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By Jeanne Bernick, Ed Clark, Julie Douglas and Sara Schafer
During the past three decades, these innovators left a big footprint on ag
To say that agriculture has experienced change since the inception of Top Producer is a gross understatement. At that time, there were no yield monitors, few marketing tools, no Roundup, virtually no ethanol and the Internet was just in its infancy. The 30 brave thinkers we have chosen to represent the dramatic changes during the past three decades have all left big footprints on production agriculture. As a group they represent the diversity of U.S. agriculture and hail from companies, universities and the world of politics.
We know agriculture's advancements in all its myriad forms have not been accomplished by just 30 people. It has required thousands of dedicated pioneers throughout this rich and highly textured industry, as well as the creativity, drive and fortitude of farmers like you. So think of this list only as a beginning, and feel free to contribute the names of individuals whom you think have left their mark online at www.TopProducer-Online.com/brave_thinkers.
"Innovation is anything but business as usual."
Pamela Bailey. As president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents the world's leading food, beverage and consumer products companies, Bailey is a huge influencer of policy and consumer attitudes. The initiatives she moves forward or rejects have a trickle-down effect on farmers and can influence production and/or certification requirements, regulations and labeling. Bailey worked in the White House for three presidents, including President Barack Obama who appointed her to his Advisory Committee for Trade and Policy Negotiations in 2010. She serves on the board of GS1 US and is vice chair of the Partnership for Food Safety Education.
Art Barnaby. The creative genius behind crop insurance revenue protection, the single most important change in the history of the program going back to the Dust Bowl, is Barnaby. Revenue protection was born out of necessity and crisis in 1989. "That year, Kansas wheat yields were 50% of the state average," says Barnaby, a Kansas State University ag economist. "At the time we had target prices and deficiency payments, neither of which would cover yield loss to that magnitude or be effective because wheat prices skyrocketed due to production losses in Kansas." That's when Barnaby came up with the idea that producers need to be able to protect income with crop insurance. Eventually, USDA's Risk Management Agency picked up the idea and made revenue protection available to producers nationwide. "I thought we might capture 5% of producer elections when it was introduced in 1996, but it was the No. 1 seller in Iowa and Nebraska," Barnaby says. So important has revenue protection become that in 2012, despite significant yield losses, there were no major calls for ad hoc aid, even in an election year.
Denny Bell. Founder of Soil-Max, Agri-Logic Solution Systems and Gradient, Bell developed the early field- and yield-mapping software. Yield data led Bell to his next project, the Gold Digger tile plow.
Mike Boehlje. An award-winning ag economist and professor at Purdue University, Boehlje has shaped how farmers think of their farm business. Prior to his work, farm management was largely focused on production and enterprise analysis. Boehlje changed that by bringing the business management approach taught by leading business schools to production agriculture. "This is a different mindset than what agriculture has historically had," Boehlje says. In his 35-year career, he has taught farmers to think strategically, with a clear vision statement and a focused strategy for creating value for customers. Boehlje has been out front explaining to farmers that they manufacture raw products and should learn from the manufacturing approach of other businesses. This includes using contracts rather than the open market to link buyers and suppliers. When it comes to risk management, Boehlje has also been a leader in helping farmers think beyond the traditional price and yield risks to consider strategic risks that could affect their farm's profitability and future success.
John Block. A senior policy adviser at OFW Law, Block has dedicated his career to the fields of agriculture, food and health. His accomplishments in agriculture began with the building of a large and successful hog operation in his home state of Illinois. From 1977 to 1981, he served as the Illinois Director of Agriculture. Block was tapped by President Ronald Reagan to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture from 1981 to 1985. In this role, he was influential in the development of the 1985 Farm Bill. Block has also served as president and CEO of Food Distributors International (formerly National-American Wholesale Grocers Association) from 1986 to 2003.
"The best ideas lose their owners and take on lives of their own." N. Bushnell
Jeff Broin. One of Broin's primary motivations to get into the ethanol business was to add value to corn. "When we entered the business in the mid-1980s, corn was selling for $1.30 per bushel," Broin says. "The future of agriculture looked very bleak." Broin's father began producing ethanol on his Wanamingo, Minn., farm. He ultimately mortgaged the farm to buy a foreclosed ethanol plant in South Dakota. Broin, then 22 and fresh out of college, began managing that plant. Those humble beginnings led to the creation of Poet. Based in Sioux Falls, S.D., Poet is one of the nation's largest ethanol producers with 27 ethanol plants producing 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol per year. While Broin has been committed to the commercial development of the industry, he's also been a tireless champion for favorable ethanol policies, often testifying before Congressional committees as an industry leader.
Larry Buegler. Dubbed "The Miracle Worker" in a 1991 Top Producer headline, Buegler is responsible for developing radical ideas, eschewed by many, that stopped regulators from shutting down the St. Paul Farm Credit Bank in 1987. He was a key player in crafting federal legislation that helped protect the entire Farm Credit System. "We were losing $3 million a day," Buegler says. This loss was a result of non-performing loans by farmers who couldn't make their payments, through no fault of their own, and farmland the bank owned but couldn't sell in a depressed market. As CEO of the St. Paul FCS Bank from 1986 to 1992, Buegler developed several novel ideas. First, he reasoned it better for farmers to pay something on loans and stay on the land than pay nothing, which lead him to embark on a creative strategy to write down debt and restructure loans to the point where farmers could make payments. This allowed the bank to participate in the upside of asset values once farmland prices recovered. Second, taking a page from automobile companies, he implemented an aggressive plan to sell bank-owned farmland at zero down and 4.9% interest, roughly half of the market rate. Buegler needed to buy time for his plan to work, so he camped out in Washington for three months and lobbied lawmakers for help in holding back regulators. Lawmakers listened, the plan worked and it became a model.
Paul Engler. Founder of Cactus Feeders in Dumas, Texas, Engler created the first large-scale commercial feedlot and owns the world's largest cattle feeding company. Engler is credited as the creator of formula pricing, a method that
provides incentives to feeders to consistently produce beef that meets consumer health and quality standards.
Patrick Doyle. As president and CEO of Domino's Pizza, Doyle has been partnering with dairy producers for several years to develop and promote dairy products through Domino's pizza offerings. There are several dairy-centric products in development because of this collaboration. Doyle is leading the charge for restaurants to engage farmers in transparent sourcing of quality food products. "With the dairy industry's help, we are reinventing our brand and the pizza category, which had been declining," he says.
"Minds are
Barry Flinchbaugh. With 10 farm bills under his belt, the Kansas State University ag economics professor emeritus is the king of ag policy. He has worked on every farm bill since 1968. It's more than sheer volume, it's Flinchbaugh's influence that makes a difference. His insistance to maintain political nuetrality allowed him to gain favor with and have an influence on both Democrat and Republican lawmakers. It was largely his advocacy of decoupling farm income from production that led to the Freedom to Farm measure in the 1996 Farm Bill. "I'd been pushing the idea for 20 years," he says, noting that steady perseverance paid off. He considers the highpoint of federal farm policy as decoupling payments from production to allow markets to work while providing farmers a safety net. Flinchbaugh also served as chairman of the Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture, which was authorized in the 1996 FAIR Act to conduct a comprehensive review of the farm economy and provide recommendations to for changes in federal agriculture policy. Flinchbaugh has also served as a member of the board of directors for the Kansas City Board of Trade since 1997 and as director since January 2007.
Robert Fraley. In 1983, Fraley and his Monsanto research team found a method to create transgenic plants by using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a pathogenic bacterium. This method ultimately led to the commercialization of genetically modified plants. Now an executive vice president and chief technology officer, Fraley is credited for the discovery, development and successful commercialization of Roundup Ready crops. Today, he oversees Monsanto's integrated crop and seed agribusiness technology and research facilities globally. He has served as technical adviser to numerous government and public agencies, including the USDA, National Science Foundation, Office of Technology Assessment and the National Academy of Science, among many others. In 1999, Fraley received the National Medal of Technology from President Bill Clinton.
