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REPORT: Dakotas' and Northern Plains' Percentage of Foreclosure Homes Among Least in Nation
(NPN) – Northern Plains states—including the Dakotas—have lower home foreclosure rates than most of the nation, according to a new report.
According to CoreLogic, for the month of January 2014, there were 48,000 completed foreclosures nationally, down from 59,000 in January 2013, a year-over-year decrease of 19 percent. On a month-over-month basis, completed foreclosures were up 11.8 percent from the 43,000 reported in December 2013.
North Dakota had the second least number of judicial and non-judicial foreclosures in January and tied for second with Colorado with percentage of foreclosure homes in housing inventory.
South Dakota had 0.7 percent of its housing inventory tied up in judicial foreclosures, a decrease of 0.5 percent from year to year. Iowa was the highest in the region at 1.5 percent of housing inventory undergoing judicial foreclosure.
CoreLogic reports that Florida had both the highest percentage of foreclosure homes in inventory—6.4 percent—and the highest number of completed foreclosures in January—116,000.
Nationally, according to CoreLogic, before the decline in the housing market in 2007, completed foreclosures averaged 21,000 per month nationwide between 2000 and 2006.
The company says completed foreclosures are an indication of the total number of homes actually lost to foreclosure. Since the financial crisis began in September 2008, there have been approximately 4.9 million completed foreclosures across the country.


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elk creek, NE
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subset: commoncrawl


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An alliance of more than 30 leading medical bodies and charities says Britain's "alcohol problem" has become so entrenched that drastic action – which would also include an end to sponsorship of sporting events – is required to protect children and teenagers.
Their submission to the House of Commons health select committee says the step is needed to tackle a growing burden on society, which costs almost 15,000 lives a year.
For more information:


text: While logging our find for Ridge Ruuner at Charlton , over a mile from the trailhead, we looked up and saw, holy smoke..only not so holy , a genuine forest fire , with black heavy smoke bllowing and cascading our way .Luckily , the wind was somewhat in our favor but the fire was approaching. Our legs , inspired by the sight , began ' hot footing' us outa there. We had never contemplated the thought of burning alive. Spontaneously , we both decided if the fire caught us ,we would hold one another , pray , and go our way. A favorable wind continued , slowed the progress of the fire , and we came home. I,m not sure we will ever cache again in deep woods under such dry , windy conditions . Scanning the area with binoculars before hiking in has become a must for us.


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Katie Grayce
Class of 2006
Major/Minor: Sociology
I miss Washington College but a lot has changed since I have left WAC and it has definitely been a journey in itself. I have taken a leap of faith and decided to chase after my dreams (the kind of dreams you dream up as a little kid) but my sociology major has definitely assisted me in my adventures! I have been pursuing a singer/songwriter career since shortly after graduating from WAC. I have always loved singing, writing, and music my whole life but also observing and learning about different cultures. I was given an opportunity shortly after graduating to write a hook(chorus) for a hip hop artist and having a sociology major under my belt was always a plus.
Sociology has played an important role in my adventure and career. I have had to work with people from all different cultures, ages, families, neighborhoods, and working in a field that is run mostly by men has been an interesting challenge. I have worked with producers from Def Jam, collaborated with signed artists, done shows at colleges, attended music conferences, handled business contracts, and I just signed a manager, and hopefully will have one of my songs on the radio soon. I have been forced to look at myself in regards to where and how I grew up so in turn it has forced me to grow up and also be thankful from where I have come from. When you are dealing with people who come from all different backgrounds on a daily basis and doing business with them, everyday turns into a sociology lesson or observation and I am constantly learning about society everyday.
The best advice I was given was to pick a major that you love and to pick a field you really want to learn more about. I have always loved dissecting American Culture and especially the hip hop culture. I wrote my senior thesis on "Why Does Hip Hop Music Find a Ready Audience in White Suburban Teenagers and what is that impact of that influence." I have now entered the hip hop culture full force and I would love to re-write or write another thesis since I have really become a part of the culture vs. studying the culture from the outside. Sociology taught me the complexity of cultures, subcultures, trends, class, race, and gender and the important roles they play in our daily lives. The music world and pop culture in general is a funnel of all of those things combined but perspective is the most important thing to remember and not forget.
I have learned to look at my perspective on culture but also other people's perspective from their own culture. Sociology is something that could be applied to any career path because we are living sociology right now. Our Society is a science and I am hoping my music will appeal to the masses.


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The Eagles play two games in the next five days. On Sunday, they're in Tampa. On Thursday night, they'll host the Bengals — possibly still on a losing streak so long that the Phillies have won more recently.
For the home game against Cincinnati, the Eagles will have quarterback Mike Vick available. If they want him.
A source with knowledge of the situation says that Vick is ready to play. It's not known, however, whether the team or the independent neurologist will give him the appropriate clearances to dress.
Vick's status has been the subject of considerable suspicion, with multiple reports and rumors pointing to the possibility that the Eagles have used Vick's concussion as a tool for benching him without really benching him.


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The New Jersey Devils are in real trouble.
According to NHL.com, on 44 occasions a team has won both the first and second games of the Stanley Cup Finals. Forty-one times, the team with that 2-0 advantage in the Finals goes on to win the Stanley Cup – a 93.2 percent success rate.
Can they manage the comeback?
The numbers are slightly less bleak if one expands the window to include all playoff series, but they still aren't good. On 291 occasions a team has trailed two games to none; in 37 of those series the trailing team has come back to win, meaning that the leading team has won the series 87.3 percent of the time.
Still, upsets do happen. Last year's Stanley Cup champions, the Boston Bruins, lost the first two home games in the first round, yet managed to come back and defeat the Montreal Canadiens. In the Finals, they dropped the first pair of contests to Vancouver, and ended up winning in seven games. The 2009 Penguins did something similar, dropping the first two games in both their second round series against Washington and in the Finals against Detroit; they too walked away with the Cup.
For the Devils to emulate the last two champions from the East, they'll need to find a way to beat a Kings team that has shown no shortage of killer instinct. Three times in these playoffs, the Kings have led a best of seven series two games to none; they swept the Blues and beat the Canucks and Coyotes in five games.
The Devils have proven a stiffer test to date than any of the Kings' previous opponents. In the series against Vancouver, Los Angeles won the first two games in regulation by a combined score of 8-4. The first two games against St. Louis were both won in regulation, with a score of 8-5. They outscored the Coyotes 8-2 in another pair of regulation wins. The Devils have forced each of the first two contests into overtime; the total score in the series now rests at 4-2 in favour of Los Angeles.
New Jersey was also much better in the second game against L.A. than they were in the first contest. The Devils were outshot 25-17 in the series opener, and according to NHLNumbers were out-chanced 14-10. In the second game, the Devils actually outshot the Kings 33-32 and the scoring chances were even at 21 each.
The primary problem for the Devils continues to be the Kings' top line of Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams and Dustin Brown. That trio has played primarily against New Jersey's top unit – Travis Zajac, Zach Parise and Dainius Zubrus – and in the first two games they've dominated the play. In head-to-head action, the Kings' first line generated three chances more than New Jersey's in the first game, and two more in the second game. Overall, the Kopitar line is plus-7 in scoring chances through two games against the Devils; the rest of the Kings team is a combined minus-3.
That problem is one that no team in these playoffs has yet been able to solve. In these playoffs, the trio has been unbeatable, with Kopitar especially dominant. In 5-on-5 situations with Kopitar on the ice, the Kings have outshot their opponents at a rate of 40-27 in an average hour. With Kopitar off the ice, the Kings have been outshot 31-26.
Kopitar's dominance is also reflected in scoring chances. In their third round series against Phoenix, Los Angeles out-chanced the Coyotes 95-65 at even-strength. In the ~83 minutes Kopitar played, the Kings won the scoring chances battle 35-16 (+19). In the ~156 minutes that Kopitar didn't play, the Kings still won the battle 60-49 (+11), but by a greatly reduced amount. Put another way: roughly speaking Kopitar (and his line-mates) played one-third of the Kings' even-strength minutes, and generated two-thirds of the Kings' scoring chance advantage.
If the Devils manage to come back and win this series, it will be because they have done what nobody else has been able to do: contain the Kopitar line.
Other Series Notes
- CBC commentator Glenn Healy noted during Game Two that "one thing [the commentators] don't talk about is the faceoff prowess of the Los Angeles Kings" before pointing out that the Kings were enjoying a sizeable advantage over the Devils in faceoffs. Interestingly, the Kings and Devils were the worst playoff faceoff teams in their respective conferences; both clubs found victory in the games without finding it in the faceoff circle.
- The Kings' fourth line has been quite successful in the post-season, and they've drawn extra attention because Darryl Sutter has been willing to put them on the ice against virtually anyone (typically, fourth lines play primarily against each other rather than facing the other team's more formidable lines). Sutter has hedged his bets, however, by being careful about where he uses those players. In five-on-five situations, fourth-line center Colin Fraser has been on the ice for 31 offensive zone faceoffs, as opposed to 35 in all other zones combined (including just 13 in the defensive end). By playing the fourth line primarily in the offensive zone, Sutter helps ensure that those shifts against better opponents don't come back to hurt his team. New Jersey's fourth line has received no such help, with head coach Peter DeBoer distributing offensive zone starts more or less evenly throughout the forward lines.
- One item that has yet to have an impact on the series is the Kings' ability to draw penalties. Through two games, the Devils have had six power play opportunities to the Kings' three, but that's somewhat unexpected. Los Angeles has four regulars who have drawn more than two penalties per hour in the playoffs; New Jersey has just one. The Kings have eight regulars drawing at least three penalties per hour; the Devils have only three. Entering this final series, the Kings had been on the power play 17 more times than they had been shorthanded; the Devils had just four more opportunities for than against.


