text:
Frequent Links
Historically black colleges and universities
|African American topics
African American studies
Political movements
Ethnic sub-divisions
African African-American · Afro-Asian American · Afro-Boricua · Atlantic Creole · Black Indians · Black Seminoles · Brass Ankles · Cherokee freedmen · Chestnut Ridge people · Choctaw Freedmen · Foreign-born Afro-Americans · Garifuna · Gullah · Black Pacific Islander · Igbo · African-American Louisiana Creole · Black Lumbee · Melungeon · Nigerian American · Redbones · We-Sorts
|Category · Portal
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community.[1] They now admit students of all races and in recent years some have lost their black majorities.
There are 106 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States, including public and private institutions, community and four-year institutions, medical and law schools.[2][3] Most were created in the aftermath of the American Civil War and are located in the former slave states, although a few notable exceptions exist.
Most HBCUs were established after the American Civil War, often with the assistance of northern religious missionary organizations. However, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (1837), Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) (1854), and Wilberforce University (1856), were established for blacks prior to the American Civil War. Established in 1865, Shaw University was the first HBCU in the South to be established after the American Civil War.
The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines a "part B institution" as: "...any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation."[4][5] Part B of the 1965 Act provides for direct federal aid to Part B institutions.
In 1862, the Morrill Act provided for land grant colleges in each state. Some educational institutions in the North or West were open to blacks since before the Civil War. But 17 states, mostly in the South, had segregated systems and generally excluded black students from their land grant colleges. In response, Congress passed the second Morrill Act of 1890, requiring states to establish a separate land grant college for blacks if blacks were being excluded from the existing land grant college. Many of the HBCUs were founded by states to satisfy the Second Morrill Act. These land grant schools continue to receive annual federal funding for their research, extension and outreach activities. The Higher Education Act of 1965, established a program for direct federal grants to HBCUs, including federal matching of private endowment contributions.[6]
Other educational institutions may have large numbers of blacks in their student body, but as they were founded (or opened their doors to African Americans) after the implementation of the Sweatt v. Painter and Brown v. Board of Education (1954) rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court (the court decisions which outlawed racial segregation of public education facilities) and the Higher Education Act of 1965, they are not classified as historically black colleges, but have been termed "predominantly black."
Starting in 2001, directors of libraries of several HBCUs began discussions about ways to pool their resources and work collaboratively. In 2003, this partnership was formalized as the HBCU Library Alliance, "a consortium that supports the collaboration of information professionals dedicated to providing an array of resources designed to strengthen historically black colleges and Universities and their constituents."[7]
Current status
In 2004, the US Department of Education published a study of HBCUs that found that, as of 2001, HBCUs accounted for 13% of black higher education enrollment.[8]
In 2007, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund published a study of minority recruiting practices by Fortune 400 companies and by government agencies that found that 13% of the college graduates were recruited from HBCUs and 87% were recruited from non-HBCU schools.[9]
The 2009 Stimulus Bill included more than $1.3 billion of additional federal support for HBCU campuses.[10]
Of the 107 HBCU institutions in America today, 27 offer doctoral programs and 52 provide graduate degree programs at the Master's level. At the undergraduate level, 83 of the HBCUs offer a Bachelor's degree program and 38 of these schools offer associate degrees.[11] Roughly 10% of the HBCUs offered online degrees in 2013.
The portion of Bachelor degrees awarded to black students by HBCUs has steadily dropped from 35% in 1976 to 21.5% in 2001.[12] From 1976 to 2001, total HBCU enrollment grew from 180,059 to 222,453, with most of this increase being attributable to the growth of black females enrollment from 88,379 to 117,766.[13]
Following the enactment of Civil Rights laws in the 1960s, all educational institutions that receive federal funding have undertaken affirmative action to increase their racial diversity. Some historically black colleges now have non-black majorities, notably West Virginia State University and Bluefield State College whose student body has been over 80% white since the mid-1960s. Many non-state-supported HBCUs are struggling financially, due to the increased cost of delivering private education to students and declining financial aid for students.[14]
Racial diversity at HBCUs
As colleges work harder to maintain enrollment levels and because of increased racial harmony and the low cost of tuition, the percentage of non-African American enrollment has tended to climb.[15][16] The following table highlights HBCUs with high non-African American enrollments:
|College name
|Percent African American
|Percent Other
|Bluefield State College
|13% for 2009–10 school year[18]
|75% for 2010–11 school year
|West Virginia State University
|17% for 2010-2011[19]
|72% for 2010–11 school year
|Kentucky State University
|64% for 2010–11 school year
|34% for 2010–11 school year
|Delaware State University
|70% for 2010–11 school year
|25% for 2010–11 school year
|Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
|79% for 2010–11 school year
|18% for 2010–11 school year [20]
|University of the District of Columbia
|74% for 2010–11 school year
|17% for 2010–11 school year [21]
|Elizabeth City State University
|81% for 2010–11 school year
|17% for 2010–11 school year
|Fayetteville State University
|78% for 2010-11 school year
|16% for 2010–11 school year
|Winston Salem State University
|81% for 2010–11 school year
|16% for 2010–11 school year [22]
|Xavier University of Louisiana
|74% for 2010–11 school year
|13% for 2010–11 school year [23]
|North Carolina A&T State University
|88.11% for 2013–14 school year
|11.89% for 2013–14 school year[24]
Other HBCUs with relatively high non-African American student populations
The following list illustrates the percentage of white student populations currently attending historically black colleges and universities according to statistical profiles compiled by the U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2011 edition: Langston University 12%; Shaw University 12%; Tennessee State University 12%; University of Maryland Eastern Shore 12%; North Carolina Central University 10%. The U.S. News and World Report's statistical profiles indicate that several other HBCUs have relatively significant percentages of non-African American student populations consisting of Asian, Hispanic, International and white American students.[25]
Special academic programs
HBCU libraries have formed the HBCU Library Alliance. That alliance together with Cornell University have a joint program to promote the digitization of HBCU collections. The project is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.[26]
Additionally, an increasing number of historically black colleges and universities are offering online education programs. As of November 23, 2010, 19 historically black colleges and universities offer online degree programs.[27] Much of the growth in these programs is driven by partnerships with online educational entrepreneurs like Ezell Brown.
See also
- Hispanic-serving institution
- List of historically black colleges and universities
- List of black college football classics
- ↑ "White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities". 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ↑ "List of HBCUs". White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. United States Department of Education. 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ↑ Roach, Ronald. "American Baptist College Designated as a Historically Black Institution". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Cox, Matthews, and Associates, Inc. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ↑ U.S Department of Education (2008-01-15). "HBCUs: A National Resource". White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ↑ "HBCU Library Alliance". 2010-04-23. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
- ↑ "Historically Black Colleges and Universities,1976 to 2001" (PDF). Dept. of Education. September 2004. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
- ↑ "How Corporations and Government Recruit Talent From Historically Black Colleges and Universities" (PDF). Thurgood Marshall College Fund. 2007. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ↑ "Recession hits black colleges hard". Reuters. 2009-01-15.
- ↑ Historically Black Colleges and Universities | American School Search
- ↑ "Historically Black Colleges and Universities,1976 to 2001" (PDF). Dept. of Education. September 2004. p. 4. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
- ↑ "Historically Black Colleges and Universities,1976 to 2001" (PDF). Dept. of Education. September 2004. p. 31. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
- ↑ Endo, Sandra (August 12, 2009). "Black colleges struggling". CNN. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ↑ Black Colleges: More Whites, Latino's Attending HBCU's | Breaking News for Black America. Newsone.com (2010-10-07). Retrieved on 2013-08-09.
- ↑ Why Black Colleges Might Be the Best Bargains
- ↑ Apart No More? HBCUs Heading Into an Era of Change - HBCUConnect.com
- ↑ Pastel, Ralph (October 15, 2009). "STUDENT PROFILE ANALYSIS FALL 2009 CENSUS" (PDF). BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ↑ "West Virginia State University". Retrieved 2010-12-01.
- ↑ U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, 2011 ed.Directory p252
- ↑ U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, 2011 ed.Directory p151
- ↑ U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, 2011 ed.Directory p234
- ↑ U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, 2011 ed.Directory p182
- ↑ "Preeminence 2020: Embracing Our Past, Creating Our Future" (PDF). ncat.edu. North Carolina A&T. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ↑ US News & World Report Best Colleges, 2011 ed. Directory p. 129
- ↑ "HBCU Library Alliance—Cornell University Library Digitization Initiative Update" (PDF). 2006. Retrieved 2010-12-01.
- ↑ "Modest Gains for Black Colleges Online". 2010. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
Further reading
- Betsey, Charles L., ed. Historically Black colleges and universities (Transaction Publishers, 2011)
- Cohen, Rodney T. The Black Colleges of Atlanta (College History Series).
- Gasman, Marybeth, and Christopher L. Tudico, eds. Historically Black colleges and universities (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008)
- Mays, Benjamin E. "The Significance of the Negro Private and Church-Related College," Journal of Negro Education (1960) 29#3 pp. 245-251 in JSTOR
- Minor, James T., "A Contemporary Perspective on the Role of Public hbcus: Perspicacity from Mississippi," Journal of Negro Education, 77 (Fall 2008), 323–35.
- Palmer, Robert T., Adriel A. Hilton, and Tiffany P. Fountaine, eds. Black graduate education at historically Black colleges and universities: Trends, experiences, and outcomes (IAP, 2012)
- Stephen, Provasnik; Shafer, Linda L. (2004). "Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 1976 to 2001". Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 1976 to 2001 (NCES 2004–062). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
- Roebuck, Julian B., et al. eds. Historically Black colleges and universities: Their place in American higher education (1993) online
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Historically black colleges and universities.
- White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities – details about this federal initiative, including its history and recent achievements
- Information about HBCU from Peterson's including tuition, selectivity and cost


