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Hey Kids! Get out your crayons, markers or colored pencils and color the Easter Bunny and eggs… remember to be creastive! Winners will be chosen from 3 age categories: 4 and under • 5-7 years • 8-10 years
All winners will be announced in the April 17th Edition of The Cedar Springs POST, so hurry, entries have to be to The POST by Monday, April 14th at 5pm.
Click on bunny to enlarge and print out to color. Click on entry form to print out to enter.


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Rachel Etrog
Advent Calender day 11
Every day from Dec 1 through Christmas i'll post a freebie just for you.
Here is day 11 freebie
For more beautiful christmas designs https://www.racheletrogdesigns.com/shop
Everything in my store is 40% off untill december 31 don't miss it!
Have fun and enjoy
Merry Chrisrmas and Happy hanukkah
Click on the preview to download
Day 11 freebie available untill December 31
Thank you for stopping by,

subset: commoncrawl


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I thought I would take a poll of the internet sales team working this morning to find out what their favorite Abt.com product is right now. Everyone had very different responses. If you want to put a face with a name, check out the web sales page on Abt.com.
Starting with Conrad S., his favorite item is the "GE Profile (Champagne) High-Efficiency Washer – WPGT9150HMG top loading washing machine with the capacity and energy efficiency of a front load at a lesser price. I like it so much I actually do laundry to help my wife out. It works great."
Steve P. loves the selection of Oakley Sunglasses. "They are great in the bright sun when I play golf."
Kevin R. loves his Python Remote Car Starter from Viper. "It definitely helps during those cold nights where I'm the last to leave in the department. Plus, it makes me feel 'Willis Tower'."
Brian E. likes the Playstation 3 because he can watch his extensive collection of blu-rays and play video games too.
Megan M. loves the Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 600 Series Speakers. She enjoys the superb audio quality at such a reasonable price.
Victor R.'s favorite product is the Pioneer Flagship In-Dash A/V Receiver with DVD playback. It interfaces with an iPod and has a navigation unit all-in-one. He likes it because it does so much and doesn't clutter up his car.
Tim S. uses Bang and Olufsen A8 series headphones. "These are the best sounding in ear headphones that actually stay in my ears when I'm doing things that are active (skiing, sledding, chasing my dog around, etc.)."
Isaac B. doesn't like watching commercials when he's finished with a long day at work. The Hi-Def Tivo eliminates commercials and he can watch his favorite TV Shows, like True Blood and The Office, after work.
Mark S. finishes the day with the Human Touch Compact Acuvibe Handheld Massager. He comes home, eats a late dinner and massages the day away.
Carl C. won't make coffee unless he gets filtered water from his fridge. The Whirlpool filter makes his coffee taste great.
Rafael P. listens to his XM Satellite Radio on the way to work everyday. "It's commercial free and has a huge variety of music options."
Blake B. relaxes listening to his Boston Acoustics Duo-i Plus Black iPod Speaker System. "The quality and value are amazing for such a low price."
Carl P. and David S. make dinner with their Weber Genesis Grills. "It's a great way to cook steaks in the summer or winter."
What are your favorite appliances or electronics? Let me know!
-Kelly B.


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The tool shows the layout (class, methods, functions, etc.) and will also show the list of variables declared in the code.
There are two tools to show the layout of the code. The simpler one is using a simple regex and shows only the functions in the current file. You can turn it on using View -> Show Functions. At the top of the window there is a search box for filtering the functions names. Clicking on the name of a function will let you jump to the definition of that function. There is currently no right-click support in this window.
The more complex system is called Outline. You can turn it on via View -> Show Outline. It is using PPI hence it is slower and more CPU intensive but it is also more correct and it show additional information such as the name of the package, the list of pragmata, list of modules used, list of functions or methods declared in the file. Double-clicking on the items (or pressing ENTER) will let you jump to their definintion or to their use statement. Right-click on the entries will show a list of actions. Currently this includes ''Go to Element'' which is just the same as double-clicking on the item. Clicking on ''Open Documentation'' where available, will open the documentation of the specific pragmata or module. Unfortunately when closing the documentation it currently crashes Padre. ( #1178 )
Padre 0.97+ showing Moose Methods and Attributes


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Russia to build new naval bases in the Arctic
Russia is going to build bases for the Navy and Border Guard Service along the northern sea route which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, says Security Council chief Nikolay Partushev.
The location of the bases, in some of the most remote areas of the Arctic Sea, has already been drawn up, Patrushev told the council's meeting in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, on Monday. However, he says the work on getting them up and running is going slowly. "It was suggested we set up a patrol group, organize sorties along the northern sea route and develop a respective legal base, however, a lot of that hasn't been done yet," Patrushev said, as cited by RIA-Novosti. The five Arctic powers – Russia, Norway, the United States, Canada and Denmark – have been at odds over how to divide up the region, which is believed to hold huge oil and gas reserves. The dispute has been heating up as rising temperatures make sea ice melt, and provide access to deposits, while record high oil prices make offshore drilling in the Arctic more economic.Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an economic zone belonging to a state is limited to 200 nautical miles from the coastline. However, that zone can be extended if a state proves that the continental shelf is a geological extension of the country's territory. Since 2007, Russia has conducted several expeditions with the goal to prove that an underwater mountain range is part of its own landmass. Moscow has planned to submit its claim to redraw the map of the Arctic by 2013. By 2020, Russia will deploy a combined-arms force – including military, border and coastal guard units – to protect its economic and political interests in the Arctic.Earlier in July this year, after overseeing the start of construction of one of Russia's newest generation of submarines, President Vladimir Putin said: "The Navy is an instrument for defending our national economic interests, including in regions like the Arctic, which holds a rich concentration of bio-resources, as well as deposits of hydrocarbons and other natural resources."


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The Ketchikan Pioneer Home offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals, families, school groups, civic organizations, churches, local businesses and other organizations. Community volunteers assist residents with reading, group programs, outings, social visits, providing musical entertainment and so much more! KPH also houses the Fawn Mountain Elementary School preschool class and the residents delight in the intergenerational activities provided through this program.
There are many ways in which volunteers help at the Ketchikan Pioneer Home. Here are some examples:


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Frankie Avalon Beauty School Dropout
Your story sad to tell,
A teenage ne'er do well,
Most mixed up non-delinquent on the block.
Your future's so unclear now,
What's left of your career now?
Can't even get a trade in on your smile.
Beauty school dropout,
No graduation day for you.
Beauty school dropout,
Missed your mid-terms and flunked shampoo.
Well at least you could have taken time,
To wash and clean your clothes up.
After spending all that dough,
To have the doctor fix your nose up.
Baby get movin,
(Better get movin)
Why keep your feeble hopes alive?
What are you provin?
(What are you provin)
You've got the dream but not the drive.
If you go for your diploma you could join the steno pool.
Turn in your teasin' comb and go back to high school!
Beauty school dropout,
(Beauty school dropout)
Hanging around the corner store.
Beauty school dropout
(Beauty school dropout)
It's about time you knew the score.
Well they couldn't teach you anything,
You think you're such a looker.
But no customer will go to you,
Unless she was a hooker!
Baby don't sweat it.
(Don't sweat it)
You're not cut out to hold a job.
Better forget it,
(Forget it)
Who wants their hair done by a slob?
Now your bangs are curled,
Your lashes twirled,
But still the world is cruel,
Wipe off that angel face and go back to high school.
Baby don't blow it,
Don't put my good advice to shame!
Baby you know it,
Even dear Abby'd say the same!
Now I've called the shot,
Get off the pot,
I really gotta fly,
Gotta be going to that malt shop in the sky.
Beauty school dropout
(Beauty school dropout)
Go back to high school
Beauty school dropout
(Beauty school dropout)
Go back to high school
Beauty school dropout
(Beauty school dropout)
Go back to high school


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The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
July 14, 2009
This artist's concept of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter features the spacecraft's main bus facing down, toward the red planet. The large silver circular feature above the spacecraft bus is the high-gain antenna, the spacecraft's main means of communicating with both Earth and other spacecraft. The long, thin pole behind the bus is the SHARAD antenna. Seeking liquid or frozen water, SHARAD will probe the subsurface using radar waves at a 15-25 MHz frequency band, "seeing" in the first few hundreds of feet (up to 1 kilometer) of Mars' crust. The large instrument (covered in black thermal blanketing) in the center is the HiRISE camera. This powerful camera will provide the highest-resolution images from orbit to date.
The other easily visible instruments are: the Electra telecommunications package which is the gold-colored instrument directly left of the HiRISE camera. It will act as a communications relay and navigation aid for Mars spacecraft. To the right of the HiRISE camera is the Context Imager (CTX).


