text:
Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
by Larry Austin
What started as "a little shoebox store" is celebrating 30 years in business this month.
John's Pizza & Subs under the ownership of four Islanders began June 2, 1982, at its original location on Niagara Falls Boulevard. Now with a location on Grand Island Boulevard as well, the restaurant has become an area institution through hard work, attention to detail, and putting quality and service first.
Four of the five original owners - Islanders Gene Mongan, Kurt Raepple, Mark Raepple, Jay Raepple - are still at work. Another original partner, Paul Miller, moved on to pursue other interests.
"When we first got in it, we had a little shoebox store on Niagara Falls Boulevard. We expanded that store twice to what it is now," Kurt Raepple said.
It started with a hungry customer.
Jay Raepple lived in the Town of Tonawanda near John's Pizza and Subs, then owned by the original "John," John Schmitter, who owned the business from 1977 to 1982.
"My brother Jay used to go in and buy pizza and wings there all the time, and John was standing behind the counter one day complaining about how many hours he had to work," Mark Raepple recalled. Jay told Schmitter that he was interested in buying the restaurant if it became available. At the time, Mark and Jay worked as salespeople, Miller was working in computers, and Kurt and Gene were in their teens.
"We talked it over and threw our money in together and purchased a five-seat dining room," Mark Raepple said.
"We expected to just do it as a hobby, a part time job to get a few extra bucks."
Not everyone was on board with the idea initially.
"When we opened up, my grandfather told us that 90 percent of the restaurants go out of business the first one or two years," Mark Raepple said. "We just were adamant about making a go of it."
The Awning
Then a simple idea paid big dividends when Gene decided to put an awning up at the Niagara Falls Boulevard location.
"Kurt and Gene ran the store for many years, sold Christmas trees outside in the parking lot," Mark said. "Then about two years after we opened, I'd say in about '84, Gene decided to buy an awning for the front of Niagara Falls Boulevard, and business just doubled within a day, started going crazy."
"Then we just went from there."
"It turned out to be a great idea. It caught people's attention and it kind of turned the corner for us at that location," Kurt Raepple said.
The partners built the company on a policy of always putting quality and service first, something Mark said he and Jay carried over from their careers in sales.
The recipe for lasting 30 years in the restaurant business is "paying really close attention to detail," Mongan said, and "focusing on the fundamentals of good food, good service and a clean restaurant. A lot of hard work, a lot of blood, sweat and tears."
"Quality and service are what we're all about," Kurt Raepple added. "We try to buy the best quality products we can possibly buy. We try to train our employees, and hire good people who provide service the best we can."
It's simple, but it's not easy. The restaurant business is tough going, the partners all say.
"There's a lot more to it than collecting money at the counter," Kurt Raepple said during an interview with the Dispatch, an interview conducted as he worked underneath the back porch of the restaurant on Grand Island Boulevard.
"We all work in the store. We're all cooking, we're all delivering, we're all taking care of customers and we're all climbing under decks," Mongan said. "Everything from the financials to the maintenance and in between. That probably has a lot to do with why we've been around for 30 years."
Mongan noted that the company that employs about 100 people at four locations has many workers who have more than 10 years of service.
"We've got some great people working for us, we really do. It's not an accident. We just to try to do right by them, take care of them, and they'll do the same in return," Mongan said.
Part of that company work ethic comes from Mark, Kurt and Jay's father, Alfons Raepple, who though not an owner was a cornerstone of the business in the enterprise's first 25 years before his passing.
Alfons "was instrumental in every single project we've ever done," Mongan said.
Chicken Finger Sub
"Then we came up with our chicken finger sub, which made us world famous almost," Mark Raepple said.
In about 1983, the chicken finger was born.
Gene Mongan said: "We were eating them there at the restaurant in all kinds of configurations, and it was like, 'You know what? We ought to give this a try.' We had a menu board, but I don't think we had enough letters to write it on the menu board. We wrote in on a paper plate and put a thumbtack on it and put it up on the wall. And people would come in and look at it and go, 'What on Earth is a chicken finger sub?'"
It caught the public's attention, so much so that it's an area specialty, unduplicatable elsewhere. Mark Raepple said college kids have been known to come back to the area from school, get off the plane and head straight to the nearest John's. They just walk in here and get a chicken finger sub "because they miss it," he said.
Mark Raepple has even had people come in and ask to have a chicken finger sub mailed to their children in college.
Just don't ask who came up with the idea of the chicken finger sub as that's still in dispute.
Adding the Island Locale
The partners opened the Grand Island location in 1989 after seven years and one expansion at the Niagara Falls Boulevard location.
"It was something we really wanted to do because we're all from Grand Island, and we thought it was a market that we could go into and compete," Mongan said.
Mongan said that working out on Niagara Falls Boulevard "on restaurant row with lots and lots of competition," showed the partners that they could make it in their hometown as well.
"So we thought we could do well on the Island and we have. Since the day we opened that store it's been very successful restaurant," Mongan said.