Temple Grandin. A professor and researcher of animal science at Colorado State University, Grandin has changed livestock handling facilities to reduce stress on animals. She has designed
facilities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. Her designs are now used to handle half the cattle in the U.S., and she has been hired as a consultant to firms such as Burger King, Swift and McDonald's. Additionally, her writings on the flight zone and other principles of grazing animal behavior have helped many people reduce stress on their animals during handling. Grandin is also known for developing an objective scoring system for assessing the handling of cattle and hogs at meat plants. This scoring system is used by many large corporations to improve animal welfare.
Neil Harl. When it comes to agricultural law, Harl wrote the book, literally. The Iowa State University professor emeritus is the author of the 15-volume treatise, "Agricultural Law," the ultimate reference guide. His career has varied from teaching agricultural economics to serving on federal commissions. During the 1980s farm crisis, he became a key voice and adviser. With a law and economics background, he recognized the best options for farmers during that trying time. Harl later published his farm crisis work in a book, "The Farm Debt Crisis of the 1980s." Harl's influence extends beyond Iowa and the Midwest. From 1990 to 2004, he served as director for the Center for International Agricultural Finance, an organization that helped restore the broken Soviet Union's financial system. The Center conducted schools from 1990 through 2004 on banking, credit and finance, legal systems and free market economics for Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and China. Harl has given more than 3,300 presentations in 43 states and 17 foreign countries and received more than 30 awards. Even with all of his prestigious work, Harl says the most rewarding work was teaching more than 9,000 students during his 40-year career at Iowa State University.
Jimmy Hargett. After sketching a cotton picker on his shop floor with a soap stone, the Alamo, Tenn., farmer worked with Case IH to create the 625 Module Express Harvester, which would revolutionize the cotton industry. Hargett's innovation and dedication ensured the U.S. cotton industry would not only continue but succeed.
Rick Heard. Knowing the demands that will be placed on water in the face of declining supplies, Heard brought variable-rate irrigation to the U.S. through Advanced Ag Systems, Inc. With this technology, farmers can pre-determine water application rates across different soils, allowing them to effectively save water, boost production and increase profits.
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."
Dennis Inman. Three decades ago, the only tools that farmers had to sell their grain was the cash market and Chicago Board of Trade futures contracts. Today, the number of marketing tools has radically increased. Since 1996, Inman has been on the frontlines of new development. "A lot of farmers were telling us back then they'd just like to get the average price," says Inman, now a vice president at Cargill AgHorizons. This feedback triggered Inman to develop and implement Cargill's Average Plus Contract, allowing corn, soybean and wheat producers to use the contract to obtain and exceed the average price from February through July. The contract proved popular but no longer exists. It's been replaced by 25 to 30 contracts that use various pricing mechanisms, including contracts that guarantee minimum prices for those three commodities and grain sorghum. Inman also helped develop ProPricing contracts, in which Cargill traders market a specific number of bushels for producers. Speaking of the need for new pricing tools, Inman says, "commodity price risk has increased greatly since 1983."
Jon Kinzenbaw. President and CEO of Kinze Manufacturing, Kinzenbaw is the pioneer of the first mega-planter that could fold up and be transported down rural roads. He also built the first automated grain dump. In 1965, the 21-year-old farm boy from Victor, Iowa, opened a welding shop with a small bank loan and $25 in his pocket. Today his shop is one of the largest specialty manufacturers in North America providing farmers with solutions.
Jim Kinsella. The innovative mind behind the concept of strip tillage is Kinsella. This Illinois farmer is considered one of the fathers of the no-till movement. He worked with companies to create a strip-till machine. He has opened up his shop doors and hosted workshops, educating more than 90,000 farmers about the benefits of practicing no-till and strip-till.
Dave Kohl. For more than two decades, Kohl worked in the classroom on the Virginia Tech campus as a professor of agricultural finance and small business management and entrepreneurship in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. He retired from teaching in 2003. Now, as professor emeritus he has traveled 8 million miles hosting more than 6,000 workshops and seminars for various agricultural groups. He has published four books and 1,200 articles on financial and business-related topics in various publications. Throughout his career, Kohl has received 11 major teaching awards and is a two-time recipient of the American Agricultural Economics Association's Outstanding Teaching Award. He is also one of the top-rated instructors in agricultural finance and banking, training more than 700 lenders using an online and face-to-face educational approach.
Danny Klinefelter. During his lifelong tenure at Texas A&M University, Klinefelter has advised thousands of producers nationwide about the best farm management practices. An agricultural economist by trade, he has become a popular speaker. While these are notable accomplishments, Klinefelter is best known for the creation of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP). More than 1,700 producers have completed the two-week program, representing 8% of the U.S. farm population. The program is unique in that it is not commodity focused; it focuses entirely on the business of farming. While under the auspices of Texas A&M, TEPAP instructors are the best nationwide experts Klinefelter can find, some agriculture, some strictly business. The program's success has led to the formation of the Association of Agricultural Production Executives (AAPEX) for TEPAP alumni. "Half the value of TEPAP and AAPEX is what producers learn from each other," he says. Klinefelter is also an advocate of peer advisory groups, where groups of eight to 10 producers, often from different regions, get together to work on problem-solving and explore opportunities.
John Marten. Despite the fact that Marten had a Ph.D. in economics, the late Farm Journal economist could see the forest for the trees and cut right to the farmer's bottom line. Whether it was a futures hedge or how to farm the Payment in Kind (PIK) program, he could explain the concept in terms anyone could understand and predict how farmers would react. He was often consulted behind the scenes by policymakers and regulators when developing the farm programs of the day. No less than his ability to communicate in print or casual discussion was his presence on the stage. Economics might be called the dismal science but Marten made it entertaining as well as informative. Terms he coined such as the "inverse thrill" of margin calls are used by others to this day. Marten died in his 50s of ataxia, a degenerative disease of the nervous system.
Al McQuinn. In 1963, McQuinn started the Ag-Chem Equipment Company, which grew into a multimillion-dollar international company. McQuinn's groundbreaking inventions brought the industry into the modern era using GPS technology to assist farmers in delivering fertilizers in precise concentrations to exact locations for maximum production. The innovation has made American agriculture the most efficient in the world.
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
Al Myers. Ag Leader was unofficially born in 1986 in the basement of Al Myers' home with a handful of parts from an electronics store and a vision to improve agriculture through high-tech innovation. By June of 1992, after developing and testing the world's first practical and accurate on-the-go yield monitor, Myers left his day job as a design engineer to start Ag Leader Technology. In his first year, he sold a total of 10 yield monitors. Today, with nearly 200 employees, Ag Leader is a leading innovator in precision farming technology.
Ken Monfort. As an executive of Monfort Inc., Monfort is responsible for first selling beef cuts, instead of the whole carcass, to markets and grocery stores in the 1970s. This practice revolutionized the meat processing industry, and through the years has become the industry standard, displacing butchers and meat counters. Today, no Wal-Mart in America, according to the North American Meat Association, has a meat counter. All cuts come prepared and packaged for the consumer to pick up off the shelf.
Rex Schrader. A lifelong auctioneer from Indiana, Schrader pioneered and constructed what he calls the M3 or Maximum Marketing Method land auction process. This method ensures the seller the best price possible by pooling parcels differently to see which combination brings the most money. Today, almost every farmland auction in the country is conducted in this manner. He also managed the first on-line multitract auction on the Internet simultaneously with the live auction in March 2000.
Harry Stine. An innovator, businessman and entrepreneur, Stine began a soybean breeding program, which had previously only been done by universities. In 1973, Stine and Bill Eby formed Midwest Oilseeds, which today is the soybean genetics licensing company of choice. In 1992, in addition to being one of the top four soybean seed companies, Stine began selling corn and soft red winter wheat.
Charlie Stenholm. The former Congressman has agriculture in his bones, growing up on a third generation Texas farm. However, Stenholm's legacy is for his work in crafting ag law while serving on the House Committee on Agriculture for 26 years as a Democrat. He was the Committee's ranking Democrat for the last eight years of his career until 2004. Stenholm is best known for championing four policies on the full House Committee on Agriculture and as chairman of the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee. One policy made the farm bills he worked on more market-oriented. "We live in an international marketplace," Stenholm says, which is where we have growth potential. In the 2000 Farm Bill, Stenholm was instrumental in urging Congress to create the Center for Agricultural Excellence, which has investigated waste and abuse of the federal crop insurance program. Eliminating those problems are increasingly important, Stenholm explains, with crop insurance now a target more than ever and with it being the primary safety net. Stenholm was also a leader in food safety changes and in passage of the Farm Credit Act, helping to save the Farm Credit System, in 1987. Important to his success, Stenholm was gifted in forging coalitions with Republicans.