text:
Data Mining
Data mining can be considered a superset of many different methods to extract insights from data. It might involve traditional statistical methods and machine learning. Data mining applies methods from many different areas to identify previously unknown patterns from data. This can include statistical algorithms, machine learning, text analytics, time series analysis and other areas of analytics. Data mining also includes the study and practice of data storage and data manipulation.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Scene Setter
Entering the weekend on a three-match win streak, the 34th-ranked Harvard Crimson (14-6, 3-1 Ivy) will travel to Providence, to take on Brown Friday April 18, before returning home to host Yale Sunday, April 20.
Series History
Harvard and Brown will square off for the 84th time in program history Friday afternoon in Providence. The Crimson leads the series, which dates back to 1929, 75-8. Despite dropping a, 4-3, decision to the Bears a season ago, the Crimson took both meetings in 2012, 4-1 and 4-3.
The Crimson is 66-26 all-time against the Bulldogs since the two programs began competing in 1925. After a 4-3 defeat in 2002, the Crimson has not lost to Yale in the last 14 meetings. Last season, the Crimson swept the doubles point before Kelvin Lam and Shaun Chadhuri picked up points for Harvard. Nicky Hu clinched the match with a win in the fifth position to give Harvard a share of the Ivy League title. Yale got on the board with three-set wins on singles courts one and three.
Last Time Out
Harvard downed Penn and Princeton on its home courts last weekend. The Crimson blanked then No. 59 Princeton, 4-0 and topped Penn, 4-0, a day later.
Harvard jumped out to an early, 1-0, lead behind doubles wins from Nicky Hu and Brian Yeung on court two and Christo Schultz and Sebastian Beltrame in the third position. In singles play, the Crimson took three courts as Alex Steinroeder, Yeung and Andrew Ball earned straight-set victories to help secure the win.
The scene was familiar on Sunday as Harvard claimed the doubles point with wins from Hu and Yeung and Schultz and Beltrame. In singles play, the Crimson went an impressive 3-0 against the Quakers as Harvard got wins from Nguyen on court one, Chaudhuri in the third position and Yeung on court five.
About the Crimson
Harvard sits tied for second with Dartmouth in the Ivy League standings with a 3-1 conference record, behind unbeaten Columbia (18-1, 5-0). The Crimson is in the midst of a three-match win streak after defeating then No. 59 Princeton and Penn at the Murr Center last weekend.
Denis Nguyen, the 40th-ranked played in the ITA singles poll, is 19-3 overall and 9-3 from the No. 1 position to lead the Crimson. Sebastian Beltrame is 4-3 from the second position, while Shaun Chaudhuri owns a 5-2 record out of the third spot. Nguyen and senior Casey MacMaster come in a No. 11 in the national doubles rankings and are 7-8 overall and 1-2 in Ivy doubles action. Brian Yeung and Nicky Hu, the No. 72-ranked pair, team up to own a 10-6 overall record and a 3-1 mark in Ivy action.
As a team, Harvard has compiled a 3-1 edge in Ivy doubles play for a .750 winning percentage. The Crimson has claimed the doubles point 11 times this season and in each of the past three contests. Playing primarily at the No. 1 position, the 11th-ranked duo of senior Casey MacMaster and junior Denis Nguyen, has gone 1-2 in league doubles action.
Scouting Brown
Brown looks to snap a five-game skid as the Bears own a 10-10 overall record and an 0-4 mark in Ivy play entering Friday's match. The Bears are coming off a narrow 4-3 loss to No. 52 Cornell and a, 4-1, defeat to then-No. 17 Columbia last weekend.
Sophomore Lucas Da Silveira has been a strong presence for the Bears, capturing victories in three of the last four Ivy matches at the sixth position. No. 5 Daniel Hirschberg is 2-2 in Ivy singles contests this spring. On the doubles court, Brown is led by Hirschberg and Gregory Garcia as the pair posted wins over Penn and Princeton.
Scouting Yale
The Bulldogs boast a strong mark at 12-7, but league losses to Princeton, Cornell and Columbia have the Bulldogs at 1-3 in conference play heading into the weekend. Yale downed Penn, 4-2, to earn its lone Ivy victory of the season. The Bulldogs will meet Dartmouth Friday afternoon in New Haven, Conn., before making the trip to Cambridge.
Tyler Lu, who is ranked 98th nationally in singles, has compiled a conference record of, 2-1, in the No. 1 spot. The Bulldogs doubles teams of Lu and Martin Svenning, Patrick Chase and Kyle Dawson and Daniel Faierman and Alex Hagermoser each have picked up a doubles win in the last four matches.
Up Next
Harvard wraps up its regular season with a showdown against Dartmouth April 26 at the Beren Tennis Center. The match is slated for 2 p.m.


text:
Throughout Shell many social groups and support networks have been established to bring Shell's diverse workforce together. These networks help staff to connect, share ideas and support each other in reaching their potential. With a range of objectives, including encouraging a healthier lifestyle and supporting personal and professional development, these communities help foster a company-wide culture of acceptance and mutual respect.
From the Women's Network at Shell and the enABLE Network for employees with disabilities, to the Shell African Network and many more, they all have an impact on shaping Shell's culture of diversity and inclusion.
Shell African Network, UK
The Shell African Network (SAN) in the UK aims to improve the progression of employees of African and Caribbean heritage. Mavis Oti-Addo-Boateng says she's benefitted both professionally and personally since the establishment of the network 15 years ago.
"Through personal development talks and mentoring sessions SAN has greatly enhanced my leadership, management, communication and negotiation skills. We help all our members gain career tips from senior Shell leaders – I'm proud to now be in the position where I can give back to the community alongside fulfilling my own career goals."
With a branch also in the Netherlands, SAN membership totals nearly 300 people. In pursuit of their career ambitions, members connect through regular meetings, mentoring sessions and after-work social events.
Mavis adds "SAN has given me the opportunity to uphold strong personal values: fairness, giving back and helping others to achieve their dreams".


text:
What's new in September 2017
September 21, 2017
More than 500 new books have been published online this month across 23 partner presses, including over 70 books from Oxford University Press, bringing the total number of titles on University Press Scholarship Online (UPSO) to over 25,000.
These new academic works have been added to almost all of the subject areas on UPSO, including History, Literature, Sociology, Political Science, Philosophy, and Religion. They cover a multitude of topics, from the maintenance of New York City parks to Teika (one of the most influential writers in the history of Japanese literature), and from popular Indian cinema in the 21st century to art and identity in Lutheran Germany.
Discover a selection of titles by clicking on the book covers below:
UPSO brings together the best scholarly publishing from around the world and is available to libraries and institutions, so ask your librarian if you have access. If you don't, then recommend this essential resource to your librarian.


text:
TV in the Movies
Cooked up by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, "It's Always Fair Weather" could well have been titled "On the Town Ten Years Later." Like 1949's "On the Town" (also a Comden/Green collaboration), this MGM musical follows the exploits of three servicemen buddies, played by Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey and Michael Kidd. The difference here is that the threesome has just been discharged from service. The boys agree to get together again exactly ten years after their parting. Flash-forward to 1955: Kelly, who'd dreamed of being a show biz entrepreneur, is a small-time boxing promoter, heavily in debt to the Mob; Dailey has abandoned his plans of becoming an artist in favor of a stuffy, grey-flannel existence as an ad executive; and Kidd, who'd aspired to being a master chef, is running a modest diner. On behalf of TV-personality Dolores Gray, network-staffer Cyd Charisse contrives to reunite the three men on a This is Your Life style TV special, but all three are hostile to the notion.


text:
Subscribe To Whose Line Is It Anyway Makes A Comeback On The CW This Summer Updates
I've already subscribed
Good improv never goes out of style, as evidenced by the existence of Whose Line is it Anyway, a comedy series that originated in the U.K. in the late 80s and was later adapted for the U.S. a decade later. The CW is bringing the format back for another version, which will include some Whose Line veterans.
The CW made the official announcement today that they're adding a new version of improv comedy series Whose Line is it Anyway, which will be hosted by The Talk's Aisha Tyler, who fills the role held by Drew Carey in the original U.S. series, and Clive Anderson for the original-original series. Set to show off their talent at making stuff up and being funny and imaginative while they do it are Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie and Wayne Brady, all three of whom appeared in both Whose Line series. Bringing these improv veterans back to star in the new version certainly gives the series a bit more clout, while leaving the fourth spot open for newcomers to mix things up.
The CW says each episode will feature a special guest to serve as the fourth improv player. It sounds like the series will follow the original format, in having the performers attempt to fulfill various funny games and challenges presented to them, based on ideas supplied by the audience, as humorously as possible, after which the Tyler will assign points and declare a winner. If the series follows the original format, it'll downplay the competition side of it, the points will be random and there won't be much of an emphasis on who wins. In this show, it's most definitely how you play the game that matters. It'll be exciting to see how the new version plays out when the series airs on The CW this summer.
For those unfamiliar with these series, or if your memory's rusty, here's a video featuring some highlights from the U.S. version.


text:
Services for Binghamton Alumni
The Libraries extends borrowing privileges to Binghamton University alumni at no charge. To apply for a courtesy borrowing card, go to the circulation desk of any of the three campus libraries - the Bartle Library, the Science Library or the University Downtown Center (UDC) Library. You will need to present a photo id with your application. Books may be borrowed for a 6-week loan period and there is a 15-book limit. See borrowing privileges for Alumni.
Find It!, the Libraries' single-search box tool that provides access to the Library Catalog, the Libraries' Digital Collections, and a mega-aggregated index of hundreds of millions of scholarly e-resources including articles, e-books, reviews, and legal documents, is freely available to all. See also WorldCat.
Databases, e-journals, and e-books to which the Libraries subscribe are available for alumni guests to use on campus. Restrictions in the subscription licensing agreements for these resources preclude their off-campus use by alumni guests, even those with courtesy borrowing privileges.
All New York State residents have access to the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library (NOVEL), which includes the full text of thousands of journals, newspapers and other references. All you need to log in is your New York State Driver License ID or DMV Non-Driver Photo ID. New York State residents may also apply for a library card from the New York Public Library, which can be used to access over 80 of NYPL's online databases from home. For more information about both of these programs, see our guide to Library Resources for NYS Residents.
You may also want to try the Online Reference Shelf, which has many free online resources.


