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DC Preview: Legion of Super-Heroes #5
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
by bkthomson » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:24 pmI'm having a hard time with this Legion. Sorry if I'm repeating myself, but I started with the legion just Pre-Zero Hour. So I've heard a lot of good things about Levitz run which gave me high hope for the Legion book post Shooter. Wow, so far each issue has been really tough to get through and I feel very, very lost. It would have helped if D.C. provided some back matter to fill in the holes of what has happened and who is with who. I mean Saturn Girl has kids? It just has not been very user friendly.
by Amoebas » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:33 pm
I can appreciate your dilemma - but is it any different from someone jumping into X-Men for the first time?
"I mean, Cyclops has kids? (from an alternate future reality)?"
If you're ever near the middle of Massachusetts stop on over. You bring the beer and you can read my entire Legion library to catch up on (even the issues they don't reprint in Archives & Showcases).
by Garofani Spruzzo » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:35 pmThere are a lot of long-running franchises that are more confusing (like X-Men!), the only thing that makes the LoSH daunting is the times it was rebooted, and once you know you basically just have to ignore those now it's pretty easy.
by bkthomson » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:42 pm
Ok, very fair point using the X-Men as an example. I've been reading X-Men since the mid 80's yeah a lot of that stuff makes perfect sense to me.
I'll take you up on the Legion library visit if I am ever in the area! Thanks!
by bkthomson » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:46 pm
Yeah, like Amoebas you raise a valid point on the X-Men which to me makes complete sense. For me with the Legion I've read and the multiple reboots until the current series it has always been the young just starting out Legion so each reboot did have a similar theme. I do not plan on dropping the current series, I have faith in Levitz, and the Legion but I cannot deny sometimes it is hard to get through.
by Garofani Spruzzo » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:52 pm
I didn't buy this issue, there's something not compelling to me besides just the art this time. But especially referencing the Great Darkness Saga ties it to that early run, I suspect in part to even further dismiss the DnA and Shooter2 runs but also to try and recapture those fans of the Levitz period. And if you'd read mainly the reboot and threeboot, that would be a tough sell, I agree.
(FTR, I read the X-men from the beginning to the '90s so I know them too--but skipping the '90s but VERY confusing when I first read the book again around 2000.)
by bkthomson » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:57 pm
I believe I pre-ordered Great Darkness Saga recently, I know this is an important part of Levitz history and one of the better Legion stories so I just went with it.
I would say that really the important stuff happened in the early 90's for the X-Men and you did not miss much in the latter half.
by Kolimar » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:36 pm
All you need to know about the Legion and much more:
Saturn Girl:
http://www.cosmicteams.com/legion/profi ... nGirl.html
If you still have questions, you can ask and we won't make fun of you. Well, not too much...
by Kolimar » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:46 pm
Absolutely correct in every respect.
by Amoebas » Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:19 pm
That's one of the better Legion sites. Great suggestion.
by Juan Cena » Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:01 am
I'd go ahead and order the book that's collecting the pre-GDS stories of Levitz, Giffen, and Brodrick (who drew four of the stories in the book). Those early stories in the run redefined the Legion as much as GDS did. "The Forgotten Future" and "Death Stroke at Dawn," for example pretty much turned Dream Girl into a more central character in the series.
by Juan Cena » Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:08 am
What really needs to do is abuse his power and tell Brian Cunningham and Cinar to ditch those frakin' awful Gary Frank unis and either
a)Go back to the "classic era" unis,
b) Make some new ones,
c)Design some new ones himself and tell Cunningham and Cinar that they can either use his designs, or find work elsewhere.
Honestly, c) may be the preferable option.
by Potter Who » Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:29 amyeah, the art is a bit difficult to follow.
by Juan Cena » Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:49 am
There's really just no "oomph!" to it. Grell, Giffen, even LaRouche (whom Cinar reminds me of the most) had there own visions of 30th Century Metropolis. Cinar, meh.
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Our Favorite Dining Rooms
If you're like me, your dining room is probably pulling double (or maybe triple) duty; it's a puzzle room turned home office turned craft room turned game room. Besides all that, it's also the place where family and friends come together to share meals and share life together. So make it a place you'd like to be. From our House Tours, here are some dining rooms that inspired us in 2012.
1. Erin & Rob's Stylish & Glam Family Pad
2. Marsi & Robert's Bright and Tidy Southern Ranch
3. Wendy & Gavin's Bright White Cottage
4. Shiva's Eclectic, Romantic Modern Ranch
5. A Look Inside the Home of Lighting Designer Marjorie Skouras
6. Susan's Adventure for the Senses
7. Chris & Jenna's Collection in the Castro
8. Justine & Angus Cook Up Some Style in Toronto
9. Marina Replicates Her Boston Home
10. Raina & Robert's Modern Farmhouse Makeover
11. Jeannette's Journey Through Time & Place
12. Chelsea & Alex's Balanced Style Blend
13. Annie & Pierson's Bright and Cheerful Home
14. Craig's Tiki Hut
15. Jonya & Brad's Modern A-Frame
16. Kelly and Michael's Light and Bright Abode
17. Lora and Frank's Fun Modern Home
18. Steph & Phil's Reimagined Victorian
19. Alexandra & Eliot's 1890's Farmhouse
20. Sam & Anne's Colorful Modern Mix
(Images: See linked posts for full image credits)

subset: commoncrawl


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315 LMS winter deck view
January 21, 2018 By Charlie
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The Smith Hill Ranches, 188 Bethel Road, Amazing property with top of the world views in The Smith Hill Ranches. Both the house and guest house are constructed with 100-year old custom logs from the Columbia River that are featured on the exterior and interior. The homes are the highest quality construction and finishes. The… Read More
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Ken has been having alot of trouble the last week or so, saying that his legs are feeling really weak. And he has also been falling alot. My observations have been that I see him a little shakey sometimes when he is standing up and I do see his legs wobble almost like Jello and then he falls.
After we talked about it I do think that this has happened before and then a couple of weeks later it got better.
I'm making him use his walker...even around the house, but he doesn't like it any
Do any of your legs feel like this? and then did it get better?
Thanks for your help.


