-1 loss to Marcus on Tuesday in the District 5-5A opener for both schools, Warnack liked what his team was able to accomplish. On Friday night, he thought his team was flat from the opening pitch and lacked energy.
"I was pleased with the way we played on Tuesday, and I thought we'd come out here with a little more fire underneath us coming into this game," Warnack said. "We were just kind of flat."
Ryan (2-15-2, 0-2 district) managed one hit off of Marcus junior Jack Cushing, who struck out eight batters and walked three in six innings of work. Cushing, who has an offer from Dallas Baptist, picked up six of those strikeouts in the first three innings.
By that time, the Marauders (17-2, 2-0) gave the junior plenty of cushion.
After Marcus junior Matt Bernstein led off the top of the third with a triple off Ryan junior Ryan Burks, junior Brendan Venter was hit by a pitch and the next three batters singled to score four runs.
Burks allowed six runs and six hits in four innings of work. Junior Blake Grellhesl came on in relief and pitched the final three innings.
Marcus coach Jeff Sherman said that throughout the season his team has been eager at the plate the first time through the lineup. The second time the Marauders went through the order Friday night, they were able to connect.
"Tonight, I was really happy that we didn't get overzealous the second time through," Sherman said. "We really hammered the baseball, hit gaps and we executed on steals and hit-and-runs."
Ryan didn't pick up its first hit of the game until the fourth inning, when sophomore shortstop Manny Torralba ripped a single through the infield. Torralba scored in the fourth on a groundout by Burks. Torralba scored Ryan's other run in the sixth after he reached on an error.
Warnack said his team knew it was going to face a quality pitcher, and that his team is still learning how to hit.
But for his team to be competitive in a very tough district, Warnack said the Raiders can't come out flat and silent.
"We've definitely got to come out with more energy," Warnack said. "We've gotta start communicating on the field."


