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Three Rivers WMA more popular than ever
In its third year of existence, Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area is more popular than ever with Oklahoma hunters and anglers.
Located in McCurtain County, Three Rivers WMA comprises 450,000 acres of timberland in the rugged hill country of the Ouachita Mountains. To provide continued public access to the area, Weyerhaeuser and the Wildlife Department formed a landmark joint partnership in which the Department agreed to provide personnel to improve wildlife habitat on the area, and also to provide law enforcement personnel to reduce vandalism and other illegal activities.
As a result of the partnership, Three Rivers WMA is now a showcase attraction for sportsmen not only in southeast Oklahoma, but throughout the state, said Alan Peoples, assistant chief of the Department's wildlife division.
"Since 1997, when Weyerhaeuser and the Department forged the agreement to keep these lands open to the public, Three Rivers WMA has proven to be a tremendous asset for the sportsmen of Oklahoma," Peoples said. "Maintaining public access to this area was an important accomplishment that will go a long way to preserving and enriching Oklahoma's hunting heritage. Weyerhaeuser deserves a lot of credit for joining with us to form this partnership, but we also owe a debt of gratitude to the silent partners in this endeavor, the sportsmen who showed their support by purchasing the Land Access Fee Permit to use the area."
In order to use or otherwise access Three Rivers WMA, visitors must purchase an annual Land Access Fee Permit. It costs $16 for residents, $25 for non-residents, and it also extends access privileges to 260,000-acre Honobia Creek WMA, located nearby in Pushmataha and LeFlore counties.
In fiscal year 1999, sportsmen purchased 15,726 resident Land Access Fee permits and 1,963 non-resident permits, generating a total of $283,002. That's a huge increase from fiscal year 1998, when sportsmen purchased 4,060 resident Land Access Fee Permits and 622 non-resident permits, generating $75,828.
All funds raised through the sale of Land Access Fee Permits are used for wildlife habitat improvement and law enforcement efforts on Three Rivers and Honobia Creek WMAs, Peoples said. Therefore, public support is critical not only for wildlife management on the area, but for continued public access, in general.
Composed primarily of mixed oak and pine forests, Three Rivers and Honobia Creek WMAs support large numbers of white-tailed deer and eastern wild turkey, as well as plentiful numbers of small game such as rabbits and squirrels. The area also supports an abundance of non-game wildlife, particularly songbirds.
Several highland streams flow through both areas, offering excellent fishing opportunities for a number of game species, particularly smallmouth bass.
Outdoor Oklahoma hits deer hotspots
If you're trying to decide where to spend your deer season this fall, the "1999 Big Game Report," published in the September/October issue of Outdoor Oklahoma, can answer your most important questions.
Packed with harvest information and statistics from every county in Oklahoma, the "1999 Big Game Report" accounts for every legally harvested whitetail deer in the state last season. It provides harvest breakdowns for both bucks and does from every Oklahoma county and wildlife management area. It also breaks down individual harvests during the modern gun, archery and muzzleloader seasons.
In addition, the "1999 Big Game Report" also examines current trends relating to Oklahoma's annual deer harvest to help hunters select a hunting spot based on solid information rather than guesswork. A special feature examines the tremendous deer hunting opportunities available at Three Rivers and Honobia Creek wildlife management areas.
Along with that for white-tailed deer, the "1999 Big Game Report" contains valuable information from last year's elk and antelope harvests, as well as data on last year's mule deer harvest.
One of Outdoor Oklahoma's most popular annual features, the "1999 Big Game Report" highlights the thought-provoking articles that have become the hallmark of the award-winning magazine. Other articles in the Sept./Oct. issue include a feature on float fishing Oklahoma's mountain streams, along with a special sidebar that explains how the Department is trying to improve fishing opportunities and access on these streams. Another feature focuses on bird banding at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge and Ft. Gibson Waterfowl Refuge. Also, the popular "Getting Started" feature explains everything you need to know to enjoy camping. Also, a sidebar highlights some of the best places in the state to spend a night under the stars.
Outdoor Oklahoma is available on newsstands, or by sending $3 to Outdoor Oklahoma, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Subscriptions to the bi-monthly magazine are $10 per year, $18 for two years and $25 for three years. Order by calling 1-800-777-0019.
States face challenges for wildlife funding
According to a recent survey, states lack the funding necessary to conserve most of our nation's wildlife species.
Conducted by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA), the survey, titled, "State Wildlife Diversity Program Funding: A 1998 Survey," presents state-by-state funding information and comparisons. It found that program funding for species not hunted or fished totaled $134.9 million nationwide in 1998. Although this funding has doubled since 1992, it still falls far short of the $1 billion that biologists estimate is needed to protect and conserve the 2,000 species (90% of our nation's fish and wildlife) that are not pursued by sportsmen.
"Every state fish and wildlife agency faces tremendous challenges trying to conserve a diverse array of wildlife, plus provide for recreation and education, on a shoestring budget," said Max Peterson, IAFWA executive vice president. "User fees paid by sportsmen primarily finance state wildlife agencies, so these funds are mostly used for conservation of game species and are not sufficient to address the needs of all species."
Oklahoma is one of 14 states having less than $500,000 available annually for the conservation of non-game wildlife resources, said Ron Suttles, natural resources coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Twenty-eight states spent less than $1 million. Only nine states had $2 million or more to conserve hundreds of fish and wildlife species.
"Oklahoma has worked hard to find alternative funding sources at the state level," Suttles said. "The Wildlife Diversity Program, which is responsible for management of the state's non-game wildlife, receives revenue from five funding sources, including a wildlife tax check-off, sales of license plates, private donations, merchandise sales, and a percentage of field license revenues.
"Although these funding sources raised just over $140,000 for the program during fiscal year 1999, this amount is down by $70,000 from 1983 revenues," he added. "Since that time, the number of rare and threatened wildlife species has continued to increase, while the funds dedicated to their conservation has never even kept pace."
Many other states mirror Oklahoma's financial circumstances. As a result, more than 1,000 species are currently listed under the Endangered Species Act, and hundreds more are under consideration for listing. Adequate and reliable funding would help states reverse this trend and prevent species from becoming endangered in a more flexible manner at far less cost.
Overall, less than 15% of state fish and wildlife funding is targeted at the conservation of 90% of our nation's fish and wildlife species, the report concluded.
"State agencies have scarcely enough funding for game species conservation," Peterson said. "However, dedicated funding sources make a tremendous difference for those programs derived primarily from hunting and fishing licenses and from excise taxes paid by hunters and anglers. We believe it is time to infuse fish and wildlife agencies with the additional reliable funding they need to repeat the success stories of the past for all species."
The U.S. Congress is considering two bills that promise to go a long way toward remedying the funding shortage before more species become endangered. The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 701/S.25) contains funding for state wildlife diversity under their Title III sections.
For more information and copies of the report, contact IAFWA at 202/624-7890, or visit IAFWA's web site: www.sso.org/iafwa.
Special deer hunts at Ft. Cobb State Park
Citing concerns from area residents, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Department of Parks and Tourism have agreed to hold three special deer hunts at Fort Cobb State Park this fall.
The first hunt will be a Controlled Youth Hunt on Oct. 16-17, followed by a Controlled Primitive Firearms Hunt on Oct. 23-24. The last hunt will be a Controlled Archery Hunt on Dec. 18-19.
The hunts are necessary because the deer herd in and around Ft. Cobb State Park has become seriously overpopulated, said Paul Cornett, game warden for the Department in Caddo County. Deer are causing extensive damage to agricultural crops and posing a significant safety hazard to motorists. Hunting is the most effective management strategy used to control whitetail deer populations, and these hunts offer additional opportunities for Oklahoma hunters to enjoy a high-quality hunting experience.
"These hunts are necessary to manage a rapidly expanding deer herd at Fort Cobb State Park," Cornett said. "The damage caused by crop depredation is tremendous. Deer/vehicle collisions are almost a daily occurrence, so we also have some very serious safety concerns. There are just so many deer in this area, and this hunt is the best way to start getting that herd under control."
Although hunting opportunities will be generous, Cornett said a high hunter success rate would not damage the deer herd at the park. If anything, the projected harvest is very conservative, he added, but it is an important step in getting the herd under control.
For the Controlled Youth and Controlled Primitive hunts, the Department will issue a total of 70 antlerless deer permits (35 permits for each hunt) through a special drawing that will be held Oct. 1 at the Department's headquarters in Oklahoma City. The Department will issue 50 permits for the Controlled Archery Hunt. Permit applications must be received at Department headquarters no later than 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 30.
Any youth between ages 12-14 on the date of the hunt can apply for the Controlled Youth Hunt. To participate, however, youths who draw a permit must have successfully completed a hunter education course before the hunt date. Participants will be restricted to using either primitive firearms or shotguns with slugs only. A non-hunting adult must accompany each participant. The companion will not be required to possess an Oklahoma hunting license.
The drawings for the Controlled Primitive Firearms Hunt and the Controlled Archery Hunt will be open to any legal hunter. As many as four hunters may apply for one hunt on the same application. Separate applications are required to apply for both hunts. Deer taken during these hunts will be considered a bonus deer and will not count against an individual's aggregate limit.
To apply for any of these hunts, applicants must send a sheet of paper or index card titled, "Fort Cobb Controlled Hunt Application." The application must contain the hunter's name, mailing address, telephone number and birthdate. For the youth hunt, applications must include the name of the hunting partner. Applicants must also specify which hunt they are applying for. To make it easier to sort applications, applicants should also write the name of their preferred hunt on the outside of the envelope. Applications must be received at Department headquarters no later than 4:30 p.m., Sept. 30. The drawing will be held Oct. 1 at 8 a.m. Successful applicants will be notified by mail or by visiting the Department's headquarters.
Applications must be sent to Fort Cobb Controlled Deer Hunts, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105 City. You can also fax your application by dialing 405/521-6535.
Archery deer season opens Oct. 6
As September draws to a close, bowhunters across the state are counting the days until Oct. 6, the opening day of archery deer season.
The first of Oklahoma's big game seasons, the early archery deer season is one of the most popular activities available to Oklahoma hunters. The season actually occurs in two segments, from Oct. 6-Nov. 19 and Nov. 29-Dec. 31, allowing nearly three full months of hunting opportunity. Although increasing numbers of hunters are taking up the sport, Richard Hatcher, chief of wildlife for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said the early archery deer season still allows hunters an excellent chance of success without much competition from other hunters.
"Many hunters enjoy the early archery season because they believe the lack of pressure improves their chances of taking a quality buck," Hatcher said. "It's an enjoyable time to be in the woods whether you harvest a deer or not, and that appeals to a lot of folks, too. For the most part, you're hunting deer that haven't been spooked by a lot of human activity in the woods, so the animals are more natural in their day-to-day activities."
Besides the extra opportunities, many hunters enjoy bowhunting because it presents a greater challenge than hunting with modern firearms. Shots are usually limited to less than 20 yards, and getting that close to an animal requires exceptional woodsmanship and concealment skills, not to mention advanced abilities at reading and interpreting deer sign. Actually taking a deer with bow and arrow is considered an ultimate test of skill, and ending a hunt successfully requires a perfect blend of many elements.
"Most bowhunters are already accomplished gun hunters, so they tend to be pretty knowledgeable about deer and hunting in general," Hatcher said. "They feel it takes them to another level, and they also tend to be pretty selective about the deer they choose to harvest."
During the 1998 archery deer seasons, bowhunters harvested 12,220 whitetail deer - more than 15 percent of the total deer harvest. Of those, 6,575 were bucks. This year, bowhunters will be allowed to take up to four deer, only three of which may be antlered. For more information, consult the 1999-2000 Oklahoma Hunting Regulations, available at all license dealers and most sporting goods outlets statewide.
Safety comes first for bowhunters
When archery deer season starts Oct. 6, bowhunters should take extra care to ensure that the 1999 season is a safe and enjoyable experience.
Though one of the safest outdoor pursuits, bowhunting has some inherent risks that result in a number of accidents every year. Most of those are not caused by mishandling a bow or misidentifying a target, but from falling out of treestands. More than half of Oklahoma's bowhunters use treestands to gain better visibility over their hunting areas, said J.D. Peer, hunter education coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, allowing hunters to elude the sharp senses of whitetail deer by getting above the animal's lines of sight and smell.
Unfortunately, there's always a risk of danger when you leave the ground, so it's not surprising that some hunters suffer severe injuries every year by falling from their treestands.
"Most bowhunters in Oklahoma hunt out of some sort of elevated stand, and a number of things can happen that could result in an injury-producing accident," Peer said "By taking a few extra precautions, hunters can virtually eliminate the threat of hunting-related accidents this autumn. All it takes is some common sense and paying a little extra attention to detail."
The most important aspect of treestand safety is to use a safety strap or harness. They cost between $20 - $60 and are considered standard equipment by all hunters who use elevated stands.
"A safety belt or harness is cheap life insurance," Peer said. "If a mishap occurs in a stand, these devices can save you from death or severe injuries. I strongly recommend them for anyone who hunts from any kind of elevated stand."
Many hunters use portable treestands, but some hunters erect permanent stands on their own property or on leased property. However, stands that aren't built from treated lumber will deteriorate over time and become unsafe, even though they appear structurally sound.
"No matter how long you've been hunting a certain stand, you always have to check it out before you start using it," Peer said. "Quite a few hunters have been hurt over the years from falling when they leaned against a rail or grabbed a rail and it collapsed."
One way to reduce the chance of an accident is to avoid carrying gear into the stand. Before climbing into a stand, tie a rope to your gear and leave it on the ground. Once you're safely in your stand and have secured your safety belt, use the rope to pull your gear into the stand.
Also, bowhunters should remember that any mishap involving broadhead arrows can be serious. To eliminate the threat of injury, Peer recommends carrying arrows in a case that secures the broadheads.
"Anyone who's ever bowhunted has dropped an arrow at one time or another," Peer said. "If you drop an arrow, go down and get it, even if deer are moving. Arrows can land with the head pointing up, and if something happens that causes you to land on it, you could bleed to death before you can make it to your pickup."
Fortunately, bowhunters rarely shoot one another. However, the possibility still exists when you consider that bowhunters are usually attired in camo from head to toe. In low-light situations, an inexperienced hunter could make a bad decision. To avoid making a tragic mistake, bowhunters must be extremely careful and observant before they pull the string. First, know your limits and your abilities. Never shoot at anything beyond your range of confidence. Most importantly, identify your target before shooting.
Other tips to improve safety during bow season include:
* Wearing blaze orange when entering and leaving the woods. You can put the garment in your pack when you reach your destination.
* Never carry a deer across your shoulders when removing it from the woods. In fact, Peer said it's also a good idea to drape some sort of blaze orange garment over a deer before moving it.
* Hunt with a partner. If you hunt alone, tell someone exactly where you're going to be hunting and when you expect to return. If you haven't returned after a reasonable amount of time, they'll be able to call someone to look for you.
Commission approves waterfowl seasons
At its regular September meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the dates for the 1999-2000 Oklahoma waterfowl hunting seasons.
Except for date changes to allow opening the split seasons on Saturdays, the 1999-2000 duck seasons are essentially the same as they were last year, said Richard Hatcher, chief of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Wildlife Division. Waterfowl Zones 1 and II will have 74 days available for duck hunting. Duck hunting will be allowed for 97 days in the three panhandle counties.
Limits will also be the same, except that the daily limit on scaup will be three instead of six.
The season for Canada geese will be 95 days this year, while the season for white-fronted geese increases from 72 days to 86 days.
"With the largest number of breeding ducks ever recorded in the northern pothole region, autumn should bring one of the largest fall flights of migrating waterfowl in recent history," Hatcher said. "Duck populations are in excellent condition, and we're hoping that translates to excellent prospects for Oklahoma's waterfowl hunters."
In another waterfowl related matter, the Commission accepted a donation of $22,500 from Ducks Unlimited. The donation will be used to purchase a portable pump and power unit to seasonally flood the Overcup Bottoms Wetland Development Unit, which is part of the Oologah Wildlife Management Area in Nowata County. John R. Belz, A DU representative from Jackson, Miss., presented the donation.
"Ducks Unlimited is one of the Department's strongest supporters, and they've helped us on all of the 40 wetland development areas in the state," Hatcher said. "We are very grateful for the partnership we have with this fine organization, and for their contributions to developing and enhancing waterfowl habitat in our state."
In other business, the Commission voted not to approve a process to seek proposals from non-profit or charitable organizations to auction two hunts for the year 2000. In 1998, the Oklahoma Legislature granted the Commission the authority to offer as many as five hunts outside the regular hunting seasons. In 1999, the Department offered one bull elk permit on Cookson Hills Wildlife Management Area and a spring turkey hunt at the McCurtain County Wilderness Area. By offering these hunts through a public auction, the Department raised $10,750.
Also, the Commission voted to postpone taking action on a proposal to close the Poteau River and its tributaries to commercial mussel harvest. The Commission voted to delay action while more information is gathered about the issue.
In his monthly financial statement, Robert Taylor, the Department's fiscal services coordinator reported that license sales were down less than one percent from fiscal year 1999. The Department's total revenue is up 10 percent from this time last year, he added, while total expenditures are up five percent.
In June, Taylor added, Lifetime License sales increased more than 24 percent from June 1998, but in July they decreased 11 percent. However, Lifetime License sales increased almost 9 percent from July 1998.
In addition, sales of the Land Access Fee (permit) for Three Rivers and Honobia Creek wildlife management areas were more than $283,000 in fiscal year 1999, compared to $75,828 in FY-98.
Also, Taylor updated the Commission about the Department's Y2K preparations. To that end, he said, the Department has almost finished the claims portion of the Y2K conversion and has shifted its emphasis to upgrading its Universal Licensing System.
