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Taiwanese artists have raised concerns about a Beijing art gallery's plans to open a branch in Taipei in April, even before the legislature has begun its review of the cross-strait service trade agreement signed last year.
Beijing-based Aura Gallery is setting up a branch, with registered capital of about NT$150 million (US$5.06 million), on Taipei's Dunhua S Road.
The gallery decided to set up a branch in Taipei because of the strong purchasing power of the city's residents and their appreciation of art, but it had no plans to shift its focus from Chinese contemporary art and photography or to represent Taiwanese artists, Taipei branch art director Huang Ya-chi (黃亞紀) said.
The average annual sales volume of Taipei's art market is about NT$5 billion, according to Taiwan Art Gallery Association statistics.
The Beijing gallery's scheduled entry has alarmed Taiwanese artists, who say they already have a hard time competing against their Chinese counterparts.
Taipei-based InSian Gallery director Ou Shih-hao (歐士豪) said China has given little credit to Taiwanese art and artists, as evidenced by the failure of the globally renowned Juming Museum to make the list of China's top 50 art museums.
The museum in New Taipei City's Jinshan District (金山) showcases the work of Ju Ming (朱銘), the nation's best-known sculptor.
"Over the past two years, a number of Chinese investors have expressed an interest in renting warehouses in Taipei's Huashan 1914 Creative Park and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park for exhibitions, but I never thought they would one day enter [Taiwan's market]," Ou said.
Ou said he was deeply worried about what would happen to Taiwanese artists if the legislature ratifies the service trade accord. They could be left vulnerable to Chinese-funded galleries' ill-intentioned efforts to stifle their vitality and creativity by turning them into "mama's boys," he said.
Taiwanese artist Huang Chia-liang (黃家良) said although he has staged two solo exhibitions and taken part in a number of joint ones, he still has a difficult time finding a gallery willing to represent him because of the apparent shift in the local art market in recent years to Chinese painters.
"It takes at least five years for young Taiwanese artists to be noticed... I am afraid the passage of the service trade agreement may bode ill for their dreams of becoming professional artists," Huang said.
Chow Mei-li (周美里), the Taiwan Solidarity Union's policy and publicity director, said that under the WTO framework, Taiwan's retail sector has only been slightly open to China — as required by an executive order, which is still subject to repeal.
"However, if the service trade accord is ratified, there will be something of a 'controlling spell' on Taiwan. There is a good chance that after Chinese-funded galleries gain a foothold, they might join hands with other Chinese-funded companies to provide end-to-end tourism service … which could pose a serious challenge to local galleries," Chow said.
National Taiwan University economics professor Kenneth Lin (林向愷) said the ratification of the service trade pact would allow deep-pocketed Chinese investors to monopolize Taiwan's art market and help Beijing enforce its "united front" tactics in the cultural sector.
"Since every piece of artwork is irreplaceable, Chinese investors could easily drive local art galleries out of business by buying up their best collections and prohibiting Chinese artists from approaching them to show their work," Lin said.


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I'm back from a week on the road (Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, and DC) and while I was gone some fun stuff happened, the most fun being this FOX 12 news segment about the Bone Luge. Stephanie Kralevich came into Metrovino to find out what this Bone Luge craze is all about. See also cameo appearances by Metrovino's owner Todd Steele and local curmudgeon John the Bastard.
In other Bone Luge news, e*starLA gives it a try and declares it delicious, Ludivine continues to spread the love to the uninitiated in Oklahoma City, and JBird in New York will give you the tequila for free with your order of marrow.
In this month's Los Angeles Times Magazine, Camper English writes about bars making smoky cocktails. The Smokejumper from Metrovino made the list. Fittingly, that's a drink I came up with while at a friend's place in LA.
Finally, the Washingtonian wrote up our Bols event in DC, where we hosted the launch of our Stillwater Ales collaboration at the amazing Jack Rose. The Kopstootje should continue to be available next week at one my favorite DC restaurants, Brasserie Beck, where they also made my day by putting the Harvey Weissbanger on the cocktail menu.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Hello and good evening. I am running ISPConfig 220.127.116.11. I hope domain.tld and am trying to run a cronjob using wget but its not working. The command looks like this: * * * * * /usr/bin/wget -O - http://domain.tld/subfolder/name_of_file The wget response I get is: --2013-02-16 17:16:00-- http://domain.tld/subfolder/name_of_file Resolving domain.tld... XXX.XXX.XXX.XX (PUBLIC IP ADDRESS via DDNS) Connecting to domain.tld|XXX.XXX.XXX.XX|:80... connected. HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 404 Not Found 2013-02-16 17:16:00 ERROR 404: Not Found. But if I add the FQDN to the /etc/hosts file, the command and cron works BUT the domain is not correctly resolvable from the Internet. What is the best way to get wget to work? I can also use curl but curl does not seem to work either. I am assuming for the same reason. And yes, I can access http://domain.tld/subfolder/name_of_file in my web browser while on the LAN. Can someone please help?


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Miley Cyrus Covers Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'
Miley Cyrus, daughter of country singer Billy Ray, offered up her loyal, respectful and soulful cover of Dolly Parton's hit 'Jolene,' penned in 1973, in her 'Backyard Sessions' series. The song was written 19 years before Cyrus was even born, but she does a terrific job with it. Did you know that Parton is Cyrus' godmother? True story!
The performance was captured sometime this year, possibly in the summer. Cyrus' hair is piled atop her head in a knot, and she famously chopped off her long locks in August so do the math.
Cyrus, who shot to fame as Hannah Montana, has a belter's voice. This version, featuring the singer/actress cradling an old-fashioned mic and surrounded by several talented players, would certainly earn another round of kudos and praise from Parton.
Actually, the ladies have performed the song together in the past, but when solo, Cyrus turns in a smoky, husky and emotionally resonant version. She really makes it her own. If you were not super familiar with Miley, or simply weren't a fan, this performance could turn the tide of opinion for you.
It's got the perfect amount of twang with hardly any of the popness Cyrus is known for.
Nice job, girl.
It's also another example of Parton's songs translating beautifully by pop singers. Remember, 'I Will Always Love You' was a mega smash that got a second life in the 1990s thanks to the late Whitney Houston's version for 'The Bodyguard.'


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Durham News: Sports
Hillside girls basketball hustles past Millbrook for spot in regional final
Hillside didn't look at the number in front of its name when preparing to face top-seeded Millbrook in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A East regional semifinal Thursday.
What mattered was the numbers on the scoreboard after the final buzzer, as the No. 5 Hornets took a 70-55 win over the two-time defending state champion Millbrook at Fayetteville's Crown Coliseum.
"It doesn't matter who we play. The only thing that matters is how we play," Hillside coach Ovester Grays said. "I knew we had a good enough team and a deep enough team that if we play our game, we can compete with any team in the state."
Hillside, in the 4A East regional round for the first time since 2009, will return to Crown Coliseum to play No. 2 Southeast Raleigh at 4 p.m. Saturday for a chance to return to state finals, where the Hornets fell five years ago.
Hillside senior Zuri White led all scorers with 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a game largely highlighted by underclassmen as the teams started a combined five freshmen. Junior Justine Lyons added 18 for the Hornets.
Millbrook freshmen Dazia Powell and Sis Norman led the Wildcats with 17 and 12 points, respectively. Another freshman, Kai Crutchfield added nine and six steals.
"I don't think anybody really gave us a chance to do what we did and to take a team this young and make it all the way to the Eastern semifinals, I think it's pretty impressive," Millbrook coach Chris East said. "Could we have played a better game? Most definitely without a doubt. Did we do some things that were uncharacteristic of us? Most definitely without a doubt, but I'll take this Millbrook squad any day."
Powell scored the first six points of the game, but Hillside answered with a 14-4 run to lead after one quarter and never looked back.
Millbrook turned the ball over 18 times in the first half allowing the Hornets to finish with 22 points off of turnovers. Hillside also took advantage of second-chance shots – taking a 19-6 advantage in the game.
Despite a whirlwind final minute of the third quarter that included a 30-second 6-0 Wildcats run and momentum swing, Millbrook still found itself down by eight entering the final period.
The Wildcats fouled to stop the clock for much of the final period, and while Hillside shot just 13 of 27 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, Millbrook couldn't close the gap.
"I think the things that we did not do well we can fix," said East, who had coached Millbrook to the past three East regional titles. "We're going to start working on next season. We'll be back."


