text:
Poor Planning Made Garth Brooks' Las Vegas Special an Intimate Affair
Sometimes, poor planning can actually turn into something pretty spectacular -- at least in the case of superstar Garth Brooks.
The singer's 'Garth Brooks, Live From Las Vegas' television special from the Wynn Las Vegas dominated television ratings, doubling the viewers of even pop queen Lady Gaga. However, if you noticed what he was wearing, it certainly wasn't elaborate like many of Gaga's outfits. In fact, Brooks was downright dressed down. As in, really dressed down, wearing a pullover hoodie, jeans, construction boots and a ball cap! And therein lies the poor planning.
Brooks tells industry publication Country Aircheck why, exactly, he was wearing the extremely casual outfit. "The whole thing started when I got my time zones screwed up the first time I was going up to Vegas to sound check the room at the Wynn," he explains. "I'm on my tractor when Steve Wynn calls and says, 'Where the hell are you? The plane is waiting for you to come here and play.' I look like crap, I'm wearing work boots and smell like diesel, but I grab my guitars and head for the plane."
Once he landed in Vegas, Brooks didn't change into anything snazzy, but that wasn't his idea. "I show up at the theater and play the sound check show," the singer shares. "And Wynn says, 'I want you to dress just like that.' He thought it was meant to be and that it looked like I just came from the living room. He was comfortable with the way I was dressed and said there was no other show in Vegas like it."
However, the singer wasn't so sure. Wear construction boots at a luxury resort and casino? "I thought he was crazy," Brooks admits. "But I have to hand it to him. Everyone who walked out of there said it felt like a living room, and a lot of it was just how casually we approached it."
So, poor planning turned the star's show into an incredibly intimate affair -- something that can be difficult to do in such an expansive venue with one of the world's most recognizable country singers. Perhaps Brooks should don a hoodie more often!


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Updated 2:24 p.m.
• Kinect Hackers Are Changing the Future of Robotics – Kinect is proving to be more than just a high-tech toy.
• Work Begins To Replace Fifth Avenue Glass Cube – The landmark Manhattan Apple Store's glass is being removed, then replaced. You can download the permits. Should be done by November.
• Apple Reveals New Security Features for "Find My iPhone" Part 2 – Data could be selectively hidden or scrambled, long-distance calls halted and corporate access disabled.
• Want to Transfer Data to Your Phone? Just Point and Shoot.
• Pew report: Facebook users have a higher degree of social well-being – Those who don't have an account have lower social well-being? Really?
Updated 8:45 a.m.
• Why Android will gain HUGE tablet marketshare later this year – Vizio, the company that sells inexpensive HDTVs in stores like Wal-mart is getting into the tablet market.
• IBM Turns 100 Today, We Look Back – It was born from a merger of three companies, and was originally known in 1911 as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company.
• Tumblr Now Has More Blogs Than WordPress.com
• Apple Launches 2011 Back to School Promotion – $100 App Store Credit – No more free iPods with purchase of a new Mac.
• Source: Apple drastically reduces orders for iPhone 4 camera flash – Indicating a possible change in the design for the next iPhone's camera.
Original post
• CIA Web site hacked; group LulzSec takes credit – It was down for about an hour. Also Lulzsec Hackers Go to War with 4chan
• Senators introduce location privacy bill – The bill would limit location tracking via smartphones by requiring consent.
• TV or Web Video? Now, Finally, We're Starting To Choose. – Web video is finally starting to cut into the time spent watching traditional TV, according to Nielsen.
• The Terrifying Truth About New Technology – Game-changing technology is often invented by the young, for the young. And that scares the bejesus out of old people. Well, some of them, anyway . . .
• Project Spartan: Facebook's Hush-Hush Plan To Take On Apple On Their Own Turf: iOS – Facebook plans to launch a site that will let developers run sophisticated (and money-making) apps outside the control of Apple's App Store, according to TechCrunch. And Behold: Facebook's Secret Photo Sharing App
• Apple Sued by New York Publisher Over Trademark for Use of Term 'iBooks'
• Yahoo Builds App Search For PC, AppSpot For iPhone, Android – It's an app that makes it easier to find other great apps on the two platforms.
• Pandora IPO Pops 60 Percent, Closes Up Nearly Nine Percent – The original offering price was $16, and it closed its first day of trading at $17.42.
• Me, Myself and I: Helping to manage your identity on the web – Google adds tools to its account settings that make it easier to manage your online reputation.
• Exclusive: Google Nexus 4G detailed – 720p display, 4G LTE, Android 4.0 – It's the next in a line of "here's how to do Android right" devices, supposedly scheduled to launch around Thanksgiving.
• Chromebooks now available for sale
• Sony S1 and S2 tablets hitting Europe in September? – They'll run Android, and one will feature a fold-open, clamshell design.
• Kinect for Windows SDK beta available to download this week – It lets developers build software that works with Microsoft's Kinect technology on Windows.
• The Network Effect: Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter & Tumblr Reach New Heights in May – Social media accounts for one of every six minutes spent online, according to comScore.


text:
Just out of curiosity should I purchase a white pine?
I do not know many people in this area, I was informed by many sources including Boon to stay away from the local bonsai club. But the nurseries here stated the pine should be fine if protected from wind and extreme cold.
You can wait till a show comes around with some good vendors.Or get something put on the Wagon from Oregon. ( must see from Oregon) postAnyone know how that went?Sorce
Page created in 0.097 seconds with 27 queries.


text:
In South Africa, the racist ANC regime is making the Rugby team, called the SpringBoks, have a certain percentage of their team black. It's safe to say their team is going to suck for now on. "In July 2006, Springbok coach Jake White told the press he had been unable to pick some white players for his squad "because of transformation" - a reference to the ANC governments policies attempting to redress the racial imbalances in national sport. The team is currently ranked 4th in the world."Just one of the millions of examples of apartheid in reverse in South Africa, but no one seems to care because it's cool to be anti-white.
Furthermore, it stupid to think that those who support AA in the U.S. are anti-white. They may be pro-black, pro-hispanic, pro-native american, or they may value diversity so highly that even though they recognize its frustrating a true meritocracy in some instances, they believe the good generated by diversity outweighs the the inefficiency caused by AA, or they believe in equality, and make an assumption that AA helps create more equality where present day inequality exists (an assumption that may or may not be true) and value that more than inefficiencies caused by AA.
They could also have less impressive reasons for supporting AA such as they think they are democrat and thus since democrats support it, it must be a good policy, or everybody they know supports it, so they just assume its a good thing, neither of which is not a good reason to support, but not anti-white.


text:
Judging from the response to What's your hotel room peeve?, a lot of us are highly interested in hotels and hold very firm opinions about the services they provide. We frown variously on substandard linen, noisy neighbours and air-conditioning units, hard mattresses, insect infestations, poor lighting, inconveniently positioned power points, freeze-dried coffee, UHT milk, expensive Wi-Fi and dirty bedspreads.
Perhaps this high level of expectation and degree of engagement with hotels stems from the fact that we have quite an intimate relationship with them. Since we sleep there, eat there and bathe there, we can't help but connect with them on a personal level. So we're quick to interpret any failings as a slight against us.
But beyond the petty complaints lies a suite of more sinister problems associated with hotels. Complications can arise for the unwitting and unwary. And guests are not the only victims of scammers; sometimes hotel staff members are fooled by unscrupulous tricksters, too.
Key card scam
I once watched a television programme that detailed a tidy way of robbing a hotel guest's room. I hope I've remembered the sequence correctly. The scammers, a well dressed couple, sit in the lobby of a hotel. The woman dials a room number, pretending to be a hotel receptionist and advises that a maintenance worker will be visiting soon to check some wiring in the room.
The man then changes into overalls in the bathroom, heads up to the room concerned, gains admittance then tells the guest the lights need to be briefly turned off. The scammer removes the key card slotted in to provide power to the room and while the lights are out he replaces it with a dummy card. After performing his bogus check, he leaves with the guest's key card in his possession, changes back into a suit and the pair of scammers wait in the lobby until they see the guest leave the hotel. They then use the key card to enter the room and steal any valuables.
It's quite a clever scheme but unsuited to duping me. Firstly, I routinely unplug the telephones on arrival for the duration of my stay and, secondly, whenever I have been contacted by a hotel (or was it a scammer?) wanting to do room maintenance I've requested that it is delayed until after I have checked out. However I reckon this scam would have a high success rate with guests more easygoing and compliant than myself.
Champagne taste on a homeless budget
ABC reported that for two years a transient man in Orlando, Florida, regularly spent nights in some fine hotels including the Ritz Carlton. He "would identify hotel guests who were checking out of posh hotels, gain access to their rooms and extend their stays" by calling the front desk from the room. Then "he'd ask for more room keys to be sent up, allowing him to charge room service, bar tabs, shopping sprees and even restaurant bills to the former occupant's credit card on file." The offender was arrested at an upscale hotel.
Classic hotel scams
Common ways of scamming hotel guests are covered at scam.com. They include: the parking valet scam (hand over the keys to your car at your peril), the beach-front scam (in which your supposedly seaside hotel overlooks a motorway); the "getting walked" scam (in which staff at the hotel you have booked at try to persuade you to stay at an inferior property instead) and the front-desk scam (in which a scammer calls your room and requests your credit card details).
Jack Reacher's hotel scam
The book Reacher's Rules: Life Lessons from Jack Reacher offers dubious advice on how to sleep in a $350-a-night hotel room for $50. The steps are: Start late, around midnight; ask the night clerk for an available room; tell him you need to check it out; get him to come with you; once you're in it, offer him two twenties; and ten for the maid; he's happy; you've got a cheap room for the night. Frankly, I'd have expected more integrity from Lee Child's fictional hero but I guess his reputation was shot, anyway, the moment 170-cm Tom Cruise controversially stepped up to play the movie version of the 196-cm tall Reacher.
Have you ever been the victim of a hotel scam? Do you have any advice as to how to avoid being duped by one?