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Magnus Paajarvi + 2nd rounder traded to St. Louis for David Perron
Gah.. I loved Paajarvi. Sad to see him go. He wasn't really a good fit here the past couple years, or at least the Oilers didn't seem a good fit for his skill set. He did what he had to do to become the player we needed… but I don't think it was the right situation. SO I think we're better off with Perron, but I can't help but worry about this one. Paajarvi could become a very good player in St. Louis (I hope so), and Perron has his concussion issues.
What say you guys about this one?


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Height & Width: 2 7/8" (+- 1/8")
Strength, Healing, Encouragement, Remembrance, Blessing and Faith are like the roots of a tree. Our inspiration comes from deep within and it is what keeps us grounded. Each Glass Ball Ornament is hand blown by one of Stephen Kitras Artisans and comes with its own unique gift message as follows:
"As many leaves that are on a tree is as many blessings that we each have in our life. Just as all the leaves combine to create the full leafy top of a tree, so do all of our blessings combine to a full and meaningful life. With care and attention we can grow our blessings and the blessings of others by nurturing, just as we would nurture a tree. The tree of blessings reminds us that there is no blessing too big or too small that doesn't add to the fullness of life."
If your order contains just a single 3" Ball Ornament, you can choose as your shipping option "USPS Parcel 2lbs or less" for a S/H charge of only $8.00
Mfg. SRP: $27.50
Usually ships the same business day


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Once the seventh round of the NFL draft ends each year, it's a mad scramble for the Raiders and the 31 other teams to sign a handful of undrafted free agents. So far, the Raiders have been linked to 10, though none has been confirmed by the Raiders.
So, proceed with caution. This is a fluid situation, and it's possible that some or all of these players, or agents, jumped the gun in saying they signed with the Raiders.
Here's the list:
OT John Wetzel, Boston College
WR Conner Vernon, Duke
WR Tim Wright, Rutgers
S Dexter McCoil, Tulsa
P Bobby Cowan, Idaho
WR Sam McGuffie, Rice
RB Deonte Williams, Cal Poly
G Lamar Mady, Youngstown State
C/G Deveric Gallington, Texas Tech
QB Kyle Padron, Eastern Washington


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California Department of Transportation
Date: June 28, 2012
District: 3
Contact: Gilbert Mohtes-Chan
Phone: (530) 741-4571
MARYSVILLE - Continuing the drive to rebuild California's infrastructure and spur job growth, the California Transportation Commission has allocated nearly $1 billion to 135 transportation projects statewide.
Approximately $600 million in funding was provided by Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006. The remaining allocations came from assorted state and federal transportation accounts. In total, about $13.8 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been distributed statewide.
"Proposition 1B continues to fund key transportation projects, which translates into a strengthened economy," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "Investing in our infrastructure will improve mobility and create a better future for Californians."
Some of the notable local projects that received funding include:
- Sutter County - $17.8 million for a Proposition 1B project to construct an interchange at the junction of State Highway 99 and State Highway 113 south of Yuba City.
- Sacramento County - $7.9 million for a local Proposition 1B project by the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments to build the two-lane 6th Street overcrossing roadway with bike lanes and sidewalks, connecting from H Street to the new Railyards Boulevard.
- Placer County - $758,000 for a local Proposition 1B project by the City of Lincoln and the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency to widen Nicolaus Road between Aviation/Nelson Lane and Airport Boulevard.
- Colusa County - $9.3 million to repave 20.4 lane miles of State Highway 20 from the Lake County line to 6.8 miles east of Highway 16.
- Sierra County - $2.3 million to the Sierra County Transportation Commission to repave and improve Ridge Road between Pliocene Ridge Road and Miners Street in Alleghany
Please see the attached file for more information about all the projects that received allocations.
# # # #


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Brad Paisley Talks 'Wheelhouse,' 'Nashville' in Parade Magazine
Country superstar Brad Paisley opens up on a whole host of interesting topics in this weekend's issue of Parade. If you want the details on a controversial 'Wheelhouse' song, and his thoughts on 'Nashville,' you're in for a real treat. You may be surprised at what's going on in his cowboy hat-covered head.
Paisley, who's handsome as ever on the cover of Parade, is dressed in his usual attire of country music gear. He readily addresses the controversial song 'Those Crazy Christians,' which appears on his highly anticipated 'Wheelhouse' album, stating, "This is what I would consider a gospel song, the most important one I've ever done. … I wrote it shortly after my cousin-in-law passed away in 2011. … To play the part of the skeptic … is a much more powerful argument to me—in favor of [belief] as well as looking at things that are baffling."
Although his new record may be a bit edgier than his past music, Paisley is confident in the bond he has with his fans, saying, "Maybe I'm naive, but I give them a lot of credit for having been with me a long time and knowing me really well. So it's not like with one album I'm a whole new guy."
The singer is also confident on knowing what he can and cannot handle. He is quite sure that although his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, was recently cast in the hit drama 'Nashville,' he just is not interested in playing a part in the show. Paisley says he knows he wouldn't be able to be in the show when his wife is playing someone else's mistress. "They've asked, but it's a little odd, having Kim on there playing somebody else. … I can't watch it. It is really good, but it's disturbing to me, too close to what I do." Sounds like he's got a good head on his shoulders, and a whole lot of love for his beautiful wife.
The 'Beat This Summer' singer will probably be so busy with his upcoming tour, he won't have time to even think about watching television. His new album, which hits stores April 9, features many surprising artists, and we can't wait to hear these unexpected collaborations!


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The students of English literature are familiar with what sonnets are. A sonnet is basically a short poem of 14 lines composed in a special pattern. This form of poetry was probably invented in Italy during Renaissance.
The form of sonnets was made popular by Petrarch. This form started a fashion which influenced poetry in Europe. Later on, it was termed as the "Petrarchan convention" of artificial love poetry.
He wrote sonnets addressing Laura de Noves whom he loved. Petrarch set her up in his mind as the ideal woman and wrote around. Similarly, Dante had idealized Beatrice Portinary. As a result, idealized women remained the literary custom in poetry all over Europe.
Great poets like Milton and Wordsworth used the Italian form. However, in Milton's sonnet on his blindness, there is no such clear break between the octave and the sestet.
Sonnet Examples
Keats's sonnet "On first looking into Chapman's Homer" is highly lyrical poetry written in the Italian form.
On first looking into Chapman's Homer
Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow'd Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star'd at the Pacific—and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild sunrise –
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.
It is easy for an ordinary poet to write a sonnet but the lyrical feeling may get lost in composing the form. Keats has maintained the correct sonnet-form without missing the lyrical feeling in it. The line "watcher of the skies when a new planet swims into his ken" beautifully expresses the excitements of the new discovery.
There are twentieth century poets like Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) and A. E. Housman wrote sonnets. Any reader of English poetry should read Brooke's sonnets.
There is another modern poet Charles Causley who has written number of sonnets but his "For an Ex Far East Prisoner of War" is very special for modern times. It is about a problem which concerns all in this modern world. The problem deals with forgiving and forgetting wars. This poem shows the ex-prisoner as a modern Christ who suffers on the cross and reminds of guilt and responsibility.
For an Ex Far East Prisoner of War
I am that man with helmet made of thorn
Who wandered naked in the desert place,
Wept, with the sweating sky, that I was born
And wore disaster in my winter face.
I am that man who asked no hate, no pity,
I am that man, five-wounded, on the tree.
I am that man, walking in native city,
Hears his dead comrade cry, Remember me!
I am that man whose brow with blood was wet,
Returned, as Lazarus from the dead to live.
I am that man, long counseled to forget,
Faeing a fearful victory, to forgive:
And seizing the two words, with the sharp sun
Beat them, like sword and ploughshare, into one.
If you read this sonnet, you will realize that how it is difficult to say that both lyrical and reflective poetry are different.


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Greetings! A FO EZ!
Greetings on this dreary SW PA Saturday early afternoon!
I'm Nancy, near Pittsburgh, PA. I have just finished my EZ Fair Isle Yoke sweater and took a picture of it yesterday during one of the few sunny moments! I knit it on circular 4's and 6's in KnitPicks merino that I picked last year when I won their monthly drawing! (I just couldn't believe I had won it!)
Reading along on this blog has been so very much fun! Now, I get to participate!
Nancy J


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A fuel distribution company is recalling gasoline from 21 communities in southern Minnesota because too much ethanol was mixed in with the gas.
The fuel sent out over the weekend came from the Magellan Midstream Partners plant in Mankato. It contained more than the 10 percent concentration allowed by law. State regulators said one batch tested at 63 percent ethanol.
Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine said the problem began Friday, but plant managers didn't notice it immediately.
"We noticed the incident toward the end of the weekend and took action as quickly as we possibly could. We acted as expeditiously as we possibly could to notify the affected parties and replace the gasoline with on-spec product," Heine said.
The company is cooperating with state regulators, said Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman. Tanker trucks began hauling the recalled gasoline away from gas stations early Monday.
"Hopefully working together we can identify the extent of the problem, get the scope, and work out a plan that replaces the bad gasoline and work out any issues as we go forward," Rothman said.
Rothman says anyone who suspects they may have a tank of bad gas should contact the station where they filled up as well as the state Commerce Department.