text: Back Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture Does this test have other names? Acid-fast bacillus smear and culture, AFB smear and culture, TB culture and sensitivity, mycobacterial culture What is this test? An acid-fast bacteria (AFB) culture is done to find out if you have tuberculosis (TB) or another mycobacterial infection. Besides tuberculosis, the other main mycobacterial infections are leprosy and a TB-like disease that affects people with HIV/AIDS. To do an AFB culture, health care providers take a sample of phlegm or sputum you're coughing up or a tiny bit of your tissue. They "culture" it by putting it in a special container with food the bacteria needs to grow. They then check it over a few weeks' time to see whether the bacteria grow. If they do, you have a mycobacterial infection. Why do I need this test? These are reasons you might need this test: You have symptoms of a lung infection, such as chronic cough, coughing up blood, weight loss, fever, chills, and tiredness. You have a positive TB skin or blood test and you are at high risk for exposure to TB or its progression to active disease. This includes those with HIV/AIDS or another condition that weakens your immune system. People who have been in hospitals, nursing homes, or correctional facilities are also at high risk. You have symptoms of TB outside the lungs, a condition called extrapulmonary TB. These symptoms vary based on the site of infection. Most people think of TB as only a lung disease. But it can show up in other parts of the body. If it infects the spinal cord, for example, it can cause back pain and paralysis; in the kidneys it often causes blood in the urine. You have a condition like HIV/AIDS that puts you at increased risk of getting TB. If you have also been in close contact with someone who has TB, doctors will want to test you for the disease. Your health care providers may also give you this test from time to time if you are being treated for TB. This is to see if the treatment is working and to find out whether you are still infectious. What other tests might I have along with this test? You will likely have a chest X-ray if doctors suspect you have pulmonary TB, or TB in the lungs. The X-ray can help your health care provider decide whether it is likely you have TB. The X-ray doesn't give a definitive diagnosis though. The results of a culture usually take two to six weeks. You may be treated for TB during this time if your doctor suspects pulmonary TB. More rapid but less definitive tests are usually first done on phlegm coughed up from deep inside your lungs. These help your health care provider decide whether to isolate and treat you before the culture results are available. The most common of these tests are an AFB smear and a nucleic acid amplification (NAA) test, both of which also require a sample of your phlegm. The AFB smear will show whether acid-fast bacteria are present. But it doesn't identify the species of bacteria or tell you which treatment it will respond to. The NAA is a relatively new test that detects the genetic material of the bacteria. The CDC now recommends that the NAA be done on at least one sputum sample when doctors suspect TB and when the test result may affect treatment decisions. If the AFB culture is positive, the lab will do what is known as a susceptibility test. This determines which antibiotic will work best to treat the disease. The germ M. tuberculosis is often resistant to one or more of the drugs commonly used to treat it. For this reason, susceptibility testing improves the chances of finding the right antibiotic in the first round. What do my test results mean? Many things may affect your lab test results. These include the method each lab uses to do the test. Even if your test results are different from the normal value, you may not have a problem. To learn what the results mean for you, talk with your health care provider. A negative result means you likely don't have active TB or another mycobacterial infection. A positive AFB culture for M. tuberculosis means you do have TB. A separate susceptibility report will tell you which antibiotics should best treat it. If you are being treated for TB, you will usually have the AFB culture done monthly until it comes back negative two months in a row. This means the treatment is working. A positive AFB culture several weeks after drug treatment has started may mean the antibiotic is not working and needs to be changed. It also means you are still likely to be infectious and can pass the infection to others through coughing or sneezing. How is this test done? If you are being tested for pulmonary TB, the AFB culture is done on sputum, or phlegm coughed up from deep inside your lungs. You will provide sputum in a sterile cup at least two days in a row, preferably early in the morning. A health care provider may help you get a good sputum sample. You will need to cough deeply several times to make sure you aren't just coughing up saliva or postnasal drip. If you are unable to cough up enough sputum on your own, you may need to inhale a special warm, sterile saline solution to trigger a cough that will produce enough sputum. If that doesn't work, you may need gastric aspiration. This is a procedure in which a tube is put through your nose or mouth into your stomach to collect sputum that has been coughed up and swallowed. As a last resort, health care providers may do a bronchoscopy. This involves putting a bronchoscope through your mouth or nose right into your lung to remove sputum or tissue. It requires the use of anesthesia in a hospital setting. If doctors suspect you have TB outside your lungs or another mycobacterial infection, tests may be done on urine, cerebrospinal fluid, or tissue samples. Tests may also be done on other body fluids. Does this test pose any risks? A phlegm culture doesn't pose any risks. A blood sample may be needed. Taking a blood sample with a needle carries risks that include bleeding, infection, bruising, or feeling dizzy. When the needle pricks your arm, you may feel a slight stinging sensation or pain. Afterward, the site may be slightly sore. What might affect my test results? AFB cultures are quite accurate. Rarely, an AFB smear will be positive when the culture is negative. In these cases, the smear results are usually wrong because the sputum was contaminated. An AFB smear could also be falsely positive if you are taking antibiotics for a mycobacterial infection. How do I get ready for this test? You should prepare to take the test early in the morning, preferably before breakfast. Rinse your mouth out with water before coughing up the phlegm.


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Studies show that hearing loss affects everyday life: More than half of people questioned who do not wear a hearing aid claim that they feel somewhat lonely and experience a considerable loss in quality of life.
Well-adjusted hearing aids are proven to have a positive influence on your quality of life. Wearing a hearing aid every day can bring joy back into your life, you're worth it!
If you experience hearing loss, one of the first steps is the decision to try a modern hearing aid. The earlier you recognize the hearing loss and take action, the earlier you are able to recover your hearing ability and increase your quality of life.
Get professional help
Your hearing care professional will help you make the choice that is perfect for you. They will consider your hearing needs, your budget, your lifestyle and your individual hearing preferences.


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A European musical tribute to - and celebration of - the 10-year anniversary of the Creative Commons sharing tools.
Europe has great musical talent! Some of which is freely available under open licenses. This mixture showcases the talent of 20 artists from 20 European countries. Local Creative Commons organizations have compiled this selection for your listening pleasure.
In December 2002, Creative Commons release its first set of copyright licenses for free to the public. In the years following the initial release, Creative Commons and its licenses have grown at an exponential rate around the world. The licenses have been further improved, and ported to over 50 jurisdictions. With some major platforms adopting the Creative Commons licenses and version 4.0 of the licenses around the corner, this anniversary is the perfect opportunity to celebrate this amazing material that is released under Creative Commons Licenses.
productions like this rarely exists
Thanks :D!!
Amazing work, instant favourite!
Great Album !!!