text:
We've been making baskets since 1842
Basketville is a leading manufacturer of baskets and woven products for major retailers worldwide. Many of the store-brand baskets you see at famous retail destinations are made by Basketville.
Our expertise includes design, manufacturing, packaging, display and supply chain management. We manufacture in China and Vietnam to offer our customers the ideal combination of value and fashion leadership.


text:
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What is Cosmetic Surgery?
Cosmetic surgery aims to improve the aesthetic appearance of a person, while plastic surgery may include this, or just the reconstruction (reconstructive surgery). Reconstructive plastic surgery aims to improve function; however, it may also involve trying to approximate normal appearance, but that is not its primary function. Reconstructive plastic surgery is often referred as simply reconstructive surgery.
Some parts of the world completely separate cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery and term cosmetic surgery as elective surgery, non-essential surgery, surgery which the patient chooses to have; while plastic surgery is understood to mean surgery to reconstruct or improve appearance after injury or illness.
This article focuses on cosmetic surgery only.
According to official statistics, approximately 65,000 surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in 2008 in the UK - 50% more than in 2003. Breast enlargement was the most popular procedure, followed by rhinoplasty (nose job, nose reshaping), liposuction, and face-lifts. Cosmetic surgery in the USA is far more popular.
Surgical Cosmetic Procedures
- Liposuction
- Breast augmentation
- Eyelid surgery
- Abdominoplasty
- Female breast reduction
Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures
- Botox
- Hyaluronic Acid (Hylaform, Juvederm, Restylane)
- Laser Hair Removal
- Microdermabrasion
- Laser Skin Resurfacing
Mastopexy (Breast Lift) -as the skin loses its elasticity, gravity starts taking its toll, plus other factors such as weight loss, pregnancy and/or breastfeeding alter the shape and firmness of the breasts, some women want a breast lift. The breast lift raises the breasts, giving them a more youthful contour. Sometimes the patient will undergo breast augmentation at the same time
Top 5 Benefits Of Plastic Surgery
It's often said the beauty is only skin deep, but what many people forget to realize is that it's possible to be beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. We're fortunate to live in a time when technology has allowed us the opportunity to improve our appearance. This is extremely important given the importance of appearance in today's society. This will be touched on more soon. For now, let's take a look at the Top 5 Benefits of Plastic Surgery.
1. Physical Appearance
This is the most obvious benefit to having plastic surgery. It can also apply to many different areas of the body. However, three of the most popular surgeries are breast augmentation, facelift, and liposuction. In regards to breast augmentation, this can pertain to increasing the cup size or breast reduction. A facelift can greatly enhance the most important feature of someone's body. And liposuction is a miracle in itself, greatly reducing someone's weight in a short period of time. It's important to keep in mind that for some plastic surgeries, there will be swelling and bruising immediately following. Plan accordingly, and don't panic. This will fade, allowing your new beauty to shine.
2. Breathing
This might come as a surprise to some readers, but it especially applies to rhinoplasty. If someone suffers from a deviated septum, this can be fixed during the surgery, which will then lead to improved breathing and no more snoring. Any significant other will be appreciative of the change.
3. Posture
This benefit is often overlooked because it mostly applies to breast reduction. If someone reduces the amount of weight they're carrying, then it's going to put much less strain on their back and shoulders. Back pains should fade quickly, which should then lead to an improved overall quality of life and happiness. This can also be highly beneficial to someone who walks, jogs, runs, or plays competitive sports. It will put less pressure on the joints, which will then lead to improved exercise quality, effectiveness, and longevity.
4. Reduced Risk of Heart Conditions
Breast reduction can be applied here, but this primarily relates to liposuction. If significant weight is removed, then it's going to improve blood pressure and cholesterol. It will also mean less pressure on the joints. Once again, anyone who is active will benefit greatly from this procedure. However, even those who aren't active will see an improvement in their health and appearance.
5. Social Life Implications
It's no secret that better looking people accomplish more. This might sound superficial, but it's the way society works. Contrary to popular belief, it's the way society has always worked. Attractive people simply have better odds of career and social success. One ties into the other. It all begins with appearance. If you're attractive, then it's going to be easy for you to make friends. Those friends will give you more connections, which will then lead to more career opportunities. Anyone involved in fields like sales or entertainment – where appearance plays a big role – will enjoy significant advantages over their competitors if they improve their appearance.


text:
Join us for
Hackberry Flat Day
Don't miss
out on this fun filled day
Saturday May 14, 2011
the Oklahoma Department
of Wildlife Conservation and Friends of
Hackberry Flat are offering a fun-filled
day for the entire family from 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. at the Hackberry Flat Center
located near Frederick in southwest
Activities at the event
will include birding tours and wetland
hayrides, in addition to opportunities
to try archery and shotgun shooting.
Activities inside the Center include
viewing wetland "critters" in the
wetland classroom, fishing simulator and experiencing an interactive
exhibit about bats in Oklahoma.
Registration is not required and
visitors can come and go as they please.
All activities will begin
at the Hackberry Flat Center, a facility
that provides wetland classroom
experiences for school groups, programs
on wildlife and wildlife-related
activities as well as meeting facilities
for resource-oriented programs,
workshops and meetings.
Flat Wildlife Management Area is a 7,120
acre wildlife oasis located southeast of
Frederick in southwest Oklahoma. With
the help of many partners, the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation has
restored this legendary wetland to
provide refuge for prairie's waterfowl,
shorebirds and other wetland-dependent
birds and to provide recreation for
people craving the outdoors.
For more information or
to receive a booklet about the Hackberry
Flat Wildlife Management Area, call the
Frederick Chamber of Commerce at (580)
335-2126 or Melynda Hickman, wildlife
diversity biologist for the Wildlife
Department, at (405) 990-4977.
For a complete a complete schedule of
events go to
Other events scheduled to be held at the
Hackberry Flat Center
Saturday, June 11th – Center will be open
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday, August 13 – Hunter Education
Class. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, October 8 – Monarch Watch and
Dragonfly Hawks. More information coming
Saturday, December 10 – Hackberry Flat: A
Photographic Year-in-Review. A guest
photographer will highlight
his year at Hackberry Flat with an exhibit
of images.
Wildlife Area Destination
Byron Hatchery
adjacent to the Byron state fish hatchery,
the watchable wildlife area showcases three
different habitats in a 40-acre.
Byron WWA includes a 1/2-mile self-guided
trail through a cattail marsh, forested
swamp and restored mid-grass prairie. The
trail contains informational signs,
observation blinds and piers to get visitors
closer to wildlife. Other features designed
to attract wildlife include bat houses,
a chimney swift tower, a barn owl nest house
and a bluebird trail.
The WWA is open for self-guided tours
daily during sunlight hours; weekday
visitors also can tour the fish hatchery
from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
NEW this year! The Nature Center located
at the Watchable Wildlife Area will be open
on the 3rd Saturday of each month, except
July and October. The biologist on duty will
be happy to visit with visitors about
wildlife in the area or take a walk with you
on the nature trail. Hours will be 9 am to 3
pm. Dates are:
Other events scheduled to be held at the
June 18th – Annual North American
Butterfly Association Butterfly Count, 9 am
– 3 pm. No cost but reservations required.
To reserve a spot email Melynda Hickman at
firstname.lastname@example.com Recommended
that children be at least 12 years
old. Bring a sack lunch. Drinks and
cookies are provided.
For more information about Byron
Watchable Wildlife Area
Take to the
road to catch a glimpse of Oklahoma wildlife
Great Plains
Trail of Oklahoma
From prairie chickens to "horny toads",
scissortail flycatchers to elk, the private
lands of Western Oklahoma are home to a
diversity of unique and interesting wildlife
species. The Great Plains Trail of Oklahoma
was developed to take advantage of
Oklahoma's small-town hospitality and
showcase the many wildlife species that can
be seen.
The Great Plains Trail covers 1,777 miles
and includes 33 counties. The trail consists
of 13 highway-based, driving loops that span
the entire western portion of the state.
Each loop guides travelers through areas
with the best opportunities to view wildlife
and includes designated stopping points on
both public and private areas.
To explore the driving loop visit
Written by
Kristen Gillman. Kristen is an Information
Specialist with the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation.
Northwest Oklahoma has One of the
I would like to cordially invite you
to enter the drawing for a one-of-a-kind
trip. The trip includes a
one-night gathering with more than one
million bats and other visitors.
Some of these visitors include deer,
Texas horned
lizards, rattlesnakes, coyotes and a
multitude of owls, and humans! See this big
group of Mexican free-tailed bats soar
into the evening sky over
Selman Bat Cave Wildlife Management Area.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation be will host the trip.
This year the bat watches will take
place the last four weekends in July.
The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for
children (12 & under).
Pre-registration is different this year
with attendees being drawn
lottery-style. Given the
popularity of this event, the Department
is turning to a more equitable way for
registering. The specified
registration period begins May 31st and
ends June 7th. To pre-register,
print off the registration form
beginning May 31st at 8 a.m. Registration is
by mail only and must be postmarked no
later than June 7th to be included in
the drawing. Much more information and
details about the Selman Bat Watch can
be found on
the website. Successful
registrants will receive a confirmation
packet by mail. Unsuccessful
registrants will receive their returned
check or money order by mail.
Wildlife Diversity Donations
contributions made in the memory of Dr. Richard
Ellis by:
Rooney and Patsy
Dr. Brook Scott,
Clay Scott and Shelby Scott
Leach, Sullivan,
Sullivan and Watkins LLP
Duncan Gun Club
Angel and Mac
Jere and Anne
We thank you for
all of your support!
Certified Wildscapes
Mary Lane & Steve
Davis OKC
The WILDLIFE DIVERSITY
PROGRAM monitors and manages the
state's wildlife and fish
species that are not hunted or