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Dry Riesling tasting - the results
The following is a list of the wines we tasted in descending order of popularity with the group. First is the name of the wine, then the vintage, then the producer, then the region, then the country and finally, in brackets, the group's average points out of 20 followed by mine.
1 Weissenkirchner Achleiten 1990, Smaragd; Prager/Bodenstein, Wachau, Austria (18.71/18)
2 Clos Ste Hune 1990; Trimbach, Alsace, France (17.86/19)
3 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg 1997; Georg Breuer, Rheingau, Germany (17.82/17)
4= Kellerberg 1995, Smaragd, F.X. Pichler, Wachau, Austria (17.64/18.5)
4= Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Spätlese trocken 2002; Christmann, Pfalz, Germany (17.64/19)
6= Loibner Vision 2002, Smaragd, Högl, Wachau, Austria (17.39/17.5)
6= Vinothekfüllung 2002 Smaragd; Knoll, Wachau, Austria (17.39/18.5)
8 Loibenberg 1990, Smaragd, Knoll, Wachau, Austria (17.36/18.5)
9 Zöbinger Heiligenstein 2002; Hiedler, Kamptal, Austria (17.29/16)
10= Weissenkirchner Achleiten 2001; Smaragd; Prager, Wachau, Austria (17.25/17)
10= Zöbinger Heiligenstein, Alte Reben 1997; Bründlmayer, Kamptal, Austria (17.25/17)
10= Auslese trocken 1990; Gunderloch, Rheinhessen, Germany (17.25/18)
13 Monzinger Halenberg Auslese trocken 2001; Emrich-Schönleber, Nahe, Germany (17.18/19)
14 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg 2002, Johannes Leitz, Rheingau, Germany (17.14/18)
15 Loibenberg 1997, Smaragd; Alzinger, Wachau, Austria (17.11/18.5)
16 Weissenkirchner Achleiten 2001; Smaragd, Rudi Pichler, Wachau, Austria (17.07/17)
17 Nussberg 2002; Wieninger, Vienna, Austria (17.04/16.5)
18= Zöbinger Heiligenstein, Lyra 2002; Bründlmayer, Kamptal, Austria (17.00/17.5)
18= Schlossberg Grand Cru Cuvée Ste. Catherine 1997; Weinbach-Faller, Alsace, France (17.00/19.5)
20= Isolation Ridge 2003; Frankland Estate, Frankland River, Western Australia, Australia (16.96/17)
20= Brand 2001; Zind-Humbrecht, Alsace, France (16.96/18)
22 Niederhäuser Herrmannshöhle Spätlese 2002; H. Dönnhoff, Nahe, Germany (16.93/17)
23 Privat 2002; Nigl, Kremstal, Austria (16.89/18)
24 Vinothek 1990, Smaragd; Nikolaihof, Wachau, Austria (16.79/17)
25 Unendlich 2002; F.X. Pichler, Wachau, Austria (16.75/16.5)
26 Kallstadter Saumagen Spätlese trocken "R" 1990; Koehler-Rupprecht, Pfalz, Germany (16.68/16)
27= Reserve 2003; Crawford River, Victoria, Australia (16.61/17)
27= Polish Hill 1997; Grosset, Clare Valley, Southern Australia (16.61/18)
27= Cuvée Frederic Emile 1997; Trimbach, Alsace, France (16.61/18)
30 Jesuitengarten Spätlese trocken 2002; Wolf, Pfalz, Germany (16.54/18)
31= Spitzer Singerriedel 1997, Smaragd; Hirtzberger, Wachau, Austria (16.46/18)
31= Rangen de Thann 1997; Zind Humbrecht, Alsace, France (16.46/16.5)
33 Hochheimer Hölle Auslese trocken 2002; Franz Künstler, Rheingau, Germany (16.43/18)
34 Gaisberg, Alte Reben 1997; Schloss Gobelsburg, Kamptal, Austria (16.21/15)
35 Hommage a Jean Hugel 1997, Hugel, Alsace, France (16.11/17)
36 von den Terassen 1997, Mittelbach, Dürnstein, Wachau, Austria (15.79/17)
Where to find out more
See my full tasting notes and scores at The world's best dry Rieslings in purple pages.
The tasting itself
London's louche Groucho Club in Soho is known for many things but does not have a natural affinity with the pristine white wines of Austria. It has nevertheless now been the setting for two of the most seminal blind tastings in the history of Austrian wine. I reported on the first one, in which Austria's native Grüner Veltliner grape trounced some of the finest Chardonnays in the world, on these pages two years ago.
But the Austrian Wine Marketing Board was keen to prove its prowess with its dry Rieslings too, and therefore organised a repetition of the first tasting in which the Austrians put up 18 of their finest dry Rieslings in various age groups against the most obvious competition. It was left to me and Bavaria-based fine wine merchant Jan Paulson of rare-wine.com to decide what that competition might be. And it was because Jan Paulson is by day a Swedish dentist, London-trained, who joined the Groucho in memory of his student days in Soho, that the two Austrian tastings have been held there. Paulson has no formal connection with Austrian wine - indeed most of the wines he sells are French classics made before the Second World War - but he is an interested observer of the dramatic revitalisation of Austrian wine in the last 20 years.
Many of the tasters were the same in both Grüner Veltliner and Riesling taste-offs, but the Riesling one saw a particularly high proportion of (notably punctual) sommeliers, including an Australian and a Frenchwoman. The other tasters last week were either wine merchants or wine writers. The scoring was overseen by David Hunter of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust who worked for many years with German wines. I was determined that this time the Austrian candidates would be set against the finest dry Rieslings I could think of.
We were to taste the 36 wines in six flights of six, three flights ranging over the vintages 2001-2003, two flights of wines made 1995-1997 and one flight of 1990s, a great vintage in most of Europe. But it can be difficult to source top-quality Australian Riesling with any age on it, as I found. The last flight was therefore bereft of representatives from Down Under and one of our middle-aged flights had to do without Petaluma Riesling 1997 which arrived from Australia only after the tasting.
Australia apart, the obvious places to look for top quality dry Riesling are relatively few and far between. New Zealand is making more, better and drier Riesling with every year but has not yet established a copper-bottomed reputation for this variety. South Africa seems thoroughly out of love with Riesling, even though the likes of Klein Constantia and Buitenverwachting have shown they can make fine examples in cool Constantia, Mark Thatcher's old manor. Chile is just starting to get serious with Rieslings from the far south. Navarro of Mendocino would have the greatest claim to submit a dry Riesling from California and, as I wrote here last April, there are more and more creditable versions from Washington and Oregon, but I could not easily think of an American world champion dry Riesling.
Within Europe I have tasted dry(ish) Rieslings made in virtually every country, but they generally lack finesse, the potential to age magnificently which is one of Riesling's hallmarks, the ability to express terroir which is another, and can easily tend to coarseness and bitterness.
To find truly great, satin-smooth, dry Riesling, it seemed to me it was necessary to go to Alsace and Germany itself, although even in Germany, home of Riesling, dry wines have only recently become (hugely) fashionable once more. It was relatively easy to pick out a couple of potentially great dry German Rieslings, from Gunderloch and Koehler-Ruprecht, made in 1990 whereas in this decade the choice is becoming increasingly overwhelming. Many of the most successful German wines in this tasting were older wines labelled Auslese trocken, meaning they were dry wines made from exceptionally ripe grapes, but this is a category fast being replaced by the new Grosses Gewächs designation within Germany.
There were no wines from as far north as the Mosel in this collection - the Mosel is generally better suited to making fruitier, more delicate Rieslings - but there were two from the Nahe (including one of my favourites of the entire tasting) and three from the Rheingau as well as the Gunderloch from the Rheinhhessen and three from the Pfalz.
Alsace, just over the Rhine from the southern Pfalz, has been making fine dry Riesling for decades so I decided to concentrate on the top wines of the most established names in this extremely varied French region: Faller, Hugel, Trimbach and Zind Humbrecht who between them supplied six wines. Faller's was my favourite of the entire tasting but was a mere middle ranker with most other tasters. In fact, I was generally much keener on Alsace Rieslings than the group as a whole which put every single Alsace other than Trimbach's Clos Ste Hune 1990 in the lower half of the overall ranking.
What the group liked best was, much to the relief of the head of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, Austrian Riesling. One Wachau Riesling in particular, Prager/Bodenstein's Weissenkirchner Achleiten 1990 Smaragd was the group's clear favourite, and eight of the group's top 14 wines were from Austria - although since half the wines tasted were Austrian, this is not quite such a walk-over as Austria enjoyed in the Grüner Veltliner tasting.
The other non-Austrian group favourites were, in declining order, that miraculous Clos Ste Hune 1990 from Trimbach in Alsace in second place; in third place Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg 1997 from George Breuer who had died suddenly in his early 50s this summer; Christmann's seriously exciting and nervy 2002 in equal fourth place; and wines from Gunderloch, Emrich Schönleber and Johannes Leitz.
Although I gave it 18 points out of 20, I found the Prager/Bodenstein winning wine just a little too full and developed for my, obviously warped, taste. In truth the marks for this stunning selection of one of the most refreshing wine styles in the world were all very close together (much closer than those for the Chardonnays had been). My marks varied from 15 for a rather old 1997 from Austria's Schloss Gobelsburg to 19.5 for the Faller 1997. The group average mark varied from 15.79 for another tired Austrian 1997 from Mittelbach to 18.71 for the Prager/Bodenstein 1990.
Overall I found rather to my surprise that I had marked the Alsace wines highest, with an average score of 18 points out of 20 over its six wines. Germany's generally racy nine examples came next, averaging 17.67, while my personal average scores were 17.33 for both Australia's distinctively lime-flavoured three wines and for Austria's 18 satisfyingly plump examples, but there was just a whisker in it. A whisker of the finest white wine grape in the world, wherever it is grown.
My favourite dry Rieslings
Group placings in brackets after mine.
1 (18) Schlossberg Riesling Grand Cru Cuvée Ste Catherine 1997 Weinbach-Faller, Alsace, France
2 (2) Clos Ste Hune Riesling 1990 Trimbach, Alsace, France
3 (4=) Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Spätlese trocken 2002 Christmann, Pfalz, Germany
4 (13) Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese trocken 2001 Emrich Schönleber, Nahe, Germany
5 (6=) Vinothekfüllung Riesling Smaragd 2002 Knoll, Wachau, Austria
6 (15) Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd 1997 Alzinger, Wachau, Austria
7 (4=) Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd 1995 F X Pichler, Wachau, Austria
8 (8) Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd 1990 Knoll, Wachau, Austria
The overall group ranking and my own tasting notes and scores are at The world's best dry Rieslings on purple pages.


text: My mail server is on the Blacklist and I figured it was a client that might be causing the issue. However, since the office was closed this past weekend and all PC's were turned off. I am now thinking that maybe the mail server has been comprimised. Is there a way to tell? I pulled a lot of the mail logs last week and seen nothing strange, but not sure what I am looking for other than a bogus user.