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StatementThis last year, I have spent most of my time in other aspects of computing, leaving little time for my art. What follows is a sample of the various directions/techniques that I have been exploring in those few moments of sanity that I have (ie: working at my art). They follow no real structured evolution or theme, but rather deal with the various issues that have come to mind. Though seemingly scattered, they will form the basis of experience that I can draw on over the next while.
Art Work


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Back Home Choose Talbot - A-Z Directory ("A"= Attorney "C"= Church "R"= Restaurant) Add Your Business
From the manufacture's website: "Nexus EnergyHomessm have everything you want from luxury home styles: spacious floor plans with rich interiors molded from environmentally sound, "green" construction products and methods." Now that these homes are available in the City of Frederick we will all see just how effecent these homes are in real-world use.
Also see http://www.nexusenergyhomes.com


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Story highlights
- Day two wins for Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at ATP World Tour Finals
- Nadal avenges Paris Masters defeat to compatriot David Ferrer
- Djokovic beats Roger Federer in three sets
- Nadal can clinch No.1 spot for 2013 with one further win
Novak Djokovic completed his second three-set victory over Roger Federer in the space of three days to get his ATP World Tour Finals title defense off to a winning start Tuesday in London.
Djokovic had beaten Federer in the semifinals of the Paris Masters Saturday and again had to fight off a determined challenge from the Swiss legend in another compelling encounter.
The Serbian World No.2 eventually won 6-4 6-7 6-2 in two and a half hours at the O2 Arena to top Group B ahead of Juan Martin del Potro, who won his three set opener against Richard Gasquet Monday.
Federer, making his 12th straight apperance at the end of season showpiece, was cheered to the rafters when he made his entrance and then set about showing that at 32 years of age he was still a force.
He dropped the first set to a single break in the 10th game, but then twice pulled ahead in the second as he made inroads into Djokovic's delivery.
Each time the defending champion broke back, but in the tiebreak Federer was inspired and with the decibel level getting every higher he leveled at a set all.
But Djokovic immediately broke him and controlled the decider to wrap up a clinical victory.
"It was a big challenge physically. Only 48 hours ago, I was playing in Paris so to be able to beat Roger is incredible," Djokovic told gathered reporters.
"I'm going to try and recharge my batteries mentally and physically and get ready to play Juan Martin del Potro."
It was his 18th straight win since losing in the final of the U.S. Open to Rafael Nadal, with titles in Beijing, Shanghai and Paris.
Earlier, Nadal beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in their opening match -- reversing the result of the semifinal at the Paris Masters Saturday.
Nadal won 6-3 6-2 to begin his campaign for an elusive title at the end of season tournament in fine style.
He will clinch the No.1 spot for 2013 with victory over Stanislas Wawrinka of Swtizerland in the opening match on court Wednesday in Group A.
Nadal needed only one hour 14 minutes to seal victory -- a run of seven straight games the key to his win.
"He played a lot better than me in Paris last week but today I played a little bit better than him and it's important for my confidence to start with a victory after Paris.
"The energy of this stadium is fantastic and hopefully I am ready for tomorrow against Stanislas Wawrinka," said Nadal, who is returning to the 02 Arena after a two-year break.


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Agile software development techniques definitely scale. In Dr. Dobb's 2008 Agile Adoption Survey we saw that organizations are applying agile strategies in a variety of team sizes, including teams of over 200 people. For example, Lotus Sametime 7.5 was developed by an agile team of over 200 people at the peak of the project and within IBM there are other agile projects on the order of 500-600 people. At the Agile 2006 and 2007 conference, there were experience reports from agile teams of several hundred people. I expect the same at this year's conference, to be held August 4-8 (www.agile2008.org). Because one team organization structure does not fit all, this month I share strategies for organizing teams of various sizes.
A few years ago, Larry Constantine presented the best definition of a large project that I've ever run across: A large project is 20 percent bigger than any project you've successfully accomplished in the past. In other words, size is in the eye of the beholder, regardless of what the spammers may claim <smile>. For example, some organizations may consider a 20-person project to be huge whereas others may consider a 200-person project to be merely mid-size. For the sake of this discussion, the border between small and medium-sized project teams will be around 15, and between medium and large-sized teams around 50.
Agile in the Small
Most agile teams are less than 10 people and colocated. Although this sounds naive, Jim Highsmith has estimated that close to three quarters of all software development teams, be they agile or not, are less than 10 people in size. In this relatively simple situation, you can adopt a simple team organization structure, as in Figure 1. Agile team members, particularly on small teams, tend to be generalizing specialists (www.agilemodeling.com/essays/generalizingSpecialists.htm) who have one or more specialties such as Java programming or testing, at least a general knowledge of the software process and of the domain that they're working in, and the willingness to collaborate closely with and learn from others.
What you typically read about in the agile literature is how a team of developers, lead by a team coach or "Scrum Master", works closely with a product owner who represents the stakeholder community to build a high-quality working system on an incremental basis. What you don't hear about as often is what I call the "supporting cast"the technical experts, domain experts, and optional independent tester who help the team to succeed. Sometimes the team needs the help of technical experts, such as build masters to set up their build scripts or a database expert to help tune their database. Similarly, sometimes the product owner will bring in domain experts to work with the team, perhaps a tax expert to explain the nuances of a requirement or the sponsoring executive to explain the vision for the system. Effective agile teams often have an independent test team working in parallel that validates their work throughout the lifecycle (see "Scaling Test Driven Development, www.ddj.com/architect/205207998). Domain and technical experts are typically brought into the team for a short period of time, perhaps only a few hours or days, to help with a specific task. Independent testers and agile DBAs work with the team on an ongoing basis.


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Krishna Kumaruge Kathawa
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Watch most of the television cartoons online for free. View all your favorite cartoons and enjoy. Cartoons are full of fun and children like to watch them all the day long because most children do not like being bored. Also they can learn lot of things as they are not dull and fantastical, which means that they are not realistic. So lessons can be reached them using cartoons. There are many creative inventions to teach children, but the most important thing is that parents should know what kind of things make children concentrate. One of the answers is a cartoon. regardless of the age, people do not want to be bored. so, people always want to do something new and want to watch something fun.


text: J.Crew likes to bend the rules when it comes to fashion. A fresh and stylish brand, the label is renowned for its use of colour blocking and patterns. Dressing the contemporary woman, J.Crew clothing has a distinctive edge. The J.Crew jewellery range features a variety of desirable pieces. From necklaces with dainty charms to statement cuffs and bracelets, these items will transform outfits. Whether for day or eveningwear, the collection caters for all occasions.


