text:
925 Jordan Creek Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50266
515-222-1520 (Primary)
515-267-8136 (Fax)
Saturday: 5:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 am, 5:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am
520 NW 36th St.
Ankeny, IA 50023
515-964-5586 (Primary)
Mailing Address:
Lutheran Church of Hope
520 NW 36th Street, Suite 101
Ankeny, IA 50023
Saturday: 5:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00, 9:15, 10:00 & 11:00 am
Saturday: 5:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 am
2500 University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50311
515-282-4481 (Primary)
Sunday: 9:00 & 11:00 am
Wednesday: 6:30 pm
1335 NE Beaverbrooke Blvd
Grimes, IA 50111
515-259-9495 (Primary)
Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am
305 NE Dartmoor Drive
Waukee, IA 50263
515-264-2000 (Primary)
Sunday, 9:15 & 10:45 am
3329 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014
515-706-7550 (Primary)
Sunday: 9:00 & 10:30 am
Ames City Auditorium, 520 6th St.
Office (The Link):
3329 Lincoln Way.
Ames, IA 50014
Each week, our services at Hope bring thousands of people together to celebrate the power of God's life-changing love! Whatever service you choose you will always receive a warm welcome at a church that loves you, and loves to worship the Lord!
At Hope+Elim, there are numerous ways for you to connect and plug in. From joining a small group to signing up for a class, there's something for everyone – young, old, new to faith or seasoned Christian. There's a place for you and we hope you will jump right now!
One of our Core Values at Hope is that following Jesus is a growing experience. We can't outgrow Christian faith. As modern day disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to move from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity For this reason, we strive to bring people into an ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ. This growth best happens in life groups (Acts 2:42-47). As we grow in faith, we turn our hearts to God, giving of ourselves and our resources – freely and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Serving others is one of the greatest blessings God offers us. Acts of selfless service allow us to bring glory to God and shine his light in this world! Whether you are looking to serve here at Hope, or outside in our community or around the world, we have a number of places for you to jump right in and be the hands and feet of Jesus to our brothers and sisters in Christ!
The Care Ministry exists to reach out to the members, friends, and families of the church and community, and share the everlasting love of Jesus Christ with those in need of special care. The people serving in this ministry seek to be present during the storms of life, bringing the presence of Christ and the promises of God. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can best support you!
We believe kids are important because God believes kids are important! Through dynamic teaching, worship, and activities, our hope it is to reach kids with the love of Jesus and teach them all we can about him! We want them to know God made them, that he is their friend, and that they can be real and honest with God.
Weddings at Lutheran Church of Hope are a joyous celebration of God's love – a time to worship our Lord as he joins together a couple in a life-long marriage as husband and wife.
Getting Started
If you are interested in scheduling a wedding at Hope, or inviting a Hope pastor to preside at your wedding, please email Wedding Director Heather Goeders, or call her at the church office: 515-222-1520 ext.123.
Due to the high volume of requests, we schedule weddings at Hope for those who are church members, or those who have made Hope their church home through regular attendance at worship or other ministry events.
Pre-Marriage Class
God established marriage as a life-long commitment. For this reason, and because we want to foster healthy marriages, all couples married at Hope, or by Hope pastors, are required to take a pre-marriage class.
Hope offers this pre-marriage class four times each year. To register for the next pre-marriage class at Hope, please click here.
Hope's Same-Gender Wedding Policy
As a Bible-based church, we stand firmly against the oppression and bullying of LGBTQ people, too often carried out by self-righteous and legalistic Christians. Such behavior is outrageously unfaithful and a gross misrepresentation of Christ's love. Jesus calls our love for God and others his greatest commandment (Mark 12:30-31). Without hesitation, Hope loves and welcomes all people — straight and gay — and we are blessed by the large number of LGBTQ people who proudly call Hope their church home, actively taking part in the life and mission of this congregation.
As a Bible-based church, we also turn to Scripture for direction on all matters of faith and daily life. From the beginning of human creation (Genesis 2:24), God established marriage as a holy union between a man and a woman. Affirmed by Jesus (Matthew 19:4-6), as well as the apostle Paul (Ephesians 5:31), God's intent for marriage is clear. As a result, we are unable to host same-sex weddings at Hope.
How do I schedule a wedding date at Hope?
To begin the process, contact Heather Goeders, Wedding Director, at [email protected] or 515-222-1520. After reviewing the policies and fees, she will work with you to reserve dates and times for the wedding and rehearsal. Please note the following:
Is there a pre-marriage class or counseling offered?
The pastors expect all couples to attend one of the Pre-Marriage Seminars offered at Hope. They believe that you should begin your married relationship with as many tools as you can gather for a lifetime of growth together. By participating in this seminar, you are making an important decision to invest more deeply in what God has given you - each other and your relationship.
The Pre-Marriage Seminar consists of six weekly sessions at which you will have the opportunity to look more intentionally at your relationship. Several presenters will share thoughts and insights into building a healthy and growing relationship that lasts a lifetime. You will also discover ways to ensure that your relationship thrives.
Who helps with weddings at Hope?
Hope's Wedding Director will be available to answer your questions as they arise in your planning process. The director will meet with you four months before the wedding to discuss your plans and talk through the planning guide you receive when the ceremony date is confirmed.
How do we schedule a pastor for our wedding?
A Hope pastor, chaplain or ministry director will be assigned to officiate your wedding. Officiants are assigned weddings based on availability. If you have a preference, please state that at the time you meet with the Wedding Director.
Please note the following:
When will the rehearsal happen?
The rehearsal is important and the entire wedding party should attend. Your wedding assistant(s) will coordinate this event. Rehearsals, scheduled for the day before the wedding, take approximately one hour and must begin and end on time. A rehearsal time will be assigned by the Wedding Director at the same time the wedding is scheduled.
Are there guidelines for music?
Music is a very important part of the wedding ceremony. Lutheran Church of Hope is God's house. For that reason, all music selected should be appropriate for a Christian worship service. The mission and values of Hope are to be a reflection of the life and ministry of Christ. Music that does not present a Christ-centered message will not be permitted, and you will be asked to consider those pieces for other parts of your day, such as your reception. To assist, the staff has developed a list of suggested music.
There are some questions to be asked about the music. If the answer is "yes," then the music is likely appropriate.
If you wish to use music selections not found on the list, please discuss your ideas with the Wedding Director. The director can also schedule a pianist for the ceremony and provide a list of possible vocalists and their contact information. Hope remains open to your creative input and wants you to be aware of our willingness to help you select music that will give glory to our God, the source of all love!
Prelude Music
This music is performed as your guests are being seated. Normally starting about 15-20 minutes prior to your ceremony, the music selections are generally chosen by the organist/pianist. It is not necessary to list the titles of the prelude music in your program, although you may have that option if you choose.
The Processional
The processional will be performed as your bridal party enters the Chapel. Couples frequently choose three pieces; one for the seating of parents and/or grandparents, one for the bridal group and one for the entrance of the bride. When selecting processional music, keep in mind the style, tone and mood you want to create with your selections.
Worship Music
You may choose to have the congregation sing a worship song together. Print the words to the song in your wedding program. For an additional fee a production team member can put the lyrics on the screen.
Solo Vocal Music
Solos are usually performed in a variety of places within the wedding ceremony. Normally, one or two solos containing sacred texts that directly relate to and support the worship service are presented. Following is a list of suggested places for solos:
The Recessional
The recessional will be played as the wedding party exits the Chapel. Usually these pieces are joyous and festive.
The Postlude
This music is played as your guests leave. Normally, anywhere from 10-15 minutes of music will be performed. Typically, the pianist or organist will choose these selections. It is not necessary to list the titles of the postlude pieces in your program, although that remains an option.
How do I get a marriage license?
The marriage license must be purchased at least three days before the wedding. You must bring one copy of the license, the certificate and the return envelope to the rehearsal. Your wedding coordinator will make sure it is correctly filled out and signed, and will mail the certificate to the county clerk after the ceremony. Visit www.polkrecorder.com/marriages.htm or www.dallas.ia.us/index/aspx?page=422 for more information.
What is allowed in the building?
Your wedding is a Lutheran Church of Hope worship service. Participants and guests should conduct themselves accordingly.
It is likely that your wedding will not be the only ceremony or activity in the chapel on your wedding day. For that reason, you will have four hours of use of the Chapel. An example of how this timeframe works will be sent to you when your date has been confirmed.
It is likely that other activities will be going on at the church on your wedding day. The Wedding Director will work with the other ministries to make sure everyone is aware of when a wedding is taking place.
Hope is not able to store your wedding dress or decorations. You will also need to take all decorations and personal items with you immediately after the wedding. Thank you for helping Hope to serve others by doing this.
What about alcohol or smoking?
Alcohol is not permitted in any part of the church or in the parking lot. Lutheran Church of Hope is a smoke-free environment.
Hope asks that you review the policy with your wedding party and families. To clarify, Hope requests that:
The pastors reserve the right to refuse to perform the marriages of couples who do not comply with this policy.
Are there guidelines for decorating?
Chapel Furnishings
Aisle Runners
Guest Book Table
Candles/Candle Holders
Glitter from decorations or clothing presents a difficult cleaning problem for the church staff. Therefore, Hope asks that you refrain from using body glitter, glitter on your decorations or glitter on the clothing of your wedding party.
Are there guidelines for photographers or videographers?
What if I want to include video or recordings in the ceremony?
A member of Hope's production staff will be provided to assist on the wedding day with:
You may use music recorded on a flash drive at your wedding. Please record it on the flash drive in the order it will be used in the wedding. Provide the recorded music to the Wedding Director two weeks before the wedding.
What about the program and order of service?
Couples will go over the Order of Service with the officiant. Below is a typical order of service.
Prelude - Special Music/Solo (optional)
Greeting and Prayer
Special Music/Solo (optional)
Special Music/Solo (optional)
Giving of Rings
Unity Candle (optional)
Special Music/Solo (optional)
Marriage Blessing and Prayer
Lord's Prayer (spoken or as special music)
For a list of suggested Bible passages, click here.
What are the costs associated with having a wedding at Hope?
Wedding Fees:
Full wedding in the Lutheran Church of Hope Chapel
Basic fee - $250
Pastor honorarium: The amount of your choice
The basic fee includes:
Optional Fees:
A non-refundable deposit is due when wedding date is set and balance is due 2 weeks before wedding.
Small Family Weddings
Small weddings are designed to accommodate couples who would like a very simple and intimate ceremony without all the details of a full wedding. These weddings have 20 or fewer guests and are held in the Prayer Garden. We do not provide a person from the Production Team or Wedding Coordinator for these ceremonies.
Fee: $50
Pastor honorarium: The amount of your choice
The fee includes:
Is it possible to leave personal items at the church?
What are the responsibilities of the Wedding Director?
What are the responsibilities of the Wedding Coordinator assigned to my ceremony?
What is expected of the bride and groom?
Checklist for the bride and groom:
Contact Heather Goeders, Wedding Director at 515-222-1520 ext. 123 or [email protected].
Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Site by Spinutech