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As Manly emerged from the North Eagles debacle, coach Des Hasler and recruitment guru Noel Cleal went searching for a hardened professional who could lead and harden a young inexperienced team so they could go from average to great in the NRL.
In early months of the 2004 season they grabbed test forward and Grand Final winner Ben Kennedy from the Newcastle Knights - BK proved to be the perfect man for the job and he was one of the key factors into turning the Sea Eagles into a premiership force.
BK was born in Casino but had strong family connections on the peninsula. A talented league player he was drafted into the GPS rugby system and attended St Joesphs College where he went onto to play for the Australian School boys rugby side. Upon leaving school he played union for the Manly Marlins and was on the verge of further representative honours when he signed for the Canberra Raiders.
Amazingly the Manly Sea Eagles were one of the first league clubs to spot Kennedy but then CEO Frank Stanton had a look at him down at Manly Oval and put a red mark next to his name in the recruitment book. In hindsight it was a poor decision but fate works in funny ways and BK was to eventually come to the club when the time was right.
He senior league career started in 1996 and he won the Raiders rookie of the year, after four seasons with the Raiders BK had developed into a top class forward. The Newcastle Knights controversially poached him from the Raiders, some claiming he signed before the anti tampering deadline.
His arrival at the Knights turned them into a force in the competition and he took the club to new heights. His ruthless play and determined leadership eventuated in a premiership and his man of match performance in the club's upset victory over Parramatta in the 2001 Grand Final was sadly not rewarded with the Clive Churchill medal.
After signing for the Sea Eagles his mission was to turn the talented young forwards like Watmough, King & Kite into a tough competitive unit that could dominate games and give their outside men the chance to win the games.
Hi passion, toughness and will to win was evident from day 1 and many expected him to be named captain but Hasler opted for the much maligned Michael Monaghan. Despite not having the 'c' next to his name in the program he was the perfect leader and often he let his actions do the talking on the field.
BK was the back bone of the side and the weekend result often depended on how BK went. I have been watching Manly for nearly four decades and apart from Bob Fulton no other player had as much influence on a Manly side as BK did.
Such were his efforts in his two seasons at the club he was awarded a place in the club's greatest team in their 60th year.
In 2005 Manly made their first finals series since the 1990s finishing 8th, the club progressed again the following season making the 2nd week of the finals, BK played his last game for the the Sea Eagles in their loss to the Dragons at the SFS.
Although there was no premiership title during his time at Manly his mere presence turned the tide and his commitment to the team ethos renewed Manly premiership credentials that result in a Grand Final appearance in 2007 and an eventual title in 2008.
It is fair to say that without BK's contribution to the Maroon and White, Manly fans would have never had the pleasure winning their 7th title in 2008.
BK played 42 games for the Sea Eagles out of his career tally of 195 NRL games. He played for the Blues 13 times and 12 international appearances to his name.
Ben Kennedy - tough as nails champion.
Ben Kennedy 2005 to 2006
Discussion in 'Ex-Player Profiles' started by The Wheel, Apr 17, 2009.
Discussion in 'Ex-Player Profiles' started by The Wheel, Apr 17, 2009.
XenPorta 2 PRO © Jason Axelrod from 8WAYRUN


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Jos. A. Bank Clothiers (NASDAQ:JOSB) said Thursday its second-quarter profit tumbled 38% amid weaker sales, while lower costs helped boost gross margins.
Continue Reading Below
The men's clothing retailer has pinned most of its sales struggles on a marketing campaign that failed to gain traction. Last month, Jos. A. Bank provided a dismal outlook based on the tepid consumer response.
"Customers did not respond as well to some of our highly promotional marketing campaigns as they did in the prior year, causing the disappointing sales decline in the quarter," President and Chief Executive R. Neal Black said in a statement. "At the same time, day-to-day sales on the non-promotional portion of our business in stores increased during the quarter and have the potential to represent a larger portion of our business going forward."
Black added that sales in the current quarter are off to "a good start," saying the company's "declines may have bottomed out."
Those remarks helped boost shares in pre-market trading Thursday, as Jos. A. Bank leapt 7.45% to $43.00.
In the second quarter, the company logged a profit of $14.2 million, or 51 cents a share, down from $23.2 million, or 83 cents a share, a year earlier.
Jos. A. Bank last month provided earnings guidance of 49 cents to 53 cents a share, much less than Wall Street estimates at the time.
Sales dropped 11% to $232.5 million, meeting the company's expectations. Same-store sales were down 16%, and combined same-store and Internet sales also declined 16%.
Gross margin widened to 59.1% from 58.7%, while input costs slipped 11% year-over-year.