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|2012-07-06, 16:15
|Link #103
formerly ogon bat
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Mexico
Age: 48
|2012-07-06, 23:15
|Link #107
Onani Master
I'm just saying I ain't posting anything that will come back to haunt me twenty years down the track when someone finds something I bragged about on a forum.
|2012-07-07, 02:24
|Link #109
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Tennessee
Age: 31
|2012-07-07, 02:55
|Link #110
Hiding Under Your Bed
Join Date: May 2008
Speeding, I guess. ~$500 is my largest speeding ticket (California on the I5 + world's grumpiest police officer ever). Most of my tickets have been thrown out, but that one was one of the few that didn't. :/ I actually speed (I'm not talking about going 5 over the limit...we're talking about 15+ over the limit, and I'm certainly not talking about going over the ridiculously slow 25/35 mph speed limits that not even old ladies follow), less and less as I grow older, but every once in a while I continue to bare my inner 15 year old on the road. Usually when there's a line a mile long going 40 miles an hour on the highway for no reason other than people being too afraid to pass on a double lane highway. Even in my old age, this still bugs the crap out of me and causes all sorts of road rage to bubble up.
I got a parking ticket once, for not parking parallel to a curb. Don't think that's actually a crime though. Certainly not something that goes on your record.
I suppose I trespassed a few times in my life, especially when I was a teenager.
Never been inside a holding cell, though I've always wanted to be arrested at a riot, just once. Only been to a few in my life, and never got remotely close to being arrested. I kind of envy the baby boomers for all the activism that they got to participate in (regardless of whether the intentions were pure, heh).
Not really a crime, but I did get to experience having a bunch of semi-automatics pointed at me once. Note: When given the opportunity to go 'behind the scenes' on a space shuttle launch, don't do anything suspicious.
I'm sure there are all sorts of digital crimes I've committed, but I think I'll gloss over those.
I suppose, with how many laws exist in America these days, I've probably inadvertently committed plenty of other crimes I'm blissfully unaware of as well.
Oh, and like many others, I'm sure, I suppose technically I broke a law by losing my virginity earlier than the age of consent (age of consent being something I didn't even realize existed until I was in my early 20s, well after the deed). Though, I've never really understood that law, so it's possible I've totally misinterpreted it, though I seem to recall a very public case in the south where some teenage african american was sent to jail for rape just for having sex under the age of consent. Crazy.
|2012-07-07, 06:10
|Link #111
Onani Master
|2012-07-07, 06:40
|Link #112
Before the Deluge
Join Date: Jun 2012
I assaulted my older brother with a broom the day I received my high school diploma from my school's principal. He's bipolar and was having a manic episode. You can take that as basically beating the shit out of me and wrecking our house. He went outside and I took the opportunity to lock him out. He saw my bedroom window open and tried climbing through it, and I shoved the broom I had in my room into his chest to knock him away from the window.
He wasn't injured, mind you, but years of the police dealing with shit concerning my brother, they took an easier route and penalized me for keeping a raving lunatic from murdering me. He called the police and said I locked him out, and that I had assaulted him with the broom.
The sergeant that responded was new and didn't know my brother's record, so he took the red mark on my brother's chest as evidence of an aggravated assault and arrested me, almost breaking any compassion I had for humanity. At the station, however, some of the officers more familiar with my brother spoke to the sergeant who was handling the charges against me, and although they couldn't release me on the spot for some stupid face saving reason, they drove me to the courthouse on Monday for my bond hearing and neither my brother or a representative of the police department appeared to formally represent the victim and so I was released on an I bond and the case dropped.
It rattled me for years on end. I still have issues with the police because of it. I try my very hardest not to hate their fucking guts. The dropped charge is still on my record and affecting me.
|2012-07-07, 09:11
|Link #114
formerly ogon bat
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Mexico
Age: 48
Several years I almost was inside a cell again, when a drunken bastard driving his car hit MY car from behind (the trunk in the back dissapeared (compressed) due to the collision) while I was waiting for a green light, since he did not had the security belt on his head destroyed his car frontal glass and since there was blood I was supposed to go to jail, dandy, isn't it?
|Thread Tools

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2018 F-150 SuperCrew Cab 4x4, Pickup (Stock #81882)
More PhotosPhotos may be library images.
Vehicle Notes
Billy Howell Ford Lincoln has been Family Owned and Operated Since 1977. We are committed to providing you with an exceptional sales and service exper… ience. Come by and let us show you the "Billy Howell Difference". You WILL be treated like family!