text:
Prepared Berkshires bracing for impact from Hurricane Sandy
With a massive storm system threatening to pummel the Berkshires with high winds and heavy rain today, state and local officials and utilities on Sunday took extraordinary steps to ensure they are prepared for the worst.
All public schools and state offices are closed today as the effects of Hurricane Sandy, still hundreds of miles offshore, begin lashing the region. And representatives of regional electric companies on Sunday said they had crews deploying from out of state to respond to power outages.
But the brunt of the storm, which was expected to come ashore somewhere on the New Jersey coastline sometime tonight, was expected to be muted compared to the devastation that was feared closer to the storm's center.
"By this afternoon sustained winds will increase to 30 to 40 mph, with wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph," said Joe Villani, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Albany. "This is a very powerful storm."
The winds are expected to persist through early Tuesday, he said.
Rainfall will generally be in the 2- to 3-inch range, according to Villani, compared to the 5-10 inches predicted along the parts of the Atlantic coastline.
Villani noted the storm system will quickly weaken by Tuesday over Pennsylvania, but it could take several days before it lifts north and out of the local weather picture.
With the threatening weather breathing down on the Berkshires, local school superintendents have dipped into their allotment of "snow days," usually set aside for school closings during nasty winter weather.
Their decision was made easier Sunday evening when Gov. Deval L. Patrick and state education officials requested statewide school closures for safety reasons.
"I was leaning toward canceling because my concern was if power lines are down, I don't want to send kids home in that situation," said Pittsfield's interim school superintendent, Gordon L. Noseworthy.
"Besides, I wouldn't want to defy the governor and education commissioner," he added.
Several superintendents said Patrick made the right call.
"One kid getting hurt is one too many," said Peter Dillon, superintendent of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District.
Berkshire Community Col lege, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst were among the area colleges to cancel classes for today.
Patrick also ordered state offices to close and non-emergency state workers to stay home today because of the storm.
Berkshire homeowners spent the weekend getting ready to ride out the blockbuster storm by snapping up generators, flashlights, batteries and sump pumps in case the forecast results in widespread power outages and occasional heavy rains flood basements.
Nary a flashlight could be found in most stores, while hundreds of homeowners didn't hesitate to plunk down $1,000 or more for a back-up generator.
Carr Hardware co-owner Bart Raser said he expects to sell "a couple hundred" generators by the end of today, as residents face the possibility of high winds knocking out electricity service. And if heavy downpours lead to flooded basements, he expects homeowners to switch gears.
"[This weekend] was about keeping power, [today it will be about sump pumps and Shop Vacs," Raser noted.
Home and business owners using generators were reminded Sunday by electric companies to operate them outdoors and disconnect from the power grid by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize repair crews and personal safety, according to utility officials.
The Berkshires two electricity providers, Western Massachusetts Electric Co. and National Grid, say they are ready to deploy more line crews than after Hurricane Irene hit in late August 2011.
"We had crews from as far away as Indiana, Ohio and Michigan arriving Sunday evening and by 7 a.m. [today], they will get a briefing on their assignments," said WMECO spokeswoman, Priscilla Ress.
"We have better resources in place than last year," said Charlotte McCormack, spokes woman for National Grid. "But if we have high winds, we can't put our people at risk during the height of the storm."
To reach Dick Lindsay:
or (413) 496-6233.
Call for help
To report a power outage or downed power lines, customers of Western Mass. Electric Co. call , toll free, 1-877-OK-WMECO
(1-877- 659-6326).
For National Grid customers, call 1-800-465-1212.
Surviving Sandy
In the event of a power outage remember the following:
- Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. Immediately report downed power lines to your utility and local emergency agencies.
- If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.
- Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.
- To ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets, fill the bathtub and other large containers with water.
- Turn your refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
- Turn off propane tanks. Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
Source: National Grid
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text:
Apple Posts $6 Billion Profit
Apple Posts $6 Billion Profit
Apple reported record revenue of $26.74 billion and a record profit of $6 billion for its first quarter ending Dec. 25, 2010, up from revenue of $15.68 billion and profit of $3.38 billion in the year-ago quarter. During the quarter, Apple sold 16.24 million iPhones, up 86 percent from the previous year, 19.45 million iPods, a 7 percent decline, and 7.33 million iPads. (1/19)
Charlie Daniels Band Guitarist Tommy Crain Dies
John Thomas "Tommy" Crain, a guitarist and songwriter with the Charlie Daniels Band in the '70s and '80s, died Jan. 13 in Franklin, Tenn. He was 59 years old. Crain joined the band in 1975, co-writing and playing on a number of the group's best-remembered songs, including "Blind Man," "In America" and "The Devil Went Down To Georgia," the latter a No. 3 pop hit that earned the band the Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group GRAMMY in 1979. (1/19)
Hodges Named Nederlander CEO
Nederlander Concerts COO Alex Hodges has been named CEO of the company, following the previously reported exit of Adam Friedman, according to Billboard.biz. Hodges' responsibilities will include the overall management and direction of the company, and overseeing marketing, programming and operations of live events for Nederlander's West Coast venues. (1/19)
Cake Debuts Record-Low No. 1
Cake's Showroom Of Compassion debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 44,000 units, marking the lowest sales total for a chart-topping album since Nielsen SoundScan's data system was implemented in 1991, and the lowest sales ever for a No. 1 debut, according to a Billboard.biz report. Overall album sales this week totaled 4.9 million units, down 11 percent from last week, and down 15 percent compared to the same week in 2010. (1/19)


text:
The most wonderful thing that has happened in the 10 days of Pope Francis' pontificate as far as I'm concerned? The sudden dislocation of the "Traditionalist"/"Neo-Catholic"/"progressive" ecclesial wars because the Holy Father's words and gestures has shattered the categories with which American Catholic insiders have been consumed for decades.For which I give thanks to God on my knees. As Robert Moynihan puts it:"Francis cannot be captured by these political categories.He transcends them.As Jesus transcended all categories, reaching out to sinners — and all are sinners — but also, asking them not to sin. Loving the sinner, but not the sin…As Pope Benedict transcended all categories. Ceaselessly reminding all of us that our destiny transcends all worldly categories, that we are made for eternity, not just for time…Perhaps it is time that we should all say that there are not "conservative" and "liberal" or even "traditional" and "orthodox" Catholics at all, just simply "Catholics" in a universal Church, stretching backward to the first days of the Church and forward to the end of the world in time, and global in space, unable to be described rightly by these secular categories.So today, Pope Francis, powerfully, set his course, transcending the "left" and the "right" and pointing all of us toward higher things.It was the first, great "programmatic" discourse of his pontificate.His central thrust today was: (1) don't try to confine me, or reduce me and my message, to worldly categories; and (2) don't try to separate me from my predecessor, Benedict."
Name (required)
E-mail (required)
Notify me of follow-up comments
The Challenge of Independent Christianity
Christian World & Mission at the End of 2010
American Catholicism: Living on the Edge of a Demographic Precipice
Whither RCIA?