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Special Report: Deer Season '08
Conservation organizations partner with Wildlife Department on habitat projects
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's fisheries division increased its budget by $60,000 recently thanks to donations from Trout Unlimited and Tulsa Fly Fishers. The money will be used for angler access and habitat improvement projects to the Lower Illinois River Watts Area.
"These donations will be used to improve our state's angling opportunities, and as always, our thanks go out to Trout Unlimited, the Tulsa Fly Fishers and all the other angling groups that help improve fishing opportunities across the state," said Barry Bolton, fisheries chief for the Wildlife Department.
The donation, which includes $14,000 from Trout Unlimited and $1,000 from the Tulsa Fly Fishers, is being matched with $45,000 from Sport Fish Restoration Funds. Fishing equipment carries a special federal tax that is collected from the manufacturer. These taxes are then distributed to state fish and wildlife agencies by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Sport Fish Restoration program.
The wildlife division's budget also increased by $10,000 after a donation of $2,500 from the Indian Territory Chapter of Quail Forever. The funds from the donation will be used with other donations from the National Wild Turkey Federation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to enhance quail habitat at the Spavinaw WMA. It will also be matched with funds from the Wildlife Restoration program, which operates in the same way as the Sport Fish Restoration program.
The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission accepted the donations and voted to increase the budget at its November meeting.
The Commission also heard a presentation from Finley & Cook, PLLC including the results of the Department's fiscal year 2008 annual financial audit. The independent audit, which also reviewed federal grant programs, revealed no findings.
Additionally, the Commission also accepted a donation of two bronze sculptures from the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc.
In other business, the Commission recognized several Department employees for their years of service to the sportsmen of the state, among them Thor Carlson, district chief of law enforcement, for 30 years; James Edwards, game warden supervisor, for 30 years; Daryl Howser, game warden, for 30 years; Rick Olzawski, game warden, for 30 years; Gary Roller, game warden, for 30 years; Wade Free, regional wildlife supervisor, for 25 years; David Steele, game warden, for 25 years; and Russ Horton, wildlife research supervisor, for 20 years.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. Dec. 1 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium), located at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma Aquarium welcomes newborn otter; sharks and other attractions offer fun for all ages
After weeks of speculation, a one-month-old North American river otter pup is taking its first public steps and swimming with its mother's help at the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks. The pup and the female and male pair are part of the Hayes Family Ozark Stream exhibit, which just opened this past March and is the Aquarium's first exhibit to feature mammals.
Biologists knew there was a possibility that the female otter was pregnant, but weren't positive until recent weeks. On Sept. 26, biologists were on high alert, as the female exhibited behavior of going into labor and then remained in her den for an extended length of time. Since otters can be very defensive, Aquarium staff cautiously peered into the den and verified an otter pup had been born. Recently, the mother otter started bringing the offspring out of the den.
Other exciting news at the Aquarium includes an ongoing cooperative relationship with the Tulsa Zoo. The Aquarium is currently holding three of the Tulsa Zoo's sharks, each weighing about 200 lbs., in its main tank while the Zoo evaluates a renovation project of its shark exhibit. The Aquarium's main tank now houses 19 bull, lemon and Atlantic blacktip sharks, adding an additional attraction until the sharks are transported back to the Tulsa Zoo. The Aquarium's Ray & Robin Siegfried Families Shark Adventure exhibit, which has a walk-through tunnel and dome, also allows you to see the largest bull sharks in captivity swimming alongside you and even right over your head.
Guests may catch a glimpse of the otter or sharks with a visit to the Aquarium, which houses over 200 exhibits consisting of both salt and freshwater fish.
"People need to come out and see the Aquarium," said Colin Berg, education supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "The exhibits are awesome, and they even have record fish on site, like the state record blue catfish that you can see up close. This really is a great partnership."
Over the last five years, the Oklahoma Aquarium has welcomed about two million visitors, and approximately 1/3 of its guests come from out of state. Additionally, the Aquarium has led to an estimated $100 million in tourism for Oklahoma and has educated more than 100,000 pre-K to graduate level students through organized field trips, internships and other structured programs.
The Wildlife Department is proud to be a part of the Oklahoma Aquarium's success. Along with maintaining an office branch at the Jenks-based Aquarium, the Department gets involved by holding aquatic education clinics at the site. Additionally, the Hayes Family Ozark Streams exhibit at the Aquarium was partially funded through the Oklahoma Sport Fish Restoration Program.
Visitors to the Oklahoma Aquarium can learn about the biodiversity and adaptation of many different species. Learning is only half the fun, though, as the Oklahoma Aquarium holds within it some very special visual opportunities.
Other exhibits include the Karl and Beverly White Fishing and Tackle Museum, which showcases antique tackle and fishing gear; the Fishes of Oklahoma exhibit, offering the opportunity to see a state record blue catfish, seven-foot-long gars; and an alligator snapping turtle that is more than 120 years old.
Visitors to the Oklahoma Aquarium who present a current Oklahoma hunting or fishing license upon arrival receive $2 off admission.
For additional information about the Oklahoma Aquarium and how you can plan your visit, log on to okaquarium.org or call (918) 296-3474.
Deadline approaches for youth waterfowl hunt drawing
Youth who do not have an adult mentor who waterfowl hunts have a unique opportunity to experience the traditions of duck hunting this year thanks to an upcoming drawing held by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
This fall, youth ages 12-15 who apply by Nov. 15 can be part of one of several Department-guided hunts taking place across the state.
"These hunts provide a way to take youth hunting who otherwise might not get much of a chance to do so, and in turn we are giving them a lifetime respect and appreciation for wildlife and the traditions of hunting," said Mike O'Meilia, research program supervisor for the Wildlife Department. "Instilling an interesting in conservation through hunting is one of the best ways to ensure the next generation does their part in conserving our outdoor resources."
Other than meeting the age requirements, applicants must have proof of successfully completing a certified hunter education course and have an adult guardian who can accompany them on the hunt.
A Wildlife Department employee will accompany each youth and their adult guardian for the controlled waterfowl hunt at one of several Department-managed areas. Only the youth hunter will be allowed to hunt.
To be eligible for the drawing, each youth applicant and their guardian must submit the following information on a 3x5 postcard: names, addresses, telephone numbers, youth's hunter education number and the name of the desired hunt location and two alternate hunt locations where they would like to hunt. The scheduled date of the hunt will be coordinated with successful applicants after the drawing.
Hunt locations include Altus-Lugert Lake, Ft. Gibson Refuge, Ft. Cobb Lake Refuge, Hackberry Flat Refuge, Okmulgee Public Hunting Area, Vann's Lake, Webbers Falls Refuge, Wagoner Co. and Wister Lake Refuge.
Applications must be received by November 15, 2008, and should be mailed to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Youth Waterfowl Hunts, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Successful applicants will be notified. Applicants may only apply once.
The Wildlife Department will provide successful applicants the necessary nontoxic shotgun shells, and a 20 gauge single shot shotgun will be available for use if the youth does not have his or her own shotgun. For more information, contact Jeff Neal, Wildlife Department migratory game bird technician at (405) 424-0122.
Young outdoor writers to share their heritage and win trip of a lifetime
Every year, young people across Oklahoma share their outdoor heritage by competing in a youth outdoor writing contest for a chance at a trip of a lifetime.
According to Colin Berg, education supervisor for the Wildlife Department, the essay contest is an ideal way for youth to show their love for the outdoors and, in the process, possibly win a vacation in the great outdoors. There are two age categories (11-14 and 15-17), and one girl and one boy winner are chosen from each one.
To participate, students must be 11-17 years of age and currently enrolled in any Oklahoma school or home school. Winners of the 2007 contest are not eligible. Applicants must have successfully completed an Oklahoma Hunter Education course by the entry deadline, which is Nov. 19, 2008. Students also must use the theme of "Hunting: Sharing the Heritage" or "Archery: What I like about Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting" or the concept of the theme to develop a descriptive essay or short story.
Winners in the 15-17 age category (one boy and one girl) will receive a guided antelope hunt in New Mexico, and winners in the 11-14 age category are competing for a scholarship within the Apprentice Hunter Program at the YO Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas. Safari Club International's Apprentice Hunter Program is a unique, hands-on course designed for girls and boys aged 11-14. The program covers topics such as the history of hunting, the ethical basis of modern sport hunting, wildlife management, field identification, tracking and interpreting sign, game cooking and the SCI Sportsmen Against Hunger Program. There are three sessions — each one week long — during the summer of 2009.
The four statewide winners and their legal guardians will be invited to Oklahoma City to attend an awards ceremony in March. In addition, the top 25 essay entrants will receive a one-year youth membership to Safari Club International. The winning student essays will be published in the OSCSCI newsletter, "Safari Trails." Publication qualifies the winning entries for the National Youth Writing Contest sponsored by the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Several past national winners have come from Oklahoma.
One educator also will be awarded an all-expenses-paid scholarship for an eight-day conservation education school at Safari Club International's American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) at Granite Ranch near Jackson, Wyoming, according to Berg.
The AWLS program is conducted during the summer and presents an outdoor program for educators that concentrates on natural resource management. Participants learn about stream ecology, map and compass usage, fly tying, shooting sports, wildlife management, the Yellowstone ecosystem, camping, white-water rafting, educational resources, how to implement outdoor education ideas and language arts and creative writing in an outdoor setting.
Both the essay contest rules and teacher scholarship applications are available from the Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com
Essays and applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 19, or delivered by Nov. 19 in person to the Department of Wildlife's Jenks Office at 201 Aquarium Drive, Jenks. Address entries to: Essay Contest, Attn: Education Section Supervisor, ODWC Jenks Office, P.O. Box 1201, Jenks, OK 74037.
Deer gun season opens Nov. 22
With several exceptional bucks already harvested this year by archery and muzzleloader hunters, the Nov. 22 opener of deer gun season looks promising as thousands of men, women and children will head to the woods and fields for the biggest hunting day of the year.
Two years ago, deer gun hunters made state history with a record gun season harvest of 72,263 deer. That total contributed to a combined season harvest record of 119,349 deer, over 18,000 more deer than in 2005, and more than 17,000 more deer than the previous combined season harvest record set in 2000. Last year, the total harvest was down slightly, but two state records were taken during the gun season.
Hunters participating in the 16-day deer gun season will have from Nov. 22 through Dec. 7 to harvest up to one antlered and two antlerless deer. If a hunter harvests two antlerless deer, at least one must be taken in antlerless zone 2. A map of antlerless deer zones as well as dates open to antlerless deer hunting are available on page 21 of the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide," available anywhere hunting licenses are sold, or on the Wildlife Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
Resident deer gun hunters must have a hunting license and a fishing and hunting legacy permit or proof of exemption to hunt deer in Oklahoma. In addition, they must possess a deer gun license (antlered or antlerless) or proof of exemption for each deer hunted.
Resident youth hunters age 16 or 17 years old must purchase a hunting license and a deer gun license for each deer hunted, unless exempt. Resident youth under 16 years of age are exempt from the purchase of a hunting license and fishing and hunting legacy permit, but they must purchase a deer gun license for each deer hunted. Unless exempt, all hunters under 18 years of age must possess a valid deer gun license, but they have the option of purchasing a $10 youth deer gun license (antlered or antlerless) rather than the $20 deer gun license.
"Resident youth can use unfilled youth deer gun season licenses to hunt deer during the regular deer gun season," said Jerry Shaw, big game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Additionally, those youth who did harvest a deer during the youth deer gun season can still hunt during the regular deer gun season as long as they can stay within their legal annual combined limit of six deer, of which only two may be antlered.
Nonresident deer hunters are exempt from a hunting license, but they must possess a nonresident deer gun license (antlered, antlerless or combination) for each deer hunted and a fishing and hunting legacy permit, or proof of exemption. Holders of nonresident lifetime hunting and lifetime combination licenses are not exempt from purchasing deer licenses.
Those ages 10-35 who have not completed a hunter education course can purchase an apprentice-designated hunting license and go deer hunting with an accompanying adult who is a licensed hunter age 21 or older and who possesses a certificate of hunter education. Persons 21 years old or older who are exempt from either hunter education or hunting license requirements may also accompany an apprentice hunter. Youths age 9 and under must successfully complete a hunter education course to hunt deer in Oklahoma.
Upon successfully harvesting a deer, annual license holders must complete the Record of Game section of the universal license, and all license holders, including lifetime license holders, must immediately attach their name and license number to the carcass. What the hunter attaches can be anything, as long as it contains the hunter's name and hunting license number and remains securely attached to the animal until it is checked at a hunter check station or with an authorized Wildlife Department employee. All successful hunters must check their deer at the nearest hunter check station. A county-by-county listing of hunter check stations is provided in this year's Hunting Guide, and the most up-to-date check station listing is available at wildlifedepartment.com.
Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Wildlife Department, reminds deer gun hunters to put safety first while deer hunting.
"Remember to apply what you've learned in your hunter safety course, and you should have a safe, rewarding hunting season," Meek said. "Remember to wear the appropriate amount of hunter orange clothing, secure your treestands properly and know your target and what lies beyond your target in all situations."
All deer gun hunters must conspicuously wear both a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline consisting of daylight fluorescent orange color totaling at least 400 square inches. Camo-fluorescent orange is legal as long as the total orange meets or exceeds the required 400 square inches.
"One final safety tip for deer gun hunters, or any deer hunters for that matter, is to wear a safety harness while hunting from a treestand," Meek said.
Safety harnesses are available at sporting goods dealers that sell hunting equipment.
Hunting hours during deer gun season are one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.
For additional regulations, antlerless zones, check station locations, season dates and a wealth of other information, be sure to pick up a copy of the "2008-09 Oklahoma Hunting Guide" available at all license dealer locations, or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Lower Illinois River trout stockings resume with cooler water temps
Trout stockings that had been temporarily suspended in the lower Illinois River due to warm water temperatures will resume Nov 19.
According to Jim Burroughs, east central region fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department, it was heavy spring rains and a period of extreme heating that combined to create the unusually warm water in Tenkiller Reservoir.
Wildlife Department officials had hoped to resume stockings by the end of October, but water temperatures remained at critical levels for trout, temporarily preventing further stocking at that time.
"This has been a very unusual year," Burroughs said. "Temperatures needed to be 65 degrees or lower in the tailrace during power generation before regular stockings could resume. Temperatures have now reached this threshold level."
Anglers won't miss out on any of the fish that did not get stocked during the suspension, however, as officials with the Department say the same number of fish will eventually be stocked through additional or larger stockings.
The Lower Illinois River is one of the only two year-round trout fisheries in the state and is managed by the Wildlife Department.
Oklahoma trout fishing can be enjoyed by all ages and skill levels any time of the year. More information on Oklahoma's trout areas and seasons as well as trout angling tips and license requirements are detailed on the Wildlife Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
Watch for bald eagles in the winter sky
Look up to the skies this winter to spot the seven-foot wingspan of a soaring bald eagle at an eagle watch near you. Seventeen locations all across the state offer more than 50 chances to see the nation's emblem in the wild.
As lakes in the northern U.S. and Midwest freeze, eagles migrate south to find open water and food. Oklahoma has more miles of shoreline than the east and west coasts combined. The amount of water in Oklahoma makes it one of the top 10 states in the nation for winter eagle viewing.
"Oklahoma has over 100 bald eagles that live here year-round, including 49 known breeding pairs," said Lesley McNeff, wildlife diversity information specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "During the winter, Oklahoma is host to anywhere from 700 to 1,500 eagles statewide. The numbers peak in January and February, with the highest concentration of birds located at lakes. Popular viewing sites include Kaw, Texoma, Tenkiller, Ft. Gibson, Grand, Canton, Great Salt Plains and Tishomingo."
McNeff said that between 1985 and 1990, the Department's Wildlife Diversity Program began an initiative to restore breeding eagle populations in Oklahoma, and the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center assisted with the release of 90 eaglets in eastern Oklahoma, including 59 birds in 1990 alone.
Biologists transported eggs from Florida bald eagle nests to the Sutton Center in Bartlesville. About nine weeks after hatching, the young eagles were placed in hacking towers and eventually released into the wild with the hopes that they would return as adults and raise their young in the state.
Since those efforts, bald eagle populations in Oklahoma increase each year. While no pairs of nesting eagles existed in the state in 1990, Oklahoma currently has 49 nesting pairs.
Eagle watches are hosted by state parks, lake management offices, national wildlife refuges and local Audubon Societies. Event activities will vary. Most events are free. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation annually compiles a list of events to help Oklahomans discover where to view this majestic bird. For more information or to view the list, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Conservation organization supports wildlife, sportsmen
Wildlife and sportsmen in central Oklahoma and across the state will benefit from the generosity and effort of one Oklahoma-based conservation organization.
The Oklahoma Wildlife Federation recently donated seed to plant a six-acre food plot at the Lexington Wildlife Management Area in central Oklahoma.
The Lexington Wildlife Management Area is comprised of 9,512 acres located off Highway 77 five miles south and six miles east of Noble in Cleveland Co. Post oak-blackjack, also called crosstimbers habitat, and native grasses overlay Lexington WMA. Many common game and nongame species are found on this central Oklahoma area.
"We appreciate this donation and all the other support received from the Oklahoma Wildlife Federation," said Richard Hatcher, assistant director of operations for the Wildlife Department.
The Oklahoma Wildlife Federation's outreach and education efforts include several other programs, such as the following:
* Providing fish tanks and setup items to schools to share the importance of conserving public water sheds and native game fish.
* Providing schools with bird houses, feeders and seed to encourage the use of outdoor classrooms for educating students on the importance of conserving habitat.
* Providing schools and assisted living centers with materials needed to build butterfly gardens to educate future generation on the importance of habitat maintenance and restoration.
* Providing free fishing tackle and seminars to participants at youth fishing activities.
The Oklahoma Wildlife Federation was also an important partner in the purchase of the Wildlife Department's Lower Illinois River Watts WMA and also the Drummond Flats WMA.
Since its incorporation in the 1950s, the Oklahoma Wildlife Federation has served as a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan association of individuals concerned with outdoor recreation, conservation, and environment. For more information, log on to www.okwildlife.org
Rut activity picking up; hunters in luck for gun opener
Deer rifle season kicks off Nov. 22, and reports from across the state indicate the rut is on and that its timing is just right to provide an exciting opening weekend for hunters.
The whitetail deer breeding season, or rut, is a biological process that typically occurs around the second week of November. Deer activity during the rut picks up but can be influenced by a host of factors such as temperatures, moon phase and herd condition.
"The rut seems to be in full swing, and weather permitting, opening weekend of gun season should be a good one," said Joe Hemphill, southeast region wildlife supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Hemphill said the first half of archery season, muzzleloader and youth deer season resulted in an increased harvest in the popular hunting destination of southeast Oklahoma.
Hemphill said southeast Oklahoma hunters may find fewer acorns this year and that they should focus their hunting near persimmons or other food sources instead.
In the southwest, check station data showed harvest numbers are up this year so far as well. Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department, said the rut has been going strong and might be a little past its peak during rifle season, but still ongoing. Smith said the southwest region has been very dry in places and that hunters may benefit from a pre-season visit to their hunting areas to see if their hot spots look the same as usual or if a change in opening morning plans is in order.
Rut activity seems to be just heating up in the northwest, according to Wade Free, northwest region wildlife supervisor for the Department.
"Lots of recent scrapes, fresh rubs and chasing does just got underway this past weekend," Free said earlier this week.
Free said areas that had family groups of does and fawns feeding on wheat in the evenings are now reduced in number and that more fawn pairs are being spotted alone, indicating that adult does are being chased hard by bucks. On the downside, mild temperatures and a recent full moon have kept deer mostly active during the night. Free said it should only get better.
Free predicts the region is on schedule for a great opening weekend.
Free reported an unusually high number of spikes and small-antlered bucks in the northwest region, which could be a result of severe drought conditions during the spring and summer of 2007.
"Hunters should pay close attention when harvesting does so they don't mistakenly shoot a small-antlered or spike buck," Free said.
Hunters in the northeast should hope for weather to put deer on the move, according the Craig Endicott, northeast region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department. He also said reports from the field show that buck activity has increased since muzzleloader season.
Though reports that acorns are not plentiful may frustrate hunters, Endicott said some oak species had fair acorn crops in the region and that persimmons are plentiful. Other WMA biologists in the northeast region of the state have reported significant deer activity at night. They also predict the rut may winding down by the start of deer gun season, but that rutting activity will still be taking place early in the season. Additionally, biologists in the northeast have received reports that deer are heavily using food plots and natural browse.
Deer gun season runs Nov. 22 through Dec. 7. For more information about license requirements, regulations and antlerless deer hunting requirements, consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Deer gun season brings families together
Deer gun season is one of Oklahoma's traditional pastimes with a history that reaches back to 1933 when the first season was held. Every year thousands of Oklahomans from all walks of life take to the fields and to the forests, not just in pursuit of game, but also to enjoy the entire outdoor experience.
"Hunting is a way of life for many Oklahomans and the opening day of deer gun season is like the Super Bowl, the State Fair and Christmas all rolled up into one," said Nels Rodefeld, chief of information and education for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "For many families, it is the one time of year they all take off work and spend time together. Hunting is something that is passed down from one generation to the other and it is a great way to make memories that will last a lifetime."
But hunting is much more than just a way to connect with family, friends and the outdoors. Oklahoma's record of restoring deer populations and other species of fish and wildlife and protecting natural habitat can be largely credited to the millions of dollars generated by the state's sportsmen and women.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is the state agency responsible for managing fish and wildlife. The Wildlife Department receives no general state tax dollars and is supported by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. In the early part of the last century, when deer populations were down to just a few hundred animals, hunters and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation took up the call to once again have healthy deer populations across the state. Part of this conservation effort began with the historic deer trap and transplant projects in the mid-1940s, '50s and '60s. Today, Oklahoma can boast having deer in every county and a whitetail population of nearly 500,000 animals.
For each hunting gear purchase, a portion of the money is returned to state fish and wildlife agencies for conservation efforts. Through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, passed in 1937 at the request of the hunting and shooting sports industries, special excise taxes on hunting gear have contributed billions of dollars for wildlife conservation.
For more information about Oklahoma's deer season, consult the "2008-09 Oklahoma Hunting Guide," or log onto wildlifedepartment.com.
Oklahoma deer hunters play important economic role
Many Oklahomans may view the sport of deer hunting as simply a pastime, but hunting actually plays a significant role in the state's economy as well, sustaining jobs, drawing in-state as well as out-of-state business and flooding the economy with millions of dollars each year.
The number of people who hunt in Oklahoma could fill Owen Field and Boone Pickens stadium almost two times, and deer hunters make a large portion of those hunters.
"The role deer hunters play in the state simply by participating in the outdoors is far-reaching, and truth be told, Oklahoma's economy would not be the same without this life-enriching tradition," said Melinda Sturgess-Streich, assistant director of administration for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Original expenditures made by hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers generate rounds of additional spending throughout the economy. The total economic effect of deer hunting activity in Oklahoma during 2006 was estimated at $499,510,340, and the total economic effect from 2006 hunting activity in Oklahoma in general was estimated to be $843 million.
If not for the jobs supported by fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing, Oklahoma's ranks of unemployed would be 40 percent higher according the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Related Recreation).
Expenditures made for hunting, fishing and wildlife watching activities support jobs throughout the state. Many of these are in companies that directly serve recreationists such as retailers, restaurants, and more. Others are in companies that support the first companies and employees such as wholesalers, utilities, manufacturers, grocers and more. Total jobs, full and part time, supported in Oklahoma in 2006 from deer hunting-related activities was estimated at 5,662.
Given that outdoor recreation dollars are often spent in rural or lightly populated areas, the economic contributions of fish and wildlife resources can be especially important to rural economies.
"Deer season draws hunters to Oklahoma from across the country as well as thousands of our own sportsmen, and these hunters purchase gear — some of which is made right here in Oklahoma — and they stay in small-town hotels and spend money at local grocery stores, restaurants, and other venders," Streich said. "Hunting is big business in Oklahoma and an important part of the fabric of our economy, which if relatively healthy compared to other parts of the country. During hard economic times, that says a lot. And not only that, it draws families and friends closer together for a pastime that people of all ages and walks of life can enjoy."
the heritage through apprentice-designated hunting license
Experienced deer hunters have a great opportunity to share the hunting heritage by inviting a rookie hunter to go hunting with them using an apprentice-designated hunting license.
The apprentice-designated hunting license enables individuals age 10-35 who have not completed a hunter education course to hunt, but they must purchase the appropriate licenses, and they must be accompanied by a licensed hunter 21 years old or older who possesses a certificate of hunter education or who is exempt from the hunter education requirements.
"The apprentice-designated license makes it even easier to invite someone to go hunting with you," said Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "It paves the way for sportsmen looking to mentor a youth or introduce a family member, friend or co-worker to the outdoors even if they haven't completed the course and don't have time to before the season opens. It also gives parents an opportunity to teach their kids how to hunt firsthand."
When hunting big game, an accompanying hunter must remain within arm's length of the apprentice hunter or close enough to be able to immediately take control of the firearm or archery equipment of the apprentice.
Youth age nine or younger who hunt big game (deer, antelope or elk) are required to have hunter education.
Hunters 36 years of age and older are exempt from hunter education requirements in Oklahoma. Others exempt include those honorably discharged from or currently on active duty in the United States Armed Forces or members of the National Guard.
"The Wildlife Department has worked hard to provide more and better hunting opportunities," Meek said. "Taking a hunter education course is still the best way to get the most opportunity from your hunting season. The class teaches you to hunt safely and allows you the most freedom when going afield."
About 15,000 students enroll in hunter education courses each year. The course covers hunter responsibility, firearms safety, wildlife identification, wildlife management, survival, archery, muzzleloading and more.
Hunting licenses can be purchased at more than 800 outlets across the state, including Wal-Marts, sporting goods stores, tackle shops or online at wildlifedepartment.com. For more information about hunting licenses and hunting in Oklahoma, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
The apprentice-designated hunting license may be used for small game hunting as well. For more information, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
How to hunt deer with an apprentice-designated license
If you are a resident of Oklahoma, age 10-36, and have not completed a hunter education course but want to hunt during the deer gun season:
* Log on to wildlifedepartment.com or go to the nearest hunting license vendor and purchase an apprentice-designated hunting license and the appropriate apprentice-designated deer license (buck and/or doe).
* Go hunting with a mentor age 21 or older who possesses a certificate of hunter education or who is otherwise exempt from hunter education. Be sure to consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" for season dates, harvest limits and regulations.
* Be sure to stay within arm's reach of your mentor, and enjoy hunting this season.
* As soon as possible, attend a hunter education course. Course schedules are available online at wildlifedepartment.com.
Hunters can share harvest with less fortunate Oklahomans
One of the many benefits of hunting is the satisfaction of providing meat for friends and family to eat, whether at camp, holiday gatherings or family meals around the table, but hunters can also share their harvest with those less fortunate.
Each year Oklahoma hunters donate thousands of pounds of venison to the Hunters Against Hunger program.
Hunters Against Hunger is a program in which hunters who legally harvest a deer during any deer season can donate the meat to feed hungry Oklahomans.
During the 2007-08 season, hunters donated over 30,000 pounds of venison, which provided thousands of meals to hungry Oklahomans.
To donate, hunters should deliver their deer to the nearest participating meat processor after checking their deer at a hunter check station. A list of participating meat processors is available starting on page 32 of the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide."
To help with processing charges, each donor is requested to contribute a tax-deductible $10 to assist processors with the program. The ground venison will then be distributed to the needy through a network of qualified, charitable organizations.
Hunters Against Hunger is partially made possible through generous contributions from NatureWorks, a Tulsa-based wildlife artists organization dedicated to funding wildlife restoration projects, and from the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International, an organization dedicated to protecting the freedom to hunt, educating people on the value of hunting as a management tool, conserving wildlife and assisting in humanitarian services such as the Hunters Against Hunger program.
Pheasant season opens December 1
With deer, quail, and several small game seasons in full swing across Oklahoma, sportsmen may wonder if it could get any better — it can. Dec. 1 brings with it yet another hunting opportunity — pheasant season.
"From our surveys and reports from the field it looks like this pheasant season will be similar to last year's season, and that is good news for hunters because many of them experienced a very memorable season," said Doug Schoeling, upland game bird biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
According to Schoeling, there are two main factors that determine how many pheasants will be available for hunters to pursue this season — how many adult birds survive the winter and how many young birds survive in the spring and early summer.
The Wildlife Department keeps tabs on these two critical factors through two different surveys.
First, biologists conduct the annual Crow Count Survey, which provides an idea of how many adult birds survived through the winter. In late April and early May, biologists drive county roads and listen for crowing pheasants. These 20-mile surveys are conducted in Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Major, Noble, Texas, Woods, and Woodward counties.
In the Panhandle the crow counts were up 19 percent and in the other ten counties the crow counts were up 25 percent.
"The Crow Count Surveys reflect the fact that a strong proportion of cock pheasants survived through the ice and snow of the winter months and were looking for mates this spring," Schoeling said. "But this is just the first piece of the puzzle. To have a great pheasant season we also need to see strong reproductive success and that is why we conduct the Annual Brood Survey."
The Brood Survey conducted in late August helps biologist determine how many pheasants were produced during the nesting season. Observers count the number of pheasants observed and classify the size of young birds to provide an index of pheasant abundance (number seen per 20 mile route) and reproductive success.
The brood survey is conducted in the same counties as the Crow Count Survey. The survey showed a 64 percent decrease from last year in the number of young pheasants in the Panhandle and 49 percent decrease in the other 10 northwest and northcentral counties. According to Schoeling, the decline can likely be attributed to the weather conditions during the spring and early summer, particularly in the panhandle, because of the low amounts of rainfall early in the nesting season.
According to Wade Free, northwest region wildlife supervisor, Panhandle pheasant hunters can still look forward to another good season.
"The pheasant population has been very strong in the Panhandle the past couple of years and with good carryover from last year, hunters can expect another good year," Free said. "While it may not be as good as the last two years it could still be one of the better seasons we have had over the last ten years."
Pheasant hunters in the rest of the state also have plenty to look forward to according to Free.
"Hunters in the northwest and northcentral counties can expect pockets of good pheasant populations, but they may notice a decline in overall numbers due to the low nesting success," Free said.
According to Schoeling, there is only one way for pheasant hunters to really learn about pheasant populations in their area.
"While we work hard at these surveys each year, the best way for hunters to find out if there are pheasants is to get out there after them," said Schoeling. "The great thing about pheasant hunting is that it is a sport you can enjoy with friends and family – in fact the more the merrier."
To see figures from the 2008 Crow Count and Brood surveys, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Pheasant season in Oklahoma runs Dec. 1 through Jan. 31 (only in open areas) and offers hunters a chance at a popular gamebird that, though not native to Oklahoma, thrives in northern portions of the state. The ringneck pheasant was first introduced into Oklahoma in 1911, and the colorful birds prefer cultivated farmland habitat mixed with weedy fencerows and overgrown pastures common across northcentral Oklahoma and the Panhandle.
Hunters should consult the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide" for open counties and wildlife management areas. The daily bag limit for pheasants is two cocks, with a possession limit of four after the first day and six after the second day. Evidence of sex (head or one foot) must remain on the bird until it reaches its final destination. When the deer gun and the holiday antlerless deer seasons (in open zones) overlap with pheasant season, all pheasant hunters must wear either a hunter orange cap or vest.
Before going afield, be sure to pick up a copy of the current "Oklahoma Hunting Guide," available at all hunting and fishing license dealers or log onto wildlifedepartment.com. Resident and non-resident hunters must possess a valid hunting license and a fishing and hunting legacy permit or proof of exemption. Beginning this season, the non-resident five-day hunting license is valid for hunting pheasant.
Cottonwood Creek Wetland Units at Keystone WMA to honor Bob Hawkins
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, along with Ducks Unlimited, recently dedicated the Cottonwood Creek Wetland Units on Keystone Wildlife Management Area in memory of Robert J. "Bob" Hawkins.
Hawkins was a long-time supporter of conservation, and funds raised in his honor are being used to restore the popular Cottonwood Creek Wetland Units.
"Hawkins was an enthusiastic supporter of projects like these," said Greg Duffy, director of the Wildlife Department. "His hard work and dedication to conservation has left a legacy for generations of hunters and conservationists."
Funding for the project was provided by the Wildlife Department, Ducks Unlimited, the Harold C. Stuart Foundation, and NatureWorks, Inc., of which Hawkins was a founding member.
The Cottonwood Creek Wetland Development Unit is located on the Keystone Wildlife Management Area. Totaling 275 acres, this unique wetland is nestled at the confluence of the Cimarron River and Cottonwood Creek and was originally completed in 1991. Wildlife Department employees have begun an ambitious restoration project with the help of many different partners, including Ducks Unlimited and NatureWorks in recognition of Robert Hawkins.
The project reflects the Wildlife Department's philosophy of maintaining and improving existing wetlands. Biologists from both the Wildlife Department and Ducks Unlimited agree that this approach gives sportsmen the most bang for their buck.
Like many wetland development units, Cottonwood Creek is managed as a moist soil unit and is seasonally flooded or drained to encourage annual native plants. These plants provide important food sources such as seeds, tubers and browse. Additionally, these soil, plant and water conditions serve to provide critical habitat to attract other equally important waterfowl foods such as aquatic invertebrates. Depending on the year and weather conditions, some units or portions may be dry or disked to maintain and improve habitat conditions. After all, wetlands are not always wet.
The first phase of the Cottonwood Creek restoration is the replacement of the water control structures in many of the units.
The timing of water can make a huge difference in the quantity and quality of the food sources available for ducks. When the water control structures are broken, leaking or inaccessible, it could very likely mean less food for waterfowl and less ducks for hunters. The new water control structures will allow managers to more precisely move water into and out of the units. The second phase of the restoration will be the construction of a permanent pumping station with a 21-inch pipe near the Cimarron River. This should allow managers to flood some of the units just in time for future hunting seasons.
Bob Hawkins was represented at the dedication by his widow, Jacque Hawkins-Noble, as well as his son, daughter, granddaughter and sister.
Hawkins-Noble said Bob's focus in his later years was the Greenwing program for youth.
"He believed that passing the love of conservation and waterfowling to the next generation was his duty," Hawkins-Noble said.
For more information about wetland units or waterfowl hunting in Oklahoma, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
Watch for bald eagles in the winter sky
Look up to the skies this winter to spot the seven-foot wingspan of a soaring bald eagle at an eagle watch near you. Seventeen locations all across the state offer more than 50 chances to see the nation's emblem in the wild.
As lakes in the northern U.S. and Midwest freeze, eagles migrate south to find open water and food. Oklahoma has more miles of shoreline than the east and west coasts combined. The amount of water in Oklahoma makes it one of the top 10 states in the nation for winter eagle viewing.
"Oklahoma has over 100 bald eagles that live here year-round, including 49 known breeding pairs," said Lesley McNeff, wildlife diversity information specialist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "During the winter, Oklahoma is host to anywhere from 700 to 1,500 eagles statewide. The numbers peak in January and February, with the highest concentration of birds located at lakes. Popular viewing sites include Kaw, Texoma, Tenkiller, Ft. Gibson, Grand, Canton, Great Salt Plains and Tishomingo."
McNeff said that between 1985 and 1990, the Department's Wildlife Diversity Program began an initiative to restore breeding eagle populations in Oklahoma, and the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center assisted with the release of 90 eaglets in eastern Oklahoma, including 59 birds in 1990 alone.
Biologists transported eggs from Florida bald eagle nests to the Sutton Center in Bartlesville. About nine weeks after hatching, the young eagles were placed in hacking towers and eventually released into the wild with the hopes that they would return as adults and raise their young in the state.
Since those efforts, bald eagle populations in Oklahoma increase each year. While no pairs of nesting eagles existed in the state in 1990, Oklahoma currently has 49 nesting pairs.
Eagle watches are hosted by state parks, lake management offices, national wildlife refuges and local Audubon Societies. Event activities will vary. Most events are free. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation annually compiles a list of events to help Oklahomans discover where to view this majestic bird. For more information or to view the list, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.