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LEEDS, England (AP) With more mountain stages, only one time trial, and cobblestones on the menu, there's an exciting smorgasbord of routes in store on the Tour de France.
The three-week race, which starts on Saturday in Leeds, features only 54 kilometers (33.5 miles) of time-trialing, all on the Tour's penultimate stage between Bergerac and Perigueux. This could disadvantage defending champion Chris Froome of Britain, who beat his main rival, Alberto Contador, in both of last year's individual time trials.
''Given the structure of the Tour this year and the diversity of all the different challenges - we've got the cobbles, we've got these tricky stages up here north, and we've got 5 summit finishes, we've got a 54-kilometer time trial - it's not possible to say that this guy is going to win,'' Froome said on Thursday.
Here's a look at five stages where the Team Sky leader and other contenders could win, or lose, the race:
STAGE 5: Wednesday, July 9, Ypres, Belgium, to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, France: At 155.5 kilometers (97 miles), this stage is not particularly long. But it features nine patches of cobblestones, many of them familiar in the joint-jarring Paris-Roubaix one-day race. The key for the big guns will be to stay at the front of the pack to avoid crashes on a treacherous and dusty terrain usually tackled at a frenetic pace. Punctures are also frequent on cobblestones, and can end a rider's hopes of winning the race. Both Froome and Contador have carefully reconnoitered the stage, with the Spaniard having a final workout on the 15 kilometers (10 miles) of cobblestones this week. ''Sensations over the cobbles have been very good,'' Contador said.
STAGE 10: Monday, July 14, Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles: The first major test in the mountains. The 161.5-kilometer (100-mile) stage finishes in the ski resort where Froome got his first Tour stage win two years ago. It features seven tough climbs and a hilltop finish with a patch of super-steep, 20-degree gradient.
STAGE 14: Saturday, July 19, Grenoble to Risoul: The Queen stage of the Tour. This 177-kilometer (110-mile) ride features two classic mountain passes, the Col du Lautaret and the Col d'Izoard, and ends with a summit finish in the Alps. The ascent to the ski resort is not the most difficult of the race, but riders will have been worn out by 31 kilometers (19 miles) on the slopes of the two mythical mountains beforehand.
STAGE 17: Wednesday, July 23, Saint-Gaudens to Saint-Lary (Pla d'Adet): The penultimate day in the mountains is a short 124.5-kilometer (77-mile) ride through the Pyrenees that will offer no rest to the peloton. After 50 relatively flat kilometers, the riders won't stop climbing and descending over three category 1 ascents - the Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and Col de Val Louron-Aze - before the last climb to Pla d'Adet, which is so hard that it is defying cycling's ranking system for climbs. The race's final top three are likely to be known at the finish line.
STAGE 20, Saturday, July 26, Bergerac to Perigueux: At 54 kilometers (33.5 miles), it is one of the longest time trials in recent Tour history. On the eve of the mostly ceremonial finale on Paris' Champs-Elysees, the race-against-the-clock will be decisive if the mountains haven't been already. The distance and the rolling terrain make the stage difficult. After three weeks of racing, expect the TT specialists like Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland and Tony Martin of Germany to be challenged. Fatigue could also take its toll on the main contenders.
Follow Samuel Petrequin on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sampetrequin


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DUDLEY, Mass. – A pair of goals by senior Michelle Teplensky (Somers, N.Y.) helped propel the MIT field hockey team to a 4-1 victory over Nichols College in a game that concluded on Sunday after being suspended on Thursday, Sept. 12 due to lightning. With the win, the nationally-ranked No. 19 Engineers improved to 5-0 on the year.
MIT wasted little time getting on the board as Teplensky redirected a centering pass from sophomore Molly McNamara (Auburn, Mass.) after 42 seconds elapsed. Several minutes later, a penalty corner led to a flurry of shots before Teplensky knocked in the rebound of her previous bid to give the Engineers a 2-0 advantage in the eighth minute. The visitors' lead grew midway through the frame as senior Molly Duffy (New Providence, N.J.) one-timed a feed from classmate Erin Kenney (Glen Ellyn, Ill.). MIT controlled the action during the remainder of the half as it generated 10 penalty corners and six shots on goal while surrendering two shots and a penalty corner.
Following six minutes of play that featured a Nichols penalty corner and two shots by sophomore Morgan Gulliver (Stamford, Conn.), the game was halted due to lightning. When action resumed on Vendetti Field, the contest became a back-and-forth affair until Gulliver poked in a rebound in the 58th minute to put the Engineers up, 4-0. MIT continued to attack but the Bison ended the shutout with 1:17 left to play courtesy of their only shot on goal of the game.
Sophomore Evie Kyritsis (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) came away with the win despite not recording a save.
MIT continues non-conference play at home on Tuesday, Sept. 17 when it hosts Lasell College.