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Stock Number
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Cab Type
Vehicle Trim
Vehicle Body
SuperCrew Cab Styleside
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Engine Cylinder Count
8 Cylinder Engine
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Fuel Type
Vehicle Options
- Side Impact Beams
- Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
- Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
- Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
- Airbag Occupancy Sensor
- Mykey System -inc: Top Speed Limiter
- Audio Volume Limiter
- Early Low Fuel Warning
- Programmable Sound Chimes and Beltminder w/Audio Mute
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- Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Rear Center 3 Point
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- 4-Way Passenger Seat -inc: Manual Recline and Fore/Aft Movement
- 60-40 Folding Split-Bench Front Facing Fold-Up Cushion Rear Seat
- Manual Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column
- Gauges -inc: Speedometer
- Odometer
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- Oil Pressure
- Engine Coolant Temp
- Tachometer
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- HVAC -inc: Underseat Ducts
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Disclaimer: Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, license, processing and/or documentation fees, and destination charges. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.


text:
"Til H. C. Ørsted (Du tråden fandt, en bro for tankens lyn)" [Danish title] is number 2485 in the Hans Christian Andersen Center's register of Andersen's literary works, i.e. no. 985 in the category poems (the range 1501 - 2900). BFN 1235.
"Til H. C. Ørsted (Du tråden fandt, en bro for tankens lyn)" [Danish title] was first published 1879. Further information: Digterens danske Værker 1822-1875 number 1235.
The work was published as a part of Samlede Skrifter af H. C. Andersen. - Tre og Tredivte Bind [Danish title]. (Number 1035. BFN 1079. Category/genre: Collected and miscellaneous writings).
Show this work in its context: all new Andersen publications from 1879.
In modern Danish on p. 674 in Johan de Mylius (editor): H.C. Andersen. Samlede digte ('Collected poems', Copenhagen, 2000).


text: Founded in 1997 and headquartered in New Taipei City, HTC Corp., formerly known as High-Tech Computer Corporation, is a Taiwanese maker of smartphones and tablets. The company began by designing and manufacturing mobile phones and touchscreen phones. It later expanded its focus to Android-based devices and Windows Phone. Since 2011, HTC has primarily released smartphones under the HTC brand.


text:
(Inspirational baseball movie)
Jackie Robinson was my hero when I was growing up, and this inspirational movie about a couple of critical years in his life and career taught me much about the prejudice he had to endure when he became the first "Negro" player to break the professional baseball color barrier.
This is a movie that every parent should take their children to see, and every Little League coach should bring his entire team to teach them not only about baseball but also about tolerance and teamwork.
Chadwick Boseman plays Jackie Robinson with a passion, containing his anger while enduring intolerable prejudices from not only opposing fans and teams but his teammates as well.
The movie is as much about Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey as it is Robinson. Harrison Ford gives an Oscar-winning performance as the brave man who recruits Jackie from the Negro League, knowing the rough path that lies ahead for both of them. The movie acknowledges the fact that Rickey not only believed in racial equality but also saw the move as a moneymaker for his team.
There are some great baseball scenes, especially Number 42 taunting pitchers as he steals bases. There are also some disturbing scenes, as we watch pitchers throwing at Robinson's head and watch players, fans and coaches verbally abuse him.
Growing up in the '40s, I was unaware of the blatant racism, especially in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Most of the story takes place between 1945 and 1947, as Robinson began his career with the Dodgers.
Stick around for the "What happened to" section during the credits and learn more about Pee Wee Reese, who was a southerner who swallowed his heritage and became a friend of Robinson, and listen to the cheers from the audience as they learn of the fate of the verbally abusive Philadelphia coach.
Rated PG-13, with some racial epithets and a few "cuss words," but powerful lessons for kids and adults.


text:
News reports of certain kinds of accidents — especially those more interesting than most — present a danger to news consumers and should probably come with a warning label.
Something like: "Accidental injuries and deaths during adventurous activities have always been part of human existence. Deaths of consenting, risk-taking adults — even if widely reported and fascinating — need not necessarily be considered cause for new legislation."
Some people could use such a warning now, when the issue is more evident than usual because of a series of unrelated local crashes of small planes, three of them the risky one-man flying contraptions known as ultralights.
As a Herald-Tribune story reported, "three of the five pilots were more than 70 years old, including two octogenarians."
Predictably, and with good intentions, some concerned people feel are having a "what should we do?" reaction. After all, preventing accidental deaths is generally a good thing, and we are all expected to support the effort as a rule, with helpful tips and at least by not endangering others needlessly.
So don't we need some new regulations to keep people from killing themselves in those flimsy little one-man ultralight planes, which are known to be unforgiving of pilot error, prone to be flung out of control by wind gusts, and sometimes just to break apart in mid-flight?
How about at least some age restrictions, and making would-be solo pilots go through rigorous training and license requirements and physical exams and tests, and imposing lots of fees? Surely that is the expected and responsible response, right?
Well, I have another idea: We could choose to respect peoples' right to choose their own adventures and risk their own lives as they see fit, without unwelcome government intervention.
That suggestion applies especially to those who have lived for eight decades, more or less, and are well aware they are facing death anyway, no matter what they do, and quite possibly a slow and tediously unpleasant variety. Saying no to adventure and risk offers no escape from it.
I'm not that much of an adventurer. I didn't get all that many of the genes that give some people the knack to mix fear and pleasure and frequently enjoy the concoction. Seeing others risk their lives is no favorite activity of mine, either, though sometimes I can't help but look.
