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The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players.
Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers: Estrada showed just how versatile he can be while performing for the first-place Brewers of the National League's Central Division. On Saturday, Estrada gave the Brewers exactly what they needed as a starter after spending most of the season coming out of the bullpen.
Making a spot-start Saturday, Estrada more than held his own. Estrada surrendered one hit in five innings and three relievers backed him up in Milwaukee's 1-0 home victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Estrada improved to 3-7 and took the mound in place of Chris Narveson, who was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a hand injury.
"I was trying to give the guys at least six, seven innings," Estrada told the Associated Press. "Fortunately, it was only five, but you know [it] kept us in the game. That's all that matters.
"The bullpen came in and did an outstanding job. We got a win. That's what matters."
Takashi Saito, LaTroy Hawkins, Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford followed Estrada to preserve the victory. In his fifth start of the season, Estrada faced 16 batters and threw 44 of his 64 pitches for strikes.
Estrada's other win as a starter came April 6, the same day his contract was selected from the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. He beat the Atlanta Braves in that appearance, allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out four in six innings.
Estrada has made 33 appearances for the Brewers, who entered Monday night's home game against the L.A. Dodgers at 70-51. In 70 2/3 innings, Estrada sports a 4.46 earned-run average. He's struck out 66 and walked 23.
Brandon McCarthy (Glendale native) starting pitcher, Oakland Athletics: McCarthy has had mixed results in his last two appearances.
He struggled in his last start Friday against the visiting Texas Rangers, which included getting hit in the knee by a batted ball and subsequently being removed from the game after allowing seven runs (five earned) and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings in a 9-1 defeat.
McCarthy was knocked out of the game when he was struck by an Endy Chavez line drive in the fourth inning and was diagnosed with a bruised right knee. The ball struck off the outside of his right knee and ricocheted down the right-field line.
"I don't know what it feels like to have a knee blown apart or to do something serious to it, but it didn't feel like anything too horrible," McCarthy told the Associated Press. "It wasn't even the first thing I noticed. When I tried to stand up, I noticed it. I was in pain but I knew it wasn't too horribly serious.
"I'm not really thrilled with the whole day, but all things considered, it's not as bad as it could be."
In McCarthy's previous start against the host Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 6, he turned in his best effort of the season. He went eight innings, scattering five hits and striking out five, in an 8-0 win.
"He was terrific," Oakland Manager Bob Melvin told the Associated Press. "He's been as consistent a guy as we've had."
Through Friday, McCarthy was 5-6 with a 3.62 ERA. He's struck out 74 and walked 16 in 112 innings.
Oakland entered Monday night's home game against the visiting Baltimore Orioles at 53-67 for third place in the American League's West Division.
Doug Slaten (Glendale Community College, 1999) relief pitcher, Washington Nationals: Slaten remains on the disabled list with a left-elbow injury. Slaten hasn't pitched since June 3, though he began a throwing program in Viera, Fla., in late July.
Washington Manager Davey Johnson said Slaten probably should pitch again this season, though it wasn't clear when he would return.
Slaten is 0-1 with a 2.19 ERA. He's struck out eight and walked eight in 12 1/3 innings and was placed on the disabled list June 4.
The Nationals, who begin a three-game home series today against the Cincinnati Reds, are 57-62 and in fourth place in the National League's East Division.


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Functional Organization Chart - Accessible List Format
Organizational Chart - Accessible List Format
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) *
California Aviation Map Viewer
" * = Under Construction"
Physical Address:
Department of Transportation
Division of Aeronautics
1120 N Street, Room 3300
Sacramento, CA 95814
Mailing Address:
Department of Transportation
Division of Aeronautics,
MS 40 P. O. Box 942874
Sacramento, CA 94274-0001
Shipping Address:
1415 11th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
General Information:
Fax - 916.653.9531
Federal and State Aviation Roles
California Department of Transportation
Division of Aeronautics
Federal and State Roles in Aviation
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Controls all of the nation's airspace.
- Operates the Air Traffic Control system.
- Develops and enforces certification standards for all aircraft, pilots, flight crews and mechanics.
- Administers an ongoing aviation safety program.
