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Here are several "big picture" retirement themes I expect to hear more of in the coming year. I'll come back later in the month with a post on personal retirement tactics.
From "devastation" to the future
With positive financial market returns for 2010, I anticipate a shift away from the chatter about the "devastation" in retirement accounts wrought by the financial crisis, and a shift to a more upbeat theme—building for the future.
As I have noted previously, much of the talk about "devastation" has been overblown, particularly for those still working. (The true devastation, as I've already noted, is with the long-term unemployed and their retirement finances.) According to Vanguard research, most retirement accounts now exceed their peak value as of October 2007 (as a result of ongoing contributions and partial market recovery). So I say good riddance to every 2010 article, blog posting, or commentary that misleadingly began with "Americans, having seen their retirement savings devastated…"
What I anticipate will arise in the place of "devastation" is a new theme—about the sensible steps that households need to take to recover, rebuild, and refocus on the future.
Glimmerings of a savings culture
With personal savings rates once again in solid single-digit territory, there is at least preliminary evidence that Americans are kicking the debt habit. Now, if the personal savings rate were to rise from 6% to 12% gradually in the coming years, the evidence would be conclusive. But we are by no means there today.
Like a lot of people I know, I tend to use debt in a limited way, and so often wonder how debt usage can be so endemic. But the issue was brought home to me in the checkout line at a "big box" retailer during the Christmas shopping season. The person in front of me was trying one card after another in the swipe machine, looking for one "that isn't maxed out." (That she didn't know which one was maxed out is just the tip of the iceberg.)
If you believe at all in behavioral economics and the idea of self-control devices, you'd have to conclude that making credit harder to get is part of the approach for creating a savings culture. It's not good for short-term economic growth. But it's a great long-term policy.
Retirement reforms
2010 was remarkable in teeing up two important retirement reform themes. One is the long-standing issue we've all known about for several decades—the impact of the baby boom on the government's financial position. This impact comes through rising costs for Medicare, Social Security, and the part of Medicaid used for long-term care. The government's fiscal outlook and these programs are inextricably intertwined with the aging of the population and are compounded by accelerating health care costs, as I've noted in a previous post.
The second issue is the large hole that exists in state and local pension systems. (Correction: The hole exists in some state and local systems. There are well-managed programs out there, and those governments should be commended for doing a good job.) Some systems have overcommitted in terms of benefit promises and undercommitted in terms of funding levels (i.e., tax revenues and/or employee contributions). The stage is set, as I've previously noted, for a debate over what the British call "pension apartheid"—to what extent should private-sector workers with 401(k) plans pay taxes to finance generous guaranteed pensions for public-sector workers?
Again, from a behavioral finance perspective, these retirement financing problems, along with the personal savings behavior of Americans, all seem intertwined. They suggest an excessive bias to present-day consumption and spending, and a systematic inability to plan for the long term. The common theme is to overweight the present at the expense of the future.
We are living in a world in which the largest economy has a systemic present-day bias, and the second largest, China, has exactly the opposite (in the form of low present-day consumption and ultra-high savings rates for future consumption). Having the two meet somewhere in the middle in 2011 would be desirable. For the Chinese people, it means spending more on life's pleasures. For the American people, it means spending less on (or paying more for) publicly financed retirement benefits of all kinds—while kicking the debt habit and personally saving more to bridge the gap. It is not entirely a pleasant theme for 2011 and beyond, but it's a realistic one.
The new retirement
Finally, a positive development in 2010 that will certainly continue through 2011 is a rethinking of what it means to retire. Economists in the United States and around the world agree on one thing: working longer will help plug the financing gap. One recent study* also suggested that working longer improves cognitive skills during old age. So not only are your finances better off, but so is your mental well-being when you retire later.
I have two case studies on this point, admittedly purely anecdotal. A friend just announced her retirement—at age 67. And even though she and her husband saved quite a lot in recent years, she still plans to work part-time to generate some additional earnings. Her husband will continue to work full-time for a couple of years. A neighbor has also announced that he is tentatively thinking about retiring at age 66 (his spouse stopped working in her early 60s). But his plan is to work in a "downshifted" mode for at least the next 2 years.
It turns out that, from what I glean indirectly from our conversations, both of these couples appear to be "retirement ready." It is not a coincidence, in my mind, that their definition of retirement is not "early out at 55." It's a lesson for us all.
* Susan Rohwedder and Robert J. Willis, "Mental Retirement," Journal of Economic Perspectives, Winter 2010.