text:
Watch CBSN Live
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un plays with children during a visit to the Taesongsan General Hospital in this undated photo.
Credit: KCNA/Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un smiles during a visit to Taesongsan General Hospital in this undated photo.
Kim Jong-un visits a construction site of a resort for scientists.
North Korean new leader Kim Jong Un greets students at Mangyongdae Revolutionary School in Pyongyang, North Korea, on the occasion of Chinese New Year. Young Kim gets rock star treatment when he visits his troops, just as his father did. But while the late Kim Jong Il mostly stayed aloof in dark shades, his son holds hands and hugs. He seems to want to bond.
Credit: AP/KCNA
Kim Jong-un is accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju as they inspect the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground in Pyongyang, July 25, 2012.
Kim Jong-un visits the Pyongyang Orphanage to mark International Children's Day.
Kim Jong-un inspecting a pig farm under Korean People's Army (KPA) Unit 549 at undisclosed place in North Korea.
Credit: KCNA/AFP/Getty Images
Kim Jong-un inspecting the Fishery Station under the Korean People's Army (KPA) Unit 313.
Kim Jong-un accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju, inspects the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground in Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-un walks with military personnel as he arrives for a military unit on Mu Islet, located in the southernmost part of the southwestern sector of North Korea's border with South Korea.
Kim Jong-un pats a goat on the head as he visits the Breeding Station No. 621 of the Korean People's Army under construction at an undisclosed location of North Korea.
Credit: AP Photo/KCNA via KNS
Kim Jong-un visits the General Satellite Control and Command Center on the outskirts of Pyongyang, Dec. 12, 2012.
Credit: AP/Kyodo
Kim Jong-un is seen with military commanders in a photo released by the regime, apparently showing him signing an order to put the nation's forces on standby for an attack on U.S. bases.
Credit: KCNA
Kim Jong-un, along with his father, Kim Jong Il, attends a massive military parade marking the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Credit: AP Photo/Kyodo News
North Korea leader Kim Jong-un and former NBA player Dennis Rodman attend an exhibition game featuring the Harlem Globetrotters, at an arena in Pyongyang, North Korea, Feb. 28, 2013.
Credit: Jason Mojica/VICE/AP
Kim Jong-un visits the Taesongsan General Hospital, being built by the People's Army in Pyongyang.
Credit: KNS/AFP/Getty Images
Kim Jong-un visiting the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School at Pyongyang for the celebration of the lunar New Year, Jan. 23, 2012.
Kim Jong-un during a photo session with participants in the national meeting of chiefs of branch social security stations at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
Credit: KCNA VIA KNS/AFP/Getty Images


text:
Shoutout to smalltown, USA. Verizon's 4G LTE coverage is getting even more comprehensive—it's adding 33 more cities on Thursday.
With the addition of the following cities, that brings the total of markets covered up to 337. Per CNET:
El Dorado/Magnolia and Russellville, Ark.
New London County, Conn.
Fort Pierce/Vero Beach and Melbourne/Titusville, Fla.
Columbus and Rome, Ga.
Burley, Idaho; Mattoon, Ill.
Anderson and Muncie, Ind.
Manhattan/Junction City and McPherson, Kan.
Lafayette/New Iberia, La.; St. Joseph, Mo.
Bozeman/Livingston, Kalispell and Missoula, Mont.
Goldsboro/Kinston, Roanoke Rapids and Rocky Mount/Wilson, N.C.
Zanesville, Ohio; Meadville and Punxsutawney/DuBois/Clearfield, Pa.
Orangeburg, S.C.; Sherman/Denison, Texas
Cedar City and Logan, Utah; Rutland/Bennington, Vt.
Lynchburg and Winchester, Va.
Bellingham, Wash.
Beckley, W.Va.
Additionally, Verizon has beefed up coverage in 32 markets across the country, which makes its coverage pretty freaking deep. [CNET]


text:
I thought I'd create a thread to let you know of the stuff that is cooking in works.
Some projects are confidential in nature and others are public.
I'll try to update this thread to keep you posted and you are more than welcome to discuss, speculate and even add suggestions of what you'd like to see different or new.
Edited 12/24/2006. Testing a new method to share my current status of my work by using a blog at theledguy blog.


text:
NASD Endorses Concise, Web-Based Point of Sale Mutual Fund Disclosure
Washington, D.C. - NASD is recommending that the Securities and Exchange Commission improve point of sale disclosure to mutual fund investors by mandating Internet disclosure of a new "Profile Plus " - a two-page document providing basic information about a mutual fund, including its investment objectives, risks, performance, fees and expenses, and information about potential conflicts of interest.
NASD is also recommending that every broker-dealer be required to post a Profile Plus for each mutual fund it sells on the broker-dealer's website, with hyperlinks to the fund's prospectus and to a dealer disclosure statement with more information about the broker-dealer's potential conflicts of interest. Investors would also have the option of requesting paper delivery of the document.
Profile Plus is the chief recommendation of NASD's Mutual Fund Task Force in Mutual Fund Distribution , its second and final report to the SEC. NASD Chairman and CEO Robert R. Glauber endorsed the task force's recommendations in the NASD's comment letter regarding an SEC rule proposal on point of sale disclosure requirements and confirmation requirements in mutual funds, college savings plans and other securities.
"The SEC proposal is an excellent effort that properly focuses on getting more, better and clearer information to investors at the most important time - prior to purchase. Good point of sale information is crucial for investors, and Profile Plus would build on the SEC's proposal by adding information about investment risks, objectives and performance - three of the most important things investors need to consider when purchasing a mutual fund," Glauber said.
"Using the Internet for point-of-sale disclosure moves us into the 21st Century, so that investors have an alternative to more piles of paper," Glauber said. "Giving investors a concise disclosure document with access to more detailed information through hyperlinks, a web-based Profile Plus would allow them to review as much or as little detail about a fund as they wish. And it would make comparing all funds offered by a particular broker-dealer much easier."
The task force's Profile Plus recommendation was guided by the results of focus groups with investors, who indicated a strong preference for website delivery of disclosure and a high level of enthusiasm for the format of Profile Plus.
Chaired by Glauber, the task force's 20 other members represent a cross-section of the broker-dealer and investment company industries. The task force was named in May 2004 to help inform SEC rule proposals regarding mutual fund cost disclosure and distribution arrangements.
"I am grateful to the members of the task force, who spent a great deal of time working through these important issues," Glauber said. "They have developed an innovative approach to meeting our common objective of helping investors make informed decisions."
In its report, the task force also recommended that the SEC:
- Update and modernize the findings that a fund board must make in approving and continuing a Rule 12b-1 plan;
- List Rule 12b-1 fees in the prospectus fee table solely in a manner that describes their purpose, e.g., as "distribution and shareholder servicing fees," without reference to a rule number that may be confusing to many investors;
- Mandate better disclosure to investors about the costs of Class B shares and, along with NASD, consider other regulatory issues concerning Class B shares; and
- Reconsider the unified fee proposal previously set forth by the SEC staff.
The work of the task force proceeded in two phases. Last November, the Task Force submitted its recommendations on Phase I in The Report of the Mutual Fund Task Force on Soft Dollars and Portfolio Transaction Costs . In Phase II, the task force focused on distribution arrangements, including 12b-1 fees and revenue sharing. Its recommendations are detailed in Report of the Mutual Fund Task Force - Mutual Fund Distribution .
Investors can obtain more information and the disciplinary record of any NASD-registered broker or brokerage firm through NASD's BrokerCheck. NASD makes BrokerCheck available at no charge to the public. In 2004, members of the public used this service to conduct nearly 3.8 million searches for existing brokers or firms and requested more than 190,000 reports in cases where disclosable information existed on a broker or firm. Investors can link directly to the program by going online to http://www.nasdbrokercheck.com/. Investors can also access this service by calling 1-800-289-9999.
NASD is the leading private-sector provider of financial regulatory services, dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. NASD touches virtually every aspect of the securities business-from registering and educating all industry participants, to examining securities firms, enforcing both NASD rules and the federal securities laws, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and registered firms. For more information, please visit our Web Site at http://www.nasd.com/.


text:
Newt's winning debate plan for Mitt
Professor Newt is back in business.
Newt Gingrich, the former GOP presidential hopeful often lauded for his debate skills and known for his past career as a historian, has appointed himself the chief advice-giver to Mitt Romney in advance of Wednesday's first presidential debate.
Story Continued Below
It's a role Gingrich seems to be relishing: in just the last week, as interest in the debate heats up, he's shared his suggestions with various news outlets (including POLITICO), in an advice column for Romney in Human Events, and on "Face the Nation" last Sunday.
The former House speaker has stressed how important the debates are to the overall campaign narrative between now and Nov. 6, even though he doesn't think Romney has to deliver a clean knockout punch at the first one to keep his candidacy viable.
"At the end of the debate Wednesday night, Romney has to be a clear alternative," he said on "Face the Nation." "Romney, he doesn't have to hit a home run. But Romney has to be, at the end of the debate Wednesday night, a clear alternative who is considered as a potential president by a majority of the American people in order for his campaign to have a chance to live."
In his piece on Human Events, Gingrich outlined five key pieces of advice for Romney: Relax and be prepared; be assertive and be on offense against both Obama and his media; be honest; use humor; and enjoy the evening.
In other interviews, former Republican candidate stressed how important it is for Romney to fight back against Obama's verbal attacks during the debates.
"I think he's got to draw a sharp contrast between a Romney recovery and Obama stagnation," Gingrich told POLITICO. "He's got to say, with all due respect, Mr. President, this is the worst recovery since the Great Depression. … He's got to say it in a way that's direct and clear, and when the president counter-attacks he can't flinch."
He added that Romney, who's been criticized for the lack of policy specifics in his plans for a Romney administration, needs to offer more details at the debates.
"Gov. Romney has the challenge in the very first debate to communicate decisively what he's going to do," he said.