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NEWS RELEASE 10/13/13: PF&R Fights Early Morning Blaze, Three Dogs Missing
Firefighters are searching for three dogs after an early morning fire destroys home.
Less than three minutes after crews arrived a flashover engulfed the entire home in flames.
Because the volume of fire created an unsafe atmosphere inside the home, crews spent almost twenty minutes attacking the fire from outside before firefighters could enter to fully extinguish the blaze. Once firefighters entered, a primary search to locate the dogs was initiated.
Loaded weapons were among many hazards faced by firefighters. Battalion Chief Bob Zavodsky warned crews that extensive remodeling created a "structure within a structure." False floors and several gas tanks were present.
The fire was brought under control and recalled at 4:03 am. A fire investigator is now on scene.
Damage estimates and a determination of cause will be available upon completion of the investigation.
No injuries to civilians or firefighters are reported as a result of this fire.
Contact Info: PIO Gabriel Watson Media Pager 503-940-6003

subset: commoncrawl


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I've got baseball on the brain today.
Baseball is awash in data. Aside from people who make a living out of disseminating and analyzing said data, who else pays attention? Just asking.
Anyone who wants to know has a means to know. And I mean everything. What happens on the field in major league baseball has been broken down into the most infinitesimal detail. Who does what on which counts. Where every batted ball has gone, and if it's airborne, whether it can be categorized as a fly ball, line drive, or something in between. Though not yet as well-defined as the data concerning offense and pitching, defensive analysis is becoming increasingly sophisticated, although some of the defensive judgments are just that — judgments. Should so-and-so have caught that ball? Well, I don't know. Was the wind blowing at that moment? Was it an opposite-field hit with the ball spinning away from the outfielder? That's a judgment, isn't it? And how can a judgment be incorporated fairly into creating a statistic?
All the new data is of surpassing interest to the brainiacs in baseball front offices and dugouts, and pretty much woe to the modern skipper who scoffs at the metrics. I think it's safer to say the Danny Ozarks are gone. The highest compliment that could be paid to someone in Ye Olden Days was that he was a "good baseball man." This meant that he had a knowledge of situations and perhaps little tell-tale things about players that could be brought into the discussion. When someone said that so-and-so was a "good baseball man," the rest of us would nod our heads. We kinda knew what was meant.
You don't hear that so much anymore. Being a good baseball man nowadays means a willingness to embrace the new numbers. We have come a long way since Dr. Charles Steinberg was preparing those little index cards for Earl Weaver, the ones that told him Lee May was 2 for 21 against this guy or that guy. No, I'm not making that up. That was the first step in Dr. Charles Steinberg, a dentist who loved baseball, becoming Charles Steinberg, front office man. Anyway, those little index cards gave Earl Weaver an edge.
Where I'm going with all this is that I'm wondering if all this, to borrow a phrase, Inside Baseball is just, well, Inside Baseball, of interest to the working baseball people and to the new breed of baseball writers and analysts who are perfectly comfortable micromanaging every game they encounter. I read some of these people, and, yes, I learn. But I feel like I have to follow them because I don't want to be perceived as a baseball Luddite.
My question is, does the average person care? Is the average fan still content with batting average, runs batted in, and earned run average being the Holy Trinity of baseball stats, even though the modern Smart Guys have discredited all three? Oh, and — how could I forget? — wins. Speak not to the modern baseball analysts about a pitcher's wins, those being the most circumstantial of pitching developments, at least in their eyes.
I'm guessing that most fans are oblivious to all the new statistical stuff. They just want to watch and enjoy a game. They will continue to evaluate players and teams by giving everyone the Eye Test, just as their father, grandfather, and great-grandfather did. If this means they are then wallowing in some kind of statistical ignorance, then so be it. I think the average fan really didn't understand the recent fuss over whether Miguel Cabrera was worthy of an MVP. He won the Triple Crown in 2012, didn't he? Isn't the Triple Crown supposed to be baseball's crowning offensive achievement? Hadn't we been waiting since 1967 to see another one? Of course, Miguel Cabrera was worthy of being MVP. Next question.
And didn't he put up even better numbers last year? He should have been the MVP a second time, and he was.
But wait. The New Breed Stat Guys were apoplectic in both 2012 and 2013. They stopped short of declaring Cabrera a fraud, but they did say he was unworthy because, after all, he was out-WARPed by Mike Trout in both seasons, 10.9-7.3 in 2012 and 8.9-7.5 last season. End of story, as Tony Soprano might say.
For those of you old-timers who don't know, WARP (or WAR), stands for "Wins Above Replacement Player," and it is the be-all and end-all number for the New Breed Stat Guys. As defined in Baseball Prospectus (an indispensable preseason guide even diamond Luddites can enjoy), WARP attempts to quantify "the difference between the 'replacement level' (derived from looking at the quality of players added to a team's roster after the start of the season) and the league average." You are allowed to remain skeptical about its validity in my view, but the New Breed Stat Guys swear by it.
What ultimately matters is whether you can still appreciate a given baseball game. I wonder if the New Breed Stat Guys ever actually enjoy a game, because they are so obsessed with what the manager is or isn't doing, based on the data in front of them. They're often upset before the game even starts, because the lineup isn't sufficiently stat-based. And God forbid the skipper who doesn't properly handle what they have termed "high leverage" situations. Sometimes lost in all this is an appreciation of the aesthetics, whether it's a great play in the hole by a shortstop or a snappy inning-ending 5-4-3 double play or a base runner cleverly taking an extra base. Or even a game-winning hit in the ninth inning if it happens to be delivered by someone other than the guy they thought should have been up at the plate. Sometimes the New Breed Stat Guys aren't so good about accepting the vagaries of a very complex game.
On another baseball matter, somewhat related . . .
Defensive shifting is all the rage. People do it because it works, although it's kind of irrelevant if one of the targets hits two home runs. It will be interesting to see what the effect will be in the long run, because the obvious answer to it is for lefthanded hitters, in particular, to be more conscious of hitting the ball the other way. I realize that for most people that is far easier said than done, but perhaps sufficient training in the minor leagues can produce a new generation of hitters.
All sports involve the need for constant adjustment, but this shifting business is a massive challenge that may take years to offset.
Goodness, gracious, how far ahead of his time was Lou Boudreau?
68 years, apparently.
Bob Ryan's column appears regularly in the Globe. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Plenty of new titles are hitting comic book store shelves today. We have previews for you of four series with good jumping-on points. From BOOM! Studios, check out the new Sleepy Hollow: Origins series, which takes a look back at the early days of Crane and Abbie (and some other familiar "faces" from the show). From Dynamite Comics, a new Masks series begins, as well as the Frankensteinian series Reanimator, and the return of Frank Cho's Jungle Girl with the new Season Three.
Sleepy Hollow: Origins, Issue #1 is written by Mike Johnson with art by Matias Bergara.
Masks 2, Issue #1 is written by Cullen Bunn with art by Eman Casallos.
Jungle Girl Season Three, Issue #1 is written by Frank Cho and Doug Murray, with art by Jack Jadson.
Reanimator, Issue #1 is written by Keith Davidsen with art by Randy Valiente.
You'll also find some great variant covers for these issues, shown above and below, including Jae Lee covers, a new Francesco Francavilla horror cover, a Tim Seeley cover, and a Frank Cho cover. Check out previews for all four of these new titles after the break, courtesy of BOOM! Studios and Dynamite Comics:
All of these titles can be found at comic book stores everywhere today.
C.J. Bunce


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Widgetized Welcome Popup is a plugin for WordPress that allows you to add a highly customizable widgetized popup window to your blog or website. The popup window can be automatically raised when visitors come to your website. As an administrator you can decide how often to display it (every time, once per visit or once per number of days). Use the popup window for introducing yourself to new visitors, or for notification everyone about something important/interesting, or whatever. The main advantage is that it contains widget areas, where you can place any widgets available in your WordPress dashboard. The content can be edited using WYSIWYG-editor, and it is allowed to use any shortodes. You can fully customize popup window (window size, window and overlay colors, font scheme color, content, number of widget areas and other parameters). Widgetized Welcome Popup is a perfect way to extend functionality of your website.
- Highly customizable window: set window size, window and overlay colors, background image, font scheme color, overlay opacity, content, number of widget areas, autoclose time and even edit CSS.
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- Accept shortcodes: insert any shortcodes inside of popup box.
- Put any WordPress widgets: drag and drop any widgets available in WordPress dashboard.
- Up to 3 widget areas: put your widgets as tightly as you wish.
- Open on page load: display popup when page is opened.
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Your text Your text
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- Easy to install: install and activate the plugin as any other plugins.
- Translation ready: plugin might be translated to any language.
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Front End Functionality
The best way to understand the idea of Widgetized Welcome Popup is to see live example. Actually, you saw it, when you came to this page. 😉
1. Install and activate the plugin. Once activated, it creates menu item "Welcome Popup" under menu section "Settings" in left side column in the admin area.
2. Click left side menu "Settings >>> Welcome Popup" and do required settings. Set display mode, color, size, cookie lifetime, overlay color and opacity, autoclose time, number of widget areas and others. Please look at the screenshot to view what kind of settings you can do there.
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That's it! Enjoy using the plugin.
If you have problems regarding using the plugin, please contact me and I'll help you.