text:
CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano's Three Points from Saturday's 2-1 Real Salt Lake victory over the LA Galaxy.
Down a goal inside the first 25 minutes, Real Salt Lake had not registered shot goal, but four minutes and two Fabian Espíndola shots later, Salt Lake was up 2-1 on the Galaxy.
With RSL reeling due to substantial pressure from the Galaxy early, Espindola responded with a pair of moments of brilliance. The Argentine forward gave RSL the tying goal in the 25th in a give-and-go with Alvaro Saborío that allowed him to coolly beat Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders. Three minutes later, Espindola would capitalize on some sloppy defending by the Galaxy and head in the eventual game-winning-goal.
The brace gives the crafty Argentine a total of nine goals on the year and five against the Galaxy throughout his MLS career.
Feisty play has become a normal occurrence in matches between the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake and Saturday night's contest was no different.
The match featured plenty of hard challenges as the game accounted for 22 fouls and a pair of yellow cards—one for each side. With their victory over LA, Real Salt Lake become the first away team to beat the LA Galaxy twice in one season at The Home Depot Center since the club moved into the building in 2003.
Real Salt Lake is now five points clear of the LA Galaxy for second place in the Western Conference while the Galaxy remain ahead of the Seattle Sounders for the third spot.
The night went from bad to worse for the LA Galaxy in the 81st minute when Landon Donovan picked up an apparent knee injury.
While attempting to create a chance down the left side of the field, Donovan appeared to be stepped on by RSL's Jamison Olave. Following the injury, Donovan was down on the ground for two minutes, ultimately walking out on his own power, but was forced to leave the game in the. After the match, Donovan told reporters that he would undergo a scan immediately to determine the extent of the injury.
The injury calls into question Donovan's status for the upcoming United States National Team World Cup Qualifiers—Donovan himself said his status was still to be determined—against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala, but could have larger consequences for the Galaxy ahead of the final two matches of the season.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and reach him at email@example.com


text:
Austin is getting political this summer.
Once again, the ATX Television Festival in Texas is giving TV lovers an epic cast reunion. Set to take place June 9-12, the festival will be hosting a panel that will feature "The West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin and cast members Bradley Whitford, Dule Hill, Joshua Malina, Richard Siff and Janel Moloney, as well as director and executive producer Thomas Schlamme. (Fans can expect more panelists to be announced leading up to the fest.)
And what perfect timing for a reunion as the panel will also mark the 10th anniversary of the iconic NBC series' finale, which ended in 2006 after a 156-episode run over seven seasons.
Malina, who is on "Scandal" and was on "The West Wing" for four seasons, recently launched a podcast dedicated to the show, called "The West Wing Weekly," which goes through the series episode-by-episode.
"The West Wing" isn't the only beloved series staging a reunion during the festival's fifth season. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of "Ugly Betty," cast members America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Becki Newton, Michael Urie, Ashley Jensen, Ana Ortiz, Tony Plana, Mark Indelicato, Vanessa Williams and Rebecca Romijn will take the stage for the closing night panel to honor the ABC series.
Other panels set for the 2016 ATX TV Festival include reunion events for "Everybody Loves Raymond," "The O.C.'s" writer's room, and "State of Grace," as well as panels for Ferrera's new NBC comedy "Superstore," Lifetime's "unREAL" and "Younger."
In previous seasons, ATX staged reunions of "Roswell," "Everwood," "Friday Night Lights," and, of course, "Gilmore Girls in 2015," which many attribute the upcoming Netflix revival to.
To buy tickets and check out the rest of the festival line-up, head to the ATX Television Festival's official site.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
PHOTOS: TV Cast Reunions That Made Our Hearts Swoon
CLICK Rob Lowe Talks About His Brothers & Sisters and "The West Wing" Departures


text:
The Global Village
Weekdays, Noon - 3pm
- Hosted by Maggie Brennan
Maggie Brennan is your tour guide for a 3-hour musical journey starting in your very own backyard and reaching the ends of the earth. Live "Studio A" performances and interviews in the 2 o'clock hour, top of the hour news updates from National Public Radio.
Every weekday afternoon at 2:55pm, you can also hear "The Writer's Almanac", hosted by Garrison Keillor.