text:
Passion of the pork
Kysha Harris | 2/25/2013, 4:55 p.m.
A couple of Sundays back, I had the pleasure of attending Cochon 555 at Chelsea Piers for a 10-city culinary competition and tasting that felt like a family affair. As if requested by the gods, the sun was just starting its nightly ritual, painting the sky full of colors and evoking our senses to rise up and meet the moment. Five chefs, five heritage pigs and five wineries were at the ready. I took it all in.
Each of the women in the all-female chef lineup received a different whole heritage animal with which to have their way, from snout to tail. And these aren't just any female chefs--they are accomplished and inventive chefs who transform ingredients to food nirvana.
After enjoying the last sustainable oyster from Rappahannock River, my first bite came by way of "Top Chef" contestant Chef Leah Cohen of restaurant Pig & Khao (www.pigandkhao.com). Her pig was a Large Black. Sounds like a mean son of a gun, but its type has been bred and perfected by farmers for more than a century. Cohen gave an Asian sensation of five-spice cracklings served in a paper bag, a tangy sausage with rice and crispy pata (pork leg with pickled green mango). All were so good that I couldn't imagine the magic from the other chefs.
I moved on to Chef Missy Robbins of A Voce, who was perched in the corner with the Hudson River behind her and her team. She took her coveted Berkshire pig to task with six tastings that literally went from the head, Testa (pig's head terrine), to the feet, Stufato, and everywhere in between. The meatballs were moist and packed with flavor. I enjoyed her version of ham and eggs made with prosciutto, black truffles and fontina and her version of liver and onions with a caramelized cippoline, dried grapes and balsamic.
Chef Shanna Pacifico of Back Forty West was next on my hit list. She took her Tamworth pig from Brambly Farms Massachusetts and served up a Brazilian feast starring a porky good feijoada (slow-cooked stew with various cuts of pork), pao de queijo (cheese bread) and a pork belly (Tamworth's best feature) lettuce wrap. Obrigada, Chef Pacifico!
As if by magic, the walls parted for the last two competing chefs. Chef Alex Guarnaschelli of Butter and Chef Elizabeth Falkner of Krescendo squared off on either sides of the room. Between them stood a bourbon bar featuring five bourbons to celebrate five years of Cochon 555. I'm not really a bourbon drinker, but being served in a mason jar with some macerated black cherries made it go down easy.
Guarnaschelli went Asian with her Old Spot-Duroc Cross (a.k.a. Spot Roc). There was a soup dumpling and seared pork belly, but the real palate-pows were the noodle dish made of the skin and the sweet-and-savory gelatin cubes made of pork renderings and lychee puree lightly dusted with sugar. I see you, chef! Doin' it!
Falkner would not be outdone with her Red Wattle pig from Lazy S. Farm in Kansas. If there were an award just for cracklings, she would have gotten my vote (take note, Brady Lowe) for the creatively spiced addictive bites. She also served up black rye pasta with pork ragu and pork belly confit over a lard biscuit.


text:
YES! But How? :: Green Birth Control
Environmentally friendly contraception is easier than you might think.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than 30 percent of U.S. women use birth-control pills, making them the most common method of female contraception today.
Several studies have linked the estrogen that ends up in our sewage systems and bodies of water to sex changes in fish and frogs. One study showed that 80 percent of male smallmouth bass in rivers in Virginia and Maryland were producing eggs.
So the pill is not your greenest option. If you're set on that method, progestin-only "mini-pills"—slightly less effective than estrogen—are available.
If you have a long-term partner and a knack for recordkeeping, you could try Natural Family Planning (NFP) or "periodic abstinence." Since both individuals must cooperate, it serves as a great medium for inter-partner communication. NFP is less expensive than standard forms of birth control; works without artificial devices, hormones, or drugs; and has no harmful side effects for the user. Often, women report feeling more connected to their own bodies, since focusing on cyclical changes is key to this method. Georgetown University's Institute for Reproductive Health (www.irh.org/nfp.htm) offers some great information on the topic.
Condoms are a popular, relatively green option; they account for an incidental amount of U.S. waste.
Polyurethane condoms tend to resist biodegradation, but latex condoms are biodegradable when disposed of properly in a garbage receptacle. If you flush them, they don't biodegrade. Polyisoprene, or natural rubber, condoms are for those with a latex allergy.
"Natural skin" condoms are not animal-friendly (they're made from sheep intestines), but they're your greenest pick. Though as effective as other condoms at pregnancy prevention, they do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Casein, a milk derivative, is used to manufacture most condoms. Find vegan-friendly brands here: http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/43306.aspx.
Though not to be used on a regular basis, the Plan B® One-Step or Next Choice emergency contraceptive pills are available over the counter at most U.S. pharmacies for those at least 17 years old. Find a pharmacy with this database: eclocator.not-2-late.com.
Find more green living advice:


text:
They say everything's bigger in Texas. Anyone traveling to Dallas can expect a heaping helping of hospitality. It does not hurt to pack your cowboy boots, either. Known for down-home graciousness and southwestern elegance, Dallas area hotels are among the best in the world.
When most people think of Dallas, the 1980s soap opera of that name remains a familiar reference. Although you can still tour the Southfork Ranch of Hollywood fame, the location is far removed from the city itself. Best of all, Dallas is much more exciting than any soap opera.
Whether you are in search of world-class shopping, cultural festivities, or a sampling of Dallas's decidedly southwestern cuisine, there's never a dull moment in this city.
Located in North Texas, Dallas is situated within a couple of hours of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. It is remarkably flat, but from atop the landmark Reunion Tower, you can see 30 miles in every direction on a clear day. Plan to visit the spinning restaurant at night, where you are treated to sparkling lights and a sprawling metropolis.
Dallas offers two airports, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Dallas Love Field (DAL). DFW is the larger of the two airports as well as the fourth largest airport in the nation. It handles major traffic and is the largest hub for the Dallas-headquartered American Airlines. If you are flying American Airlines, it is easy getting direct flights to Dallas-Fort Worth.
In recent years, Dallas Love Field has downgraded to more of a regional airport. Things are changing, though. Many airlines such as Southwest Airlines* offer discount flights to Dallas from all across the country. Love Field is more convenient to Dallas from Houston. Otherwise, travelers must fly into the more remote DFW. DFW is 15 miles from Dallas, whereas Love Field is only five miles.
Hipmunk takes the agony out of figuring out where to land. You can search both airports to determine which one offers the cheapest airfare. Hint: it's not always Dallas Love Field.
Dallas is very spread out. Although there are reliable buses and trains, it is best to rent a car for your visit. You can travel up to 20 minutes by car to get from your hotel to the hot new eatery. Taxis are available, but they are not economical for Texas-sized distances.
If you do not want to drive, book a hotel in Uptown or the North Dallas area of Addison, which offers shuttle service. The service is limited to a five-mile radius. Still if you choose a hotel in these areas, you'll definitely be close to the action.
Shopaholics, be sure to visit the Dallas Galleria and NorthPark malls for a high-end shopping experience that includes Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, and Neiman Marcus. After you hit those fine retailers, check out their outlets at Grapevine Mills for outrageous discounts of up to 90% off.
When it comes to eating, Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City. You will never be able to eat at every single restaurant in Dallas, but you can have fun trying. Would you like to try soul food? Sweet Georgia Brown's in South Dallas offers some of the best in the nation. And what trip to Dallas is complete without steak? Visit Al Biernet's on Oak Lawn Avenue for the perfect filet.
Dallas offers a fusion of many different cultures. The city celebrates diversity with its annual St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Juneteenth festivals. Dallas is also fun for fans of football, basketball, golf, and hockey. Take in a game while visiting.
Do not go to Dallas in July if you can help it. Temperatures in Dallas can spike well over the 100-degree mark. Even worse, they stay that way for weeks at a time. Also, avoid going in January. That is when buyers and sellers from around the world come to the annual Market show. If you are visiting during the month of October, plan ahead. Dallas hosts the wildly popular Texas-Oklahoma game then. During this weekend, hotels around the area are sold out and have been for months ahead of time.
The best time to visit Dallas is in the spring and fall months when the weather is mild and the outdoor activities are plentiful. Stop by Pioneer Plaza for a one-of-a-kind photo op next to the bronze cattle drive. Also worth visiting in milder months is the largest zoo in Texas, the Dallas Zoo.
*Airline not available on Hipmunk
© 2019 Hipmunk® and Concur® Hipmunk® are trademarks of Hipmunk, Inc. and Concur Technologies, Inc.
© 2019 Hipmunk® and Concur® Hipmunk® are trademarks of Hipmunk, Inc. and Concur Technologies, Inc.