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Maps and Keys
- 1 Gnawnia
- 2 Valour
- 3 Whisker Woods
- 4 Burroughs
- 5 Furoma
- 6 Bristle Woods
- 7 Tribal Isles
- 8 Varmint Valley
- 9 Queso Canyon
- 10 Rodentia
- 11 Sandtail Desert
- 12 Hollow Heights
- 13 Folklore Forest
- 14 Rift Plane
- 15 Images
- 16 See also
- "Map" redirects here. For other uses, see Treasure Map.
As hunters travel around the world of MouseHunt, they will occasionally find maps and keys while catching mice. These inventory items grant hunters access to new locations. The difficulty in acquiring a particular map or key depends on the difficulty of the mouse relative to their trap power. As only some mice hold them, hunters will usually need to catch at least a few before finding what they want. Some map pieces must be crafted, or purchased from a Cartographer.
In many cases, it is possible for a hunter to obtain a map piece while ranked with a lower Title than what is required to travel to the locations unlocked by that map piece.
The map pieces owned by a hunter can be found on the Map Pieces tab under the Travel section. Additionally, each Hunter's Profile includes a status of how many map pieces a hunter owns, as one of the lists on the Items tab.
Gnawnia Map Piece
You start the game with this basic map piece, which gives you access to the Meadow, Town of Gnawnia, the Windmill, the Harbour and the Mountains.
The Gnawnia Map Piece grants hunters access to all locations within the Gnawnia region. All hunters start with the map already in their inventory.
King's Gauntlet Floorplan
This floor plan has been commissioned directly by the King of Gnawnia. Below the King's seal is this note: Vend only to those who show remarkable valour in the name of the royal crown, and its jewels. The Cartographer has been working hard to produce a surplus of floor plans!
The King's Gauntlet Floorplan grants hunters access to the King's Gauntlet. It can be obtained by buying the map from the Cartographer in the Bazaar for 50,000 gold, after catching a Master Burglar Mouse with a Crown Jewel.
Trivia: When the King's Gauntlet was released, the Floorplan's description included the following sentence, For a limited time, when you order a Floor plan it will be ready in an hour instead of the normal two days! However, when the introductory collection time of 1 hour was no longer available, the completion time was changed to 1 day rather than the 2 days originally suggested. Prior to July 29 2015, the Floorplan was obtained at the Harbour instead of the Bazaar.
Whisker Woods
Calm Clearing Map Piece
The Calm Clearing Map Piece grants hunters access to the Calm Clearing, Claw Shot City and Gnawnian Express Station
New Description and source
A pirate crew in the Harbour dropped this map, which depicts a peaceful-looking clearing in the Whisker Woods region.
Obtain this map piece during the Initiate adventure: Discover the Harbour's Secrets
Hunters must earn 5 Pirate Bounties in the Harbour. Each bounty will award one A Map Scrap and when all 5 are combined through the Harbour HUD, the Hunter will be awarded with the Calm Clearing Map Piece.
Old Description and Source
A Granite mouse dropped this piece of map, which depicts a peaceful-looking clearing in the Whisker Woods region.
The Calm Clearing Map Piece grants hunters access to the Calm Clearing and Claw Shot City. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Granite Mouse in the Harbour.
- The name was changed from Whisker Woods Clearing Map Piece with the introduction of the Adventure Book.
- The source was changed with the introduction of Pirate Crews in the Harbour. Hunters who already owned the map piece did not need to re-earn it.
Great Gnarled Tree Map Piece
This map piece, which is dropped by Cyclops mice in the Calm Clearing, allows you to travel to the Great Gnarled Tree.
The Great Gnarled Tree Map Piece grants hunters access to the Great Gnarled Tree. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Cyclops Mouse in the Calm Clearing.
Map of the Lagoon
The Fairy Mice of the Great Gnarled Tree dropped this map piece, which shows the way to the Lagoon. This looks like a dangerous area, and may require special bait.
The Map of the Lagoon grants hunters access to the Lagoon. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Fairy Mouse carrying the map in the Great Gnarled Tree.
Laboratory Map Piece
An Abominable Snow Mouse dropped a map piece for you to find! There's a path to what looks like a Laboratory printed on it.
The Laboratory Map Piece grants hunters access to the Laboratory and the Toxic Spill. It can be obtained by successfully catching an Abominable Snow Mouse in the Mountain.
The map piece was temporarily obtainable as a gift from the Festive Gift Shoppe during the Great Winter Hunt '09 event. Hunters could not purchase the map piece for themselves but instead had to receive it as a gift from another hunter.
The map piece could also be obtained by the 6 original breeds of Jungle of Dread until 29 July 2015.
The map piece was a loot drop from the Ninja Mouse until the hunting mechanics were changed in the Mountain on 7 November 2017.
Key to the Town of Digby
New Description and Source
This key, which is dropped by Mutated Mole mice in the laboratory, grants access to the Town of Digby. Don't forget your mining helmet!
The Key to the Town of Digby grants hunters access to the Town of Digby. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Mutated Mole in the Laboratory.
Old Description and Source
This key, which is dropped by Dwarf mice in the laboratory, grants access to the Town of Digby. Don't forget your mining helmet!
The Key to the Town of Digby grants hunters access to the Town of Digby. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Dwarf Mouse in the Laboratory.
Tattered Mousoleum Map Piece
New Description and Source
The Monster Mouse did quite a number on this old map piece... It shows the way to the Mousoleum, but if you get it repaired, it may reveal an even spookier location!
The Tattered Mousoleum Map Piece grants hunters access to the Mousoleum. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Monster Mouse in the Laboratory.
Old Description and Source
The Zombie mouse did quite a number on this old map piece... it shows the way to The Mousoleum, but if you get it repaired, it may reveal an even spookier location.
The Tattered Mousoleum Map grants hunters access to the Mousoleum. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Zombie Mouse in the Town of Digby.
Ticket to the Burroughs Bazaar
This ticket grants access to the Burroughs Bazaar, and is dropped by a few varieties of mice in the Training Grounds.
The Ticket to the Burroughs Bazaar grants hunters access to the Bazaar. It can be obtained by successfully catching an Archer Mouse in the Training Grounds.
Shredded Furoma Map Piece
This tattered piece of map gives access to the Training Grounds in Furoma. Torn from the clutches of Mousevina Von Vermin, the Cartographer at the Bazaar might be able to restore it.
Obtain this map piece during the Master adventure: Slay Mousevina Von Vermin
The Shredded Furoma Map Piece grants hunters access to the Training Grounds. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Mousevina von Vermin in the Mousoleum.
- Before the Burroughs area overhaul on 17 October 2018, it was obtained by successfully catching a Lycan Mouse in the Mousoleum.
Stitched Furoma Map Piece
Hunters often find pieces of the Furoma map slightly shredded by the claws of mice. A skilled cartographer is able to restore this shredded map by stitching a patch over the damaged area to reveal additional detail.
The Stitched Furoma Map Piece grants hunters access to the Dojo, Meditation Room, and Pinnacle Chamber. It can only be obtained by taking the Shredded Furoma Map Piece to the Cartographer in the Bazaar for repair.
Prior to 29 July 2015, the repair took approximately a day to finish. During this time, the hunter wasn't able to access the Training Grounds if that was their only copy of the map.
Bristle Woods
Repaired Mousoleum Map Piece
Research suggests that mystery lies below the Mousoleum! This patch can be applied to a Tattered Mousoleum Map to reveal new possible hunting grounds. Restoring ancient cloth requires a great deal of time and skill and does not come cheap.
The Cartographer suspects that a hunter will need the title of Legendary to understand the secrets revealed.
The Repaired Mousoleum Map Piece grants hunters access to the Catacombs. It can be obtained by taking the Tattered Mousoleum Map to the Cartographer in the Bazaar for repair. The repairs costs 160,000 gold.
Keeper's Candle
With the flame of the Keeper mice in your hands, you can see your way to the Forbidden Grove through the darkened tunnels of the Catacombs.
The Keeper's Candle grants hunters access to the Acolyte Realm and the Forbidden Grove. It can be obtained by successfully catching a Keeper Mouse in the Catacombs.
Note: A hunter must be in the Forbidden Grove in order to gain access to the Acolyte Realm. Every now and then, when the "gates" to the Forbidden Grove close, hunters inside the Forbidden Grove will be transported to the Acolyte Realm upon catching a Realm Ripper Mouse.
Tribal Isles
Crafted from a Telescope, Sextant, and Compass, this kit allows Hunters to sail further out into the ocean than ever before. With this newfound freedom, you'll be able to explore the Tribal Isles.
Description prior to 21 September 2010 was: This handy kit allows for navigation of the Rodentia Ocean, far past the shores of Gnawnia to the exotic Tribal Isles.
The Ocean Navigation Kit grants hunters access to the Tribal Isles. It can be crafted using the following formula:
|Formula: Ocean Navigation Kit
|Cost (Each)
Balack's Lantern
This magical lantern, lit with a Dragon Ember is the only light source hot enough to remain lit in the dampness of Balack's Cove.
Balack's Lantern grants hunters access to Balack's Cove. It can be crafted using the following formula:
|Formula: Balack's Lantern
|Cost (Each)
|Antique Lantern
|Dragon Ember
Varmint Valley
Fort Rox Battle Summons
The King's Royal Defense Marshal has sent a battle summons to all available hunters requesting assistance in defending Fort Rox. Provide some Fool's Gold to prove your worth in taking up this challenge!
Beyond the sandy mountains of Varmint Valley, a rather large chunk of meteorite has burrowed itself into the ground. Around this crater, a fort has sprung up in order to defend the valley from the strangely transformed mice that have begun to invade the area.
An area of danger and adventure for Baron/Baroness hunters and above to explore!
The Fort Rox Battle Summons grants hunters access to Fort Rox. It can be purchased from the Claw Shot City Cartographer for 25 Fool's Gold.
Queso Canyon
Queso Dowsing Rod
Imbued with the power of Dawn Dust, this Dowsing Rod will lead you to Queso Canyon, a region where magical spices grow near a massive river surging with delicious liquid queso!
The Queso Dowsing Rod grants access to Queso River, Prickly Plains, and Cantera Quarry. It can be purchased for 200,000 gold, 1 Inert Queso Dowsing Rod and 50 Dawn Dusts at the Fort Rox Cartographer, with no wait time and no additional requirements.
Fully-Functional Queso Geyser Replica Clay Model
Covered in delicious queso, it's a small wonder the clay and papier-mâché structure of this Queso Geyser replica hasn't completely fallen apart!
This life-like recreation details the start of what appears to be a safe route to ascend the queso waterfall just east of the Cantera Quarry to the location of a mighty geyser known to blast delicious liquid cheese into the sky.
The model also features a real-life working geyser! Though it makes a bit of a mess and the queso used in the reaction is synthetic and smells a bit funny...
The King is a bit confused as to why the Royal Cartographers have chosen to re-create a working model of the area out of clay and craft materials and is not quite sure how hunters will incorporate this into their personal maps...
The Fully-Functional Queso Geyser Replica Clay Model grants access to the Queso Geyser. It can be obtained for 1,200 Nachore from the Queso River Cartographer. Hunters must have completed the Extinguish Inferna, The Engulfed adventure.
This piece could also be obtained early from 23 to 30 April 2019 for 1 Dragonshard and the requirement of having completed the Extinguish Inferna, The Engulfed adventure, at any Cartographer. Its original description during this event also read:
That said, in preparation of the impending dragon invasion, the King is allowing mass production of these models and is offering them to hunters for a single Dragonshard to cover production costs. After the initial invasion is over, this map will be available from the Cartographers of Queso Canyon for a substantial gold and Nachore cost.
S.S. Huntington IV
This boat was built using a variety of nautical supplies and hundreds of thousands of interlocking hull fragments. Its reinforced hull and sturdy rigging allow you to sail the waters of the Rodentia Ocean, and is one of the few vessels capable of breaching the dangerous Iceberg.
Description prior to 24 May 2012 was: You built this boat using a variety of nautical supplies. Its waterproof hull and sturdy rigging allow you to sail the waters of the Rodentia Ocean.
Description prior to 21 September 2010 was: This fine vessel has been granted permission by the King to sail the open ocean east of Gnawnia. Who knows what strange hunting gounds are out there just waiting to be discovered..?
The S.S. Huntington IV grants hunters access to S.S. Huntington IV. It can be crafted using either of the following formulas.
|Formula 1: S.S. Huntington IV
|Cost (Each)
|King's Reserve Bubbleh
|210,000 / Loot
|Ship Blueprints
|Scrap Metal
|Bolt of Cloth
|3,000 / Loot
|600 / Loot
|Splintered Wood
|150 / Loot
|0 – 615,000
Unchristened Ship
A mighty ocean vessel awaiting a name. Smash a bottle of the King's Bubbleh over its stern to be ready to sail to ocean!
The Unchristened Ship is the incomplete version of the Ship. Before MouseHunt updated to Version 3.0 on 8 June 2010, Legendary hunters were encouraged to follow Formula 2.1 and 2.2 to craft the Ship in order to ensure crafting success.
|Formula 2.1: Unchristened Ship
|Cost (Each)
|Ship Blueprints
|Scrap Metal
|Bolt of Cloth
|3,000 / Loot
|600 / Loot
|Splintered Wood
|150 / Loot
|0 – 405,000
If you used Formula 2.1 to craft the Unchristened Ship, you complete the crafting of S.S. Huntington IV with the following formula:
|Formula 2.2: Christened Ship
|Cost (Each)
|King's Reserve Bubbleh
|210,000 / Loot
|Unchristened Ship
|0 – 615,000
Icebreaker License
This paper authorizes the bearer to brave the dangerous and icy shores of Gnawnia. Massive amounts of slush have been hitting the beaches, and floating in amongst it are dangerous mice. Push the invaders back from the castle walls and find out who or what is behind this attack!
An area of danger and adventure for Lord/Lady hunters and above to explore!
Obtain this map piece during the Lord/Lady adventure: Hunt for Icewing
The Icebreaker License grants hunters access to the Slushy Shoreline and Iceberg. Hunters can obtain the map from the Cartographer in either the Harbour or the S.S. Huntington IV for 145,000 gold.
Zugzwang's Scarf
This strange scarf came out of the Dragon's Chest. Apparently, Zugzwang was serious about keeping the moths out of his clothing. The scarf is surprisingly heavy even considering it's odd construction. It doesn't seem to be a very comfortable scarf either, however, Bubbles the giant overprotective octopus seems cowed by its intangible air of power. He should let you travel to the mysterious floating island as long as you have his master's scarf in hand.
Zugzwang's Scarf gives access to the Seasonal Garden. It can be obtained from the Dragon's Chest or as loot from Icewing.
Zugzwang's Tower Key
In this key, the four seasonal powers combine to overwhelm the seal on Zugzwang's Tower. Unlock the door, but beware: the mice within this tower play a dangerous game, and only the strongest player will achieve a checkmate.
Zugzwang's Tower Key gives access to the Zugzwang's Tower. It can be crafted using the following formula:
|Formula: Zugzwang's Tower Key
|Cost (Each)
|Fall Key Shard
|Spring Key Shard
|Summer Key Shard
|Winter Key Shard
Crystal Library Card
This beautiful card is actually a teleporter that will warp you inside Zugzwang's Crystal Library... so long as you are permitted to enter by the owner. Upon Zugzwang's disappearance, ownership of the Crystal Library has been passed down to the King of Gnawnia.
The Crystal Library Card gives access to Crystal Library. There is a chance of obtaining it when catching a Knight, Bishop, Rook or Queen from either side of the Zugzwang's Tower.
Sunken Souvenir
Sandtail lore speaks of a city that was once perched on the far eastern cliffs of the desert until the arid soil cracked and shifted, causing the city to slide into the sea. The story is popular amoungst the thirsty mice in the desert. Just imagine, a city with an endless supply of water!
This small souvenir is said to lead the way to the Sunken City where challenges for Count/Countess hunters and above await.
The Sunken Souvenir gives access to the Sunken City. It can be purchased from the Muridae Market Cartographer for 228,000 Gold and 90 Molten Glass.
During the week of 2-9 July 2014, this additional paragraph was present in the description, and hunters did not need the 90 Molten Glass:
The Cartographer normally charges 90 Molten Glass for this souvenir. However, for a limited time, the cost of the glass is being waived to have hunters explore the Sunken City as soon as possible!
Sandtail Desert
Sandtail Call to Arms
New Description and Source
Noble Hunter,
Word of your capture of the Zugzwang's King Mice has reached Gnawnia! I wish to congratulate you, however, we'll have to postpone celebrations.
A powerful army of mice is preparing to invade Gnawnia by route of the Lagoon. Your experience makes you the perfect hunter to help. Please, head West of the Lagoon to the Sandtail Desert before it's too late!
His Royal Majesty, The King
Your Royal Majesty, The King
Sandtail Call to Arms grants access to Fiery Warpath. It is obtained as a reward for completing Capture the Mystic and Technic Kings in the Adventure Book.
Old Description and Source
Noble Hunter,
Word of your capture of the Zugzwang's King Mice has reached Gnawnia! I wish to congratulate you, however, we'll have to postpone celebrations.
A powerful army of mice is preparing to invade Gnawnia by route of the Lagoon. Your experience capturing a Silth Mouse is evidence of your experience in the Lagoon, making you the perfect hunter to help. Please, head West of the Lagoon to the Sandtail Desert before it's too late!
Your Royal Majesty, The King
Sandtail Call to Arms grants access to Fiery Warpath. Once a hunter has caught a Silth, Mystic King, and Technic King, it can be found in the Seasonal Garden from various mice:
- Spring: Spring Familiar and Puddlemancer mice
- Summer: Firebreather Mouse
- Fall: Fall Familiar and Harvest Harrier mice
- Winter: Bruticle mouse
Living Garden Key
This key provides access to the enchanted Living Garden that sits atop the fortified Muridae Market.
Recent Marching Flame attacks have destroyed the magical desert flowers that once grew within the garden. Until these precious flowers have fully regrown, no hunters will be permitted into the area.
The Living Garden Key grants access to Living Garden. It is obtained from the Cartographer at the Muridae Market.
Hollow Heights
Fungal Cavern Map Piece
A recent settling of sand near the southern edge of the desert has revealed a hidden passageway into an underground cavern.
The Fungal Cavern is the site of an underground aquifer, a damp place full of mushrooms and poisonous plants. The walls are rich with Minerals and sparkling Gemstones that reflect and scatter what little light enters the cave.
An area of danger and adventure for Duke/Duchess hunters and above to explore!
The Fungal Cavern Map Piece grants access to the Fungal Cavern. It is priced at 230,000 gold and can be obtained from the Cartographer at the Muridae Market. It is also obtainable at the Cartographer at the Queso Geyser for 200,000 gold, 1 Tungsten and 300 Nachore.
Labyrinth Key
This is some kind of strange and intricate device made entirely of stone. It seems to depict a large maze carved into a miniaturized mountain range. As you examine the small device, minuscule floors of the complex maze slowly shift and move around creating an infinitely more incomprehensible maze. Some hunters have discovered a relief in the deepest depths of the Fungal Cavern that when deposited, causes the walls to shift, open up and reveal an entrance to the Labyrinth.
A dangerous design that can be deciphered by hunters ranked no less than that of Duke/Duchess. Those of lesser rank seem not to make it back...
The Labyrinth Key grants access to the Labyrinth and the city of Zokor . It requires 1 Crystal Crucible and 30,000 gold and can be obtained from the Cartographer in the Fungal Cavern.
Moussu Picchu Climbing Route
This route map reveals a long and treacherous mountain passage that seems to lead high up into the sky. Thick clouds make it difficult to see what lies ahead and strong gusts of wind make the daunting climb difficult.
You will need to gather a set of climbing gear from Zokor before the Cartographer will give you the route.
While you are climbing, keep an eye out for a nameless trail leading to a lookout point that gives you a crazy nice panoramic view of a neighbouring lake.
This treacherous route can only be surmounted by hunters ranked Grand Duke/Duchess or above.
The Moussu Picchu Climbing Route grants access to Moussu Picchu. It requires 1 Climbing Grapnel of Tech dropped by the Manaforge Smith, 1 Climbing Boots of Fealty dropped by the Paladin Weapon Master, 1 Climbing Vine of Scholars dropped by the Soul Binder and 50,000 gold and can be obtained from the Labyrinth Cartographer or Zokor Cartographer.
Dirigible and Flight License
A magnificent vessel crafted by the finest shipwrights on this side of the stratosphere. The hull is made from polished and sealed balsa wood sourced locally in the Hollow Heights region and the massive, puncture-proof™ balloon was painstakingly hand stitched using Spider Mouse silk. The cabin comes fully equipped with all the finest luxuries that one would expect from modern air travel. This stunning skyliner has everything you need to tour the Floating Islands in comfort and style. All it's missing is a captain.
Comes complete with a certified Gnawnian Flight License and a free membership to the Hollow Heights Aerial Yacht Club.
"I must up to the clouds again, to the lonely sun and the sky,
And all I ask is a floating ship and an island to steer her by."
- John Mousefield
Disclaimer: The Hollow Heights Shipwright Association is not responsible for any ships damaged or destroyed by the severe magical storms that are common in this region. It is therefore the responsibility of every shipowner to provide their own Warden Stones at time of purchase.
According to Gnawnian airspace regulations, only hunters ranked Archduke/Archduchess or above are permitted to fly.
The Dirigible and Flight License grants access to Floating Islands. It can be obtained from the Moussu Picchu Cartographer for 1 Skyfarer's Oculus, 1 Wind Warden Stone, 1 Rain Warden Stone, 1 Fog Warden Stone, 1 Frost Warden Stone, and 2,500,000 gold.
Folklore Forest
Legendary Looking Glass
This extraordinary looking glass emanates a bizarre and captivating power of mythical proportions. It was constructed from three unique pieces (a Liquid Lens, an Antique Frame, and a Tactical Grip) that could have only originated from a place where the line between reality and fantasy is blurred.
Once the three pieces were assembled and imbued with the awesome, otherworldly power of the Adorned Empyrean Jewel, this exquisite oddity transformed from a simple, ornate hand mirror into a window from our world into a place where imagination is the ultimate power. By gazing into its mystical lens, a hunter can see themselves in this place that is neither here nor there, neither fact nor fiction, neither reality nor fantasy; a place that puts the story in history.
A small, nearly illegible inscription on the back of the frame hints that there is a specific spot in Gnawnia where the veil between perception and imagination is very thin. If an intrepid hunter were to take this Legendary Looking Glass to that one spot, open their mind, forgo all preconceptions as to the nature of their reality, and look very, very deeply into its lens then perhaps they might just find themselves on the other side of that reflection.
Only hunters ranked Archduke/Archduchess and above can gaze into this mystical reflection...
The Legendary Looking Glass grants access to Foreword Farm, Prologue Pond, and Table of Contents.
It can be purchased from the Cartographer in Floating Islands for:
- 1,000,000 gold
- 1 Adorned Empyrean Jewel
- 1 Liquid Lens
- 1 Antique Frame
- 1 Tactical Grip
Tale of the Bountiful Beanstalk
This ancient tale has been told for countless generations throughout the Kingdom of Gnawnia and has become a staple of the folklore and therefore the cultural identity of the land and its peoples. For eons, these enchanted pages remained secure and unaltered behind the safety of the magical veil that once shrouded and protected the Folklore Forest.
However, now that the mischievous and malevolent plans of the Mythweaver have exposed that realm to the outside world, so too has this pivotal tale been exposed to the possibility of a rewrite!
Read at your own risk!
Only hunters ranked Viceroy and above can read from these enchanted pages...
The Tale of the Bountiful Beanstalk grants access to Bountiful Beanstalk.
Hunters must have completed the Outwrite the Mythweaver adventure before purchasing the Tale of the Bountiful Beanstalk.
It can be purchased from the Cartographer in Foreword Farm, Prologue Pond, or Table of Contents for:
- 1,000,000 gold
- 1,000 Gnawbel Prize for Literature
Prior to the release of Bountiful Beanstalk, Hunters could obtain the Tale of the Bountiful Beanstalk through the Folklore Companion pre-release event.
Rift Plane
Rift Detector
Carefully calibrated and powered by Living Garden Essences, this technological breakthrough gives one the ability to detect otherworldly dimensional Rifts!
Could this explain where or how the magical Gnawnian mice infestation originated...?
The Rift Detector grants access to the Gnawnia Rift, Burroughs Rift, Whisker Woods Rift, Furoma Rift and Bristle Woods Rift. It can be purchased for 120,000 gold and 5 Dol Essences at the Living Garden/Twisted Garden Cartographer, with no wait time and no additional requirements.
This piece could also be obtained early from 25 March to 1 April 2014 for 25,000 gold at the Vacant Lot Cartographer by hunters that had collected Limited Edition Collectibles associated with the Moussile Mouse.
Valour Rift Map Piece
This map piece depicts an area of the Rift Plane within the Valour Region. The Bristle Woods Rift Cartographer requires information that can be gathered by collecting 2000 Rift Distortions from Rift Plane mice.
Purchase a Rift Chronometer from the Bristle Woods Rift to begin your adventure and discover the Valour Rift.
This area of the Rift Plane can only be explored by hunters ranked Archduke/Archduchess or above.
Although the entrance to this Rift has been pinpointed, it is not yet stable enough to traverse.
The Valour Rift Map Piece grants access to the Valour Rift. It can be purchased for 2,000 Rift Distortions at the Bristle Woods Rift Cartographer, with no wait time and no additional requirements.
See also
- Location – A list of all locations and the requirements to access them
- Location Quick Reference – A quick reference guide on what to do at each location
- Heart Key and Tiger Key – collectible items that do not unlock any locations