I gawked along with 10,000 or so others as Nik Wallenda walked on a wire 180 deadly feet above the ground in downtown Sarasota on Tuesday, for instance. But I just wanted him to make it to safety and get it over with.
Wallenda, though a careful and detail-conscious circus professional with decades of family tradition and expertise on his side, is crazy as a loon by my earthbound standards. No matter all the skill, practice, planning and preparation involved in publicly risking his life that way, he could easily have ended his show as a broken heap on the ground, as some family members have in the past.
So why do such crazy stunts? And why should the city let him do it?
Well, how about because living well demands risk, and against because chancy adventures can't and shouldn't all be the law? How about because if the world's primary motto was always "Safety First," we would be a dull species that never got anywhere?
Don't tell my kids I said that.
I will never, ever, be even slightly tempted to risk my neck walking a high wire. But maybe some year, when enough physical infirmities are looming too large, and when I'm free of some of the responsibilities that make staying alive seem like a necessity, and when I've had enough birthdays to make mine a respectable life span, I just might want to take a few flying lessons. Then, I just might want to see what it is like — ideally without asking permission from any government agency — to go buzzing around a few hundred feet above the ground supported by nothing but lightweight wings that came in a kit and were assembled in my garage with no government inspector involved.
If I do it and live to tell the tale, I'll be glad I had the adventure. If I crash and thereby lose my chance to die later in non-newsworthy fashion in a nursing home, well, I could live with that.
Tom Lyons can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com or (941) 361-4964.
Lyons: No need to regulate risky behavior
News reports of certain kinds of accidents — especially those more interesting than most — present a danger to news consumers and should probably come with a warning label.


text:
Since every other thought can occur only after the rise of the 'I'-thought and since the mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts, it is only through the inquiry 'Who am I?' that the mind subsides. Moreover, the integral 'I'-thought, implicit in such enquiry, having destroyed all other thoughts, gets itself destroyed or consumed, just as the stick used for stirring the burning funeral pyre gets consumed.Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche says:
Even when extraneous thoughts sprout up during such enquiry, do not seek to complete the rising thought, but instead, deeply enquire within, 'To who has this thought occurred?' No matter how many thoughts thus occur to you, if you would with acute vigilance enquire immediately as and when each individual thought arises to whom it has occurred, you would find it is to 'me'. If then you enquire 'Who am I?' the mind gets introverted and the rising thought also subsides. In this manner as you persevere more and more in the practice of Self-enquiry, the mind acquires increasing strength and power to abide in its Source.
Repeatedly you hear, 'recognize mind essence; attain stability in that'. What this really means is that we should repeatedly look into what thinks. We should recognize the absence or emptiness of this thinker over and over again, until finally the power of deluded thinking weakens, until it is totally gone without a trace. At that point, what remains to prevent the state of enlightenment?
In the recognition of mind nature, the thought has no power to stand on its own. It simply vanishes. Just as our nature is emptiness, so is the nature of the thought. The moment of recognizing the thinker as empty cognizance is like the snowflake meeting the water.
Ramana Maharshi:
It is only when the subtle mind is externalized through the activity of the intellect and the sense-organs that gross name and form constituting the world appear. When, on the other hand, the mind stays firmly in the Heart, they recede and disappear.Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche:
Samsara is mind turned outwardly, lost in its projections;
Nirvana is mind turned inwardly, recognizing its true nature.


text:
by Holly
The Mario Kart Gang Costume Photo 9 of 10
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This homemade costume for families entered our 2015 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Laurie, the 'The Mario Kart Gang' costume creator:
Our twins wanted to be Mario and Luigi and I took it from there!!! I made from scratch my husbands donkey Kong costume with felt, fur and hot glue! Now assuring tape or seeing! Just... Read more »
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text:
Marlena Kleit
- Liberal Arts (Adjunct Faculty)
Sarah Peter Hall Room 208
- MA in Liberal Arts
- BS in Secondary Education
Recent Activities
- Served as a judge for entries in the Mordechai Anielewicz Creative Arts Competition on the Holocaust which is co-sponsored by Moore College of Art & Design.
- Judged written, music, dance and artwork entries and presented awards for work submitted by area junior high and high school students for the Mordechai Anielewicz Creative Arts Competition on the Holocaust, co-sponsored by the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia and the Moore College of Art and Design, 2013.
- Judge for written entries for the "Mordechai Anelewicz Creative Arts Competition. Moore College of Art & Design is a co-sponsor of the competition, 2010.