text:
For the third consecutive season, we are proud to introduce the Deadspin Baseball Season Previews. Yes, baseball is awfully close now; it's spring training, after all.
Every weekday until the start of the season, a different writer will preview his/her team. We asked a gaggle of writers, from the Web, from print, from books, to tell us, in as many or as little words as they need, Where Their Team Stands. This is not meant to be factual, or dispassionate, or even logical: We just asked them to riff on why they love their team so much, or what their team means to them, or whatever.
Today: The Kansas City Royals. Your author is Will McDonald.
Will McDonald writes Royals Review and is a grad student writing his dissertation on eighteenth-century American poetry. His words are after the jump.
Are you ready for a universe in which the Royals are good?
All apologies for the cheesy rhetorical question opening aside - I'm sure someone learned like Bob Costas would have started with a quotation from Thucydides or an anecdote shared by Paul McCartney on Later - its better that you prepare yourself emotionally for a more or less OK Royals team now, than suffer the cognitive dissonance later. Sure, we're all excited to see the Rays (nee Devil) emerge from seed like a beautiful flower, but the Royals aren't far behind from what many are wishcasting for Tampa. 2008 won't be a reprise of 1985 (Greenland leaves the European Union, the Royals win the World Series), but it might be a reprise of, say, 1993, when the Royals finished with 84 wins and Raven-Symone joined the cast of Hanging with Mr. Cooper.
Considering that any given week of Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds coverage eclipsed all the annual ink spilt on Kansas City's baseball team, you likely didn't notice it, but the Royals were actually a fairly competent baseball team last season. And while the Royals weren't repeatedly charged with destroying our previously unsullied National Innocence (no outrage over Rafael Betancourt though, of course not, as steroid hysteria has never actually been about steroids) ad nauseum like those two mentioned above, anyone who has had to watch the Royals over the last decade might argue that the Royals have done much more damage to all things holy. Nevertheless, in the last eighteen months a great cleansing purge has taken place, as the refuse from the Allard Baird Era (including Allard himself) has been removed: gone are such luminaries as Buddy Bell, Angel Berroa, Runelyvs Hernandez and Paul Bako. Thus, last season's inspiring run at a non-100 loss season - their first since 2003 - has generated a disproportionate level of excitement amongst the hundreds of remaining Royals fans.
A major factor in this newfound era of good feeling is the shiny new management team, led by hotshot general manager Dayton Moore. Whatever his ultimate merits as a GM, Moore is an interesting reflection of multiple trends taking place inside baseball. Hired at 39, Moore is yet another wunderkind, long on rumored brilliance and short on experience, especially as a player. Unlike most examples of this type however, Moore is not part of the saber-revolution, in fact, he's a proud counter-revolutionary, complete with the Braves-based resume that counts as real bonafides in these matters, considering that Atlanta has long been held up as the morally superior alternative to all things Beane-inspired. No, in Atlanta they just scout those fine young southern boys with good faces and even better intangibles until the cows come home and keep winning. Or something like that. Just read the anti-Moneyball screed Scout's Honor- The Bravest Way to Build a Winning Team if you don't believe me.
As these things go, from France to Rome, we know that the counter-revolution is always more aggressive than the revolution ever purported to be, and it wouldn't be a shock to see Moore trumpeted for his wholesome baseball approach at some point by the usual suspects. Finally, Moore is, along with his new managerial hire Trey Hillman, a devout/born again/someone who talks about Jesus a lot in seemingly secular contexts/ Christian. It remains to be seen how the religious factor plays itself out, but considering that Hillman was essentially Moore's only candidate to replace Buddy Bell, and that he flew to Japan find him, the odds are good that this will become a story should the Royals ever start winning. Either way, it represents yet another sense in which Moore is the anti-Theo Epstein or Mark Shapiro.
To his credit, Moore has almost entirely reconfigured and rebuilt the pitching staff, highlighted by the acquisitions of Gil Meche, Brian Bannister and Joakim Soria, all scouting and intangibles based moves, nonetheless. While Bannister seems likely to fall back a bit, the Meche signing (5 years/$55 million), a year after being lambasted, looks inspired. Thanks to a solidified rotation and a secretly awesome bullpen, the Royals put together a pitching staff that was comparable to their division rivals, a stunning achievement. In 2006 the Royals allowed a staggering 971 runs, the 21st worst total in the history of the game. After Dayton's first full season as a GM, that total had dropped to 778, a 193-run improvement. Looking at the same data another way, the team actually finished 7th in the AL with an ERA of 4.48. Thanks to their first non-horrible pitching staff since ... 1996, the Royals were able to compete in the sturdy AL Central, despite a still Royalsian offense. For long stretches of time in fact, the Royals were actually pretty good, as they went 41-39 from June through August. Basically, for three months they were a National League playoff team.
If we stop right here, tell ourselves that Moore knows pitching and that Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are ready to carry the offense for the next decade, it all sounds terrific. Unfortunately, we can't stop here, however. While the pitching staff has improved from terrible to mediocre - the Royals still don't strike anybody out, and no Royals team has finished higher than 12th in the league in Ks since 1999 - the offense remains a major problem and a potential source of anxiety. Moore has show inklings of a knack for finding pitchers, but has matched every hurling success with a complete offensive flop. Aside from the team's pathetically lame splash signing of malcontent Jose Guillen, Moore's major positional moves have been: trading for, then extending Ross Gload, a first baseman who doesn't walk and doesn't hit for power, trading for Ryan Shealy, one of the worst hitters on the planet last season and bringing in Tony Pena Jr. and Miguel Olivo, who combined might only draw 20 walks all season. From the beginning, Moore has dutifully followed the precedent set by his first trade, which netted the Royals Joey Gathright: keep adding ill-fitting parts.
At issue in Kansas City is a misidentification of what makes a lineup work. Fitting hand in glove with all of Moore's lovable old-schoolness is Trey Hillman's fondness for small ball, which is how he made his name in Japan, the land of the first inning bunt, an achievement rather on the order of gaining renown in West Virginia for one's methamphetamine making skills. Not surprisingly, we've thus seen a handful of Spring Training stories about the virtues of fundamentals and the little things and moving runners over and on and on, complete with glowing references to the glory that is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. But the problem with the Royals the last few years hasn't been a lack of situational hitting or productive outs or any other Buster Olney-inspired buzzword. No, it's much less seventh-grade subtle than that: the Royals simply can't hit, not for average and not for power, especially the latter. In 2007, in the American League, the Royals only managed to hit 102 home runs, a stunningly low total. Throwing out the strike shortened 1994 season (but not, mind you, the also shortened '95) that's actually the lowest HR total by an AL team since 1992. 1992! The 2007 Royals only had two players hit double-digits in home runs and had no one over 18, en route to scoring a anemic 706 runs. So in a perverse way, focusing on small-ball makes sense. Just as it makes sense to learn how to use your other hand if you break your arm. Yet most of us would still want to also wear a cast and have the good arm heal, not just celebrate our new status as traditional and novel.
At the very most, doing the little things well is a nice complimentary skill set for an already adequate lineup, but the Royals aren't an adequate lineup: They don't hit for average, they don't walk, they don't have power. Moreover, the truly scary thing is that the only patches of adequacy and the only projectable bright spots remain vestiges from the Baird regime. If we consider the dictum that the horizons of our realities are defined by the limits of our dreams, then it's telling to note that this is a fanbase that's been dreaming about middling Mark Teahen's breakout for years now. But hey, the Royals added Jose Guillen, he was like the fourth best Mariner in the world last year, and he extended his epic Consecutive Teams Played For who Let Me Finish the Season in the Locker Room streak to two.
Nevertheless, everything in the paragraph above does not really represent the consensus feeling of the normal, patriotic and tax-paying Royals fan, and perhaps it shouldn't. Without much squinting you can see the Royals blossoming in much the same way the Brewers have, with Butler and Gordon playing the roles of Fielder and Braun. Speaking of Milwaukee, to tell the truth, if the Royals and Brewers switched leagues for 2008, the smart money might be on the Royals snagging more wins. But sadly, that isn't a possibility. Stuck as they are in a tough division in a tough league, the Royals have a difficult climb ahead of them. While it may not be reflected in the raw win total, on merit, the 2008 squad will probably be the best Royals team since the mid-90s.
Progressing from awful to average is the easy part, and the Royals appear in line to do just that. The history of the game is filled with teams that shared in this very progress, were heralded as rising gate-crashers, but two years later were terrible again. We'll see if they can make the next step, or if they'll merely remain in the dustbin of the league.


text: Well known for its natural beauty, the Isle of Wight has a long and rich history spanning thousands of years. Predominantly a rural area with a strong agricultural heritage, tourism has become its main industry over the past 200 years. The Museum has large collections of topographic artworks and photographs featuring most areas and towns of the island.


text:
Were you looking for our original Sock! yarn? It has been discontinued,
however, I have re-directed your web search to our new Deluxe Sock! webpage instead. This is a fabulous yarn and is available in all the colorways you loved in our Sock! yarn.
We have so many Deluxe Sock! Yarn colorways that we have arranged them into colorway families to help you quickly find the ones you want. To jump to your favor colorway family, just click on the following families: purples, blues, blue/greens, greens, yellows, golds, oranges, browns, reds, pinks or neutrals. To order, just type the number skeins you want in the QTY box and click on the "Add to Shopping Cart" button at the end of all of the colorways. on't find your favorite colorway listed? Just ask and I will catch up.
80% Superwash Merino, 10% Nylon, 10% Cashmere
4.2 ounces/510 yards Gauge is 7 stitches per inch
Needle size (for socks) 2 US, 2.25-2.75mm
Care: Hand or machine wash gentle cycle/dry flat
Price: $28 US per skein
Just click on the colorway to see a larger view.
Every effort has been made to reproduce the shade cards accurately. Colors shown may not be a true representation and will appear differently on individual monitors.


text:
We're hearing wedding bells! With the news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle breaking earlier this week, we can't help but be excited for the next Royal Wedding.
Dreamy Prince Harry gifted Meghan with a three-stone engagement ring, with a cushion-cut center stone, set in yellow gold. The center diamond was mined in Botswana, a country with romantic significance to the couple—it's where they traveled together soon after they began dating.
As we patiently wait for the loving couple to walk down the aisle in 2018, we are building our own rings that are as good as the ones the royals pick. Here are three ring styles similar to Meghan's sparkler.
Striking and elegant, this three-stone diamond ring is crafted in 14k yellow gold and looks almost exactly like Meghan's ring.
This three-stone diamond ring is crafted in platinum and features pavé detailing along the side profile, adding some surprising sparkle to a classically beautiful ring.
Brilliant and distinct, this low-profile diamond engagement ring features a unique woven design on the side profile and looks amazing when set with a cushion-cut center stone.


text:
The RV industry is providing support to an Alaska couple who were profiled on the CBS News Early Show a week ago (May 22).
Robert and Theodora Tyler of Anchorage were the subject of a feature during the Early Show's Week of Wishes.
Theodora has terminal cancer and has about a year to live. Her husband, a truck driver, wanted to take her on a cross-country trip so she could see many of the sights he experienced during his years on the road.
However, the couple was unable to afford such a journey, until three RV industry firms … Gulf Stream Coach Inc., the Good Sam Club and Kampgrounds of America (KOA) … stepped in.
Gulf Stream is providing one of its Independence diesel pushers to the Tylers for five month while the Good Sam Club is covering all of their insurance expenses and will provide roadside assistance if needed.
KOA gave the Tylers a VIP card that allows them to stay for free at any of the 500 KOA campgrounds across the U.S.
Appearing on the Early Show last week representing Gulf Stream were Dan and Brian Shea, co-CEOs, and Sue Bray, executive director, represented the Good Sam Club.
Jim Rogers, KOA's president and CEO, represented the campground franchisor on the TV program.
Additionally, Exxon Mobil will give the Tylers $15,000 to $20,000 worth of diesel fuel and Sharp Electronics provided them with a digital camcorder along with tapes and batteries.
The RV industry is providing support to an Alaska couple who were profiled on the CBS News Early Show a week ago (May 22).