text:
Recently my best friend asked me to help her make potato pancakes. She came to me, Bon Appétit magazine in hand, and said, "I want to make these." Their picture displayed a delectable dish with crisp, flaky potato pancakes.
In our version the pancakes were chunkier because we ran into food-processing problems. Instead of serving the latkes on the side, we plated the pancakes on top of the salad. Although the picture might not have been as artistic, the salad was delicious, and it was something I would definitely make again. To experiment with your own version, get the recipe;
Potato Latkes With Watercress Salad
From Bon Appétit magazine
2 cups finely chopped onions, divided
1 large egg
1 1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Vegetable oil (for frying)
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. sherry wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 large bunches watercress, thick stems trimmed (about 8 cups)
1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into strips
- For latkes: line colander with kitchen towel.
- Stir 1 1/2 cups onions, egg, salt, and pepper in large bowl.
- Place remaining 1/2 cup onions in processor; add potatoes. Blend until potatoes are very finely chopped and some of mixture is pureed; transfer to prepared colander. Wrap towel around potatoes, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
- Scrape into bowl with egg mixture. Stir in all purpose flour and baking powder.
- Heat 4 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Drop potato mixture by scant 1/4 cupfuls into skillet; flatten each latke to 2 1/2-inch round with metal spatula. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat, adding more oil to skillet as needed. Latkes can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake latkes until crisp and deep brown, about 6 minutes per side.
- For salad: whisk oil, vinegar, and dry mustard in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine watercress, avocado, and salmon in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat.
- Arrange 2 latkes on each plate. Mound salad alongside. Alternately mound salad on a plate and place 2 latkes on top of the salad.
Serves 8.


text:
Thanks for helping us sort this video!
Thanks for helping us associate the correct Pornstars to this video!
Help Us: Do these Pornstars appear in this video?
Pornstar Name:
Great piece and a pair tits and ass to boot
she needs to shave..
fuk me aiso piz
Haha...funny to find this on here. I actually shot this footage for the InTERActive video.
she has a book out now too, autobiography. interesting stuff
to much silicon, that sucks... bad boobs
The body is great. But the voice had me at OHHHHHHHHHH.
her sex talks always makes me cum
I really want to fuck a girl as beautiful as her...
her Breasts are far to Big but otherwise Tera is Perfect A very good rider too knows how to move up and down at a very nice pace and depth of thrust as she moves down his Penis
her voice was perfect :) and Im SUCH a fan of hers now!
want to fuck u 48 hrs babe pls come to me.....
Give it a fucking rest luv
nice STRIPEEEE!
She really does have one magnificent pair of tits ... even though they have to be medically enhanced, they are absolutely gorgeous! Shows what money can buy these days, eh?
she's the star of all pornstar,i like to fuck her
She is one of the most sexy & hot porn star among the whole world...
amazing! She's one of the best.
Tera = One of the greatest of all times...
what a show Tera...give me more baby I want to have you cum for me.
tera is the all time hotest! keep it up babe, we LOVE YOU!!!!!
One of the all time best stars.
Some errors occurred, please try again later
Sign up for a free account and make YouPorn yours!
Subscribe to your favorite pornstars, channels, and collections


text:
The 75 Best Holiday Tips
Car and homeowners' are no-brainers, but what about those ads you see for other kinds of policies—the ones that make it seem like you'll be up a creek if you don't buy them? Often, the premiums for these niche plans add up to more than the payout, and the fine print lists so many exclusions that you may not see benefits when you need them. If you're tempted by one of the following policies, here are some things to consider.
What It Covers
Plans vary, but usually these cover the monthly minimum owed on your balance, so your account doesn't go into collections.
1% to 2% of your balance (for example, $5 on $500)
Worth It?
Probably not, because the premiums may well add up to more than the minimum you owe (meanwhile, you continue to accrue interest on the rest of your debt). Plus, some policies take awhile to kick in, so you may not receive benefits until your account is past due.
A Better Option
Create a rainy-day fund in an interest-bearing account, and pay your own minimums if you hit a bad patch financially.
How to Organize Financial Documents