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Top 10 stories of 2012
December 28th, 2012 | Carey Restino
1. Shell drills, Coast Guard beefs up
Arctic presence
As Shell Oil geared up to drill a planned five offshore wells in the Arctic in 2012, opposition was still fighting fiercely early in the year against the proposed oil exploration, launching lawsuits and legal challenges of the company's federal permits. Those legal challenges failed, however, and Shell moved forward with its plans in the summer, only to have equipment permit issues as well as late sea ice slow its plans significantly.
In May, the company was still waiting on two permits to get the green light for drilling operations in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, but ice was already looking like an issue. By August, the company announced it had downgraded its plans to two exploratory wells, but was still stymied by ice as well as permitting issues with its spill response barge. Shell finally put its drill on the ocean floor in September, but was limited to preliminary drilling operations due to its oil response barge not being present.
The Coast Guard stationed two MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters and associated personnel in Barrow in 2012, in part because of the increased activity relating to Shell's exploration. Coast Guard vessels also visited the region to conduct oil spill tests as well as participate in other exercises in the Arctic.
2. Nome's icebreaking oil delivery
On Jan. 14, the 370-foot Russian fuel tanker Renda, accompanied by the U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaking cutter Healy, broke through the final stretch of ice and prepared to transfer 1.3 million gallons of fuel to Nome's low tanks.
Nome had run into trouble after an expected fuel delivery didn't make it before the ice moved in. Meanwhile, the state plunged into a cold snap that produced 40-to-50-below temperatures, and many other Arctic communities were scrambling. Noatak and Kobuk were both running on empty early last year, waiting for plane availability to receive fuel. Red Dog Mine stepped in to help with the supply until reserves were built up, but even so, the high cost of heating homes in the north in 2012 caused many families economic hardship.
In Nome, however, the fuel shortage was questioned by some, and called a political stunt by others. Jason Evans, chairman of the Sitnasuak Native Corporation, and one of the orchestrators of the operation, said, however, that the town needed the delivery. While Nome might have squeaked through with the heating oil it had, it would have almost certainly run out of gas to power the town's vehicles, he said.
"We wouldn't have gone through all of this effort if there was no reason," he said.
The arrival of the fuel tanker did, however, bring national attention to one of the issues the ever-expanding Arctic region was facing. While other countries were working fast and furiously to beef up their icebreaker capacity, the United States was losing ground. Two of its icebreakers were out of commission, and the Healy was designed for scientific expeditions, not jobs more suited to heavy class icebreakers. Sen. Lisa Murkowski noted that the Healy's role in the fuel delivery brought this issue to the attention of many who previously were unaware of the nation's need.
"We are an Arctic nation — we might need some ice-breaking capacity," she said at a press conference shortly after the Renda arrived in Nome.
3. Wild Weather
Unprecedented weather events, like the "Blizzicane" that blasted the coast in November of 2011, continued into 2012, with Arctic sea ice retreating to its lowest level ever recorded. That might seem somewhat ironic to many in the Arctic, who witnessed ice staying in many parts of the region far later than in recent years, while crabbers farther south were shut out of their fishing grounds by ice that lingered until June.
Still, scientists say the general melting trend has the capacity to bring about more extreme weather. Flooding and extended rainfall this fall in the Northwest Arctic Borough, as well as sightings of whales and fish rare to the region, appear to substantiate the claims of those predicting significant change.
In August, Kivalina's water system was wiped out by flooding, pushing back the opening date for the community's school several weeks. As winter approached, the water system was still not fixed, causing the community to scramble for means to make it through the winter without a reserve of water.
In December, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration moved forward on an endangered listing for ringed and bearded seals in the Arctic, due in part to diminished sea ice.
4. Point Hope leader awarded
prestigious prize
While many Arctic communities are divided on the issue of development, and the jobs it brings, versus protection of the environment, some residents were less conflicted. In April, Caroline Cannon of Point Hope was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her efforts to fight oil development in the Arctic. The award, one of six given worldwide each year, comes with a $150,000 individual cash award. Cannon said she believes she was chosen by her elders to be a voice for her community on behalf of generations to come.
"I'm worried about my great-great grandkids," she said. "This is who we are. For two years we did not land a whale and that identity is broken. I am blessed and fortunate to go back and forth to Barrow, so I would get muktuk. Some people I would give it to would literally have tears in their eyes."
5. Tragedy
The crushing details of a disaster that left one child injured and another dead in Barrow in early February came out slowly, but when they did, they shocked residents. Both the children's mother and her boyfriend were initially charged with second degree assault. The children, court records allege, were left in their bedroom with the window open while temperatures in Barrow dipped to minus 30. The mother's boyfriend, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time, called 911 when he found the children. One child, a 3-year-old girl, was not breathing when police arrived. Heroic attempts to resuscitate the girl eventually failed. Another child, 1, survived but also needed critical medical attention. Esther Edwards-Gust, 28, the mother of the children, and her boyfriend, 28-year-old Richard Tilden Jr, were charged in the case, which was misreported by some initially as a beating. The case prompted a purple ribbon campaign in Barrow, in hopes of bringing awareness to domestic violence, as well as cultivating hope in the community.
6. Gun Crime
Police and Alaska State Troopers were kept on their toes in 2012 with a series of gun-related incidents that ranged from cautionary to extreme. The year started off with a search for an armed fugitive near Kotzebue. James Darin Monroe was captured Jan. 4 after he ran following charges of sex assault of a 3-year old. A large search-and-rescue effort for the reportedly armed man was underway as temperatures dipped to 30 below. Troopers found Monroe in a cabin and arrested him without incident.
In late January, a 20-year-old Barrow man was arrested for firing four shots inside a Yugit Street home in the early morning hours, wounding two. The shooting rocked Barrow, where drive-by shootings are virtually unheard of. Barrow's winter of violence continued in April when police shot and wounded an armed man after responding to a domestic violence report.
Charges were pressed against another Barrow man in May after he allegedly discharged his firearm into an occupied vehicle. None of the three people in the truck were hurt, and the man was arrested without incident.
In June, Kotzebue watched as a daylong standoff between a suspect who allegedly shot and injured two troopers before turning the gun on himself. Arvid Nelson, Jr. of Kotzebue was found dead inside his vehicle of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In the fall, the gun violence picked up again. A scheduled visit by Gov. Sean Parnell was delayed because of reports of gunshots fired near the Ambler airstrip. This came only days after a Noatak man was charged with allegedly opening fire on a boat full of children and adults on the Noatak river.
Finally, in September, a Kiana man who had allegedly shot two hunters after being wanted by authorities for two weeks, was arrested. Teddy Smith, who appeared in the film "On The Ice," was taken into custody, ending the long search that had many in the area concerned. Smith had been wanted regarding an incident at his mother's house on Sept. 7 after Dolly Smith, 74, passed away at her home. Following her passing, Teddy Smith allegedly fired a gun at first responders. He disappeared, and wasn't heard from again until troopers got a report that Charles and Paul Buckel had happened upon Smith in a cabin upriver. Smith allegedly shot Charles Buckel in the chest, and left with the pair's boat and hunting equipment. The injured men were able to radio for help, alerting Kotzebue Police. Smith was apprehended later with the help of locals who knew the river and suggested a good place to wait for him. Smith surrendered without incident.
The spate of violence made safety a top priority of the new Northwest Arctic Borough Mayor Reggie Joule as well as the borough assembly.
7. Basketball
In 2012, Noorvik took the state title while the Barrow Whalers won the regional title. Basketball again ruled in the Arctic, with Barrow's Whalers running a nine-game winning streak to capture the regional title in early March. The Lady Whalers, as well as Point Hope and Noatak girls teams, also clinched their spots on the statewide competition.
"When it comes to a dynasty, the Noorvik boys basketball team has all the makings," wrote then-sports reporter for the Sounder Van Williams, after reporting the team took another state title in the ASAA Class 2A State Championships. That makes eight titles for the boys team since 1991, and five for the girls.
But it was Point Hope's girls team that took home the 2A state title in 2012, for the first time since 1998. The team won the title the hard way after rallying a comeback over Cook Inlet Academy in the last eight minutes of the game. The team says it plans to go back to state this year.
8. Alternative energy continues to be a focus
Kotzebue added two 250-foot windmills to its wind farm in April, adding to the 17 already standing. The new mills will add 1.8 megawatts of power to the Kotzebue Electric Association's 11 megawatts of wind-generated power. That equates to a 90,000-gallon decrease in diesel use, the association reports.
Issues with crushing energy costs continue to daunt the Arctic, however, with many residents paying exponentially more to heat their homes than railbelt residents. The issue played a big part in the elections this fall, but solutions are hard to come by and far afield.
9. Former whaling commissioner
Maggie Ahmaogak, the former Eskimo Whaling Commission head, plead guilty in May to three of four counts against her in an embezzlement case involving nearly a half-million dollars. Ahmaogak, wife of 2011 mayoral candidate for the North Slope Borough George Ahmaogak,
In November, Maggie Ahmaogak, was sentenced to more than three years in prison and ordered to pay back more than $393,000.
10. Whale quota holds
Concerns that the whale quota appropriated to the Alaska Arctic might be reduced were put to rest in July when the International Whaling Commission extended the region's whaling limits for another six years.
The quota allows Alaska and Russian whalers to divide up to 336 whales over six years. The limit hasn't changed in the past 15 years, and Alaska is expected to take the vast majority of those whales. Alaska whalers had a good season in 2012, with the fall hunt bringing in 15 whales. Earlier in the year, strong ice allowed some 14 whales to be taken in Barrow, with Point Hope bringing in five whales. Savoonga reportedly landed six whales. Wales, which as not landed a whale in several years, was able to bring in a whale this year, too.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pelham has too much spirit to be a ghost town
Tiny town, founded by freed slaves, fades but doesn't disappear.
Updated 1:11 am, Saturday, October 13, 2012
PELHAM — Drivers veering off the big curve of FM 744 roll into a ghost town that appears to have met the same fate as thousands of rural Texas communities — dormant or dying, marked by a smattering of farmhouses and mobile homes and surrounded by farm fields.
But there's an unseen pulse here, thanks to a concerted effort by the remaining residents and their extended families to keep alive the spirit of the community, which was founded by freed slaves 146 years ago.
Even as the population shrank and buildings deteriorated, an ad hoc civic group has met monthly to make sure the town didn't die in the hearts of expatriates.
Using techniques that predate social media, a handful of retirees have built a nationwide network of contacts that has kept Pelham descendants tied to their roots here.
The payoff is the gathering this weekend of up to 400 people for the annual homecoming celebration.
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What's the draw? For most, the answer is simple.
It's family.
"You get to see everybody, and that's how you get to keep up with them," said Caroline Moses, 47, of San Antonio.
It's about pride and accomplishment.
"There's still a strong black identity here," said Deray Bunton, 22, a war veteran living here temporarily. "Parents stay connected because they want their kids to know about this place."
And it's home.
"I don't know what it is about this place," said Mallord Parks, Moses' 57-year-old brother, who still lives here. "It's laid back. Everyone from Pelham likes coming back to Pelham."
Between 40 and 50 people live in Pelham, located 35 miles northeast of Waco, says J.B. Porter, a rancher born and raised in the town.
There's no commerce beyond ranching. The town sports two churches with tiny congregations, an old school that's been turned into a museum, a one-room community center and a state historical marker.
Freed slaves settled Pelham in 1866. They named it Fork of the Creek, but that was changed to Pelham in 1898 by its first postmaster, possibly after the Alabama town where his wife grew up.
Pelham and nearby communities with similar origins, such as Babylon and Antioch, drew freed slaves from across the south.
By 1926, Pelham's population reached 350 and included several businesses, says longtime resident Catherine Porter, J.B. Porter's wife. The Porters, along with several other families, have been here for generations.
That movement of freed slaves to new towns occurred throughout the West and Midwest, said Maceo Dailey, director of African-American Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. They opted to settle primarily in rural areas or on the outskirts of large cities.
The former slaves targeted those locations because they weren't allowed in some larger cities or because they feared persecution in white communities.
These communities also allowed blacks to recreate family bonds that had been destroyed by slavery.
"The legacy after the American Civil War," Dailey said, "is an incredible one on the part of former slaves in trying to cement the bonds of family ties and trying to create businesses and establish schools."
A handful of these towns, such as Nicodemus, Kan., and Boley, Okla., survived and blossomed. The rest dried up for the same reasons that other rural towns died, with local economies battered by low farm prices, forcing younger residents to larger towns in search of work.
Pelham, despite suffering those same losses, never lost its identity.
Communities of freed slaves, robbed of their own back stories, created bonds through kinship, Dailey said.
Kinship is covered extensively in Henry George Guttman's book "The Black family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750-1925." It talks about the new ties created by a group of people who found themselves in the same situation. In this case, they were freed slaves desperate to create society and community.
Kinship still is strong here.
Catherine Porter attributed that to the ability of the founding families, many of whom were able to profit nicely from farming in the Central Texas blackland prairies. Most family members worked the fields, but the town had the money to open a school and hire staff who worked diligently to show students the value of education. Children who wanted to pursue college degrees could, in most instances, do so.
"The community has produced its share of doctors and lawyers and preachers and professionals," she said.
Many of them, J.B. Porter said, maintain a strong tie to the town because of its origins.
"This was an independent black community," he said. "There aren't a lot of them."
Pelham's independent spirit is kept alive by the Pelham Community Activity Committee, which meets monthly.
The group maintains the town cemetery and the community center and plans for the two big yearly celebrations — this weekend's Homecoming and the annual Memorial Day gathering.
The committee isn't a coffee klatch. There's a printed agenda and the group adheres to Robert's Rules of Order.
At a later summer meeting, Mrs. Porter and five other women, armed with notepads and ledgers, pored over the bills and then launched into the Hospitality Report.
Every organization needs someone dedicated to the details. For Pelham, it's these women, who combine networking with Southern hospitality to make sure that anyone with Pelham roots remembers them.
It doesn't require grand gestures. At this meeting, they went over actions of the month. A $25 gift card was sent to one ailing resident. Another got a gift card and money. A sympathy card was sent to a former resident whose brother died. More money was doled out to another former resident felled by illness.
Plans also were hammered out for this weekend's homecoming, which includes three days of church services, picnics and dinners. Out-of-towners play major parts in the ceremonies. Children are included.
Darlene Holloway, who keeps the community's books, explained their efforts.
"If you don't keep it going," she said of the town, "it dies. Our young people live all over the country and if we don't stay in touch, they'll be lost."