text:
Telefónica's global start-up accelerator has announced the opening of a new call for applications for its London Academy.
And from this week technology entrepreneurs worldwide can submit their projects through Telefónica's Wayra start-up inititiative, as part of a global call for applications.
Entrepreneurs can apply to their local Academy or another participating Academy in Europe or Latin America, subject to visa requirements. Wayra Academies in Barcelona, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Dublin, London, Madrid, Munich, Prague, Santiago and Sao Paulo are now open for applications.
Successful projects will receive help to grow their business, with technical and commercial support to further develop their ideas. The projects will also get access to other entrepreneurs across the network of Wayra Academies in Europe and Latin America.
In exchange for initial financing Telefónica takes a minority stake in their companies through a convertible note funding option.
Ashley Stockwell, acting Academy director of Wayra UK said: "The support we can provide is significant, not only in terms of mentoring and a place to work, but most importantly through the opportunity to work alongside other like-minded entrepreneurs."
Since joining Wayra London in June 2012, five of the 19 start-up businesses have received "significant funding", said Telefónica, and most are actively pursuing further funding rounds.
Most of the businesses have also begun discussions around commercial partnerships with O2, the mobile network brand owned by Telefónica, and other Telefónica businesses like Telefónica Digital.
Wayra London start-up Cloud 66 recently got the chance to pitch its ideas to leading US venture capitalists in Miami, in an event organised by Telefónica.
Find your next job with computerworld UK jobs


text:
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Comic 491: If you know both "Twitter" and "Burma Shave Ads" Raise Your hand
1. LAME we already know you love memes. Maybe old memes are brought up again because you keep bringing them up in your stupid comics.
2. Wait what the fuck ""burma shave" ? What is that, some stupid viral video from 2002? Ugh, if I don't get the joke no one will.
3. Off to wikipedia it is!
4. Huh. So...not really an internet meme, a kind of way-the-heck-long-time ago pre-internet meme. No way in hell most of his readers know that one.
5. So he's taken the Burma Shave meter and rhyme, and used it to talk about putting old memes on twitter, and in so doing has put an old meme on twitter. or did he just blow my mind
6. Wait a second. Twitter is probably full of burma shave jokes. That's basically the point of twitter for some people - come up with a meme (Sarah Palin facts!) and then spew out thousands and thousands of variations on it. So...he's basically just taking a meme on twitter and meta-ing it. Like rickrolling rick astley or, I dunno, having cats make lolhumans or something.
8. Forumites still suck, and they can't write poems for shit.
Anyway, while my head is still spinning, I still think this is a way above average comic...but maybe it's too circular and some of you hate it. You all?
update: Ok, what the hell - The Onion: McCain Blasts Obama As Out Of Touch In Burma-Shave-Style Billboard Campaign. This is dated October 22, so two days later than the xkcd comic - so either those ads are way better known than I realized, The Onion doesn't think we'll notice, or it's a hell of a crazy coincidence. I have no idea. For what it's worth I think, unsurprisingly, that The Onion's joke is way better. In part because there are just more jokes, but also that it makes a political point about John McCain being old and out of touch.
23 comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I'm in my mid-twenties and I know about Burma Shave (of course, I grew up in drive-through country, so those types of ads are still popular for some farmers and stores). Anyone who is an avid puzzle solver will probably know about it, too - there was a brief fad in the 90s for puzzle books to have a "Burma Shave" puzzle or two.ReplyDelete
this comic reminded me a lot of the more recent episodes of family guy - namely the episode where peter plays for the new england patriots. he scores a touchdown and then leads the rest of the field in a four minute singing of a song from 1957.ReplyDelete
get it? it's old and fairly obscure! you wouldn't get the reference! hahaha it's so damn funny!
Burma Shave and Wall Drugs billboards have moved from the physical to the cultural landscape. Too bad the product isn't still marketed under the same name, or it the ad campaign would still be selling shaving cream!ReplyDelete
I think that's part of the point of the comic: everything old is new again, or there's nothing new under the sun.
The comic made me smile, but not laugh. Your comment that it must be some internet thing from 2002 did make me laugh, and improved the comic for me because I then realized how many people were going to learn from this comic about how annoying memes predate the internet.
I didn't like it. It was just another meme comic, about eighty months behind the times--and reinforced my belief that Friday's comic should have been a tweet, not a comic.ReplyDelete
Sarah - Ok, I guess some people know more about these things than me...still, I bet most xkcd don't. Not that it really matters, I don't hold using a very old (relatively) refernce against him.ReplyDelete
Greg - I hope it goes without saying that Family Guy, too, is overrated (at least the newer round of seasons). Not as bad as xkcd but not as good as people think.
Aviatrix - I basically agree. Everything old is new again, and to say so, the comic uses a new medium to parody an old meme. Still makes my head hurt.
Rob - Agreed that it would have worked just as well as a tweet, though at least he drew some pictures this time (though panels 1 and 3, now that I look at it, look copy/pasted). It would have been a better tweet than the last comic would have been a bash.org quote.
Yeah, this one went way over my head.ReplyDelete
I took it as a reference to the fact that since Twitter has a character limit, people have to post stuff in separate posts, and that's how they have to post memes, and it was like those Burma Shave ads where they split up the message over several billboards.ReplyDelete
It's obscure, but no more so than all those math and science comics.
I'm grateful to this comic for introducing me to the Burma-shave adverts. Somehow old adverts often make me laugh.ReplyDelete
How about this one:
Though his comic
isn't funny,
posters make him
lots of money.
Randall Munroe.
Ouch, Vlad. I can feel Randall's cries of anguish from here (because he is not very far away).ReplyDelete
Mike - this is interesting. By my count though, the total poem is only 78 characters long, only about half of Twitter's 140 character limit (thanks, wikipedia!) so it doesn't quite work, but it is of course true that twitter makes you split stuff up so maybe reading twitter feeds is a similar feeling to reading the burma shave ads, so it's correct in the spirit of the thing at least. That's a good point, and just another layer of ideas to try to comprehend.ReplyDelete
Vlad - NICE. very, very nice.
Carl, prove to us that you are not Randall Munroe or an associate thereof and that this isn't an enormously elaborate prank or focus group for "your" comic.ReplyDelete
On the LJ feed, the "getting it" rate was about 40%. I'm more familiar with the Burma Shave ads than I am with Twitter (what is the point of Twitter?).ReplyDelete
thomas has a good point. You make some pretty shitty arguements about why xkcd's "shit" ;). All it's doing is drawing attention to potential readers who would find it funny; people who don't like xkcd wouldn't read it in the first place.ReplyDelete
Besides, haven't you anything better to do than whine & obsess about something that's not even offensive? Wow.
(btw, I'm not some xkcd zeolot, I very rarely read it; although now you've reminded me of it I might go check it out.)
Thomas, that's really weird that you say that, because I just got an e-mail from someone with the same theory. Alas, I cannot think of a good way to prove that I am not Randall Munroe besides just saying it, and pointing out that if I were Randall I would probably work a little harder at advertising this site (it gets about 200 views a day, give or take 50, about). If you can think of a way for me to prove it I'll try it.ReplyDelete
Philly - I don't really mind drawing attention to xkcd (at the very least I could stop having the comics on here be links to the site) because I think it helps my argument to see it.
I do occasionally have better things to do than blog about xkcd, it is what I do with the rest of my time. And I do consider bad comedy offensive. If you don't understand where I'm coming from on that one I don't think you'll enjoy this blog very much.
Which arguments do you think are shit?
Philly - I don't think we're on the same page. I just have a theory that Randall could potentially be behind this blog in order to court his own haters and sample the negative reactions to his comic. You know, beat the REAL Carls to the punch.ReplyDelete
Either way, I enjoy this blog and hope that, as Carl's said, it exists for as long as it's fun. I'm having fun. Why aren't you?
Your criticism of this particular strip complements and enhances its humor and cleverness. I've actually laughed, as oppossed to the too often half-smile xkcd usually induces.ReplyDelete
Thank you.
- AnonymousOctober 30, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Randomly popping in to add that Neil Gaiman's novel 'American Gods,' features Burma-Shave signs as well as a strange but true place called the House on the Rock, and I learned about both in that book. The book is fairly popular among geeks and blogfans, since its author is a well-known blogger as well.ReplyDelete
Thanks, cow 2001.ReplyDelete
Kassi, I guess it's just a better known meme than I realized. Oh well. House on the Rock still doesn't beat Canada's Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump.
Just think of the first part of Run-DMC's "It's Tricky"ReplyDelete
Late to the party, but I have to say: my favorite Burma shave joke is this one, for reasons I do not quite understand.ReplyDelete
what the HELL is going on there, kirk?ReplyDelete
I have no idea, it is a dada-nonsensical comic where each character speaks a different language. (including a gal who talks in calculus equations)ReplyDelete
I think I enjoy the comic because I have long since stopped trying to make sense of it, and therefore take it as the product of some drug-addled dream.