In personnel-related matters, the Commission recognized two employees for 25 years of continual service, and three employees for 20 years of continual service. Honored for 25 years of service were Rex Umber, central region senior biologist and Don Woodward, technician for the fisheries division. Honored for 20 years of service were game wardens Carlos Gomez, Larry Luman and Terry Swallow.
The Commission's next meeting will be Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. at the Department's headquarters in Oklahoma City.
Generous season awaits waterfowlers
Thanks to record populations of ducks and geese in the Prairie Pothole Region, Oklahoma waterfowl hunters will enjoy bountiful opportunities afield this fall.
Approved Monday by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, Oklahoma's waterfowl seasons will have slight variations in different parts of the state. Duck Zone I, which takes in most of northwest Oklahoma north of I-40 and US-183, and west of I-35, will have a split season. The first half runs Oct. 30 - Dec. 5, and the second split runs Dec. 11 - Jan. 16. The rest of the state, except for the panhandle, is in Duck Zone II, which will also have a split season. The first half runs Nov. 6 - Dec. 5, and the second half will be Dec. 11 - Jan. 23.
In the panhandle, the season will run continuously from Oct. 9 - Jan. 13.
The seasons are essentially the same as last year, said Mike O'Meilia, migratory bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, except that the daily limit on scaup has dropped from six birds to three. Otherwise, hunters will be allowed a daily limit of six ducks, no more than five of which can be mallards. Of those, only two mallards may be hens. Separate limits apply to wood ducks, redheads, pintails and canvasbacks.
The reason for the generous seasons and bag limits, O'Meilia added, is because of record populations of breeding birds in the Prairie Pothole Region coupled with excellent breeding and brood rearing conditions.
"During its annual breeding pair surveys, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recorded 44.3 million breeding ducks," O'Meilia said. "That's the largest number since the surveys began in 1955. Combined with the excellent breeding conditions in the northern prairies, we can expect a fall flight of more than 105 million ducks. Of those, more than 13.6 million will be mallards. That's a 16-percent increase from 1998, which was a great year."
For the same reasons, sportsmen can also expect a record flight of geese this fall, O'Meilia added. The split season on Canada geese Nov. 6 - Dec. 5, and from Dec. 11 - Feb. 13. The daily limit will be three birds.
The split season on white fronted geese will run Nov. 6 - Dec. 5, and from Dec. 11 - Feb. 4. The daily limit will be two birds.
The season on light geese (snow, blue and Ross') will be a three-way split. The first part will run Nov. 6 - Dec. 5, the second part will run Dec. 11 - Feb. 13, and the third part will run Feb. 19 - March 1. The daily limit will be 20 birds.
Sandhill crane season will be from Oct. 30 - Jan. 30. The daily limit will be three birds.
"Most populations of geese in the Central Flyway are doing very well," O'Meilia said. "The fall flight of Canadas will be larger than last year, and white fronted geese continue to do well."
For more specific information on rules and regulations regarding waterfowl hunting in Oklahoma, pick up a copy of the 1999-2000 Oklahoma Waterfowl Hunting Guide. Available at all hunting license vendors statewide, the Waterfowl Hunting Guide lists all regulations for hunting on Department-owned lakes, wildlife management areas and waterfowl development units. It also has specific breakdowns on limits, as well as other information to make your 1999-2000 waterfowl seasons more productive and enjoyable.
Brochures address baiting questions
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has posted two brochures on the Internet to help hunters, guides, landowners, and others comply with new federal rules on baiting migratory game birds.
"Waterfowl Baiting Regulations Review" and "Dove Hunting & Baiting" can be reviewed and downloaded from the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement web site, (www.le.fws.gov/), where they are located under the heading "Wildlife Laws."
In June, the USFWS revised federal baiting regulations. These changes were made to promote the restoration and creation of habitat for migratory birds while providing increased opportunities for hunting waterfowl and other migratory game birds. The revised regulations also define key terms for hunters and landowners, and clarify conditions under which migratory game birds may be legally hunted. The new rules will be in effect for the 1999-2000 hunting season.
"Hunters need to know the rules before they take to the fields and marshes this fall," said John Streich, chief of law enforcement for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "There have always been a lot of questions regarding federal baiting laws, but the new guidelines should make it easier for hunters to enjoy the sport and obey the law."
The brochures discuss new definitions and requirements related to baiting; review penalties for hunting with bait and placing bait; examine a few potential problem areas; and provide a brief overview of other federal rules that govern migratory game bird hunting. They also include excerpts from the new baiting regulations as well as contact information for Service law enforcement offices throughout the country.
Printed copies of the two new brochures will be available from the USFWS later this fall.
Department plans equipment auction
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will hold a public auction Saturday Oct. 2 at 9 a.m. at Lake Burtschi near Chickasha.
More than 150 items will be available at the event, including a 24-foot, aluminum MonArk boat equipped with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard motor, a 1968 Jeep 3/4-ton equipment carrier, three four-wheel drive pickup trucks and numerous computer systems. To see photographs of the boat and other items, visit the Department's official website on the Internet at www.state.ok.us/~odwc.
In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled for Oct. 3. For more information, call 405/521-4600 or 521-4618.
Department schedules
pre-employment exam
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will hold a standardized examination Friday Sept. 24 at the Tom Steed Development Center Auditorium at Rose State College.
The exam is for individuals seeking employment as wildlife biologists, game wardens, assistant hatchery managers, technicians and information and education specialists. It will cover state and federal wildlife laws and regulations, Oklahoma geography, biological and environmental sciences relating to fish, wildlife and environmental education and communication; journalism, photojournalism, technical writing and editing.
Individuals may take the exam once in a 12-month period, and test scores are valid for 12 months from the test date. Applications for employment will be sent to the individuals with the top 25 scores. Taking the exam does not guarantee employment, nor does the exam necessarily indicate the Department currently has openings. Interviews will be scheduled only when an opening is available.
The Tom Steed Development Center Auditorium is north of I-40 at the intersection of I-40 and Hudiburg Rd. in Midwest City. The doors will close promptly at 10 a.m. Those arriving after 10 a.m. will not be permitted to take the exam.
Summer conditions favorable for quail
Because of favorable nesting and brood rearing conditions this summer, quail numbers may actually be higher than estimated.
According to the August Quail Roadside Survey, conducted annually by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, bobwhite quail appear to have had a productive nesting season this year. At Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area, some birds fitted with radio transmitters even nested a second time after rearing chicks earlier in the summer, said Steve DeMaso, upland bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. This is similar to the late hatch that occurred in 1997, when quail hunters harvested 1.4 million birds, he added.
"Weather and habitat conditions have been more favorable than they were last year," DeMaso said, "and habitat for adult quail and chicks appears to be better throughout the state. There's also an abundance of insects for chicks and adult birds to eat, and that's a good sign."
Because of the improved cover, quail sightings were actually down compared to 1998, DeMaso added. The abundance of cover near roadways could make it harder for observers to see quail, leading to fewer sightings during the survey. Also, results from the August survey generally don't include quail produced from the second hatch, which occurs in late August.
"Most information this year indicates a better quail season than last year," DeMaso said, "but it's hard to say at this point whether it might be as good as 1997. Considering the excellent nesting conditions combined with the abundance of forage for the birds, it is possible we could be in better shape than meets the eye."
Compared to 1998, statewide indices from the August roadside survey are down 45 percent. They are down 38 percent from the eight-year index average. Statewide, the average number of quail seen by observers per 20-mile route was nearly five birds, compared to about eight in 1998.
In the past, the August survey, combined with the October roadside quail survey, has been a fairly reliable gauge to predict the upcoming statewide quail harvest, DeMaso said. However, the August 1999 estimate is only slightly lower than that of 1997, which was a good year for quail hunters.
"During hot, dry weather like what we had for most of the summer last year, sparse vegetation near roads could make quail more visible to observers," DeMaso said. "It's possible that we had a lot more quail this year that simply weren't visible to observers. As long as habitat and weather conditions are favorable, quail nesting season will usually be productive."
Drawings announced for duck blinds
With excitement building over the upcoming season, duck hunters should be aware that drawings for permanent duck blinds will be held at various locations around the state on Sat., Sept. 25.
Although permits are not required for temporary blinds that are removed at the end of a day's hunt, some hunters prefer to hunt from the comfort of a permanent duck blind.
• Anyone interested in applying for a permanent blind must appear in person at the drawing site.
• Applicants must be at least 16 years of age.
• Unless exempt, applicants must have a valid state waterfowl license and federal duck stamp, as well as a valid Oklahoma hunting or combination license.
• Anyone applying for a blind must also have a valid Migratory Bird Harvest Information program permit.
• Only one duck blind permit is allowed per person.
Drawings for permanent blinds at lakes Eufaula, Oologah, Webbers Falls and Fort Gibson will be held at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Northeast Regional Office near Porter.
The drawing for blinds at Ft. Gibson Lake will be held at 8:30 a.m., followed by drawings for Lake Eufaula at 10 a.m., Lake Oologah at 11:30 a.m., and Webbers Falls at 1 p.m.
Registration for each lake begins one hour before the drawing. For more information, about the drawings for these lakes, call the Department's Porter office at (918) 683-1031.
Drawing requirements and information for blinds permits for other lakes are outlined below:
Hulah Lake - Registration begins Sept. 25, at 8 a.m., followed by the drawing at 9 a.m. at the Copan/Hulah Lake Corps of Engineers project office (located at the intersection of Highways 10 & 75). For more information, contact Bill Sartin, Wildlife Department game biologist, at (918) 336-5113.
W.D. Mayo - Drawing will be held Sept. 25 at Spiro Town Hall (510 S. Main St.) at 10 a.m. For more information, call contact David Robertson, wildlife biologist, at (918) 647-5155.
Canton - Permits issued on a first-come, first-served basis from 8 a.m. to noon, Sept. 25, at the overlook on the south end of Canton Dam. Anyone wanting a permit after the drawing should contact Steve Conrady, northwest region senior biologist for the Wildlife Department, at (580) 227-3080.
Waurika - Permits are unlimited, but a drawing will be held for hunters to select the site of their choice Sept. 25 at 9 a.m., at the Waurika Corps of Engineers project office.
Ft. Supply - Permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis on Sept . 18 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Woodward office from 9 a.m. until noon. Those interested should call at (580) 254-9173.
Leedey student wins OWAA writing award
Kyle Blacketter, a ninth-grader at Leedey Junior High School, recently won third place in the Norm Strung Youth Writing competition sponsored by the Outdoor Writers Association of America.
Blacketter, 15, earned his award with an essay titled, "This Is My Heritage." He received a plaque and $50. His essay will be reprinted in the November/December issue of Outdoor Oklahoma, the Department's award-winning magazine.
"Young people like Kyle hold the future to the outdoor traditions that Oklahomans hold dear, and it's especially impressive that so many Oklahoma youths are so eloquent in expressing their attachment to these traditions," said Nels Rodefeld, assistant chief of information and education for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Designed to encouraged youths to express their love and appreciation for the outdoors, the Norm Strung/OWAA Youth Writing Award consistently attracts some of the most talented young writers in America. Oklahomans have placed in the top three of the national competition for four of the six years in which they have submitted material. Initially, youngsters submit articles to a statewide contest, which is sponsored by the Department and the Oklahoma Station of Safari Club International. Top entries from the statewide competition are then entered in the national competition.
For more information on this year's state youth writing competition, contact the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105; or call 405/521-4631.
Fur harvesters will hold reunion
The Oklahoma Fur Harvesters Association will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a fall reunion Saturday Oct. 9 at the Porum Landing Rural Fire Department.
Open to all trappers, hunters and other outdoors enthusiasts, the event will feature demonstrations on fur handling and knife sharpening, as well as a number of activities for children. A fish fry will also be held, and participants are asked to bring a salad or dessert. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and participants will also be able to take a beaver conibear certification course.
For more information, call Shannon Sheffert at 405/372-6317, or Ron Scott at 918/426-6918.
Teal season opens Sept. 11
Waterfowl hunters itching for the cold weather of November can get a high-octane tune-up this month by participating in the fall teal season.
Due to record-high populations of blue-winged and green-winged teal, Oklahoma hunters will be able to enjoy 16 days of teal hunting for the second straight year, said Mike O'Meilia, migratory bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The season runs Sept. 11-26 statewide except for the Panhandle, where it runs Sept.11-19. If the weather cooperates, O'Meilia added, Oklahoma teal hunters could experience some excellent hunting. "Thanks to record-high breeding populations of teal, combined with excellent production conditions in the Dakotas, we're looking for an outstanding fall flight of both blue-winged and green-winged teal this fall," O'Meilia said.
"Like many migratory birds, teal migration is triggered by decreasing day-length as we approach fall. Spectacular migrations can occur on the northern fronts that occur with increasing frequency in September. Even small fronts that cause no appreciable change in temperatures will carry teal southward on their traditional journey to wintering grounds in Mexico and Central and South America.
"Like any other kinds of hunting, it's just a matter of going out and taking advantage of the opportunities," he added. "If you're out there when they come through, you'll have some great hunts. If you're sitting on the couch, you won't."
Despite the abundance of opportunities, teal hunting is somewhat of an undiscovered treasure in Oklahoma. Last year, for example, Oklahoma hunters took an estimated 5,600 teal, compared to about 200,000 teal taken by hunters in Louisiana during the September season.
One reason the season is underutilized, O'Meilia said, is because the hot weather conditions normally prevalent in mid-September are so vastly different from the traditional image of cold-weather duck hunting. Generally, you can hunt in short sleeves, and if you don't mind wearing wet trousers, you can even hunt without waders. It's a unique experience, but those who give it a try quickly become enamored with it.
"People who don't participate in the fall teal season are missing out on a great experience," O'Meilia said. "This time of year doesn't produce what many consider classic duck hunting conditions, but it's a tremendous season. It's a great time to take a kid hunting, and it's a great time to train a young dog."
Perhaps the most important thing to remember about fall teal hunting is that you're only allowed to harvest blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal. All other waterfowl species are off-limits.
"There are always variable numbers of other ducks around at this time depending on the weather," O'Meilia said. "You might see pintails, shovelers, mallards and wood ducks, so you have to be aware of waterfowl identification. Wood ducks are very common, and the first hour of shooting time is when they are most active. Shovelers have blue wing patches, too, so you can't depend on that for ID. You've got to look at their heads to pick out their much larger bills for which they are named."
To participate in the fall teal season, all you need is a resident or non-resident Oklahoma Hunting License, an Oklahoma Waterfowl Hunting Permit ($4) and a federal duck stamp ($15). Don't forget your Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit. It's free from any license vendor, but you can't hunt without it. That's how the Department determines the harvest of all migratory game birds, including waterfowl.
Project WILD earns awards
For its contributions to promoting environmental awareness, Oklahoma Project WILD recently received two major state and federal awards.
Oklahoma Project WILD earned the Region 6 1999 Regional Administrator's Award for Environmental Education from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the 1999 Outstanding Organization Award from the Oklahoma Association for Environmental Education.
While the awards recognize the effectiveness and popularity of the program, they also honor the volunteers who form the backbone of the program, said Lisa Anderson, Oklahoma Project WILD coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
"Oklahoma Project WILD owes its success to its volunteer facilitators," Anderson said. "Three people have been active facilitators since Project WILD's inception in Oklahoma, and several others have been with the program for 10 or more years. All are dedicated and willing to donate their time to help spread environmental education across Oklahoma. These are the people who conduct most of the workshops in the state, and without them, the program wouldn't be as effective."
Established in 1984, Oklahoma Project WILD is sponsored jointly by the Wildlife Department and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. During those 15 years, the program has held 700 workshops through which it has trained more than 16,000 educators and reached an estimated 500,000 students.
"Project WILD features hands-on activities that help educators incorporate environmental education into their regular curricula," Anderson said. "It's very effective in a classroom setting as well as with youth enrichment programs such as 4-H and Scouts. It helps make students aware of things they may otherwise take for granted about the world around them."
The core of the program are two activity guides that contain more than 150 activities. The activity guides can be used from Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Each activity is designed to teach awareness and appreciation for wildlife, human values and wildlife resources, wildlife and ecological systems, wildlife conservation, cultural and social interaction with wildlife, and wildlife issues and trends, alternatives and consequences. Educators can obtain the guides by attending a six-hour workshop which is approved for staff development credit. Courses for college credit are also available.
Department schedules pre-employment exam
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will hold a standardized examination Friday Sept. 24 at the Tom Steed Development Center Auditorium at Rose State College.
The exam is for individuals seeking employment as wildlife biologists, game wardens, assistant hatchery managers, technicians and information and education specialists. It will cover state and federal wildlife laws and regulations, Oklahoma geography, biological and environmental sciences relating to fish, wildlife and environmental education and communication; journalism, photojournalism, technical writing and editing.
Individuals may take the exam once in a 12-month period, and test scores are valid for 12 months from the test date. Applications for employment will be sent to the individuals with the top 25 scores. Taking the exam does not guarantee employment, nor does the exam necessarily indicate the Department currently has openings. Interviews will be scheduled only when an opening is available.
The Tom Steed Development Center Auditorium is north of I-40 at the intersection of I-40 and Hudiburg Rd. in Midwest City. The doors will close promptly at 10 a.m. Those arriving after 10 a.m. will not be permitted to take the exam.