text: Shellybelly / - Libra Girl Click here to log in or register Start Girls FYI Products Forum Mums/Teachers About Libra Girl Shellybelly Write on Shellybelly 's wall You need to be a LibraGirl member to make comments or to pep someone. Log in or register!(As a member you can also share stories and talk in the forum etc etc) No wall items Activity You are here » Home » User profile Girls FYI Start Periods Kissing GF's & BF's Other things Girly Libra Girl Forum Forum Create new topic New replies Other Products Mums/Teachers About Libra Girl Lovelibra Lovelibra.com The Libra Collection Privacy Statement Contact us Sitemap Ethical policy Site FAQ Wait... Log in to LibraGirl! Are you already registered at Libragirl? You can use the same account here. If you don't have an account: please register here. Please type your screen name Don't forget to state your password Oops, wrong screen name or password, please try again. Username Password Forgot your password? :-o Cancel Log in Have you forgotten your password?! No worries! Just submit your username or e-mail address and we'll send you your details. Don't forget to state your e-mail address (or username). The email address (or username) you have stated seems to be invalid An email with instructions has been sent your e-mail address. A Server error occurred while trying to send an e-mail. Contact your administrator. Email or username Cancel Send Close Hello! Your browser is kind of old :-( Please update to any of the following for that true LibraGirl experience: Heppas 1.5 6.0 2.0 2.0 Cancel Search Searching... Close Delete account Your LibraGirl account is deleted. Ok


text:
The Environmental Health Division of the Henry and Stark County Health
Departments are calling attention to the fact that radon is the
second-leading cause of lung cancer overall and the leading cause of lung
cancer for non-smokers.
The Environmental Health Division of the Henry and Stark County Health
Departments are calling attention to the fact that radon is the
second-leading cause of lung cancer overall and the leading cause of lung
cancer for non-smokers.
Dorothy David, Health Department Director of Environmental Health
Services, notes, "It really doesn't matter where you live in Illinois or
what type of home you live in, because we've seen excessive radon in every
county in Illinois, and in every type of home - old, new, with basements,
with a crawlspace or on a slab."
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes
from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. It
can enter homes and buildings through small cracks in the foundation, sump
pumps or soil in crawlspaces.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's
because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer.
The State of Illinois has enacted the Illinois Radon Awareness Act.
According to this law, anyone buying a home, condominium or other
residential property in Illinois must be provided with information about
indoor radon exposure and the fact that radon is the leading cause of lung
cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause overall.
Since radon gas is undetectable, specialized radon detectors must be
used to measure the amount of radon gas present in the air. You can
purchase test kits from your local home improvement, hardware store, or home
extension office. You may also call the Illinois Emergency Management
Agency (IEMA) Division of Nuclear Safety Radon Program at 1-800-325-1245 for
a list of laboratories that sell radon kits or visit their website at
The Health Department and state officials encourage anyone who discovers
their home has elevated levels of radon to contact a licensed radon
mitigation professional to correct the problem. Depending on the home,
radon mitigation can cost between $800-$1200. IEMA also has a list of
licensed radon reduction contractors who can fix your radon problem.
For more information on radon you can visit the our website at
www.henrystarkhealth.com or find us on Facebook at Henry and Stark County
Health Departments. Radon information is also available through IEMA at
their hotline number and at their website.


text:
So, what do you do?" This apparently innocuous question has often caused me anxiety. It's typically the first thing a new acquaintance will ask, and justifiably so, because how we spend our days can reveal quite a bit about what we value in life. Of course, some job titles give away more than others. When my father tells people he is an electrical engineer, they might ask him a question about a faulty light switch at home, but his job title does not generate assumptions about his politics or his religious beliefs.
On the other hand, my job as an editor of a Catholic magazine often gets a different reaction. When strangers hear what I do, they instantly make assumptions about me. On some level I don't mind. I work where I do because Ibelieve this magazine does, in fact, help raise awareness of much of what I find good and wonderful about our church. I want to be associated with these things. But there are times I just reply, "I'm an editor" and hope there's no follow up.
It is said that when making polite small talk, one does not discuss religion, sex or politics. But that becomes more than a bit difficult when you work for a church whose keen interest in all three of these topics has been widely discussed of late. Recently a friend dragged me to a networking event in Midtown. While those around me chatted about hedge funds, marketing strategies and cocktails, I was quizzed on abortion, contraception and Christian-Muslim relations.
A few months ago, I stopped for a night at a bed and breakfast in California. As the owner showed me to my room, he asked, "So, what do you do? And why are you in California?" I said that I had been to the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress and that I work for a religious magazine.
"I'm not a big fan of religion," he replied. "I don't like people telling other people what to believe." Insulting a customer's deeply held belief system seemed to me to be as poor a business strategy as the fresh-baked cookies in the lobby were a wise one. But there was no anger in his voice. In fact, he seemed sort of intrigued, and even a little surprised by the fact that I was religious, as if to imply: But you seem so normal! "I'm not here to tell you what to believe," I said.
More recently, I was seated next to a woman about my age on an airplane. We chatted about poetry and the cost of apartments, and we discovered we were both writers. "What do you write about?" she asked. Here we go, I thought. "Catholicism, mostly," I told her. The plane's wheels touched down. "O.K.," she said, turning toward me eagerly. "Tell me everything you disagree with the Catholic Church about before we get off the plane."