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brings pheasant season to Oklahoma
December brings holiday cheer, cold weather and the start of two full months of hunting the colorful ring-necked pheasant in northern Oklahoma.
According to biologists with the Wildlife Department, two main factors determine how many pheasants will be available for hunters to pursue each season. The first is the number of adult birds that survive the winter and enter the breeding season.
"The second and most important factor is the number of young birds that survived the summer," said Doug Schoeling, upland game bird biologist for the Wildlife Department. "What makes or breaks our season on a bird like pheasants — and even other upland birds like quail — is recruitment, or the number of young birds that survive into the fall season. This year, while we have seen a slightly higher survival rate of adult birds, the number of young pheasants produced is down significantly after a season of drought and record high temperatures. With this decrease in production numbers, the 2011 pheasant season harvest is expected to be lower than last year."
According to Schoeling, there may be exceptions, such as areas with good habitat that received some scattered rainfall. Schoeling said the best way to find those pockets of birds is to go hunting.
The Wildlife Department keeps tabs on the number of adult birds that survived the winter and the number of young pheasants that survived the spring and early summer through two different surveys. First, biologists conduct the annual crow count survey, which provides an idea of how many adult males survived through the winter. In late April and early May, biologists drive county roads and listen for crowing cock pheasants in search of mates. These 20-mile surveys are conducted in Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Major, Noble, Texas, Woods, and Woodward counties. Crow counts in recent years show good survival rates of adult birds, with the 2011 counts up five percent from 2010. The population trend has been going up since 2007. In those counties traditionally with the highest pheasant densities (Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Grant and Texas), and where surveys have been conducted since 1973, crow counts were up 7 percent from last year, with an increasing population trend since 1996.
The survival of young birds over the spring and summer is gauged using annual brood count surveys, which are conducted in late August to provide a measure of how many young pheasants were produced during the nesting season relative to previous years.
"The brood survey is really the primary means we use to determine the annual population status of pheasants and the outlook for the pheasant hunting season," Schoeling said.
The brood survey is conducted in the same counties as the crow count survey, and observers count the number of pheasants observed and classify the size of young birds to provide an index of pheasant abundance (number seen per mile) and reproductive success. This year, brood survey results were down 40 percent from 2010 due to the unfavorable weather conditions this summer with record heat and drought throughout the pheasant's range.
Because pheasant hunters only harvest male birds, biologists say hunting pressure has little effect on overall populations and that sportsmen should not hesitate to go hunting.
The ring-necked pheasant was first introduced into Oklahoma in 1911, and the colorful birds prefer cultivated farmland habitat mixed with weedy fencerows and overgrown pastures common across northwestern Oklahoma and the Panhandle.
Pheasant season in Oklahoma runs Dec. 1 through Jan. 31 (only in open areas) and offers hunters a chance at a popular game bird that, though not native to Oklahoma, thrives in the northwestern part of the state.
Hunters should consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" for open counties and wildlife management areas. The daily bag limit for pheasants is three cocks, with a possession limit of six after the first day and nine after the second day. Evidence of sex (head or one foot) must remain on the bird until it reaches its final destination.
To hunt pheasants, hunters most possess a valid state hunting license, available online at wildlifedepartment.com or at license dealers located across the state. When the deer gun and the holiday antlerless deer seasons overlap with pheasant season, all pheasant hunters must wear either a hunter orange cap or upper garment. For further regulations, including open areas, consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide."
Trout stockings resume at Lower Illinois River as Wildlife Department seeks fix for water shortages
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has resumed trout stockings at the Lower Illinois River due to water levels improving in Tenkiller Lake, and officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation say they continue to seek a lasting solution to water shortage issues at the river.
The stockings resume after a temporary discontinuation had been in effect because of water shortages that caused two significant fish kills at the Lower Illinois this year. Recent rainfalls have improved water levels, but officials say the biggest water shortage concerns at the fishery have not been resolved.
At its November meeting, held Nov. 7 in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission heard a presentation from Fisheries Chief Barry Bolton that addressed why water shortages pose an ongoing problem to the fishery at the Lower Illinois River. At the top of the list of concerns is a need for reallocation of water from Tenkiller Reservoir for the fishery, since currently all of the water storage in the lake is allocated to other users. The fishery had for years been fed by leakage in the dam that provided as much as 75 cubic feet of water per second. The leak has been repaired, leaving the Wildlife Department with access to only two hours of water or less per day for managing 7.75 miles of trout fishery. Any other water comes from sporadic releases from water storage holders.
"There are anglers who count on the river for good fishing, and there are businesses in the region that count on anglers going to the Lower Illinois River to fish," Bolton said. "Water shortages combined with insufficient flow reduces oxygen levels to a point where trout and native species cannot survive, which means anglers don't have fish to catch. And that means fewer customers for local businesses."
Though water levels at the river are up now, Bolton said the fishery will likely face similar shortages again if water is not reallocated to support the fishery. Until then, he said possible short-term resolutions include more frequent releases of oxygenated water through hydropower generation, and taking steps to ensure water releases meet state water quality standards. Agreements also could be pursued that would create a temporary seasonal pool plan that provides minimum releases to maintain the fishery. Additionally, the Wildlife Department can temporarily "borrow" some water allocated to Sequoyah Fuels, who holds small percentage of storage in the lake, but that water will not always be available for fishery use.
Though there are short-term fixes, Bolton said it is a long-term solution that is needed most, such as congressional legislation to reallocate water storage for the fishery at no cost to the state. A similar problem at the Lower Mountain Fork River trout fishery below Broken Bow Lake was resolved through federal action that resulted in the allocation of water to the fishery.
Established in 1965 as mitigation for the construction of Tenkiller Dam, the Illinois River trout fishery has become a recreational and economic staple for the region. While finding a solution to water shortages in the river poses unique challenges, Bolton said the Wildlife Department is committed to the survival of the fishery and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure quality fishing for those who depend on the fishery for recreation and business.
Four Oklahoma youth win outdoor getaways through writing contest
Youth from Inola, Broken Arrow, Owasso and Boone-Apache schools have been awarded outdoor getaways for winning an outdoor writing contest designed to help youth share their hunting heritage.
Contestants in the annual youth writing contest — sponsored by the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation — chose between two different topics and submitted entries to not only share their interest in the outdoors, but also to compete for a chance at a unique outdoor trip. Topic choices included "Hunting: Sharing the Heritage" or "What I like about Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting."
Winners in the age 15-17 category will receive an all-expenses-paid antelope hunt in a western state. They were Dylan Dunn, 17, of Inola School and Kaitlyn McCormick, 16, of Broken Arrow High School. Winners in the age 11-14 category receive a scholarship to the YO Ranch Apprentice Hunter Program in Texas. They were Triston Hasty-Grant, 13, of Owasso Eighth Grade Center and Brianna Sawyer, 14, of Boone-Apache Middle School. Safari Club International's Apprentice Hunter Program is a unique, hands-on course designed for girls and boys aged 11-14. The program covers such diverse topics as history of hunting, the ethical basis of modern sport hunting, wildlife management, field identification, tracking and interpreting sign, game cooking and the SCI Sportsmen Against Hunger Program.
"This has become a popular contest," said Colin Berg, education supervisor for the Wildlife Department. "We always enjoy the process of going over each essay and trying to select winners It can be challenging because there are some talented youth who are passionate about the outdoors who submit essays to this contest."
The scholarship to the YO Ranch Apprentice Hunter Program and expenses for the antelope hunts are covered by the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International with funds raised at the Chapter's annual banquet.
The youth writing competition is designed to promote America's hunting heritage among Oklahoma's youth. It provides them an opportunity to express the importance of hunting in their lives and to affirm their commitment to carrying on the hunting tradition. Students use the essays or short stories to relive memorable hunts, to explain why hunting is important to them and to recognize mentors who have influenced them to grow as hunters.
The contest winners will be eligible for entry in the Norm Strung Outdoor Writers Association National Youth Essay Contest, whose winners are awarded cash prizes and scholarships.
The Wildlife Department and the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International will submit the winning essays to the National Youth Writing Contest held annually by the Outdoor Writers Association of America.
Students are not the only winners. Educators Craig Savage from Inola High School, Beverly Stevens from Greenville Schools and Sam Moreton from New Life Ranch camp have been awarded scholarships to attend an eight-day conservation education school at Safari Club International's American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) at Granite Ranch near Jackson, Wyoming. The AWLS program is conducted during the summer and presents an outdoor program for educators that concentrates on natural resource management. Participants learn about stream ecology, map and compass usage, fly tying, shooting sports, wildlife management, the Yellowstone ecosystem, camping, white-water rafting, educational resources, how to implement outdoor education ideas and language arts and creative writing in an outdoor setting.
Arbuckle Lake meeting to offer insight to anglers
Lake of the Arbuckles has been making a name for itself as a premier bass fishery in recent years, producing three largemouth bass weighing over 12 lbs. each since 2008 alone. One of those tipped the scales at 14-lb. 8-oz. The lake is also providing anglers with quality crappie and white bass fishing opportunities. In short, the lake is serving as an important fishing destination for anglers, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is keeping the public informed by providing an opportunity Dec. 6 to learn about a range of Lake Arbuckle fishing information.
A public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area's Travertine Nature Center Auditorium. Guests will receive informative updates from Department fisheries biologists on the status of the fishery and related issues. Biologists will address the biological and social aspects of fisheries management and regulations at the lake, and they will present the new Lake of the Arbuckle Five-Year Management Plan developed by the Wildlife Department. Visitors will have a chance to provide feedback on the plan as well as visit with biologists about fishing at the lake.
"Angler opinions are important when developing management plans," said Matt Mauck, south central region fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department. "We encourage the angling public to join us for an evening of informative discussions and input opportunities."
Lake of the Arbuckles was impounded in 1967 as a Bureau of Reclamation reservoir. At close to 2,350 acres, the Murray Co. lake offers fishing for all types of anglers and has been an active lake in the Department's lake record fish program. Current lake records include a largemouth bass over 14 lbs., flathead and blue catfish weighing over 50 lbs., channel catfish weighing nearly 20 lbs. and smallmouth bass tipping the scales at over 4 lbs.
Anglers can learn more about fishing at Lake of the Arbuckles by attending the public meeting and can find regulations and harvest limits in the current "Oklahoma Fishing Guide," available online at wildlifedepartment.com. The site will also offer a draft copy of the lake's new management plan prior to the Dec. 6 meeting.
A map to the Travertine Nature Center is available online at http://www.nps.gov/chic/planyourvisit/upload/CHICmap1_2010.pdf
Wildlife Department quail trapping efforts successful as upland bird research
Biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation recently sent bobwhite quail samples to research facilities for extensive studies and banded an additional 168 quail that hunters may harvest on state wildlife management areas this year.
The bobwhites were trapped on 10 WMAs in western Oklahoma during August and October as part of the Wildlife Department's involvement in a research project called Operation Idiopathic Decline (OID). The Wildlife Department is working with the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas Tech universities to study the gradual decline of the bobwhite quail across its range.
At its December meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission received an update on the Department's OID activities and other upland game bird research initiatives. Alan Peoples, chief of Wildlife for the Wildlife Department, reported that biologists trapped quail during the first OID trapping phase. There were 168 quail banded and released, and hunters are asked to report banded quail to the Wildlife Department if they harvest one. Other samples were sent to universities in Texas, where researchers are investigating the incidence of disease, parasitism, pesticides, toxins and contaminants in sampled quail.
"We're waiting for researchers to give us information on things like West Nile Virus, avian influenza, aflatoxins — all of the various components they are looking at," Peoples said.
Peoples said researchers have observed threats to quail in some regions that are not prevalent in others, such as the eye worm that has been affecting birds in Texas but not Oklahoma. Eye worms occur when a small nematode, or parasitic worm, imbeds in the ocular cavity of quail, impairing vision and hindering survival.
"We did not observe any of our quail with eye worms," Peoples said. "It's very common in the rolling plains of Texas."
Of the birds trapped in Oklahoma, over 40 percent were adults. However, Peoples said in a normal year of hunting, most of the birds seen by hunters are young of the year birds, or those that were born in the spring. About 80 percent of the harvested quail in an average year will be young of the year birds as well, with the remaining 20 percent comprised of adult birds.
Since young birds make up the large majority of the quail seen and harvested by hunters, reproductive success is critical. According to Peoples, extended drought conditions and record heat during the summer was detrimental for both quail nesting success and recruitment. In addition to the impact of heat on nesting sites, a lack of green vegetation led to reduced numbers of insects that young quail depend on for food in the first months of their life.
"Fifty-five percent of our samples were young of the year birds, so that's going to be a lot better than other places in quail country, but still not as high as we'd like to see," Peoples said.
In addition to working with trapped birds, Peoples said the Wildlife Department is involved in a genetic research study through the Caesar Kleburg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Department will provide samples for the study that will aid in research efforts.
The Wildlife Department is also finalizing a contract with Oklahoma State University to conduct quail research over the next six years on Oklahoma's Packsaddle and Beaver River wildlife management areas. Research facilities will be constructed on the WMAs, and researchers will be collecting extensive information that could lead to improvements in quail populations and habitat management.
"We're going to focus primarily on reproduction and brood survival," Peoples said.
The Department also continues to closely monitor the lesser prairie chicken in northwest Oklahoma and has plans to work with OSU and the Sutton Avian Research Center on researching reproduction and brood survival. Although additional surveys have found new prairie chicken leks, or breeding grounds, some survey routes are still too difficult to study accurately using current survey methods. Peoples said the Department will be refining its methods to better saturate survey routes and will intensify survey efforts through participation in the lesser prairie chicken interstate working group's five-state coordinated survey, other aerial surveys, and the use of cutting edge satellite radio and traditional telemetry tracking.
The Wildlife Department is providing periodic updates on upland game bird research and conservation through a free e-mail report called Upland Update, available free by signing up on the Wildlife Department's website, wildlifedepartment.com. Currently, more than 500 subscribers are receiving the updates.
In other business, the Commission heard a presentation on the Wildlife Department's hunter education program. Most Oklahomans must complete the Department's hunter education class in order to hunt big game without supervision. Exemptions from hunter education certification include anyone 31 years of age or older, anyone honorably discharged from or currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, and members of the National Guard. Additionally, hunters age eight to 30 are eligible to purchase an apprentice-designated hunting license that allows them to hunt under the supervision of a qualifying adult mentor.
The Wildlife Department certified 17,631 hunters last year alone, making it the eighth highest ranked state in the nation in the percentage of hunters certified per capita.
"We hold hundreds of hunter education classes across the entire state every year, and we try to serve our constituents and their busy schedules by holding as many as 20 of those classes during the weekends just prior to deer gun season," said Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Wildlife Department. "Those last minute classes account for as much as 15 percent of the total number of hunters certified each year."
Changes to hunter education requirements in recent years have made hunting more convenient for sportsmen. In 2008, the class length requirement was reduced from 10 to eight hours, and Oklahoma residents who are exempt from hunter education requirements but who want to hunt in another state where certification is required can take a proficiency exam without taking the eight-hour class. Additionally, the Department saves money and makes the course more relevant to students by producing its own state-specific hunter education manual. The Wildlife Department also offers an apprentice-designated hunting license to hunters ages 8-30 that allows them to go hunting without first completing a hunter education course, provided that they are accompanied by a licensed mentor who is at least 18 years old and hunter education certified (or exempt from license and hunter education requirements).
Meek said the future of the program includes an online course option that will allow students to complete their course through the Wildlife Department's website and immediately print their certification card. Meek also is working with other education specialists at the Wildlife Department to encourage school educators to teach the hunter education course in the classroom along with other Department programs such as the Oklahoma National Archery in the Schools and Explore Bowhunting programs.
The Commission also presented its Game Warden of the Year Award to David Foltz, game warden stationed in Garfield County. The award was presented along with the Shikar-Safari Club International Wildlife Officer of the Year Award by club members Bill Brewster and his wife, Suzie Brewster.
Shikar-Safari Club International was started more than 55 years ago and is limited to 200 members worldwide. While it is a social organization, its sole purpose is hunting and conservation and issues that affect hunters and conservation. The club has a foundation that puts almost $1 million into wildlife and conservation every year, including more than 30 scholarships a year for children of wildlife professionals majoring in wildlife fields. The scholarships, each $4,000 a year, are designed to perpetuate an interest in wildlife careers and conservation.
The Commission also accepted a donation of $20,000 from the Oklahoma City Zoo for local conservation projects. The donation will be used along with the assistance of zoo volunteers to assist with lesser prairie chicken surveys and other projects in northwest Oklahoma. Presenting the donation were zoo employees Jennifer D'Agostino and Cliff Casey.
Additionally, the Commission recognized Ty Harper, northwest region fisheries biologist, for 20 years of service to the Wildlife Department, and Mike Plunkett, northeast region senior wildlife biologist, for 30 years.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. Jan. 9, at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium), located at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City.
Game Warden David Foltz honored by Shikar Safari and Wildlife Department
David Foltz, game warden stationed in Garfield Co., is the newest recipient of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Game Warden of the Year and Shikar Safari Club International's Officer of the Year awards.
Foltz, who was presented with the honors at the December meeting of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, works closely with other Department employees both in the law enforcement division as well as other divisions and is active in a number of projects and programs of the Wildlife Department. He was hired as a game warden in September of 1980 and has served in Garfield County ever since.
Foltz's father, Delbert Foltz, is a retired game warden for the Wildlife Department and received the Oklahoma Game Warden of the Year Award in 1978.
"David is an asset to the Department, and he's made us proud," said Robert Fleenor, law enforcement chief for the Wildlife Department. "David has community spirit and is a great asset to the sportsmen of our state. His qualities go above and beyond what's required in his normal duties as a game warden."
Not only does Foltz have a strong working knowledge of his assigned county and surrounding area, but he knows the sportsmen and landowners in the region and frequently works with other game wardens in his district.
Foltz attended Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, while working in construction. In his spare time he enjoys hunting and fishing and working on old automobiles.
Shikar-Safari Club International was started more than 55 years ago and is limited to 200 members worldwide. While it is a social organization, its sole purpose is hunting and conservation and issues that affect hunters and conservation. The club has a foundation that puts almost $1 million into wildlife and conservation every year, including more than 30 scholarships a year for children of wildlife professionals majoring in wildlife fields. The scholarships, each $4,000 a year, are designed to perpetuate an interest in wildlife careers and conservation.
For more information about game wardens, or for information on having a career as a game warden, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Deadline approaching to apply for youth trapper's camp
The warmth of July and the excitement of summer camp has long since passed with the coming of cold weather, but youth can still attend a unique camp this month — trapper's camp.