Clayton Yeutter. When it comes to exports, few have left a larger policy footprint than Clayton Yeutter, U.S. Trade Ambassador from 1985 to 1989 and Secretary of Agriculture from 1989 to 1991 under President George H.W. Bush. His legacy includes successful negotiation of the U.S.–Canada Free Trade Agreement, a precursor to the North American Free Trade Agreement. "This was huge, leading to a big increase in agricultural trade," Yeutter says. Even more important, he says, was the launch of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreements on Tariff and Trade (GATT) during his tenure at USTR, which ultimately produced the World Trade Organization. This was the first recognition of agriculture under world trade rules and led to trade liberalization and trade expansion on a global scale. In 1990, as Secretary of Agriculture, Yeutter was a tremendous influence in the farm bill becoming more market oriented, which led to a growth in exports. "I wanted to stop the train of heavy government involvement," he says. Yeutter was president of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange from 1978 to 1985. During his tenure, trading of agriculture, currency and interest rate futures and options tripled.
Abner Womak. Before the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) was jointly launched in 1984 between the University of Missouri and Iowa State University, there wasn't much offered in terms of long-range price forecasting. That changed in a hurry when FAPRI came on the scene and offered producers, the industry at large and policymakers a look at how changing just a few variables anywhere in the world could have a dramatic influence on crop and livestock prices at the farm level. More than anyone else, FAPRI is associated with Abner Womak who is FAPRI's front man and was co-director in the early years. He and his team take price and income forecasts to the field for testing. They are trained to create models, which comprise what is commonly known as econometric forecasting. In time, FAPRI became heavily involved in providing Congress, the group's primary funding source, numbers on how different farm bill proposals would play out. "We've always been on call 24 hours a day," Womak says. "Sometimes we get a call on a Saturday night or Sunday morning with a different policy proposal or new compromise position, so we get to work crunching the numbers." FAPRI continues to analyze 10,000 global data points that crank through its models, with factors as diverse as per capita food consumption in each European and Asian country during the next decade to what an Iowa farmer will plant.
Richard Wilson. One of the biggest breakthroughs in the history of corn happened in 2009. This was not done by a corn researcher, but by one of the world's foremost cancer researchers. "Seed companies and corn scientists will pounce on this data to find their favorite genes," Wilson says of the breakthrough. Wilson, a molecular biologist and director of Washington University's Genome Institute, did not do it alone. He was the lead scientist on the project and the principal work was done at his center. Sequencing the corn genome raises the specter of a second green revolution all over the planet through new potential for traits.
Who advanced agriculture the most during the past 30 years?
Cast your vote at TopProducer-Online.com/Brave_Thinkers


text: Maher Ross is an experienced, family orientated team, with plenty of local knowledge. We pride ourselves on our friendly and helpful approach and all of our staff have an excellent knowledge of the Isle of Wight. We would be delighted to see you at our modern offices in Binstead, Ryde. We are on the main Ryde to Newport road right next to the Fleming Arms - if you take the main road from Ryde to Newport you simply can't miss us!

subset: commoncrawl


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My ABC Train HD for iPad
$1.99 LoeschWare iOS Version 2.2 Full Specs
Publisher's Description
From LoeschWare:
GiggleApps.com : "I cant think of a better way to get my son interested in learning his ABCs than this clever application." Satisfied Mom: "My toddler (2 1/2) loves trains and letters so we found this the perfect application for him. It's a wonderful application and very clever idea." ________________________ -> 26 fun animations illustrate the entire alphabet with loads of interaction! Even ABC Train's big green engine has many touchable features for your child to discover, before exploring the alphabet, one boxcar at a time, unlocking surprises along the way. Full steam ahead! *Each boxcar is customizable. To insert pictures of your child, Mommy and Daddy, or your beloved pet, follow the simple steps on the start page. Anything is possible! Use your imagination to make the ABC Train your own. *Toot the horn, puff the steam, ring the bell and operate the lights on the engine, accompanied by authentic locomotive sounds. *Slide My ABC Train forward or backwards to explore 26 cars filled with interactive fun. *Touch a "graffiti" style letter to hear it pronounced. *Tap the boxcar doors to reveal a shipment of clever animation showcasing that letter. *Be sure to help your child find other things in each car that start with that letter. For example, the "A" car features an alligator, who happens to be an artist painting an apple! For a more detailed list, visit our website. Please check out our other educational apps for children: -Big Top Circus -Five Little Monkeys -Old MacDonald's Farm-Word Wheel -The Bear Went Over the MountainCONTACT US: With any questions at firstname.lastname@example.com We will gladly get back to you promptly! Thanks so much!~LoeschWare LLC ***LoeschWare cares about children and respects your privacy. *** My ABC Train HD: - Does not collect any information - Does not contain ads - Does not contain in-app purchases - Does not contain integration with social networks - Does not use analytics / data collection tools - Does include an indirect link to LoeschWare apps in the iTunes AppStore Please see our Privacy Policy for more details: http://www.loeschware.com/


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In November 1973, Nim was born at the Institute for Primate Studies (IPS) at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. He was just two weeks old when he was taken from his mother and sent to Columbia University in New York City to be the subject of a sign language acquisition study overseen by psychology professor, Dr. Herb Terrace, who sought to prove that Nim could learn to communicate with sign language if raised and nurtured like a human child. Nim was moved into a New York City townhouse and adopted by a human family where he would be the subject of a nearly 4 year long study measuring his acquisition of American Sign Language.
After Dr. Terrace ended his project in 1977, Nim was sent back to IPS in accordance with a prior arrangement made between Dr. Terrace and IPS director, Dr. William Lemmon. During this time, Washoe, the first chimpanzee to learn sign language, lived at IPS. Washoe came to Oklahoma in 1970 with Roger Fouts—a psychology graduate student of Drs. Beatrice and Allen Gardner, who were the originators of "Project Washoe", which took place at the University of Nevada in Reno. Washoe was sent to Oklahoma so that the Gardners could continue working with other chimps. Dr. Terrace wanted to replicate the Gardners' work using Nim. Nim would now be used as a pawn in the world of science.
I first met Nim in September 1977 when he was sent back to IPS (pictured). Nim's return to Oklahoma was a big event which included television crews as well as several graduate students from Dr. Terrace's project. During this time, I was a graduate student of Roger Fouts who worked within the psychology department at the University of Oklahoma. I worked with Dr. Fouts as well as with the chimps at IPS, including Washoe. While at IPS, I was allowed to rehabilitate Nim from his experience in New York. Nim and I became very close within the next few years which grew into a lifelong friendship.
In 1982, IPS could no longer afford funding, resulting in Nim and the other chimps being sold to the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP), a New York University research facility. I immediately called the press in an effort to free Nim and the other chimps. Cleveland Amory purchased Nim in 1983 from Dr. Lemmon and Nim was relocated to Black Beauty Ranch in Texas. I visited Nim one afternoon and by the time I reached his enclosure, he was signing 'Bob', 'out', 'key'. I did not like how Nim was living in a small cage in isolation, so I asked Mr. Amory to expand his enclosure and to get Nim a companion. A year after purchasing Nim, Mr. Amory purchased a companion for him from Dr. Lemmon named Sally who was an ex-circus chimp.
In 2000, Nim passed away from a heart attack at Black Beauty Ranch where he lived for 17 years. He was 26 years old. In the years following his passing, several important things have happened. Elizabeth Hess wrote a book titled Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human, which inspired a documentary film to be made by academy award winning producer Simon Chinn and director James Marsh, entitled Project Nim.


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Hi everyone. Good news, I'm neither dead, nor retired from blogging. It's just been a busy few months, and I haven't had the time / energy to do much baking, and even less to do posting. Since my last post I've graduated from law school (hooray), started studying for the bar exam (boooo), and have started packing for a move to DC at the end of the summer. All in all, a busy time. Because of the bar don't expect many, or even any, new posts for awhile, but I thought I'd try for at least this one update.