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Date Posted: November 7, 2018
In the month of October, members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) sold a total of 1,383 residential properties. This is an increase from both last October which saw 1,237 sales and the 5 year average of 1,223 sales for an increase of nearly 12%.
In the residential property class, an 8.5% increase was seen from a year ago with 1,059 home sold. An even larger increase was found in the condominium class with an increase of 24% and 324 condos sold.
"October's sales are truly indicative of the fast-paced market we have experienced for much of 2018," points out Ottawa Real Estate Board President, Ralph Shaw. "In some pockets of the city, listings are not lingering on the market. Year-to-date average Days on Market (DOMs) are down 14% from 45 to 39 days for residential homes and 24% from 68 to 51 days for condominiums."
"However, lack of supply continues to be a major driving factor in Ottawa's real estate market," he adds. "If we look back to 2015 and 2016, our current active inventory is less than half of what we had then, and it's not improving. Compared to last year, condo inventory is down 34.5% while residential inventory is 17.5% lower than October 2017."
Ottawa continues to be an affordable city with the average price of a residential home coming in just shy of $450,000, which is a 6% increase to prices from last year. The average price in the condo sector has seen a slight increase to prices, up 0.6% to $271,350.
For the OREB news release, click here.
Thinking of purchasing a new home? Contact your Mortgage Broker today to get more information.