text:
Rutgers' move into the Big Ten is paying off financially before the school's first game in the conference.The university has reached agreements on the two biggest sponsorship deals in school history — five-year contracts with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and AmeriHealth New Jersey that are worth more than $5 million combined, two people with knowledge of the deals told NJBIZ.
The people requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak about the specifics of the deals.
IMG, the marketing arm of the university's athletic program, also declined specific comment, citing company policy.
"As a private company serving university partners and their supporting brands, we don't disclose financial information," IMG spokesman Andrew Giangola said.
This much is known: The deals are exclusive, meaning the companies will be the only ones in their industry to partner with the university.
And both Robert Wood Johnson and AmeriHealth will be given additional benefits: Each will be given naming rights at a main gate to High Point Solutions Stadium, among other opportunities.
The deals are just two of more than two dozen sponsorships IMG has secured for Rutgers. And while they are the biggest, John Willi, the general manager of Rutgers IMG Sports Marketing, said they are part of a bigger trend.
"Of the 23 contracts we have renewed this year, 20 are more significant in either dollars or years," he said. "Many are both."
Rutgers' Athletic Director Julie Hermann feels the school's relationship with IMG has been a big plus.
"We're extremely pleased with the expanded and new sponsorship agreements IMG College has secured for Rutgers," she said. "When we entered into our partnership with IMG College it was with the intent to maximize our potential through sponsorship agreements and media rights inventory consistent with our new Big Ten peers. This is tremendous progress in less than a year and another example of why College IMG is the gold standard in the industry."
The only bigger financial deal in school history would be the naming rights agreement Rutgers signed with High Point Solutions in 2011.
Hermann said that deal, worth $6.5 million over 10 years, has been a key to future deals.
"We're so fortunate to have an exceptional naming rights partner in High Point Solutions setting the standard for corporate support of our state school," she said. "Having High Point Solutions name on our stadium is an opportunity to associate with a global, best in class New Jersey company. Mike and Tom Mendiburu embody our 'Global reach. New Jersey roots' to the core."