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Rubio's Painting Services proudly provides quality commercial and residential painting service in Poway, CA. Call (619) 678-2892 for a free quote.
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Rubio's Painting Services of Poway has been painting, staining, and glazing cabinets for years. When it comes to cabinet refinishing, call Rubio's Painting Services.
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Rubio's Painting Services has over 6 years experience painting cabinets in Poway, California. Want to completely update the look of your kitchen or bathroom? Call (619) 678-2892 for a FREE quote to paint your Poway cabinets!
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Do you want to update the look of your kitchen cabinets? Cabinet staining is an excellent option when it comes to kitchen cabinets. Cabinet staining takes less time and is more cost-effective than other methods, making it a preferred method for many homeowners. Call Rubio's Painting Services today for a fast, free quote on cabinet staining in Poway, California
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Rubio's Painting Services of Poway provides you with the most skillful, highly talented craftsmen. That's why when you're looking to have your drywall repaired, call Rubio's Painting Services for the most prompt, high-quality service.
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Need your home or business pressure cleaned? Rubio's Painting Services of Poway provides you with the best pressure washing services in Poway, CA.
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If your driveway, walkway, or patio in Poway needs a concrete cleaning, it's time to reach out to the experts at Rubio's Painting Services and see how we can make your space look brand new. Contact us at (619) 678-2892 to schedule your appointment right away.
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by KC Carlson
Last week on 10 Things: KC was frustrated because Diamond forgot to send copies of Previews to his LCS. So here's the non-DC-and-Marvel stuff.
I am so happy for my long-time friend (and occasional housemate) Jeff Moy, as he's penciling the new Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes six-issue miniseries/crossover from IDW. What's so great about this is that I just happen to know that Star Trek and the LSH are two of his most favorite things in the entire world! How often does a project like that land in your lap!? Jeff is joined by inker (and brother) Phil Moy and Eisner-nominated writer Chris Roberson for an adventure set in the 23rd Century — but in a universe not familiar to either group. The original Enterprise crew meets the Great Darkness Saga-era LSH. Bet you never saw that coming! (I sure didn't!) Can't wait for the sure-to-be-classic Mr. Spock/Brainiac 5 scenes. It's also the first DCU/IDW-verse crossover and will feature regular covers by Phil Jimenez and variants by classic LSH and ST artists — including Keith Giffen and Gabriel Rodriguez for #1.
When you add in the previous series from other publishers, Usagi Yojimbo #141 (from Dark Horse) is actually the 200th issue of the rabbit ronin. And every single issue was written and drawn by creator Stan Sakai! This issue will be a special celebration of the Anniversary featuring a 200 theme, as a humble stonecutter receives a vision to carve two hundred stone figures in "200 Buddhas". Just as he has finished the 199th, he encounters a long-eared stranger. Happy Anniversary, Usagi (and Stan)!
This year's CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 looks to be both a barn-burner and a big money-earner for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Starting off with your choice of a stunning speechless Uncle Sam cover by John Cassaday or a new Matt Wagner Grendel cover (and interior story), the CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 will be a 48-page collection of stories by J. Michael Straczynski, Frank Quitely, J.H. Williams, Steve Niles, Judd Winick, Mark Waid, Carla Speed McNeil, and many others, including the first-ever color story from Craig Thompson. Plus, Marvel and DC stars will be popping in for pin-ups, including Batman by Dustin Nguyen, X-Men by Greg Land, Green Lantern by Ivan Reis, and Avengers by Greg Horn. It's all packaged by all-star editor Bob Schreck. All-in-all, a pretty painless way to donate to a fantastic cause.
Check out this exclusive preview of a fun, new all-ages comic — Princeless, written by Jeremy Whitley and drawn and colored by M. Goodwin. It's a fun twist on a familiar fairytale scenario with some gorgeous cartooning. You've read about a princess trapped in a tower before, but this one is determined to rescue herself.
Also of note this month: A new IDW title by John Byrne, Cold War #1, a secret agent thriller, and Roger Landridge's charming Snarked #1. (Hopefully, you've all seen the preview by now!)
They hate what you hate — and they hate you! Milk and Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad is a 240-page collection of every single stupid Milk and Cheese cartoon that Evan Dorkin ever thunk up and doodled from 1989 to 2010, including tons of supplemental awesomeness and random pieces of Dorkin's brain — assuming the scotch tape holds up. Featuring all the various Milk and Cheese #1s (you think I'm kidding, don't you?) and all the rest of the junk, too. My favorite thing in the world is our collection of Milk and Cheese coasters which drive my in-laws crazy when they come to visit. And now I'll have a big ol' Milk and Cheese book to give them for Christmas! From Dark Horse (who should know better, although I'm looking forward to their Milk and Cheese distressed statuettes series). (Editor's note: Not an actual product — but it should be!)
Meta Maus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus: In which creator Art Spieglemen comes to terms with the project that consumed him for over a decade — maybe. This 300-page hardcover — and its accompanying DVD — covers everything that you'd want to know about Maus, including the frequent questions: Why the holocaust? Why mice? Why comics? This looks to be one of the most comprehensive and emotional retrospective/deconstructions of a major comics work to date, and it has the potential to be just as affecting as the original work. Published by Pantheon.
The Quality Companion is the latest in a long line of excellent comics history books from TwoMorrows. This one features a comprehensive look at one of the best of the original Golden Age comics publishers, as well as following up on how their most popular characters — the Freedom Fighters (including Uncle Sam and Phantom Lady), Plastic Man, and the Blackhawks — fared in subsequent decades after being acquired by DC Comics. In their heyday, Quality publications featured some of comics' best artists including Jack Cole, Will Eisner, Wally Wood, Lou Fine, Bob Powell, and Reed Crandall. The 256-page trade paperback is written by Mike Kooiman and Jim Amash and features copious illustrations.
I love quirky collections like Government Issue: Comics For The People: 1940-2000, a 304-page study of public-service comics produced by federal and state governments — by artists including Will Eisner and Milton Caniff. Walt Kelly's Pogo informs parents about how much TV kids should watch, and Hank Ketcham's Dennis the Menace shows us the dangers of poison (?!?). Plus, Bert the Turtle shows us how to "Duck and Cover!", from the famous educational film. (One I actually saw in school!) Covers just about every aspect of American life from jobs, money, health, and safety to sex and drugs (what, no rock 'n roll?). Features both complete comics and numerous excerpts, as well as a history of the public-service comic book.
I'm never quite sure about books like 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die, because you just never know what the criteria for inclusion was. Superhero fans should probably be aware that they won't be all superhero comics, as it will draw from all of comics — including graphic novels, manga, and independently published work. This collection is almost 1,000 pages (960 to be exact), so it will be nice and thick. Personally, I'm hoping that I've already read all 1,001 of them — I hate homework!
Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks — I recently raved about Fantagraphics first Mickey Mouse by Floyd Gottfredson volume over at Comics Worth Reading, so you can probably imagine how excited I am by Frantagraphics' new line of affordable, full-color, hardcover books featuring Disney's other comic book star — Donald Duck — as written and drawn by "the Good Duck Artist" Carl Barks. This first volume features over 200 pages of vintage (and prime) Barks stories from 1948-1950, including Barks' personal favorite "Lost in the Andes". All the artwork has meticulously restored and re-colored for this collection. There are also detailed commentary/annotations for every story, written by the foremost Barks authorities around the world, as well as an introduction by Barks scholar Donald Ault.
SPECIAL NOTE: You may have heard recently that Fantagraphics is also re-packinging the classic EC Comics material, beginning in Summer 2012. Don't be confused by the ad in the current Diamond Previews featuring volumes of EC material published by the previous publishers (Russ Cochran and Gemstone Publishing — although this is not mentioned in the ad). This advertisement is disingenuously placed right next to the Fantagraphics listings in the August 2011 Previews, and it may be confusing to fans who have heard the Fantagraphics/EC Comics announcements. The ad is re- soliciting (for what's left of) the 2006-2008 Cochran/Gemstone versions of the EC Archives line — NOT the upcoming Fantagraphics collections.
Two Golden Age classic artists get their due this month from IDW. In Wally Wood's EC Stories: Artist Edition, Woody's EC stories and covers get the deluxe reprinted-from-the-original-art treatment. The material is reproduced at the original size, and since these pages are from the 1950s, that means "twice up" or twice the original printed size — making the dimensions of the 144-page book a gigantic 15" x 22"! Holy Moley! . . . Meanwhile, Craig Yoe is assembling a 148-page full-color hardcover collection of Bob Powell's classic 1950s horror stories in Bob Powell's Terror — part of "The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics" series and chock full of gruesome ghouls and gorgeous gals.
If You're Cracked, You're Happy: The History of Cracked is actually two volumes, totaling almost 1,100 pages of material from the "2nd Greatest Humor Magazine", featuring work by John Severin, Jack Davis, Don Martin, Will Elder, Jack Kirby (don't blink, he only did one piece), Steve Ditko, Al Jaffee, and many others — making this pretty close to all the Cracked you might ever need. But there's also a history of the long-running magazine, creator interviews, rare photos and artwork, and a complete checklist of every Cracked issue– all compiled by historian Mark Arnold! NOTE: You may have already seen these books at your local bookstore — assuming your area still has bookstores…
Alter Ego #105 will be of interest to those interested in the now-defunct Comics Code. "Tales From the Code" will showcase a number of Before/After examples of some of the "best" of what the Code didn't want you to see — featuring work by Simon & Kirby, Ditko, Buscema, Cole, Steranko, Krigstein, Williamson, Orlando, Heath, and many more!
I don't follow figure/toy collecting much, but this month's DC Superhero Figurine Collection Magazine from the UK is a Mr. Mxyzptlk/Bat-Mite Special with a very cute hand-painted Mxy/Mite figurine which is kind of tempting… It would have to be — the magazine itself is only 20 pages long! Yikes!
KC CARLSON: Only 17 days to a new DC Universe. Hope my little rocket is ready in time to get off the old one before it explodes.
As always, WESTFIELD COMICS is not responsible for the stupid things that KC says. Especially that thing that really irritated you.