Youth ages 12-18 have until Dec. 15 to apply for the Oklahoma Furbearers Alliance trapper's camp, to be held Dec. 28-31 near Chickasha. Youth younger than age 12 may attend but must be accompanied by an adult. The event is limited to 35 participants.
"This will be an excellent opportunity for youth interested in trapping to gain hands-on experience from seasoned trappers in Oklahoma," said Erik Bartholomew, furbearer biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
According to John Weygandt, secretary of the Oklahoma Furbearers Alliance, the camp will cover all aspects of trapping in Oklahoma from regulations and types of traps, to proper trap maintenance, placement and operation. Additionally, species of wildlife that may be trapped will be covered as well as their characteristics and how to scout for trapping.
The cost of the camp is $25, which covers all meals for the event and includes a one-year membership in the Oklahoma Furbearers Alliance. It also includes a one-year subscription to Trapper and Predator Caller Magazine. Adults can attend with their youngster at a cost of $20 to cover meals. Camping areas will be available on site.
For application information, call Weygandt at (918) 645-5667.
A year in wildlife photography to be featured at Hackberry Flat Dec. 10
In 2011, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Friends of Hackberry Flat began offering a series of Saturday morning programs at the Hackberry Flat Center located south of Frederick, and the series will conclude Saturday, Dec. 10, with an exhibit featuring the awe-inspiring work of photographer Larry Hancock.
The exhibit, titled "A Year at the Wetlands of Hackberry Flat," will debut at 9 a.m. Dec. 10 and will continue through Jan. 14. There is no fee, and refreshments will be provided.
Hancock has been involved in photography for almost seven years, focusing mainly on birds.
"I would probably be considered a serious amateur wildlife photographer since I spend almost all my spare time looking for birds to photograph," Hancock said. "I spend most of my time in the Frederick area because of Hackberry Flat in the summer and in the winters, because of the wintering hawks that return each year."
Photographs on exhibit feature some of the bird "legends" of the wetlands, such as the American avocet and the Black-necked stilt. There are also photographs of behaviors rarely observed such as the courtship display of the American bittern. Photographs of rare and elusive bird species include the common moorhen with a chick, the king rail and the least bittern. The exhibit includes over 30 photographs.
Hancock will be on hand until noon to share photography techniques and experiences while out photographing wildlife. The Hackberry Flat Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. As always, participants at any of the Saturday morning program series are exempt from a current hunting/fishing license or Wildlife Conservation Passport requirements while at Hackberry Flat.
The Hackberry Flat Center offers amenities for visitors, a meeting facility for events, wetland classrooms for school children and programs to help develop outdoor skills. For more information about the Hackberry Flat Center and Wildlife Management Area, including scheduled events, log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com .
To get to the Hackberry Flat Center, drive south of Frederick one mile on Hwy 183, then turn east on Airport Road and proceed three miles. Follow the blacktop road south, and continue six miles.
For more information, contact Melynda Hickman, wildlife diversity biologist for the Wildlife Department, at (405) 990-4977.
Holiday antlerless deer season brings Christmas cheer to
Christmas family traditions range from eating out and attending services on Christmas Eve to giving out gifts and stockings filled with treats. But in Oklahoma, families can even go deer hunting over the Christmas holidays.
This year the holiday antlerless deer gun season will be open for 10 days starting Dec. 16 and running through Dec. 25 in open areas.
Most of the state will be open to antlerless hunting those days, except for the majority of the Panhandle and portions of southeast Oklahoma. All public hunting areas and private lands in southeast Oklahoma's zone 10 are closed to the holiday antlerless deer gun season. Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide season dates. For a map of Oklahoma's antlerless deer hunt zones and to see which counties will be open for the holiday antlerless deer gun season, consult page 25 of the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide," as well as the "Public Hunting Lands" section on page 48 of the guide for seasons on specific public areas.
Last year almost 40,000 hunters participated in the holiday antlerless deer season.
"A good number of those hunters were successful with 4,377 deer being checked during that season," said Jerry Shaw, big game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
According to Shaw, high doe harvests help accomplish several important management benefits such as preventing localized overpopulations, improving buck:doe ratios for a more healthy herd, reducing competition for forage to promote greater antler growth in bucks, reducing the potential for deer/vehicle collisions, and lessening the extent of potential crop depredation.
To participate in the holiday antlerless deer gun season, resident hunters must possess a valid hunting license and a holiday antlerless deer gun license, unless exempt. Resident youth hunters 16 or 17 years old must purchase a hunting license and a $10 youth holiday antlerless deer gun license, unless exempt. Youth under 16 are not required to purchase a hunting license but they must possess a $10 youth holiday antlerless deer gun license.
Although nonresident deer hunters are exempt from a hunting license while hunting deer, they must possess a nonresident deer gun license.
Hunters age 8-30 who have not completed the Wildlife Department's hunter education class may still hunt during the holiday antlerless deer gun season, but their licenses will have an apprentice designation, and the hunter must be accompanied by a qualified adult hunter who remains within arms reach of the apprentice hunter while hunting. For details, consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" online at wildlifedepartment.com.
In addition, hunters participating in the holiday antlerless deer season must comply with the hunter orange requirements for the regular deer gun season. Archery hunters and those hunting most other species in open holiday antlerless zones must wear either a hunter orange hat or upper garment while hunting.
To learn more about this year's antlerless deer season, consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Wildlife Department opens online public comment period for regulation changes
Sportsmen have the opportunity to voice their thoughts online now through Jan. 13, 2012, regarding hunting and fishing related rule change proposals currently under consideration.
Proposed rule changes are often considered to increase opportunity for sportsmen and improve wildlife conservation measures.
"This is an opportunity to discuss items that could lead to changes in our hunting and fishing regulations," said Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "We feel strongly that our constituents should have every chance to provide their comments, which is why we are providing an online comment form for those wanting to be heard on these specific subjects. We encourage you to provide your comments through wildlifedepartment.com anytime before 4:30 p.m., Jan. 13, 2012."
Additionally, those interested can submit written comments by mail to the Wildlife Department's main office in Oklahoma City (P.O. Box 53465, OKC, OK 73152).
To view a complete listing of proposed rule changes or to complete an online comment form, log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com .
Among others, some of the proposed rule changes this year include the following:
* To make it unlawful to bait wildlife on wildlife management areas.
* To change the bear archery season to Oct. 1 through the third Sunday in October and eliminate the quota for bear archery season.
* To set the statewide daily limit of striped bass at five, except as designated.
* To eliminate daily harvest limits on furbearers so that only season limits apply.
* To establish permanent rules for newly purchased wildlife management areas while altering certain rules on already established public lands.
The Wildlife Department also will be hosting public hearings on proposed rule changes at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters auditorium in Oklahoma City (1801 N. Lincoln Blvd) and at the Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau (1509 South McKenna).
Holidays are for the birds
As the holiday seasons are fast approaching and you're readily preparing with lights, trees, and ornaments, wildlife enthusiasts can take it a step further and create a holiday "feeder tree" for birds.
"This is a great family activity that is fairly simple and cheap while adding holiday cheer to your backyard," said Rachel Bradley, wildlife diversity specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Instead of decorating your backyard trees with traditional ornaments, decorate with a few food items a variety of winter birds are sure to love."
Suggested bird food is black oil sunflower seeds, suet, and Niger thistle seeds. Bradley suggests having the kids spread peanut butter on a pinecone and then roll it in birdseed to create an edible ornament for birds.
Bradley also suggests making a garland string of popcorn, cranberries, raisins, grapes, or blueberries for a nontraditional and colorful approach. This can be created using nylon fishing line wrapped around the designated tree.
"It's also a good idea to make a few extra garland strands and refrigerate them for later use as needed," she said. "Be sure to remove nylon from the tree when the food has been eaten."
Popcorn is more likely to attract sparrows and black birds, whereas the fruits will attract mockingbirds, bluebirds, and American robins. According to Bradley, providing bird seed and other food sources can attract a range of birds that winter in Oklahoma, many of which can be viewed online at okwinterbirds.com. Operated by the Wildlife Department, the site provides species profiles of many birds that winter in Oklahoma, including sharp photography, identification, feeding tips, winter ranges and more.
Enjoying the time of year by sharing holiday cheer with the birds is fun and easy for all ages to get involved while spending quality time with family and friends on a cold, winter afternoon. For more information on attracting wildlife to your yard, subscribe to The WildSide, a free monthly Wildlife Diversity e-newsletter, by signing up on wildlifedepartment.com.
Calling all citizen scientists to help conduct Wildlife
Department's Winter Bird Feeder Survey
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Winter Bird Feeder Survey starts Jan. 5 and gives wildlife enthusiasts and their families an exciting way to kick off the New Year.
Attracting birds and maintaining backyard feeders for wintering birds is popular in both urban and rural areas of Oklahoma. People in both places can help the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation by participating in the survey while also getting close-up views of a number of unique birds.
Any Oklahoman with a backyard bird feeder can participate by choosing any two days between Jan. 5-8 to count birds at their feeders and record their observations. And according to Rachel Bradley, wildlife diversity specialist for the Wildlife Department, attracting birds to backyard feeders is not difficult.
"Just provide food, water and some cover," Bradley said.
With participants observing birds across the state for four days straight, biologists can obtain important information that can help the Department better understand bird ranges and populations.
"Citizens scientists' participation in the survey helps biologists gather information from a greater area in a shorter amount of time," Bradley said.
Currently biologists have documented more than 20 year's worth of upward and downward trends of birds visiting winter feeders thanks to the support of avid birders across the state.
The survey includes counting birds at backyard feeders at least four times a day for two days during the survey dates and completing a form provided by the Wildlife Department. For detailed instructions and to take the survey, log on to the Wildlife Department's Winter Bird Feeder Survey website at okwinterbirds.com. The website is an extensive bird-watching resource that provides species identification tips, bird diets, feeding behaviors and winter ranges as well as links to other birding websites. The site also details how to draw birds to backyard feeders using homemade bird attractants that are both healthy and beneficial to wintering birds.
While anyone who has a bird feeder can participate in the 2012 Winter Bird Feeder Survey, certain efforts can be made to attract more birds to feeders. Black-oil sunflower seed is a good choice for bird feeders because of its high protein content for birds during the winter and because virtually all seed-eating Oklahoma songbirds will eat it. Other seed options are white proso millet, nyjer ("thistle") or safflower. Suet cakes — animal fat that is sometimes mixed with grains or peanut butter, are good for drawing in species such as woodpeckers and birds that do not primarily eat seeds. Finally, a source of water and cover such as brush piles or dense shrubs located near the feeders helps draw more birds.
Among the top birds seen last year at backyard feeders during the survey were the American goldfinch, dark-eyed junco, red-winged blackbird, northern cardinal, mourning dove, house finch, Carolina chickadee and blue jay, but participants also documented sightings of wild turkeys, warblers, kinglets and others.
To learn more about the survey or to participate, log on to www.okwinterbirds.com.
Wildlife Department opens online public comment period for regulation changes
Sportsmen have the opportunity to voice their thoughts online now through Jan. 13, 2012, regarding hunting and fishing related rule change proposals currently under consideration.
Proposed rule changes are often considered to increase opportunity for sportsmen and improve wildlife conservation measures.
"This is an opportunity to discuss items that could lead to changes in our hunting and fishing regulations," said Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "We feel strongly that our constituents should have every chance to provide their comments, which is why we are providing an online comment form for those wanting to be heard on these specific subjects. We encourage you to provide your comments through wildlifedepartment.com anytime before 4:30 p.m., Jan. 13, 2012."
Additionally, those interested can submit written comments by mail to the Wildlife Department's main office in Oklahoma City (P.O. Box 53465, OKC, OK 73152).
To view a complete listing of proposed rule changes or to complete an online comment form, log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/aboutodwc/public_meeting.htm
Among others, some of the proposed rule changes this year include the following:
* To make it unlawful to bait wildlife on wildlife management areas.
* To change the bear archery season to Oct. 1 through the third Sunday in October and eliminate the quota for bear archery season.
* To set the statewide daily limit of striped bass at five, except as designated.
* To eliminate daily harvest limits on furbearers so that only season limits apply.
* To establish permanent rules for newly purchased wildlife management areas while altering certain rules on already established public lands.
The Wildlife Department also will be hosting public hearings on proposed rule changes at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters auditorium in Oklahoma City (1801 N. Lincoln Blvd) and at the Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau (1509 South McKenna).
Dolese trout
season kicks off Jan. 1
Northwest Oklahoma City will start off the New Year by providing metro anglers with an opportunity to catch trout practically in their own backyards during the Dolese Youth Park Pond trout season. In addition, the City will partner with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to host a free trout fishing clinic to help anglers have the best chance of catching trout during the season.
On Jan. 1, the metro trout season will open at Dolese Youth Park Pond, located north of NW 50th and a half block west of Meridian Ave in Oklahoma City.
The two-month long trout season runs through Feb. 28 and features several stockings of rainbow trout provided through a generous donation from BancFirst.
"This event is all about outdoor family fun," said David Rainbolt, CEO of BancFirst. "BancFirst enjoys being a part of the tradition."
Wildlife Department fisheries personnel say the support of BancFirst and its commitment to the Dolese trout season over the years have been crucial to providing the local trout fishing program, which has proven to be popular, affordable and entertaining among anglers. BancFirst ranks 19th in the nation on the Forbes 2012 list of best banks in America and is the only Oklahoma bank in the top 25 listing.
The free trout fishing clinic will be held from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Jan. 13, at the Putnam City High School gymnasium (5300 NW 50th). Pre-registration is required by calling the H.B. Parsons Fish Hatchery at (405) 755-4014. Clinic topics include bait and tackle, pole rigging, trout biology, fish cleaning and recipes, knot tying, safe casting and trout season rules and regulations, followed by a question-and-answers session.
Part of the "Close to Home Fishing" program, the Dolese trout season is a result of a partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department. The "Close to Home" fishing program provides fishing areas that are often just a short drive away from even the most urban locations, saving families time and gas money. In addition, it allows parents and children to fish together after school or on a busy weekend. The Dolese trout season also offers anglers a chance to catch a unique fish that they don't catch at other times of the year when water temperatures are warmer.
"The Dolese trout seasons has been a great opportunity for area anglers to fish for nice sized rainbow trout in their own community," said Bob Martin, fisheries biologist for the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department. "What makes Dolese trout seasons popular is most people travel a few blocks or miles to fish instead of hours of expensive travel."
According to Martin, successful trout anglers at Dolese should keep several colors of powerbaits as well as an assortment of other trout baits in their tackle box, as the best baits to use often change throughout the day. Anglers should have success using 4- to 6-pound test line equipped with a slip sinker and small hook. Along with powerbaits, choice baits include corn, small worms, small minnows, small spinners, jigs and spoons.
There is a daily limit of six trout per person during the Dolese Park Pond trout season. In addition, angling is permitted from the bank only, and each angler may only use one rod and reel while fishing for trout. Trout caught and placed on a stringer or otherwise held in possession cannot be released. Regulations for other species that may be caught at Dolese are available in the current "Oklahoma Fishing Guide" or online at wildlifedepartment.com.
Those fishing for trout at Dolese must purchase an annual state fishing license, unless exempt. In addition, an Oklahoma City Fishing Permit is required for anglers ages 16-61 unless exempt.
Dolese Youth Park and the H.B. Parsons Fish Hatchery are operated by the City of Oklahoma City's Parks and Recreation Department. For more information about trout fishing at Dolese and other Close to Home fishing opportunities, contact the city's H.B. Parsons Fish Hatchery at (405) 755-4014, visit the Lakes and Fishing page of the city's website at okc.gov, or log on to the Wildlife Department's website at wildlifedepartment.com.
Tulsa area residents also have an opportunity to fish for trout without venturing far from home. This Tulsa trout fishing opportunity is made possible by a partnership between the Trout Unlimited Oklahoma Chapter #420, the Tulsa Fly Fishers and Tulsa-based conservation group NatureWorks. Trout Unlimited Oklahoma Chapter #420, Tulsa Fly Fishers and NatureWorks are non-profit organizations working for statewide conservation issues. For more information about Trout Unlimited Oklahoma Chapter #420, log on to tulsaflyfishers.org. For more information about NatureWorks, log on to natureworks.org.
This year the selected pond is located in LaFortune Park at the corner of 51st Street and Hudson in Tulsa, and the season has been open since Dec. 26. The pond is stocked periodically.
"Children only" days are scheduled for Jan. 16, Feb. 20 and March 19. On these days fishing will be open to children under the age of 16 only, and children fishing on these days must be accompanied by an adult. The accompanying adult may fish on these days. All other days during the season will be open to all ages. All anglers over the age of 16 must have a valid Oklahoma fishing license. A bag limit of six trout per day per angler has been set, and catch and release of trout is discouraged.
Now is no time for cabin fever
With several open hunting seasons and some good fishing to be had across the state, most outdoorsmen know this is no time to be suffering from cabin fever.
While several important fall hunting seasons have come and gone, there are still several hunting opportunities available right now in Oklahoma, including seasons such as deer and turkey archery, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, furbearer and waterfowl. There also are hunting seasons for some species that are open year-round. Trout season is well-underway, and anglers can even pursue wintertime crappie, bass, striped bass and other sport fish on waters across Oklahoma.
"This is not the time to pack away all your gear until spring," said Nels Rodefeld, chief of information and education for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Instead, it's time to get out and enjoy the outdoors."
Oklahomans don't have to look far for a place to hunt or fish during the late season, either. The Wildlife Department maintains wildlife management areas in every part of the state that are open to public hunting, and lakes, ponds and rivers provide fishing access even during the coldest months. Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons, and hunters should consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" online at wildlifedepartment.com before going afield.
Open seasons at a glance
Deer archery – either sex through Jan. 15
Turkey fall archery – through Jan. 15
Squirrel – through Jan. 31
Furbearer – through Feb. 29
Pheasant – through Jan. 31
Quail – through Feb. 15
Rabbit – through March 15
Ducks, mergansers and coots – Panhandle through Jan. 4; Zone 1 through Jan. 22; Zone 2 through Jan. 29
Canada geese – through Feb. 12
White-fronted geese – through Feb. 5
Light geese (snow, blue and Ross') – through Feb. 12
(Conservation Order Light Goose Season – Feb. 13 - March 30, 2012)
Sandhill crane – through Jan. 22 (west of I-35 only)
See a soaring iconic symbol in Oklahoma now
Oklahoma's mild winters make the state a great fit for eagles during the coldest months of the year, and a number of opportunities are available to see one.
Wintering eagles begin arriving in Oklahoma in November and early December. Their numbers peak in January and February, and most birds have left for their northern breeding grounds by the end of March. Additionally, Oklahoma is home to a resident eagle population that has grown since the late 1980s from no birds to over 80 pairs. Eagle populations have fluctuated over time, and were once on the national endangered species list (from 1972 through 2007).
Today eagles are a common sight during the winter at lakes and reservoirs. A number of organized and self-guided eagle viewing opportunities at as many as 15 locations this winter are outlined on the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's website at wildlifedepartment.com.
Lakes and their spillways have historically served as reliable Oklahoma bald eagle viewing areas. Lakes with the highest concentration of eagles are Kaw, Keystone, Texoma, Tenkiller, Ft. Gibson, Grand, Canton, Great Salt Plains, Tishomingo and Spavinaw.
Specific bald eagle migration patterns vary each year depending on weather and other factors like severity of northern winters, and water discharges from individual reservoirs will often determine how attractive a particular lake is to bald eagles. These conditions can change overnight; therefore, a good wildlife viewing rule of thumb is to call ahead for up-to-date wildlife viewing information.
With a wingspan longer than seven feet, bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in Oklahoma are primarily found in the eastern and central portions of the state, and the peak viewing time for bald eagles in Oklahoma will extend into February.
To learn about eagle viewing sites and upcoming viewing events, tour dates and times, log on to wildlifedepartment.com and select the "Wildlife & Land Management" tab, then choose "Birds and Bats."