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Prickly pear cactus (genus Opuntia), sometimes referred to as bunny-ears, is unusual among cacti in its ability to perennialize in spite of the frequently wet soil conditions and freezing winter temperatures prevalent in Eastern North Carolina.
Prickly pear cactus (genus Opuntia), sometimes referred to as bunny-ears, is unusual among cacti in its ability to perennialize in spite of the frequently wet soil conditions and freezing winter temperatures prevalent in Eastern North Carolina.
Because of its potential for spread, I�d suggest you treat prickly pear in the same manner as you would the various garden mints. Plant them in containers, or a parking lot tree pit, or in some other constricted site where they can�t escape and run amok. Or don't plant them at all. I won�t go into the details here, but once prickly pear becomes a weed issue, control is a major headache.
Prickly pear cactus would certainly make a nice companion for agaves and other desert-themed plants, and as with cacti in general, the flowers are exceptional. By the way, I spotted a particularly impressive agave next to a mailbox in the James City area a couple of weeks ago. It served as a reminder to me of the excellent adaptability of certain agave species to our region.
Two clover or clover-like weeds are of interest as we head into the latter part of May. Of these two, white clover � with the showy white flowers and white markings on the leaves � is receiving virtually all of the attention from homeowners and property managers. White clover is one of a handful of turf weed species that can be seen year round in Craven County. Most are either cool season or warm season, and may be noticeable for about half the year but are gone and forgotten the rest of the time. White clover is quite difficult to control, and spray applications this time of year (while the clover is in full flower) are not going to be as effective as fall applications. This is one argument for just letting it go for now.
Another argument is that the flowers are very important to bees and other pollinators. Given the well-documented and ongoing decline in honeybee numbers, perhaps we can compromise our standards of turf management and aesthetics just a bit, and let the clover have whatever space it wants this time of year. If your lawn has become more white clover than turf, consider an appropriate labeled herbicide this fall. More importantly, review site conditions and cultural practices to make sure the lawn is more competitive against the clover.
The second weed of interest for today is annual or common lespedeza, a summer annual that becomes a big topic of conversation by mid to late summer. This is the very low-growing, clover-like weed with stems that appear to be almost woody, and which produces light purple flowers by late summer.
Annual lespedeza is getting off to a great start, and now is the time to do something about it. Significant infestations over large turf areas are probably best handled with a professional application of metsulfuron, which will also knock back bahiagrass.
(And spraying bahiagrass now, before the seed heads form, is critical.) Three-way garden center products containing 2,4-D + MCPP + Dicamba can also suppress annual lespedeza, but it�s a long, hard battle.
Tom Glasgow is the Craven County Extension director. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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When you were in high school, you were probably creating pictures that were good enough to display in your high school's art show.
Fifteen-year-old Emily Oliver is slightly different. Oliver is an aspiring makeup artist who uses cosmetics to create jaw-droppingly beautiful portraits of some of music's most famous artists. Here's one she did of Beyonce:
lemon drop ???????? on Twitter
the queen herself???????? @Beyonce @ABHcosmetics dipbrow @BECCA_COSMETICS champagne pop @juviasplace zulu palette @TooFaced chocolate bar palette
Check out this one she did of Rihanna.
— lemon drop ???????? (@emilyslooks) June 27, 2017
Seriously, look at the detail:
makeup looks by yours truly <3
The craziest part? Oliver says she only started experimenting with makeup a few months ago. MONTHS! What!?
We can definitely see this girl becoming the next big YouTube star.
Lauren Levine is a freelance writer who has contributed to publications and websites including The Charlotte Observer, U.S. News & World Report, American Way magazine, The Huffington Post, Hello Giggles, Bustle, Thrillist, Thought Catalog, and others.


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Bangladesh Tourist Attractions
Browse 228 attractions, meet 2,716 travelers, 760 tour guides and discover 503 photos
Travelers are voting Dhaka, Dhaka Division and Cox's Bazar as the best of 168 tourist attractions in Bangladesh. Also popular are Chittagong and Khulna in Bangladesh and Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka. Want more? Check out our map of tourist attractions in Bangladesh or these 24 tourist attractions in Dhaka.
DhakaPlaces To Visit CitiesBangladesh
Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh known world-wide for its mosques, muslin, its colorful history and rich cultural traditions. Densely…
Dhaka DivisionPlaces To Visit States/RegionsBangladesh
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia.
Cox's BazarPlaces To Visit Towns & VillagesBangladesh
Cox's Bazar is a town, a fishing port and district headquarters in Bangladesh. It is known for its wide sandy beach which is the world's longest…
ChittagongPlaces To Visit CitiesBangladesh
Chittagong is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River,…
Dhakeshwari TemplePlaces To Visit TemplesDhaka, Bangladesh
Dhakeshwari National Temple is a Hindu temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
KhulnaPlaces To Visit CitiesBangladesh
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional…
Goalundo GhatPlaces To Visit Towns & VillagesDhaka Division, Bangladesh
Goalundo Ghat (also Goalanda and Goalondo) is a small town and pourasabha in Goalandaghat Upazila, Rajbari District, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh,…
SylhetPlaces To Visit CitiesBangladesh
Sylhet is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city…
Cox's Bazar AirportTourist Essentials AirportsCox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Cox's Bazar Airport (IATA: CXB, ICAO: VGCB) is an airport in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
RajshahiPlaces To Visit CitiesBangladesh
Formerly Rampur Boalia, Rajshahi is a divisional city in west-central Bangladesh, also often referred to as the education city of the country.…


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They rapped on doors, waved bright signs, groused about the media, ate chicken wings, and shook hands — lots and lots of hands.
The women and men hoping to win the Democratic nomination to be Baltimore's next mayor whirled through the city Monday, seeking to sway last-minute support as the primary neared.
In the biggest race, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake faces four challengers, but elections officials did not expect a crush of voters.
"We're all ready for whoever comes," said Armstead B. Crowley Jones Jr., director of the Baltimore Board of Elections. About 7,800 of the city's 370,000 registered voters cast ballots in the six days of early voting, so he did not expect a very high turnout Tuesday.
The city's 290 polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., he said
Rawlings-Blake caught a bus from City Hall to Lexington Market to rally voters, accompanied bySen. Barbara A. Mikulski.
When Mikulski waved enthusiastically at an approaching bus, Rawlings-Blake, who stood quietly by her side, informed the senator that their bus would arrive shortly.
"Let's wave anyway," said Mikulski.
Rawlings-Blake was similarly muted on the bus, greeting riders in hushed tones and prompting a campaign aide to mime waving and smiling to her. Rawlings-Blake mostly chatted with Mikulski, clucking over the Republican lawmakers in Washington.
"I don't know how you go down there every day with all of that discord," the mayor said to Mikulski. "I wish everyone could be as reasonable as our delegation."
Mikulski whipped up the crowd, loudly cracking jokes and reminding riders to vote.
"Tomorrow's election day. We've got to support our mayor," said Mikulski, who started her political career as an East Baltimore councilwoman.
While many passengers snapped cell phone photos of Rawlings-Blake, one griped loudly that the mayor's retinue had slowed the bus and would make her late to work.
"We're missing our connection to the light rail because of this," said Darlene Williams, who was heading from her East Baltimore home to a job at the airport. "She's not getting my vote."
Rawlings-Blake also encountered a mixed reaction at the market.
Calvin Hayes, 42, an unemployed warehouse worker from West Baltimore, grinned and posed for a picture with the mayor.
"I think she's doing fine for her just getting in there. People have to realize there was already a lot of crap when she came in," he said. "Plus, we need a pretty face."
Rawlings-Blake said she was "excited" about the primary, which, in the overwhelmingly Democratic city, usually determines the next mayor.
But about a half-dozen people, both inside and outside the market, heckled the mayor.
Elihu El of Park Heights peppered Rawlings-Blake with questions about her dealings with developers and a racially charged incident in which two members of a Jewish patrol group were accused of beating a black teenager. State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein dropped some of the more serious charges.
"You ain't done nothing for black people in this city," said Elihu El of Park Heights. "You're bought and paid for, Ms. Rawlings."
Candidate Otis Rolley swept through the market an hour later, handing out purple stickers, sampling chicken wings, and answering questions about his plans to boost employment.
"Do you have a plan to create jobs… for people like me who might have a criminal background?" asked Anthony Thomas, 40, an unemployed cook from West Baltimore.
After Rolley explained his plan to create incentives for businesses to hire ex-offenders, Thomas said he had decided to vote for Rolley. "I think out of these candidates, he has the better resume for rebuilding the city," Thomas said.
State Sen. Catherine E. Pugh ticked through a dizzying schedule, waving to transit riders near Mondawmin Mall, talking to children about health at Callaway Elementary School, hosting a radio show, greeting voters at a North Baltimore home and celebrating at an evening rally.
"I'm excited about being the next mayor of the City of Baltimore," said Pugh. "I've enjoyed the interactions with people."
Clerk of Circuit Court Frank M. Conaway also mingled with voters across the city, waving signs at McCullough Street and North Avenue, and passing out backpacks with school supplies to children at Edgewood Elementary School.
He planned to stay in his campaign headquarters today and "troubleshoot" for staffers and volunteers, instead of visiting polling places. "If you haven't done it all by Election Day, you can forget about it," he said.
Candidate Joseph T. "Jody" Landers III urged voters not to be misled by "political commentators and pundits" who, he said, were predicting the primary's outcome before most ballots had been cast.
"The point I want to get across today, in the strongest language possible, is that this election is not over," Landers said at a morning news conference at his Key Highway campaign headquarters. "The citizens have yet to register their votes. ... Each and every vote counts."
Landers, the former vice president of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors, said he was concerned that the results of a recent Baltimore Sun poll would deter voters.
Rawlings-Blake had the support of 50 percent of the poll's respondents, with Pugh and Rolley in a statistical dead heat with 12 and 10 percent, respectively. Landers and Conaway were tied for fourth place with 5 percent.
"From the voters' perspective, the only poll that means anything is the poll taken on Election Day in the voting booth," Landers said.
Meanwhile, four candidates who are challenging City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young called a news conference to chastise the media.
Although 15 forums were held for mayoral candidates, the only one scheduled for City Council president hopefuls was canceled by the League of Women Voters because of an earthquake earlier that day.
That favors the incumbent, said Thomas A. Kiefaber, who organized the news conference that included two other Democratic candidates, Leon Winthly Hector Sr. and Renold B. Smith, as well as Republican contender Armand F. Girard.
"They don't even know who we are," said Kiefaber, the former owner of the Senator Theater. "Nobody knows anything about the second highest elected office."
Baltimore Sun reporters Ed Gunts and Liz F. Kay contributed to this article.
For voting information, the Baltimore City Elections Board can be contacted at (410) 396-5550 or
Baltimore Democrats and Republicans on Tuesday will choose their nominees for mayor, City Council president and City Council. Here are the candidates:
Conaway, Frank M.
Landers, Joseph T. "Jody" III
Pugh, Catherine E.
Rawlings-Blake, Stephanie
Rolley, Otis
Wilson, Wilton
Griffin, Alfred V. III
Harding, Vicki Ann
President of the City Council
Hector, Leon Winthly Sr.
Kiefaber, Tom
Smith, Charles U.
Smith, Renold B.
Young, Bernard C. "Jack"
Girard, Armand F.
Wiggins,David Anthony
Pratt, Joan M.
City Council District 1
Kahler, Jason
Kraft, James B.
Luce, Helene J.
City Council District 2
Daniels Obiora, Sharita M.
Gross, Cynthia A.
Guyton, Emmett
Hamilton, Anthony
Scott, Brandon M.
Simpson, Jamaal D.
Maynard-Tucker, Shereese
City Council District 3
Bivens, Jerome A.
Curran, Robert W.
Vanhook, George M. Sr.
Collins, Gary M.
City Council District 4
Barnes, Scherod
Henry, Bill
Edwards, Ebony R.
City Council District 5
Carberry, Scott M.
Durant, Luke Jr.
Jones, Curtis
Lennon, Derrick
Spector, Rochelle Rikki
Winokur, Ari
City Council District 6
Hughes, Mark E.
Middleton, Sharon Green
Wimbish, Rhonda
City Council District 7
Brim, Henry W. Jr.
Conaway, Belinda K.
Hicks, Allen
Mercer, Timothy
Mosby, Nick
Bradley, Michael John
City Council District 8
Ammi, Haki Shakur
Holton, Helen
Love, Dayvon
Smallwood, David Maurice
Betzel, Dennis
City Council District 9
Bailey, Janet
Breiseth, Abigail
Bullock, John T.
Cooke, Quianna M.
Hannah, Derwin
Johnson, Michael Eugene
LeFall, Waymon E.
Taylor, Chris
Welch, William Pete
City Council District 10
Marker, Bill
Reisinger, Edward L.
White, Erica S.
City Council District 11
Cole, William
Shelton, Duane
City Council District 12
Brown, Devon
Curtis, Jason
Harris, Ertha
Jones, Jermaine
Ramos, Odette
Richardson, Frank W.
Stokes, Carl
Boles, Kent Jr.
City Council District 13
Armstrong, Kimberly M.
Branch, Warren Maurice
Glover, Antonio "Tony"
Harris, Gamaliel Jr.
Sneed, Shannon
City Council District 14
Clarke, Mary Pat
Source: State Board of Elections