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"With global travel spend under control and smarter purchasing, we're in an excellent position. Well done to the FCm team for a great performance." Tom Daniels, Head of Global Procurement & Estates Lloyd's Register Group
"FCm partnered with my team to develop a global vision to ensure our business needs are met, while maintaining the goals of the T&E team. Through this process, we have developed a true partnership with FCm". Karen Allen, Global Travel Manager, Richardson Electronics (global provider of engineered solutions)
"We needed to find a supplier who understood and could support our global strategy. Our head of global marketing is based in the US and our head of technology is in the UK, therefore consistency across all these markets was extremely important to us when partnering with FCm Travel Solutions." Simon Kelly, Chief Financial Officer, Aristocrat Leisure Limited (leading global supplier of gaming solutions)
"FCm Travel Solutions demonstrated the strongest ability to tailor services to our business and our travel needs at a competitive price. Regardless of what our business needs in a particular country, FCm Travel Solutions adjusts their business model and services to make it happen for us." Mr Lapkee Hui, Sourcing Manager Hong Kong, Reuters (world's largest multimedia news agency)
"The FCm people who look after T-Mobile are highly focused on customer service and all experienced in their fields. They strike the right balance between saving us money and ensuring travellers' needs are met. We achieved what was thought to be an impossible target by partnering and working as a team with a common goal, without any detrimental effect on service. That's what set's FCm apart as an outstanding provider of services to T-Mobile." Richard Hampson, Head of General Procurement, T-Mobile (part of a world leader in mobile phone technology)
"FCm and [its event specialist team] CiEvents were among the very few marketing operations that could offer IBM a single contact source to design, manage and implement a channel incentive program and a fulfilment service that could be customised in each market. They have demonstrated outstanding flexibility and attention to our needs." Ryan Faithful, 'Know Your IBM' Global Deployment Manager, IBM Corporation (world's largest provider of IT services, hardware, and financing)
"FCm Travel Solutions is extremely flexible, customer focused and very experienced when it comes to introducing new solutions such as online. You do not usually find this in a TMC because of the cost implications. Most TMCs stick to one cost model, but FCm looks at different options to optimise a client's business travel process." Arndt Bennighoven, BU Purchasing for Non IT and Travel Management, WestLB (one of Germany's leading financial services providers)
"The solutions FCm offered not only met all the travel requirements of our growing business, but we also felt FCm had a good fit with our culture, which was important to us as a company." Susie Barrington, Financial Services Manager, Orion Health (a leading global provider of clinical workflow and integration technology)
"FCm provided us with a 'firework of measures', such as the continuous optimization of processes that we welcomed to be implemented. We have been very impressed by FCm's solutions and the benefits they have delivered, and we have found the FCm team to be incredibly flexible in meeting our unique needs." Global Travel Management, Elster Group, Germany (a world leader in Advanced Metering Infrastructure)
"FCm was the only TMC prepared to meet our pre-condition in the UK and Ireland. We will increase our 'global' buying power and compliance to policy as a result of this change." Carsten Czub, Global Travel Manager, GEA Group UK (technology group with operating companies in 50 countries)
"I work with Sally and the team at FCm because they understand my business and they understand my requirements. I'm very impressed with their team approach. Sally is my right hand person – she does everything. Time is money. That's why I let her take care of the travel arrangements while I take care of my business." Grant Vinning, Founder, Asia Market Research (specialising in export market development for under-developed countries)


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|divisionary -->
|medical dictionary
That divides; prtaining to, making, or noting, a division; as, a divisional line; a divisional general; a divisional surgeon of police.
<geology> Divisional planes, planes of separation between rock masses. They include joints.
(01 Mar 1998)
divinity, divinyl ether, divinyl ether synthase, division < Prev | Next > divisionally, divisionary, divisionor
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The Jets' pool of candidates for their vacant general manager job shrunk by one yesterday.
Giants director of college scouting Marc Ross withdrew his name from consideration for the job, according to a source.
Ross interviewed for the job on Jan. 7 as part of the initial group of candidates the Jets looked at. The Jets are bringing some candidates back this week for second interviews and hope to have a general manager hired by the end of the week.
Ross, 39, interviewed for GM openings with the Jets, Jaguars, Chargers and Panthers. He is considered a rising star in the league and a future general manager.
A Princeton graduate, he worked with the Eagles and Bills before joining the Giants in May 2007. He has run the Giants draft room for the past five years, leading the evaluation process of players such as Hakeem Nicks, Jason Pierre-Paul and David Wilson.
The Jets have interviewed at least 10 candidates to fill the position left open when they fired Mike Tannenbaum.


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|Eugene, Ore.
|High School:
|South Eugene
|Political science
|Residential College:
Yale PRs
800m 1:56.07
1500m 3:52.18
Mile 4:20.29
3000m 8:28.94
5000m 14:56.97
XC 8k 24:52
High School PRs
800m 1:58.15
1500m 3:58.45
3000m 8:35.12
2012-2013: Competed at Fordham, New Englands, CCSU, and against Harvard...Third on the team at the New England Championships...Fourth on the team and sixth overall at the CCSU Mini-Meet...Member of DMR team that took All-East honors at the indoor IC4As...Set PR in the 1,500-meters at the Larry Ellis Invitational...Placed first in the 1,500-meters at the Yale Springtime Invitational.
2011-2012: Consistent scorer for Yale all season… Set cross country PR at the Harvard-Yale meet… Represented Yale at both Heps (26:20.5) and Regionals (10k time of 33:28.1).
2010-2011: Outdoors, ran PR of 15.16.13 in 5000m at Sam Howell Invitational … Placed eighth in 5000m run at Harvard-Yale … Ran indoor season best in 3000m at Dartmouth-Columbia … Competed in top seven at Heps for cross country … Came in first for Bulldogs at New England Championships.
2009-2010: Competed in the 5000m at Harvard-Yale during outdoor … Was running among Yale's top seven runners in cross country before illness sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
High School: Was the Oregon state meet second place finisher in both cross country and the 3000m and finished third in the 1500m.
Personal: Silliman College … Four of his second cousins went to Yale … Volunteered at Roosevelt Middle School … Enjoys crossword puzzles.
Why I chose Yale: "Yale felt like home and the team is a great group of guys."
Q: Celebrity doppelganger?
A: John Lennon
Q: Favorite historical period?
A: Late Triassic
Q: Favorite weight room song?
A: Till I Collapse – Eminem feat. Nate Dogg
Q: Sequence of activities after a Sunday long run?
A: Take a nap, watch the NFL