- Develops standards for the construction of airports and heliports.
- Inspects Commercial Service airports to ensure compliance with FAA safety regulations.
Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- The TSA employs baggage screeners at airports, and oversees airport security programs.
Federal excise taxes support the Airport and Airway Trust Fund: 7.5 percent on airline tickets (plus a segment fee), 6.25 percent on air cargo, 19.3¢/gallon avgas, 18.3¢/gallon non-commercial jet fuel, and fees for international arrivals and departures. Airlines pay 4.3¢ per gallon on jet fuel to the Trust Fund. The Trust Fund supports FAA's operations and grant programs. Commercial Service airports can collect a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), as much as $4.50 per passenger. However, they can only spend the PFC receipts with the FAA's approval.
Airport Improvement Program provides grants to airports for capital improvements and special categories such as noise mitigation, system planning, and conversion of military airports to civilian use. For discretionary grants, the FAA's top two priorities are airport and airway safety and capacity.
State Aviation (Caltrans, Division of Aeronautics)
Funded by general aviation fuel excise taxes: 18¢ per gallon for avgas, 2¢ per gallon for jet fuel (non-commercial use only).
Performs safety functions which are not FAA's responsibility:
- Permit and inspect over 300 public-use and special-use airports. In addition, under contract for the FAA, the Division conducts federal Airport Master Record inspections at non-commercial, public use airports in conjunction with the Division's periodic airport permit compliance and safety inspection program.
- Permit and inspect over 460 hospital and other special-use heliports. Conduct a periodic permit compliance and safety inspection program for hospital heliports.
- Authorize helicopter landings at or within 1000 feet of schools (K-12).
- Evaluate the acquisition of proposed public schools (K-12), community college, and State building sites within two miles of an airport runway.
State law requires an Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) for public use airports.
State law requires standards for aircraft-generated noise for county designated "noise problem airports" (10 are so designated) to achieve land use compatibility within their 65dB Community Noise Equivalent Level aircraft noise contours.
State law requires a California Aviation System Plan (CASP) including, but not limited to a Policy Element, a Capital Improvement Plan, an Inventory Element and a System Requirements Element.
Non-commercial airports can receive a State matching grant equal to 5 percent of an FAA AIP grant. Acquisition and Development (A&D) grants complement FAA's priorities (airport and airway safety and capacity) by funding pavement maintenance, ALUCPs, and projects at publicly owned airports that are not eligible for FAA AIP grants. The Annual Credit Grant provides $10,000/year to 149 eligible airports for operation, maintenance and minor improvements. Infrastructure improvement loans are also available to eligible publicly owned airports.

subset: commoncrawl


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Steve Spagnuolo has been without an NFL home since January, when the New Orleans Saints fired him from his defensive coordinator job.
Four months later, Spagnuolo has taken on the position of a senior defensive assistant for the Baltimore Ravens, a team source told NFL Network's Stacey Dales on Friday. The Ravens later announced the hire and said Spagnuolo was a senior defensive consultant.
"Steve had a number of opportunities in the league right now, and we're excited he picked the Ravens," said Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who once worked with Spagnuolo on the Philadelphia Eagles' staff. "He comes to a staff that we believe is very strong, and he makes us even better."
Spagnuolo's coaching stock has steadily tumbled since he garnered heavy praise as the architect of the New York Giants defense that dominated the New England Patriots' record-breaking offense in Super Bowl XLII.
After posting a dismal 10-38 record in three seasons as the St. Louis Rams' head coach, Spagnuolo oversaw a 2012 Saints defense that not only set the NFL record for most yards allowed in a season but also ranked 29th in sacks, 31st in pass defense and dead last against the run. Along the way, he drew the ire of at least one Saints defensive player, who accused Spagnuolo of being a "control freak" with "no patience and zero personality."
Spagnuolo always has devised a 4-3 defense, whereas the Ravens currently run a 3-4 under coordinator Dean Pees. As Spagnuolo's specialty has been coaxing the best out of his defensive linemen, that likely will be his role with the Ravens.
It might be a few more years before Spagnuolo is considered for a defensive coordinator position. In the meantime, he will try to rebuild his reputation out of the spotlight.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.