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Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood's 'Remind Me' Wins 2012 CMT Music Award for Collaborative Video of the Year
When two of your favorite artists come together, the result is that the sum of their collaboration is greater than the individual parts. That's what Jake Owen said when he took the stage with 'Twilight' star Kristen Greene to present the 2012 CMT Music Award for Best Collaborative Video of the Year.
Thanks to their work on hit song 'Remind Me,' Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood took home the golden buckle to a standing ovation. Excited about their new award, Underwood hugged husband Mike Fisher before walking to the stage with Paisley, arm in arm.
When she got to the stage, the 'Good Girl' songstress pointed out that her hockey player husband hugged Paisley before he hugged his wife! Paisley was quick to point out to his own wife hat there's nothing going on between himself and Fisher.
Congrats to Carrie and Brad. That's one down for Underwood, who is up for four more awards tonight.


text: LION BRAND-Vanna's Choice Yarn. This is a silky-soft premium basic yarn that is the easy-care yarn Vanna loves enough to call her own. With its supple hand and stunning stitch quality; Vanna's Choice has the versatility to help you create the designs of your dreams. Make a simple sweater; shape a stylish shawl or fashion a stunning afghan. Weight category: 4. Solids: 100% acrylic; 3.5oz/100g; 170yd/156m. Prints: 92% acrylic/8% rayon; 3oz/85g; 145yd/133m. Gauge: knit: 16st x 22r 4in/10cm on size 9/5.5mm needles; crochet: 12sc x 15r = 4in/10cm on size J10/6mm hook. Care: machine wash warm (104F/40C max.temp); tumble dry; do not bleach; do not iron. Imported.


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Justin Bieber Says He Never Saw 'N Sync's 'Girlfriend' Video
Justin Bieber's record-shattering 'Boyfriend' video drew a few comparisons to 'N Sync's 'Girlfriend' clip, a critique that the Biebs himself shot down by claiming that he never even saw that vid. That didn't stop him from throwing props to the boy band's most famous member, Justin Timberlake, though.
"I haven't seen it," Bieber said about the video, which came out in 2002, when he was just eight years old. Sure, there are some thematic similarities, with the 'N Sync dudes dancing with hot chicks while surrounded by muscle cars. Not exactly a new concept in pop music, but …
Bieber did say he does not mind being compared to JT with his new, leading man style and sound, which Timberlake was known for when he went solo. He was asked if he was influenced by the man with whom he shares a first name, and in his post-premiere chat with MTV, he said, "Definitely. He is amazing and made amazing music. I can't say I would be upset when someone compares me to him, but my music is going a completely different route."
We'll decide that when we hear the rest of 'Believe,' but we do hear a sonic kinship between the Justins.
We've posted both 'Boyfriend' and 'Girlfriend' (awww!) below for you to compare and contrast. Then scroll to the 2:30 mark in the video below that to hear the Biebs talk about the video and JT.
Watch Justin Bieber 'Boyfriend'
Watch 'N Sync 'Girlfriend'
Watch Justin Bieber Talk 'N Sync + Justin Timberlake


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Media July–September 2006
|News Release: September 21, 2006
|View Printable PDF Version
|Docket Nos. EC06-140-000 and EL06-86-000
Commission acts to improve security of Nation's power grid
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today approved an innovative agreement among electric utilities on electric transformer sharing that will maintain the integrity of the nation's transmission system in the event of a future terrorist strike.
"Since the attacks on our country five years ago, the Commission has taken a number of important steps to improve the physical security of our energy infrastructure. Today's order is only the latest action," Commission Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher said. "The industry is to be congratulated, for this voluntary agreement is a significant first step, but only a first step, in addressing critical reliability issues. We will encourage further innovations to help assure the robust reliability of our nation's power grid."
In an initiative put forth by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), a group of transmission owners has established the Spare Transformer Equipment Program (STEP), designed to increase the industry's inventory of spare electric transformers. According to the application, this will ensure that the industry has sufficient capability to restore service in the event of "coordinated, deliberate destruction of utility substations."
Any investor-owned utility, government-owned utility or rural electric cooperative in the United States or Canada that owns transformers may participate in the program. At present, 43 entities have signed on to the Spare Transformer Sharing Agreement (Agreement), representing more than 60 percent of the Commission-jurisdictional bulk-power transmission system.
"[T]he industry's efforts to voluntarily coordinate the sharing of spare transformers will enhance the reliability of the transmission system and security of our energy supply infrastructure in the event of an act of deliberate destruction," the Commission said.
The Commission urged participants to improve the program, including the method of calculating spare transformer requirements, and the Commission encouraged other entities owning high-voltage transformers to participate in STEP "so that the benefits may be spread to more of the bulk power system."
The Commission also encouraged the participating utilities to expand the scope of emergency situations, such as natural disasters, under which the transfer of spare transformers will be required under the Agreement.
Under the Agreement, each participating utility is required to maintain, and if necessary, acquire, a specific number of transformers in various voltage classes. Applicants estimate that for the total of 43 utilities already signed up, between 72 and 105 spare transformers will be required. However, because these participants already own a number of spares, only 21 to 31 new units will need to be purchased, at a total cost of between $50 million to $75 million.
The Agreement requires each participating utility to sell its spare transformers to any other participating utility that suffers a triggering event, defined as an act of terrorism that destroys or disables one or more substations and results in the President of the United States declaring a state of emergency.
Under section 203 of the Federal Power Act the Commission must approve the sale or disposition of jurisdictional assets in excess of $10 million. Noting the importance of responding quickly to an emergency and the long lead times involved in ordering new transformers, EEI, on behalf of the 41 jurisdictional participants, requested and the Commission approved blanket authorizations for future transfers of transformers under the agreement. The Commission conditioned its authorization on public utility participants in the program filing the information required by the Commission's Part 33 regulations initially within 30 days of any transformer transfer and again when final sales terms have been established.
To encourage participation in STEP, the Commission also granted Applicants' requests to declare participation in the Agreement prudent, find that the costs of participation qualify for single issue rate treatment, and accords all future jurisdictional signatories to the Agreement the same benefits as current signatories. Participation in this sharing program will increase transmission owners' emergency recovery capabilities by providing access to more spare transformers at lower cost.
|View Printable PDF Version


text:
Click Here for More Articles on LES MISERABLES
STAGE TUBE: New TV Spot for the LES MISÉRABLES Film! Must Watch!
Christmas can't get here fast enough, because that's when Les Miserables hits the big screen and to tide us over ... they've just released a new TV spot for the film!
Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year. Helmed by The King's Speech's Academy Award-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.