This weekend though, I was fortunate enough to have a pretty girl help me make cupcakes (hence the title of the post). Hattie (the aforementioned pretty girl) and I made Chocolate-Banana-Peanut butter cupcakes for a Fourth of July party. These aren't exactly new for me, as I've done a pretty fair number of chocolate peanut butter desserts, but I thought the addition of banana made these excellent. The cake is my basic chocolate, filled with a chocolate banana ganache, and frosted with a peanut butter frosting. The combination was excellent, if I can say so, and the banana really came through as a flavor in the ganache, even though you wouldn't suspect it (it just has the texture and appearance of regular whipped ganache).
Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes ~262 sticks unsalted butter
1. Preheat oven to 350. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over low heat. Add in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Then add the water and mix until smooth again. Remove from heat
3. One at a time mix in the sugar, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla
4. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet, and whisk until well combined.
5. Fill cupcakes using a ¼ cup measure. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let them cool thoroughly before frosting.
Chocolate-banana ganache8 oz. dark chocolate
1. Chop the chocolate, and place it in a heat proof bowl.
2. Bring the cream to a simmer, pour over the chocolate, allow to sit for a minute, then stir until fully combined.
3. Stir in the banana puree. Allow to cool until set.
4. Pour cooled ganache into the bowl of a mixer, beat with whisk attachment until light in color and fluffy
Peanut Butter frosting1 cup peanut butter


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Can you tell me the type/brand of projector and screen you use to teach this type of class? I want to start teaching virtual classes but not sure what type of equipment to purchase. Can you share your best practices with me?
This post has a link to an informative download from Allen Jones at Epic Planet http://www.pedal-on.com/entry.php?26...to-Get-Started
Wish I could do this at my YMCA !!!!
Virtual Active just released a new series of HD indoor cycling class videos - ICG World Tour. They have corrected my only complaint, which was the videos were only 40 minutes long. These 4 new videos are all 60 minutes long and the visual images look like they belong in a imax movie theater - stunningly beautiful!


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Boo2 is an Egyptian fruit bat who was born at Bat World Sanctuary after his mother and seven other bats were rescued by Bat World from the now closed Little River Zoo. They came from a horrible situation.
An individual who was hired to "liquidate" the zoo's animals called us about placing the remaining 8 bats. Sadly, the others had been sold to the cruel exotic pet trade. This individual originally planned to keep the remaining 8 bats and breed them, selling the "stock." Thankfully, we talked her out of it, and all eight bats made it safely to Bat World Sanctuary in Sept of 2011. Boo2's mother was pregnant when she arrived and Boo2 was born a few months later.
Boo2 became best buddies with Peekaboo, an Egyptian fruit bat who was rescued from similar conditions in 2009. It was this friendship that earned him the name Boo2.
Boo2 (looking at the camera) with Peekaboo.
Boo2 has so much personality that we have nicknamed him the "cage clown." He's never seen without an endearing, goofy grin on his face. Twice daily, keepers conduct visual exams of the bats under the guise of doling out melon treats to any bat who will take one. Boo2 positions himself in front of the keeper in any way possible in order to receive treat after treat.
We are so grateful to have rescued Boo2 from the dire conditions to which he would have been born, and a situation from which he most likely would have perished. Thank you to all who adopt and support Boo2 so that he and his kind can live a protected, happy and enriched life at Bat World Sanctuary.


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Lululemon CEO Christine Day is stepping down.
Shares are tanking on the news.
Day has been the head of luxury yoga-wear maker Lululemon since 2008. Before that, she worked as an executive at Starbucks.
The board has hired an executive search committee, and Day will stay on as CEO until her replacement is chosen, the company said today.
"Being a part of Lululemon for the past five and a half years has been an incredible journey. I am proud of building a world class team that has produced one of the best growth, brand and profit stories in retail," Day said in a company release.
"Plans have been laid for the next five years and a vision set for the next ten. Now is the right time to bring in a CEO who will drive the next phase of Lululemon's development and growth. I will continue to actively lead the organization while the Board searches for a new CEO, and will work to ensure a smooth transition," Day said.
Day's leadership was called into question after a series of quality control issues with the brand's clothing.
The worst offense happened in March, after the retailer had to recall 17% of its black luon yoga pants for being too sheer.
That gaffe cost the company millions of dollars and resulted in the resignation of Chief Product Officer Sheree Waterson.
The retailer figured out the source of the problem and has started re-stocking shelves.
The company didn't say where Day plans to go next.
Lululemon beat Wall Street's expectations during earnings today.


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Australia's Red Coat Settlers
The symbols of our country, or past, our freedom, our future. Many have laid their lives down for them, and what they represents, unfortunately more will. Respect what they mean and what they mean to those past, as well as those still to come. The Aboriginal and Torres Straight flags has been added as many served within British regiments and as Mounted Police attatched to British Regiments. As we locate these people they will be added to their own area as a mark of the utmost respect.
This is not a political site so do not use it as such it is historical only
Please note that the site contains the names of those who have passed and may offend Aboriginals and Torres Straight islanders. It is definitely not intended to do so and I hope it does not offend.
Main E- mail address
'Australia's Redcoat Settlers'
© Copyright
Barrie Chapman U.G-B.A Australian History and Margaret Chapman U.G-B.A Australian History
Last revised: March 07, 2009.
Eagleby (QLD) Australia 1997-2003
At lot of our records are handed Logan and district to the for storage and for use
This Site is dedicated to the Soldier's, their Spouses and families of British Regiments who settled in Australia ( Be it Officer or General soldier)
We have included soldiers who served in Australia and settled in New Zealand
This site is not a history of the Regiments or its Battles
This Project was started by my wife and myself in January 1997
· Many Regiments arrived in Australia to carry out different duties. These included the guarding of convicts settlers, exploration, and policing the laws of England .
· The Convicts had no choice, for some it was either execution in Britain or transportation to "parts beyond the seas " ie Australia.
· The settlers came to Australia of their own free will and chose Australia as their new home.
· The Officers & the Soldiers of the Military were given no choice, they were sent where ever the British Government required them to go. Some were lucky enough to have their families accompany them, many were not so lucky. This is their site
We really can't be of much help in tracing people. This site is to record, in one place all the soldiers who settled in Australia. We rely on people to give us the details in between our own research. Once on the site, others may see a soldier and have a lot more detail on the family than we would ever get.
Research for this site began in 1997. Limited information is known about some of the men who stayed and settled. As time goes on this site will grow .
If any person visting this site can add any information no matter how small, please e-mail us and we will add it
The term REDCOAT comes from the colour of the coats being red.
The REDCOATS were first issued
to the Parliamentary New Model Army
on its formation in 1643, for the three field armies of the Earl of
Essex, Lord Manchester and Sir William Waller.
The Infantry were given the coats to distinguish them from their previous armies and the army of the King, King Charles the first. A notable regiment was the Earl of Newcastle's White Coats. And King Charles the first's Blue Coats,
The Battle of Neasby was the first time the Redcoats saw Battle. They were saved from a crushing defeat, By the Kings Army, by Oliver Cromwell's Cavalry charge of Rescue
This link is for snippets little known Australian history
Much of our research material is passed on to and stored at
Logan River & District Family Historical Society
Genealogy Search Australia
The Australian genealogy search engine and directory for world wide family history research
Naval History and Settlers by Ken Larbalestier
Australian Navy History and Settlers
Ted Harris's Digger History
Claim a Convict http://www.claimaconvict.net/
British Army 1790-1856 in the Australian Penal Colonies:
Kingston on Norfolk Island & Port Arthur in Tasmania
By Derek Lovemore
Australian Penal Colonies Kingston Norfolk Island Port Arthur
Eureka Stockade December 3rd 1854
Drummer Boy John Egan (Regiment No. 3059) Eureka's first Military Casualty
Link to Journals, Diaries, Primary Documents, Other evidence of fact
I live for those that love me,
For those that know I am true
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my coming too,
For the cause that needs assistance,
For the wrong that needs resistance,
For the future in the distance,
And the good that I can do"
Jane Sinclair (nee) Hiscox. b: 25 OCT 1865
Verse written Jan 8th 1910.
second wife of William Sinclair son of James SINCLAIR Private (99th Regiment of foot)
Published with the kind permission of Barry Sinclair
A large amount of information was supplied to us for this site by
Ken Larbalestier It is with his help that this history is preserved email@example.com
Primary Email, Please use this Address as we are changing Email Addresses Thank You
'Australia's Redcoat Settlers'
Secondary Email email@example.com
Those who have given financial assistance and their soldier
© Copyright entire site files, folders, layout, B & M Chapman Eagleby (QLD) Australia 1997-2009 WARNING No part of this site may be used, published, copied in any way or form may be used for any form of financial gain.