text:
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text:
Whether you've installed Windows 8 yourself or bought a new PC with it, you're now faced with an unfamiliar operating system that at first glance seems more difficult to customize than earlier versions of Windows. What to do -- give up and simply use it as it came out of the box?
Certainly not. There are plenty of ways to tweak, hack and make Windows 8 do things you wouldn't think were possible. In this article you'll see how to cobble together your own quick-and-dirty Start menu as well as customize the hidden Power User menu. I'll show you how to use so-called "God Mode," hack the lock screen and Start screen, master File Explorer and much more.
So fire up Windows 8 and get ready to hear it cry "Uncle."
Need help getting up to speed with Windows 8? See our Windows 8 cheat sheet, which shows you how to get around (including with keyboard shortcuts) and offers three quick tips for getting started with Windows 8.
1. Put "God Mode" in easy reach
You wouldn't know it by looking at the Desktop or Start screen, but Windows 8 practically bristles with settings you can customize. The problem is that they're scattered throughout Windows 8, and it can be time-consuming to track them down individually.
However, there is one way to find them all in one place: You can use what some people call "God Mode." While the term "God Mode" has a powerful ring to it, the truth is it's not a separate mode that you put Windows into. It's really a hidden folder that gives you fast access to many settings spread out across Windows 8. It's easy to put that folder right on the Desktop.
First, make sure that you can view hidden files in File Explorer, the system navigation app that in earlier versions of Windows was called Windows Explorer. Run File Explorer, click the View tab, and check the boxes next to "Hidden items" and "File name extensions" in the Ribbon at the top.
Then right-click the Desktop and select New --> Folder. That creates a folder on the Desktop named "New folder." Rename the folder:
The folder icon changes, and it has the name GodMode.
(Note that the "GodMode" text isn't what turns the folder into a special folder; instead, it's that long string of letters and numbers inside the curly brackets. You can use any text you want before the period just ahead of the opening bracket, and it still points to the same folder and everything works the same.)
Double-click the icon, and you'll launch a folder filled with dozens of actions, tools and tweaks, from "Change Automatic Maintenance settings" to "View update history." They're organized by category. Expand or shrink each category by clicking the small triangle next to it. Each category displays a number next to it, showing how many settings there are in it.
To start any action or tweak, double-click it in the list. In some cases you'll follow a wizard, in other cases you'll need to fill in dialog boxes, and in yet other cases you'll be sent to the Control Panel or another Windows location to do the work.
2. Put a quick-and-dirty Start menu on the taskbar
Particularly high on the list of things that annoy people about Windows 8 is the omission of the Desktop's Start menu. Microsoft did its best to stomp it to death -- but it didn't quite succeed. In the Windows 8 cheat sheet I showed you how to use free or paid add-on programs to get the Start button and menu back.
If don't want to use third-party software to get a Start menu, you can build your own quick-and-dirty one in no time. You won't get the full traditional Windows Start menu with Search button, recently run apps, the Control Panel, your network and so on. Instead you get a menu that lets you browse through applications and launch them.
First make sure that you can view hidden files in File Explorer, as outlined in the tip above.
Now right-click the Desktop's taskbar and select Toolbars --> New Toolbar. From the screen that appears, navigate to
C:\Users\<i>username</i>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
where username is your account name, and click the Select Folder button. That will place a Start Menu toolbar on the far right of the taskbar. Click its double arrow to display a variety of folders (such as Programs and Computer) that you can browse through until you see the item you want; click it to launch it.
To make the Start Menu toolbar go away, right-click the taskbar and select Toolbars, then de-select the Start Menu listing.
By the way, you may have noticed that when you right-click the taskbar and select Toolbars, there are other pre-built toolbars you can put on the taskbar. Here are your choices and what each does:
Address: Adds a box on the Taskbar into which you type URLs. After you enter one, press Enter and you'll head to the site in Internet Explorer.
Links: Displays your Internet Explorer favorites on the Taskbar.
Touch Keyboard: Displays a keyboard icon on the Taskbar. Click it to display an onscreen keyboard.
Desktop: Displays a list of every icon on your Desktop. It even displays some items that aren't visible on the Desktop, such as Homegroup. For any item with a subfolder beneath it (such as Homegroup and Network), you'll see an arrow next to it. Move your cursor to the arrow to see all of the subfolders beneath it.
To turn off any toolbar, right-click the taskbar and choose Toolbars, then uncheck the toolbar.
3. Use and hack the Power User menu
Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away. In Windows 8 it took away the Start menu, but it also provided a very useful new tool: the Power User menu. Right-click in the lower-left corner of the Desktop (or press the Windows key + X) and up pops a text-based menu that gives you access to 16 tools, including a Run box, a command prompt, an administrative command prompt, the Device Manager and plenty of other useful power tools.
Most choices are self-explanatory, but not all. For example, click "Programs and Features" and you get sent to a Control Panel applet that lets you uninstall Desktop programs, look at Windows updates you've installed and turn certain Windows features on or off.
The Mobility Center sends you to an applet that lets you do things such as change your display brightness, screen orientation, presentation settings and so on. And in case you didn't realize that the Control Panel still existed, there's a link to that as well.
Another nice thing about the Power User menu: It's hackable. You can delete items you don't want to appear there and add items you do want to appear there, such as programs you run frequently or even individual files.
To do it, you'll first have to make sure that you can view hidden files in File Explorer, as outlined previously. Then go to
where username is your account name. You'll see three folders there: Group1, Group2 and Group3. Each has shortcuts to the apps that appear on the Power Menu. Group1 contains the Desktop; Group2 contains the Control Panel, File Explorer, Run, Search and Task Manager; and Group3 contains two for the Command Prompt (one of which is an Admin command prompt), Computer Management, Device Manager, Disk Management, Event Viewer, Power Options, Programs and Features, System and Windows Mobility Center.
Look back at the Power User menu. Notice that there are three groups separated by two faint lines? They correspond to the folders in the WinX folder. The app in Group1 (Desktop) is at the bottom, then there's a line, then there are the apps in Group2, then there's a line, and then there are the apps in Group3.
To edit the Power User menu, just make changes to the contents of the folders Group1, Group2 and Group3. Delete a shortcut and it vanishes from the menu; add a shortcut and it appears on the menu.
Delete a shortcut as you would any other shortcut: Select it and press your Delete key. (When you delete a shortcut, the file it points to isn't deleted; only the shortcut goes away.) To add a shortcut, open the folder into which you want to place it, right-click on an empty spot, select New --> Shortcut, and follow the wizard that appears.
After you've finished deleting shortcuts and adding new ones, sign out of Windows and then sign back in. Your new Power User menu will be waiting for you on your return.
4. Customize the lock screen
When you boot up your PC or wake it from sleep, it heads right to Windows 8's lock screen. Along with a large image, the screen displays the time and date as well as notifications and status updates from certain apps -- email, social networks, calendar and more. It provides a quick rundown on things you might be interested in seeing without having to sign into Windows 8. Just wake up your Windows 8 device and the info is there, waiting for you on the lock screen.
By default, the lock screen shows notifications from the Messaging, Mail, Calendar and Weather apps. But maybe you'd like to see Twitter updates or info from another app, or you'd like to change the image. You can easily customize all that.
The place to go to do it is the Lock screen settings screen. To get there, press the Windows key + C to display the Charms bar, and then select the Settings icon. Click "Change PC settings" at the bottom of the Settings pane. The "PC settings" screen appears. Under Personalize, choose "Lock screen."
You'll see your lock screen image at the top of the screen. Just beneath the image are other images you can use. Click one to make it the new lock screen image. To find other images you can use for the lock screen, click the Browse button and browse through your pictures. Select the one you want to use and click the "Choose picture" button to make it your new lock screen image.
Just below the image on the Lock screen settings screen is the "Lock screen apps" section. Here you'll find icons for the apps that automatically display notifications and updates on your lock screen.
Over to the right of them are several plus signs. Click a plus sign and you'll see a list of apps that can display notifications and updates. Pick one and it will display alerts and other information on the lock screen.
Note that when you click a plus sign, you'll see both the apps that are already displaying notifications and alerts on your lock screen as well as those that aren't currently doing so. If you choose one that already displays its notifications on the Start screen, nothing new happens -- the app still displays notifications, with no change. To stop an app from displaying notifications, click it and then click "Don't show quick status here."
Underneath that section is one that's a little more baffling: "Choose an app to display detailed status." The app in this section displays more information on the lock screen than other apps.
Only the Calendar app and the Weather app can show this kind of detailed information, and only one at a time. To change from one to the other, click the icon that's there and select the other icon. From then on, that app will show its detailed status.
If you want neither app to show detailed status, click the icon and select "Don't show detailed status on the lock screen." Neither app shows detailed information, and the icon changes to a plus sign. If you want to reinstate detailed weather or calendar information, click the plus sign and select either app.


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Monday, March 20, 2017
6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute
Primarily a historian of the Muslim communities of South Asia (India, Pakistan) from the eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries, Professor Nile Green also specializes in the wider 'Persianate' world, including Afghanistan, Iran, and the Indian Ocean region. By training a historian of religion, he has worked extensively on the history of Sufism and other traditional modes of Islamic learning and organization. His work has ranged from the forms of Islam which evolved among the tribal societies of early modern Afghans to the intersection of religion and colonial service among the Muslim soldiers of the British Empire. His more recent work has expanded into nineteenth century intellectual interchange between Asia and Europe, Muslim travelers in Britain, Indian Ocean studies, and the history of the 'Islamic' book.
With a strong interest in Islam in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, Professor Green also works as a historian of Muslim societies more generally. Given the fact that South Asia is home to the world's largest Muslim population, his work seeks to position the region within a global and comparative perspective. To this end, Professor Green serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Middle East Studies. He was founding director of the UCLA Program on Central Asia from 2008 through 2016.