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10 Cord Wrap Solutions for Under $20
After reaching into my bag only to discover my headphones were again a tangled mess I knew it was time to rethink my cable management strategy. Of course there are several DIY options out there for wrangling cables and cords, but being a bit too busy to break out the craft supplies, I have decided to opt for the next best thing, purchasing a solution from Etsy.
Compact cord solutions are a must when it comes to earbuds... my oh my do those things tangle! In addition to earbuds, I also generally have at least one USB cord in my purse and without some sort of cord wrap or wrangler my bag quickly disintegrates into a tangled mess.
While the solutions provided in this post are all fairly simple, it's amazing how much something so basic can help. Don't feel like buying something to do the trick? Check out this DIY project.
- Orientaltribe11's Bear Cable Organizer: I am a sucker for cute bear tech accessories so these cable organizers might be just the thing. $15
- Alvinartanddesign's Dandy Mustache Wrap: As you can see from the design of this accessory it really is built for earbuds. While the mustache craze is over, this wrap is still fun, clever, and comes in a variety of colors. $5
- Millergoods Leather Cable Band: Simple solution and for the price you receive a small and medium sized band, just right for earbuds and a USB cable. $15
- CicadaLeatherCompany's Hot Pink Leather Headphone Holder: Similar to the solution listed above, this one is hot pink. $10
- WalnutStudiolo's Upcycled Leather Earbud Headphone Organizer Keychain: As the name implies, this earbud organizer also works as a keychain making it that much more handy. $13
- Alvinartanddesign's Enob: Two-way Headphone Cord Wrap for Earbuds: I like that I can wrap earbuds around this colorful device either horizontally or vertically and I wonder if the holes for the earbuds will work well for my non-Apple earbuds. $5
- BLaNKcraft's Raw Leather USB /Earphone Cable Management: Yes, I know at $20 it's not "under $20" but I would be remiss not to mention this one. Designed to hold both earbuds and a USB cable this could be just what I'm looking for to help keep the purse organized. $20
- Paulopaivafonseca's French Kiss: Surprise, an item on this list that's not made out of leather! This simple solution is rather elegant (and easy to DIY) and I'm surprised I have not seen more of these around. $3
- BacktoZero's Customized Leather Earpiece Organizer: Available in a variety of colors this is another simple snap based organizing solution. $8
- MarinasSoul iPod Leather Clip: This item earned an inclusion into the roundup due to the double clip design which made it stand out among all of the single clip solutions out there. $8
What's your go-to cable wrap solution?
(Images: As credited above.)


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please help doctor hiv scare(d) in Romania
Dear Dr. Frascino, I very much need your professional opinion. I'm far from home (US) and alone, working for the peace corp in Romania, where until recently I was helping to make a difference in life by helping some of Romania's poor, socially ostracized people. Sadly, for the past four months my HIV scare has paralyzed me with fear: I've been reduced to a self-hating, self-obsessed, depressed boil on humanity's backside, unable to help others or myself.
I hope you can help me. My provincial doctors here are not HIV specialists nor do they speak English very well. My situation is this: one-time unprotected vaginal intercourse with woman of (partly) unknown HIV status four months ago while on holiday in Holland. I say 'partly' because she might have been in her window period when last tested: she had a negative rapid (finger prick) HIV 1/2 test about 6 weeks after we had sex. As she's a friend of a friend, I know there's a real possibility that she had sexual intercourse with someone (in Holland) in the days/weeks preceding our encounter four months ago. She denies this, however, and we no longer have contact.
I've had many ARS symptoms these past four months. I know symptoms don't necessarily = HIV, but mine were/are many common to ARS. The first sign that something was physically wrong with me occurred about one-month post-exposure when I got a very painful sore throat could not swallow food/liquids. Antibiotics were prescribed that helped, followed a few days later by an outbreak of white ulcers on the back of my throat and tonsils (perhaps triggered by drinking the local 80-proof moonshine to excess the previous evening) the ulcers went away in a week.
The ENT doctor who examined me at that time ordered an HIV test (negative 6 weeks post-exposure), plus a microbiological test: Candida sp. - negative. Enterobacter cloacae 10 ^ 3
Over the past 4 months I've had a cold/flu lasting 10 days in summer; various transient minor skin rashes and red spots; generalized itchy skin; random swollen lymph glands; quite severe nerve tingling/burning in my feet, hands, legs and face; and constant eye floaters that started a month ago and persist today. My tongue has remained whitish throughout, although this could be owing to heavy smoking/stress/poor diet.
My tests to date:
Repeatedly negative HIV test results over 4 months on three different (blood drawn) second-generation HIV 1/2 (ab-only) tests at three different Romanian hospitals/clinics.
My latest test today: second-generation Abbott AXSym HIV 1/2 (ab-only test) was negative at 17 weeks (120 days) post-exposure. At 110 days post-exposure: RNA PCR test for HIV-1 (Roche v.1.5) no virus detected. DNA PCR tests are not available here.
CBC I Done at about one month post-exposure: wbc 4.2 (4.1 to 10.5 range) lymphocytes 43.3 (25 to 40) platelets 295 (130 to 440).
Liver Enzymes AST 23 (0 38 range) ALT 35 (0 40) GGT 46 (11 50) AP 71 (98 to 280)
CBC II Done at three months post-exposure: wbc 5.8 (4.1 10.5) lym 34.6 (25 40) platelets 202 (130 440)
Hep B/C tests Liver Test Done at four months post-exposure: HbeAg and Anti-HCV: non-reactive. Liver enzymes: AST 23 (0 to 40) ALT 34 (0 to 55) GGT 60 (0 to 35) very high. As I drink the local moonshine fairly regularly, doctor said this probably accounted for this elevation (I take no comfort from this).
Doctor, what is your opinion of my case - test results and history? What would you advise me to do next?
Should I accept my negative status doctors here said I don't need retesting despite the fact that they were older, second generation tests and I have ongoing, worrying symptoms like constant eye floaters?
Because only second generation (ab-only) HIV tests are available here, should I break open my piggy-bank and travel to a Western European country to do a 4th generation ab/ag hiv test?
My exposure was in Holland, with a white European woman living and socializing among Holland's immigrant community mainly North Africans and West Africans. Is it possible that I have a HIV strain from her that is undetectable by Romania's older, second generation HIV tests?
Of note, on the night I was exposed four months ago, I was very weak, just starting to recover from a severe case of flu (high fever/sweating) I had the previous three days. Could the fact that my immune system was weak and producing flu antibodies delay HIV seroconversion up to 4 months post-exposure?
I know I cannot Woo-Hoo yet, despite a 4-month negative test. But on a Woo-Hoo scale of 1 to 10, what would you say my Woo-Hoo-ability is right now?
I'm scared, totally stressed-out, confused and very much in need of your help. Regardless of whether you have the time to answer my questions (reading your answers to other folks' online questions these past months has been very helpful and especially amusing in an otherwise dark period of my life), I shall certainly be making a donation to The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation. Thank you in advance, Boil in Romania
I'll respond to your specific questions first:
Yes! Absofrickinlutely!
Nope. That is not warranted or necessary.
Nope! The immune system does not work that way.
You know you cannot WOO-HOO?!?! Why the hell not? I'd place your WOO-HOO-ability at 10+ on a scale of 1 to 10!
Dude, look at the facts: your risk was unprotected insertive penile-vaginal sex with someone who had a negative HIV-1/2 rapid test six weeks after your horizontal mattress mambo. Added to that you've had repeatedly negative HIV-1/2 tests out to 17 weeks and an undetectable RNA PCR at 110 days. You really just can't get any more negative than that. HIV is not your problem. No way. No how. You are definitively and conclusively HIV negative.
The other thing that's negative about you is your attitude! ". . . I've been reduced to a self-hating, self-obsessed, depressed boil on humanity's backside . . . ." Dude, that's harsh!
Your problem is psychiatric, not virologic. You are severely depressed and leading a self-destructive lifestyle. (". . . heavy smoking/stress/poor diet.")
Additional HIV testing is not warranted or necessary. What you need is a psychiatrist to help you confront your clinical depression, irrational HIV fears and anxiety. In addition you need to clean up your act! Quit smoking; reduce stress; start exercising; improve your diet; etc.
Thank you for your past efforts to help the disadvantaged folks in Romania and for your donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation, which will help others in desperate need as they cope with the challenges of living with AIDS. I sincerely hope that you will also help yourself. The road back to health, both mental and physical, is clear. It's up to you to take the next step.
Good luck.
Dr. Bob