Last revised: March 07, 2009
Search Australia's Redcoat Settlers
More Information of Historical value may be obtained from the sites below
The soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
The soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
The soldier, not the campus organiser, who has given us freedom to demonstrate.
The soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
The soldier salutes the flag, who serves under the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who has given protesters the right to burn the flag.
" Remember It is our right to defend the flag against its degradation "
click on & please read
No financial gain comes from any part of this site or any details within. The historical content only is public domain . The set out, layout ,including text ,photographs and pictures may not be copied unless permission is given. Information on this site has been provided by many people and by public records eg: Military, Birth ,Deaths, Marriages Records , Reference Books etc.
The only photographs and certificates on this site are
those of relatives no longer with us.
Disclaimer: Whilst every attempt is made to have all information correct, and names spelt correctly, mistakes will occur. Please advise us of any errors so they may be corrected. This site is of historical value only, and is not intended to cause an affront or embarrassment to any persons . Information contained can not be used for any reason other than for research and study purposes.


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Want a feel-good story amid all the misinformation swirling around the NFL? Saints owner Tom Benson is opening his wallet—widely—to help Steve Gleason achieve a dream. And, yes, the latest draft buzz, including a big trade at No. 1
Allow me several paragraphs before we get into draft news (or, at least, draft rumors about Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney) and an interview with high pick Khalil Mack. There's something else of note, something real … and at this time of year, when so much is smoke and mirrors and disguising real intent in advance of the draft, real sounds good to me right now.
New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is donating $5 million to help former Saints special-teamer Steve Gleason, who now is wheelchair-bound with ALS, and his Team Gleason foundation build and operate Team Gleason House for Innovative Living. The gift, Gleason said, will be used as an endowment for annual operating expenses for the home. The house, in New Orleans, will allow 18 ALS patients to live fairly close to self-sufficient lives in rooms where the operation of everything will be controlled by patients' eyes. The home is scheduled to open in June, and Gleason doesn't want to stop at just one in New Orleans.
"Call me crazy,'' Gleason said Sunday afternoon, "but I envision a facility like this in every NFL city."
Gleason actually didn't "say" this. His ALS has advanced to the point where he cannot move any extremities, and he "types" by focusing his eyes on a computer screen, arduously recording words letter by letter on the laptop.
"This is more than a philanthropic project between Team Gleason and Mr. Benson. This has become a friendship between people—people who are looking creatively at a massive problem and seeking solutions. Let me say that I believe this is an example of how players (ex-players in my case) and NFL organizations can unite to proactively address a problem that has not only affected the NFL, but also tens of thousands of families around the country."
I asked Benson what motivated him to make this gift. "Steve is part of our Saints family," Benson said. "He suffers from a terrible disease, but yet his focus and resolve is centered around finding a cure for ALS and helping others who suffer from ALS live full and prosperous lives—and he is doing that right here in his adopted hometown of New Orleans. We could not be more proud of him and [wife] Michel and Team Gleason."
Gleason has never blamed football—high school, college or pro—for his condition, even though his kamikaze style of play might have contributed to his diagnosis of ALS. Rather, he has focused on doing something about a cure, appealing to the United Nations two years ago to raise the profile to fight the disease, and going about his daily life as much as possible without limits. His goal is for each NFL franchise to lead the way to building an ALS home in each market. "This gift from Mr. and Mrs. Benson,'' he said, "will help ensure that the Team Gleason House for innovative living will fully meet patient needs. Most of what ALS takes away, technology can give back. The Team Gleason House actually allows ALS patients to control their environment—computers, TVs, lights, doors, elevators—using just their eyes. This innovative concept allows patients to live very independently without bankrupting their families. This will allow them to collaborate with peers and colleagues to continue whatever their purpose in life may be."
I'll be corny for a moment here. There's something familial about New Orleans that's different from most cities—maybe every city. Gleason is from Spokane, Wash. He wasn't a big football hero in New Orleans—though he did make a signature play, blocking a Falcons punt in the first post-Katrina game, which led to a Saints' upset of Atlanta—but the city loves him like a son. He has made that happen, through the force of his giving nature and because the city feels for him and his family. And because he refuses to be beaten by a disabling malady for which there is no cure. "New Orleans is a unique city,'' Benson said. "If you love it, it will love you back more than you know."
Benson has put his wallet behind that love, and he seemed thrilled to do it.
"Steve has this saying: 'No white flags,'" said Benson. "If someone is going to be behind finding a cure for ALS, it's going to be Steve Gleason."
* * *
Ten days and counting, mercifully. Go fast, clock. Scatter-shooting what I know, now that the visitation period between players and teams is over, and the final boards are due to be set league-wide this week—if they're not set already:
- Momentum is gaining for the Atlanta Falcons to move up for Jadeveon Clowney. Not saying it's going to happen; I'd list the odds at 40 percent. But if the Texans want to trade the No. 1 pick, the Falcons, as of this morning, are their best option. When Clowney visited Atlanta last week, he left a very positive impression with the Falcons' coaches and brass. I'd heard before that meeting that the Falcons weren't inclined to entertain thoughts about making such a bold move, from sixth pick in the first round to No. 1 overall. Now they are thinking of it. Let's look not only at the favorable view of Clowney now, but also at general manager Thomas Dimitroff's history. In 2011 he was at No. 27 in the first round and wanted to move up to grab wide receiver Julio Jones. It took first-round picks in 2011 and 2012, a second-round pick in 2011, and fourth-round picks in 2011 and 2012—five picks overall—for Atlanta to go from 27 to six to get Jones. This year? To move from six to one, it would likely take Atlanta's first-rounder this year and next—at least that would be close if you're using the draft pick-trade chart. (The first overall pick is worth 3,000 points, the sixth 1,600. For an equal swap, the Texans might ask for more than two first-rounders, figuring there's no way the Falcons will be drafting in the top 10 next year.) If the Texans would be happy to settle for, say, Blake Bortles or Khalil Mack, this would be a pretty good calculated risk to take, with a guaranteed first-rounder next year as the pot of gold for the risk Houston would be taking.
- There's a rumor (apparently faulty) making the rounds about the Eagles moving up to try to get Johnny Manziel. I wouldn't pass it along if the person who told me wasn't smart and, to this point, reliable. But I just can't see it, and I have someone who would know better than the rumor source telling me it absolutely won't happen. Which seems smart to me, seeing that Nick Foles' 27 touchdowns and two interceptions and 119.2 passer rating would be pretty damned foolish to throw out the window for Manziel. I just put it out there as an example of the kind of stuff that makes the rounds when so much of what happens at this time of year is designed to be a misdirection play. As Bills GM Doug Whaley said Friday, speaking to western New York reporters: "It's finally one time where we can use you guys [reporters] to our advantage. There are things that you put out there to see if someone bites, and there are some things you put out there that are true. You have people read between the lines and you don't want to show your hand. I'm sure everyone is doing the same thing.''
- If Atlanta can't get one, they can certainly get to No. 2. St. Louis holds two first-round picks—the second and 13th overall choices—and you should put something close to the mortgage down on the prospect of them trading one or both of them. The regime of GM Les Snead, in the two drafts in which he's been in charge, has never not traded a first-round pick. In 2012 the Rams entered the draft with the second overall pick. They dealt that pick to Washington, acquiring the sixth and other stuff in return. Then they traded the sixth pick to Dallas for the 14th and other picks. In 2013, the Rams entered he draft with the 16th and 22nd picks in the first round. They traded up from 16 to eight to pick Tavon Austin, and traded down from 22 to 30 and picked Alec Ogletree. That means the Rams, under Snead, have traded their three first-round picks a total of four times. Any questions about their intentions with the two first-rounders on May 8?