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"Non-Flying Dutchmen" Push Climate Awareness
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch environment group launched a campaign on Friday called "Proud to be a non-Flying Dutchman" to get the travel-happy Dutch to reduce their air miles for the sake of the climate.
"We want to discourage Christmas shopping in London, disco nights in Ibiza, Milan weekends and stag nights in Barcelona," Dutch Friends of the Earth said on Friday.
Legend has it that sailors who see the ghost ship Flying Dutchman face imminent doom.
Friends of the Earth said aviation was responsible for 10 percent of the Dutch contribution to the greenhouse gas emissions that are a leading cause of global warming.
© Reuters2007All rights reserved


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Choo there with a shooter to start things off and get on first base.
As so often happens in baseball but goes unnoticed, the player who made the great play in the field does not lead off next.
Red Raindog (06-09-2013)
Robinson is hit by a pitch, and it's first and second.
Anybody got enough guts to double steal?
This is the ol Left Hander rounding third and heading for home.
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Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, November 8, 2012, 10:33 AM
Town Square
Are you a holiday volunteer? Tell us your story
Original post made by Tyler Hanley, digital editor of Palo Alto Online, on Oct 29, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, November 8, 2012, 10:33 AM
Comments (10)
a resident of Mountain View
on Oct 29, 2012 at 11:48 am
No but would love to get a list of organizations needing help.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 29, 2012 at 11:52 am
No, but I do celebrate Christmas!
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 29, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Great timing!
We celebrate Christmas. We head out of town every year to visit family over the holiday season. We volunteer at a food bank in my hometown sorting cans. I haven't been able to find a food bank here as receptive to kids volunteering.
We are staying in town this year and we want to continue the tradition of volunteering with our young kids. We'd love a list of organizations looking for help!
a resident of Charleston Meadows
on Oct 30, 2012 at 10:53 am
Girl Scout Troop 60647 gives back to the community during the holidays by volunteering for the One Warm Coat drive the day after Thanksgiving at Santana Row in San Jose. We also participate in a food sort with the Second Harvest Food Bank twice during the month of December.
Second Harvest Food Bank Web Link
One Warm Coat Web Link
a resident of Midtown
on Nov 1, 2012 at 6:10 am
MIDTOWN COURT.NEIGHBORS & FRIENDS, Hi all, I must admit my worklife has kept me from holiday volunteering. Except this year, with the help of other good souls on my block & from other neighborhoods. We are organizing a food drive.
MCT "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" Food Drive, NOV. 9th - DEC. 15th
Time Committment: 30 minutes - 1 hour
"I try to do the right thing at the right time. They may just be little things, but usually they make the difference between winning and losing." Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
If you would like to fullfil a role and do small takes(s)contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
We have various'food drop off'locations in Midtown and acouple more places, should you want to contribute food. We are conducting a funds drive as well.
So many of our neighbors right here in Midtown & throughout Palo Alto are struggling to buy food and medications. Recent 10-30% rent, gasoline $4-5, food and other increases has caused severe financial hardships for many right here in Midtown and throughout Palo Alto. We have partnered with 2nd Harvest Food Bank to help put food on our closest neighbors' tables. Our food drive will conclude w/a celebration, Sat.Dec.15th, Midtown Center parking lot next to Wells Fargo ATM. Come join us.
Iam thrilled to be an active part of releif for those with few options. Happy Green Holidays. Cheers!
a resident of Midtown
on Nov 1, 2012 at 6:39 am
Hi all, besides my block organizing a food & funds drive with 2nd Harvest Food Bank.
We are also colaborating with PAFD (PaloAlto Fire Dept),"Letter From Santa" program w/a twist. My block has enthusiastically embraced Zero Waste, so we have incorporated encouragement of this concept for our children.
Instead of telling Santa what toy/gift they want for Christmas, our children will tell Santa what "reduce, reuse & recycle" effort they have made throughtout the year."HAPPY GREEN HOLIDAY LETTER to SANTA"
between November 3, 2012 through December 3, 2012.
As a special treat all MCT kids who participate will receive surprise. Plus, some of the individuals & families on Midtown Ct and from surrounding blocks have had financial hardships this year, so as an added treat, we will hold a grocery bag giving at our celebration, Dec.15th 10am-Noon. PAFD and a surprise guest will be on handle to present gift to children and groceries to designated receipents.
If you would like to contribute food for grocery bags or funds for a child's gift, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com
Oh, what fun. Gosh, if I knew volunteering for the holidays was this much fun, I would have done it sooner!
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Nov 1, 2012 at 12:50 pm
To all those wanting to volunteer, we could use your help at La Comida, the Palo Alto lunch program for seniors located at 450 Bryant Street here in Palo Alto. We serve a very special Thanksgiving meal, Chanukkah meal, and Christmas (Holiday) meal to observe each holiday a few days prior to each of these occasions. Please check our schedule at www.lacomida.org. Cheers, and Happy Holidays.
digital editor of Palo Alto Online
on Nov 12, 2012 at 10:00 am
Tyler Hanley is a registered user.
Evelyn: Would you be willing to share your experience with our readers? We are looking for short stories (100-400 words) about the volunteer experience from the eyes of our readers. Perhaps it's something the Girl Scouts could even contribute to...? Please drop me an email when you have a moment at email@example.com.
digital editor of Palo Alto Online
on Nov 12, 2012 at 10:04 am
Tyler Hanley is a registered user.
Dear Caryll-Lynn: Similar to my note to Evelyn, would you like to share your story in organizing the "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" drive or the collaboration with the PAFD? Again, we are looking for short (100-400 words) write-ups. Stories like these from members of the community can be very inspirational. My email is email@example.com. I look forward ot hearing from you.
digital editor of Palo Alto Online
on Nov 12, 2012 at 10:05 am
Tyler Hanley is a registered user.
Chris: Is there a frequent La Comida volunteer who wants to share his or her experience with our readers (could be a good way to inspire others to volunteer at La Comida as well)? Can you drop me an email when it's convenient? Thanks.
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1st sorry for my english. 2nd - I have a big problem, which I cannot solve. I have this simple
I create one DialogBox as main application window and second (Intro), which appears at the start as well in WM_INITDIALOG case. The problem is, that the main window, although it's under the Intro window - is focused. I was trying to set focus into Intro window, as I found in other thread (by SetForeground and SendMessage) but it's still not working. ICode:#include <windows.h>#include <windowsx.h> #include <commctrl.h> #include "main.h" BOOL CALLBACK DlgProc( HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM); HINSTANCE hInst; int WINAPI WinMain( HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nShowCmd ) { hInst = hInstance; INITCOMMONCONTROLSEX icc; icc.dwICC = ICC_WIN95_CLASSES; icc.dwSize = sizeof( icc ); InitCommonControlsEx( &icc ); WNDCLASSEX wcx; wcx.cbSize = sizeof( wcx ); if ( !GetClassInfoEx(NULL, MAKEINTRESOURCE(32770), &wcx) ) { MessageBox( NULL, "Error creating class.", "Error", MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR ); return 0; } wcx.hInstance = hInstance; wcx.hIcon = LoadIcon( hInstance, IDI_APPLICATION ); wcx.lpszClassName = "VantSnake"; if ( !RegisterClassEx(&wcx) ) { MessageBox( NULL, "Error creating application.", "Error", MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR ); return 0; } return DialogBox( hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(VNTH_MAIN), NULL, (DLGPROC) DlgProc ); } BOOL CALLBACK DlgProc( HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam ) { switch ( msg ) { case WM_COMMAND: switch ( GET_WM_COMMAND_ID(wParam, lParam) ) { case IDOK: EndDialog( hWnd, 0 ); break; } break; case WM_CLOSE: EndDialog( hWnd, 0 ); break; case WM_INITDIALOG: if ( !FindWindow(NULL, "Intro") ) { // creates Intro dialog box CreateDialog( GetModuleHandle(NULL), MAKEINTRESOURCE(VNTH_START), hWnd, (DLGPROC) DlgProc ); } else { // here i'm trying to set focus on it, but it doesnt't works SetForegroundWindow( hWnd ); SendMessage( hWnd, WM_NEXTDLGCTL, (WPARAM) GetDlgItem(hWnd, VNTH_START), TRUE ); } return 1; } return 0; }
m little bit frustrating, because I'm trying to solve it for hours with no effect. Please, if anyone has solution for that, help. The link for Pelles C project: http://www.filolozka.pl/C/VantSnake.zip
Of course VNTH_MAIN and VNTH_START are resource linkages to Main and Intro windows.