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When it comes to traveling, i will definitely say i am a planner, where i will always have a rough idea of the things i want to see and do (i carry both a mental list and a written list, for the perfectionist that i am). And revisiting a place i been before such as a vibrant city like London, makes no exception either. Don't get me wrong, i'm not those freaks who sticks to every single detail of a plan, and depending on my mood and the weather, i sometimes do enjoy those laid back moments where i just go with the flow, realizing the unknown is just as fun.
My trip to London back in December didn't involve too much planning as my friend that came with me was a laid back traveler so it was perfect for me, considering how many times i have been to London. But i definitely had a mental list of things to do with my friend and i've decided to compile a list of top things to do in London, in case you shall ever visit this lovely city. Hope you guys enjoy these tips.
Piccadilly Circus is definitely a place to visit in London. It's in the center of London, and you really get a feel of the buzz and hype that this metropolitan city has to offer. There are loads of shops if you are into shopping, whether its high end or low end fashion, or restaurants and cafes to visit if you ever fancy a cup of coffee or experience a proper afternoon tea, the British style.
One of the afternoon tea places that i really wanted to try was Fortnum & Mason, which i learned about from the fabulous and lovely British blogger, Milla. Although i didn't get to try their afternoon tea, the shop itself was enough to impress me. The entire shop was filled with lovely packaging of their food and tea products everywhere, but displayed in moderation. The signature color of their products are in this lovely turquoise color, but i was also very much attracted to these purple tined Earl grey biscuits that i spotted minutes within walking in there, and of course i had to buy them. I ended up buying loads of their teas, such as the green tea flavored Elder flower tea, Earl Grey, and English breakfast. I wanted to try their macarons, being the macaron fan that i am, but i guess i was too overwhelmed by all the things inside Fortnum & Mason that i completely forgot to try some.
Ever since i spotted these alphabet mugs from other bloggers, which are available in Anthropologie, i made an immediately pit stop to their store in London. Lucky, i didn't even have to buy it that day because my sweetest sister had already bought it for me as part of my Christmas gift, after she heard me talk about it for like ever and ever.
An afternoon tea session is a must if you visit London, a city that is well known to serve the best scones ever. I decided to pay a visit at Sketch, which i've not tried before yet heard good reviews of it from other British bloggers. The entrance of Sketch was very mysterious, where you are guided through this dark hall upon entering the lobby.
The interior and ambiance inside was very relaxing and with a lot of wooden and green color incorporated into its design. One of the things that really got me attention was this giant chandelier that hung in the middle of the ceiling, where it had these wooden branches look alike branching out. My friends and i ordered two sets of the afternoon tea and we did not finish it. The thing with afternoon tea is that the food are bite sizes but the fullness slowly creeps up on you. The savory and sweet dishes were both delish but up to this day, i still haven't tried an afternoon tea place that has blown me away. One thing for sure was that their sea salt caramel and pistachio flavored macarons were yummy!
Another interesting thing about Sketch is their wash room. I know, you would think what? Upon entering the washroom, you will see these individual oval shaped toilet cubicles. The colorful neon ceiling also gave it a very out of space feel to it, and it definitely gave it a whole new meaning and experience for washrooms.
It's also great fun to experience London by night. The night time of the city with the beautiful lights lit up is a breath taking view for sure. Regent Street is an area that i would recommend visiting, where they always display these beautiful Christmas lights during the festive season. A night out with my girls was definitely on the list, and what better way to celebrate than going to Aqua at the Shard, and enjoying a glass of wine while admiring the night view from the 32nd floor. The Shard also claims to be the tallest building in the EU (according to Wikipedia), which gives you another reason to pop by this place.
For those that are more on the arty side and like some entertainment, make sure to leave a day out to watch a musical. Cheap tickets can be purchased at ticketing booths in London as well, and i often go to the one in Leicester Square, near China Town. I remember watching Phantom of the Opera in London before and it was the best musical ever. Although no other musicals have topped Phantom of the Opera on my list, i decided to give Wicked a chance, and it didn't disappoint. The music was great, where the costumes and stage settings were gorgeous. Due to the heavy rain fall and strong winds, my friend and i decided last minute to go One Canada Square bar (located at Canary Wharf) to enjoy some wine and cocktail before we called it a night. Since Canary Wharf is a central business district, it was no surprise that the entire bar was filled with men in business suits but since it was the closes bar to our home, it was the perfect spot. I would only recommend going to this bar if you are within this area, otherwise there is nothing special about it. Although we were served by a very friendly Italian waiter so that is a bonus. Good customer service is always appreciated!
Last but no least, it's also fun to visit museums to learn some history and better understand a place, from a different perspective. So a trip to the British Museum was arranged, and with its free admission fee and the sun shining, we headed out earlier that morning, in an attempt to make the most out of our last day in London.
If you are into markets, you should not miss out on Covent Garden. It's a market that sells a lot of delicious food, desserts, art, clothes, and other nick nacks. I visit this market whenever i'm in London. One of my fave things to do is eating their Belgian waffles with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, as i sit in the center of the market and enjoy a bit of my people watching moment.


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The Patriots had guard Tyronne Green on their roster for a couple of weeks this offseason before releasing him, but it seems they saw enough during that brief stint to want to see a little more.
The team announced Thursday that they have re-signed Green, who visited with the Bills during his time away from New England. Rookie center Matt Stankiewitch was released to make room for Green on the roster.
Green was a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2009 and started 28 games for them over four seasons. Like most members of the San Diego line over the last few years, Green's play was not particularly impressive and that helps explain why he was available for the Patriots to sign in May and again on Thursday.
The Patriots have starting guards Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly returning this season with Marcus Cannon either pushing Connolly or backing up at guard and tackle. If Green sticks around longer this time around, he'll likely help flesh out the team's depth on the interior of the line.


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|2005-12-28, 16:19
|Link #1
Join Date: Dec 2005
Why is Gundam Seed Destiny so controversial?
first off i'm surprised shinji103,wingdarkness,or eidolon sniper-sensei didn't make this topic first.
okay now we all know destiny sucked and was the bigest letdown in gundam history.but we wonder why?well servral obvious reasons are reat of seed,old cast god-moding/plot devicing,nerfing shinn and his piloting skills but i belive the true cause to be the lack of planning.i mean i heard episode 41 wasn't going to be ANOTHER clipshow.that's proof.
|2005-12-28, 16:28
|Link #4
System/Web developer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
DID GSD really fail?
It certainly didn´t live up to the expectations of those wanting to see something more than a superrobot show, but as a superrobot/"superhero" show is GSD that horribly? Since that is what GSD is...?
In my book Destiny is approved, far from the best but far from the worst.
Not trying to prove anything here really (if anyone thinks I´m referring to neodrags avatar and sig). But Destiny feels like it can be put in the same category with One Piece rather than, as close as, SEED. That´s what I think make so many people so frustrated with Destiny, you try to put it somewhere it don´t belong.
|2005-12-28, 16:50
|Link #8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
The main reason why Gundam Franchise exists now is for video/DVD sales, as well as the model sales such as Freedom Gundam 1/60 HG. The model sales weren't so bad, I believe, and the DVD sales are all high.
So in point of view of Bandai, Destiny was a successful series due to its high items sale.
I think some of us think that Destiny is a failure is because there were too many recap episodes, stocked animations (especially the battle scenes) and poor and plot-copied story.
|2005-12-28, 16:52
|Link #9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: nyc
GSD was worth the watch ^_^ or who the F***K would be stupid enough to watch all 50 Ep? and still hate every single Ep? Rofl
only people with out a life would still watch 50 ep that they find stupid/pointless/shitty/crap.. and would also expect the extra ep to make up for what they thought was a shitty/crap gundam series... seriously
|2005-12-28, 16:53
|Link #10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
|2005-12-28, 17:04
|Link #11
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: nyc
|2005-12-28, 17:06
|Link #12
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
-EA never pull a good fight
-lack of character developement for everyone
-some characters (Athrun, Cagalli) loosing their awersomness they had at the end of GS
-pacing (two recaps episode in the ten last episodes, anyone? )
-too much reused animations make baby jesus cry
-scripters pulling a breath of fire IV plot (main character at the beginning is a "villain" for the last part of the story) .some likes , others hates it like the plague
-reviving Mwu is one big mistake (his death GS made me sad =( , and it had meanings that got destroyed with him coming back in GSD)
|2005-12-28, 17:35
|Link #13
Gundam Boobs and Boom FTW
Join Date: Dec 2005
|2005-12-28, 18:03
|Link #14
DEATH TO 4Kids
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Wouldn't you like to know
You think it's successful because you got what you wanted. All that seemed to matter to you is having a repetition of how GS ended except to a one-sided level when it comes to your hate for what was once the main character for GSD.
|2005-12-28, 18:07
|Link #15
worshipping the pantyhose
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines
One thing I forgot to mention, another thing I didn't like, was that in the end,....no one told Shinn he killed Captain Todaka. I mean, it's almost as if Todaka's sacrifice was anything but a sacrifice....I guess only the Orb's know it then...but come on, at least let Shinn find out whatever way possible.
|2005-12-28, 22:02
|Link #17
Nick of Time~
GSD failed in the sense that it did not live up to its hype as well, I suppose. The three druggies, who had so much hype around them simply faded out into simple side characters, and its probably only Stellar that had any impact on what little character and plot development.
Repetitive scenes, overdone emphasis on old characters (You know they won't die) and meaningless episodes of flashbacks as well a unoriginal Gundam designs...Need I say more?
|2005-12-28, 22:19
|Link #18
Logician and Romantic
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Within my mind
Age: 38
And what the @#$% happened to Girty-Lue!!!!
I loved that ship! There was almost infinite tactical potential in that work-of-art, and yet they just kept it out of the war until it was used as an escape vessel, just to be blown up!
So much potential... wasted...
|2005-12-28, 22:28
|Link #19
worshipping the pantyhose
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Manila, Philippines
Uhm, just a question. Why are people referring to the Extended's as Druggies? Seriously, of all the episodes that showed the Extended's, not once did I see them orally take medication. All they had were their nice comfy domed love beds.....
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It's been since April 26, the datestamp tells me, that I last blogged here.
There's been so much change, both in my life and in the communities I live, over those 8 months, too much to really cover here. Some of the change has been really awesome (though it appears many of my fellow Ann Arborites would dispute that). Some of it has been really, really awesome. I got most of what I wanted this year, politically speaking — more than I could have hoped for. Even the skyline of Ann Arbor has morphed rapidly this year, as a sequence of student high-rises sprouted from the southeast at Forest & South U north and west to William and Washington streets. As I type this, a new development is finally going up on a long-abandoned brownfield across from Whole Foods on Washtenaw, one that will spawn perpetual Carmageddon and force UM workers to begin to re-evaluate their commutes.
In my own personal life, I went through a short but shattering break up, followed by a series of at least 3 minor nervous breakdowns. Cumulatively they made me start to re-evaluate the status quo I'd built for myself since I came to Ann Arbor in 2008. I still really love in Ann Arbor in some ways. You don't need me to tell you it's a special place. I think I could be happy here if circumstances were different. But the closest thing I have to family in Southeast Michigan is in Detroit. I hate living alone and, as my boo the incomparable Luther Vandross noted, a house is not a home.
I'm in the process of maybe/possibly/probably moving back to Detroit, in the process divesting myself of my cosy and charming condo* in Pittsfield Village (a delightful and welcoming community I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone). So the focus of this blog, insofar as I bother to update it, might start to shift a bit to reflect that.
For those of you who left me in your Google Reader during the long hibernation of this blog, I hope you continue to follow along, give me a piece of your mind, and direct me toward worthy objects of commentary.
*PS it's an end unit AND updated with 2 bedrooms less than a 10-minute walk from the #22 or #4, so you really ought to just hurry up and make me an offer already.