"If I had the first pick in the draft," said an NFL offensive coordinator, "I'd take Manziel."
- Manziel stuff. Come to find out that one team, at the NFL scouting combine, spent the entire 15-minute individual interview period with Manziel talking only about his personal life and his run-ins with trouble. When the horn blew to signify he had to go to his next speed-date, Manziel asked team officials and coaches in the room, "Any football questions?" There were none … This, by the way, from one NFL offensive coordinator whose team will not be choosing a quarterback high in this draft: "If I had the first pick in the draft, I'd take Manziel." … I absolutely buy Dallas' interest in Manziel. One: He is Jerry Jones's kind of guy, and I believe Jones all along has had half an eye on Manziel, particularly if he could get him at a bargain position—say, the middle of the second round. I don't believe Manziel will make it out of the first round, of course, but Jones could be sorely tempted at No. 16 overall if Manziel were there. Two: Tony Romo turned 34 last Monday, and his back is balky and twice surgically repaired, and Troy Aikman has been sounding the clarion call about the dangers of fooling with a bad back. Three: See number one.
- The top 10 of one team not in the top 10, though I do not know the order: Two quarterbacks (Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles), four tackles (Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews, Taylor Lewan, Zack Martin), one defensive tackle (Aaron Donald), two pass-rushers (Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack), one wideout (Sammy Watkins).
- Want a darkhorse for Carolina at 28—or, if the Panthers are lucky and he falls to 60? Guard-tackle Joel Bitonio of Nevada. Coach Ron Rivera went to Reno to meet him and came away impressed, I'm told.
Khalil Mack is not interested in being number two.
I spent time on the phone Saturday with the most unknown of the prospective high picks—outside linebacker Khalil Mack, from Buffalo of the Mid-American Conference. You might know some of his story: Started only one year in high school in Fort Pierce, Fla. … Buffalo was the only NCAA Division I school to offer him a scholarship … Liberty University also did, but he went to Buffalo because it was a higher level of football … Put an exclamation point on his first-round status in the 2013 season-opener at Ohio State with nine tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception (with another sack and forced fumbled called back due to a penalty). "A fantastic football player," Urban Meyer said after the game.
He doesn't talk about his triumphs with a cocky tone in his voice. It's more of a knowledgeable one. "Nothing about that game surprised me,'' Mack said. "I feel like I have played against better players than at Ohio State. I've just always had the opinion that with hard work and dedication, anything can happen. I'm proof of that. I've been blessed."
Mack's best fit is as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL, though he says he can also play 4-3 end or outside 'backer, and, at 251 pounds, it's not impossible that he could play inside as well. But his edge-rushing ability would be best employed coming off the edge in the 3-4. That's what the Texans play. And he's frothing at the prospect of playing on the same front seven with J.J. Watt. "I met him the other day,'' said Mack. "It'd be perfect for me. He is one great player." Mack visited six teams: Jacksonville, St. Louis, Houston, Detroit, Atlanta and Minnesota. All are in the top 10. It's likely he'll go in the top five on May 8.
He'd like to go in the top one. He's not handing the crown of best defensive player in the draft to Jadeveon Clowney.
"I'm so competitive,'' he said, "that I want to be the best, and I mean better than any rusher in the NFL now, or anyone coming in. I want to be better than Aldon Smith, all those guys. I respect Jadeveon, but I really don't care what he does. I don't care about the hoopla, the hype or any of that. I just want to go out on the field and compete and win. When I get out on the field, I turn on a switch and believe I can be the best person out there. Coming from Buffalo, I know I had to work hard to get to this point, and I did."
"Got a gut feel where you're going in the draft?" I asked.
"Not at all," Mack said. "Wish I knew."
He won't have a long wait in the green room 10 nights from now. Maybe an hour, maybe less. I'll be surprised if he gets past the sixth pick, now held (but for who knows how long) by Atlanta.
* * *
Ten things you need to know about Earl Morrall.
- Morrall, who died Friday at 79 in Florida of Parkinson's Disease, got picked in the 1956 draft second overall by the 49ers. Number 200 overall that year: Bart Starr.
- Morrall quarterbacked Michigan State to the 1956 Rose Bowl title, and he played infield during the Spartans' only trip to the College World Series.
- In his second year in the NFL, the Steelers traded two first-round picks to obtain him from San Francisco. In his third year in the NFL, the Steelers traded him to Detroit for Bobby Layne.
Two weeks before the regular season started in 1968, Morrall, in his 12th pro season, was traded to the Baltimore Colts to serve as Johnny Unitas' backup for the season. A week later, Unitas went down with an elbow injury. Morrall stepped in and led the Colts to a 13-1 season, won the NFL MVP award and led the Colts into Super Bowl III against Joe Namath and the Jets. The rest is unpleasant history in the Morrall family. He threw three interceptions in that game before being replaced by the still-recuperating Unitas, and the Colts lost in one of the great upsets in NFL history.
- Two years later, with Unitas hurt again, Morrall stepped into Super Bowl V and orchestrated a 16-13 Baltimore victory over Dallas.
- A year a later, on his 38th birthday, the Dolphins claimed him on waivers from Baltimore for $100.
- In 1972,filling in after Bob Griese broke his ankle in Week 5, Morrall went 9-0 as a starting quarterback in the Dolphins' perfect season—the only NFL team ever to win every game, regular and postseason, that it played—and was named First Team All-Pro for the second time. But he was replaced by Griese as the starter for the Super Bowl after struggling in the AFC title game at Pittsburgh.
- The Dolphins' practice facility is in Davie, Fla., near Fort Lauderdale. Morrall was the mayor of Davie in 1992.
- He wore a crew cut for all of his adult life.
- He leaves five children: Matt, Mitch, Mardi, Mindi, Meghan. (GALLERY: Classic photos of Earl Morrall.)
Quotes of the Week
"If I was a GM in the NFL, I would not take him in the first round of the draft … You've got to see the quarterbacks throw the ball live. I've never seen a top quarterback in the last 10 years have a bad Pro Day until Teddy Bridgewater. He had no accuracy. The ball came out funny. The arm strength wasn't there, and it made me question everything I saw on tape because this was live."
—Mike Mayock, on the Petros and Money Show on AM-570 in Los Angeles (via Pro Football Talk)
"Really cool, right? The U.S. rugby team playing the New Zealand All Blacks. It's on a Saturday. What happens if it pours rain on Saturday and these huge men playing rugby tear up Soldier Field, and we've got a Bears game scheduled for Sunday? That would have been a problem.''
—NFL senior director of broadcasting Michael North, on one of the many roadblocks to making the 2014 NFL schedule—a rugby match at Soldier Field on Nov. 1 forcing the Bears to abandon their home field in Week 9. The league ended up giving the Bears a bye.
You can read my story about the mysterious making of the NFL schedule, from inside the bunker where it was drawn up by four league experts.
"I'm sure you guys are tired of writing about this. We're tired of thinking about it. We were ready to [draft] yesterday. So the extra time doesn't help us. I'm a firm believer in the saying, 'Study long, study wrong.' "
—Bills GM Doug Whaley on Friday, on the NFL moving the draft back two weeks this year from its usual late-April spot on the calendar. Friday was 52 weeks to the day that day two of the 2013 draft was held.
"When is the draft now? I think it's in September."
—Peyton Manning
"Well, I'm very confident in what I've done. The people who are the critics, they look at all of the negatives. They don't look at all of the stuff I've accomplished. They don't look at that I'm one of three quarterbacks in the history of the NFL to do certain things. They don't look at that kind of stuff. They want to find ways to tear me down, but I'm not worried about that. They can say whatever they want. All that matters is what everyone believes in this organization and what I believe in myself. That's how I go about my business.''
—Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, reporting to work last week for the Bengals' offseason program.
Dalton is beginning to chafe at the perception (reality's more like it) that he's been good in the regular season and poor in the post-season. The numbers through three seasons:
|Regular season
"There is no room for Donald Sterling in our league. There is no room for him."