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Editor's Summary
The Public Library of Science (PLOS) collects a range of alternative metrics about the articles they publish to provide different, more meaningful and granular insights into reader response. PLOS captures usage statistics, social shares, academic bookmarks and both scholarly and non-scholarly citations, all offering distinct types of information. Early interest in an article is more apparent through HTML views and mentions on social sharing sites than usage statistics, and Mendeley bookmarking reflects interest but does not correlate with citation count. An articles appearance in citation databases commonly takes at least two years. Mentions in blogs often stimulate commentary and critique. Instead of presenting only a simplistic citation number, PLOS offers article level metrics (ALM) signposts reflecting ALM that capture the variety of response, audience, timing, purpose and impact of a scientific article.
impact of scholarly output
citation impact
scholarly publishing
social web
collaborative filtering
Bulletin, April/May 2013
The Many Faces of Article-Level Metrics
by Jennifer Lin and Martin Fenner
The Public Library of Science (PLOS) is collecting and displaying a large variety of metrics about the articles they publish (Table 1). They include traditional citations, usage stats and altmetrics.
- Usage Stats
- PLOS website
- PubMed Central
- Social Shares
- Academic Bookmarks
- Mendeley
- CiteULike
- Scholarly Citations
- CrossRef
- Scopus
- Web of Science
- Pubmed Central
- Non-scholarly Citations
- ResearchBlogging
- ScienceSeeker
- Nature Blogs
- Wikipedia
Table 1. Metrics collected and displayed as part of the PLOS Article-Level Metrics
The sheer variety of metrics can be overwhelming, and it would be much easier if we simply substitute a single number for them all. Such economy though perhaps convenient is not feasible if we are to preserve the breadth of information that these metrics offer as well as maintain felicity to their different natures. We will discuss how individual article-level metrics (ALMs) in the PLOS suite measure different things:
- Different audiences: public vs. scholarly interest
- Different dimensions: attention, self-promotion, or impact
- Different timepoints after publication: days, months, or years.
The nature of these measurements is quite dissimilar. As such, they offer different information that is of value in disparate ways. We conclude that it is necessary to look at these metrics altogether as a group, shifting focus to the most relevant ones based on the questions that need to be addressed.
In our early analysis of PLOS ALM data, we have observed some typical patterns that have emerged around certain areas early attention, scholarly attention, citation impact and non-scholarly citations which go far to illustrate the diversity of researcher engagement and the subsequent need for different measurements adequate to the task.
Early Attention
To illustrate the first distinction different audiences let us take a quick view of early ALM activity across the PLOS corpus. Early attention for a newly published paper is best described using HTML views and social shares via Twitter and Facebook. There is a strong interaction between social shares and HTML views, and attention via social shares seems to amplify usage (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Tweets vs. HTML views at the PLOS website for articles in the PLOS Medicine Big Food Collection. Circle size correlates with Facebook activity (likes, shares, comments). Data collected August 19, 2012.
Even though a strong correlation emerges, social shares add an important dimension missing from usage stats: they include information about who is sharing a link to the article and what they are saying.
Since PLOS is an open-access publisher that makes all content openly available in full text, a substantial amount of early activity could be attributed to public attention. For scholarly activity in the first days after publication it is better to look at PDF downloads or at the usage stats from PubMed Central, as these numbers do not seem to be much influenced by social shares. In our data, about 90% of PLOS articles show a ratio of HTML views to PDF downloads that is very close to 4:1. Articles with a much higher ratio (e.g. 10:1) regularly show strong activity in Twitter and Facebook. This observation suggests that the HTML/PDF ratio, together with the numbers of social shares, is a better indicator of public interest in an article than absolute numbers of usage stats.
Scholarly Interest
PLOS collects metrics from Mendeley and CiteULike, both scholarly bookmarking services. Although we often see some activity in the days after publication of a paper, they typically take a few weeks or months to accumulate and, in contrast to usage stats, dont taper off as quickly. Both bookmarking services are used by scholars, so the numbers dont necessarily correlate strongly with the social shares from Twitter and Facebook, which also see a lot of public activity.