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When the lavish, 26-room Barron Mansion went up in a blaze on Thanksgiving evening in 1936, firefighters from surrounding towns raced to unincorporated Barron Park to save the 80-year-old Victorian structure, which had just been converted into a school.
Palo Alto firefighters, who were stationed closest to the blaze, were the first to arrive, but rather than charge forth, they looked on from El Camino Real, about 100 feet away from the flames. The Palo Alto Times reported that the department had "refused to go beyond the city limits," pursuant to orders from the city's board of public safety. Residents of Barron Park, which had not yet been annexed to Palo Alto, had to summon firefighters and equipment from Menlo Park, Los Altos, Redwood City and the Moffett Field army air base. Firefighters tore down fences and positioned their engines near the school's swimming pool to ensure a water supply.
"Half a dozen streams were soon playing on the fire, under the direction of Chief Thomas Cuff of the Menlo Park department, but the blaze had already swept the dry and weathered old mansion from end to end," the Times reported.
The loss of Barron Mansion, and Palo Alto's conduct during the blaze, helped sour relations between the neighbors. Barron Park Historian Doug Graham recalled the incident in a 2005 newsletter, quoting a former Barron Park resident who had told him in the 1980s, "They only were there to keep the fire from spreading into Palo Alto -- they didn't give a damn what happened in Barron Park."
The Barron Mansion fire was by no means an isolated incident. The following August, a blaze at 2821 Waverley St. destroyed the new home of Mary Porter. Despite a valiant effort from neighbors, who pulled out everything but the piano and the stove, the flames quickly ate up the building. This time, no one bothered to call the Fire Department.
"None of the local fire department's units was summoned since Mrs. Porter's residence is outside the city limits," the Times reported.
These days, borders aren't what they used to be. Those that separated Palo Alto from the two burned structures have disappeared. Others have merely become more porous. Palo Alto began signing mutual-aid agreements in 1951, and it's not uncommon these days to see fire engines and police cruisers from neighboring towns routinely crossing city lines to assist their neighbors. Called "border drops," cities send their firefighting resources to incidents near the city line, regardless of the jurisdiction, said Dennis Burns, Palo Alto's police chief and interim fire chief.
The trend isn't limited to firefighting or, for that matter, emergency response. Palo Alto is involved in partnerships with its neighbors in fields as dissimilar as water treatment, library books, garbage disposal, animal services and transportation planning. Palo Alto belongs to a six-city coalition dedicated to keeping up with California's high-speed rail project and a five-agency group tasked with protecting Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park from the flood-prone San Francisquito Creek.
While "Shop Local" may be the mantra of downtown Palo Alto merchants, city officials are thinking regionally more than ever before.
The trend is by no means new, but it has steamed ahead thanks to the Great Recession. With local tax revenues dropping, Palo Alto has been eliminating positions and reducing employee benefits to balance budgets. Over the past two years, the City Council has cut about 60 positions from the General Fund budget. Another 46 remain vacant to save money. At a recent council retreat, City Manager James Keene illustrated the current situation with a slide showing a slice of cheese full of holes -- each hole representing a major staffing vacancy.
At the same time, Palo Alto is preparing to deal with a host of problems, from the city's stalled quest for a seismically sound public-safety building to the impending closure of the city's composting facility to the implications of Caltrain's potential financial implosion. In each of these arenas, Palo Alto is banking on a little help from its friends.
Most of the work has been taking place behind the scenes, at routine meetings between city managers, law-enforcement agencies and waste managers. But on Jan. 18, Palo Alto's council publicly announced its desire to see more consolidation when it unanimously passed a resolution directing Keene to explore sharing a wide range of services -- including public-safety communications, emergency planning, fire prevention, records-management and arson-investigation programs, evidence facilities and office and field equipment -- with the cities of Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.
The resolution, which passed with no discussion, also directs Keene to include funds in his next budget for a study of a joint public-safety communication center.
The resolution is "saying that we take the issue of more regionalization and sharing services seriously and it authorizes me to see if there are economies of scale or other advantages to doing that," Keene told the Weekly.
This was by no means the first time Keene has spoken publicly about the need to rely on neighbors to get through the lean times. Last June, when the council discussed the city's options for a new public-safety building, Keene spoke in favor of sharing resources.
"In general, we're in an era now where local governments, just as businesses have for a long time, are having to look at really different ways to organizing themselves and providing services," Keene said at a June 7 meeting. "We don't have the luxury of individually designed approaches to providing services when we don't have sufficient funding.
"I think increasingly we will see more efforts at looking at opportunity to share."
Since then, Keene has been at the center of these efforts. Last year, he regularly met with city managers Kevin Duggan and Doug Schmitz, from Mountain View and Los Altos, to discuss cities' upgrades of their respective dispatch equipment. The three city managers wanted to make sure they would upgrade to the same dispatch system so that each city could coordinate emergency calls across city lines.
During the course of the conversations, they started talking about full-on consolidation of dispatch services, fire-prevention programs, record management and other services to reduce overhead costs. Sunnyvale City Manager Gary Luebbers ultimately joined the discussions.
This week, the city released a new study by two consulting firms that analyzed the resources in the Fire Department. The consultant recommended that Palo Alto "regionalize the city's fire and EMS training program."
Mayor Sid Espinosa, one of the council's most adamant proponents of regionalization, credited the dismal economy for spurring these talks along.
"The recession is sparking conversations that I don't think would've happened without the pressures of cost-cutting," Espinosa told the Weekly. "I'm not sure the conversations between the city managers would've happened several years ago, but necessity calls for us to think outside the box and work with other jurisdictions to cut costs."
Espinosa likes to use the word "artificial" to describe city borders along the El Camino Real corridor. But not everyone wants to abandon those boundaries altogether.
Last summer, when the council's Finance Committee was wrestling with a $6.4 million hole in the city's Refuse Fund, then-Vice Mayor Espinosa suggested closing the city's Recycling Center in favor of a regional approach. The committee quickly shot down the idea.
Regionalization is already the norm in most areas of waste management. Palo Alto, Mountain View and Sunnyvale all ship their garbage to the Sunnyvale Materials and Recovery Transfer (SMaRT) station, where it gets sorted on conveyor belts, stripped of salvageable recyclable matter, and trucked to landfills. The SMaRT station also includes a recycling center where residents from all three cities are allowed to drop off materials at no charge.
But when it comes to composting, the drive to regionalize has encountered a wave of opposition from some of Palo Alto's greenest environmentalists.
The city's composting facility at Byxbee Park is set to close next year, after which time Palo Alto's yard trimmings and food scraps are set to go to the Z-Best station in Gilroy. Palo Alto's Zero Waste Operational Plan, which the council adopted in 2007, specifically recommends using a regional facility for local organic waste.
Many, however, feel Palo Alto should take care of its own yard waste, rather than ship it elsewhere. A coalition of environmentalists led by Bob Wenzlau and former Mayor Peter Drekmeier is leading a charge for a local solution to the composting problem.
In late 2009, a special taskforce recommended that the city explore building an "anaerobic digestion" plant -- a waste-to-energy facility that would convert local yard trimmings, food waste and sewer sludge into electricity.
Last April, after a four-hour debate featuring dozens of public speakers, the council voted 5-4 -- with Espinosa, Karen Holman, Greg Schmid and Yiaway Yeh dissenting -- to fund a feasibility study for a waste-to-energy plant in the Baylands.
Minutes later, the council voted on a separate motion, directing staff to pursue regional solutions for composting. The motion also passed by a 5-4 vote, with Pat Burt, Larry Klein, Nancy Shepherd and Gail Price dissenting (Greg Scharff voted in favor of both).
The feasibility study will be released in the spring, at which point the city's most passionate local vs. regional debate is likely to resume.
Other resource-sharing opportunities have proven less divisive. Last month, the council agreed to extend the city's participation in LINK+, a service the city joined in 2008 that allows local libraries to swap books with hundreds of others in California and Nevada. The program, which is projected to cost the city about $200,000 over the next two years, will give customers access to about 18 million volumes from dozens of libraries.
So far, only 0.7 percent of local library customers have used LINK+ -- a smaller rate than the city had projected. But library officials believe it will become more popular in the coming years and unanimously recommended renewing the city's participation.
The nonprofit group Friends of the Palo Alto Library also signaled its support for LINK+ and committed $100,000 to pay for the service.
Espinosa said as the city's budget woes continue, other opportunities for regional cooperation will almost certainly crop up. In some cases, this will involve sharing municipal services like emergency dispatch and record management. In others, it will entail forming partnerships with other communities to help influence state policy.
Palo Alto launched one such partnership in 2008, when former Councilwoman Yoriko Kishimoto helped co-found the Peninsula Cities Consortium to give the city and its neighbors a greater voice in California's high-speed rail system. The coalition now includes elected leaders from Atherton, Menlo Park, Belmont, Burlingame and Brisbane. The city also shares a high-speed-rail lobbyist with Menlo Park and Atherton and has joined its two Midpeninsula neighbors in a lawsuit against the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
The challenges of a new year are expected to present cities with other opportunities to team up. One major area of potential cooperation lies in securing permanent funding for Caltrain, Espinosa said. Another one is finding a way to meet stringent state mandates requiring each community to zone for its "fair share" of housing (in Palo Alto's case, city officials agree that the "fair share" is neither fair nor possible).
In his view, thinking regionally isn't so much an option on these issues but a necessity.
"There are specific issues where communities will have to come together to come up with solutions," Espinosa said.
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