—LeBron James, after L.A. Clippers owner Sterling was allegedly recorded making racist statements to his girlfriend, which were aired by TMZ
Stat of the Week
Regarding the passing of Earl Morrall on Friday:
Morrall should go down in history as one of the best handful (three, four?) of backup quarterbacks in the 94-season history of the NFL. This stat should prove that: Morrall started 35 regular-season games due to injuries to Johnny Unitas and Bob Griese in Baltimore and Miami between 1968 and 1972. His record in those 35 games: 31-3-1.
Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me
The most amazing factoid I learned Wednesday evening inside the NFL's "Val Pinchbeck Room," the secret bunker where four NFL executives make the schedule every year, was not that a game featuring New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team at Soldier Field in November forced the league keep the Bears out of their stadium that weekend. The odd factoid came from a loose-leaf binder that keeps all sorts of scheduling records. One page contains data on the last year in which a team opened with two straight on the road, closed with two straight on the road, or had a three-game road trip.
Here's the bizarre factoid: The Packers have not opened a season with two straight road games since 1924.
"Just incredible,'' said the most veteran of the league's four schedule-makers, Michael North.
It seems natural that the league would schedule Green Bay consciously at home early so the Packers could avoid as many bone-chilling late games as possible. But lately, the league has embraced tundra games. It's surprisingly coincidental that the league, even by luck, hasn't front-loaded road games to increase the chances of a weather game in the five post-Thanksgiving regular-season dates of the Packers.
In 1924, Green Bay opened at Duluth (a 6-3 loss) and at the Chicago Cardinals (a 3-0 loss) before playing its next five games at home in a 29-day span. The Packers finished with four straight road games.
Mr. Starwood Preferred Member Travel Note of the Week
I found myself in a spot in Rhode Island for a few hours last week that I'd never been before—South Kingstown, on the sea, 45 minutes south of Providence—visiting retired New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride for a story you'll be seeing this week. Wooded, quiet, close to beaches, not over-developed. What a great smell, a sea smell, even a half-mile in from the water. I realized how many beautiful places (and this certainly was one, a still fairly unspoiled part of New England, a few long spirals from the ocean) we never see in our lives. Wish I could tell you more, but there's not much to it. In a week of not much travel, that's the only travel observation I've got for you.
Tweets of the Week
Reports: George Clooney engaged. Whew. My marriage has a chance now.
— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) April 27, 2014
.@cjbycookie and I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2014
@cjbycookie is Magic's wife, Cookie.
I couldn't play for him
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 26, 2014
I've always said everything starts at home….unfortunately, so does hate
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) April 26, 2014
When I have my own site, we'll do a 2,500-word profile on the lackey who has to keep track of Sterling's girls' Instagram accounts.
— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) April 27, 2014
Careful what you wish for.
Ten Things I Think I Think
1. I think I always love getting the Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft in the mail—you can order it at ourlads.com—and thumbing through to read who Tom Hepler, Dan Shonka and company are high (and low) on. Interesting notes this year: Ourlads has Washington State free safety Deone Bucannon going 13th overall, to the Rams … The quarterback picks are interesting: The first one off the board, Ourlads says, will be Johnny Manziel, 26th to Cleveland; then Blake Bortles 33rd to Houston, Teddy Bridgewater 39th to Jacksonville and Jimmy Garoppolo 40th to Minnesota.
2. I think the one consistent whine about the schedule I heard in the past few days was the Oakland fandom complaining about opening at the Jets, then returning to play at New England in Week 3 and London in Week 4. That's a tough start for sure. But the Raiders—as most western teams do when they have to play in England—requested a Week 3 East Coast game so the trip to England would be 5.5 hours instead of 10. So the only beef is playing Week 1 on the East Coast. And who cares, really? Oakland has six games two or more time zones away. It's logical, not onerous, that one could be in Week 1.
3. I think the one thing that surprised me being inside the scheduling process on Wednesday was scheduling czar Howard Katz saying he wouldn't have had a problem making Seattle play a three-game road swing that seems, on its face, pretty mountainous: at St. Louis, at Washington (on a Monday night), at Kansas City. He'd prefer not to, and the schedule Seattle will play doesn't have a three-game road trip. But the slate with that three-gamer came in second when the league made its final decision on which schedule to play.
4. I think one of the smartest things I read last week came from John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, about the importance of continuity with the offensive system and how lack of continuity contributes to the failure of so many quarterbacks. McClain talked to David Carr, the first pick of the Texans 12 years ago, and summed up his Houston football life thusly: "In his five seasons, Carr had two head coaches, three offensive coordinators, three different schemes, three quarterback coaches and four offensive line coaches. 'You can have a talented offensive line that gives up a lot of sacks, and that's the fault of the system,' Carr said. 'I think you can have talented coordinators that have bad offensive lines, and that's a fault of that bad offensive line. You have to have a combination of those two things.'"
5. I think if Blake Bortles sat in the front row at a Rays or Marlins game with his girlfriend, no one would say, "Hey, why isn't Blake Bortles concentrating on football and staying out of the public eye before the draft?" First: it's possible directors and camera people wouldn't know what Blake Bortles looks like, so he might not even be noticed. But also, if they did know it was Bortles and put his mug on TV, I can't imagine anyone questioning his dedication or decision-making because he chose one evening to sit in the stands at a baseball game.
6. I think, also, I'd like to know the difference between J.J. Watt and Russell Wilson being on-site at the NCAA basketball tournament, and Johnny Manziel being there.
7. I think I get the part about folks wondering if Manziel is devoted to his craft when they see him in the bars at 2 a.m. But going to sports events is a different story entirely. If you're an NFL GM or coach and wonder about Manziel's dedication, I'm okay with that. But I'm not okay if you say, "What's Manziel doing at a baseball game at night instead of working out or studying tape?" I mean, how do you know he wasn't working out as normal during the day? Do you know, for instance, that Manziel, on the day he visited with the Texans in Houston, was in the gym at 6:15 a.m.working out before he had to be in front of the Texans brass? My point about all of this: It's fair game to doubt Manziel. But I think it is folly to suggest that being at a ballgame or The Masters is a black mark against his dedication to football.
8. I think the Texans are doing a good camouflage job, 10 days out from the draft. Very good, in fact.
9. I think I'd like to congratulate our writers at The MMQB for a fine week. When the NFL pushed the draft back two weeks, I wanted to avoid two extra weeks of nothing but draft coverage, because I think we're already inundated with it for two full months, starting at the combine. So this week, while not ignoring the draft, our writers wrote solid pieces on other things. Robert Klemko reported from California on the harrowing story of a Jaguars player whose career was ended by a stroke on the field … Jenny Vrentas reported from Harvard, and learned that Richard Sherman is one of Bill Clinton's favorite players … And from Santa Clara, Calif., Greg Bedard dug into the widely reported fractured relationship between San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Trent Baalke, with an interview with both men … Business of Football columnist Andrew Brandt contributed a smart draft-related column about how agents of marginal players get their clients seen and heard by the NFL powers that be … I threw in the behind-the-scenes story about the NFL schedule. When I walked into Sports Illustrated managing editor Chris Stone's office Friday, he said, "What a week you guys had!'' That is my bow for the week. Hope you don't mind me bragging about our troops.
10. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week:
a. The only remaining question about Donald Sterling: When's he selling the team?
b. I like the two guys at the Clippers-Warriors game in Oakland on Sunday, one white and one black. The white guy held a sign reading: "I brought a black guy 2 the game." The black guy's sign: "I'm black."
c. Brandon Morrow, pitcher of the Blue Jays, faced 14 Red Sox batters Saturday. The 14 results: walk, pop out, walk, double-play groundout; walk, walk, fly out, double-play groundout; strikeout, fly out, walk, walk, walk, walk.
d. He walked eight in less than three innings … and the amazing thing is, when he left the field, he'd only given up one run. Reliever Chad Jenkins took care of that, giving up a grand slam to A.J. Pierzynski on the first pitch he threw.
e. Daniel Murphy stole his 27th straight base Sunday. I dropped my dentures when I heard who held the Mets' record for consecutive stolen bases: Kevin McReynolds, with 33. How is that possible?
f. Dice-K a closer? A nibbler closing? Impossible. That's it. I am officially a baseball dunce.
g. I am also officially a TV dope. I have missed "Game of Thrones" and "Mad Men." Totally. Every episode.
h. Apropos of very little: Ansel Adams died on April 22, 1984. Richard Nixon died on April 22, 1994. Pat Tillman died on April 22, 2004.
i. Coffeenerdness: Six shots of espresso Sunday, before 3 p.m. It is officially close to the draft.
j. Beernerdness: Had a swell Bronx Pale Ale the other day. Strongly recommended. Lots of taste, and a great story by brewers who went out on a limb to do what they love to do, which is making beer.
k. If I could print the best lines each week in "Veep,'' I would. If Elaine Benes were saying them, they'd be printable. But Selena Meyer? Too edgy for a family website.