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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONPosted on January 26, 2013, in My Blog, with 23 Comments
Just after the New Year, I did a cleanse. I wanted to enter this new year, perhaps even a new era (which is what I believe began 12/21/12), fresh, healthy renewed, having had 2 major surgeries this year and a not-exactly-healthy diet over the holidays. I went to the Tao of Wellness in Santa Monica where I get once-a-week acupuncture, … Continue Reading →
Continue Reading →


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Best Ever Opening Ceremony of Surfing Festival Combines ISA Traditions With Chinese Culture; Grandest Opening Ceremony in the History of the ISA Welcomes the 8 Competing Nations to China
Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival Presented by Quiksilver
January 7, 2012
Wanning, Hainan Island, China
Watch The Event Live On TransWorldSURF.com
It was a night few will ever forget. What transpired on the beach in front of the 6-star Le Meridien Hotel was part rock-show, dancing spectacular, gourmet dinner and firework show - and it was entirely devoted to the growth of surfing. With the competing surfers, coaches, Chinese dignitaries, sponsors, ISA officials and special guests on hand, the Opening Ceremony for the inaugural Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival Presented by Quiksilver officially launched the eight-day Festival.
The proceedings and the promise of what was soon to come was more than the original visionary behind the event ever hoped or expected.
"Even in my dreams I couldn't have foreseen an event of this magnitude," said Fernando Aguerre, the President of the ISA. "This Festival is the work of so many different people, and I'm so excited it's all come together so well. This will be a day and week everyone in attendance remembers for the rest of their lives." To give oneself a visual: think 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony on a smaller scale, and a beautiful setting by the ocean.
The evening began with a semi-private, formal "Leader's Meeting." On hand to welcome and thank President Aguerre and the 13 surfing VIPs for bringing the sport and the spirit of aloha to China was Mr. Luo Baoming, the Chief of Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
"We've been looking forward to this event," said Mr. Luo, to the dignitaries and media in attendance. "I've wanted to make a breakthrough in our sporting culture for a long time and I'm so happy that it's finally happened with surfing and with this Festival. It's a dream come true." Minutes after the completion of the gathering, the athletes and coaches from the eight countries competing in the ISA China Cup made their way down the red carpet to a chorus of applause from the hundreds of invited guests in attendance.
"It was pretty unbelievable," said Cory Lopez, a competitor for Team USA. "I've been to a lot of surf events and I've never seen anything even close to this. It's so big that it doesn't even feel like it would be for a surf contest."
With the sheer size of the ceremony and the complexity of it all, one could almost forget that it was meant to celebrate the simple act of riding waves. "Surfing has captured the hearts of so many around the world," Aguerre said, addressing the crowd at the ceremony. "We hope it will capture the hearts of the Chinese people and continue to grow in this country for years to come."
Mr. Luo validated President Aguerre's hopes, confirming his intention to push for the Festival to be an annual event in Hainan. The evening included several choreographed dances with colorfully-dressed performers, musical pieces, speeches by Presidente Aguerre, Mr. Luo and other Chinese officials, an unscripted capoeira demonstration by members of the Brazilian National team, and a spectacular end-of-the-night firework display.
Competition in the ISA China Cup begins on January 8, the morning after the ceremony. The webcast will be broadcast live in three languages (Chinese, English and Spanish) beginning at 8am local time (6pm PST and 9pm EST).
About the International Surfing Association
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running Open Division World Championships since 1964, Junior World Championships since 1980, and Masters World Championships since 2007. The ISA also sanctions the World Kneeboard Titles and the Tandem Surfing World Title, and the first stand-alone World Bodyboard Championship in 2011, and the first World Standup Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship will be held in 2012.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 70 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro and re-elected seven times since. The ISA´s three Vice-Presidents are Alan Atkins (AUS), Karín Sierralta (PER) and Debbie Beacham (USA).
About Womei Media
Womei Media is a complete media group with headquarters in Beijing, China. Womei Media consists of a sports marketing division that is dedicated to introducing new and exciting sports to the Chinese people by organizing and promoting major sporting events throughout the country. Womei Media is an advertising agency for CCTV, China´s largest national TV network. The company also publishes and distributes print magazines, and it is developing a chain of movie theaters throughout China. Womei Media is the primary Chinese commercial agent of the ISA (International Surfing Association), UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale), and the National Basketball Association´s Houston Rockets.
About Quiksilver
Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE:ZQK) is the world´s leading outdoor sports lifestyle company, which designs, produces and distributes a diversified mix of branded apparel, footwear, accessories, snowboards and related products.The company´s apparel and footwear brands represent a casual lifestyle for young-minded people that connect with its boardriding culture and heritage.
The reputation of Quiksilver´s brands is based on outdoor action sports. The company´s Quiksilver, Roxy, DC, Lib Tech and Hawk brands are synonymous with the heritage and culture of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding.
The company´s products are sold in over 90 countries in a wide range of distribution, including surf shops, skate shops, snow shops, its proprietary Boardriders Club shops and Quiksilver company-owned retail stores, other specialty stores and select department stores. Quiksilver´s corporate and Americas´ headquarters are in Huntington Beach, California, while its European headquarters are in St.Jean de Luz, France, and its Asia/Pacific headquarters are in Torquay, Australia.
For further information about Quiksilver, Inc., you are invited to take a look into our world at:www.quiksilverinc.com, www.quiksilverfoundation.org, www.quiksilver.com, www.roxy.com,www.dcshoecousa.com, www.hawkclothing.com.


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Posts Tagged IceColdNow
Alums Help Create Coldwave Beverage Chiller
Posted by Carly Machlis in Alumni, School of Engineering, Technology, Video on December 12, 2012
Ever wish your wine was cooler? Your iced coffee more iced? Michael Easton, E08, and Nicholas Wong, E07, decided to tackle this issue by designing the Coldwave Beverage Chiller, a pitcher that chills any beverage in under a minute. Designed to fit a single cup coffee maker, the Coldwave promises cold to ice cold beverages while preserving that delectable fresh-brewed flavor. The product is on sale now for delivery in May 2013, and buyers are encouraged to support the product through its page on Indiegogo, a popular crowd funding site.
Easton and Wong studied mechanical engineering at Tufts, and they work for IceColdNow, the company behind the Coldwave. Easton focuses on usability testing and marketing of the product, while Wong works on marketing and social media development.
For more information on the Coldwave, check out IceColdNow's Facebook and Twitter pages, and watch this video below:


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Check out the info below for future tour dates, and track them to receive alerts when they tour near you
See all dates for A Universal Archive: William Kentridge
A Universal Archive: William Kentridge
One of South Africa's greatest contemporary artists, William Kentridge is acclaimed worldwide for his films, drawings, theatre and opera productions. He is also an innovative and prolific printmaker whose career began studying etching at the Johannesburg Art Foundation.
This exhibition includes over 100 prints in all media from 1988 to the present, with a focus on experimental and serial works, ranging in scale from intimate etchings to linocuts measuring 2.5 metres high.
Image © Bluecoat Arts Centre
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Venue: The Bluecoat
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→ Liverpool Central 5 min walk
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Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by MadaBidyoni, Nov 19, 2012.
It wasn't misinterpreted, it was just BAD.
(and for that you shall die)
And worst of all, you missed the obvious Firefly quote!
^ Which is?
You didn't say anything offensive MLB, you just made a really bad pun and we were teasing you about it. Why did you delete your post?
Those Twilight geeks are called Twi-Hards I think
It's a Serenity quote: "Jayne, your mouth is talking. You might wanna look to that."
"Warsies" refers to a specific subset of SW fans, namely those who engage in the pro-Wars side of vs arguments. The term is perjorative, as it implies double-dealing, illogical and untrustworthy debating, and it typified by the behavoirs of dwellers at a certain pro-Wars vs site that I won't name, but that can be easily found with a little Googling.
I've heard the terms "Galacticans" or "Galactifans" used for BSG fans. I've also heard "Niners" used for DS9 fans as a subset of Trekkies/Trekkers, "Gaters" for SG fans, "Whovians" for Dr Who fans, and "Alphans" for Space: 1999 fans.
Apologies for duplications, just trying to cover all the ones I knew of.
I thought that was "lurker" with the lower-case "L" for read-only BBSers and Lurker (upper-case "L") for B5 fans?
Just thought of another one: for awhile "Andromedans" or "Dromedans" was used for fans of Gene Roddenberry's: Andromeda, or very rarely "Rommies".
Oh. Right. No wonder I didn't get it. (as if it wasn't blindingly obvious I am definitely not a Browncoat)
Like I said, I'm sorry I made the joke.
It wasn't until after I posted it that I realized people might think I was calling Whedon fans "gay". I definitely did not mean that. It's just "Don we now our gay apparel". Everyone's heard that, right?
That did not occur to me and I don't think it would occur to anyone else.
But okay, I get it now.
I guess I thought that most people knew the context of the offending word from "Deck the Halls" anyway. But as I said, I totally did not understand the quotes from Serenity, which I have never even seen.
Just so you know the quote is from the episode Serenity, which is the pilot for Firefly. The movie which takes place after the series has the same name.
You should totally watch it. We're doing a first time watch right now, only on the second ep, you should join us!
I tried watching the TV series. Didn't get into it at all. I wasn't rooting for the right people, apparently....let's just say that if I lived in the FF-verse I would be more likely to be a "purple belly" than a "brown coat".
So I am definitely not the target demographic for a show like this!
There is no more a target demographic for it than there is for Star Trek or Stargate.
But if you want to support an oppressive totalitarian regime go right ahead. Some of them look very hot in those uniforms.
My BSG friends and I either call each other Skinjobs or Toaster Lovers. I figured it was a thing.
I think interest in Star Wars is so widespread, and based on many different reasons, its fans transcend being a definable group. Hence no name for one.
I don't see the Alliance as totalitarian. Even Joss Whedon says that sometimes they're good. They're not like the Galactic Empire from SW or anything like that.
I see them more as agents of Order vs. the Browncoats who are agents of Chaos.
*sigh* Geez, I keep digging myself an even deeper hole with every post I make, don't I?
You know I do write most of my posts tongue in cheek.
I think that most of the Alliance is just regular people living their lives on the planets they were born on, part of the system they find themselves in. At some point though people have to make choices when they see the inevitable abuse of power that occurs. I doubt you would describe what was done to River Tam as "agents of order".
AFAIK, Lurkers has been used for B5 fans for as long as I've been a B5 fan, which is quite, quite long.
Where does the term come from Mage?
Separate names with a comma.