Mendeley bookmark numbers show no real correlation with citation counts, suggesting that storing a paper in a reference manager and citing the paper may not be strongly correlated (Figure 2).
Figure 2. CrossRef Citations vs. Mendeley Readers for all PLOS Medicine articles published 2010-2011. Data collected January 24, 2013.
Content popular with a relatively large number of scientists for example, the PLOS Computational Biology 10 Simple Rules Collection often has both high usage stats and high numbers of scholarly bookmarks (Figure 3).
Figure 3. PDF downloads (open circles), HTML pageviews (closed circles) and Mendeley readers (numbers on the right) for 23 editorials in PLOS Computational Biology. Articles are sorted by descending age.
For the most part, however, the correlation between usage stats (PDF downloads and usage stats from PubMed Central included) and Mendeley bookmarks is not especially strong. The number of scholarly bookmarks likely at least in part indicates something beyond citations and usage stats. Such low correlation between these ALM groupings is understandable if we view them as measuring fundamentally different modes or dimensions of researcher engagement.
Non-scholarly Citations
We have seen further evidence of fundamental differences in the dimensions of research activity captured with the non-scholarly citations ALMs. PLOS tracks three science blog aggregators (ResearchBlogging, Nature Blogs and ScienceSeeker). Blog posts represent a fundamentally different medium than social sharing platforms. The absolute number of times that an original article is cited in blog posts is not the most indicative of its influence and reach as less than 5% of articles are discussed in science blogs. Instead, the enduring value of this measurement lies in the richness of the content that it provides. Authors of blog posts commonly use the open format of a blog posting to engage the cited articles in great detail, providing deep commentary and critique that neither a bookmark or social share can by its very nature. PLOS also began collecting non-scholarly citations on Wikipedia as of September 2012. (Similarly, Wikipedia links to 6% of our articles. An analysis of the kind of PLOS content used in Wikipedia is forthcoming.)
Citation Impact
Scholarly citations have traditionally been used to look at the impact of a paper. PLOS is collecting metrics from four different citation databases (CrossRef, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed Central). Although the numbers differ somewhat, they generally show a very strong correlation to each other. Within this group, all the indices capture the same activity relative to each other and as such, reflect the same event time horizon. But they do so in stark contrast to the other ALMs. Citations are much slower to accumulate than the other metrics. We generally see a two- to five-year lag before meaningful numbers emerge. These measurements not only capture a different dimension of engagement but also a dramatically contrasting timescale after publication than the other elements in the suite.
Article-level metrics describe many different aspects to the broad spectrum of research engagement and can never be expressed in a single number. From the considerations enumerated above, one recommended approach is to focus on the metrics that correspond and are most relevant to a particular use case (for example, immediate attention after publication). Alternatively, we can deploy a set of metrics to describe an article, be it composed of the entire suite or a select view. PLOS has introduced ALM signposts, an aggregated view of usage stats, social shares, academic bookmarks and scholarly citations. They appear at the top of each article as well in key navigational places on the site. Although the signposts only represent a subset of ALMs, they are meant to provide an easy at-a-glance view of the articles activity across the different groups of measurements (audiences, dimensions and timescales).
By providing a broader spectrum of metrics rolled-up into a summary view, we offer researchers a more manageable set of numbers that hopefully has not replaced deeper explanation for simplification. We have evidence that these components each offer a different view, depending on the user and need. In short, not all faces of ALM may be useful or even relevant to any one circumstance. But each, whether a single face or set, offers a more adequate outlook than one that is applied without distinction to every circumstance.
Martin Fenner is the technical lead for the PLOS Article-Level Metrics project. Previously he worked as a medical doctor and cancer researcher. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or @mfenner.
Jennifer Lin is passionate about open access and its political and social impacts. As a former business consultant with Accenture, she worked with Fortune 500 companies as well as governments to develop and deploy new products and services. Jennifer received her Ph.D. in political philosophy and has served as an instructor at Johns Hopkins University. She can be reached at jlin<at>plos.org (http://plos.org).