subset: commoncrawl


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Finance & Development, June 2009
- From the Editor: Testing Times for Europe
- In Brief
- People in Economics: Still the Bottom Billion
- Europe: Europe Under Stress
- Europe: Losing their Halo
- A Tale of Two Crises
- Viewpoint: Stress Test for the Euro
- Viewpoint: The Euro's Finest Hour?
- Out of the Ballpark
- Preparing for a Postcrisis World
- Picture This: Uncharted Territory
- Asset Price Booms How Can They Best Be Managed?
- The Perfect Storm
- Playing with Fire
- New Paths to Funding
- A Hedge, Not a Bet
- Latin America: When is Fiscal Stimulus Right?
- Viewpoint: Regulatory Philosophy Matters
- Back to Basics: What Is Fiscal Policy?
- Straight Talk: Start This Engine
- Data Spotlight: Roller Coaster
Viewpoint: Regulatory Philosophy Matters
- International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept.
- Published Date:
- June 2009
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A California assemblyman is inviting fire ring supporters to Huntington Beach on Sunday for another round of hot dogs.
Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) is hosting a rally from 4 to 7 p.m. at the pits at 21579 Pacific Coast Hwy. near Zack's.
It will be the second time Allen has hosted an event to support fire rings at Huntington Beach. Hundreds of supporters, including Assemblyman Allan Mansoor (R-Costa Mesa), showed up during the April 28 rally.
The event comes days before the South Coast Air Quality Management District's July 12 hearing on proposed changes to Rule 444 that would create buffer zones between the rings and homes and allow greater local control.
—Anthony Clark Carpio
Twitter: @acocarpio