text: Wash and scrape celery before cutting in pieces, cook in boiling water until soft, and rub through a sieve. Scald milk with the onion, remove onion, and add milk to celery. Bind with butter and flour cooked together. Season with salt and pepper. Outer and old stalks of celery may be utilized for soups. Serve with croûtons, crisp crackers, or pulled bread.


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Jason Bateman
Michael Bluth Since playing the sanest member of the Bluth family, Bateman has had a steady string of movie roles, including parts in "Hancock," "Up in the Air" and "State of Play." Most recently, he starred in "The Change-Up," "Horrible Bosses" and "The Switch." (Bateman, Arnett and "Arrested" semi-regular Henry Winkler also did voice work on another "Arrested" offshoot, the forgettable animated FOX series "Sit Down, Shut Up.")
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By Drew Packham, NBA.com
LAS VEGAS — Adam Morrison looked like the Adam Morrison of old Wednesday night.
And as the player of few words put it, "the shots just went in."
Morrison scored 23 points to help the Clippers to an 86-80 win over the Spurs, going 9-for-13 from the field (2-for-3 from beyond the arc) and was aggressive in both taking the ball to the hole and hitting the step-back jumpers that drew raves since his days at Gonzaga.
"I got it going, and guys did a good job passing me the ball," said Morrison, who played 31 minutes for the second straight game in Las Vegas.
Morrison, trying to make a return to the NBA, latched on with the Brooklyn Nets in Orlando, averaging 5.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per game. Here, though, he's seeing more playing time and through two games is averaging 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds.
"I'm just trying show people I can play," Morrison said. "Move around, show them I'm healthy. We'll see what happens."
Non-rookie of the day: Tobias Harris enters his second season trying to find a spot in the Bucks' rotation. The small forward made a nice case Wednesday, scoring 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the Bucks' 78-75 loss to the Wizards. Other notables: Jimmy Butler scored 24 points with seven rebounds in the Bulls' 96-88 loss to the Raptors, a night after putting up 25 and seven in a loss to Boston.
Rookie of the day: The nod goes to John Henson, the Bucks' No 14 pick, who had 20 points and nine rebounds. Henson looked nice in the low post, controlling the boards and showing off some nice interior moves. Henson missed Milwaukee's first game with the flu, so this was the NBA's first look at the long big man out of UNC. Other notables: Houston's Royce White had a double-double in his final game of Summer League, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds. Other Rockets stood out in their win over Chicago: Terrence Jones had 17 points and nine rebounds, Jeremy Lamb scored 16, while undrafted point guard Scott Machado had 20 points and six assists. Raptors rookie Terrence Ross scored 21 in Toronto's win, while Atlanta's John Jenkins scored 21 in his finale for the Hawks in their 67-61 win over Dallas.
Coming up: Two teams wrap up their Las Vegas schedules Thursday: Raptors (4 p.m. ET vs. Knicks, NBA TV) and Kings (6:30 vs. Celtics, NBA TV). Two other games will be televised on NBA TV: Clippers-Lakers at 8:30 and Bobcats-Nuggets at 10:30. Also showing on NBA TV replay: Cavs-Wolves at 3 a.m. ET.