Articles in this Issue
The Power of Altmetrics on a CV
Open Access and Altmetrics: Distinct but Complementary
Ask Not What Altmetrics Can Do for You, But What Altmetrics Can Do for Developing Countries
New Opportunities for Repositories in the Age of Altmetrics
The Many Faces of Article-Level Metrics
Five Challenges in Altmetrics: A Toolmakers Perspective
Are Alternative Metrics Still Alternative?
The Reception of Suzanne Briet in the United States
IA: Enabling Action: Digging Deeper into Strategies for Learning
RDAP Review: Collaborative Annotation for Scientific Data Discovery and Reuse


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Hollywood Park
3rd race--
#4 SIDEPOCKET CHAMP (5-1) Warren-trained gelding showed speed and tired in two sprints but catches a field without much early foot and has an excellent chance of taking these wire to wire. Talamo does his best riding on the front end and will have that opportunity today.
Sunday's Result: MAJOR MAGIC (14-1) finished second in 2nd race.
Live Longshot: MOMENT OF WEAKNESS (6th race)
www.BobIkePicks.com features:
--Daily Graded Handicap Selections
--Premium Selections on Weekends and Monday holidays
--Free Pick of the Day
--Useful Links and Racing Info


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William Shakespeare's Star Wars
Verily, a New Hope.
- The story of Star Wars, as originally written by William Shakespeare.
- In glorious iambic pentameter with twenty Elizabethen-esque illustrations.
- This IS the book you're looking for.
History is about to be rewritten. George Lucas didn't write the script for Star Wars. He is a thief and a scoundrel and a hack. It's time to announce the truth: George Lucas ripped the entire thing off of a hereto unpublished manuscript written by none other than William Shakespeare. Come join us and wallow in the joy that is William Shakespeare's Star Wars.
Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas' epic Star Wars (he really did write it, ya know) in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. William Shakespeare's Star Wars is the saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age. Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare's greatest plays, and this tome proves it! William Shakespeare's Star Wars - 'tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearsome Stormtroopers, signifying . . . pretty much everything.


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Planked Chicken Quarters With Lemon and Herb Recipe
Fire up your grill and get ready for some serious smoke.
A marked improvement over previous attempts at lemon and herb chicken, these planked quarters burst with an incredible bright and acidic lemon flavor paired with a herbal freshness.
Read more: Grilling: Planked Chicken Quarters with Lemon and Herb
- Yield:serves 4
- Active time: 20 minutes
- Total time:1 hour 45 minutes
- For the Brine
- 2 quarts cold water
- 1/3 cup Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 4 whole chicken leg and thigh quarters
- For the Baste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic, mashed with a pinch of salt into a paste
- 1/2 cup lemon juice from about 4 lemons
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 wood grilling planks, soaked for 1 hour prior to use
- Type of fire: two-zone indirect
- Grill heat: medium-high
To make the brine: Whisk together water, salt, and sugar in a large container until salt and sugar are dissolved. Cut 3-4 slashes down to the bone on skin side of chicken. Submerge chicken quarters in brine. Place container in refrigerator and brine for 1 hour.
While chicken is brining, place olive oil and garlic paste in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When oil starts to bubble around garlic, remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove chicken from brine, pat dry with paper towels. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place chicken over hot side of grill, skin side down. Cook until skin is browned and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to tray.
Place planks over hot side of the grill until they start to char and smoke. Flip planks over and move to cool side of grill and arrange chicken quarters on top of planks skin side up. Brush chicken liberally with baste. Cover grill and cook until chicken registers 165°F when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of thigh, 20 to 30 minutes more.
Transfer chicken to serving platter and brush with baste again. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
This Recipe Appears InGrilling: Planked Chicken Quarters with Lemon and Herb
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Used Car - 1995 Ford Probe Base in Victoria, Tx
Please Call For Price
About This 1995 Ford Probe Base
Vehicle Location:
Victoria, Tx
Call For Price
Stock Number:
Fuel Economy Estimates
City MPG
Highway MPG
Combined MPG: 30 - Efficient 30+ MPG
Estimated Monthly Fuel Cost: $74.17*
*Based on $1.78 per gallon and 15k miles per year.
Actual costs may vary.
Actual costs may vary.
Send This Vehicle To Your Smartphone
Seller's Description and Comments:
Located at Mid-Coast Auto Sales in Victoria, Tx. Call Mid-Coast Auto Sales today at 361-578-4315 for more information about this vehicle.