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On Music
Peel SessionsBy Jonathan Gharraie
I'm the one who comes on Radio 1 late at nights and plays records made by sulky Belgian art students dying of tuberculosis.
This was how John Peel introduced himself to a family audience, on one of his occasional forays into British television. He can't always have been graying, or bearded, or balding, but this is how most people continue to visualize him. He seemed, to those of us who listened to him, to have been born avuncular. For nearly four decades, until his death in 2004, Peel shared his musical enthusiasms with the ever-changing audience of his late-night show on BBC Radio 1 and made his personal collection into a truly representative historical document, like a latter-day Alan Lomax. Except that in this case, the field came to him: homemade cassette recordings sent from across Britain, and beyond, to Peel's door. This didn't mean that no hard work was involved. Peel listened to them all, working through an avalanche of audio slush, with a heroic commitment to the aesthetically new.
Now, though not for long, we can experience the chaotic variety of Peel's taste. Over the course of the next four months, the first hundred records for each letter of Peel's alphabetized and rigorously ordered collection of 26,000 are to be presented online, replete with their owner's personally devised catalogue number and, occasionally, remarks. The John Peel Archive has been supported by the Arts Council and curated with the assistance of Sheila Ravenscroft, Peel's wife. For each letter, Ravenscroft has selected an artist of special significance to Peel, such as Dick Dale or Fairport Convention, and hosted a short corresponding film. There are links to Spotify as well as to short films, video footage, and audio files from the famous sessions recorded for his show, including an early performance by David Bowie.