text:
Jay-Z, James relationship should worry Cavs
As Jay-Z made a toast next to his co-host, LeBron James, at a VIP dinner during All-Star weekend, he spoke of branding, about a new world order of celebrity businessmen. They declared this the Two Kings dinner in New Orleans and the star-studded list of invitees included NBA owners and stars, music label executives and A-list performers. Jay-Z talked of a tomorrow when these two monuments to music and basketball will transform the rules of engagement for the iconic performer, one witness said. He talked of making history.
For the Cavaliers officials watching, there had to be something of a collective gulp. They have been uneasy witnesses to a dance between James and Jay-Z, a bond between a generation's most celebrated entertainer and athlete. These two spend a lot of time together – traveling, talking and sharing big ideas.
What's unnerving to Cleveland is that Jay-Z happens to be a part owner of the New Jersey Nets with unlimited access to James' heart, mind and ambitions. Of course, the Nets are plotting a move to a sparkling new arena in Brooklyn, perhaps as soon as the 2011-2012 season. They're clearing cap space and planning a pursuit of James when he can opt out of his contract in the summer of 2010.
Cleveland officials won't talk about James and Jay-Z, but if you were wondering about the franchise's fear of losing him to the brighter lights and bigger city, understand that the trade owner Dan Gilbert and general manager Danny Ferry made had everything to do with winning now and crushing James' concerns that Cleveland is unable to surround him with a championship cast.
LeBron doesn't want to just win titles. His stated wants include becoming sport's first billionaire athlete. Among his advisors, he counts Warren Buffet. Jay-Z has helped James focus his mind on chasing something bigger than basketball. The question will be this: For the kid out of Akron, will his hometown – will even winning – be enough to hold onto LeBron James?
So yes, Sonny Vaccaro has been fascinated to study the burgeoning partnership since the days Jay-Z – whose real name is Shawn Carter – visited James at Vaccaro's high school All-American camp in New Jersey. Vaccaro is responsible for some of the most profound marketing marriages in basketball history. He sold Nike on paying college coaches to be billboards for shoe companies, on spending everything they had on North Carolina's Michael Jordan. When everyone else believed Jordan had a chance to be an excellent pro player, Vaccaro was convinced he would be transcendent for the company.
Vaccaro is out of the game, but forever connecting and consulting with those shaping the landscape. If nothing else, he is sure of this: In two years, Cleveland could be fighting a perfect storm of circumstances.
"I think that LeBron will have to look long and hard about leaving Cleveland," Vaccaro said. "Dan Gilbert and the city have embraced him. They've done everything they can to make a championship-type trade. Danny Ferry did a good job with that. But knowing LeBron and knowing the world as I see it, the most appetizing thing would not be the New York Knicks for him, but the Nets with Jay-Z.
"Jay-Z is the one person that I can put in a parallel universe with LeBron from where they started and where they are now. If LeBron has a role model in life, it's Jay-Z. I've never been around a more perfect match of young genius. What would be better than these two kids in New York?
"Maybe this is only able to happen once, when the money is there in New Jersey, and his contract is up in Cleveland. When you think of the marketing roll that LeBron could be on after winning gold in Beijing, wow. …I'm not sure the sun and moon have ever aligned like this."
(Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
LeBron James has stated he wants to become sport's first billionaire athlete.
Jay-Z is a Grammy Award-winning rapper, the ex-president of a record label, a club owner, a clothier, a hotelier. Now, he has started a new ad company – Translation Advertising. This is the kind of fortune, the kind of legacy, that James is chasing for the long run.
This drive and determination isn't lost on Gilbert, the Cavaliers owner who absorbed several million more dollars in salary and luxury tax with the trade that brought Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West to the team on Thursday.
James initially sounded cautious about the trade. After a blowout victory over Memphis on Sunday night, James gushed over its promise. Ferry delivered James shooting and the ultimate wildcard, Wallace. If Wallace has nothing left from his Detroit days, this deal could be doomed. Still, Cleveland feared the status quo in the East. Between the Cavs and the conference's two best teams, Boston and Detroit, the gap has grown too profound.
Two years ago, the Cavaliers heard Jay-Z's public position on LeBron's future and could only imagine what might be said in private. When asked about the possibility of him someday joining the franchise, the Nets' part-owner paid no mind to league tampering rules and gushed, "How amazing would that be? I tell people all the time, he's my friend first. If Cleveland is building a championship team around him then my advice is to stay there. If it's the Nets who are building a championship team that could be around him then my advice is to come to the Nets."
The league office noticed the comments, but never leveled a fine for tampering. What can Cleveland do? Complain? No chance the Cavs will try to tell James who his friends can be, especially when they pre-date his days in the NBA.
When it comes to branding, nothing and nowhere could be bigger for James' global profile than becoming the King of New York. There has always been a belief that his endorsement deals, including Nike, include clauses that trigger bigger payouts if James lands in a major market.
The Nets are clearing cap space for a free-agent class that includes James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but James is the unmistakable target. So much so, the Nets have an internal business plan for the move into the new Brooklyn arena that includes a modest section on his eventual recruitment, estimates of his marketing worth and the salary-cap space that needs to be cleared for his signing.
This is the kind of advanced planning every team does, but there's a credibility to the Nets' pursuit that comes out of Jay-Z's relationship. As for changing the landscape as iconic branders, it was no coincidence that James showed up at a New York-Cleveland American League division series game in October wearing a Yankees cap. Whatever calls of traitor ensued in Cleveland, the deed was done: Suddenly, the world identified LeBron as a Yankees fan.
Mere months later, Nike has a LeBron-Yankees shoe planned for March release. For those wanting to believe James is setting the stage for a move to the big city, the line of shoes does forward the idea that he wants to be identified with New York.
Between now and the summer of 2010, this promises to be a fascinating story line. Jay-Z has opened LeBron James' mind to looking far beyond basketball, beyond the traditional journeys to superstardom. Together, they talked about changing everything for the global icon. Between now and 2010, the Cavaliers have to sell LeBron James that all that can still happen in Cleveland.