text: As every space enthusiast knows, we will land people on Mars within 20 years. Of course, we've been 20 years away from Mars for the last half-century. Between 1950 and 2000, NASA and various independent groups have come up with more than 1,000 detailed studies for manned Mars missions. Yet not a single one has come very close to fruition. At least on paper, Mars remains an eventual NASA goal, with their latest Curiosity rover seen in some ways as a precursor to human missions. "Today, the wheels of Curiosity have begun to blaze the trail for human footprints on Mars," said the agency's administrator Charles Bolden after the rover's successful landing on Aug. 5. Despite this, Mars is not really on the agency's radar. After their Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) probe, set to launch in 2013, NASA has no concrete plans for the Red Planet. "Certainly, nobody's really serious about sending people to Mars right now," said historian David Portree, Wired Science's resident spaceflight history expert and Beyond Apollo blogger. There are still plenty of ideas out there, ranging from the extremely ambitious — such as Elon Musk's desire to fly to the Red Planet in the next two decades – to the completely bizarre – like the MarsOne reality-show/one-way-suicide-mission combo. Here we take a look at historical Mars plans, both crazy and sane, and the few that really stood a good chance at becoming reality. The von Braun Paradigm The rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun was one of the first people to come up with a detailed manned Mars mission based on sound science and engineering. Before he joined NASA, von Braun wrote a book called Das Marsprojekt, published in West Germany in 1952. In it, he envisioned a grandiose Mars exploration plan with ten 4,000-ton spaceships capable of taking 70 crewmembers to the Red Planet. Once at Mars, several astronauts would descend to the surface on winged spacecraft that landed on skis at the Martian polar ice cap. They would then complete a 4,000-mile overland trek to the equator to build a basecamp and landing pad to allow the others to descend (at least you can't accuse von Braun of thinking small!). A scaled-down version of this epic mission famously appeared to American audiences in a series of articles between 1952 and 1954 in Collier's magazine. The plans also served as part of the inspiration for Walt Disney's 1957 ABC program Mars and Beyond, which you can still see in its charming entirety online. Though popularly known, these missions never had any serious support from a space agency and no one knows how much they would have cost. Von Braun estimated in Das Marsprojekt that fuel alone would come to $500 million – about $4 billion in today's currency. They also suffered from a lack of knowledge about interplanetary space; von Braun's spaceships heavily defended against micrometeoroids but not against radiation. And Mars' atmosphere is now known to be far too thin to support the type of winged landers in his plans. Image: NASA/Ames Research CenterNASA's First Plans With Mars making an extra-close approach to the Earth in 1971, many NASA officials and engineers had the Red Planet fixed firmly in their sights during the 1960s. "Probably the golden age of planning at NASA was this era," said historian David Portree. The earliest mission ideas, coming from Lewis Research Center (now Glenn) in Ohio, set the archetype for most subsequent plans. A nuclear rocket would be assembled in Earth orbit with a crew of seven and fired to Mars. At the target, a two-man descent vehicle would land on the Martian surface. The astronauts would explore for a period of time and return to Martian orbit using a traditional chemically-fueled oxygen-hydrogen rocket, where they would rendezvous with the other crewmembers and return to Earth. But any Mars plans got relegated to the back burner in 1961 when President Kennedy called for NASA to get a man to the moon and return him safely by the end of the decade. Still, the importance of spaceflight during this period spurred interest in manned Mars missions. The Early Manned Planetary-Interplanetary Roundtrip Expeditions (EMPIRE) would have sent a small crew to flyby Mars and then Venus. Though astronauts in these mission ideas would not have landed, they could have released probes to the surface of the planets and returned tremendous data, which until then was severely lacking. The crew could have remote-controlled robots to accomplish tasks they couldn't do autonomously and even planned to have a sample return from the Martian surface – a prize still coveted by scientists today. Portree thinks that EMPIRE-style missions might have come the closest of any manned Mars mission to actually happening. It could have been done with Apollo-era technology and was seriously considered by the U.S. Congress. But after Apollo 1 suffered a terrible fire in 1967 that killed its three crewmembers, Congress was no longer in the mood to fund elaborate interplanetary schemes. "It's interesting to think about what could have been if there hadn't been an Apollo 1 fire," Portree said. Read More: Manned Mars Surface Missions (1966) Image: Philco Aeronutronic/NASAThe Case for Mars After the successful manned moon landing, many at NASA and elsewhere thought the agency would move on to the next logical step: Mars. Yet throughout the 1970s, exactly the opposite happened. NASA's last manned Mars plans came in 1971 and the agency pivoted to low-Earth orbit with ideas for the Space Shuttle and a space station. "It was very career-limiting in the 1970s to talk of anything beyond the station and shuttle," Portree said. Congress was interested in funding what was right in front of them. Going to the moon had been done for political reasons and, lacking anything comparable for Mars, they had no time to go to the Red Planet. For a decade, few Mars missions were proposed. So folks took it upon themselves to brainstorm ideas outside of NASA. In 1981 engineers working with NASA and calling themselves the "Mars Underground" began organizing a series of conferences that met every three years to plan for a permanent Mars base. In 1983, the Planetary Society — a non-profit space advocacy group – created one of the most detailed Mars mission ideas since the '60s. The plan required 18 space shuttle launches to build a four-person vehicle that would spin to provide one-quarter Earth gravity during the trip to Mars. Three crewmembers would descend to the surface to conduct experiments and explore. All would return to Earth 18 months later. But the 1986 Challenger accident put to rest the idea that people would be using shuttle technology to create manned Mars plans. The misfortune came as a big blow to many advocates who thought the shuttle would create easy and constant access to space. Read More: Visions of Spaceflight Circa 2001 (1984) Image: A spinning spaceship like this one could have provided artificial gravity for astronauts. NASANASA's Wildest Plan Renewed interest in manned Mars missions outside of NASA pushed the agency to come up with their own detailed plans starting in the late 1970s. Unfortunately, they ended up putting possibly the worst person in charge of the effort: former administrator Thomas Paine. "I think Paine had watched a little too much Star Trek," Portree said. "He had such grandiose ideas that he scared everybody." Paine's plan started with re-conquering and industrializing the moon with new vehicles such as nuclear space tugs and fully reusable space shuttles. Hundred-man space stations would have floated in Earth orbit, and astronauts would have been ferried back and forth to a moon base on the new spaceships. When one vehicle reached the end of its lifetime, it would be launched off to Mars to be used for building a space station and infrastructure there. This elaborate scheme would have required 20 Saturn V launches a year (each at a cost of $500 million) and needed many more billions to fully complete its vision. "It helped create the idea that sending people to Mars has to be huge and costly," Portree said. Even Werner von Braun, with his own ambitious Mars plans thought Paine's ideas were over the top. When the long and detailed report came in 1984, the Reagan administration gladly accepted it and then put it on a shelf, never to be looked at. Read More: Integrated Program Plan "Maximum Rate" Traffic Model (1970) Images: 1) Nuclear rockets such as this could have taken people to Mars. NASA/Glenn Research Center 2) An overview of Paine's ambitious plan. NASA Marshall Space Flight CenterSally Ride's Mission to Earth Former astronaut Sally Ride – the first American woman in space – headed a NASA commission in the 1980s charged planning the agency's future. Her "Leadership and America's Future in Space" gave NASA one thing it has seriously lacked since Apollo: a vision. "I really like the Ride plan, which did not invoke nuclear propulsion or other new technology," Portree said. "It's very pragmatic." Ride's idea was not a detailed blueprint, instead acknowledging that NASA's priorities and technology development cannot always be foreseen 20 years in the future. She offered a flexible guide with options that leaders could choose from. The first and cheapest option was called the Mission to Planet Earth and outlined a program to use satellites and robots to better understand our planet and its changes. Slightly more expensive and ambitious would be plans to send out robotic missions to explore the solar system. An evolutionary outpost on the moon could be an additional step. Finally, Ride suggested a series of manned round trips to the surface of Mars that would not be a political stunt like Apollo but a genuine plan to establish a Martian base. These four potential schemes were independent of one another and could be ramped up or down in a variety of ways. Depending on funding and public and political will, some could be executed while others could be left on the shelf. Read More: Piloted Split/Sprint Mission to Mars (1987) Image: NASA/Glenn Research CenterBush and the Space Exploration Initiative The early 1990s saw renewed interest in Mars. The first President Bush surprised many when he called for a Space Exploration Initiative to revitalize NASA. The president may have been naive in hoping for a Kennedy moment and made his bold declaration calling for a return to the moon and Mars mission without fully preparing everyone. "Most people seemed stunned," Portree said. "I think the only one who looked really happy about it was Barbara [Bush]." The Space Exploration Initiative uprooted a lot of the established plans and started over from scratch. Johnson Space Center took over mission planning and began generating new ideas. A space station was called for by 2000, followed by a lunar base, and a Mars expedition after 2010. The manned Mars mission plans that came from this era would require three different expeditions. Each would build on the capabilities of the last and generate an eventual Martian base. In addition, astronauts would set up a propellant station on Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos to help future travelers "That was an interesting time and a lot of interesting work got done," Portree said. But the Bush plans were more about giving defense contractors something to do after the end of the Cold War rather than about truly exploring the solar system. The $440 billion price tag also scared many members of Congress. In the end, the Space Exploration Initiative was forgotten almost as quickly as it was put together. Image: NASA/Glenn Research CenterThe Future on Mars A second round of Mars plans came under the second round of Bush administrations in the 2000s. The Constellation program would have built new spacecraft to return to the moon and undertake a mission to Mars in the 2030s. A lot of the plans came from the previous Space Exploration Initiative, combined with ideas taken from the Mars Direct project to create the current NASA ideas, the Design Reference Architecture (.pdf) Delayed and overbudget, the Constellation program was unceremoniously shoved aside during the early days of President Obama's administration. Though many of the same goals have been kept around, such as a manned asteroid mission and a sketchily planned human mission to Mars, NASA is not actively developing anything for now. Perhaps the future lies with ideas that have started bubbling up in recent years. The latest mission strategy would not land humans on Mars — which would require copious amounts of fuel, new vehicles, extensive research, and the possibility of exposing people to radiation and corrosive dust – but would use robots on the surface controlled by humans in Martian orbit to undertake scientific exploration. "I think if you send a nice, comfortable spacecraft with a good balance of people and plenty of room, this makes for an interesting notion," Portree said. Image: 1) Humans could explore Phobos and build a base to control robots on Mars. Pat Rawlings/NASA 2) A teleoperated Centaur-style robot on Mars. Carter Emmart/NASA Ames Research Center