text:
Economic opportunity
Watch the video above to learn how we're empowering young people in Africa to go after their dreams, start their own businesses, and succeed — no matter what challenges they may face.
A roadside stand in South Sudan selling soap; an internet start-up in Gaza; a tofu processing plant in Indonesia: The global economy is connected by complex and dynamic markets. Mercy Corps believes in harnessing this inherent power to provide better opportunities for the world's poor and vulnerable, half of whom live on less than $2/day.
Local communities themselves have the ability to drive this change and no two situations are alike. For this reason, we take a holistic, locally-led approach, working with communities, their systems and structures to build businesses, increase income and improve employment opportunities. Even in the most fragile and informal markets, we focus on intentional, market-based solutions, ones which can succeed and expand long after we've left.
Learn more about our approach to market systems development ▸
Mercy Corps promotes safe, decent and equitable income opportunities for individuals around the world.
Learn about our approaches to the "world of work" — employment, employability, entrepreneurship and job creation ▸
Forty-two percent of the world is under the age of 25; Mercy Corps tailors employment programming to the unique needs of male and female youth.
All stories about Economic opportunity
Haiti: The Haitian Mr. Bean
This is Joseph Moїse. He's 34 years old and a native of Pétionville. Before the earthquake he was a teacher and now he's a cash-for-work participant with Mercy Corps — but what he really wants to do is direct.
Uganda: Strengthening our ability to promote stability
Haiti: Watching Jet Li in Haiti
The small town of Mirebalais has been overrun by 16,000 people who fled Port-au-Prince, one hour to the south, after the January 12 earthquake. This out-migration has more than doubled the size of Mirebalais, further straining the resources of an already dirt-poor town.
Haiti: How can we help people in Haiti? (A short presentation for elementary school kids)
"Intelligent Investing" with Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps President Nancy Lindborg was recently interviewed by Steve Forbes about social entrepreneurship, microfinance and other topics.
Indonesia: A woman's touch
In the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami five years ago, the once-bustling village of Klieng Meuriah — like hundreds of villages in Indonesia's Aceh province — was gone. Its buildings were shattered, its homes reduced to rubble and belongings washed away.
Lebanon: Foundations for a strong future: Youth in Lebanon and Jordan promote cultural heritage
Daily life in Lebanon and Jordan means contending with a large number of social and economic pressures and many young people — who make up the vast majority of the population — have lost sight of their cultural heritage.
Indonesia: Leaving the past behind
West Bank and Gaza: We're all the beneficiaries
Indonesia: Faster is better
Every morning at 3:30, Ridwan starts making tempeh. He's been doing this for almost 18 years.


text:
The great news: Governor Dayton signed the same-sex marriage bill into law this afternoon. You may now cheer wildly.
The silly it-is-to-laugh news: the religious right is indignant. I got this email this afternoon:
I have been reading your blog entries regarding The Minnesota Legislature's legalizing of gay marriage. In these entries, you seem to put the blame for the hold up on the passing of this legislation on Christians and organized religion, who oppose gay marriage as a tenet of their faith. That is fine on your part and does not bother me one iota. What I would like to do is to send you 77 NON-RELIGIOUS Reasons to Support Man/Woman Marriage. If you are open minded enough and don't mind sending me your "snail mail" address, I will send you a copy of this pamphlet for your information. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely Yours,
David W. Zeile
I told him to go ahead, but I took a wild guess at what these 'reasons' would be — I predict lots of repetition of the same few arguments with a few words twisted around, and much circling around the purpose of marriage being procreation and children needing a mommy and a daddy and how it's so unfair for the law to force people to tolerate wicked gays. I figured I'd have fun ripping into it.
But I don't have to! I searched on the title of the pamphlet and found that the Rational Wiki has already done the job, and done it well. Also, the content is exactly what I predicted.
Entirely on logical and rational reasons, the anti-gay bigots lose.


text:
KEXP Reviews
|Browse by one of the following:
- (Arts & Crafts)
This 7-piece Welsh group's debut full-length is a gleeful romp through hook-heavy, punked-up twee-pop. The band's excited boy/girl chants and breathless shouting along with distinctive instrumentation including violin, glockenspiel and xylophone can't obscure their well-crafted arrangements and clever lyrics that range from snotty, irreverent and self-mocking to emotional, heartfelt and poignant. Easily one of the year's most exuberant records. 2/27/2008 - Don Yates
Other Los Campesinos! album reviews:
No Blues - 11/1/2013
Hello Sadness - 11/11/2011
Romance Is Boring - 11/30/2009
We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed - 11/25/2008


text:
Tagged: Randy Johnson
Little known fact: Randy Johnson won 3,000 games!
More Splash Hits was watching Hot Stove on the MLB Network on Thursday afternoon, and they had a Prime 9 list of Memorable Milestones with Wrong Uniform.
Matt Vasgersian, who is one of our favorite anchors on MLB Network, was going over the list. He started with No. 9, Randy Johnson.
"The Big Unit collected five Cy Young Awards with the Mariners and Diamondbacks. Few may remember his 3,000th win as a Giant in '09."
Count More Splash Hits among those who don't remember that. Dude! 3,000 wins. That's huge. We knew Randy played a long time, but we had no idea he won 3,000 wins.
Cy Young's got nothing on Randy Johnson!
OK, OK. Just having a little fun with a slip up by Vasgersian. Of course, it could have been worse. Some may remember this Vasgersian slip in 2009.