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10 Of The Most Expensive Buildings In The World
There are all sorts of criteria that we use to catalogue all the impressive buildings and projects throughout the world. This time we've decided that a top with 10 Of The Most Expensive Buildings In The World would be an interesting topic so we've gathered information and this is what we came up with:
1. The Marina Bay Sands Resort.
The Marina Bay Sands is a resort located in Singapore. It was developed by Las Vegas Sands and it's the world's most expensive standalone casino property. The cost of the whole project was $8 billion. The resort includes, besides the casino, a hotel with 2,561 rooms, 1,300,000-square-foot convention and exhibition center, an 800,000-square foot mall, a museum, two theatres, 7 celebrity chef restaurants, an ice-skating ring and, of course, the world's largest atrium casino that has 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines.
This spectacular resort was designed by Moshe Safdie Architects. Originally, the plan was for the resort to open in 2009 but it all had to be delayed. It officially opened in June 2010 and there was a two-day celebration. The casino had already opened on April the 17th the same year. The theatres became functional on November 30th while the other facilities also opened later that year.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $8.0 billion. It was a challenging project but the casino is expected to generate at least $1 billion in annual profit. It attracts around 25,000 visitors daily. But the resort doesn't impress with numbers only. Its design is spectacular as well. As the designer has declared, the resort was initially inspired by card decks. Besides the casino, it integrates three hotel towers connected by the Skypark which is built at the height of 200 meters. The resort's gardens are also amazing. The 250 trees and 650 plants that live here cover an area big enough to fit three football fields.
2. The Emirates Palace.
The Emirates Palace is a luxury hotel that can be found in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The hotel was designed by architect John Elliott RIBA. The cost to build it was 3.9 billion GBP. This amazing hotel opened its doors in November 2005. However, some of the restaurants and spas that are part of the complex only opened in 2006.
The hotel occupies a total area of 850,000 square meters of floor space. In addition, it has an underground parking for 2,500 vehicles as well as its own marina and helipad. It occupies the second place in the top most expensive hotels in the world. The Emirates Palace has 302 rooms and 92 suites. There are also 16 Palace Suites and 22 three-bedroom suites.
Some of the suites and rooms are furnished in gold and marble. The top floor contains six Ruler's Suites which are reserved for Emirati royalty and dignitaries only. The hotel also features the world's most expensive Christmas tree which is valued at 11 million dollars.
The hotel was built in 3 years and it cost approximately $3 billion USD with the help of 20,000 workers. Sitting on over 100 hectares of land, the hotel has spectacular gardens as well as 1.3 km of exclusive beach. It also offers two swimming pools, one for adventure and one for relaxation, several tennis courts and cricket courts, a rugby pitch and soccer facilities, along with fitness suites and a luxury spa.
3. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a luxury resort casino and hotel complex built on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip. It opened its doors on December the 15th 2010. It was a $3.9 billion project. In total, it offers 2,995 hotel rooms, a 75,000 square foot casino, 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and a 40,000 square foot spa and fitness facility. In addition, the resort also features a 1,800 seat theater and 150,000 square feet of meeting space. The resort has three different types of pools: one for relaxation, a day club pool and a nightclub pool.
The project's design team was led by Friedmutter Group and it was a collaboration with Arquitectonica, DeSimone Consulting Engineers and a design team formed of Prophet, the Friedmutter Group, The Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers, Adam Tihany, and Bentel & Bentel. The resort was built on a parking lot that belonged to the Jockey Club.
The Cosmopolitan is the second Las Vegas hotel to feature an underground parking garage. This is why the garage had to be built first. The parking structure was completed in 2007. The casino was then built on the ground level. Due to trademark disputes, in March 2010 the resort was renamed Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Several celebrity restaurants also announced their opening and, little by little, the resort became the impressive structure that it is today.
4. The Wynn.
The Wynn or Wynn Las Vegas is a resort and casino that's also located on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. It's a $2.7 billion resort and it was named after casino developer Steve Wynn. The entire resort covers an area of 215 acres and the hotel alone sits on 614 feet of space. The hotel has 45 floors and houses 2,716 rooms.
The resort also includes the 111,000 square foot casino and a 223,000 square foot convention center as well as 76,000 square feet of retail space. If we also add the adjacent Encore hotel, the Wynn resort complex offers a total of 4,750 rooms. The resort opened its doors on April the 28th 2005. It was the first resort to include a luxury car dealership for cars such as Ferrari and Maserati. The dealership is located near the valet parking where guests can admire the model cars while waiting for their own to arrive.
But the cars aren't the only attraction. There's also a Ferrari Store that offers apparel, racing merchandise, electronics as well as a home gym branded with the Ferrari logo. Besides there attractions, the resort also include the Wynn Golf Course, the only one on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel's Tower Suites are a total of 296 rooms with a private driveway with Rolls-Royce house cars and a private entrance.In 2006, the resort celebrated its one-year anniversary. It was then that a second hotel tower also began its construction. The tower was called Encore and it was a $2.3 billion project.
5. The Venetian Macao.
The Venetian Macao is also a hotel and casino resort which, as its name might suggest, is located on the Cotai Strip in Macau. The resort is owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation. It's an amazing 40-story high structure that occupies 10,500,000 square feet of space. The cost of the project was $2.4 billion and the result was the largest single structure hotel building in Asia. It's also the 6th largest building in the world and it houses the world's largest casino.
The resort was designed to resemble The Venetian from Las Vegas. The construction for the main hotel tower was completed in July 2007 but the resort officially opened on the 18th of August the same year. In total, the resort incorporates 3000 suites along with 1,200,000 square feet of convention space and 1,600,000 square feet of retail space. There's also 550,000 square feet of casino space that has 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables as well as a 15,000 seat arena for entertainment and sports events.
The casino is divided into four themed gaming areas which are the Golden Fish, the Imperial House, the Red Dragon and the Phoenix. The resort's hotel also has a club (the Paiza Club) which has a gaming area divided into several private rooms named after Asian cities and regions such as Yunnan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The Venetian Arena hosts sports events such as basketball, tennis or boxing but it's also used for events such as concerts and televised awards shows.
6. The Antilia.
We now go from resorts to family homes. Of course, we're going to start with the Antilia which the world's largest and most expensive family home ever built. It's located in Mumbai, India. It has 27 stories and it's 568 feet high. In total, the Antilia has over 398,000 square feet of living space. This $1 billion family home was built for Mukesh Ambani and his family.
The project was a partnership between architecture firms Perkins+Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates. It took them 3 years to complete it. The result was this oversized family home that could easily be confounded with a hotel. Inside, the structure contains a health club, a gym, a dance studio, a swimming pool, a ballroom and several guestrooms. On the ground floor there is also a parking garage that can hold 160 vehicles. To take care of this place, the owners employed a staff of 600 people.
Even though, initially, the project described the building as the greenest structure in the world, covered in foliage and with all sorts of similar features, the final result was very different. The building features a steel structure with no apparent green elements. Nevertheless, it still remains the biggest and also the most expensive private home in the world. Named after the mythical Atlantic island of Antilia, the building has nine elevators in the lobby, three helipads and an air traffic control facility. Moreover, it houses the world's largest collection of antique sewing machines.
7. The Bellagio.
The Bellagio is a luxury hotel and casino that can be found on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. Very popular for its fountains, the complex is owned by MGM Resorts International. It was built on a site where the Dunes hotel and casino used to be. It was named and inspired after the Lake Como town of Bellagio, Italy.
The element it's most popular for is the 8-acre lake positioned between the building and the Strip. Here you can admire the famous Fountains of Bellagio, most notably the one that is synchronized to music. Inside the hotel and casino building, visitors are welcomed into a lobby where 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers cover 2,000 square feet of the ceiling. The main tower houses 3,015 rooms. It has a total of 46 levels and it's 508 square foot high. To the south of the main tower you can find the Spa Tower. This one has 33 floors and a height of 392 square feet, with a total of 935 rooms.
The Bellagio complex opened its doors on October the 15th in 1998 with a $88 million ceremony. In 2000 the Mirage Resorts merged with MGM Grand Inc. and became MGM Mirage. In 2010 the company was renamed MGM Resorts International. In 2006, the casino was remodeled and in 2011 all of the main tower's 2,500 rooms were also upgraded and remodeled. The Fountains of Bellagio which is a great attraction can be seen from numerous points on the Strip. The show takes placed every 30 minutes in the day and every 15 minutes from 8 pm till midnight.
8. The Palazzo.
The Palazzo is a luxury casino and hotel resort that can be found between the Wynn and The Venetian. It holds the record for the tallest completed building in Nevada. The resort was designed by Dallas based HKS, Inc. The resort's hotel offers the largest suites and guest rooms on the Las Vegas Strip (720 square feet per room).
The construction began in February 2006 and a lot of time was allotted to the underground parking space. In March 2007 the hotel's elevator core was completed and the Palazzo was scheduled to open at least 1,000 rooms by December the same year. The casino opened on December the 30th but the official grand opening of the Palazzo took place of January the 17th, 2008. The building has a total floor area of 6,948,980 square feet and has become the largest building in the United States in terms of floor space.
The Palazzo is a $1.8 billion resort. Here, the guests are welcomed into a glass dome with a two-story fountain. Then they can enter the hotel. The hotel tower is a 642 square foot high structure and has a total of 3,068 rooms and suites as well as 375 concierge-level suites. The Palazzo is the largest LEED certified building in the United States and it's also the eleventh largest building in the world in terms of floor space. It is also the second-largest building in the Western Hemisphere.
9. Taipei 101.
Taipei 101, also known as the Taipei World Financial Center is a skyscraper located in Taipei, Taiwan. It used to be the world's tallest building until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is an LEED Platinum certified building which also allowed it to become became the tallest and largest green building in the world.
The skyscraper was designed by C.Y. Lee & partners. Its construction was finished in 2004 and it became a landmark and a symbol for Taiwan. The reason why it's called Taipei 101 is because it has 101 floors. There are also 5 additional floors situated underground. The building was designed as a symbol of the evolution of technology and Asian tradition. It was also designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. Taipei 101 is owned by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC).
The building used to hold the record for the fastest ascending elevator (16.83 m/s) and for the largest countdown clock which is displayed on New Year's Eve. Taipei 101 is also one of the most stable buildings ever to be constructed. Its foundation is reinforced by 380 pillars driven 80 meters into the ground. The stability of the building was tested in 2002 when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake left it undamaged. The building's roof and façade water recycling system meets 20 to 30 percent of its water needs, making it not just tall and imposing but also sustainable and eco-friendly. Other remarkable features are the 660-metric-ton tuned mass damper that stabilizes the tower against movement caused by high winds that can reduce its movement by up to 40%.
10. Burj Khalifa.
Burj Khalifa , also known as Burj Dubai, is a skyscraper located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It holds the record for the tallest man-made structure in the world with a height of 829.8 meters. The project started on the 21st of September in 2004. The official opening was on January the 4th, 2010. The tower is part of the 2 square km development called Downtown Dubai. Burj Khalifa was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago. The total cost of the project was estimated at US$1.5 billion.
Originally named Burj Dubai, the tower was later renamed Burj Khalifa to honour the UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his crucial support during the period of crisis that followed the project's completion. The development includes 30,000 homes, nine hotels, 7.4 acres of parking space, 19 residential towers and the Dubai Mall. Burj Khalifa holds the records for the tallest structure ever built, the building with most floors, the highest elevator installation and the world's fastest elevator (18 m/s).
The building;s design incorporates cultural and historical elements which are particular to the region. It has a Y-shaped plan and a triple lobed footprint inspired by the flower Hymenocallis. The tower is composed of three elements organized around a central core. Burj Khalifa also has 27 terraces. Outside the tower, a record-setting fountain system was designed. It was a US$217 million project designed by WET Design, the same company responsible for the Bellagio Fountains.