Vehicle Options:
- Driver Airbag
- Passenger Airbag
- Tachometer
Carfax Vehicle History Report:
View the CarFax vehicle history report and protect yourself from:
Major Accidents, Lemon History and Odometer Problems
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1995 Ford Probe ReviewThis car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.
A good design lives on.
Although it's a carryover design in a market segment full of new faces, the Ford Probe has been, and will likely continue to be, the leader of the small sport- coupe pack. Given the competition - Acura Integra, Honda Prelude, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Toyota Celica, Nissan 240SX and Mazda MX-6 - being top dog is an indication that Ford did something right when it introduced the Probe for the 1989 model year.
In fact, Ford did a number of things right. One was to produce this sleek front-drive coupe in partnership with Mazda, a ready source for some pretty sophisticated and already-available hardware. Giving company designers the freedom to produce a stunning body shape was another smart move, as was keeping the Probe's price low and affordable.
The Ford/Mazda collaboration resulted in one major plus for both the Probe and the MX-6: Unlike other players in this category, both offer V6 powerhouses, a decided advantage in terms of smoothness. Among its 4-cylinder competitors, only the Integra and Prelude come close to matching the Probe's silky delivery.
But a spending few miles behind the Probe's steering wheel will tell you that Ford's smartest move was to pay close attention to the details that separate passenger carriers from sportsters. Simply put, the Probe is lots of fun to drive.
Models include base and GT versions. Our test GT, stocked with anti-lock brakes (ABS), power everything, leather seats and an AM/FM/CD sound system, came to $21,265.
The Probe may share a lot of components - powertrains, understructure and major suspension pieces among them - with the MX-6, but the overall packages couldn't be more different. The Probe has a slim, sleek, aggressive exterior that looks fresh and exciting even after a few years on the road. Only the now-pass pop-up headlights betray the probe's age; otherwise, the rounded nose, smooth sculptured sides and unique glass-rich roofline combine to make this coupe a styling standout.
The upper-level GT differs from its base sibling in several respects. First and foremost is the engine: The base model features a 118-hp 2.0-liter DOHC 4-cylinder from Mazda; the GT has a 2.5-liter DOHC V6, also built by Mazda, that generates 164 hp. Also, while each model has its own nose cap and taillight treatment, the GT sports larger 16-in. alloy wheels. A rear wing is standard on the GT version as well, though this can be deleted (knocking $235 off the price) when ordering.
There are practical aspects to the probe's looks, which is consistent with the Ford design philosophy. Low aerodynamic drag means reduced wind noise, and the large rear hatch permits maximum access to the large luggage bin, albeit with a high lift-over to surmount. Other details are perhaps less successful: The outside mirrors are smaller than we'd like, and the semi-concealed door handles, although good-looking, aren't the easiest to operate. These, however, are minor problems made insignificant by the probe's handsome appearance.
The driver and the front-seat passenger are well served by the probe's interior accommodations. Wide doors make access easy, and a pair of nicely contoured bucket seats await. As you'd expect in a sport coupe, the driver gets the lion's share of the attention, having a nice thick-rim wheel (complete with airbag and cruise- control buttons), well-sited pedals and shift lever, and a sweeping control pod to play with and admire.
Full instrumentation - tachometer, speedometer, odometer, voltmeter, and fuel level, water temperature and oil pressure gauges - is provided, as are simple knobs for the climate-control system. The radio, as is often the case with Ford, has an array of small push buttons that are hard to get used to and difficult to find when the car is moving.
Like the exterior, the probe's cabin is dominated by smooth, sweeping elliptical forms, from the dashboard to the levers, switches and hand grips on the doors. The only styling miscue is the large bulge on the right side of the dash, but that can be forgiven as it makes room for a passenger's airbag without displacing the glove box.
Forget the rear seats. Instead, fold down the back and get an additional 9.0 cu. ft. of stowage space. Or just use the rear cushions to hold smaller parcels.