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Very British and very adult, A&E's terrific "Armadillo" calls attention to the fact that American telepics on the whole are rushed, edgeless melodramas. At three hours — and with some heavy accents — this BBC co-production isn't likely to capture much of an aud, even when compared with the cabler's only modestly successful recent original, "Shackleton," but anyone who can wait it out will be rewarded with an intricate "programme" full of substance to burn.
Basic cabler financed "Armadillo" with the Beeb, which aired it in three parts last year, and the partners' biggest coup was to get Almeida Theater a.d. Howard Davies to direct. His stagings of, among other plays, "The Iceman Cometh," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and, most recently, Tony winner "Private Lives" have generated suitable praise for their complex characterizations, a command of dialogue and an attention to actors.
That sure is the case here — James Frain heads a top-notch ensemble through the passageways of the mind, through layer after layer of love and loneliness. Based on his book, screenwriter William Boyd has down cold the tiers of a man, from the things he does to seek professional pats on the back to the lengths he will travel in order to kiss the woman of his dreams.
Frain is Lorimer Black, a tactful and kindhearted insurance loss adjuster prone to nightly panic attacks and visits to a sleep-deprivation clinic. After the opening scene in which he is walking through what appears to be a burned-out mannequin factory, looking like something of a hitman due to his dark glasses, a mysterious "bag" and his decision to sleep around, he comes across a hanging body.
Despite the creepy allusions, it's eventually disclosed that Black is more simple than complex, a day worker who has no girlfriend and a strange family that he visits often but with eyes rolled. (Title comes from the way Black seems to hide from the world within a protective shield and a specific, centuries-old artifact he covets.) Mum is always in the kitchen cooking her worries away, and dad is mentally gone, a shadow of the person he once was who now doesn't speak and watches cricket nonstop on a bedroom television. Things are made worse by his sisters, hangers-on who beg Black for a few hundred quid every now and then, and who never made an existence for themselves outside a small flat.
While trying to forget that body, Black finds himself in the middle of an insurance scam that reaches beyond what he's accustomed to. The soon-to-be-completed Fedora Palace hotel is destroyed after a small fire started by a couple of subcontractors gets out of hand. Swooping in to buy the land is an unknown South American, and, since the city plot had never been on the market, Black starts to wonder how something so valuable could sell so quickly after an "unfortunate accident."
At first just a normal path of research that involves a few shady characters, the purchase eventually uncovers a house of cards that reaches everyone at his employer, Fortress Sure. The possible culprits include stuffy CEO Sir Simon Sherriffmuir (James Fox) and George Hogg (Stephen Rea), a whack-job of a boss who spouts crazy adages and shows up at all of the wrong moments. Seemingly harmless but always holding the specter of unemployment over Black, Hogg is the antithesis of the voice of reason, someone who might know more than we think he does, and appears threatening and explosive.
Providing much of the comic relief is another colleague, Torquil Helvior-Jayne (Hugh Bonneville), a gregarious jerk-of-all-jerks who yells at waitresses — then asks them out — and invites himself to stay over at Black's pad when his wife files for divorce. "Armadillo's" wild man, Torquil comes across as someone with ties that run deep inside the company's corrupt side, but whether he's a willing participant is one of Black's primary concerns.
Black, then, is the straightest arrow of the bunch who falls under some strange circumstances. To deal with his caving professional life, his most exciting outlet is Flavia Malinverno (Catherine McCormack), a jittery — and married — actress who pops up in one of Fortress Sure's commercials. Certain that a meeting with her is destined since he saw her in a cab and then moments later on TV, he devotes his free time to tracking her down and trying to form some sort of bond.
With time to develop the story and its players, Davies and Boyd, a la Mike Leigh, highlight random events in order to establish Black's normalcy. His art appreciation, his attraction to identity shifts (fake sideburns, rings) and his violent outbursts all seem unconnected until placed in the context of Black as a regular guy who simply has a weird side. To their credit, helmer and writer have done a sublime job at making everyone here completely believable despite oddball personalities, affinities and hardships.
To that end, the thesps are tops all around. Leading the charge is Frain, who has popped up occasionally in Hollywood fare ("Reindeer Games," "Where the Heart Is") while cementing his rep in more noble pics like "Hilary and Jackie," "Titus" and "Elizabeth." Playing Black as kind but a little disturbed, he turns in an ace perf as a suave looker with issues who gets taken advantage of until he just loses it.
Supporting troupe is strong all around, from the beautiful McCormack, whose role is written a bit thin but who radiates as a pretty face looking for a soft touch, and the always solid Rea, who overacts with zeal and malice. The pin-up of the group, however, is Bonneville, who takes a company man and turns him into a layered, almost manic creation; his interpretation of a terrible but fun-loving father-husband-friend is a joy to watch.
A very moody production is highlighted by James Welland's rough-edge lensing that takes full advantage of England's rainy season, the cigar-and-sherry inner workings of corporations, and London's streets. Kevin Lester's deliberate editing takes on an almost mesmerizing quality due to its vastly understated pacing — a welcome trait that Stateside madefors can't seem to grasp.