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(Photo courtesy WPXI)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh man has been jailed on charges he stabbed his live-in girlfriend with scissors, allegedly because she had the TV turned up too loud.
Police say 56-year-old Dwayne Craig was standing on the front porch, crying and covered in blood, asking police to shoot him when they responded to the couple's home early Sunday.
Online court records don't list an attorney for Craig, who faces a preliminary hearing July 18 on aggravated assault and attempted homicide charges. He remained jailed Tuesday unable to post bond.
Craig's girlfriend, who is mother to his two children, told police the couple were talking about drinking scotch when he became upset shortly before 6 a.m.
Police say he threatened to kill the woman and stabbed her so hard in the chest and armpit that the scissors broke.
See video at:


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How long are the connections between the tlc's?Also, which tlc's are the ones flickering? The last two on the chain or is it random?
I suspect you have no decoupling capacitors on the TLC5940s.http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Tutorial/De-coupling.html
Would I run a 0.1 µF capacitor between those two pins on each IC, correct?
First, I'm an electronics noobie. I've daisy chained 4 TLC5940s on a breadboard exactly as shown on the Arduino TLC5940 Library page and a total of 21 RGB LEDs. One diversion from that setup is that I used a 2.2K resistors instead of 2K resistors (my local Radio Shack didn't have 2K resistors).It works pretty well expect that sometimes one or two of the TLC5490s flickers it's LEDs. Any ideas?
So why the speed is different? Is it because of the faster clock speek on UNO?
But I thought the example would have taken this into account when I change the board setting in the arduino menu.
And why the flickering disappears on the Nano but not the UNO?
Other problems may be coming from energy consumption of TLC5940.TLC5940 draws fairly large power (5V,100mA, etc.) with careless programming implementation.This causes instant drop of the voltage and makes flickering.This voltage drop sometimes cannot be compensated by 0.1uF capacitor, especially when you are using a small voltage regulator.


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On March 12 a great article on Sterling Tobacco appeared in Pipes Magazine. Here's the LINK. Pipe smokers should visit this site often. Pipes Magazine has great articles of interest to you. Check it out ~ Jack.
You get three one ounce samples for just $7.00
(Additional postage for customers outside the U.S.).
Go to our Sterling Tobacco and 1776 Tobacco pages
and select three blends you want to try.
Then go to THIS PAGE,and follow the instructions there.
BARGAIN PIPE TOBACCO From time to time I get special deals on tobacco. When that happens I will blend up a batch of "Bargain" pipe tobacco for sale at unusually low prices. This is quality tobacco and there are no "fillers" or non-tobacco products added. 100% tobacco at 100% bargain prices.
Each batch will be different from the last since I never know what kind of tobacco bargain I will get. The blends will be aromatic since that is the most popular.
This batch of Bargain tobacco is selling for just $17 per pound! Where else can you get a price anywhere near that?Order several and save on shipping costs. Tobacco will stay fresh for many months in a beer cooler with an open glass of water for humidity.
To order, just phone 815-441-8065 or mail to Sterling Tobacco, PO Box 1151, Sterling,IL 61081 with cash, money order or check, or email firstname.lastname@example.com. (Be sure to give your name and how many pounds you want).
The Sterling Tobacco Company strives to maintain only the highest quality pipe tobacco. Our blends are made with the finest natural tobaccos and flavor enhancements available. You can be confident you'll receive full smoking enjoyment with any of these quality blends.


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Fantastic Mr. + Mrs. Fox
Added Nov 5, 2012
San Diego, Calif...
This is the first year that we both wanted to be something just as much as the other, yay! For his costume I did some tailoring off a vintage corduroy suit. I also made a couple tails for us, which aren't pictured. My dress came from a XL vintage long-sleeved dress which I was able to restyle into the shape I wanted. All to avoid hems and closures. I was on a time crunch! I was able to make the mock-turtle neck, belt, pockets and cuffs with the leftover fabric. I then made a stencil for the apples and drew the stems by hand. The masks are probably my favorite part of this costume. I used the long-pile white for his mask and a shorter length for my mask. The rust colored fabric was the same. I drew the eyes on white fabric and made eye holes on the upper-corner for our real eyes. The black was done with wool roving. The base of the masks are plastic. I used broomstick hairs for our whiskers. Of course we had a plan beforehand, but I only had one day to work with the materials. I was happily surprised with the results!
Material Notes
crepe, corduroy, cotton, wool roving, faux fur, glue, markers
- Season
- Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
- For
- Women
- Garment Type
- Dress
- Style
- Classic, Mod, Other, Preppy, Romantic, Vintage
- Material
- Corduroy, Cotton, Blends, Leather/Fur, Shirting, Suiting, Wool
- cupcakedreammachine
4 Comments Sign in to add a post
Nov 6, 2012, 06.12 PMby picklelilly
Oh my god, these are the best costumes I've ever seen – I'm in love!
Nov 6, 2012, 11.23 AMby alekat
oh my goodness! how fantastic! I love it and the masks look just like Mr and Mrs Fox. What a great effort for one days work
Nov 5, 2012, 01.10 PMby ADR
Good job! I love Fantastic Mr. and Mrs. Fox! : )
Nov 5, 2012, 10.21 AMby Mary Athey
Fab outfits. you did.a.smashing job on this. the masks.are.so.well.done.xx
Add to Favorites 11 people added it