Leather seats - with unusual longitudinal pleating - are an option. And a few features are offered to make the Probe more comfortable. Base-model seats can be upgraded, and air conditioning (optional on both base and GT) and a couple of radio enhancements are available. GT buyers can also opt for a sunroof.
Driving Impression
If a combination of good looks and practical transportation fits your driving needs, the base Probe is a fine choice. Its 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine does an adequate job of pulling the 2700 lb. car along, delivering good fuel economy and a reasonably smooth, quiet ride. It can be teamed effectively with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
Moreover, the base Probe blends a smooth city ride with good highway manners. From inside, you won't be bothered by much wind or tire noise, and the engine settles down to a muted hum at cruising speeds.
We have to say, though, that our Probe GT test car was much more fun to drive. The 2.5-liter V6 offers sparkling performance with minimal loss in fuel economy (the EPA figures for the V6 are 21 mpg city/26 mpg hwy., but the real-world difference between Probe engines is less) and a big gain in flexibility. The manual transmission is our first choice for the GT; the automatic, though perfectly acceptable, dampens the car's sporty nature.
A couple of minor points detract from the GT's fun rating. First, you have to accept the engine's preference for high-rpm operation. At low revs, it feels sluggish (one good reason to avoid the automatic transmission) and doesn't come alive much below 3000 rpm. And the clutch in our test car was annoyingly numb, making slip-free shifts difficult.
These, however, are minor issues. What earns the GT a glowing report is its behavior on the road. The base model is nimble enough, but the GT is agile, darting around in a way that will bring a smile to any driver's face. Steering is light and positive, body roll is kept well in check and most front-wheel drive traits - such as a torque-induced tug at the steering wheel during hard acceleration, and a tendency for the front wheels to plow in high-speed turns - have been muted.
The downside is a stiff ride. The GT can't be called harsh, but it's not as smooth over rough surfaces as the base model.
In normal-to-heavy use, the GT's 4-wheel disc brakes are excellent. ABS is standard on the GT, optional on the base model. Extremely hard usage - at near-racetrack speeds - will induce some fade, but by then you may already be seeing red lights flashing in your rear-view mirror.
By and large, the Ford Probe is a most sensible sport coupe. It provides the style expected of the genre, is well built and doesn't extract the expected penalties in comfort (at least for front-seat riders).
We'd advise careful consideration before choosing the base model, however. The initial savings (about $2500 over the GT's base price) and fuel economy pale when you factor in the bigger Engine's delightful responsiveness, the cost of adding the optional ABS that is standard on the GT and the lack of amenities such as a sunroof and leather seats.
But we can see no reason not to buy the Probe GT. And any number of good reasons why you should.
1402 E Juan Linn
Victoria, Tx. 77901
Email This Seller
Contact: Sales Manager


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For the Hudson family of Williamstown Township, their house was a dream come true.
With five kids who have specific food allergies, Jessica Hudson and her family wanted a place where they could raise small farm animals.
"I called the township ahead of time to make sure that our animals would be okay and we could have the homestead that we wanted," said Hudson. "We were told that was fine."
They moved into the home in August, but three months, and several goats, pigs and chickens later, the family received a letter from the township.
"We were in violation of their zoning ordinances and we had to get rid of our animals," said Hudson.
A big surprise and a big problem for the family because without the animals, the Hudsons' kids would be missing out on a lot of nutrition.
"They can't have cow's milk, so we're raising our own goats," said Hudson. "They can't have soy-fed chicken eggs. They have like 14 allergies."
Hudson has been battling the township since the November letter, telling the township board, on Tuesday, her family is protected by the 'Right to Farm' Act because they intend to sell items from their farm.
Supervisor Mickey Martin says she sympathizes with the Hudsons' situation, but also says that protection does not count with zoning violations.
"Every zone has their permitted uses and in the 'R-1' zone, farm animals are not a permitted use," said Martin.
As for the initial 'okay' for the animals over the phone...
"I've talked to all the staff and officials. No one recalls speaking to her regarding that," said Martin. "She also can't say who she spoke to."
Still, Hudson says she intends to keep fighting.
"We've contacted the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund," said Hudson. "I want to win it."
Williamstown Township decided during their Tuesday board meeting to contact its attorneys to get the actual wording of the 'Right to Farm' Act before it moves forward.