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Our library features many hundreds of entries.
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Appendix 1: All Deliverables Submitted for the Critical Coastal Areas Program, Phase I. San Francisco Estuary Institute.2007. (14.83 MB)
Critical Coastal Areas Program, Phase I Final Report. SFEI Contribution No. 541. San Francisco Estuary Institute.2007. (10.77 MB)
Effects of Short-term Water Quality Impacts Due to Dredging and Disposal on Sensitive Fish Species in San Francisco Bay. SFEI Contribution No. 560. San Francisco Estuary Institute: Oakland, Ca.2008. (2.79 MB)
Summary Report: Green Sturgeon, Longfin Smelt, and Dredging Operations in the San Francisco Estuary. SFEI Contribution No. 598. San Francisco Estuary Institute: Oakland, Ca.2009. (4.1 MB)
A BMP tool box for reducing Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and Mercury (Hg) in municipal stormwater.2010. (5.09 MB)
Forecasting Multiple Watershed-level Benefits of Alternative Storm Water Management Approaches in the Semi-arid Southwest: Required Tools for Investing Strategically. . SFEI Contribution No. 602.2010. (2.29 MB)
Indicators and Performance Measures for North Bay Watersheds. San Francisco Estuary Institute: Oakland, Ca.2010.
Monitoring Plan Petaluma River Watershed Nutrient and Bacteria Impairment Study: Employing the Reachwide Benthos Method for Stream Algae Sampling and Additional Water Column Nutrient and Fecal Indicator Bacteria Measures. Aquatic Science Center: Oakland, CA.2010. (2.13 MB)
Petaluma River Impairment Assessment for Nutrients, Sediment/Siltation, and Pathogens Part 1: Existing Information and TMDL Comparison. Aquatic Science Center: Oakland.2010. (1.89 MB)
Seasonal and annual trends in forage fish mercury concentrations, San Francisco Bay. Science of the Total Environment 444, 591-601.2013.
Seasonal and annual trends in forage fish mercury concentrations, San Francisco Bay. Science of the Total Environment 444, 591-601.2013. (563.91 KB)


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11 Times K-Pop References Made A Surprise Appearance In K-Dramas And Fans Loved It
We all know that pop culture references make their way into television shows and the same goes for K-Dramas. K-Pop pops up in almost every single K-Drama out there! Some references are subtle while others are very obvious. While there are too many to count, here are some fan favorite K-Pop references in K-Dramas.
1. "Boy in Luv" manual in 100 Days My Prince
A book of "Boy in Luv" you say…
Hmm…sounds an awful lot like this BTS song!
2. Very familiar faces in Descendents of the Sun
No hiding for this reference at all, when Red Velvet take the stage to perform "Dumb Dumb" for the troops in Descendents of the Sun!
3. The secretary dance off in Goblin
Wanting to know a little bit more about the kind of gift young women would like, the CEO was presented with a list including references to BTS and EXO. What makes it even better is that the secretary dances a little bit of "Boy in Luv" and "Growl"!
4. How to ride a horse in Splash Splash Love
A runaway horse always spells disaster especially if you don't know what you're doing. But as Splash Splash Love taught us the answer to saving yourself might just lay in PSY's "Gangnam Style".
5. Eyes on fleek in Kill Me, Heal Me
Although Oh Ri Jin might have been surprised at the makeup look, EXO-Ls loved the reference to Baekhyun's legendary burgundy eye look from the Seoul Music Awards!
6. "Me Gustas Tu" dance battle in Come Back Mister
Who doesn't love "Me Gustas Tu"? While almost every K-Pop idol has danced to this song at some point, fans were super excited to see Rain and Yoon Park dancing to it in Come Back Mister!
7. "You look like a singer" in Chief Kim
When Junho was told to sing a song because he "looked like a singer" everyone watching Chief Kim couldn't help but laugh! But things got even better when the 2PM idol pulled out TWICE's "TT"!
8. We see what you did there in I Remember You
When Lee Hyun calls Cha Ji An for stalking him, she admitted to doing it in the past but now she follows EXO. It's a pretty fantastic reference considering D.O. stars in this drama!
9. G-Dragon would be proud in The Idle Mermaid
What are you to do when you find out your crush likes someone else? How about have a dance break…
G-Dragon style!
10. Attack of VIXX Glorious Day
Whenever a K-Pop idol stars in a K-Drama you know that there's going to be a reference in there somewhere. It's just that we weren't expecting this…
Or this! Hyuk, Leo, we're sure Hongbin didn't mean it!
11. Every glorious second of Reply 1997
While most dramas go for subtle little references or just a quick peek into K-Pop, Reply 1997 took us back to the year 1997 and the first generation of K-Pop. With so many scenes dedicated to H.O.T and SECHSKIES, it's hard to pick just one reference!


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24570 Dulles Landing Drive
Dulles , VA 20166
Phone: (703) 688-3902
The Little Gym of Dulles Landing is dedicated to improving the lives of children in the Dulles community. Through our philanthropic and sustainability program, Big Hearts, we look for simple and effective ways we can positively impact Dulles to ensure all children, today and in the future, have a safe and healthy place to live and grow.
In addition to local efforts, The Little Gym has also teamed up with Peppa Pig to create a one-of-a-kind Awesome Birthday Adventure in support of The Muddy Puddles Project. On behalf of every party booked, The Little Gym will be making contributions to support The Muddy Puddles Project's mission to end childhood cancer and celebrate kids being kids in honor of those who can't.Learn more Donate now


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Previews began August 24 for the Playwrights Horizons production of DETROIT, the New York premiere of the much-heralded new play by Obie Award winner Lisa D'Amour. The show opened last night, September 18 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the big opening below!
Ms. D'Amour is both a 2011 Pulitzer Prize finalist for this play and a 2011 Steinberg Playwright Award winner for her body of work. Directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman (Maple and Vine at Playwrights Horizons, Slowgirl, Stunning, Naked Angels' This Wide Night) in a completely new production, DETROIT is being presented as the first production of the theater company's 2012/2013 Season.
The cast of DETROIT features two-time Tony Award winner John Cullum (for Shenandoah and On the Twentieth Century; nominations for Urinetown, 110 in the Shade and On a Clear Day…; Wilder at PH), Darren Pettie (This and Spatter Pattern at PH, Butley on Broadway, "Mad Men"), Oscar and two-time Tony Award nominee Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone, "The Office," On the Mountain at PH), Emmy Award nominee David Schwimmer ("Friends," "Band of Brothers") and Sarah Sokolovic (Drama Desk Award nominee for The Shaggs at PH).
Darren Pettie, Sarah Sokolovic, David Schwimmer, Amy Ryan and John Cullum
Darren Pettie, Sarah Sokolovic, David Schwimmer, Amy Ryan and John Cullum
Sarah Sokolovic, Darren Pettie, Amy Ryan, John Cullum and David Schwimmer
Tim Sanford, Lisa D'Amour and Anne Kauffman
Kent Nicholson and Cassie Beck
Michael Greif and Jonathan Fried
Caitlin O'Connell and Peter Friedman
Shuler Hensley and Paula DeRosa
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Cross-Posted from DeSmogBlog
The U.S. Department of Defense released the 2014 version of its Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) yesterday, declaring the threat of climate change impacts a very serious national security vulnerability that, among other things, could enable further terrorist activity.
Released every four years, the QDR is a broad outline of U.S. military strategy discussing how to maintain global U.S. military hegemony. Like the 2010 document, the 64-page 2014 QDR again highlights the threats posed to national security by ever-worsening global climate disruption.
"The impacts of climate change may increase the frequency, scale, and complexity of future missions, including defense support to civil authorities, while at the same time undermining the capacity of our domestic installations to support training activities," the report details.
"Climate change poses another significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating."
For sake of context, some members of the U.S. Congress still deny the existence of climate change, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. But the Pentagon's assessment is that global warming is not only real, but also a civilizational threat, as stated in sobering language in the past three QDRs.
As outlined in Christian Parenti's 2011 book, "Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence," the military establishment understands climate change is an unparalleled global threat, saying so clearly in reports like the QDR. The problem: its activities around the world are in large part responsible for the threat to begin with.
"Theat Multipliers...Can Enable Terrorist Activity"
Although climate change doesn't have its own robust section as it did in the 2010 QDR, in each of the eight times it's mentioned this time around, the QDR draws similar conclusions.
Climate change has the ability to "devastate homes, land, and infrastructure" and "may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs."
Further, the QDR says the desperation that many people, particularly in poorer regions, will face due to climate change impacts could lead to "resource competition" and even "terrorist activity."
"The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world," explains the report.
"These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions – conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence."
Spending the bulk of QDR ink perscribing the damages climate change will wreak on a global scale, the report also points to a few suggestions of how to tackle the crisis. Sort of.
"Creative Ways to Address...Climate Change"
According to the Pentagon, it's not all doom and gloom going forward.
"[T]he department will employ creative ways to address the impact of climate change, which will continue to affect the operating environment and the roles and missions that U.S. Armed Forces undertake," says the QDR. "The Department will remain ready to operate in a changing environment amid the challenges of climate change and environmental damage."
What the Department of Defense plans to do to tackle the crisis, though, is explained only in the vaguest of terms.
"We have increased our preparedness for the consequences of environmental damage and continue to seek to mitigate these risks while taking advantage of opportunities," says the report.
The QDR then explains a couple more specific examples of its plans for the future.
The QDR explains, "The Department's operational readiness hinges on unimpeded access to land, air, and sea training and test space...[and] [w]e are developing new policies, strategies, and plans, including the Department's Arctic Strategy."
Making Bad Problem Worse
Unfortunately, the Pentagon's Arctic Strategy — published in November 2013 as a follow up to President Obama's National Strategy for the Arctic Region published last May — would only make a bad problem worse.
ClimateProgress Co-Editor Ryan Koronowski unpacked this in a November 2013 article:
The Arctic Strategy's approach follows on the National Strategy for the Arctic Region, released in May, which focused — perhaps a little too much — on how a warming Arctic would allow the U.S. to access currently-inaccessible fossil fuels...Indeed, the main reason why the Arctic is warming enough to create such "historic opportunities" is the burning of fossil fuels that drives climate change.
As we've pointed out here on DeSmogBlog before, the Pentagon is an enormous consumer of fossil fuels.
As TomDispatch Associate Editor Nick Turse has explained (emphases mine), "In 2009, according to the Pentagon's Defense Energy Support Center (DESC), the military spent $3.8 billion for 31.3 million barrels -- around 1.3 billion gallons -- of oil consumed at posts, camps, and bases overseas."
With special operations forces stationed in over 100 countries around the world, one thing's for certain: the environmental costs of militarism are huge.
But until the Pentagon's call for "unimpeded access to land, air, and sea training and test space" ends, we can continue to expect QDRs every four years drawing increasingly horrific conclusions.