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Danny Locke is known as a wrangler and horseman as much as he is recognized as a successful cotton farmer.
For years he has donated his horses, mules and wagoneering skills to a historical program in the Madera, Calif. schools that takes fifth graders on wagon train expeditions to relive history. Most of these journeys have been in California. However, three years ago it was a 30-day wagon train trip through west Texas to retrace the route of an 1850s gold prospector bound for California.
The 71-year-old Fresno County, Calif., farmer and this year's Farm Press High Cotton Award winner from the West, says he is often "roped" into volunteering his time for the wagon train, but his quick, hearty chuckle that follows makes you believe the dally was not hard to get Locke to say yes.
Locke could be called an easy mark on the turnrows of the family's Pikalok Farming along the banks of the San Joaquin River in Fresno County, Calif.
Pikalok is involved in a lot of research and demonstration plots.
The 1,570-acre operation has long hosted University of California and San Joaquin Cotton Board statewide variety trials.
For seven years, the California Sustainable Cotton Project has parked at Pikalok to demonstrate more environmentally friendly cotton growing. According to Kevin Long, Calcot field representative, the Locke family readily accepted the challenge to reduce pesticide and herbicide use and subsequently farming costs working with the sustainable ag project.
However, this is not an organic cotton demonstration, but one where practices like using hedgerows to increase the populations and diversity of beneficial insects have been demonstrated. Those same hedgerows serve as a trap crop to attract pests away from crops.
The bottom line for the sustainable cotton project has been increased yields and better quality cotton.
Long says Pikalok cotton, long-marketed through Calcot, has been sold at a premium over other Western cottons of similar qualities.
For a decade, Danny and the family farm partners also have captured and recycled drain water.
Pikalok installed the first high horsepower solar-powered irrigation pumping project. The solar energy system powers a 50-horsepower irrigation pump and provides power for the farm shop and the farm's main residence. It has been a big draw for visitors to the farm, often hosted by daughter and son-in-law Mari and Gary Martin.
The Lockes also strip-cut alfalfa, a highly recommended practice advocated by University of California Integrated Pest Management regional advisor Pete Goodell to prevent pest migration from the forage crop to the cotton crop.
Locke began practicing conservation/minimum tillage 15 years ago — before it became fashionable in the West — to increase microbial activity in the soil. This reduced-tillage has saved 50 percent over what they once spent on traditional cultivation and tillage.
All of this represents considerable time and resource commitments for a 1,600-acre operation. Many of the projects and demonstrations come with field days. And the family often hosts smaller groups wanting to see what they are doing.
University of California Cooperative Extension Fresno County Farm Advisor Dan Munk has worked with the family for almost two decades.
"I have been impressed with Danny's leadership in the industry as he works to improve farming practices and land stewardship," says Munk.
And it does not include activity off the farm by all family members. Mari is involved in the controversial San Joaquin River restoration to make sure farmers get a voice in the project. Son-in-law Gary is on the Calcot board. Danny served 10 years on the San Joaquin Cotton Board, and for 20 years served on the board of the Paso Canal Company and Resource Conservation District for his region.
Time away from the farm involved in activities affecting the farm is just as important sometimes as tractor time, notes Locke.
Asked why his family's farm partnership is so involved in so much, his response reflects Danny's cowboy way: "It's the right thing to do."
Locke must balance it all with the constant reminder that Pikalok must make a profit, which it has done with cotton for four of the past five years. This is no small feat in the U.S. cotton market of late.
However, it is not strictly about the money. For Danny it's all about keeping his family on the farm, which besides Mari and Gary includes their son Daniel, eager to finish college and work full-time at the farm; daughter Kelley Jo Locke and Danny's son Dane Locke III.
"I guess I am like an old mother hen. I don't want the family to get away from the farm. Maybe I should, but it has always been important to me to have my children be part of the farm," says Danny.
By California standards, less than 2,000 acres is almost defined as a one-man operation, but Pikalok is the livelihood of many.
You suspect Danny had a reason to stay relatively small. He likely could buy more land, but with the acreage small, the family must invest their time in the farm for all to make a living. You cannot afford to hire it all done.
There is a hard and fast Danny Locke rule: The family is directly involved in the most important jobs like planting and harvesting of the crops.
"When there are critical jobs to do, everybody comes together," said Gary.
"And we do not ask any of our workers to do something we would not do," adds Dane, who along with Gary handles virtually all the agchem spraying.
Martin says Pikalok Farming decisions take a natural progression. "It's not that we get together and smoke a peace pipe and make a decision. Decisions come from conversations among ourselves about what is going on with the farm and about the future. From those conversations come decisions."
Pikalok's cotton yields average close to 3.5 bales. In 2008 the family farmed 650 acres of cotton. The rest was in alfalfa (560 acres), corn silage (223 acres) and 125 acres of newly planted almonds.
It becomes obvious in a short time around the family that it is Danny's quiet leadership that fosters everyone getting along.
Locke is easy going and admittedly slow to anger or get upset.
"I have been angry a time or two," he admits. "The last time I got mad I thought I was going to give myself a heart attack, and it was not making any difference to the chemical guy I was mad at. It is not worth it to get mad."
Locke grew up on the land he farms today between Firebaugh and Mendota, Calif. He has been farming for more than 50 years.
Locke's father and uncle moved the family in 1920 to California from Washington State, where they were homesteaders.
They settled first in the Merced area, eventually buying in the early 1930s, the land the Locke family still farms. His father farmed into his 90s. Danny is not planning to retire any time soon, either.
"I remember ditching school to pick cotton, but they wouldn't let me pick because I was supposed to be in school," he recalls.
Locke made sure his children worked all the jobs on the farm. "I remember the first time dad had me chop cotton. After 40 minutes I felt like I had been there for hours," Dane laughed. Mari and Kelley chuckled in agreement.
Daniel went for his first picker ride when he was barely able to walk.
"Daniel went to sleep on the floor of the picker cab while dad drove the picker," recalls Mari.
Unlike many cotton producers, 2008 was a good financial year for the Lockes. They sold cotton for 90 cents per pound in the Calcot call pool.
"We have always been in the seasonal pool, but the opportunity came up early to sell all our cotton for 90 cents, and we took it. It was what made the decision on how much to plant," says Gary, who hastened to ad Pikalok still has 2007 cotton in the seasonal pool.
There likely will be less than 50,000 acres of Upland/Acala cotton in California in 2009. There may be 100,000 acres of Pima.
"The only thing that makes sense right now economically is Pima," said Martin, admitting past experience with the extra-long-staple cotton left less than a desirable alternative. It will be tough to find another 90-cent upland price for the 2009 crop.
Pima is difficult to get a stand for the Locke family. It takes a longer season to mature a crop, and therefore it's more risky.
"We tried it, but we could not get the yield we do with Acala," said Locke, who agreed with his son-in-law that unless upland prices improve markedly, Pima may return to Pikalok.
"These are not good times for cotton, but I think cotton will come back. California cotton quality is what got us here, and it will be what keeps us going because the world knows our cotton," said Locke.