text:
July 8, 2013 - submitted by Nikhil, India
Q. Hey Oracle,
The Oracle replies:
Coldplay's first name was not Pectoralz, it was Starfish. Pectoralz was the name of a spoof band that they had as a joke. Basically they took the word pectorals (as in pectoral muscles) and changed the 's' to a 'z'. It was all done in fun and they chose that name because Pectoralz was a boy band and most boy bands at that time were all about abs and pecs.


text:
Saunders exits after hyperextending left knee
Outfielder injured in third inning while pursuing triple in right-field corner
By Greg Johns / MLB.com
SEATTLE -- Mariners right fielder Michael Saunders was replaced by Stefen Romero in the fourth inning of Saturday's 3-1 win over the Royals at Safeco Field after hyperextending his left knee when he fell awkwardly while pursuing a triple by Mike Moustakas.
Manager Lloyd McClendon said he didn't know the extent of Saunders' injury at this point as the 27-year-old will be re-evaluated Sunday.
"Right now I've just been told it's day to day," McClendon said.
Saunders stumbled as he raced for Moustakas' line drive down the line in the third inning, then got up and limped after the ball in the corner as Moustakas reached third base, from where he eventually scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly.
Saunders remained in the outfield the rest of that inning, but was replaced the following frame by Romero.
Saunders grounded out in his lone at-bat in the second and is hitting .222 with one home run and seven RBIs in 32 games.
Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Grammy Awardwinning Vocal Group New York Voices to Perform at Ithaca College
ITHACA, NY — New York Voices, a Grammy award–winning vocal group founded by alumni of the Ithaca College School of Music, will return to campus for a special performance during Alumni Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8:30 p.m. in Ford Hall, at the James J. Whalen Center for Music.
Tickets are available for $10 plus variable fees at www.ithacaevents.com or (607) 273-4497, as well as at the Dillingham Center Box Office or (607) 274-3224. Tickets will also be available for $10 at the door (cash or check only) on the day of the performance.
The group originally began in 1986 as an invitational alumni ensemble that toured the European jazz festival circuit. Darmon Meader '84, Peter Eldridge '82, Kim Nazarian '83 and Caprice Fox '87 were joined by Sara Krieger as the New York Voices formally launched in 1988, making this year their 25th anniversary in the music business.
Meader, Eldridge and Nazarian remain from the original group, with Lauren Kinhan joining in 1992 to cement their status as a quartet.
"Who would have ever imagined in the 1980s that Ithaca College would provide a musical platform that is still alive and well 25 years later," said Eldridge. "We're looking forward to being back at our alma mater and sharing our music once again."
New York Voices is known for their close-knit harmonies, inspired arrangements and unparalleled vocal blend. Their chameleon-like musicianship allows them to move seamlessly from setting to setting — with deep interests rooted in jazz, Brazilian, R & B, classical and pop, their music mixes traditional sensibilities with more than a dash of the unexpected.
The group has won two Grammy Awards, for their work with the Count Basie Orchestra on "Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild" in 1997 and with Paquito D'Rivera on "Brazilian Dreams" in 2003. They have released seven of their own recordings, including 2013's "New York Voices Live with the WDR Big Band Cologne," a collection of past favorites, current in-rotation tunes and brand new arrangements. On the docket for later this year is a holiday CD.
Along with their extensive concert performances and recording schedules, New York Voices also works in the field of education, giving clinics at colleges and high schools throughout the world. Their IC visit will include a workshop for current School of Music students.
For more information contact Jenny Stockdale, marketing communications manager in the School of Music, at (607) 274-3256 or email@example.com.