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A Natural, Sustainable, Beautiful Partnership
Carpet One's Just Shorn® collection is a natural, sustainable and renewable option for customers in the carpet market today. The wool carpets are sourced from farmers in the New Zealand countryside who dedicate their lives to all-natural forms of the production of wool from their sheep. The farms maintain high standards of environmental care and animal welfare to ensure the protection of their sheep's health and safety. As a cooperative, the growers are free to work how they choose to complete their goals. The farms are all independently owned and run, and just like the members of Carpet One, they support their local communities on a daily basis.
The wool these farms produce is among the finest in the world. It naturally repels flame and water, insulates heat and removes pollutants and allergens from the air. It is also 100% biodegradable and will release valuable nutrients into the earth at the end of its life. Wool is a completely renewable resource that will only help the earth after its use in a carpet.
To learn more about Just Shorn®, New Zealand and the farmers that raise the sheep, visit the website here.
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Innovation in EV technology from BMW
In years gone by it seemed that EV manufacturers, EV retailers and recharging network providers were happy to be at loggerheads with each other rather than working together. We saw an array of charging technologies hit the market with different protocols and different companies decided to go in very different directions. Slowly but surely, as the electric the industry continues to develop, recharging network providers are now looking to work with electric vehicle manufacturers. The latest such deal involves the BMW i3 which is the company's first all-electric production vehicle.
So, what will BMW i3 owners have access to and why do many believe it is a revolutionary deal for not only BMW but the electric vehicle market?
BMW has announced that its ConnectedDrive navigation system has fully incorporated ChargePoint's charging network location system. This ensures that BMW electric vehicle drivers now, and in the future, will be able to see at a glance which ChargePoint facilities are within their range and perhaps more importantly, which ones are busy and which ones are free. On the surface this may sound fairly irrelevant but when you bear in mind the time it takes to fully charge, or even partially recharge, an electric vehicle battery, the last thing you want to do is be stuck in a queue.
While this facility will be available within the car, BMW also revealed that it will be part of the company's remote mobile application. This will give BMW i3 drivers access to the ChargePoint network on the move and allow them to plan ahead in relation to their journey.
BMW i3 photo via BMW Blog.
Read more at ENN Affiliate, ElectricForum.


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'As good a hustle sequence as we've had' triggers Mavs' win, Carlisle says
O.J. Mayo is the Mavericks' leading scorer and his offensive abilities have assured he's going to be a hot commodity on the free-agent market this summer.
But on Wednesday night, he won a game with his defense. And he may have provided a signature moment that the Mavericks can use as their springboard going forward.
They were in grave danger of losing to one of the NBA's worst teams until Mayo pulled off a terrific hustle play that got the lethargic American Airlines Center crowd on its feet and propelled the Mavericks to a 111-96 victory over the Orlando Magic.
The Mavericks were down 79-73 against a team that had lost eight consecutive road games and was coming off a Tuesday home loss to lowly Charlotte.
After a Vince Carter turnover, Orlando's J.J. Redick got loose for a breakaway layup, but Mayo ran him down at the last second and tipped away the layup, which teetered on the rim before falling away.
Moments later, Mayo fed Carter for a lob-pass dunk. When Jameer Nelson missed a 3-pointer and Carter made one, those points triggered a 10-3 run to close out the third quarter.
"It's as good a hustle sequence as we've had all year," coach Rick Carlisle said. "I thought the timing of it couldn't have been more key in the game. We were down six at the time and it was going to be eight. Instead, we go down and get a lob dunk, get another stop and then hit a three. That's a huge swing. If that doesn't happen, we may be whistling a different tune right now."
Never mind that Mayo was in that position because he didn't dive on the floor for a loose ball after Carter's turnover.
"We needed something," Dirk Nowitzki said. "Obviously, the crowd wasn't into it much because we gave them nothing to cheer for, and that play turned everything around."
The sequence was so impressive that Carlisle replayed it for the team in the locker room as soon as the game was over.
"O.J. made the play," Carter said. "It was a great recovery for the block, and we need those multiple efforts if we want to win. Coach wanted us to see that after the game. That's what we need if we want to get back into it."
Mayo said he was hoping to do something to create a spark for a Mavericks' team that had lost a 16-point lead in the first half and was in danger of losing to a team that has a 3-26 record since Dec. 20.
"I was just trying to get back on defense and stop the layup," he said. "I saw two guys behind me, so I tried to push it down and we had numbers on the break for the lob. We had to get juiced up and play with a little energy."
In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks slowly inched away and when Carter found Brandan Wright for a slam to make it 101-90 with 3:54 to go, the Mavericks could breathe easy.


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Prices, promotions, styles, and availability may vary. Our local stores do not honor online pricing. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted.
TEC Charcoal Gray Unsanded Powder Grout
Item # 11044 Model # 3300615322
Actual colors may vary from on-screen and printer representations
Manufacturer Color/Finish
Charcoal Gray
Product Information
- For grouting joints up to 1/8-in
- Unsanded formula - primarily for use on walls, countertops and with marble or glass tile
- Highly durable and wear-resistant
- For interior/exterior residential and commercial floor and wall surfaces in dry or wet conditions
- For exterior applications, added performance and stain-resistance, the use of Grout Boost in place of water is required
- Use with color-matched TEC Invision ready-to-use unsanded caulk
- May contribute to LEED certification project points
|Manufacturer Color/Finish
|Charcoal Gray
|Grout Type
|Cementitious unsanded
|1-year limited
|Color/Finish Family
|Product Type


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Intel Is CEO Hunting: A Look At Three Candidates
Intel's CEO Paul Otellini surprised many today by announcing his retirement, effective from May 2013. It was expected that Mr. Otellini would stay with the company a few more years, and now the hunt is on for the next person to take one of the biggest jobs in the tech industry.
As surprising as the retirement was the lack of clear successor: Intel has typically groomed internal successors for years before taking over in a leadership transition that works like clockwork. This time round, no single person is known to be the heir apparent, and the company even said it look at outside candidates for the job.
But Intel's chairman Andy Bryant told the WSJ's Don Clark today that the preference is still for an internal successor. And in the same announcement revealing Mr. Otellini's departure, the company promoted three of its senior leaders to the position of executive vice president, which many took as a signal that the three were in the running. A look at those three, after the jump.


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GRAMMY GPS Interview Series Features Eric Holt, Emily White
Chiminus Enterprises CEO Eric Holt and talent management specialist Emily White were among the participants at the recent GRAMMY GPS: A Road Map For Today's Music Pro hosted by The Recording Academy Memphis Chapter. During the event, Holt and White participated in an exclusive interview with GRAMMY.com, providing their advice for breaking artists into smaller markets.
"Technology is really used these days to intensify the marketing and branding of artists coming from smaller markets outside of [larger markets such as Atlanta, New York and L.A.]," said Holt.
A native of Hendersonville, Tenn., Holt is CEO of Chiminus Enterprises, a marketing and consulting company with a client roster that includes Atlantic Records and the Ryman Auditorium, among other companies. He is also a managing partner of Chiminus subsidiary the Lovenoise Group, which hosts Lovenoise, a Nashville-based urban concert series that features live music, poetry and other visual arts, and is held in additional cities throughout the Southeast. In 2012 Holt was elected as an Advisor to the Board of Governors for The Recording Academy's Nashville Chapter. Holt is also among an elite group of music business leaders selected to serve as consultants for the Music City Music Council by the Nashville Mayor Karl Dean.
"You can build a career from anywhere," said White. "Whether you're a musician or you're pursuing an industry career, it really doesn't matter where you come from … now with the Internet."
White is the co-founder of Whitesmith Entertainment, a full-service talent management firm based in Los Angeles and New York that represents individuals in the fields of music, comedy, film, television, and sports. Music artists represented by Whitesmith include Brendan Benson, the Big Sleep, Future Monarchs, Gold Motel, and the Hush Sound, among others. Earlier this year White and Benson launched Readymade Records with a roster that includes Cory Chisel And The Wandering Sons, the Lost Brothers and Young Hines.