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My Neighbor Totoro Music Box
And you'll be with...
- Music box for fans of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki
- Plays the chorus to "Tonari no Totoro ("My Neighbor Totoro (The Ending Song)")"
- Tiniest Totoro spins along to music
This may bring back memories for our female audience. Remember when you were little and for your birthday you'd get those pretty, wind-up music boxes that had little, spinning ballerinas on top or unicorns and rainbows or kittens or whatever?
And remember the first time you saw My Neighbor Totoro from Studio Ghibli, featuring the magic of Hayao Miyazaki? If there's a cute center in the brain, both of those things would light it up. Imagine what your brain would look like if we put them together.
This My Neighbor Totoro Music Box features (Oh) Totoro himself holding an umbrella on top of which are precariously perched Chuu Totoro and Chibi Totoro. Well, Chibi isn't so precarious since he slowly turns on one foot atop the umbrella while the music plays. There's a Soot Sprite peeking out from the back. Flip Totoro over to crank the winding key on the bottom (not too much!), and you'll get the happy, plinking melody from the chorus to "Tonari no Totoro ("My Neighbor Totoro (The Ending Song)")". Whether you're a fan of sub or dub doesn't matter -- sing along in Japanese or English. Whatever works for you. Or just listen to the delightful tune.
Product Specifications
- My Neighbor Totoro music box for fans of Miyazaki
- Officially-licensed Studio Ghibli product
- Plays the chorus to "Tonari no Totoro ("My Neighbor Totoro (The Ending Song)")"
- Tiniest Totoro slowly spins as music plays
- Box is hand-cranked with winding key on bottom
- Plucked-pin/comb-style music box
- Dimensions: 8 3/4 high x 4 1/4" wide


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DETROIT (AP) — A 54-year-old motorist is in critical condition at a Detroit hospital following a beating by a neighborhood mob moments after he struck a boy with his truck.
Police Sgt. Michael Woody says Thursday that no arrests have been made in the attack Wednesday on the city's east side.
The motorist's name was not released. Woody said the man was not at fault and stopped to check on the boy after hitting him about 4:10 p.m. when people from the neighborhood began to beat him. The man suffered head injuries.
Desmond Key says his 10-year-nephew, David Harris, was struck by the truck and is expected to recover.
Key tells The Associated Press he didn't recognize the half-dozen people he saw beating the driver. Key says they were not the boy's relatives.


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For more than two decades, All Around Soil and Stone, Inc., has been providing world class residential and commercial landscape supply in Colorado, with guaranteed competitive prices in the area. Our family-owned business started with just one truck, but with the clear goal in mind to become an industry leader. Today, 22 years later, we can proudly say that we have four delivery trucks and an established, full-service pick-up yard. This success has been possible thanks to our courteous customer service, which has allowed us to grow and have more clients over the years. We are now a proud member of the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce, and we have great plans to continue expanding and delivering prompt and premium services to all of our customers.
Competitive Prices & Quality Products, All in One Place
Success is something that everybody aims to achieve, and it is vital for business owners like us. Without it, it is very difficult to compete in a market where clients have a wide variety of options. At our soil and stone company, we have our own formula for success, which has been very productive during the last 22 years. We combine high-quality landscape supply, courteous service, and guarantee the most competitive prices in Colorado. This way, once our clients get to know us, they feel confident that they are making a smart choice, which is also the reason why a significant part of our business' success is due to recurrent customers, who continue to rely on us.
Looking for landscape supply? We Have It All!
If you live in Colorado and need landscape supply, we have great news for you! We not only have it, but the best part is that we guarantee low prices and prompt service. After all, time is money, so we move fast. Do not waste this amazing opportunity and call us now to benefit from the best in town!
Our company was born back in 1994, when Colorado native Todd Binford, who had over 20 years of experience in the landscape supply industry, decided to open his own soil and stone business in Colorado and offer high-quality landscape supply at the most competitive prices. We are well aware that we would not be where we are today without our customers, so we are very thankful and aim to repay their loyalty with hard work and dedication. Browse our website to learn more about our landscape supply in Colorado and request your free quote today.


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MIAMI -- Mike Redmond was fired Sunday as manager of the Miami Marlins, moments after they were nearly no-hit in a loss that completed a three-game sweep.
Atlanta's Shelby Miller was one out from a no-hitter when Justin Bour singled in the Marlins' 6-0 defeat, which dropped them to 16-22.
Redmond's replacement will be announced Monday, the Marlins said. Bench coach Rob Leary also was fired.
Following a busy offseason highlighted by the signing of slugger Giancarlo Stanton to a record $325 million contract, the Marlins had high hopes of ending an 11-year playoff drought. But their bullpen has been woeful, and the batting order has struggled aside from major-league RBIs...


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Sox Trade Possibilities
View Single Post
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Palos Park
Posts: 1,713
Originally Posted by
I can see why someone WOULD want the Sox to make a move, but I'm not sure I follow the logic that this is why the Sox SHOULD.
They have nothing of value so what team is going to come calling with a fair proposal?
I think you're being very dramatic.
Sure, I acknowledge that the Sox core is average players with generally expensive contracts and that our farm system lacks an abundance of potential. But does this mean we cannot make a trade or two? Not at all. Every team has players that another team could use.
Hahn took a leap that we were trying to contend when he signed Peavy so it is assumed that we are going for it this year rather than a rebuild/retool. We have had a weak farm system for a long time and that has never stopped us from striking a deal. There are certain things that initiate teams to make moves other than potential; primarily contracts, money, demand, etc.
Now whether the Sox have the assets to trade for Justin Upton or David Price is a different conversation. You thinking no one would make a trade with the Sox because our organization lacks potential is bogus.
Considering Reinsdorf has said our payroll was reported higher than it actually was last year and we will be around the same level this year, makes it seem that we still have some (maybe not much) money to spend.
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Visit the Education World homepage to explore all content areas.
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In just two short months Docomomo US will kick off its sixth annual Tour Day 2012 featuring a wide array of programs that seek to celebrate modern architecture. Already with over 30 tours in more than 20 states, Tour Day 2012 continues to be the largest national event devoted to the appreciation and preservation of modern American architecture. Participants can enjoy a variety of events from a historic neighborhood circuit on a double decker bus to an interiors tour of six private residences constructed by six different architects. The number and location of tours continues to grow daily.
In addition to our continued partnership with the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH), this year we are pleased to announce new partnerships with two other national organizations: the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the Paul Rudolph Foundation (PRF). From Boston to Hawaii, from Seattle to Miami, we are thrilled to be working with local organizations, new and old, to bring more modern architecture tours to even more people across the country.
- Triangle Modernist Houses offers the design-loving public of North Carolina an exciting source for modernist house tours. They continue this tradition in coordination with Preservation Durham by showcasing six Modernist houses built in the 1960's for Duke University faculty. The tour features designs by both regional and nationally known architects.
- Learn about the development and design of Midtown Atlanta's landmark, Colony Square, hosed by Docomomo US/Georgia. Colony Square was the first multi-use project of its kind in the south, and was a catalyst for future change and development in Atlanta. The tour includes a presentation about Colony Square's history and design led by members of the original Jova/Daniels/Busby architectural team, followed by a walking tour that will explore all aspects of the project: Office, retail, residential, and hospitality.
- The New Haven Preservation Trust will welcome Sean Khorsandi, architect and Co-Director of the Paul Rudolph Foundation to lead a tour of two lesser known Paul Rudolph works existing in New Haven. Beginning at Marsh Hall the group will make its way to the Greeley Memorial Laboratory and continue on to the Mansfield Street apartment complex.
- Wayne State University in Detroit. MI will be offering a campus tour focusing on the history and work of Minoru Yamasaki. The tour will elaborate upon in his 1954 campus plan in which the architect advocated a dense yet pedestrian-friendly series of highly differentiated, landscaped public spaces interspersed with buildings of his design used to provide a buffer for building occupants against the bustle and distractions of what was then a busy city street.
Details and registration will be available at http://www.docomomo-us.org/tour_day_2012, in the coming weeks. Check back regularly for up to the minute announcements surrounding tours, reservation requirements, meeting times and places.


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In Florida, each year approximately 3,000 people die due to traffic crashes. Many more each year are seen in Florida's emergency rooms following serious car accidents. According to a recent a report, accidents cost $164.2 billion, each year.
If you sustained injuries in a motor vehicle crash due to another's carelessness, you may recover money damages for the harms and losses you sustained from the at-fault party.
Evaluating a personal injury compensation claim
In order to determine whether you have a claim, an effective accident injury attorney should quickly establish that another party's careless or negligent conduct caused your harms and losses. This is oftentimes initially done by your attorney evaluating the damage to the vehicles, visiting the scene of the crash, reviewing the crash report, interviewing witnesses and through evaluation of traffic laws.
Documenting Harms and Losses
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle crash, your personal injury attorney will review your medical and employment records and meet with you to discuss the demand for payment from the at-fault driver and his insurance company. In addition to payment for past, present and future medical bills and lost time from work, you are also entitled to compensation for disfigurement, loss of capacity for enjoyment of life, pain, inconvenience, among others.
Sources of Compensation for your Harms and Losses
All too often, Florida drivers do not maintain bodily injury coverage, meaning coverage for you if they case a motor vehicle accident. If that is the case, your attorney will determine if you maintain uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to pay for your harms and losses. If neither applies, your attorney will look into the financial condition of the at-fault driver to determine if he/she has the ability to pay a judgment relating to your harms and losses.
What to Look for When Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
Hiring an accident attorney as soon as possible after a crash is critical, but hiring the right attorney is equally as important. The size of an attorney's phone book ad does not coincide with the skill of the attorney. Here are a couple important factors to consider when hiring an injury attorney:
1. Ask attorneys and friends or family for a recommendation,
2. Ask the attorney how many personal injury cases he has litigated,
3. Ask the attorney what his/her game plan is for your case,
4. Ask the attorney about his/her caseload. If an attorney has 200 cases, that is probably a sign that he/she will take in most cases and not have much time to spend on your individual case.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general information provided to you "as is", it does not constitute legal advice and the author is not acting as your attorney. No claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or adequacy of the information contained in, or linked to this article or website, and its associated sites.