I wanted to sigh. I wanted to scream. Instead, I just said: "What do you want to know?" She rattled off topics, and I told her my beliefs: the ones that are in line with church teachings, others I hold because my conscience deems it necessary and the ones that I'm still struggling with.
The woman leaned in and she listened, even when we didn't agree. It was not the easiest conversation I've ever had. But it was actually sort of fun. I found myself speaking passionately, wishing I had more time. I can only muster so much enthusiasm for discussions about New York City's sky-high rents. But this stuff—issues of faith and relaltionships and politics—I love.
I realized that as much as I sometimes dread being dragged into these conversations, most of the time I end up enjoying them. I don't have any interest in hedge funds or the weather. I would rather get straight to something deeper, more revealing. So I try to take these moments as a chance to prove some stereotypes wrong and to add nuance to people's impressions of Catholicism. I try to be honest, compassionate and open. It's not part of my job description as an editor. But as a Christian, it's central to what I do.
Five short years ago, a lifetime ago it seems , I left my career as a senior corporate executive in NYC, and decamped to this suburb of Albany as a result of my marriage. One thing (unemployment), lead to another (lots of time to volunteer), and I ended up employed by the Church, and pursuing long-desired work as a Catholic writer.
Some of friends from earlier in life see this as an abrupt betrayal, saying things along the lines of, "Well I knew that you were Catholic, but were you really so Catholic?" Others assume I checked my brain at the door, so that it might be sent off to the Vatican for reprogramming. The list goes on and on.
On the other hand, as you have indicated, there are also so many rich gifts, beyond the assumptions. Thanks for being who you are in the world, it is a gift. Thank you!


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Week 30: Employment. Describe your first job. What did you do? Were you saving for something in particular, or just trying to make a living? Did that first job provide skills and make an impact on your life today?
When I was a kid, I had several paper routes, like a lot of kids at the time. It was not great money for what was often very heavy work, at early morning times. Still it did teach responsibility, being required to do your job even when you would rather be out playing, or sleeping.
My first "job" was as a stockboy at a new local grocery superstore. I was just 16 years old. I lasted there all of about 2 months. That first job was an eye opening adjustment into time management, not just on the job, but also in my life. I wasn't used to having that much time taken up by something, causing me to not have the time I was used to for other activities. I wasn't doing any more than trying to make a bit of money, pay for gas and insurance on the car, etc. And the short time I had that job was more of an education in expectations of others when you were working for them or with them, than any sort of skills learning. I think a trained monkey could have done what I was doing. I made minimum wage, which was at that time $3.35/hour.
The next job I got was in fast food, with a national chain. Again, it was an education in time management and such, with some useful skills thrown in. Dish washing, food preparation, cleanup. All good useful life skills, if not very taxing. There are still some useful bits of knowledge I use on a regular basis that I learned from this job, for example, if the french fries in the fryer are floating, they're done enough to serve, even if they don't have that rich, golden brown color we all love. I also handled money in this position, dealing with customers at the Drive Thru window. I still get uptight when handling other people's money. I don't do well in retail work for this reason. At this job, I made slightly more, $3.45/hour. Again, it was mostly gas money and such, I was still living at home with my parents.
My next job was also restaurant based, but more of a sit-down place. A steakhouse of a national chain. I moved to this job directly from the previous one for a pay raise. Again, it was more useful as experience than for skills learning. I mostly bussed tables and washed dishes, and other basic cleaning. Some useful life skills, but not much for career skills. I didn't end up staying in this position too long, either, as I left them when I enlisted in the Navy. My son now works at that same restaurant. One of my old managers is still there, and now manages my son.
All of these places gave me experience in what to expect from life as a working-class person. The expectations that other people have of you when they are paying for your time, the expectations your co-workers have of you being part of a working team, etc. How much of your time gets eaten up by earning a living. They all end up impacting your life, even if you can't see it while you're working those early, low-end starter jobs.
This and all other articles on this blog are © copyright 2011 by Daniel G. Dillman


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Getty Images
With all the advances made by NFL offenses in recent years, there had been only one title game in league history in which both teams scored 30 or more points. Before tonight.
The first came in Super Bowl XIII, when the Steelers beat the Cowboys, 35-31.
Tonight, a late safety intentionally taken by the Ravens nudged the 49ers from 29 to 31, making the final score 34-31.
It underscores how important Super Bowl XIII was to the NFL of the late '70s, coming at a time when Super Bowls were low scoring and/or blowouts. Now, exciting games have become the norm, and one of the most thrilling of all time was played in New Orleans on Sunday night.


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The Hood River Valley softball team will head in to league play with something to prove.
After crushing Gresham for the second time in 10 days with a 16-2 win on Friday, the Eagles fell 4-2 to 4A Molalla in their non-league finale Monday.
The Eagles led early against the Indians, but couldn't take advantage of controversial call in the third inning to extend that lead.