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KnicksOnline til I die
Cant stand anywhere else
can someone recommend one of these other sites I can join?
this one has too many titties and anal jokes for me to enjoy.
and the spelling!! atrocious!!
seriously, tho, who the hell has time to post on other sites, why bother?
Sr Loco Ochos, do you think it's a good idea to promote KO as a site for uncensored postings?
what if these dick*heads you're riling up decide to call the FCC on Rady and ask him to clean it up
or decide to take action against him and KO? are you familiar with the FCC?
I think it's a great idea to promote KO on other sites, but I'm not sure about starting wars with them.
Wars is probably not the right term, I don't think. I moreso meant that we are the shining light and, being a bit of a sh*t stirrer, wanted to throw at them the fact that KO rules the roost.
I've not heard of the FCC, by the way. What's the deal there? Right to censor no doubt is the theme. If that's a genuine risk then **** it, not worth even advertising the site. I'd not considered that. Good thinking, Batman.
Probably best to nip it in the bud before I go and get carried away. I'm banned now, anyway. TBH, I only ever rep the site for Rady because he's a legend. I think that given what you've said, and taking in to account this FCC nonsense, that it might even be best to keep a lid on things. Neglecting censorship reigns here, and I'd hate to play the hand that gets the no titties clergy rapping at the door.
FCC, eh? Hmmmmm.
Better have a chat with old Rosca. He is the man!!
actually i'm not sure if the FCC regulates anything on the internet, it might
come down to the website host regulating content if it has a problem with it.
some do, some don't. once again, a question for Rady.
i'd just play it safe, and promote KO as THE best website for Knicks fans.
it's cool to promote KO on other sites to bring interesting, intelligent posters over,
just don't bother fighting with them, it's not wasting worth your time or classic lines.
Idk, maybe there isn't as much traffic here because there is too much man juice squirting and leaking all over this place. Some people (mainly newbies) probably dont get the good humour/(cream) references.
But I know some fans are very excited and as a result they can hardly control themselves.
Lately, Ive found myself putting on a brand new pair of rubber gloves every time I click on a thread here. A thread topic that gets stickied here is quite different than a sticky thread in other places.
To be clear thou, imo, this is the best Knicks fan forum on the net, and I guess it also helps that its the first one that pops up when looking for a knicks forum to visit. I wouldn't change much of anything here, not just for the sake of getting more people to join. I'm sure by the time the post season gets here this place will be flooded, hopefully with fans and not just jizsim. xD *puts poncho back on*
Agreed. I don't see any point in changing anything at all. Only the aesthetics. You wait until you see the new site....looks amazing.
I owe you an apology, by the way. All that ranting over Lin and you were absolutely right. +1 to you and some crow for me.


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First off, I would like to extend my thanks to the BMWMOA member in St.Johns NL Canada for directing me to the new BMW Motorad dealer "The Toy Box Bmw Avalon Motorad" when I fell into dire straights while on vacation.
I desperatley needed a rear tire, and Avalon motorad did everything in it's power to assist me. Since my dilemma was presented to Avalon Motorad on a Saturday, they were unable to order in any tires until the next business day....Monday......the tires (I decided to swap both of them ).....arrived Tuesday morning before the anticipated time, and were installed post haste. Did I also mention that, on saturday, while attempting to locate tires for my bike, a 1100RT, my bride and I were lent a brand new 1200GS to continue touring on for that day. The rest of our road trip went without a hitch, and the brand new Michelan Road Pilot 3's stuck to the dismal wet pavement like glue, which was a real asset considering the rainy days while on route.
Major kudos for Bmw Avalon Motorad of Newfoundland.


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Orlando, FL - The Orlando Solar Bears, proud affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL's Iowa Wild and Toronto Marlies, announced today their training camp schedule for the 2013-14 season. All practices are open to the public. The following schedule is subject to change:
2013-14 Training Camp Schedule - SUBJECT TO CHANGE:
|October 7
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 8
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 9
|8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Season Ticket Pickup, 3rd Jersey Unveil
10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 10
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 11
|7:30 p.m. - Preseason Game at Florida Everblades
|October 12
|7:00 p.m. - Preseason Game at Florida Everblades
|October 13
|October 14
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 15
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 16
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 17
|10:00 - 11:15 a.m. practice
|October 18
|Start of Regular Season - 7:30 p.m. Game @ FLA
|October 19
|Home Opener - 7:00 p.m. at Amway Center vs. FLA
Flash photography and unauthorized video recording is not permitted.
Solar Bears Director of PR and Broadcasting Bob Mills had a chance to sit down with Head Coach Vince Williams to discuss Solar Bears Training Camp:
Q: Camp is going to be very competitive, especially for the rookies. You have a lot of really talented players trying to make this team. What do the younger players need to do to separate themselves?
A: Their preparation over the summer is important. Their conditioning is extremely important, because if they are not in shape it is going to be evident. How they shape up compared to the vets will show a lot about their preparation for camp. Being prepared is the first step to becoming a true professional.
Q: Do you try to incorporate power play and penalty kill strategies in camp?
A: I'm a big believer in teaching and implementing special teams right away. A major percentage of these guys in camp will be here when the season starts. The on ice and off ice culture of the team and organization has to be established from day one. Working on the special teams early gives the coaches a chance to see who picks up on things quickly and who will need some extra work.
Q: Looks like you'll have a battle for every role on this team. How are you able to use training camp to evaluate your team?
A: Character, leadership, conditioning, accountability, how coachable they are; you look for players that take pride in their preparation and performance. There is a clean slate for everyone, and as a coach you are looking to create the best team. The players can control how prepared, healthy, and fit they are, and how much they have invested in themselves over the summer.
Q: Not everyone will make the opening night roster on October 18 in Estero - what will it take to make this team?
A: We are looking for players to take ownership. I'm looking for players that will do whatever it takes to separate themselves. The competition in camp will push players to be better. We are looking to see which players complement each other and make each other better. It's a good time to find out what makes the guys tick and who has leadership qualities. Players come to camp with certain profiles. There are always surprises, sometimes you don't see what you expect out of certain players, and that is why you want a competitive camp. You look at what these guys do on the ice AND off the ice. I'm always looking for players that are committed to the team and organization.
Q: The next two weeks will go by fast. How do you make the most of these next 14 days?
A: We'll start teaching right away to take advantage of this preparation period. You have to start teaching on October 7, not October 18, and implement the structure both on and off the ice. You can't waste this valuable time to prepare your team and get organized. Everyone is going to be given every opportunity to succeed. Obviously we will be teaching and coaching the players all season, but it has to start now.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
New Wolfgang owner discusses his interest, plans
Family partners in several Lancaster County-based business ventures recently launched a quick and successful bid to buy assets and operations of York County-based confectioner Wolfgang Candy Co. Inc.
North York-based Wolfgang filed for bankruptcy protection in March, and a previous purchase deal with Alabama-based Divine Serendipity LLC fell through, leaving the door open for the Stillman family's successful offer.
The bid was launched through Food Management Systems Inc., which provides financial services and management to some of the businesses in which the Stillmans have majority or minority ownership stakes, President Michael Stillman said.
Their holdings in Lancaster County include two Dairy Queens and two hotels as well as Mac-It Corp., a maker of special threaded fastener and screw machine products, he said.
The new Wolfgang ownership entity is the recently formed Wolfgang Ventures LLC, and partners also created Wolfgang Operations LLC to run the candy company, said Stillman, the majority owner of both entities.
Stillman spoke this week with the Business Journal about why he was interested in Wolfgang and outlined a vision for the future of the company.
Q: Why did you decide to lead a bid for Wolfgang Candy?
A: We like manufacturing, we understand it well, and I like it that it is in the food industry, and it's an industry that has pretty much been recession-proof.
That was our interest, and we had looked at it before, but it just had such a debt load on it (that) we didn't know how we could make that work. That was before it ever went to bankruptcy, and then we found out it sold at bankruptcy, and it's kind of like, boy, if I knew it would sell for that, I might be interested.
So then when we found out that the original buyer, Divine Serendipity, (that deal) was going to get set aside, that's when we took another shot at it.
Are there any changes you have planned right out of the gate?
This all came down on (Oct. 5), so I've been there and talked to the employees and met them. I've asked the management team to put together a list of things they would like to see in the way of improvements or changes, so I'm really asking for their input, and that's going to be a process.
The biggest change is that they have some cash to operate with now. That's a big, big one. So they're already in the process of letting all the vendors know, and customers, that they aren't going to have any problems on the supply side, so they are going to be able to make their deliveries and those kinds of things.
That's been really positive already … that's the one that needed to change. I don't profess to know everything about the chocolate world and candy, but there are a lot of synergies that we have within our other businesses and contacts that we have that could be a help to the company, but it will take time to identify them and maximize where that leads us.
Why did you decide to bring on Wolfgang family members as part owners?
Ben (McGlaughlin), who is president and CEO, and Brad (McGlaughlin), who is VP of operations, and their father agreed to put an investment into the new entity, and that was a key to us deciding what we wanted to do, because if the current management didn't have enough faith and put some of their own money in, what faith would we have in it? They're the ones there living it and breathing it.
So that was very important to us, and it really says something about the McGlaughlin family, because they've taken a loss already on this. So they've got to be pretty positive that the bumps are behind them now.
What do you see as Wolfgang's strengths and areas for improvement going forward?
I would have to say the strength has got to be the name, the name brand. Ask anybody, and they know about Wolfgang and usually they rave about the chocolate.
In fact, my daughter, who is 15, Sierra, knew more about Wolfgang than I did. She knew it from fundraising and bought the candy because she loves it so much. So she was excited when I told her about it.
I'd say that's the strongest, and being 91 years old. There is a lot of history and I think that is something we can build on.
I'd say the weakness would be (that) they are chopped up into three buildings, and my goal would be to make it profitable and big enough that we could put it all in one building and make it a state-of the art facility, but we're going to have to get the thing back up to full production and humming and then we'll worry about that.
We signed a four-year lease, so we aren't going anywhere soon, and I'm talking moving down the street or somewhere (like that). We're not going to move it out of York.
If you succeed in your vision, what will the business look like five or 10 years down the road?
Like I said, this market is new to me, but I don't know why this couldn't be a national brand. I know there is a strong presence here in Central Pennsylvania and maybe the Northeast, but I'd love to see it national. I'd love to see it, like I said, in one building with state-of-the art equipment and make it even more of a household name.
There are quite a few big players in the chocolate business. What do you have to offer that maybe they don't?
Most of the businesses we are involved with are small. Mac-It is small. We feast off of the crumbs of the giants, and we can be very profitable that way, and my hunch is Wolfgang can do the same.
They already have been doing that, but I think we can position it so that we can get more of those crumbs. And that's fine. We're not going to kid ourselves and say we're going to take on Hershey or Mars. <