text:
Architect as artist - 'Massimo Scolari' at Yale School of Architecture (slideshow)
Published 12:00 am, Friday, February 17, 2012
NEW HAVEN -- Walking through the gallery of the Yale School of Architecture, one would be forgiven if not sure whether this were an exhibit by an artist or an architect.
In fact, "Massimo Scolari: The Representation of Architecture, 1967-2012," the exhibit which runs through May 2 in the Paul Rudoplh Hall exhibition space, is probably one of the best representations of that right brain-left brain synergy of artist and engineer that defines the best architects.
Scolari remains in a class by himself in many ways. The William B. and Charlotte Shepherd Davenport Visiting Professorship of Architectural Design at Yale since 2006, he curated this show, which is the first retrospective of his work in the U.S. since 1986.
He is also an architect whose resume doesn't grocery-list building project after building project, which is a source of curiosity.
Director of Exhibitions Brian Butterfield says it's a question Scolari, much to his frustration, is asked often: How can you be called an architect if you don't design buildings?
"He does these monumental sculptures that are incredible architecture," says Butterfield. "They are not buildings, but you can go into them. The way they're conceived may be watercolors, but they're drawn to a level of precision you can build off. In that way, he's an architect."
Scolari's intricately detailed and flawlessly executed watercolors and oils, from tiny 3-by-3-inch ones ("Alpine Architecture" is a series of tiny gems), to larger works on cardboard, masonite, paper and linen and sculptures, are wondrous examples of both technical skill and an imagination that obviously is inspired by mythology and sci-fi, sometimes both in the same work.
Robert A.M. Stern, dean of the school, compares Scolari's multimedia and three-dimensional work to Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the 18th century and Joseph Gandy in the 19th -- "artist-architects whose principal expression is through the representation of ideas rather than their tectonic realization."
What could or might be, as opposed to what will be, one might say. This exhibit, with more than 160 items, showcases both those artistic works with Scolari's architectural models, including sketches and renderings from his days as a student at Italy's Politecnico di Milano in the 1960s to his collaborations with Aldo Rossi.
Scolari's design career is well represented by his considerable contributions to the Venice Biennale, the international architecture show, particularly in 1991 when he unveiled his massive sculpture "Wings." A half-scale model of his abstract glider, Glider 2012, fabricated by West Haven's Westmont Group on commission for the exhibit, hangs above the main exhibit space.
The drawings, paintings and a video cover the walls of the side riser areas, while cases with scale models of buildings such as "The Ark," study sketches and vintage photographs of several large-scale sculptures such as "Wings" and "Thunderbolt," fill the main floor.
But it is still the paintings, some of which have been compared to the surrealist Rene Magritte, that compel.
Daniel Sherer, a lecturer in architectural history at the School of Architecture, notes in the exhibit catalog that Scolari's vision was more a "suspension of both present and past in an architectural vision in which all forms of historical reference cancel each other out ...," adding that "nostalgia plays no role in Scolari's visionary architectures, as there is no home to yearn for in a world of dead cities."
One homage to his fascination with abandoned or lost cities is "The Last Known City II," which could be Atlantis -- a brick edifice with a smoke-spewing chimney rising through the air surrounded by underground ocean and mountains in what looks like the light of a full moon.
It's both painterly and draftsmanly, a hallmark of Scolari's technique and his fascination with form and shape.
A licensed pilot, he also seems to have a fascination with flying and wings, as well as what lies beneath the surface, borrowing both from Icarus and NASA for the latter, or as Sherer describes, "a striving for the unknown, an objective implicitly connected to the tension between Icarus, who flies above earthly concerns, and Daedalus, who buries architecture in the ground ..."
Butterfield says they also represent the struggle within architecture, "this kind of juxtaposition of both the future and the past, the idea that there are these latent forms of the past in architecture. ..."
It's represented in works such as "Dream of a Shadow, the Man," a 2011 watercolor where a nude man, his hand resting on a rocket by his side, surveys another Atlantis-like landscape over whose buildings a wedge-like object flies.
Or, the oil "The Horror of Nocturnal Silence," where a "Wings"-like v-shaped flyer soars across what appears to be a planetary surface toward a pristine geometric stone construction.
Scolari's fascination with all artful things extended to furniture design and the theater, too, where he not only designed the set, but also the costumes for "Generazioni del cielo," a 1986 production at the Metastasio Theater in Prato.
The measure of the man is also found in his fascinating book appropriately bound with a cover resembling a pocket bible, called "Considerations and Aphorisms on Drawing."
It's open for visitors to leaf through the pen-and-ink sketches of various subjects animate and inanimate interspersed with such insights as, "A poorly painted landscape doesn't keep us from admiring it; a building poorly designed will surely be a sorry landscape."
Or, "The inexplicability of lines is the signal of excess; a beautiful drawing is silent."
Laura Silvestrini helped design this fine exhibit, along with Butterfield, who says the reaction has been "fantastic. ... Massimo's (Feb. 9) lecture was incredibly well attended, and the (adjunct) symposium event was the most well-attended event here, with more than 400 people in the gallery."
ART EXHIBIT "Massimo Scolari: The Representation of Architecture, 1967-2012"
When: Through May 4; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays
Where: Yale School of Architecture Gallery, 180 York St., New Haven
Admission: Free
Info: 203-432-2288, architecture.yale.edu
Contact Donna Doherty at 203-789-5672. To receive breaking news first, simply text the word nhnews to 22700. *Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.