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The next time you are too busy to access your Twitter feed or have a bad Internet connection, the social network will help you get updated with a quick recap of the key tweets you have missed.
On Wednesday, Twitter introduced to the home timeline a feature, it calls "recaps," that will surface important tweets that the user might have missed from the accounts they follow.
"….we will surface a few of the best Tweets you probably wouldn't have seen otherwise, determined by engagement and other factors," Paul Rosania, a Twitter product manager, wrote in a blog post.
The recaps, which will be marked with the heading "While you were away," will appear for all users on the iOS operating system from Wednesday, with similar alerts for users of the Android app and the Web version of Twitter coming soon.
Users who spend a lot of time on Twitter will see fewer recaps, Twitter said. "Our goal is to help you keep up—or catch up—with your world, no matter how much time you spend on Twitter," Rosania wrote. "With a few improvements to the home timeline we think we can do a better job of delivering on that promise without compromising the real time nature of Twitter."
Rosania did not mention whether users would have any control over the tweets that would be included in the recaps and their frequency.
The recap feature was discussed by Twitter at an analyst meeting in November. CEO Dick Costolo said at the meeting that the company was building a Twitter that was the best way to keep in touch and connect with the world, and promised a speedup in the pace and breadth of product change.
Twitter has previously modified users' timelines. For example, besides showing "promoted tweets," purchased by advertisers, it also started surfacing tweets from accounts that the user didn't follow. "We select each Tweet using a variety of signals, including how popular it is and how people in your network are interacting with it. Our goal is to make your home timeline even more relevant and interesting," Twitter said in a support page.
Twitter reported in late October, when announcing its third-quarter 2014 results, that it is available in more than 35 languages and has 284 million monthly active users, up by 23 percent from the same quarter a year earlier.
There are also over 500 million unique users who visit Twitter owned and operated properties every month but don't log in, and there are many more unique monthly users who consume Twitter content in syndication and through mobile apps, Costolo said at the November meet. His aim is to convert visitors to active users by reducing barriers to consumption, including easier sign ons and an "instant timeline" feature that will allow new users to see what's happening on the site without having to first go through the time-consuming process of following accounts.


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Larry's Tackle Shop has a new owner. He is the same guy who has been behind the counter and stocking the walls with fishing gear for years.
Steve V. Purcell has stepped from managing the store to owner and he did it with little fanfare back in March.
For him, this is the realization of a dream. Though he has managed the store for years, he has run it as though he owned it.
"I don't know what I would have done without thinking about the store," he said.
Mr. Purcell has followed the affairs of the store, its merchandise and customers for 20 years. There is fellowship in the store and plenty of opportunity for a few jabs of humor.
Larry's Tackle Shop opened in 1947. It is one of the oldest continuing businesses in Edgartown. The shop has an unassuming presence on Upper Main street. It is a 6,000-square-foot showcase store on the right of the building that houses the much bigger Al's Package Store.
The store has been at other locations. For years it was on the Edgartown waterfront. Twice it was at Depot Corner gas station. Mr. Purcell remembers working for Ruth Meyer when the store was at Depot Corner. He fished a lot and worked part time.
"I worked there for the discount. Working for Ruth helped to fund my interest in fishing," he said, though he does recall a time when he owed her more money for fishing gear than he made in his paycheck.
Ms. Meyer sold the store in 1999. Mr. Purcell believes he is the fifth owner.
Peter A. Johnson of Vineyard Haven and New Hampshire bought the store in May of 2003. Mr. Purcell credits Mr. Johnson's help for the sale. "Peter let me do what I wanted to do," Mr. Purcell said. "I tried to run it the best I could, as though I owned it. Peter was my favorite boss. It was hands off. Every once in a while he would call me."
Mr. Purcell has great memories of growing up and fishing as a child in Southborough.
"I went freshwater fishing," he said.
While many of the kids were chased from fishing at the Sudbury reservoir, the young Mr. Purcell got away with it.
"My dad was a police officer," Mr. Purcell said.
His introduction to saltwater fishing came from his Uncle Bill Adams, a commercial fisherman who fished out of Gloucester for striped bass, bluefish and giant tuna.
"He used to kidnap me when I was a kid. He'd ask: 'You want to go fishing?' We would go out two or three days for tuna. I was 13, 14 years old." Mr. Purcell remains an avid offshore fisherman.
Today Mr. Purcell still does charter fishing trips. He owns a boat called Short Fuse, a 29-foot Angler, a center console fishing boat. He said he usually gets up at 6 in the morning, goes off and does a charter and steps into the store usually around 11 a.m. He doesn't finish his day until 7 p.m. and he is asleep by 9 p.m.
It is a lot of work running a store that is open every day in the summer, but it is also a lot of fun. His coworkers give him a great deal of support. Among his loyal colleagues are Donald MacGillivray and Julian Pepper.
No one is talking about changing the name of the store from Larry's to Steve's. Mr. Purcell said there is just too much history and he has a high regard for the store's founder, the late Larry Meyer.
Changes are ahead at the store. In the last four years, Mr. Purcell has added more sport to the store by including archery and hunting supplies. He has made sure the store carries low-end fishing gear along with the more expensive gear. A fishing reel can cost as little as $19 or as much as $700. Mr. Purcell has both, and some sports clothing as well.
Business is good, and the fishing is great. Mr. Purcell said there is a correlation.
"From year to year the store is busy all the way up through the derby in the fall," he said. "With hunting, I'd be busy through to Dec. 31. I'd like to figure something I can do from Jan. 1 to April. I am open for ideas," he said.
Soon after he acquired the store, Ruth Meyer came in and congratulated him.
She said: "Steve started working for me a long, long, long time ago. He is just a downright nice guy."
Catch and Release
Last weekend, 217 fishermen participated in the 17th annual Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club Striped Bass Catch and Release Tournament. The fishermen hooked and released a total of 270 striped bass, well below last year's tally of 484 striped bass.
Trophies and winners are as follows:
Roberto Germani Trophy, for the most striped bass caught and released by a team. Roberto Germani, an Island character, believed strongly in the philosophy of catch and release.
Winners were: 1.,Team Doublehaul (Eric Capulupo, Wilson Kerr, Clint Eiler, Chip Bergeron, 45 fish) 11.25 average; 2., Team Capawock (Phil Cronin, Jay Cronin, Jim Herbert, Gary Hoffman, Tom Fay, 35 fish) 7 average; 3., Team Finders Keepers (David Thompson, Paul Fiedler, 10 fish) 5 average.
Sonny and Joey Beaulieu Trophy, for the largest striped bass caught and released. Sony and Joey Beaulieu, father and son, died in a tragic boating accident along with Fred Loud and his son Adam.
The winner was Gary Mirando, 64 inches total length and girth (43 and 21 inches).
Arnold Spofford Trophy, for the most fish caught and released by a team using one fly. Arnold Spofford, fly fisherman and gentleman, made and sold a line of Spofford lures. He also was a co-founder of the Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters Association.
Winners were: 1., Scare and Release (Jim Lepore, Ed Lepore, 13 fish), 6.5 fish average; 2., Rhody 1 (Tony DiRobbio, Ed Tatro, Jim Erhardt, Ron Cavalaro, 5 fish) 1.25 average; 3., Flock of Sigels (Tom Robinson, Nelson Sigelman, Jason Zimmer, Peter Duggan, Chris Newhall, 6 fish) 1.2 average.


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Wed Nov 24,2010
Nearly two months after Afghans cast their votes in the parliamentary election, the countrys Independent Election Commission released the final results for all but one area of the country.
While concerns remain about corruption and fraud, one of the biggest flash points ahead may prove to be the disproportionately large number of Hazara representatives elected especially compared to Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan.
It is indeed the deprivation of a very large group in the country, pushing them further towards isolation, says Haji Mohammed Mohaqiq, a member of the provincial council in Wardak. One of the biggest reasons for insecurity is that the Pashtuns dont see their representatives in the government, despite being the largest group in the country.
The swell in Hazara representation comes in large part from insecurity in Pashtun regions that kept potential voters from the polls on election day. Throughout the country, most of the fighting takes place in Pashtun areas and the Taliban is almost exclusively Pashtun movement. As a result, they were more likely to experience threats and danger on election day and military forces had greater difficulty securing their areas.
The security forces created a vacuum, nobody was there, and the Taliban threatened them, says Israr Khan, the president of the Awakened Youth Association, a political awareness group focused on creating peace.
Hazaras' disproportionate strength
Early analyses of the final results show that the Hazara community may have snagged a share of the lower house that represents as much as double their actual proportion of the population.
In Ghazni, the last remaining constituency to be counted, preliminary results indicated that all 11 seats went to Hazara candidates, even though the province has a slim majority of Pashtuns with significant Hazara and Tajik minorities. Officials estimate it will be another week before they have official results due to the closure of numerous other polling stations, as well as other election-day irregularities, such as one district that only counted three votes.
Wardak province also saw a surge in Hazara representation. Though the region is predominately home to Pashtuns, three of the five seats went to Hazaras.
All this is a serious concern for many of the countrys Pashtuns, who allege that they are now underrepresented, especially in Wardak and Ghazni.
The Hazaras victory, however, is unlikely to spark ethnic strife. Instead, it may cast further doubt on the fairness and representativeness of the elections. Ethnically imbalanced results suggest to some Afghans a process that was either not truly democratic or, at worst, rigged.
Allegations of fraud still loom heavy over the election, with doubts remaining about whether today's announced results will be accepted.
Hours before the IEC publicized the results, a number of candidates launched a demonstration protesting what they say was a corrupt and fraudulent election.
Such demonstrations have been commonplace since the elections took place on Sept. 18 and nearly one-quarter of all 5.6 million votes were thrown out due to fraud.
Was the Hazara vote fair?
The enthusiastic participation of Hazaras versus the lackluster turnout among other ethnic groups particularly Pashtuns has created competing narratives since voting day.
Hazaras have faced historical oppression in Afghanistan. Their suffering under the Taliban regime and their newfound rights under the current Constitution has made the community an ardent supporter of the democratic process. Hazaras turned out to vote in force.
However, Hazara leaders suspect that other ethnic groups fearful of the Hazara strength at the ballot box have worked through the government to suppress as much of the Hazara vote as possible.
In Hazara areas of Kabul, as well as the Ghazni districts of Jaghori, Malistan, and Nawur, ballots ran out early, with some Hazara leaders claiming the government purposely short-changed polling centers there. In one mixed Hazara-Pashtun district of Ghazni, Qarabagh, no polling centers opened at all due to a lack of voting materials.
Leaders from other ethnic groups, however, see no evidence of systematic suppression of Hazara votes.
A current Pashtun parliamentarian from Ghazni, Daoud Sultanzoy, scoffs at the notion of Hazara disenfranchisement, pointing out that Hazaras looked poised to sweep all the seats, including his own. But he acknowledged that their enthusiastic participation paid dividends not enjoyed by other groups.
I dont want to blame Hazaras, whether they cheated or not. They participated in the process, whether they milked the process for everything they could good for them, he says. The Pashtuns and Tajiks did not fulfill their responsibilities as citizens, did not participate in some parts of the province.
An inexperienced parliament
While there will no doubt be tensions as the government resolves final voting tallies in Ghazni, few believe that it will create any violence.
I dont think this will lead to an ethnic confrontation. Because the election turnout was so low and there was massive fraud, I think for most people it doesnt really matter what the results showed, says Masood Farivar, manager of Salam Watandar, a national radio network.
Generally speaking, Afghanistans new 249-member lower house of parliament will be a largely inexperienced organization. Only about 90 seats went to incumbents, meaning there will be at least 148 new members. The upper house was not elected in this cycle.
Source: http://ca.news.yahoo.com