text:
No. 80,513
1. A state by statute or judicial decision may limit secondary picketing in order to preserve the economy from improper strains and to protect innocent third parties from harm, so long as the secondary picketing is motivated by a labor dispute or economic concerns and not purely political issues.
2. Under the factual circumstances set forth in this case, the trial court did not err in holding that a permanent injunction restricting the appellants' picketing and faxing activities against certain advertisers doing business with the appellee did not violate the appellants' right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Appeal from Shawnee District Court; JAMES P. BUCHELE, judge. Opinion filed July 16, 1999. Affirmed.
John M. Simpson, of John M. Simpson, P.C., of Kansas City, Missouri, for appellants.
Michael W. Merriam, of Gehrt & Roberts, Chartered, of Topeka, for appellee.
Before, GREEN, P.J., PIERRON, J., and DAVID PRAGER, Chief Justice Retired, assigned.
PRAGER, J.: Ola L. Drake and her husband, Lionel Q. Drake, appeal from a judgment of the trial court granting Benedek Broadcasting Corporation (Benedek) a permanent injunction preventing the Drakes from picketing or threatening to picket advertisers on Benedek's television station, WIBW-TV. On appeal, the Drakes claim that by restricting their picketing and faxing activities, the injunction violates their First Amendment rights. In addition, the Drakes maintain that the injunction is an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech. Finally, the Drakes question whether the injunction is an appropriate remedy.
Ola sued her former employer, Benedek, for violating the terms of her employment contract. After filing the suit, Ola and her husband, Lionel, sent faxes, picketed, and threatened to picket several of Benedek's advertisers.
The faxes stated the following:
"This serves as notice [Name of Businesses] is scheduled to be picketed.
"The reason your business is being targeted is because of your support of WIBW-TV. You will see first hand, how the people of this community have sympathized with those holding the eight foot signs appearing at 21st and Wannamaker [sic], saying 'WIBW-TV EXPLOITS WOMEN' and 'WIBW-TV BREAKS CONTRACTS.'
"You can avoid being picketed by canceling your advertising on WIBW-TV. If you continue to support WIBW-TV, we will add the sign '[Name of business] SUPPORTS WIBW-TV.'"
Lionel also sent two-page faxes to several businesses. The first page stated:
"This serves as a courtesy notice that the attached flyer will be published to raise public and consumer awareness that [Name of Business] HELPS SUPPRESS FREE SPEECH.
"Every time you use the consumer's hard earned money to buy advertising on CBS WIBW-TV, you aid and abet WIBW-TV's war against free speech. You also help WIBW-TV pay huge law firms to uphold the theft of television programming, the exploitation of women, and the breach of contract.
"Right now as you read this courtesy notice, an all out war is being waged by WIBW-TV to suppress free speech and peaceful picketing. The ACLU is vigorously defending all Americans against the media giant's tyranny. Once freedom and liberty prevails against the media tyrants at WIBW-TV, [Name of Business] will also be picketed if you continue to support WIBW-TV."
The second page stated: "[NAME OF BUSINESS] HELPS SUPPRESS FREE SPEECH."
The Drakes picketed several businesses that advertised on WIBW-TV. They picketed Laird Noller and Carpet One twice. They picketed A-1 Appliance one or two times. When picketing, the Drakes carried two of the following signs: "WIBW breaks contracts," "WIBW exploits women," "Laird Noller Ford supports WIBW-TV," "Carpet One supports WIBW-TV," "A-1 Appliance supports WIBW-TV," and/or "WIBW-TV steals programming." They also picketed WIBW-TV about 12 times.
Benedek moved for a permanent injunction seeking to enjoin the Drakes from picketing, sending faxes, and calling its advertisers. Benedek alleged that the Drakes were tortiously interfering with its business relationships with its advertisers and were causing monetary losses to Benedek.
Although the evidence failed to show that any business canceled advertising due to the picketing, two of Benedek's advertisers testified that if they had been picketed, they would either stop or not resume advertising on WIBW-TV until the picketing issue had been resolved.
Ola testified that the purpose of the picketing was to raise public and consumer awareness about the exploitation of women at WIBW-TV and about WIBW-TV breaking contracts. Lionel testified that they were picketing to raise public and consumer awareness of the breach of contract and events that occurred between Ola and WIBW-TV.
The trial court granted a temporary restraining order restricting the picketing to only the parties involved in the dispute. The Drakes were limited to picketing WIBW-TV at its place of business or in any public area.
The Drakes discontinued all activities. Approximately 6 months after the temporary restraining order was issued, Lionel sent faxes to several of WIBW-TV's advertisers.
After a hearing, the trial court granted a permanent injunction, finding that the purpose of the letters threatening to picket and the picketing was to encourage and intimidate the businesses not to advertise on WIBW-TV due to the dispute over Ola's employment. The trial court also found that Benedek did not sustain any financial losses as a result of the activities by the Drakes. The trial court found, however, that WIBW-TV was under direct threat of losing advertising revenues due to the picketing.
In its memorandum decision, the trial court noted that the First Amendment does not protect a secondary boycott motivated by economic concerns. The trial court then found that the picketing constituted a secondary boycott motivated by economic concerns. The trial court did not limit a direct boycott or picketing of WIBW-TV. Finally, the trial court found that an injunction was the only available remedy to protect innocent third parties from the private economic dispute with WIBW-TV.
Standard of Review
The issues presented on appeal require this court to determine if the trial court's conclusions of law concerning the scope of the protection afforded by the First Amendment are correct and whether the facts support the trial court's findings. Where the trial court has made findings of fact and conclusions of law, the function of an appellate court is to determine whether the findings are supported by substantial competent evidence and whether the findings are sufficient to support the trial court's conclusions of law. Substantial evidence is evidence which possesses both relevance and substance and which furnishes a substantial basis of fact from which the issues can reasonably be resolved. Stated in another way, substantial evidence is such legal and relevant evidence as a reasonable person might accept as being sufficient to support a conclusion. State v. Haskins, 262 Kan. 728, 731, 942 P.2d 16 (1997); Tucker v. Hugoton Energy Corp., 253 Kan. 373, 377, 855 P.2d 929 (1993). Determinations of fact which are not appealed from are final and conclusive. Justice v. Board of Wyandotte County Comm'rs, 17 Kan. App. 2d 102, 109, 835 P.2d 692, rev. denied 251 Kan. 938 (1992). An appellate court's review of conclusions of law is unlimited. Gillespie v. Seymour, 250 Kan. 123, 129, 823 P.2d 782 (1991).
Freedom of Speech
First, the Drakes argue that the permanent injunction restricting their picketing and faxing activities against WIBW-TV's advertisers violates their right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
In support of their position, the Drakes rely primarily on the decision of the Supreme Court in NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware Co., 458 U.S. 886, 73 L. Ed. 2d 1215, 102 S. Ct. 3409, reh. denied 459 U.S. 898 (1982). In Claiborne, the Court held that a secondary boycott motivated by political issues was protected by the First Amendment, regardless of a state's broad power to regulate and protect economic activity. See also Environmental Planning & Information Council v. Superior Court, 36 Cal. 3d 188, 195-96, 203 Cal. Rptr. 127, 680 P.2d 1086 (1984) (a secondary boycott motivated by political concerns is protected by the First Amendment). In this case, the trial court distinguished the Drakes' situation from Claiborne by noting that the Drakes' activities involved only economic concerns and not political concerns.
"Secondary picketing" is defined as picketing which is calculated to involve neutral employers and employees in a labor dispute with the primary employer. Hawaii Elec. Light Co. v. IBEW, Local 1186, 844 F. Supp. 1381, 1387 (D. Hawaii 1993). "Primary picketing" is designed to exert pressure on the employer, while "secondary picketing" is designed to bring pressure on one other than the employer. Papermakers Union v. Old Dominion, 210 Va. 132, 135, 169 S.E. 2d 445 (1969). In Labor Board v. Fruit Packers, 377 U.S. 58, 63, 12 L. Ed. 2d 129, 84 S. Ct. 1063 (1964), the Supreme Court recognized that Congress may prohibit secondary picketing calculated "to persuade the customers of the secondary employer to cease trading with him in order to force him to cease dealing with, or to put pressure upon, the primary employer." Such picketing spreads labor discord by coercing a neutral party to join the fray. In Electrical Workers v. Labor Board, 341 U.S. 694, 705, 95 L. Ed. 2d 1299, 71 S. Ct. 954 (1951), the Court expressly held that a prohibition on "picketing in furtherance of [such] unlawful objectives" did not offend the First Amendment.
The Drakes do not dispute the trial court's classification of their activity as a secondary boycott resulting from a labor dispute or that the Supreme Court has held this activity is often unprotected by the First Amendment.
Federal law prohibits a labor union from engaging in a secondary boycott, including picketing. 29 U.S.C. § 158(b)(4)(ii)(B) (1994). Judicial action regulating activities such as these pursuant to the National Labor Relations Act have repeatedly been held not to violate the First Amendment. See for example NLRB v. Retail Store Employees, 447 U.S. 607, 616, 65 L. Ed. 2d 377, 100 S. Ct. 2372 (1980). These cases emphasize that Congress has recognized the need to protect neutral employers from the labor disputes of others.
Kansas also statutorily prohibits activities similar to those engaged in by the Drakes. In Kansas, a person is prohibited from picketing beyond the area of the industry within which a labor dispute arises. K.S.A. 44-809(13). This law is similar to the federal law prohibiting secondary picketing, except the federal law only applies to labor unions.
The Drakes incorrectly assert that the trial court relied on K.S.A. 44-809(13) as a basis for its decision. The trial court correctly recognized the inapplicability of the state and federal legislation to this case. It merely referred to this legislation to support its holding that this type of activity is not necessarily protected by the First Amendment.
Here, the Drakes take issue with the trial court's finding that the picketing was motivated by a labor dispute rather than political concerns over treatment of women in the workplace and unfair business practices. However, the trial court's finding that the Drakes picketed to interfere with WIBW-TV's advertisers because of a labor dispute between Ola and WIBW-TV is supported by substantial competent evidence.
Substantial competent evidence supports the finding that the picketing was related to a labor dispute and for the purpose of interfering in WIBW-TV's relationship with its advertisers. Despite statements at the hearing that the protests were about the general mistreatment of women at WIBW-TV, the signs used while picketing indicated the protest was about Ola's contractual labor dispute with WIBW-TV. Lionel testified that the protest was about the mistreatment Ola received as an employee of WIBW-TV. The most compelling evidence that these protests to advertisers were conducted to interfere in WIBW-TV's business relationships was the content of the faxes sent to each business prior to picketing. These faxes showed the Drakes' intention was to force these businesses to terminate their relationships with WIBW-TV. The trial court also noted that the Drakes' failure to continue picketing WIBW-TV after the temporary restraining order was in place was evidence that the Drakes' main objective was to discourage business relationships between the advertisers and WIBW-TV rather than for political purposes.
Unconstitutional Prior Restraint on Speech
The Drakes next complain that the injunction constitutes an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech. In this case, it is important to note that the speech itself is not restricted but rather the injunction limits the place and manner of expression. Reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on speech are recognized exceptions to the general prohibition against prior restraints. The Drakes are still able to continue picketing WIBW-TV. The trial court did not enjoin the Drakes from continuing to express their message concerning WIBW-TV but merely limited where such activity could take place and who it could target. It did so to protect the third-party businesses not involved in the labor dispute from being adversely affected by the activity. In this case, the government interest that the injunction serves to address is the protection of neutral parties from threats related to a private labor dispute. This interest has been recognized as a sufficient interest to warrant abridgement of First Amendment rights. In light of the fact that secondary boycotting is generally not protected when motivated by economic concerns and the restrictions here were content neutral, the injunction is not an unconstitutional prior restraint on the Drakes' freedom of speech.
Appropriate Remedy
The Drakes' final point is that a permanent injunction is not an appropriate remedy when there has been no judicial determination that the Drakes violated the law or committed an illegal act. We find this point to be without merit. Historically, the Supreme Court has stated that injunctions are remedies imposed for violations or threatened violations of a legislative or judicial decree and can be utilized without a showing of past wrongs. See Madsen v. Women's Health Center, Inc., 512 U.S. 753, 764-65, 129 L. Ed. 2d 593, 114 S. Ct. 2516 (1994).
Kansas has not limited this remedy to an activity that was found to have violated a law or was illegal. In Sheila A. v. Finney, 253 Kan. 793, 797, 861 P.2d 120 (1993), the court stated that "for an injunction to issue, there must be some indication that there is a threatened injury."
In the present case, the trial court is providing relief from a threatened tortious interference with a contract. The trial court heard testimony regarding the effect the picketing was having on both the third-party advertisers and WIBW-TV and considered the Drakes' intent behind their activity. Benedek has filed a counterclaim against the Drakes for damages resulting from the picketing. The trial court was provided sufficient information to determine that the injunction was being sought for protection against a threatened injury.
The judgment of the trial court granting a permanent injunction is affirmed.