text:
Old habits die hard. Be it smoking, gossiping, raising your temper, pointing out others' flaws, avoiding responsibility, or getting defensive, when something becomes familiar and comfortable, pathways get set up in the brain and it becomes a knee-jerk behavior.
Here are a few tips on how to change a bad habit and be a better spouse, family member, or friend:
1. Become aware of the problem. When I was training to be a marriage and family therapist at USC, one of the things we would do is film sessions with families. Then we would sit down with the families and let them watch the tapes. It was amazing how many people would look at the videos and say, "I can't believe I do that! I can't believe I say that! I can't believe I make those faces!" It had been tough for them to see before because their behavior was so habitual and normal. Therefore, when you discover or are confronted with something you do that hurts somebody else, don't ignore it.
2. Be honest with yourself. Whether you have figured it out by yourself or it was pointed out to you, you have to acknowledge that you have hurt someone else. You need to take a good look at yourself and admit you have a problem. That's the only way you'll change your actions.
3. Apologize. Apologizing doesn't just mean saying, "I'm sorry." It needs to be followed by, "What can I do to make up for it?" The answer you get in response will help you find a way to make things right. Furthermore, you can't apologize and then do the same thing again. Repeating the hurtful behavior makes your apologies meaningless.
4. Think before you speak. Before words come out of your mouth, ask yourself, "What do I really want to convey? How will he or she interpret what I say?" Anticipate people's sensitivities. Take time to figure out what you're going to say in a tactful manner, otherwise, button your lip. Not everything that is true needs to be spoken.
5. Show empathy. Instead of saying, "I don't really understand why they're getting so upset," put yourself in your loved one's shoes and feel what he or she is feeling. One thing I used to do in private practice and still do with couples on the air is have one person defend the other's point of view. For example, if a husband comes home and isn't very cuddly and friendly, his wife has to adopt his perspective. She might say, "I had a long day at work and, on top of that, there was horrible traffic coming home." And then I do the reverse. If a husband is complaining about why things aren't neat when he comes home, he has to take on his wife's point of view: "I had x number of things to do in addition to taking care of the kids, so I couldn't make everything perfect." It's amazing what a difference showing some understanding can make. Just the look on the other person's face when you defend why they do what they do is priceless. (Just for fun, try playing this game tonight with your spouse!)
6. Control your temper. When you're about to fly off the handle, remember the old "count to 10″ trick.
7. Practice, practice, practice. It takes about 30 or so repetitions to create a new habit, so stay with it. As you probably know, one of my hobbies is shooting pool. What's fascinating to me is how if I miss a shot and try to do it again thinking I'm doing something different, I'll hit it the exact same way. I have to set up the shot seven or eight times until my brain sees it differently. We're like that with everything – it takes repetition for your brain to set down a new pattern and become comfortable with it.
8. Listen when others speak. Instead of getting defensive and assuming everything is a criticism, allow other people to help you recognize certain ways you could improve. Unless the person is downright mean and nasty, listen to them. You may think they're putting you down when they're really trying to lift you up.
9. Remember that relationships have to be a win-win. If one of you loses in a relationship, you both do. Always trying to "win" an argument is only going to cause more hurt. For example, when a woman's husband doesn't want her to stay at home with their kids, I tell her to say how much more relaxed, loving, and available she's going to be, and that she's impressed with him as a man even though it's going to be a little scary without the extra income. That way it's a win-win: he feels elevated and so does she. If you can't fix it so both of you feel like you've won something, then put the issue away and come back to it another day.
10. Believe in yourself. You have to believe that you actually can change. Trying is no good – you have to do it!
11. Remind yourself that you want this. You either want to be a better person or you don't. It's that simple.