With one out in the third and runners at second and third Annie Veatch hit a fly ball to left field for an out. Megan Winans tried to tag up and score from third base, but had to scramble back to third base following a strong throw home.
She was originally ruled safe at third, but that call was overturned after the umpires conferred, which resulted in double play to end the inning.
However, after HRV coach Eric Keller argued, the umpires conferred again, and ruled that Winans had left third base before Veatch hit the ball, resulting in a dead ball out at third, but keeping Veatch at the plate. Molalla retook the field and Veatch then extended the inning with a base hit.
The Eagles could not take advantage of the situation, though, and Molalla pitcher Sierra Benson was able to get Hannah Williams to ground out to end the inning.
A fired-up Indians team then took the lead in the top of the fourth, when three straight hits led to one run, a throwing error by catcher Annie Veatch attempting pick a runner of third led to another, and a single by Becca Bring made it 3-1.
Both teams would later add a run to their totals, but the Eagles, using a reconfigured lineup to get players at bats before league play, could not catch up and stranded 11 runners in the game.
The win was the fourth straight for Molalla, which moved to No. 6 in the state 4A rankings with the win.
On Friday the Eagles pummeled the Gresham Gophers from the outset.
Hallie Curtis led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, and Veatch followed three batters later with a two-run shot as HRV scored four in the frame.
Things did not get any better for Gresham from there. HRV scored three in the third and then exploded for nine runs in the fourth as the Gophers completely imploded. The scoring by the Eagles included four runs on four consecutive bases loaded walks, part of seven walks in the inning, and two Gresham errors.
Katie White, Megan Winans and Annie Veatch all had two hit days for the Eagles.
The win over Gresham and loss to Molalla put HRV at No. 8 in the 5A rankings heading into the start of league, where the competition figures to get tougher.
All four Columbia River Conference teams are the top-10 of the state rankings as league play gets under way.
The Dalles-Wahtonka is No. 1 with an 8-3 non-league record, Pendleton is No. 2 with a 7-5 record, Hermiston is No. 7 with a 6-4 record and HRV is No. 8 with a 9-3 record.
The Eagles open league play at Pendleton Friday and have their league home opener in a doubleheader against Pendleton April 21.
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12:30 am
Midsomer Murders "Painted In Blood, Part 2" Troy, originally dazzled by the visiting detectives who take him under their wings, becomes disillusioned and works with Barnaby to solve the case themselves. The puzzle now includes a mugging and stolen documents. Part 2 of 2G
1:30 am
Masterpiece Mystery! "Endeavour, Series I: Rocket" A royal visit to a family-owned munitions factory begins as a proud occasion for the people of Oxford but the joy ends when an unpopular fitter is murdered during the visit. Thursday and DS Peter Jakes lead the investigation while Morse is given routine tasks. Chief Superintendent Bright frets that he needs the case to be solved quickly. Morse meanwhile delves into the family's murky past, as well as his own.G
3:00 am
Outdoor Idaho "Idaho Fairways" OUTDOOR IDAHO cameras visit some of the state's golf courses that cater primarily to locals and are gathering places for the community. Some are on naturally challenging terrains, others are designed and created; some are built by farmers, others by a more formal process. From hillsides to canyons, from sharing space with an airport to links behind protective woods, Idaho's small courses offer unique experiences.G
3:30 am
Dialogue "World Court Judge Joan Donoghue" The judge is the first female American to sit on the court, which is in The Hague, Netherlands. Donoghue discusses the role of the court and her work on it with host Marcia Franklin.G
4:00 am
Sesame Street "Rahki Road" Leela is making bracelets to celebrate an Indian holiday called "Rakhi", a time when sisters, brothers, and friends show how much they love each other by exchanging special bracelets, foods, and gifts. Leela already sent a bracelet to her brother, Sunil, in India and now she is expecting a bracelet from him any moment. Just then, a delivery person brings a box that turns out to be a sample of laundry detergent, instead of her brother's bracelet. D
5:00 am
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood "Thank You, Grandpere Tiger!/Neighborhood Thank You Day" Thank You, Grandpere Tiger! - Grandpere Tiger comes to visit, but is only in town for a short while. Daniel is sad that Grandpere can't come to the special Thank You Day celebration later that day. Daniel learns to be thankful for the time they DO have together, and is then surprised when Grandpere appears at the celebration after all! Neighborhood Thank You Day - The neighborhood celebrates Thank You Day by putting notes in the Thank You Tree. D
5:30 am
Martha Speaks "Bulldozer Versus Dinosaur!/Carolina Tackles Football" Bulldozer Versus Dinosaur! - T.D. ponders the age-old question: what's more powerful, a bulldozer or a dinosaur? The kids can't come to an agreement, so T.D. does what any boy faced with this question would do. D