text:
Ed Koch's lucky corner
The mayor of New York, already rumpled-looking in his gray suit though it is only 7:30 a.m., stands on the northwest corner of 77th and Lexington under a Te-Amo Imported Cigars sign. A fringe of white hair crowns his head like a laurel wreath upon a Caesar.
"Good morning," Ed Koch booms to the knot of reporters that soon surrounds him and then begins without preamble: "I don't make predictions. I hope Al Gore does well; I put my trust in God. I don't know whether God is watching or not."
Story Continued Below
But if God is not watching New York, He is the only one who isn't.
It is 1988, and a few weeks earlier Jesse Jackson had won the Michigan primary. The panjandrums of the Democratic Party are in full panic. Who is going to stop Jackson? Michael Dukakis, whose campaign seems to be flabby and floundering, appears unable to do the job.
A Great White Hope is needed. Al Gore steps forward.
"I am dismayed by Jackson's embrace of Yasser Arafat," Gore tells Jewish leaders in New York City. "I categorically deny (Jackson's) notion that there's a moral equivalence between Israel and the PLO. In a Gore administration, no one will have reason to doubt America's commitment to the survival and security of Israel."
This goes over very well in New York City. And afterward, Gore, a southern Baptist whose favorite Shakespeare play is "The Merchant of Venice," joins the Jewish leaders at a kosher deli for lunch. The Gore campaign announces that Gore has "pulled off the gloves to challenge front-runner Jesse Jackson."
The next day, April 1, Ed Koch says Jews "would have to be crazy to vote for Jackson." The stage is set. Koch endorses Gore, the man who has the guts to kick Jesse Jackson in his tuchus.
Now, on the day before the New York primary, Koch goes to 77th and Lex to show Gore how it's done, to show him how you win New York.
"I had a stroke," Koch, 63, says apropos of nothing, "and Mother Teresa prayed for me. And I'm Jewish! This is my lucky corner, you know. I've run 24 times, congressman and city council, mayor. And I come here at 7 a.m. and stand here until 8 p.m. on Election Day. I had a stroke, but I walk. I dance. I talk." He does a sprightly little walk, back and forth, pumping his elbows. "See? No paralysis."
The words gush forth from his mouth in a torrent. Thus far, he has not been asked a single question by reporters. But somehow question-and-response seem unnecessary for Koch, who is willing to provide not only the answers but also the questions.
"I am most vociferous in my criticism of Jesse Jackson," Koch goes on, "but none of my attacks have been disputed. Some people don't want the truth. You criticize a black and you're called a racist." He shrugs. Go figure.


text: Ok, I posted my tic tac toe game here. The code is long so I put it as an attachment. Please look. The only thing wrong is that it doesnt work correctly on difficulty 1, and it doesn't display the players name correctly at all, any time. I don't know how to fix those, maybe you do. Well here it is (there is an attachment somewhere on here):


text:
Johnson: We needed Brown back
Scotland head coach Scott Johnson claims he has recalled skipper Kelly Brown for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with France because his team-mates "need" him.
The Saracens flanker was unceremoniously dumped out of the Dark Blues squad which lost to England before bouncing back to beat Italy in Rome a fortnight ago after his part in the 28-3 defeat to Ireland in the tournament opener.
But despite sitting out the dramatic last-gasp win at the Stadio Olimpico - secured by Duncan Weir's drop-goal 10 seconds from time - Brown is now back to lead out the side against Les Bleus at Murrayfield.
Johnson had originally told the former Glasgow man he would need to brush up on his defensive work if he wanted his place back but now says France's fluid running style will suit Brown better than the man he replaces, Warriors forward Chris Fusaro.
He told Press Association Sport: "I think Saturday is a game that will really suit Kelly. Unlike other sides in the competition, France play above the ground a bit and there will be a lot of mauling.
"I think the pitch suits Kelly too and I've picked a side that can win the game and that's most important.
"We had a look at the opponents, we had a look at Kelly's form and we had a look at where we thought we could improve the team and in the end we thought it was a good match.
"I asked him to improve on some things and he is certainly well on the way to doing that.
"We thought that this was a game that really fitted him. I think the team really needs him back against France and it's a welcome addition."
Brown's return is one of three changes to the Scots pack, with prop Geoff Cross holding off the fit-again Euan Murray to pinch Moray Low's slot at tighthead after the Glasgow player's struggles in Rome, while David Denton comes in for Ryan Wilson, who has been fighting a tonsillitis bug all week.
Johnson admitted of his personal difficulty as he told Brown - who he "respects greatly, both as a man and as a player" - he was out of the side.
But recalling him only meant he was faced with another tough conversation, this time with Fusaro.
"It was an easier conversation to have with Kelly but that means there is a hard one to have with someone else," he said. "That's the way it works in this business.
"I work on the theory that you can only be honest and treat each player the way you'd like to be treated yourself.
"Chris' endeavour was fantastic during his first two caps. I had a right good look back at the Italy match and you could see he won us some vital turnovers.
"He was exemplary in defence - his work was first-class - but he did get caught out positionally a couple of times and you get that with younger players some times. He accepts that.
"But there is growth there now. He needs to go away and continue that because it just goes to show that he can compete at the highest level. That's a box ticked for us now and, talking about competition for places, he is someone who can play in a different way to what we have already.
"It's the start of his international career and he now knows he can do it."
Cross took over from Low in Rome just before half-time as Johnson grew concerned that the Azzurri were dominating the early scrum exchanges.
The switch worked wonders in the second half as Scotland came back with two Alex Dunbar tries before Weir made himself a hero at the death.
But Johnson says the Edinburgh prop must now prove he is reliable enough to hold on to his spot.
He said: "I think it is the right thing to do. Geoff did really well in Rome against a formidable scrum b ut now it is a different challenge because he's starting the game.
"It's a big game for Geoff. He has been picked to do well at the set-piece and if he does that again we will be in a good position."


text:
By Dara
Hi Everyone! Welcome back from the long weekend. I hope everyone had a good time off and enjoyed the summer weather. I have an annoucement today for those who are fans of Swarovski Rhinestones! Until July 7th 2010 at 11:59pm EST, when you spend $250 or more on Swarovski Flatback or Hotfix, you get $25 Off your entire purchase! Great time to save some extra $$ on your purchase. With your purchase, you'll also qualify for Free UPS Ground Shipping (Continental US Only).


text:
[Verse 1: Lord Shafiyq]
Shafiyq is the Lord, that's all one must hear
To know the dopest rhymes will enter their ears
Yes I have to come to obtain, sustain, maintain
My name and fame, I got to do my thing
I had left, but now I return just like a boomerang
No half-stepping, in 88 I'm taking full steps
I had to get my pockets straight
Cause I believe in making dollars by the duffel bags
So heavy in my pockets it makes my Ballys drag
When I step to a beat like the present one
But light on my feet, cause I'm the fluorescent one
Who came to entertain a battallion or platoon
So give me some space and leave me some room
??? in Arabic, ??? in Hebrew
The Lord in English, now only if we knew
What I can do with the mic in my hand
It wouldn't be no controversy about the Asiatic man
Made from sand, or better yet dust
The Lord Shafiyq is a must
Cause I am a star
[Verse 2: Lord Shafiyq]
Yo, remember me, or did you lose your memory
Or did I do a demo on your memo
You're trying to say that you have amnesia
I guess the rhymes was dope like anaesthesia
On the rapping field I'm like Larry Csonka
Not so easy to conquer
A Tonka toy in a matter of lengths
I will administer a hurting before you even start to think
I wasn't born to be normal, or conformal
On the mic like the others who are normal
(Yo your skills are extraordinary)
Thank you brother Safiy, that's why I'm the legendary
Lord Shafiyq, who used to be Gerry
Until I was taught, cause knowledge I sought and sought
Until I reached my destination
To find out my ancestors are the constellations
The Big Dipper, the Little Dipper
H2O sipper, had a dolphin named Flipper
God bless his fins and God bless the wins
That I achieve when I'm battling
Rodents, which is star spelt backwards
Rats, a scavenger who lacks this
Style that fits me like a tube sock
Like a frisbee, your record is tossed to the boondocks
Because it doesn't gloss like mine
A star ain't a star if a star don't shine
So just read the Torah, and Sodom and Gomorrah
I brung down the city's walls with my aura
So knowledge the rhymes because the rhymes are hype
Or better still, knowledge the light
Cause I am a star
[Verse 3: Lord Shafiyq]
I got to extract, contract, adapt, like a uterus
So you can move to this cause I ain't new to this
Or that, and being anti-wack
Makes it easy for a brother like me to rap
Now when I tax I wax then I relax and max
And sit back and watch the damage that I caused with smacks
It's a fact I'm black, original at that
A true descendant of Adam just to be exact
If you comprehend the recitation, knowledge the situation
You would know I'm from a very great nation of
Kings and queens, prophets and pharaohs
Way before BMs and Camaros
Did ever exist, and no-one got blissed
Whoever got high, their life did get kissed
That's no lie, even now as a thug
I've been arrested for impersonating a drug
Cause I'm dope, so dope that from now on
When I sweat, I sweat Methadone
I must move on, like a nomad
I won't go mad cause I'm so bad
When I pick up a mic and recite I'll ignite like dynamite
And I tempt a wind to write but he can't fight the light
That I shed so watch his head take flight like a kite
Then burst, when he reaches a certain height
I got pull like gravity, I know you'd rather see
The star shine instead of a sad emcee
Pouring nonsense out of his cup
This could mean shut up
Cause on the mic is a star
And on the scratch, DJ Doc is a star
In this song Lord Shafiyq translates his name into Arabic and Hebrew and claims to have owned a dolphin named Flipper. He also touches on the Torah, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Ancient Egypt. Knowledge the light.
Samples are "Lansana's Priestess" by Donald Byrd, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, and "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind and Fire.