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Hop in the driver's seat, buckle up and start your engines for NASCAR The Game: Inside Line. Bringing the true NASCAR experience to consoles, NASCAR: Inside Line will allow players to race with the top NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, teams and cars, as well as feature all 23 officially licensed racetracks.
Also known as: NASCAR: Inside Line, NASCAR The Game '12: Inside Line, NASCAR The Game 2012: Inside Line
Release Region: United States
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Activision
NASCAR The Game: Insid... at IGN
NASCAR The Game: Insid... at GameSpy
NASCAR The Game: Insid... at GameStats


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Thursday, December 13, 2012
The Magic of Silent Movies in Creative Writing!
I want to give a SPECIAL "THANK YOU" to Adrianne Meldrum of The Tutor House for being a guest blogger today! She does, without a doubt, always have clever and spectacular ideas/activities to share. So, without further delay...
There's something magical about silent movies. Even without dialog, a story is conveyed. How would the story be different if you could add dialog? Using silent movies for a creative writing project or exercise could liven up your students creative juices.
I found three fun (short) silent movies that lend themselves well to adding dialog. Two of them are old silent movies and the other is a modern day silent movie. All of these videos are under a creative commons license.
Divide your students into teams and assign a video. Students will then work together to come up with dialog that goes along with the video. They will need to come up with a title and then perform the voices for the videos. Of course, you'll need to set some ground rules with no profane or inappropriate content allowed.
You could also have students do their own voice over of the videos. If you would prefer this method, please email me to receive an editable version of the video.
What kinds of stories do you think your students will come up with?
Video Sources: Video One, Video Two, Video Three
Adrianne Meldrum is a private tutor and author of The Tutor House, a blog dedicated to helping tutors find curriculum and business tips.
3 comments:
Fabulous idea! Very clever! This would both entertain and engage students----how fun for the teacher and the students!ReplyDelete
I love this Ann Marie and Adrianne. What a great idea! My students would love this! We're launching a book club first thing in the new year, but I'm going to stash this idea away for safe keeping;)ReplyDelete
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July 1, 2009
My hero, Forrest Gump, liked to say that some things go together like "peas and carrots." Now of course some persons like peas mixed with carrots and some do not. Politics and religion go together like peas and carrots. Some claim that they are separate and some do not. In our country we like to mix our peas and carrots, our religion and politics, when it is convenient and keep them separate when it best serves the interest of the organization.
I read in the Southern Baptist Statement of Faith and Mission that the Baptist claim to believe in separation of church and state. But, this separation is not what actually happens in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). It is a separation based on what is needed at the moment. A case in point is the recent resolution passed by the SBC to "share our nation''s pride" in President Obama''s historic victory.
Now further study and research would reveal that the membership of SBC is in a decline. The white population is in a decline, and the SBC being historically segregated, and strongly so, finds itself in a fix. Either to swallow its historically racist pride, or face a long period of falling membership and shrinking dollars to its bureaucracy in Nashville. Of course to admit blacks and other minorities into its membership would be to compromise its long term "marriage" to the Republican party.
Southern Baptist and Republicans go together like peas and carrots. I was told a few years ago by a pastor at First Baptist in Columbus that I could not be a Democrat and a Christian. It would seem that the seminaries of the SBC should do some retraining before they launch their minority recruitment drive.
I follow with great interest the relationship of religion and politics. When a people do not like to read and ask questions, then a nation and a people will tend to follow the strong leader who claims to know "will of God." So much of the time these leaders are motivated by things other than God or service to mankind.
I single out the Southern Baptist Convention because the organization claims to have over 16 million members, and can throw its weight around in the political arena. The SBC has an entire division of its Nashville headquarters devoted to influence peddling and lobbying on a national level. This division is run by the SBC "godfather," Dr. Richard Land, and is called the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. A study of Dr. Land and his division would be interesting to thinking persons everywhere.
Willis Pope
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Christian KnappĀ¢ one of theĀworldÆs most outstanding young conductorsĀ¢ regularly performs inĀconcerts and festivals throughout theĀworld. He was born inĀtheĀUSA and has studied for two degreesĀ¢ as aĀpianist and as aĀphilosopher. He initially studied conducting at theĀAccademia Musicale Chigiana (Siena, Italy) under Yuri Temirkanov, Myung-Whun Chung and Ilya Musin, later continuing his studies at theĀSt Petersburg State Conservatoire with Ilya Musin and Leonid Korchmar. InĀ1999 he was awarded aĀprestigious post-graduate study grant by theĀRoyal College of Music inĀLondon. Christian Knapp is aĀhighly accomplished operatic conductor. He began to work inĀthis capacity at theĀexperimental Broomhill Opera inĀLondon (2000 to 2003). He also helped to create its sister company inĀSouth Africa. TheĀtheatreÆs innovative productions have brought it international recognition and resulted inĀseveral worldwide tours. Knapp has also conducted at theĀworldÆs leading opera houses, among them theĀEnglish National Opera and theĀSeattle Opera; his repertoire includes such operas as Elektra, Salome, Ariadne auf Naxos, DerĀFliegende Hollõnder, DerĀRing des Nibelungen, Lohengrin, Don Giovanni, LeĀnozze di Figaro, DerĀSilbersee, IlĀtrittico, LaĀBohĶme, Turandot, Carmen, TheĀTurn of theĀScrew, AĀMidsummer NightÆs Dream, Peter Grimes and TheĀRakeÆs Progress.
Christian Knapp collaborates with theĀLos Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and theĀMilwaukee and Seattle Symphony Orchestra. TheĀconductor has also appeared with theĀSt Petersburg Philharmonic, theĀRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic, theĀBaltimore Symphony Orchestra, theĀNational Symphony Orchestra of Lithuania, theĀHouston, SŃo Paulo and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras, theĀSaint Paul Chamber Orchestra, theĀNew World Symphony, theĀOakland Philharmonic Orchestra and theĀPacific Symphony among others.
Christian Knapp enjoys performing contemporary music and collaborates with youth ensembles throughout theĀworld, among them theĀInternational Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) inĀNew York. Premieres that he has conducted that have had aĀwide resonance with theĀpublic and theĀpress include theĀAmerican premiere of Magnus LindbergÆs Zones at theĀ Mostly Mozart festival at theĀLincoln Center inĀNew York as well as performances of works by 20th and 21st century composers. Christian Knapp loves unearthing new talent and often invites contemporary composers to feature inĀhis concerts, among them Pierre Boulez, John Adams, George Crumb, Thomas AdĶs, Julian Anderson, Kaija Saariaho, Gy÷rgy Ligeti, Pascal Dusapin, Gy÷rgy Kurtßg, Philippe Hurel and Karlheinz Stockhausen to name but aĀfew.