The Adieu Haiku
So, Donald Sterling:
You had to open your mouth.
Long past time to go.


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It's a given that I have a very healthy respect for boogers, hobgoblins and ordinary ghosts.
Since I'm now in southern Maryland a few days each month, I figured I oughta try to learn a little something about this place.
The town my granddaughter and her family now call home is Lexington Park.
A little bigger than Rock Hill, its name comes from the Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Lexington, which was sunk by the Japanese in World War II during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Heavens to Betsy, what was that? I only turned my head for a second when I heard the crash of something heavy on our kitchen floor.
My young great-grandson had managed to pull the "junk" drawer off its runners and bang, to the floor, it tumbled. What a mess.
That's probably happened at one time or another at every home in this county.
I'd wager that just about everybody has a junk drawer.
It's OK; we're supposed to have a place to store discarded stuff that will surely come in handy at some future time.
Remembering the past, unfortunately, isn't always as much fun as a wagon load of fresh cardboard and a hot backyard construction project just waiting for a young boy's touch.
There were some bad times, too, including jail time – that my father, the late Major Evans, saw more than I did when he was county sheriff.
To me, jail time has to be the worst. I know I don't want to experience any confinement first hand.
I'm sorta glad to see more folks hanging onto stuff and making the old new again these days.
For me, its a reminder of our backyard outbuildings concealed by hedge bushes and such.
Long before I arrived on the scene, homeowners had horse barns, wagon sheds, storage buildings and various shacks on their property.
But changing times brought on by automobiles meant that many of those old structures fell into disrepair.
However, I wasn't one to neglect anything.
For me, those old abandoned structures were a saw mill gold mine.
My sweet tooth was aching. Bless Pete, a big, old Buffalo nickel-sized Baby Ruth candy bar would surely ease the pain.
I wasn't financially embarrassed, but I was short on funds. All I had jingling in my pocket was three or four brownies.
I couldn't fight off the urge any longer. Mr. James Hinson's store was up the street past Mr. Hubbard's place, right across the street from Marion Tennant's.
I guess I had to settle for some penny candy bars.
The genuine metal storage building I recently put together is just about full.
You know, for some reason, I have trouble parting with a lot of my stuff.
I've always been that way, which is no big secret around our house.
After all, a man's toys are a man's toys and his plunder house is his castle.
Toys are like old friends.
We're supposed to hang on to them as long as we can.
My wife has been knowing that ever since she helped my parents pack and move from Chesterfield Avenue to Bell Town a number of years ago.
They called it a carnival. For me, it was more or less a county fair wannabe.
This small outfit popped into town during the lull of my summer vacation.
It only had about three or four rides and all of them were old, but it was something to do.
Rides aren't everything, I guess.
There was a midway sideshow featuring the dog-faced man, a fat woman and a fella who could swallow swords.
Why, they even had what one of the fellas called a "hootchy-kootchy show."
Uncle Walter grew tired of running a service station and decided to take up the cattle business.
He wasn't content to just raise a few head on his Highway 903 spread, either.
Uncle Walter was really into it; the two concrete silos you rode by going to the beach were proof. They were his.
Uncle Walter even hauled cows to the sales in Columbia and Mineral Springs on a regular basis.
You can get into trouble when you don't know the territory.
Two brothers who lived down the street, their cousin from Arch Street, and me had a fishing trip all figured out.
Now, this fishing hole boasted a right nice cabin where we could all spend the night.
The oldest member of our quartet did the driving and as planned, we arrived just before sundown.
I got an up-close look at a refurbished U.S. Army Air Corps B-25 bomber at a recent air show in Maryland.
In keeping with its legacy, crew members dressed in the World War II flight suits.
Powered by two propeller driven engines, the B-25's huge twin stabilizer tail was painted with white stars signifying it as an American war plane, that thing was quite a sight.
A quick tour revealed an almost strange plainness of the B-25's interior.
Copyright © 2019
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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SHALLOTTE—A Main Street art store has been robbed, marking the second time artwork has been stolen from a Brunswick County gallery in as many weeks.
The owner of Calabash Art Gallery, formerly River Bend, at 4806 Main St., reported to Shallotte Police on Feb. 29 that suspects removed a $300 original watercolor, two original art pieces by the same artist worth a total of $200, $150 worth of foam core, three tubes of spacers worth $150 and a $25 box of framing supplies.
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CHALLENGES | PRESCHOOL | PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION | HIGHER EDUCATION | ADULT EDUCATION GovXParagraph3
Education in Israel begins at a very young age in order to provide children with an augmented head start, particularly in terms of socialization and language development.
Many two-year-olds and almost all threeand four-year-olds attend some kind of preschool framework. Most programs are sponsored by local authorities, some within day-care centers operated by women's organizations; others are privately owned. The Ministry of Education allocates special resources for preschool education in disadvantaged areas.
Kindergarten for five-year-olds is free and compulsory. The curriculum aims to teach fundamental skills, including language and numerical concepts, to foster cognitive and creative capacities, and to promote social abilities. The curricula of all preschools are guided and supervised by the Ministry of Education to ensure a solid and well-rounded foundation for future learning.
Courtesy of the Jerusalem Foundation/H. Mazor


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Bolts Recall Trevor Smith
The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the AHL's Norfolk Admirals, have recalled forward Trevor Smith from the Admirals, Lightning vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today.
Smith, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, has appeared in all 39 games for the Admirals this season, recording 16 goals and a team-leading 44 points, along with a plus-17 rating. Among all American Hockey League skaters, Smith is tied for tenth in goals, tied for fifth in assists, is fourth in points and is tied for third in plus/minus. A 26-year-old native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Smith has skated in 321 career AHL games with the Admirals, Syracuse Crunch, Springfield Falcons and Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He has registered 108 goals and 321 points with 174 penalty minutes.
A sixth-year professional, Smith has played in seven career NHL games, all with the New York Islanders during the 2008-09 season. He has one career NHL goal. The Lightning signed Smith to a one-year deal on July 5, 2011. Before turning pro, Smith played two seasons at the University of New Hampshire. In 78 games between 2005-06 and 2006-07, he recorded 31 goals and 63 points. He went undrafted and originally signed as a free agent with the Islanders on April 7, 2007.
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Faroe Islands visa for Djiboutian citizens
Apply for visa
Faroe Islands tourist visa 🇫🇴
Faroe Islands is part of Europe with main city at Torshavn. Djiboutian citizens need visa for travelling to Faroe Islands as tourist. The stay is usually Short stay with a period of 90 days and visa expires in 90 days. Applicant is required to be present when applying for visa and there are total 2 documents required. You can also find useful tips from fellow travellers.
Visa requirements
Visa requirements for Djibouti
Visa Required
Visa required
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You must submit a passport or other travel document issued within the last 10 years. This must have at least 2 blank pages and be valid for at least another 3 months after the date you intend to leave the Schengen area.
Each person travelling with you on your travel document must submit their own visa form.
When you submit your application your fingerprints will be taken. These will remain valid for 5 years. Some applicants, such as children under the age of 12, do not need to have their fingerprints taken.
You will be charged a fee for your application. If you apply through an external service provider you will also have to pay an extra fee to the provider.
Applicant required
Max Stay: 90 days
Visa Expires: 90 days
Short Stay
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Travel info
📃 Documents required for Faroe Islands tourist visa : 2
Visa Application Form: Complete application form for Faroe IslandsVisa Application Form
Passport Photo: Photo must be no older than 6 months
✅ Visa Exemption for Faroe Islands tourist visa
No exemptions on visa present