text:
WASHINGTON - House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer released the following statement today:
"The untimely passing of my good friend and colleague, Congressman Bob Matsui, early this morning is a grievous loss for Bob's family and friends, as well as the Democratic Party, the House of Representatives and our great nation.
"Bob Matsui, above all, was a patriot who loved this country and all that it stands for – freedom, opportunity and equality. And I am privileged to have known and worked with him for more than two decades.
"My deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Doris, and his son, Brian, as they mourn the loss of this great man who devoted his life to public service and the proposition that, in America, one person armed with goodness in his heart, compassion in his soul, and an unshakable will truly can make a difference.
"Bob Matsui leaves a legacy of dedication, competence and integrity that will stand the test of time and which should be emulated by all who aspire to a life of public service. In the quarter century that he served in the House of Representatives, Bob Matsui left an indelible mark on many of the most important issues of our time, including tax policy, Social Security, international trade and welfare reform. As Congress prepares again this year to consider reforms to Social Security and our tax system, it is not overstatement to say that Bob's expertise and experience on these issues are virtually irreplaceable. His leadership will be sorely missed.
"Bob's dedication to the principles of the Democratic Party also were on full display during the last two years as he chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, logging thousands of miles campaigning and fund-raising all across the country on behalf of Democratic candidates. In this most difficult election environment for Democrats, Bob's unflagging optimism and hard work were instrumental in helping House Democrats hold our own.
"This is a sad and shocking loss. Again, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to Doris and Brian and the entire Matsui family."


text:
yes, i know the latter topic is common. but theres a twist: a predefined class.
i have a predefined class for a stack that brings up a menu where you can push, pop, and peek. now i have to use this class in order to display what the user has pushed onto the stack, in reverse.
now this class uses new concepts like the 'new' operator in conjustion with pointers to allow any number of...numbers, to be input. ive read, and read, and read, but pointers are still weird to me in usage (although i do understand the concepts).
i was thinking of using the pop function to display the stack in reverse(loop it till it hits the null charcter), but in order to do that, i would have to allow for another user option. is this possible to do in my custom function that im writing or do i need to modify the existing class?
im also not sure how to access the actual inputs for things like sequencing and ordering, since theyre coupled with the 'new' operator...
i can provide code but was hoping to avoid the easy way out (someone doing the actual coded solution)


text:
New wheels get Gracious back to the classroom
Thursday is the first-ever International Day of the Girl. To commemorate this event, we're spending several days highlighting issues faced by girls who live in poverty around the world, such as early marriage and vicious exploitation. We're also talking about how access to an education can equip girls to live full lives and reach their God-given potential.
The story of Gracious illustrates just that. This 14-year-old girl has a passion for learning that has stopped at nothing -- even when her life was turned upside-down by an unforeseen tragedy.
* * *
Gracious ran, walked, and played most of her life. But five years ago, everything changed.
"I suffered from cerebral malaria. I was in hospital for two weeks," she says. "I almost died, but God is good. I survived. However, I was feeling very weak… suddenly, I could not even stand up or lift my legs. I was shocked. I didn't know what to do."
That was it. Gracious had to start another life in another world.
"It was hard to adjust, having been a person who was able to walk before," Gracious says. "A lot of things I could do on my own had to be done by others. I could not go wherever I wanted to. I could not walk to my friends to play. They had to [come to me] -- and if they [didn't], I [was] alone, feeling lonely."
As if this was not enough, Gracious had to leave school for two years because her parents could not afford to transport her to school every day.
"My parents could not afford to buy a wheelchair for me. I stopped school in Grade 5 then," she laments. "It was painful for me to stop school because I loved school. I was lagging behind while my friends were moving on with their education. I thought that was the end of my dream career."
Thankfully, Gracious received a donated wheelchair and was able to get back to school.
But a year later, her wheelchair gave up completely -- it broke down. Efforts to repair it were in vain, she says.
"It has been difficult for me to be in school without a wheelchair. I had to depend on others to take me to class and back to my room," she explains.
"Sometimes, I would want to answer the call of nature, but there would be no one to take me there as quickly as I would want."
The girl's outlook on life was transformed when she received a new wheelchair through World Vision and Free Wheelchair Mission.
"The wheelchair has changed my life completely. I am now very focused on school. I am working hard, and I don't want to delay," Gracious says.
"I can't wait to be the newscaster I want be and work for ZNBC (Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation)," she continues. "This has been my dream career from the day I stopped walking. Patricia Pumulo, the newscaster I watch on ZNBC, inspired me to take up this career."
The new wheelchair has given Gracious new hopes and determination to excel with her education.
"Now that everything is all right with me, I just look forward to finishing my education," she says. "The wheelchair made things easier because I am able to attend all lessons and don't miss any. I am also able go for night studies in class, where there is solar power."
Gracious says the wheelchair also helped her to start going to church.
"I had stopped going to church before I received a wheelchair, because there used to be no one to help me go there," she remembers. "Also, now I am able to play ball games using my hands. We go to play at the ground and just around the school premises. These are the things I used to miss before.
"Now I do a lot of things on my own. I don't have to literally depend on others," she continues. "I go to wash, eat at the dining hall, and do many things on my own. My desire now is that when I start working in future, I want to support children who are like me. I know there are many of them. Because of discrimination, they are not allowed to be in school.
"People think they cannot do anything even if they took them to school," she says passionately.
"Other disabled children who are like me cannot go to school because they do not have wheelchairs," she concludes candidly. "I am blessed and grateful to the donors that I have a wheelchair that has allowed me to be in school. My mother, who is a widow, has also been on my side; she encourages me a lot and I know I'll be a newscaster one day."
International Day of the Girl is October 11. Mark this day by becoming involved in bringing help, hope, and empowerment to girls and women affected by poverty around the world:
- Sponsor a girl in need. Sponsorship makes a long-term investment in the life of a girl, her family, and her community, providing greater access to life-giving basics like nutritious food, clean water, medical care, and education — the foundation for a future of independence and hope.
- Host an event to honor the International Day of the Girl. Your event can help raise awareness of the importance of investing in the lives of girls around the world.
- Share #BasicMath. Girls + Education = A world of possibilities. Be a part of the photo campaign that shares this message with the world. Print out the Girls + Education placard. Fill in the blank with what educating girls means to you. Snap a photo and share it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.


text:
Texas football has reached the midway point of spring practice, and for the first time this spring, we talked to the Longhorns.
David Ash greeted the media with a smile, asking how everyone was doing. But the questions were turned on him. This spring is the first time Ash has been named the official starter, which appears to have given the junior-to-be a sense of confidence.
"It feels good to know that you have the confidence of your coaches," Ash said Tuesday. "I don't want to disappoint them. I want to keep working, just try to get better every day and help my teammates get better."
Ash has spent some time with Longhorn great Vince Young, who is back on the 40 Acres attending classes.
"I see him (Young) around. He thinks it's funny to call me Ashley ... Maybe he thinks I'm pretty, I don't know," Ash joked.
"He's really good about just throwing a little something, maybe he did whenever he played, that provided some team chemistry, being visible to teammates and setting an example with your work ethic.
"Building those relationships that go deeper than just X's and O's so that you have a real team chemistry. Whenever it's crunch time, you care about the guy next to you so you're going to do everything you can to help him win."


text:
Real-World Learning
"What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing."
-- Aristotle
You can learn a great deal from books and lectures. You can learn even more by applying what you are learning in real-life situations. Clarkson provides numerous opportunities for students to get out into the world and develop important abilities--creative thinking, teamwork, appreciating diversity--before graduation!
Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design (SPEED)
Clarkson's SPEED program brings students from all disciplines together to work on 16 different projects—projects like building a (working) canoe out of concrete, designing zero-emission snowmobiles, or developing methods for treating hazardous waste. SPEED participants learn to work with students from other disciplines, to think creatively, and to tackle real-life problems—and they have a great time!
What will a career in chemical engineering be like? The best way to find out is through a summer or a semester of professional employment. Through Clarkson's Career Center, you can arrange a co-op or internship, earn money, gain valuable experience, and still graduate in four years.
The world is becoming smaller every day. As a chemical engineer, you might interact every day with people from other countries—or you might end up living in another country yourself! Spending a semester or a year studying abroad will broaden the way you look at the world and prepare you to be a respectful, responsible member of the global community. Clarkson has exchange programs with more than 20 universities in 14 countries, from Australia to Korea to Mexico.
One of Clarkson's SPEED teams is the Chem-E-Car team, which designs and builds a shoebox-sized car powered by a chemical reaction.
The Chem-E-Car team competes in events at the AIChE Regional and, if it qualifies, National conferences. For information about the Chem-E-Car Speed Project, click here.
Chemical Engineering SPEED team in the news:
Chem-E-Car Team Powers on to Fall Nationals