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A message from the CLC department:
To assure your experience at Chicago-Kent College of
Law is a positive one, the Center for Law and Computers
is available to assist you with your computer and
technical questions and concerns. You can reach a member
of our staff by calling (312) 906-5300 (6-5300 house
phones)or sending an email to email@example.com.
We are located in suite 540 if you would like to stop by
our offices.
Help Links
CLC Debuts a New Help Desk Ticket Tracking System
On Friday, March 30, 2007 the Center for Law and Computers (CLC) will begin using a new Help Desk Ticket Tracking System (Numara Footprints). This help desk software should greatly improve the way requests for assistance (i.e. "tickets") are managed and tracked in order for the CLC to provide better service to our community.
As a user, this system will benefit you as follows:
In order to view and print out the documentation on how to use the Help Desk Ticket Tracking System, please click on the the link below.
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Windows Vista and Office 2007 Information
The CLC would like to make certain all users of Chicago-Kent's network resources are aware which editions of these products are best suited for use with the Law School's network.
Windows Vista
The Windows Vista operating system is available in four different editions for either retail purchase or pre-installed on new computers. It is important to note that only the "Business" and "Ultimate" editions of Windows Vista are capable of utilizing Chicago-Kent services such as network printing, and H: drive home directories, and exams on computer.
Please see the link below for additional information on the different editions of Windows Vista.
SofTest Compatibility with Windows Vista
The maker of the SofTest program has informed Chicago-Kent that it will likely be late March or early April before an official decision is reached as to whether the SofTest program is supported when used on the Windows Vista operating system.
Chicago-Kent will consider the use of SofTest on Windows Vista as unsupported until the vendor, ExamSoft, officially states that they support this combination. Regardless of vendor support status, Chicago-Kent reserves the right to not support the use of SofTest on Windows Vista if the Administration determines that this combination would prove detrimental to the accuracy or efficiency of computer delivered exams.
Even with full support, it is important to remember that only the "Business" and "Ultimate" editions of Windows Vista will meet Chicago-Kent's technical requirements for taking exams on computer.
Office 2007
Microsoft Office 2007 is available in eight different editions. It is important to note that the "Home & Student" edition does NOT contain the Microsoft Outlook email program. Without Microsoft Outlook, users of the Chicago-Kent network are limited exclusively to Webmail for all of their email functions.
Please see the link below for additional information on the different editions of Office 2007.
Print Accounting System on Kentnet
Information on Print/Copy System
On July 20, 2006 the Chicago-Kent Center for Law and Computers in cooperation with the Downtown Campus Library has implemented a system for managing the law school computer lab printing and library photocopying services. There are two significant changes to the new system:
The system will utilize centrally stored accounts that are linked to your photo ID card. All students will have a "cash account" into which personal funds may be deposited for use with library photocopiers or law school computer lab printers.
Law school students will have an additional "printing account" which will be reset to the equivalent of 400 pages of printing at the start of each semester. The print release stations in the law school computer labs will allow you to choose which account each of your print jobs is charged against.
All students enrolled in classes which utilize IIT Downtown Campus facilities (Chicago-Kent College of Law, Stuart Graduate School of Business, Masters of Public Administration) must obtain a new photo ID card in order to utilize library photocopying services and/or law school computer lab printing services. In order to pickup your new photo ID cards, please go the Registrar's office on the 2nd floor during normal business hours.
When you are finished adding value, press the 'Buy Card / Logout' button.
Free E-Mail available to Chicago-Kent alunmae/i at alum.iit.edu
December 2006 Graduates:
For those of you leaving us for greater ventures, we would like to wish you the best. We'd also like to share the below information with you regarding your email, network, and printing accounts
For Dec. 2006 graduates, your printing account will be terminated after commencement on Dec. 22, 2006.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that your kentlaw.edu user account will expire on July 31, 2007. Now that you have graduated, it is time to think about closing this portion of your law education. Please help us by removing all email messages and files from the C-K network as soon as possible so we can make room for the incoming students.
By being an alumnus of Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law it is our pleasure to offer you free email service. A separate e-mail message with details on alumni e-mail will be sent to your kentlaw.edu account.
Alumnae/I Account Information
By being an alumnus of Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law it is our pleasure to offer you free (kentlawalum.iit.edu) email service. Your account will be automatically created by July 1st, 2006 and will be accessible at http://alum.iit.edu. No sign up is necessary.
Since these accounts are hosted by IIT Main Campus, your e-mail address may be in a format different than what you were used to at Chicago-Kent. The address will be in the form of: [IIT Unified Name]@kentlawalum.iit.edu. For convenience, your account will also have a second e-mail address of [IIT Unified Name]@iit.edu. The password for your account is the last six digits of your IIT Campus Wide ID number. Your IIT Unified Name as well as your IIT Campus Wide ID number, can be found on the welcome page of the Chicago-Kent "Web for Students" system.
Best wishes and good luck to all!
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How to transfer your existing Chicago-Kent e-mail to your new alumnae/i account.
Note - All alum account quota limits are 11MB. Please delete all unwanted emails from your Chicago-Kent account prior to transferring any of your messages.
Note - This process moves your email messages from your Kentlaw account to your alum account, keeping a copy or removing them from the Kentlaw Account as selected. If you have more emails in your account than your alum account quota will allow, it will download emails till your quota has been filled, and it will leave the remaining on Kentlaw Account.
Note - If you fill your mail quota on the alum account, you will not be able to receive messages. It is suggested that you delete messages you no longer need.
* To transfer your email messages you must perform the following steps:
* Open your web browser to:http://alum.iit.edu/
* Enter your login (IIT Unified Name)
* Enter your password (Last six digits of IIT Campus Wide ID/CWID)
* Press Login
Note - Your IIT Unified Name as well as your IIT Campus Wide ID number can be found on the welcome page of the Chicago-Kent "Web for Students" system.
*Click the Inbox, Folder, Sent Mail,or Trash tab.
*Click Collect External Mail, in the bottom right of the Inbox or Folder tabs.
*Enter the following information:
Pop Server: mail4.kentlaw.edu
POP user ID: (your Kentlaw login name)
Password: (your Kentlaw password)
Delete Messages from Server: If you want the mail you are collecting to be deleted from the server from which it's being collected, click the checkbox to select it.
Save to folder: From the drop-down list, choose a folder to which you want the mail copied.
* Click Collect
* If you receive a message indicating that your alumni account is reaching its quota, please start deleting some of the emails you no longer require. After deleting the messages, click on the 'Options' tab.
* This will show you your allotted disk space (your quota) and how much you have used. It is ideal to keep at least 2MB free within your email account to ensure that you can receive all emails that are sent to you.
* After you have finished, click on the 'Logout'.
CLC Policies - Students are required to show C-K photo ID card for loaner computer equipment
Help Desk Policy! The CLC has
implemented a procedure that requires all students to present
their Chicago-Kent ID card for service..
The CLC Help Desk does provide the service of temporarily
loaning laptops to students. This service is restricted to
those who have purchased their own laptop and the laptop has
been serviced by a technician at the CLC Help
Desk. Once the technician has
determined that the laptop needs to be sent to the
manufacturer for repairs or is inoperable a student will be
loaned a laptop. The laptop loans are for a one (1) week
period only. In addition, the CLC Help Desk does not loan power adaptors or any other laptop
accessories for laptops. In order for this service to
benefit everyone, this policy must be strictly adhered to.
Once a user returns a laptop, that same user cannot have
another laptop loaned to him/her for at least two (2)
consecutive weeks.
The Help Desk will make a photocopy of student's ID when
loaner computer equipment is requested. The procedure was implemented
to best serve the needs of all Chicago-Kent student's.
We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to this policy.
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Windows Update
It is critical to update your Windows operating system and Internet Explorer software regularly. Just as it is important to update the virus definitions of your antivirus software, it is equally important to update the Windows operating system and Internet Explorer software on your computer. Just like virus definitions, Windows and Internet Explorer should be updated weekly. Fortunately, Microsoft makes this process fast and easy with their "Windows Update" web site.
Please click on the link listed below under instructions to print out the full documentation on how to update windows.
Remove Unnecessary Files on the Network
The Center for Law and Computers provides access to the
Network for Chicago-Kent students, faculty, and staff in
support of the educational mission of the university. In
recent months we have noticed an increase in the amount of
personal storage space being consumed on our network. As we
continue to maintain and scan the network drives we are
noticing numerous occurrences of non-educational types of
materials (i.e., MP3, .wav, .mov, .avi). We understand that
there are occasions when storing these types of files on the
network for educational use is legitimate.
As you may well be aware, court decisions
potentially makes us liable if members of our community engage
in infringing activity. As a reminder to all students, a
portion of the IIT Computer Use Policy states, "Network users
must abide by the terms of all software licensing agreements
and copyright laws, and may not make copies of or make
available on the network copyrighted material, unless
permitted by a license. Network users must not perform acts
which are deliberately wasteful of computing resources or
which unfairly monopolize resources to the exclusion of
others..." The complete Computer User Policy can be found at:
When you save and store large music, image, video, or other
types of non-educational related material on the network it
increases the time it takes for system backups and virus
scanning; the large downloads also consume unnecessary
bandwidth. Please be considerate of
your colleagues and remove or transfer to your laptop ALL
files in violation. If files are not removed, the
Center for Law and Computers is authorized by the
administration to permanently remove them for you.
We ask that you purge all unnecessary messages and files as
often as possible from your network and email accounts to help
us preserve space on the C-K server. As a reminder, in Outlook
mail, you must delete messages from your "Deleted Messages"
folder for them to be permanently removed from the mail
server. It is also a good maintenance procedure to delete any
unneeded messages in the "Sent" folder.
CLC Monthly Network
Maintenance Schedule
The Center for Law and Computers will conduct regular
monthly maintenance windows on the first Tuesday of every
month (5a.m. - 7a.m. in the morning) for "Patch and\or Update"
management on systems that need to be rebooted.
Remember too that there may be "emergency" times when
manufacturers release "critical" update patches that need to
be installed immediately. The CLC will make every attempt to
send out an announcement in advance when the "critical"
updates need to be installed and systems rebooted (however, we
cannot always guarantee advance notice since certain
patches/updates need to be applied ASAP before a breach is
All network services including Internet access, email,
webmail, network drives, and network printing will be down
during the above scheduled time.
Maintenance will be conducted on the following
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Chicago-Kent's Internet Service Provider (Illinois
Century Network) backbone maintenance window is on Fridays from 2:00am - 7:00am. During this maintenance window it is possible that the Downtown Campus building may
experience intrmittent Internet connectivity.
Latest McAfee DAT file as of 4/9/2007 is sdat5001
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CLC Contact Information and Office Hours
Technical Support Help Desk Hours of
Operation - Office 540
Monday - Thursday: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00
p.m.Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Email: email@example.com
Phone: (312) 906-5300
Fax: (312) 906-5177
.: Main
Chicago-Kent event calendar
Academic calendar
Alumnae/i event calendar
Admissions calendar