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Today we're excited to announce Shopify POS, a brand new, fully integrated point of sale system that bridges the gap between offline and online retail.
Shopify POS delivers in-store and online inventory synchronization, out-of-the-box credit card processing, and detailed reporting - all bundled in an easy-to-use, beautiful looking setup that you can take anywhere.
If you run an online store and a brick-and-mortar retail operation, we know you're going to love it.
Let's take a closer look at how retailers can start selling more with Shopify POS.
Manage Your Entire Business from One Dashboard
Shopify POS lets you easily manage all aspects of your business from one beautiful dashboard.
You can add a product or update inventory on one side of the system, and it's instantly updated across the board – creating an organized, seamless integration between selling online and selling in-store.
Retailers no longer have to keep track of two sets of inventories, two product catalogs, and two payment systems.
Mobile Credit Card Processing
The Shopify card reader lets you take your store on the road. With a card reader plugged into an iPad, orders can be taken and payment accepted from anywhere.
This is great for taking your store with you to events like pop-ups, farmers markets and trade shows.
Instantly Start Accepting Credit Cards
Shopify Payments, our groundbreaking payment system, lets you instantly begin processing credit cards both online and in-store.
With Shopify Payments you get low credit card rates, no fees for processing American Express or international credit cards, and no fees for included PCI Compliance protections.
Complete Hardware Kit
Shopify POS runs on an iPad and requires only the free Shopify POS app and a Shopify credit card reader to begin accepting payments.
It's a lightweight system that allows you to accept payments anywhere and creates in-store mobility providing an "Apple-store experience" for your customers.
Or, you can choose to upgrade to the complete Shopify Hardware Kit including credit card reader, cash drawer, iPad stand and receipt printer is available for purchase through the Shopify POS hardware store.
Analytics and Reporting
With the all new Shopify Reports, merchants can clearly track information on sales, customers, visitors, and more from both offline and online sources using their Shopify dashboard.
This is great for gaining critical insights into your business so you can adapt and optimize your business over time.
Email Receipts
Shopify POS lets store-owners choose between printing an order receipt, or instantly sending an attractive, customized version to customers through email.
Not only is this convenient for your customers, it also creates some interesting email marketing opportunities for merchants like including a discount code for a future purchase or information about your loyalty program for example.
Check out the full features of Shopify POS or try the Demo now.
We've released a new version of Shopify POS with lower pricing, gift cards and more new features. Check out what's new.


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Nau mai, haere mai!
What an amazing four days!
The XII International Symposium of the Pacific Arts Association officially ended on Thursday 17 March in Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa.
The organising committee would like to thank all those who attended. We also extend our thanks to our speakers, your enthusiasm and passion made the Symposium the success it has been.
To our sponsors and volunteers, without your commitment and assistance none of this would have been possible.
Until we meet again at the next International Symposium of the Pacific Arts Association
Hei kona mai.
Naku noa, na,
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira
Host, 2016 Pacific Arts Association XII International Symposium


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Miranda Lambert Begins Filming 'Heartfelt' Video for 'Over You'
Miranda Lambert says she'll begin filming the video for her new single, 'Over You,' this week. The song — about husband Blake Shelton's late brother — is already a Top 30 hit on the Billboard charts.
"Video shoot for "Over You" tomorrow. Gonna be a hard one. But beautiful and heartfelt," she tweeted late Sunday night. She and Shelton wrote the song together. His older brother Richie was killed in a car accident when the singer was 15-years-old.
"You know I cry every time I listen to it," Lambert tells Taste of Country. She put the song on her 'Four the Record' album because her husband knew that there was no way he could perform it, should he include it on a future project. "I think that's the most personal song that as a couple we've ever put out."
For other reasons, the singer will be holding a heavy heart as she shoots the clip. In addition to losing her father-in-law earlier this month, she recently lost a friend she'd had since the third grade. "My friend is Mark Adams," she tweeted. "We became friends at 9 years old. He was a great person. He is now in heaven with his dad."
There is no word on when the video for 'Over You' will be released. Lambert resumes the On Fire Tour with Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann on Thursday in Huntsville, Ala.