text:
Judge & Jury
Confident, sassy and empathetic Judge Marilyn Milian returns to the highly rated courtroom series "The People's Court." Milian commands control of the courtroom resolving complicated cases with a straight forward approach and offers sound legal knowledge to all of the litigants that appear before her.
Did you know… if you text and drive, you're 23 times more likely to have a car crash? Educate yourself. Take the pledge. Share the message.


text:
Fanart creation by Bloodsplach
Συγγραφέας: Bloodsplach (See his 17 others fanarts)
Χώρα καταγωγής : MR
Δημοσιεύτηκε: 2015-08-11
Universe 13 origins chapitre
Τα σχόλιά σας για αυτήν τη σελίδα :
Ακόμα δεν έχει κάνει κάποιος/α σχόλια.
Click here to read the rules – you must read them before posting your comment!
Click here to get some tips about the layout.
Click here to get some tips about the layout.
NEW For bigger discussions and debates, join the DBM English forum
A few rules to follow when you post
Your comments may be deleted if they don't comply with any of the following rules. Moreover, you may be banned, depending on the content or the insistence of your messages. These rules may be applied even if your comment is about DBM!
#0. Comments, discussions or issues about the forum should stay on the forum.
#1. Any comment about the moderation will not be tolerated in that comment space. It's not allowed to ask why your comment had been deleted either. It's out of topic. If you want to discuss it, please send your question to the team (in menu "The authors")
#2. In that comment space, comments are only about DBM, and mostly about the current page. It's forbidden to speak about anything else. Debates linked to DBM but drifting to something else than the current page must not last for too long. If it's related with the current page but the two sides just stand firm, then it's useless to let it go on further.
#3. Do not post insult, provocation, racist, sexist, (etc) comments.
#4. Follow the rules of the English language as much as possible. No sms. If we consider a comment isn't readable, it'll be deleted.
#5. No flooding. So, do not send twice (or more) the same message, links or comments whose content is written with capital letters. The 'first' and other comments of the kind are not tolerated either.
#6. Ads aren't allowed in the comments, even if it's just for one time. Even if you're introducing yourself. Even if they're about DBZ. Even if they are short.
The 'partner sites' page is here for that.
No link can be posted, unless it had a direct connection with the current page.
#7. The "signature" aren't tolerated either (a signature is a sentence or a link at the end of your comment, that is repeated – or not – and that doesn't have any connection with what you just said and with DBM)
#8. Please, make sure that your comment does make sense, at least a little. So, please, do not send comment that are just 'yeah!' 'oh!' 'huh?' 'pfff'... so that people may know what you're talking about.
#9. Do not double post (two posts one after the other). You can use the 'edit' button. Of course, you're allowed to send several comments on the same page (well, no spamming either).
#10. Do not pretend you're another commenter.
#11. Do not write several messages with exactly the same idea on a page.
#12. No value judgement! Provocation and/or judgements (such as 'you're an idiot', 'you certainly are a kid', 'learn to read', 'your comment is rubbish', 'such a debate is useless'...) are forbidden. You comment and debate about the comics, not about the readers and their intentions. Moreover, if a debate doesn't interest you, do not take part in it.
#13. Besides, do not try to second-guess what the authors (or even the readers) have in mind. For instance: "It's obvious they're not motivated anymore", "DBM will soon end". You can't read people's thoughts.
#14. Please, avoid political, religious, identity, community etc... references.
#15. Do not accuse one another of this and that. For instance: a reader who dislike Bra isn't necessarily misogynous, a reader who dislike Uub isn't necessarily a racist.
#16. Do not be extreme to the point you lose every objectivity, even if you're defending DBM. Do not think you're moderator. So, for instance, do not write: 'Don't read if you don't like it.' 'Go and try and draw better!' or 'Stop criticizing!!' Readers may, or may not, approve of the scenario, the characters or the drawings. Debate if you wish, but keep objective. Really: do not try to do the job of the moderators, you just give them more work to do.
#17. If ever you've questions about DBM (the publication of the next page, how we work...), do not ask it here. Read the FAQ. If you can't find the answer in there, you can send a mail to the DBM team in the 'The Authors' section.
#18. Do not reply to anyone who doesn't follow one of these rules for your comment may be deleted, even if it's about DBM too.
#19. Don't ask how gravatar works, don't test your gravatar here. Seriously. Gravatar is easy to use. If you can't do it, just post without avatar. If you want help, search internet or gravatar.com.
Επεξεργασία κειμένου: Βάλε *,/ ή _πριν και μετά από το κείμενο και θα γίνει *bold*, /italic/ ή _underlined_. Εάν βάλεις το e-mail σου,θα εμφανιστεί σαν σύνδεσμος.Εάν θες να βάλεις λινκ μέσα σε κείμενο κάνε [url=thelink]the text[/url], όπως στο phpBB.Υπάρχει επίσης το [code],χρησιμοποίησε το για να γράψεις ένα κωδικό ή σε μονοδιάστατους χαρακτήρες.
Αν ξεκινήσεις γράφοντας > το χρώμα θα είναι διαφορετικό.
Μπορείς να επεξεργαστείς το μήνυμά σου για περιορισμένο χρονικό διάστημα.
Αν ξεκινήσεις γράφοντας > το χρώμα θα είναι διαφορετικό.
Μπορείς να επεξεργαστείς το μήνυμά σου για περιορισμένο χρονικό διάστημα.


text:
Buchholz no-hit bid ends in 8th, Sox top Rays
Boston 5, Tampa Bay 0
Clay Buchholz didn't allow a hit until Kelly Johnson's broken-bat single leading off the eighth inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0 on Sunday.
Buchholz, who threw a no-hitter in just his second career start in 2007, allowed two hits and four walks in eight innings and struck out a career-high 11.
Johnson singled with an 0-1 count on Buchholz's 101st pitch, sending the ball over first baseman Mike Napoli while the top part of the bat landed near the front edge of the infield between first and second. Buchholz induced Sam Fuld to ground into a double play and then allowed Desmond Jennings' double off the left-field wall. Ben Zobrist flied out to left fielder Jackie Bradley Jr.
Buchholz (3-0) lowered his ERA to 0.41, allowing one earned run in 22 innings He left after 109 pitches, and Andrew Miller finished with a one-hit ninth.
Buchholz's performance came one day after the Mets' Matt Harvey pitched 6 2-3 innings at Minnesota before Justin Morneau homered off the right-field foul pole in New York's 4-2 win.
Alex Cobb (1-1) allowed four runs — three earned — and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, and Tampa Bay lost for the fifth time in six games. The Rays have eight runs in their last six games, including four in their last four, and are batting .212 this season.
Boston took a 4-0 lead in the third. Mike Napoli hit a two-run double to deep right-center and a Stephen Drew hit into a run-scoring, bases-loaded forceout. After first baseman James Loney threw to second, shortstop Yunel Escobar threw wildly past Loney trying for a double play, and Daniel Nava scored from second as the ball wound up in Boston's dugout for an error.
Will Middlebrooks added a sacrifice fly in the eighth against Jamey Wright.
NOTES: The Rays have 33 runs in 11 games and no homers in their last six. ... The teams finish the rain-shortened series Monday when Jeremy Hellickson (0-1) pitches for Tampa Bay against Ryan Dempster (0-1). The opener of the four-game series was postponed by rain on Friday night. ... Buchholz has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 of 15 starts against the Rays. ... Red Sox starters have held opponents to three or fewer runs in all 11 games.