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When Shonna Milliken Humphrey hears of sex abuse cases in the news, she aches for the victims and also thinks of their partners — as her husband experienced abuse as a child.
Do their husbands keep a machete in the bedroom in order to sleep at night, too? Do they also wince when touched? What do they keep in their medicine cabinet?
The author, who lives in Gorham, wrote about being the wife of a childhood survivor of sexual abuse for The Atlantic on Tuesday. Her account is clear, striking. Her husband feels guilty for not telling anyone for years about the abuse he suffered at the American Boychoir School. He doesn't want what happened to him to cause others pain. He says his story isn't unique. He doesn't want his experience to define him. And he doesn't want to be judged.
"My husband does not want to be a spokesperson for child sex abuse survivors. His experiences are his own, and he finds no comfort in commiserating with others. He only agreed to this essay as a way of taking the conversation into the light, removing the shame, and saying to some other little boy, 'With help, you, too, can heal;' to parents, 'Be careful;' and, to partners like me, 'Please do not give up,'" Humphrey writes.
That directive — "Do not give up" — is a good summation of the work of those who witness the emotional journey of the survivor. Believe your loved one, listen. Don't shy away from him or her. And don't give up on yourself and your ability to support. You might not know what to do or say, and you might feel useless. You might feel completely alone.
Humphrey describes partners like her, "shifting feet back and forth in their own kitchens, arms useless and keys jangling, with no social script and no map — the desire for vengeance and policy change and a way out overridden by a bigger, immediate desire for their husband, son, brother, or friend to just stop hurting."
She tells of a loneliness in her own life as a partner, a loneliness that also pervades the lives of survivors. Not surprisingly, survivors of domestic and sexual violence are more likely to be depressed, abuse alcohol and drugs, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, underachieve at work or school, have problems in intimate relationships, or try to kill themselves.
They also face a pervasive lack of public knowledge about abuse. For instance, people may believe most sexual abuse of boys is perpetrated by homosexual men — when in fact the abusers are no more exhibiting homosexual behavior than a man abusing a girl is exhibiting heterosexual behavior. It's about control, not sex.
It's also a myth, for example, that unemployment leads to domestic violence. In fact, the reverse is true. Researchers at the University of London found that male unemployment corresponds with decreases in domestic violence, as perpetrators who fear losing their jobs or who have lost their jobs have an economic incentive to refrain from abusing.
But one thing is true, even when it may not feel like it: Survivors and their partners are not alone. The accepted research shows about one in six men experience sexual abuse before age 18. Women are at extraordinary risk of abuse in their lives. One in five women are raped, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in four are the victim of severe physical violence.
Think of your friends, family, coworkers and acquaintances. Not one, but many, know what it's like to have their dignity and control wrested away.
Humphrey writes of a progression in her and her husband's understanding of the larger shared experience. Over time her husband has told those he trusts about the abuse — and has been met with compassion. She is grateful, she says, "that 'I' is now a solid community of 'we.'" Instead of waking in the night to a man thrashing himself awake, she sometimes wakes to find his hand resting on her waist.
It's a strong reminder that calm is possible, especially when a loved one is present to give and, also, receive.


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Walmart is now offering cellular phone services in their stores and gave me a chance to purchase a new SmartPhone and share about my experience with their customer service. By giving us this opportunity, we will be able to review new store features as the company advances in this technology and in conjunction with supporting their Eleven Moms Program.
I headed to Walmart on the evening before heading to South By Southwest conference in Austin, TX. I had my heart set on a Blackberry Storm after reading some great reviews on this phone. Unfortunately, the search had been on for over a week to find the Blackberry Storm at Walmart, but because it was so new, it was only available in select store locations. I decided to just head to my local store to see what they had to offer instead.
The employees were polite, but were short-staffed and the person that normally ran the cellular location was not in that day. The other two employees did a surprisingly great job improvising and getting me set up with a new phone service.
The nice thing about heading to the Walmart location was that it wasn't as busy as it is at my local Verizon store. It took about the same amount of time and I could still do my normal grocery shopping while I was there.
The display was set up with phones that you could try and the staff was stocked with plenty of pamphlets on the different phone service agreements. They were able to review the pros and cons of the different plans with me and called Verizon to get my new plan into action while activating my phone. Best of all, they informed me of the new Friends & Family Network so I could register the people I call the most that are out-of-network and no longer be charged for it.
You might be wondering why I would not choose the iPhone for my phone as Walmart was fully stocked on those? Well, my entire family and best friend are all within the Verizon network so if I switched, it would have cost me a lot of additional money to terminate a contract and I would have hated to be charged for the minutes to talk to the people I talk with the most. The pitfall with the Blackberry is the $30 service that is mandatory for internet/email access.
I waited until I received my bill to write this review because many times I have discovered after activating a phone that the bill has been set up improperly. The bill was accurate and exactly as I had requested for phone service. To not have to hassle with the bill afterwards was a pleasant surprise and was a tribute to the great service I received at my local Walmart store.
What kind of phone did I finally settle on? I decided on getting the Blackberry Curve instead. I think it is absolutely perfect for my business needs and I still prefer a phone that has a keyboard on it versus the touch screen phones. I am now able to check my email on-the-go and it has made my work life run a lot more smoothly.
Blackberry does not have as many applications as the iPhone, but that should soon change with the launch of the Blackberry App World store on April 1st.
If you do have a Blackberry, here are a few free applications I have found to help make your day easier. Please note, you do need to go to these web addresses on your phone to download the services to your phone, unless otherwise stated:
Pandora Mobile- Now you can listen to Pandora on your mobile phone – in the car, at the gym, on the train – wherever and whenever you're in the mood to listen to great music.
Enjoy all the stations you've created on the web – and create new ones right from your mobile phone. You can also rate songs using thumbs up and thumbs down, and bookmark favorite artists and songs. Pandora on your phone is fully integrated with Pandora on the web, so everything you create, rate or bookmark on the phone also appears the next time you're back on the web.
TwitterBerry- This application keeps you connected with your friends on Twitter while you are on-the-go. You can read replies to just yourself, direct message, and follow your friend's timeline. It is a great little application that I really enjoy particularly when I am traveling because it makes updating a lot easier.
Facebook Mobile- With Facebook Mobile, you can use Facebook on the go. Use Facebook Mobile to upload photos and notes from your camera phone straight to Facebook. You can also receive and reply to Facebook messages, pokes and Wall posts using text messages, or use your phone's mobile browser at m.facebook.com.
The Mobile application page displays mobile photos recently uploaded by your friends and a phonebook that you can use to look up your friend's phone numbers.
Google Mobile- Stay connected on the go with Gmail, Search, Maps and other Google products. I am planning to load my Google calendar this month and I can sync it with my phone. I think this is really going to help streamline my day!
Overall, I am really happy with my phone choice and also happy with the customer service I received at Walmart. I would have never thought to hit this store for phone service, but there is definitely a convenience factor when doing my normal shopping.
I also did discover that the store offers an online cellular store where you can get the latest phones and gadgets. I could have ordered the Blackberry Storm instead, but there is definitely a benefit to having someone there to activate the service for you and be able to answer your questions in person. It is great to know it is there if you need it though.
I look forward to discovering ways that I can save with my new gadget and sharing new cell phone features that come out to help families save money.
Website for More Details: Walmart Cellular Service


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As you're planning your summer travels, you may be in for sticker shock: Airfares on some routes are higher than they were four or five years ago. Here are some tips for making your airfare dollars go farther.
-- There's no magic time to buy an airfare. The latest myth is to buy exactly 54 days in advance. Others say buy on Tuesday or Wednesday at midnight or when the moon is full (just kidding). But airlines are unpredictable, and anyone who claims he or she knows that airfares will be lower or higher in the coming months or days should trade in their crystal ball. No one can accurately predict where airfares are heading, any more than we can predict the stock market. Think about it: If they really knew, they'd put every other airfare search operation out of business, and that hasn't happened. Search often, over a long lead time, and pounce when there's a deal.
-- Fares fluctuate throughout the day, and the number of seats offered at the lowest fares also changes frequently. Or someone might be holding the only seat at the lowest fare and not book it, so it goes back into inventory and it will be yours. If you don't like the fare at 10 a.m., check at 2 p.m. or the next day or the next week and book it when you see a good price.
-- Get airfare alerts by email. Many travel websites offer emailed airfare alerts, letting you know when fares go down, and they all have something to offer. Do a browser search for "airfare alerts" and you'll see what's available. They all work a bit differently so sign up for more than one.
-- Sign up for the airlines' email feeds and frequent-flier programs. The airlines want to develop a relationship with you, so they'll send you special deals, such as 50%-off promo codes or two-fers, if you sign up for their emails.
-- Use Twitter. Some of the most amazing airfare deals last only a short time (even if they're valid for travel over a long period), or you open the email too late. Twitter is more immediate. Follow the airlines you're likely to use.
-- Be a flexible travel-date flier. If you don't care when you go as long as the fare is low, try a flexible-date search. It's getting harder to search airfares based on flexible travel dates now that many sites (Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity and Expedia among them) have eliminated their flexible-date calendars. But Kayak.com still has a good one. Also see Adioso.com and Google's www.google.com/flights/explore and www.google.com/flights.
-- Search airline sites individually, but don't ignore online travel agencies. Many airlines have "private" sales, reserving their best fares for their own sites. These are different from promo code sales. International airlines such as Aer Lingus, Iberia and Qantas regularly offer lower fares (as much as $100-$400 less) on their own website compared with what you'll find on Kayak or Orbitz. But the airfare sites might not disclose if it's cheaper to fly out on one airline and back on another; United, for instance, won't tell you it's cheaper to fly out on United and back on American.
-- Use Priceline for last-minute trips. If you don't have a seven-, 14-, or 21-day advance purchase window to buy your fare, your best bet is the "name your own price" feature on Priceline.com. You won't know the exact flight times or airline you're flying until you pay for your trip, but you can save 50% or more.
-- Consider the extra fees before you buy. If Southwest has a fare of $198 round trip and United has one for $148, and you are checking three bags, then Southwest has the lower fare because Southwest charges nothing for the first two checked bags, and United would charge you an additional $165 each way for three.