text:
Discovery in a Drop of Water
Check out our highlights page for MSL-1
The experiments now being conducted aboard the Microgravity Sciences Laboratory (MSL-1) are descended from engineers' questions about how best to refuel rockets in orbit and to build larger space stations. Those concerns led to broader questions about how materials behave, and to the dazzling range of experiments in combustion, proteins, alloys, and other areas.
Among the options studied in the 1960s for going to the Moon was the idea that a rocket could be refueled in orbit much as jet fighters are refueled by flying tankers. The question that arose, as early as the 1950s, was, If there is no "down," how do you get the fuel and oxidizer to flow "downhill" into the tanks? Other engineers worried about how welded metals would behave in weightlessness.
Soon, rudimentary materials experiments were flying aboard the last Apollo missions, and a major line of experiments was developed for the Skylab space station. It was a new concept, and in many cases the experiments were adaptations of ground-based processes.
"I don't recall anyone on any of the Skylab crews reacting with skepticism towards these experiments" in this untried field, said Dr. Owen Garriott, who spent 58 days aboard Skylab as science pilot of the second Skylab crew. Garriott would later fly as a mission specialist on the Spacelab 1 mission, in late 1983, the direct ancestor of the MSL-1 mission now in progress. He now works with a medical technology firm.
Skylab carried a Materials Processing Facility in its docking adapter and 10 other experiment apparatus throughout the station. The Materials Processing Facility allowed the crews to install new samples and equipment for the first containerless processing tests, space welding experiments, metals melting, and other research.
|The Skylab space station, launched in May 1973 and manned three times through early 1974, carried the first multi-purpose microgravity Materials Processing Facility (right) mounted in the docking adapter in the station's nose.
One of the big surprises that came from the mission was the result of the crew playing with their food.
"Everybody did droplets," Garriott said. "You very quickly learned that if you were careful, with your drink you could make very large liquid drops. If it ever got out of control, you had to mop up this big mess."
The drops would oscillate and float seemingly with lives of their own. Garriott said the astronauts would maneuver the drops by blowing air through a straw to change air pressure on one side or another, but that also caused the drop to oscillate even more. Garriott found that he could pull a string of dental floss through a drop, surface tension (the attraction between molecules which lets the drop form in the first place) exerted just enough force to hold the drop in place
Today, the technique is used - with a fireproof silicon carbide thread - in the MSL-1 glovebox to position fuel droplets for the fiber-supported droplet combustion experiments.
Another experiment surprised scientists when two drops of fruit drink, strawberry and grape, were squirted toward each other. When they collided (see picture at the top of this story) they oscillated through a number of bizarre shapes. Even stranger, the two flavors did not mix right away.
"The science community, if anything, may have been stimulated by the sight of the droplets to do later experiments in space," Garriott said.
|Astronaut Owen Garriott (left, at the controls of the Apollo Telescope Mount in the docking adapter) was part of the second Skylab crew. He and other crewmen, like Joe Kerwin (right) conducted planned experiments in the materials facility (above) and impromptu experiments with droplets that led to research in fluid dynamics.
Skylab was left unmanned after February 1974 and reentered the atmosphere in 1979. The only one manned flight planned before the start of Space Shuttle operations was the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, in 1975, which help set some of the groundwork for today's International Space Station. While the Apollo-Soyuz mission carried some materials experiments, NASA felt that the more needed to be done to keep microgravity materials research going.
The result was the Space Processing Applications Rocket (SPAR) program which put automated materials hardware atop suborbital rockets. While things that orbit or coast to other planets get most of the attention, rockets that soar briefly to the edge of space and then fall back to Earth provide an inexpensive means of testing new instruments that lead to new satellites.
A rocket is weightless from the time it leaves Earth's atmosphere until it reenters. With the Black Brant V rockets selected for the SPAR program, this was about 5 or 6 minutes.
Ten SPAR flights were made during 1975-79; nine succeeded (this is average for suborbital rockets). A few firsts were made in materials experiments, said Roger Chassay, the former SPAR manager at NASA-Marshall, but those did not have the most important lessons.
"We learned how to work with principal investigators [PIs] (the lead scientist on a project)," he said. "They needed to be able to do one aspect of an experiment, look at the results, and then fly it again to look at a different aspect.
|A NASA Marshall engineer adjusts the first SPAR payload before its launch in 1975. SPAR, like many other sounding rocket payloads, are 19 inches wide to match standard electronics racks in laboratories.
"We learned that they needed a considerable amount of time to analyze their results, from 6 to 24 months," he said. "Even the most aggressive PIs were not ready in a few months." This is because analytical chemical work takes dozens or hundreds of measurements, sometimes in several different laboratories. Even when a sample looks obviously different, scientists want to quantify exactly how and why it looks different, and then to design the next experiment to take advantage of that.
The results from SPAR led to "no exciting breakthroughs," Chassay said, "but a lot of advances that led to the foundation for a good, solid Spacelab program. It was a good learning process."
Among the firsts were acoustic levitator experiments where sound waves are used to position molten droplets of glass and metal, and experiments with beryllium alloys. They also learned that mixing certain immiscible metals - fluids that prefer to separate, like oil and water - is not as easy in weightlessness as scientists had expected.
Materials experiments were a small part of the Spacelab 1 mission which was designed as an all-purpose demonstration. The first Spacelab mission dedicated to microgravity sciences was Spacelab 3 in 1985. And even since the second Space Shuttle mission in November 1982, experimenters started taking advantage of the orbiter middeck and, later, small, automated facilities in the payload bay. Several Spacelab missions have been flown since 1988, many (USML-1 and 2; IML-1 and 2; SL-J; SL-D1 and D2; LMS) dedicated to microgravity sciences.
"The experiments had become a good deal more sophisticated by the time we flew Spacelab 1," Garriott said. "In the intervening 10 years [since Skylab] the degree of sophistication had taken a big step. "In particular, he cited the large, complex Fluid Physics Module developed by English researchers and flown as part of the European Space Agency's share of Spacelab 1.
Working on Spacelab, though, was more demanding than it was on Skylab, he said.
|Astronaut Owen Garriott emerges from the transfer tunnel into the Spacelab 1 module. During the mission, the payload crew conducted advanced materials experiments with facilities like the Fluid Physics Module, shown at right as European astronaut Ulf Merbold makes adjustments.
"They didn't know how much work we could get done on Skylab," he said, plus the crews were up for as long as 83 days compared to 16 days for the longest Spacelab missions. So the crews worked 8-hour shifts rather than the 10- to 12-hour shifts on Spacelab where the short duration demands a maximum effort in flight and on the ground.
He hopes that the crews of the International Space Station will have schedules that allow them to experiment on their own and possibly develop new avenues of research for future scientists.
Related reading: Tutorial on the behavior of fluids in low gravity
For the next 4 days, you can follow along and learn about the science being performed on the mission through activities on this WWW site, as well as the "Liftoff" Mission Home Page, and the Shuttle Web Site.
|Check out our daily MSL-1 image and video highlights on the "Science in Action" page!!
- Check out the twice daily Mission Status Reports prepared by Marshall's Public Affairs Office.
- More Science Updates
| More Microgravity Headlines | research | earth science | sun/earth | astronomy | space processing |
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Author: Dave Dooling
Curator: Linda Porter
NASA Official: Gregory S. Wilson