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May 27, 2009
May 27, 2009
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Sophomore Kate Grace earned All-East honors for her first-place finish at the ECAC Championships in Princeton, N.J. May 15-16. She won the 800-meter run in 2:08.44. She was the only Ivy League athlete to win her event. Grace holds the second-fastest time on Yale's outdoor all-time list in the event, for her 2:06.12 finish at NCAA Regionals last year. Grace also earned All-East honors in the 800-meter run at the indoor Championships in March, and All-Ivy honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Grace will compete in the NCAA Regional Championships at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C. on May 29-30.


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R&B STAR Usher's stepson is fighting for his life in Georgia after he was badly injured in a boating accident on a lake outside Atlanta, according to news reports.
Kyle Glover, 11, and a 15-year-old girl were on an inner tube towed by a speedboat on Lake Lanier when a jet ski operated by a man in their group hit the tube, TV station WXIA reports.
Glover and the girl, whose name was not released, sustained serious injuries and were evacuated to a nearby hospital, where they remain in critical condition.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials are investigating the incident. An agency spokesman told WXIA that alcohol was not a factor.
Glover is the son of Usher's ex-wife Tameka Foster. Usher and Foster have two sons from their 2007 marriage, which ended in divorce two years later.
Despite a bitter divorce and ongoing custody battle, the famous crooner hired a private jet to deliver Foster to her injured son, TMZ.com reports. Ben Chapman


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It shall be the duty of the secretary or corresponding principal officer of each labor organization, in the case of a local labor organization, to forward a copy of each collective bargaining agreement made by such labor organization with any employer to any employee who requests such a copy and whose rights as such employee are directly affected by such agreement, and in the case of a labor organization other than a local labor organization, to forward a copy of any such agreement to each constituent unit which has members directly affected by such agreement; and such officer shall maintain at the principal office of the labor organization of which he is an officer copies of any such agreement made or received by such labor organization, which copies shall be available for inspection by any member or by any employee whose rights are affected by such agreement. The provisions of section 440 of this title shall be applicable in the enforcement of this section.
29 U.S. Code § 414 - Right to copies of collective bargaining agreements
(Pub. L. 86–257, title I, § 104, Sept. 14, 1959, 73 Stat. 523.)


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Exploring all things puffin - the silly and the serious, the scientific and the cultural.
You know we're leaving the EU but this is the story of how the UK got here.
Adrian Goldberg wonders if he should get a German passport pre-Brexit
Eddie Mair follows the public inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017.
A couple from last year on infidelity. Next week we'll hear what happened next.
Politicians and public figures talk candidly over lunch with reporter Becky Milligan.
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This month's Papercrafting Kit is full of color, amazing exclusives and versatile embellishments as seen below is these amazing layouts from the team (can you guess who did what?? I can!!) . . .
The Artisian Add-On has many 3-Dimensional extras to take your layouts one step further. . .
And this month's Antiquarian Kit is a collage/mixed media artist's dream with some great vintage/antique smalls that I have been hoarding to put in a kit together - this just seemed like the perfect time! Check out the early large keyplate with chippy paint - yummy!!. . .
And wait until you see what Doris has done with this month's Project Kit (not to mention how the team is using the contents in the gallery on their own projects). . .
And of course we have several new additions to the This Month's Finds area of the Flea Market including some more cameras. . .
A cool clock . . .
another sweet stove. . .
and another child's typewriter, just to name a few!!
Happy shopping! Everything goes up tonight at midnight central time!
Oh- and no photo here, but all of the last 6 month's of exclusive Mercantile clear stamps are now available under stamps in the General Store!