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When a man has anal/doggystyle sex with a chick facing a window then trades places with his buddy who is hiding in the room without the chick realizing. The guy then proceeds to go outside and wave at the chick who is looking out the window. She then asks herself "If he's out there, who is fucking me?"
Me and Bill phantomed this chick and now we're goin to jail for rape.
by BlackGerman December 10, 2006
to disappear without notice from a party; to go 'phantom'
Also can be used as a nickname for people who commonly do this
Also can be used as a nickname for people who commonly do this
by Andy-roo October 31, 2007
1. Short nickname used by theatre-lovers for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's the Phantom of the Opera.
2. The lead title role in the Phantom of the opera. His real name is Erik.
2. The lead title role in the Phantom of the opera. His real name is Erik.
1. I just saw Phantom in NYC
2. The Phantom of the opera is there... inside my mind.
2. The Phantom of the opera is there... inside my mind.
by Thespian October 08, 2005
The star of The Phantom of the Opera, most famously played by Michael Crawford (original cast) and Gerard Butler (2004 movie). The Phantom lives beneath the opera house, and tries to win Christine's love after hearing her sing as an understudy. He has faced a world of hatred and everyone thinks of him as nothing more than a cold-blooded murderer. Behind his murders, he is just an emotionally insecure man who had been outcast from society because of a facial defect when he was born, which he covers with the classic half-face mask. Truly, behind the mask, there is a beautiful man and a genius in music, art, and magic, whom most outcasts can relate to.
I absolutely love the phantom. It's just so sad that he went through so much pain.. *sobs*
by Squallet Kinjiri June 15, 2005
Famed model of Rolls-Royce taken through many stages of excellence since the twenties. The ultimate version would be the 1980 Phantom VI convertible state limo in midnight blue. The car to own all cars.
by Gumba Gumba February 20, 2004
Someone who is seldom seen or heard from, but used to be around all the time.
Where's Mike Been lately? I don't know, he's been a phantom lately.
by Johnnie Regalado January 10, 2006
During sexual intercourse from the back or "anal sex" the male pretends to ejaculate on the female by spitting on her back. Then when the female turns thinking intercourse is over the male ejaculates in her face created a moment of comical acts for the male to tell his friends about.
by Thomas Frye III February 05, 2003