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Sepaton, a backup and recovery company, designed its new VirtuoSO platform specifically to meet the increasing volume, variety and velocity challenges that apply to data protection. I'll provide a close look at VirtuoSO and how it works. But first, let's examine the trends that have forced architectural changes in data backup.
IT Transformations
The first transformation of IT, which focused on the digitization of business workflow and business automation (notably online transaction processing systems), used backup software from disk to tape as the primary means to achieve basic data protection. The second transformation of IT added digitization to the human experience, starting with employees using social, communication and productivity tools such as email and word processing. The Web and mobile computing expanded consumers' access to cyberspace.
Data protection was retrofitted to try to accommodate these new processes, even though original business data was block-oriented structured data and most of the new data is file-oriented semi-structured or unstructured information. A new, important architectural change has been the adoption of disk-to-disk data protection, such as the use of a virtual tape library (VTL) that effectively replaces tape with hard disks as the first tier of backup data protection. The major driver of that change involved the incorporation of deduplication as integral to the backup process.
The third transformation of IT involves machine-created data, such as sensor-based information, a trend often referred to as the "Internet of Things." This raises an additional challenge for data protection.
How VirtuoSO Works
VirtuoSO is a scale-out network-attached storage (NAS) product, meaning it's file-oriented (i.e., it uses the standard CIFS and NFS protocols) rather than block-oriented, like a VTL. That also means VirtuoSO is separate and distinct from Sepaton's block-oriented VTL. However, Sepaton said VirtuoSO will eventually support VTL.
VirtuoSO contains all the necessary hardware (including storage) and software required for backup/restore, which is why the company calls it a data protection platform. The word "appliance" might also be used here, as it serves the single-purpose, dedicated mission of data protection. Sepaton describes VirtuoSO as managing all data types individually but within a single pool of storage (think of this as analogous to server virtualization consolidation).
[Read about Asigra's new pricing model, which focuses on how much data needs to be recovered rather than how much storage is used in "Shifting The Backup And Recovery Focus To Recovery."]
Although Sepaton does not refer to it in this way, I believe VirtuoSO can be considered a converged heterogeneous infrastructure for data protection, because it tightly combines HP servers, Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) storage, data backup/restore software (such as CommVault, NetBackup, Networker, Tivoli Storage Manager, and Veeam), and its own software into a single system. Consequently, it promises to provide the benefits of converged infrastructure -- centralizing the management of IT systems to consolidate systems, increase resource utilization rates and lower costs.
VirtuoSO focuses on being able to efficiently work with all types of data. This is important because the increased diversity of data types typically favor file versus block orientations. That requires the use of a file system abstraction (as there is a need for file services that provide a richer metadata environment), finer granularity on managing particular data and greater flexibility in managing data, including data movement in a virtual environment. By the way, note that understanding and managing blocks is still essential to this process, since everything is still composed of blocks (to use a chemistry/physics analogy, think of "molecular" objects made up of "atomic" blocks).
Sepaton has built VirtuoSO around its OptiScale architecture, which is based on the Sepaton OptiScale File System (SOFS), an object store with a file system presentation layer. This reflects the movement toward object storage, which is a key trend in the storage arena. The advantage of an object store is that it can be designed to manage an essentially unlimited amount of storage.
Now, how file system abstraction can play a key role in an object store may not be intuitive, but it does. In this case, VirtuoSO has a POSIX-compliant (Portable Operating System Interface) file system abstraction on top of the object store that works with remote access methods that include NFS and CIFS at first and others later on.
Next Page: Deduplication And Object Management


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Exclusively available through John Lewis, Sharp's 46in X8E LCD TV is a development of the B20 Aquos range, incorporating all the same technology, but with a larger screensize and a smaller physical footprint.
It's a very thin TV in the main (around 90mm), if you ingnore the wedge foot. Wall-mounters will appreciate its svelteness. I also like the narrow bezel design; when I'm watching TV, I want to see the picture, not my face reflected in half an acre of plastic surrounding it.
Sharp's impressive technology
It's well-specified, too, with a plethora of rear and side connections, including three HDMIs, two RGB-capable Scarts, D-Sub PC connection, component input, and most other things you can think of.
The remote control is the most disappointing aspect of the design - its small and fiddly buttons add nothing to the enjoyment of using this television.
The technology behind the Full HD B20 series and the X8 is well-established and impressive. With a claimed response time of 6ms and a dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1, the sets have been able to deliver clear and sharp pictures from a range of sources, even doing a good job of smoothing out images from the built-in Freeview tuner.
The SRS TruSound and XT Sound systems make the X8E capable of standing alone without the need of a separate sound crutch, and the pictographic on-screen menus are easy to navigate. For those of us with green concerns, energy saving features add more incentive.
Fuzzy detail
On first viewing the Sharp's pictures appear pleasant, with convincing colour fidelity, solid blacks, and a fair amount of detail. Closer inspection reveals, though, a slight orange tinge to skin tones, and perhaps a little fuzziness on large dark areas.
Watching some HD footage of Wimbledon, it's easy to notice the screen's difficulties in handling details of the net, which doesn't seem to bother many of its peers.
Adjustments to colour and contrast settings don't seem to have much effect, but it's still a perfectly pleasant and watchable picture, although not as stunning as some rivals.
Off-angle viewing, though, is a sore disappointment, with the screen rapidly losing colour and contrast as you move out of the 'sweet spot'; in this respect it's performance is certainly the least acceptable of the four sets.
Superior audio quality
I am pleased with the set's sonic performance, which reaches relatively high levels without any sign of harshness.
There isn't much stereo width though, so it's best to engage the 3D pseudo-surround mode to extend its stereo soundstage. This is surprisingly effective, bringing the Sharp's sonic performance up to the standard of the LG's Mark Levinson-tuned audio system.
I also like the fact that there's an Audio Only mode so you can switch the picture off while you're listening to a radio channel. Other manfacturers should take note.
Perfectly good specs, gorgeous design and reasonable picture and sound performance make this Sharp a definite bigscreen contender.