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Paul Hagen: The bloom is off the rose for the incumbent – February 10, 2010
Daniel Mintz
Eye Correspondent
HUMBOLDT – Paul Hagen has worked for several different district attorneys – including incumbent DA Paul Gallegos – as an environmental prosecutor and he says pervasive dissatisfaction with Gallegos' management has led to his bid to replace him.
"The current District Attorney's Office needs far better leadership for its staff and far better representation of the interests of the people of the county," Hagen said.
Adding that "the bloom is off the rose" for Gallegos, Hagen highlighted staffing issues.
"There's been an enormous drain of talent out of the office since the incumbent took over," he said. "People have been fired, people have been driven out, people have left – you can say whatever you want to about (former DA) Terry Farmer and his policies but over a 20-year period, he put together a very good team of prosecutors."
Now, Hagen added, the office has "a lot of first-year hires, a lot of people without a lot of experience and people with very questionable backgrounds." There are also some qualified recent hires, he said, but Gallegos "doesn't train them well, he doesn't track their cases well and he doesn't ensure that they coordinate with the various police agencies well."
A high number of plea bargains, over-charging of cases, lowball settlements and "a fair amount of chaos in the court system where deputy DAs really don't know what they're handling" has led to a "situation where, quite frankly, justice is not being well-served," Hagen continued.
He upheld his range of experience as a comparative basis for his assessment. He worked as an environmental analyst for Pillsbury Madison and Sutro, one of the nation's largest law firms, from 1989 to 1995 and then worked for the Mendocino County DA's Office as an environmental prosecutor for more than four years.
In 1998, he was hired to do environmental prosecution for Humboldt, Lake and Del Norte counties on a part-time basis by the California District Attorneys Association. It became a full-time job in 1999, when he moved to Arcata, where he still lives and serves as a member of the Arcata Planning Commission.
He switched to private practice in the summer of 2006 with the Eureka-based Bragg, Perlman, Russ, Stunich and Eads firm, whose clients include the City of Trinidad, the Shelter Cove Resort Improvement District and the California Teachers Association.
Hagen's mention of plea bargains prompted a question on what an appropriate amount is. He said charging is an important aspect of the situation and "whatever is charged needs to bear some relationship to what is settled," something he believes is often lacking now.
One police chief told him that a man charged with rape had gotten a plea deal for trespassing. "He found that obscene – that was the word he used," said Hagen.
"So what's going on is that the young attorneys aren't being trained well, they're not being given good marching orders and there are no clear policies for them to follow," he continued.
Hagen believes "the first order" of the DA is to be an administrator and to work with county government, police agencies and the public. "And when it comes to the public, you can't over-promise and under-deliver," he said. "You have to make yourself available, and if you say you're going to do something you have to do it or make yourself available to explain why you haven't – and that's not being done."
Taking on prosecution is something a DA does to "help pull the load" but Hagen believes high-profile trials shouldn't be done by a DA unless absolutely necessary. "The question is, is the elected DA going into the courtroom for purely administrative purposes, to help out the staff or is he doing it for purely political purposes, to try to get press or curry favor with the public?" he asked.
When one is DA, "Your forte absolutely should not be being a trial lawyer," Hagen continued. Asked if he thinks Gallegos has taken on cases for political reasons, he answered, "Without question."
He named the filing of the Pacific Lumber lawsuit, the prosecution of former Fortuna Councilmember Debi August, the over-prosecution of former Blue Lake Police Chief Dave Gundersen and the case against two Eureka police officials in the Cheri Moore shooting as examples.
Hagen said that it's not known how strong the evidence was in the Eureka Police case because it was "bungled" and dismissed. "Humboldt County once again made national news for having a bizarre prosecution come out of the DA's Office," he continued.
On prosecution priorities, Hagen said people are most concerned about violent crimes and property crimes. There is less consensus about some types of crimes, and in Humboldt, there's a cultural acceptance of marijuana but also an emerging call for enforcement against it.
Asked what his approach to that would be, Hagen acknowledged that Gallegos "brought the DA's Office more in line, I believe, with the mentality and beliefs of the community" but "there's clearly a degree of permissiveness there."
It's led to an excessive amount of grows in residential neighborhoods, home invasion robberies and shootings, said Hagen, adding that Proposition 215's permissiveness has contributed to those impacts. He referred to the City of Arcata's enforcement approach, which relies on land use and zoning authority, as a sound one.
But the degree to which those zoning codes can be enforced has yet to be tested and Hagen believes the ultimate solution is to legalize marijuana and regulate it.
Methamphetamine is a "very vicious drug" that can lead to serious crime, and Hagen thinks people agree that tackling the "very large meth problem here" is an enforcement priority.
Environmental prosecution is Hagen's specialty and he says "there has been very little of it that I can see" since his exit from the DA's Office.
There was some media attention and a lot of speculation about the reason why he left. Asked about it, he said he was fired by the California District Attorneys Association and signed a settlement agreement which stipulated that he not talk about it.
But he was asked to give more detail when he added, "There can be consequences to speaking truth to power."
Hagen said, "If you're doing your job right, you need to tell the boss what the boss needs to hear whether the boss wants to hear it or not … if your boss doesn't want to hear bad news or doesn't want to hear advice, people who haven't got the guts and the strength to do it won't do it and they will keep their jobs, and those who do their jobs correctly despite the consequences will often suffer the consequences.
"And that's what speaking truth to power is all about," he continued. "And that's what I did, and that's what happened."


text: Laptops with Intel's new Core i3, i5 and i7 processors have started shipping to consumers, and include features that bring longer battery life and new levels of graphics and application performance to PCs.Many performance improvements are enabled by Intel's latest chips, which integrate a graphics processor and CPU in a single chip. The laptops also preserve battery life through chip-level improvements and technologies such as solid-state drives (SSDs), which draw less power than hard drives.Intel started shipping Sandy Bridge processors for laptops in late February, and laptops are slowly trickling out to replace models with older Intel chips. PC makers including Lenovo, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba have already announced laptops based on new Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, with prices starting at US$599. I was awaiting the release of Sandy Bridge laptops to upgrade my aging Fujitsu LifeBook P8010, which I bought in mid-2008 for a bargain price of $710 off the PC maker's eBay auction store. The LifeBook was powered by the same dual-core Core 2 Duo microprocessor included in the original MacBook Air, and was made using the older 65-nanometer manufacturing process. Intel's latest Core chips are made using the latest 32-nm process, which has improved chip performance while reducing leakage, bringing longer battery life to laptops. The results were visible in a preproduction unit of Lenovo's upcoming ThinkPad X220 ultraportable laptop, which was loaned by the company for evaluation. The laptop's mundane black-box design was reminiscent of old ThinkPad models, but the machine showed significant graphics, performance and battery-life improvements compared to laptops based on older Intel chips.Lenovo says the X220 can clock 23 hours of battery life with a nine-cell battery and a spare external battery pack. Power consumption depends on laptop configuration, and the X220's runtime measured anywhere between seven and eight-and-a-half hours on a six-cell battery with a dimly lit screen. That compares favorably to five to six hours of battery life on my trusty old Fujitsu P8010, with a screen even dimmer. Dell and Toshiba have also touted long battery life as one of the major improvements with their new Sandy Bridge laptops. Dell's Inspiron 15R laptop, which includes a 15-inch screen, provides about 13 hours of battery life with a nine-cell battery. Toshiba said its Tecra R840 laptop, which includes a 14-inch screen, could deliver battery life of up to 11 hours when configured with an SSD. Some chip-level improvements have also helped improve battery life. Intel for the first time has roped in the graphics processor and CPU on one chip, and one way for chip makers to improve battery life is by pulling in more components inside a single chip. The laptop also consumed less power in sleep mode and did a better job at idling components than my three-year-old Fujitsu. Battery improvements also come with Intel's TurboBoost 2.0 technology, where idle cores can be powered down to preserve battery life. The feature is also designed to deliver better performance, and certain cores can be clocked up depending on the need for speed. The X220 laptop's performance improvements were evident in the quick Windows 7 boot time, which took 20 to 30 seconds. Mundane tasks such as antivirus did not affect the speed of other Windows applications or video running simultaneously. Intel's integrated graphics processor in the dual-core Core i5 chip was also able to handle full high-definition graphics, which is an improvement compared to Intel's previous generation of 32-nm Core processors based on the Westmere architecture, which were released last year. The X220 came with a 12.5-inch IPS display and delivered vibrant colors without high-definition images stuttering. The old LifeBook at best could handle standard-definition video, and some laptops from last year based on the Westmere Core i3 processors often stuttered when playing full 1080p video with applications running in the background. Intel has highlighted some additional graphics features on select laptops available through its latest Core processors, such as Quick Sync to quickly convert high-definition video into a format suitable for smartphones, and Wireless Display (Wi-Di) to wirelessly stream high-definition content from laptops to TVs.With Sandy Bridge, Intel's core strength is the CPU, but it has also come a long way in delivering better graphics, which shows in the X220. Intel's graphics processors are good for viewing Blu-ray video and for casual gaming, but for intense gaming, users would perhaps need to buy a laptop with a separate GPU.But on graphics Intel still lags competitor Advanced Micro Devices, which earlier this year released processors from the Fusion family, which also integrate a CPU and graphics processor on a single chip. Fusion chips integrate support for Microsoft's DirectX 11, which is a collection of APIs (application programming interfaces) to deliver more realistic images in Windows 7. Sandy Bridge chips integrate an older version of DirectX, and will catch up on DirectX 11 only next year.Based on the improvements in Sandy Bridge, I'm tempted to upgrade my aging laptop, which now has a half-cracked screen panel. But it is even more tempting to hang on a little longer to upgrade to laptops with Core processors due next year, which will be based on Intel's latest Ivy Bridge microarchitecture. Ivy Bridge chips will be made using the 22-nm manufacturing process, which could bring more battery life and performance to laptops. Ivy Bridge laptops will have DirectX 11 support and integrate interconnect technologies such as USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt, which could help transfer HD videos from laptops to external storage devices in a matter of seconds.As tempting as it may be, there is little reason to wait to upgrade laptops, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. Chips keep improving in performance, and battery life in laptops will just keep getting better, so people should upgrade laptops when necessary, McCarron said.I also had a fleeting thought on whether to ditch the laptop and switch over to a tablet. But I need a laptop for the keyboard and to run specific applications that may not run on tablets.The X220 will become available this month starting at about US$899, Lenovo has said.