text:
Unfortunately for Lin Ring, her $14,600 surgical fingerprint switching procedure was able to fool the scanners, but could not prevent immigration officials from noticing the scars on her fingers.
Ring was deported from Japan twice: once in 2007 and again some time later after she slipped back into the country with her fake prints. Apparently, fingerprint altering procedures are becoming big business for shady doctors looking to make a quick buck. Japanese authorities claim that the practice is widespread in China, but if there is money to be made, I'm sure it is a problem all over the world.
In this case, prints from Ring's left hand were surgically implanted on her right—which makes me wonder why prints were not taken from both hands in the first place. Plus, the quality of the work suggests that $14,600 is a bargain basement, back alley price for surgery like this. Best to go top shelf when you're trying to do anything illegal. [BBC via The Register via PopSci]


text: "…………..It has been reported that First FAKE Lady, "Michelle" Obama did not graciously welcome Donald Trump's visit to the White House. Michelle Obama raced through the motions of hosting Mrs. Donald Trump, while the same First FAKE Lady and her alleged husband, did not make themselves available to be photographed with Melania and Donald Trump. Speculation word has it, that 'Mrs.' [aka] Obama had been feeling depressed and wailing with fits of superhuman (gorilla-type) masculine rage………………."


text:
G-TREE is a globally distributed collaborative project aimed at testing the generality of mechanisms driving treeline position. Using a straight-forward experimental design with seeding and substrate-altering treatments, we will be able to disentangle seed versus substrate limitations on treeline recruitment. Participating researchers from Canada, the United States, and Europe have begun implementing the field experiment in 2013 at arctic and alpine treeline sites. This initiative will provide empirical data on where, and under what circumstances, treeline expansion can occur globally.
This is the home of the Global Treeline Range Expansion Experiment (G-TREE), a global research network.
Our research network includes university and government researchers, post-docs, graduate students, and undergraduates. We hope to engage community participation at some of our long-term monitoring sites in the future. Do you want to participate or learn more? Please contact us!


text:
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Muffin Tin Monday - circus style
I'll be honest with you. I don't like the circus. Not even a tiny bit. I pretty much had decided to skip MTM this week because of it, but decided at the last moment Sunday evening to toss something together after all. This is what it came out like... Ethan helped. :)
In the back row we have a couple favorite circus food treats:
- cotton candy
- popcorn (kettle corn from our farmer's market, to be exact)
And in the 3rd spot we have the Strong Man's barbells: mozzarella cheese & pretzel sticks
In the front row:
- a creepy clown: tortilla, cheddar cheese hair, olive eyes, fruit leather mouth
- high-wire act, tightrope walkers: pocky stick, Teddy Grahams, peanut butter to "glue" and stabilize
- the Sword Swallowing event: grapes on sword picks
You may notice that my circus is animal free. :) Well, except for those tightrope walkers...but they are more the Berenstain Bears type of bears than the Stolen From Nature And Forced To Perform Demoralizing Schticks For Human Entertainment type of bears. ;-)
There are very few things that I outright boycott, and even fewer still that I not only boycott but will do so vocally. The circus is right at the top of that list. I am completely, 100%, unequivocally in the Animals Don't Belong in the Circus camp.
The last time I went to a circus was about 14 years ago. I went with my boyfriend (who is now my husband!). I went feeling very excited and giddy, but as I sat there my spirits sank. The animals in the circus broke my heart. I left feeling deflated and depressed. Probably not the effect the Ringling Brother's had hoped to bestow. My kids haven't been to an animal circus, nor will they...as long as I have any say in the matter. It won't be much of a battle anyhow, Ethan thinks the circus is cruel. He doesn't even like to watch Dumbo. ;-) Steve Irwin taught him well. :)
If you are interested in reading about how animals have been mistreated, displaced, and even killed by the circus trade you can read about it: Animals in the Circus: A Lifetime of Misery , 10 Fast Facts about Animals in the Circus, and Circuses: Three Rings of Abuse.
If you are in the mood for a good cry, read Kiba's Story. Kiba was a beautiful African Elephant at the Nashville Zoo. My family loved Kiba. We have a painting painted by Kiba hanging over our mantel. Kiba died a premature death due to crippling joint disease she acquired from being abused as a circus animal in her younger years.
::stepping off soapbox::
More muffin tin meals can be seen at the Muffin Tin Monday site. Check them out. :)
19 comments:
- Mommyof2girlz said... [Reply to comment]
So glad you decided to still join in this week because the bears on the "tight rope" is too stinking cute!!
- October 3, 2010 at 11:24 PM
- kris in larryville said... [Reply to comment]
The tightrope walker is too cute!
- October 4, 2010 at 12:56 AM
- Michelle said... [Reply to comment]
You did a great job on this! The teddy grahams turned out perfect and I love the swords! And the strong man's barbells! Very creative and well done!
- October 4, 2010 at 1:01 AM
- JDaniel4's Mom said... [Reply to comment]
The clown tight rope walkers and clown are great.
- October 4, 2010 at 6:34 AM
- MamaGames said... [Reply to comment]
I applaud you for getting up on your soapbox for that moment. It's not easy to take that stance when everyone else seems to be pro-circus!
For my part, I weigh the decision again each time the circus comes around.
I love your little tightrope-walking, cruelty-free bears!
- October 4, 2010 at 7:43 AM
- Caren said... [Reply to comment]
The tight rope bears are about the cutest thing I have ever seen!! GREAT job!
- October 4, 2010 at 8:28 AM
- Island Mom said... [Reply to comment]
The bears on the Pocky Sticks are REALLY cute! I also very much enjoy the barbells.
- October 4, 2010 at 8:53 AM
- Denise Levy said... [Reply to comment]
This is by far the cutest and most clever MTM I've ever seen!!! Love it.
- October 4, 2010 at 9:19 AM
- SnoopyGirl said... [Reply to comment]
Super cute muffin meal! It is amazingly creative! :-)
- October 4, 2010 at 9:22 AM
- Wendy said... [Reply to comment]
I went to the circus for the first time in decades (30 years?) this summer. I loved the acrobatics and motorcycle stunts, but the animal segments just made me overwhelmingly sad. It was something I hadn't even thought of before we headed out, honestly, and it was my main takeaway from the day. (#2: the snacks = biggest rip-off in history).
Anyway, cute, cutey, cute, cute MTM, my dear! Thanks for speaking your piece.
- October 4, 2010 at 10:02 AM
- Michelle, Muffin Tin Mom said... [Reply to comment]
okay, now i feel guilty for even doing the circus theme....
- October 4, 2010 at 10:21 AM
- Andrea (ace1028) said... [Reply to comment]
Adorable tin! My daughter is loving it!! :)
I went to the circus with her recently, I understand what you're saying but I also try to support their endeavors to take care of their animals. I guess it's a little bit of both for me.
Hope your lil one enjoyed!
- October 4, 2010 at 10:35 AM
- modGIRL said... [Reply to comment]
very cute muffin tin today. LOVE reading your blog, so inspirational. can't wait to use your ideas for my daughters snacks/lunch one day.
and i TOTALLy agree with you on the animal thing. the circus, zoo and seaworld all make me want to cry. it's just not natural or fair for the animals. they deserve better:(
- October 4, 2010 at 11:05 AM
- Dana said... [Reply to comment]
NIce tight rope rope walker. Love the barbells as well.
- October 4, 2010 at 12:56 PM
- Java said... [Reply to comment]
Tight rope teddie bears are my favorite!
- October 4, 2010 at 2:21 PM
- Kristie Clower said... [Reply to comment]
What a great lunch for just being thrown together. My planned lunches aren't as cute as this.
I also am anti-circus because of animal cruelty.
Water for elephant was a great book not completely about the animals but I only need a glimpse to make myself cry.
Great lunch & congrats to you (& Ethan on eating COLD chicken.)
- October 4, 2010 at 4:36 PM
- mrs. fuzz said... [Reply to comment]
I agree with you 100%! I am also a little on the anti-zoo soap box too. Although, the zoo in the city I live in is for animals that are old or retired from circus or whatever it may be and are there to be taken care of since they can't be released back in the wild- which is cool, but still . . .
But. . . a VERY cute MTM!
- October 4, 2010 at 6:21 PM
- Cameron said... [Reply to comment]
I love this! It's so cute!! And it looks yummy!!
- October 4, 2010 at 8:39 PM
- emily said... [Reply to comment]
There are quite a few animal-free circuses and I think they are creative and wonderful.
As are your edible creations!
- October 5, 2010 at 4:20 PM


text:
Choose your room
This fully air-conditioned, low-rise, contemporary airport hotel comprises 67 modern rooms. The hotel's welcoming lobby provides a 24-hour reception desk and check-in service with a hotel safe and lift access. The hotel also offers a restaurant, a bar and conference room. High-speed wireless Internet access is available, as well as room and laundry services. The hotel also offers a quick and convenient airport shuttle transfer service and guests arriving by car may use the hotel car park.
The stylish and modern en suite rooms are well appointed with technologically advanced amenities. All guest rooms feature a double or king-size bed as well as a bathroom equipped with a bath, a separate hot and cold rain shower and a hairdryer. In addition to a telephone, an electronic personal safe and wireless Internet access, the rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV offering local and international satellite cable programs. All guest rooms feature smoke detectors, a smart card key and tea and coffee making facilities. To ensure the comfort of its guests, the hotel's rooms feature individually regulated air conditioning. A daily newspaper and maid service are also provided.
A stylish outdoor swimming pool with sun loungers in the shallow end provides a perfect location in which to relax, enjoy a refreshing swim or simply sunbathe. The Royal Golf and Country Club is 11 km from the hotel.
The hotel has an on-site restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating offering breakfast and a variety of Thai and international cuisine for guests to select from. Set menu and à la carte options are available for both lunch and dinner. On request the restaurant's executive chef team is happy to prepare dishes not featured on the menu.


text:
Unless we're talking about Persona 4 Arena, stories in fighting games tend to be pretty awful.They usually boil down to a series far-fetched excuses for random characters to beat the tar out of each other.
Dead or Alive 5 is no exception.
In the video above, I show off some of the more ridiculous rationales the cast of Dead or Alive 5 has come up with for committing aggravated assault. At least one involves the dignity of a motorcycle.
You heard me: A motorcycle.