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The game that was put on Steam and then removed for false advertising has finally made it's way back up onto the Steam market. However, it would seem that sales didn't go as planned as they are now giving you the opportunity to buy the game for 75% off. That equates to just three dollars and 74 cents.
If they paid me to play it I might give it a go. Otherwise, no thanks.
LOL 75% off, you mean 75% of the game STILL isn't completed.
I'd buy this, if I had a c#ck on my head.
So I bought this for 75 percent just to see if it is as horrible as people say; and God yes it is. My machine can run Crysis at 40 FPS, which isn't that amazing, but War Z runs at 10 and breaks to sometimes 5 FPS. This game doesn't deserve any money, and I'm surprised the developers/company hasn't been sued yet.


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Among the many Christmas festivities happening during the Neosho Dickens Faire on Saturday, Dec. 1, the Newton County Historical Society is offering one more.
Among the many Christmas festivities happening during the Neosho Dickens Faire on Saturday, Dec. 1, the Newton County Historical Society is offering one more.
A free Victorian Christmas ornament workshop will be held from 1-3 p.m. in the schoolhouse at the Newton County Historical Park and Museum, one block north of the Neosho Square at 121 N. Washington St.
All materials will be provided, but please register beforehand by calling the museum at 451-4940.
Refreshments will be provided afterward. The Neosho Christmas Parade kicks off at 5 p.m. and eventually rolls right in front of the museum on the last leg of the route, so why not stick around and enjoy it from there?
As to the ornaments themselves, my understanding is that they will be in the form of miniature "crazy quilts," which became popular in the 1880s.
It's free and it's "Christmasy" so why not? I love Christmas!
• • •
Before then, on Thursday, Nov. 29, the historical society is holding our annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. and combining it with an 2013 events planning session at 6:30 p.m., also at the schoolhouse.
If you're a member of the historical society (it's only $10 annually, so why not be?) please attend and voice your input. If you're not already a member, why not just attend and join that night? There are a few events I wanted to do when I was still museum director (I've been off for about a year and a half now, though I'm still on the board of directors) that I would still like to see happen, even if I'm no longer the person organizing them.
I'm sure you have some fresh ideas for events as well, so please attend on Nov. 29.
• • •
I was pleasantly surprised at the number of folks who said they liked my column a couple of weeks ago about the clock in Big Spring Park. That clock is certainly worth saving and many people seem to agree!
I was not so pleasantly surprised to hear second hand that I am supposedly the only person interested in saving the long flight of concrete steps in Big Spring Park. That is certainly not true. I have personally heard, and read, several people express their support for preserving those steps, which have been a part of Big Spring Park since 1923 (a flight of wooden stairs existed in the same spot since at least the early 1880s, according to photos, and even before then, according to newspaper accounts).
The reason I haven't written about it (other than reporting on it once when it was discussed during a city council meeting) is I have been somewhat involved in trying to save them. I know there has been some financial support committed by one local group, and some labor donated by an individual. Hopefully, we'll see some materials donated as well. The city council is on board for preserving those steps, provided some individuals and groups are ready to step up and share some of the cost of repairing them. The city administration has held off on recommending any definite action until it is determined if the people of Neosho are interested in saving this piece of local culture and history or not. I believe they are. Look for further updates on this. I'll just go ahead and say it, that the historical society board of directors has committed its support in joining with other groups in holding a fundraiser or two, or three, in Big Spring Park this spring to raise money to repair those steps. I think it will happen. I think people care enough. I hope so anyway.
Wes Franklin serves on the Newton County Historical Society Board of Directors. He is also a staff writer for the Neosho Daily News. He can be reached at 658-8443.


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Utah State University is committed to providing access to a quality higher education. During the course of the campaign, USU received more than $61 million in gifts to fund endowments that created scholarships in departments or colleges, funded a faculty position or provided program funding. A total of 234 endowments were created spanning across all seven colleges.
Endowment gifts represent a crucial source of funding as well as a lasting legacy. In recognition, many endowments are named after the donor or someone the donor wishes to honor. The Lynn Langer Meeks Fellowship, established by her husband, Norman L. Jones, was created in memoriam of Lynn, a former USU English faculty member who died of pancreatic cancer in 2006. The funds from this endowment support women returning to school who wish to be English teachers, with preference given to established English teachers with more than three years of service.
In the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, beloved emeriti faculty member and USU alum Vern Buehler funded, along with support from the Elizabeth D. Stewart Educational Foundation, the Vernon M. Buehler Professorship. The professorship supports and rewards outstanding professors in the Huntsman School of Business.
And the story wouldn't be complete without the arts. Beverly Taylor Sorenson of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation funded an interdisciplinary endowed chair and an endowed arts program to develop the skills of those who teach art — music, dance, theater and visual arts — to elementary school students. Beverly is a philanthropist and former teacher who worked to make the arts a fundamental part of every Utah child's elementary school education.
-Charles Redd Chair of Religious Studies
-George S. Eccles Chair in Business
-Ray L. and Eloise Lillywhite Endowed Chair
-Old Main Chair Endowment
-Beverly Taylor Sorenson Endowed Chair
-Dr. Dinesh and Kalpana Patel Graduate Fellowship
-Noelle and John Cockett Graduate Fellowship
-Lynn Langer Meeks Fellowship
-Sant Innovation Fellowship
-Bertrand D. Tanner/Campbell Scientific Graduate Fellowship
-Edna Southworth Fellowship in Accountancy
-Rajendra Prasad and Yasoda Mani Grandhi Fellowship
-Vernon M. Buehler Professorship
-Harold W. Dance Pioneer Legacy Endowed Professorship
-Michael Christiansen Professorship — Guitar Performance