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Every morning, the fine folks at Sports Radio Interviews sift through the a.m. drive-time chatter to bring you the best interviews with coaches, players, and personalities across the sports landscape. Today: Keep in mind that as a convicted felon, Tyson cannot vote.
Mike Tyson joined WXYT in Detroit with Stoney and Bill to talk about how much he has made from the success of the Hangover, if there is going to be a Hangover 3, what he remembers from the last time he was in Detroit to fight, what it was like being such a feared boxer for a long period of time, and what he would change if he was President of the United States.
How much he has made from the success of the Hangover:
"Insurmountable man it was just unforeseen and it just took the world by storm didn't it? (Host: Yeah it was the most viewed R-rated movie of all-time.) I'm just grateful to be a part of that stuff you know what I mean? (Host: Are you really a big Phil Collins fan?) Oh yeah I really enjoy that song."
If there is going to be a Hangover 3:
"I was told there was one and I would like to participate in it but we will see what happens guys."
What he remembers from the last time he was in Detroit to fight:
"I remember I was a bizarre guy back then and Detroit was a bizarre place. That was a really bizarre place to have that fight at. It was just awesome because when you really think about it we announced the fight three weeks in advance and got that kind of crowd and that was just amazing"
What it was like to be the most feared boxer for such a long period of time:
"Hey I don't know anything about that stuff. I was just young back then and I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I just wanted to be this fighter and have this kind of aura about myself. It was just me living out a fantasy. It was pretty cool."
What he would do if he was President:
"If I was President of the United States I would have to impeach myself. (Host: What about making Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight?) Listen if I was President I would throw them in jail if they didn't fight. I'd have them arrested. You can't do that but that's what I would try to do. I'd be like 'these guys need to get locked up and find a new profession until they get their heads clear."
What he would change if he could go back and do something over:
"Oh no I don't want anything to change. I don't know. If anything changed and my ego got any bigger and inflamed I'd probably be dead or something so everything turned out the right way. I became humble because this is what I had to learn, if you're not humble in this world, the world will thrust humbleness upon you."
This post, written by Chris Fedor, appears courtesy of Sports Radio Interviews. For the complete highlights of the interview, as well as audio, click here.
More from Sports Radio Interviews
• Reggie Wayne would love to join Peyton Manning in Miami.
• Peter Laviolette thinks there are bounties in hockey, but hasn't seen them.
• Jamie Moyer doesn't throw at people, and wouldn't made much of a dent if he did.


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What to Know About Selling a Home Yourself
Thinking About Selling Your Home Yourself?
Sure! You Can Sell Your Own Home But, There's More to Selling Your Home than a "For Sale" Sign In Your Front Yard: Beware.
Even if a simple sign in your yard did produce a buyer knocking on your door, how will you handle the following questions:
- "How does your home compare to others like it in Columbus?"
- "How did you determine the fair market value of this property?"
- "What about financing? Can you help?"
- "If I make an offer, who will draw up the paperwork?"
- "Why aren't you using a real estate agent? Is there something wrong with the property?"
- "Since you aren't using a real estate agent, we can take their fee right off the top, right?"
Selling your home is one of the most important financial transactions you will make in your life. Don't take risks. Selling your home is nothing like selling a car. Every home is different, and every homebuyer wants to offer you as little as possible. How do you determine the real market value?
Almost all homes are sold using a real estate agent. As a top real estate professional, it is my job to help you negotiate with all those buyers who want something for nothing. Not to mention preparing your home for sale, marketing it locally in Columbus and even nationally, and guiding you through the complex paperwork and pitfalls of escrow and closing. Make sure you are really ready to handle all of that before pounding that sign into your front yard. Errors can be extremely costly.
Remember: Buyers want to offer you as close to nothing as possible! While that "For Sale By Owner" sign might sound like a good idea, it usually means a different thing to buyers: "Try to steal this one."
If you must sell your own home, at least let me give you a sense of its true market value. Tell me a bit about your home, and I'll do a quick Comparative Market Analysis and let you know what I feel it is worth. I'll also describe, as an experienced, top Columbus real estate agent, how I would market your property. This is free, with no strings attached.


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Natural preservatives in meat products
(Wydawnictwo Politechniki ŁódzkiejLodz University of Technology Press, 2019)
The use of preservatives in industrial food production is now common practice. However, there is growing concern among consumers over the harmful effectsof common chemical preservatives. As a result, there is inc reased ...


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Here's a shot of my fucking killer DERANGED shirt (circa 1988)!
Oh yeah, and that's the DESTROYING ANGELS table at this year's Stumptown Comics Fest. This was the best Stumptown Fest yet and the new issue sold surprisingly well considering it's not a comic. Despite being completely sleep deprived this year, I had a great time hanging with my pals and Dave Walker of BadAzz Mofo magazine! Support this brotha cause his shit RULES! And if you don't already own a copy of DESTROYING ANGELS #9, order soon before I get sick of printing them! Thanks to Ocean Yamaha for the photo.


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. . . with a 'buy-one-get-one-free' offer!
I just wanted to pop in to let you know that because our customers have let us know how much they love being able to get patterns in a downloadable PDF format. . . I've been keeping my nose buried in the computer screen & keyboard for the past week - so that we could expand our PDF pattern offerings from eleven patterns to thirty patterns!
Here's you chance to add to - (or start) your PDF pattern file - so that you can have your patterns ready to go (& not having to search for them all over your sewing room - or in bins!) when you are ready. . . & no waiting for the pattern to arrive in the mail (. . .& no shipping!)
. . . just sharing the love. . . ♥♥♥
♥ Bren


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Thursday, March 06, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #264
Glengoyne Billy's Choice 1989
Highland Single Malt Whisky
54.1% abv
Glengoyne warehouseman and engineer Billy's choice is an 18 year old whisky that spent its last 10 years in amontillado sherry casks, casks that held a type of sherry that is lighter than oloroso but darker than fino. This was awarded a silver medal in the 2007 Malt Maniac's Awards.
Have to share something I read in a newspaper sidebar today:
Whisky is said to have many magical qualities and now it has one more--as a weapon against polluted waste sites. A by-product of teh spirit is almost 100% effective in cleaning contaminated ground water, it has been found. It is hoped the technique known as 'Dram' will cut down on the £1.2billion Britain spends each year on clearing waste sites. "This is groundbreaking technology," said researcher Dr. Graeme Paton of Aberdeen University.
Brilliant. And it's called DRAM (Device for the Remediation and Attenuation of Multiple pollutants).
Congratulations to the research team! Read more on the story HERE, HERE, and wherever else you look.
For all Glengoynes had on the mission click HERE.
Heavy, doughy, some sulphur and birch bark. Toffee and some mint in background. Sweet at the core, pleasantly sour at the fore. Eggy and sherried, rum-my, woody, sour apples. Dry nose, if that is possible.
Rich, sweet, sappy. Paper, Dr. Pepper. Black coffee and burnt sugar. A sherried (obviously) finish with oak, chianti, and over-cloved apple pie.
For the sherry freaks--not subtle, not Glengoyne, not for everyone. But those who will like it will like it a lot.
Malt Mission #261
Malt Mission #262
Malt Mission #263
Malt Mission #265
Malt Mission HOME
Posted by Dr. Whisky at 9:05 AM
Labels: billy's choice, glengoyne, highlands, malt mission, tasting notes, whisky tasting2
1 comment:
there is no sherry from montilla, sam. the sherry named amontillado is so named because it resembles the wine of montilla.
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WELCOME to the homepage of the Good Chefs, a small, but, hopefully, growing stable of food-happy family, friends and pros who really know how to wear the apron around La Cucina.
The Good Chefs will whet your appetite and wet your whistle as they take you around Italy, and beyond, preparing their favorite homespun recipes – from aperitifs and antipasto, to first and second courses, down to desserts and caffè, and recommended wine pairings, too.
Reserve a table for you and all of your friends as the Good Chefs provide you with step-by-step instructions in the preparation of mouth-watering dishes – some easy, some hard – that you can "test drive" in your own kitchen. Make Good Chefs "appointment viewing" each and every time we post a new recipe. Buon appetito!
Stephanie's in her comfort zone between the fridge, the oven and the cooktop. Actually, she's a wizard with the cutting board and can transform a city apartment into a trattoria-like atmosphere quicker than you can say, "Table for two."
Like so many Italians, she was born with the passion, curiosity and talent to feel right at home in the galley. It's just in her DNA. It was because of Stephanie's love of cooking that The Palladian Traveler decided to add Good Chefs to the lineup of header categories that you'll find on this blog.
Look for Stephanie's recipes – from Salta in Bocca to Risotto al Radicchio and lots of tasty dishes in between. For a sample of her work take a look at The Good Daughter and Ocean's Eleven Dinner Party.
Zia Olivanna, or Zia O, is The Palladian Traveler's sister-in-law, and on just about any given Sunday TPT finds himself at the table sampling her delicious, mouth-watering dishes typical of the Vicenza province and, occasionally, beyond the "county line."
This delicate Italian red(head) works her magic on the cooktop, the oven, the blender, etc., along Via Garibaldi in her hometown just north of the City of Palladio.
Whether hosting for 2 or 20, Zia O enjoys "whipping up a storm" and seeing the joy that it puts on the faces – and in the tummies – of the guests that honor her table. If anyone was meant to be totally at home in the kitchen, it is, without a doubt, Zia O.
Cooking comes as easy as breathing to Mark, and rightly so. His older brother attended culinary school and today is a professional chef.
Sibling rivalry aside, big brother had a direct influence on Mark's passion for food – preparing and devouring.
Mark's attended culinary classes in Washington, D.C. and Rome, Italy; and, when time permits, he works his magic on the cooktop, in the oven or out on the grill.
He's an amateur bootlegger, too, brewing his own homemade beers that can give the Hofbräuhaus a run for its money.
For a taste of his culinary acumen, follow his step-by-step instructions to make his marvelous Porchetta.
"I can barely boil water or crack an egg," shouts Lazy Person (LP) as we force the "apprentice" into the kitchen, at knife point, to serve as the Good Chefs' resident bumbling short-order cook-slash-barista.
LP's representative of the guy, or gal, who really doesn't have much of a clue around the kitchen, other than with a microwave, and is, well, just plain lazy. LP really only cooks to survive.
With LP, you'll be treated to "no muss, no fuss" recipes made from everyday, supermarket-bought ingredients that are thrown together like scattered landscape in the tornado's path that somehow – and we do mean SOMEHOW – miraculously work.
From homemade pizzas to sandwiches to pasta dishes to aperitivi, LP promises to give it a go, OR ELSE.