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ReleasesBack to
Kevin Eubanks
On this live date, Kevin Eubanks is joined by pianist James Williams and bassist Robert Hurst for a mainly straight-ahead affair. Most of Eubanks' best-known solo work lies in a more fusiony vein, such as Turning Point or Spiritalk, but on Live at Bradley's his playing is refreshingly conventional. Both his single-note lines and his chordal embellishments show a surprisingly deep knowledge of the history of jazz guitar. There are moments when Eubanks' playing even evokes George Van Eps. Five out of the seven tracks on this record are over ten minutes long, and all of them drag somewhere in the middle, as the improvisations of the musicians tend to be a little bit formless. However, there are some nice moments here, as on the opening track, where Williams elegantly swings through the changes of "Speak Low" while Eubanks and Hurst make the presence of a drummer superfluous with their deep groove and percussive accents. In this sort of drummerless trio arrangement, Hurst takes the place of the ride cymbal and Eubanks provides the punctuation. The groove is so convincing that at those moments where Hurst's bass buzzes, it almost sounds like the ring of a cymbal. The weakness of Live at Bradley's is that, given the rather conventional nature of these compositions, the players don't address them in a terribly interesting way. These songs are competently and musically played, but it's nothing that the average jazz fan hasn't heard before. Eubanks fans who are curious to hear him in this sort of format will certainly be entertained. ~ Daniel Gioffre


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2600 Strange Ave necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 57 diseños de 15 diseñadores freelance.
2600 Strange Ave
What's an anti-fashion apparel company, you ask? We were tired of watching musclebound men prancing around in skin tight "Ed H@rdy" and "@ffliction" t-shirts, and decided to create our own brand with less flash (flaming skulls, flourescent ink), and more substance (humorous or interesting without being obnoxious). Please check out our blog at http://2600strangeave.blogspot.com for the full story...
Both men and women, generally 18-35 years of age, that want clothing that's stylish but not obnoxious, and may even spark a conversation or two.
If you haven't already, please read about the origins of 2600 Strange Ave at http://2600strangeave.blogspot.com to get a feel for where we're coming from. Then, use the uniqueness of the Daniel Font to guide your design to something that fits with the name, 2600 Strange Ave.
Attempt to incorporate the "strange" and "avenue" aspects; we're looking for something dark, and mysterious, yet still clean without being "corporate". The name within the logo, or an icon with the name next to, above, or under, are both possibilities that we would like to explore.Emphasize "2600".
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.