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A major refinery which supplies the New York gasoline market will remain idled for at least another two to three weeks, as the impact of Hurricane Sandy continues to weigh on the region's energy sector.
Phillips 66 said in a statement late Monday that its 238-thousand barrel per day Bayway Refinery in Linden, New Jersey will remain idled.
"Work to repair or replace damaged equipment, primarily electrical equipment impacted by saltwater during the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy, is already under way.The refinery's processing units are in good condition."
The Bayway facility was among the first to see power return following the storm, but this was the first timeline Phillips 66 gave for restarting the facility nicknamed "the gas machine" by energy analysts, because it is a key producer for the New York area.
(Read More: Option Bulls Find Love in Phillips 66)
"It's been more than a power outage. It's actually been infrastructure flooding and damage," says Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.
The delay in restarting Bayway and continuing outages of major fuel terminals in the Newark, New Jersey will likely keep gasoline supplies tight in the New York and New Jersey area through the end of November.
Some of those supplies will be made up in the next 7-10 days by barges out of the Gulf Coast being allowed to transport imported fuel to the Northeast, following last week's lifting of the Jones Act in the wake of the storm.
(Read More: Oil Frets Over 'Fiscal Cliff' Amid Leadership Change)
But the bottleneck will continue if major terminals in the area remain down.
In addition to the repairs at the refinery, Phillips 66 says it is also in the process of repairing its dock in order to resume receiving barge shipments.
"I think the service stations are going to continue to improve throughout the week," as power returns, Lipow explained. "But I don't think things return to normal for several weeks at the terminal level."
Follow Bertha Coombs on Twitter: @coombscnbc


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In the early 1900s, engineers in the automotive business, in order to expand their individual technical knowledge, needed a source where they could share their ideas freely. This desire led them to create the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), which has been playing a vital role in the development of the mobility industry since 1905.
SAE has been providing student members with challenging projects that involve planning and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market. Some of these projects include Micro-Truck Baja, Super-Mileage Formula SAE Series, SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, and Mini Baja Series.
Formation of Andrews University SAE Student Chapter
Students from the Department of Engineering & Computer Science became SAE student members and established a Collegiate Club (Student Chapter) at Andrews University in the Fall of 2005. This student chapter started out with 16 members, most of whom are currently studying to become the engineers of tomorrow. The Club was officially established and recognized in February 2006.
Andrews University Student Chapter members participated in their first ever Mini Baja Competition in April 2007, in Florida. In this Mini Baja competition, students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain, mud and water. Teams compete against one another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. Students must function as a team to design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle within the limits of the rules. Team AU came in 58 out of a total of 75 teams in the design competition.


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410 Maple Cognac
Medium-rich brandy color with subtle notes of deep red. This finish drenches a room in sophistication, and can be classically styled or adopt a modern dress.
Maple Cognac Color Story
Hold On Loosely
They say the secret to keeping a guy is not to hold on too tightly. My grandma, she's old school-she says the secret to keeping a guy is her brandy-colored maple rolling pin. It sure has worked for her-she and my grandpa have been married for 62 years! I guess I'm somewhere in between. Jonathan and I have been happily married for five years now, and I've only had to show him the rolling pin once. Life is about discovering what works for you, what fits with your personality and style.


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Alabama-Tennessee Natural Gas Company
Second Revised Volume No. 1
Contents / Previous / Next / Main Tariff Index
Effective Date: 09/01/1993, Docket: RS92- 27-003, Status: Effective
Original Sheet No. 21 Original Sheet No. 21 : Superseded
RATE SCHEDULE FT (continued)
Provided, however, the maximum daily delivery
quantity at any Receipt Point(s) shall not exceed the
quantity which Shipper's supplier has agreed to
deliver at such point, unless otherwise agreed to by
Transporter. The aggregate quantity of receipts shall
equal the sum of the aggregate quantity of
deliveries, plus the quantity of gas for Fuel and
Losses provided in Section 6 of this Rate Schedule.
(b) Receipt/Delivery Point: Shipper shall show the
designated Primary Receipt Point(s) and Primary
Delivery Point(s) for the requested transportation
and the MDQ at each point together with the name of
the entity delivering the gas to Transporter and the
name of the entity to receive the gas from
Transporter, and the name(s) of the entity that have
OBA's with Transporter covering such Primary Receipt
and Delivery Point(s).
(c) Term: The commencement and termination dates of
service proposed by Shipper.
(d) Shipper Certification: A statement by the Shipper
certifying that all necessary upstream and downstream
arrangements will be in place on the date the
transportation service is to commence and that the
Shipper will have title or the right to acquire title
to the gas to be delivered to Transporter.
(e) Facilities: Identification and location of any
facilities to be constructed or installed by any
party affected by the proposed transportation
(f) Prepayment: A check made out to Transporter in an
amount equal to the lesser of $10,000 or the total
Reservation Charge applicable to the proposed service
for a three month period. The applicable prepayment
amount shall be credited to Shipper's first month
invoice. If no service is provided under this Rate
Schedule, Transporter shall refund the prepayment
amount in full unless a Gas Transportation Contract
has been executed for the service.