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The Resurrection - Apple Books
eBook for iTunes and iOS
A must-read for anyone who wants to experience the Kingdom of heaven through daily living.
- Twelve profound but playful essays that examine the Biblical encounters with the Risen Lord
- Through his focus on the Resurrection, Hadjadj brings new appreciation for our relationships with others, service, food, money, Scripture, mercy, faith, love, and more
- Perfect for group discussion and individual meditation
- An ideal gift for Catholics and all who wish to understand the mystery of the Resurrection
- Foreword by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia
Two-time winner of the prestigious European Religious Literature Award, member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and a convert from a Jewish atheistic background, Fabrice Hadjadj is considered one of the most brilliant Catholic thinkers of our time.
|Fabrice Hadjadj


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Wolves, moonshine and Billy the Kid
You can hide most anything in the rugged hills of Ramah
By Cindy Yurth
Tséyi' Bureau
(Editor's note: In an effort to chronicle the beauty and diversity of the Navajo Nation, as well as its issues, the Navajo Times has committed to visiting all 110 chapters in alphabetical order. This is the 66th in the series. Some information for this series is taken from the publication "Chapter Images" by Larry Rodgers.)
RAMAH NAVAJO, N.M., Dec. 26, 2013
(Cindy Yurth - Navajo Times)
If you look at a map of Ramah Chapter, it looks like moths got to it.
Less than half the land located within Ramah's borders is actual tribal trust land, according to Chimeco Eriacho, 77, one of several elders collaborating on a history of the chapter.
This most heavily checkerboarded chapter of the Navajo Nation, entirely separate from the "Big Rez," is also its own reservation, its own BIA agency, and the people are considered a separate band.
Navajos have been living in the foothills of the Zuni Mountains since at least 1540, when early Spanish accounts of their war with the Zuni mention "Apaches" (probably Diné, whom the Spaniards lumped together with their Athabascan cousins) riding out of the mountains to the pueblo's aid.
The Diné were nomadic at that time, explained Eriacho, coming here in the summer from as far away as Tohatchi to harvest the wild onions of the mountain meadows. In Navajo, this area is still called "Tl'ohchin'" ("Onions").
Although Ramah Chapter was recognized in 1957, the land was not officially withdrawn until 1979, when Jan Crull Jr., an attorney volunteering with the chapter, pushed through Public Law 96-333, giving the Ramah Navajo rights to their land.
By this time, however, there were already large tracts of private land dotting the chapter like splotches on a pinto pony. According to Eriacho, some of these were to be deeded to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1880 as it completed its route from Isleta, N.M. to Needles, Calif., but the railroad chose a route farther north to be closer to the coal mines of Gallup.
The feds then opened up the land grants to anyone who could develop them under the Homestead Act of 1862, unleashing a flood of Anglo settlement, mostly from the south.
"The government never told us Navajos we could apply for those lands," Eriacho said. "If they did, things would have been different."
Competing livestock
Instead, Navajo sheepherders found their flocks competing with the white ranchers' cattle, resulting in some skirmishes. At the same time, the tiny Mormon settlement of Ramah, along the cottonwood-shaded creek bed, was growing and edging the migratory Diné out of the best grazing land.
While the checkerboarding led to a diverse, interesting community where many people spoke English, Spanish, Navajo and Zuni almost interchangeably, it was impoverishing the Diné.
"It's impossible to run livestock on land where every other mile, there's a different owner," explained Eriacho. Eventually the local Navajos got some relief when one of their leaders got the bright idea of fencing in the Anglo tracts.
"Most of them didn't have water on their land," Eriacho said. "We were able to starve them out."
The Ramah Navajos, who had no great interest in aiding the state or federal authorities, soon developed a reputation among some questionable elements in Anglo society for being able to keep a secret.Around the turn of the last century, Ramah began to attract more than its share of outcasts and criminals. The community of Candy Kitchen, for example, is named for a moonshiner's establishment during Prohibition. To explain the large amount of sugar he was importing to the remote area, the diabolical distiller made pi–on nut candy in the front of his shop and produced liquor in back.
A crib for the Kid
Then there were the Millers.
A man calling himself John Miller, his wife Isadora and their adopted Navajo son set up a ranch on the edge of the reservation in 1881 -- the year Billy the Kid was supposedly shot to death by Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, N.M. Rumors arose that Miller was in fact the notorious outlaw, having somehow faked his death and escaped. Shortly before his death, Miller himself confessed.
He provided a detailed story of playing dead through his wake, and then escaping with the help of some sympathizers who replaced his body with that of a local Mexican who had died the previous night.
The Ramah Navajos generally gave the Miller family a wide berth, Eriacho reported, although he has in his possession a 1909 contract between Miller and Eriacho's grandfather to purchase 100 head of cattle.
In 2005, Tom Sullivan, former sheriff of Lincoln County, N.M., and Steve Sederwall, a former mayor of Capitan, N.M., disinterred Miller's bones to obtain DNA to match against the bloodstained wooden bench where the Kid lay after he was shot, but results were inconclusive.
Fort Sumner has steadfastly refused to relinquish the Kid's body for DNA testing, since if it isn't the Kid's, there goes their only tourist attraction. Besides, the town says, a flood in 1904 washed away many of the graves and headstones, and they're not even sure that's Billy under his marker. For now, the mystery endures.
Outcasts and misfits
The Millers aside, Ramah continues to attract "homesteader families, regular folks, hippies, Radical Faeries, Ramah Navajos, Zuni Puebloans, nihilistic survivalists, reclusivists, people who like their privacy, people who enjoy living simply, and many other Ôoutcasts' who live on the fringes of society," according to Wikipedia's "Candy Kitchen" entry.
"It's a very diverse community, which makes it fun," acknowledged Pam Pickens, proprietor of the Inscription Rock Trading and Coffee Co., a local haunt just east of the reservation. "We have Navajos, Zunis, Mormons, a gay community -- and we all get along pretty well."
In addition to the fringe-y human types, Candy Kitchen is the home of some animal outcasts. The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary provides space for, at last count, 61 wolves, wolf-dogs, dingoes, foxes and rare New Guinea singing dogs -- in addition to five or six Malamute mixes that people turned over to the sanctuary thinking they were wolves (the latter are up for adoption, if you're looking for something that looks like a wolf but isn't).
A $7 tour of the facility is well worthwhile if you're in the area, and they even have a campground for those who want to experience waking up to the blood-curdling sound of 61 wild and domestic canids howling in unison.
Doing for itself
Because Ramah Chapter got little help from the tribe before it was certified (and if you ask the Ramah Navajos, things haven't changed much), this is a place that has learned to take care of itself.
Like Alamo, another satellite reservation, Ramah incorporated its school board in 1970, making it possible for the entity to write and receive grants. The board has since established many educational and community projects, including a clinic.
There are also some charitable organizations helping the community to develop, most notably Oso Vista Ranch, which offers youth camps, sewing lessons, free tax preparation, adult education, a computer lab and other services.
"Even though we're so diverse, I feel like this is a real community," said Margaret Merrill, founder and executive director of Oso Vista Ranch. "We work together with the chapter, the clinic, some private businesses -- we have wonderful support from the community that has allowed us to grow and offer more services every year."
Make no mistake, this place is not heaven, in spite of its Biblical name. There are high rates of alcoholism and crime, and unemployment is high even for the Navajo Nation. The community's tiny jail is consistently overcrowded, and the BIA's recent allocation for a new one fell short of the projected cost.
This is the place that, last year around this time, an 8-year-old left unattended by his parents was reportedly mauled to death by a pack of hungry dogs.
Still, there's a sense of optimism here; a sense of pride in the community's diversity and quirkiness.
Among all the oddballs, there are, says Merrill, "a lot of people that care."
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