6:00 am
NOVA "3D Spies of WWII" Alarmed by rumors of advanced rockets and missiles, Allied intelligence recruit a team from British universities and Hollywood studios to an English country house. Team members use 3D stereoscopes to view millions of air photos of German territory, and are able to spot telltale clues that reveal hidden rocket bases. With 3D graphics NOVA recreates what WWII photo spies saw, and tells the suspenseful, previously untold story.G
7:00 am
Rick Steves' Europe "Munich and the Foothills of the Alps" Rick visits boisterous markets and Baroque palaces, and watches office workers surf in the Isar River. In the foothills of the Alps, Rick visits Oberammergau and tours the fairy-tale castles of "mad" King Ludwig.G
7:30 am
Smart Travels - Europe with Rudy Maxa "Ireland's West Coast" We're blessed with a bit of Irish luck as we take on Ireland's ruggedly beautiful west coast. We start in Galway, Europe's fastest growing city, shopping for Irish crystal and Celtic jewelry. Then it'sa salt-sprayed boat trip to the fabled Aran Islands where we reach breathless heights at a Stone Age fort and ferret out traditional hand-knit sweaters. D
8:00 am
The Desert Speaks "Beyond The Asphalt Part 2" Interstate highways allow for quick trips, but they also provide a gateway to some of the most amazing places you'll ever visit. Host David Yetman travels by foot, car, bike, and motorcycle to examine the caves of Kartchner Caverns State Park, the historic sites of Tombstone, the Sandhill Cranes of Sulphur Springs Valley and the "Wonderland of Rocks" in the Chiricahua Moutains. D
8:30 am
Ciao Italia "Three(Creamy) Soups/Tre Zuppe Cremose" Mary Ann says why buy soup from a can when you can create these three dreamy, creamy creations, starting with a delicate Cream of Cauliflower Soup, then a down-to-earth Creamy Mushroom Soup, and finishing off with a garden-variety variation of Creamy Leek, Carrot and Potato Soup. Soup's on!. D
9:00 am
Taste of History "The Washingtons at Mount Vernon, Part 1" When George Washington wasn't busy governing a fledgling nation, he enjoyed spending time at his family plantation, Mount Vernon. Tour the "Jewel of the Potomac" and join Chef Walter Staib in Washington's very own kitchen as he prepares some of the first President's favorite dishes such as Roasted Beef Marrow, Baked Stuffed Sturgeon, Roasted Root Vegetables and Citrus Vinaigrette. D
9:30 am
Simply Ming "Omelets with Guest Todd English" The secret to making the perfect omelet - that's what's up on this week's episode of Simply Ming. Host Ming Tsai teams up with friend and celebrity chef, Todd English who share techniques from their French culinary training and create two delectable dishes: a Shitake Omelet with Crab Salad and Arugula Sauce and a Vidalia Onion Omelet with Lox Orecciette Pasta and Avocado-Cucumber Salsa. D
10:00 am
The Jazzy Vegetarian "Lighter Deli Delights" Host Laura Theodore prepares scrumptious lighter versions of traditional deli favorites such as; "Eggless Egg Salad" and grilled "Reuben Sandwiches," paired with "Zesty Zucchini Oven Fries." Quick and easy, "Jazzy Vegetarian Not Liver" tastes just like the real thing. "Upside Down Apple Cake" is a rich and authentic tasting classic dessert that makes a delicious finish to a delightful, homemade, deli-style meal!. D
10:30 am
Martha Bakes "Pound Cake" Pound cake makes excellent use of the basic building blocks of baking - butter, sugar, eggs and flour - and offers nearly unlimited opportunities for adaptation (incorporating cream cheese or semolina, for example). Martha takes the viewer through variations, starting with the most traditional and finishing with a version inspired by her travels through Asia. D
11:00 am
Austin City Limits "Tim McGraw" Country superstar Tim McGraw takes the ACL stage with his greatest hits and new material.G
12:00 pm
Sesame Street "Lifting Snuffy" Zoe choreographed a special dance, "The Dance of the Six Swans," that she would like her friends to perform. She asks everyone to pair up for the 'lift' part of the dance, but they're missing one person, so they ask Alan to join the dancers. He is partnered with Snuffy who says it's been a dream of his to be lifted into the air like a swan. D
1:00 pm
Dinosaur Train "One Big Dinosaur/Play Date with Annie" One Big Dinosaur - Tiny and Buddy visit a dinosaur family called Argentinosaurus, some of the biggest land creatures ever! The kids find out there are great things about being really big, and that it's also great being their own size. Play Date with Annie - Buddy is excited that his friend Annie Tyrannosaurus is coming to the Pteranodon nest to visit and play with them. After Tiny feels left out, Buddy and Annie show her that they can all be friends!. D
1:30 pm
Super Why! "The Story of the Tooth Fairy" Whyatt has lost his very first tooth! When his mom tells Whyatt that the Tooth Fairy will come and take his tooth, Whyatt wants to know what happens if he wants to KEEP it? Super Why and his friends decide the best person to ask is the Tooth Fairy herself, so they set off to meet her in person. With a little bit of magic (and a little bit of floss) the reading heroes are able to get all their questions answered.G
2:00 pm
Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! "Tough Enough/How Cool Is Coral" Tough Enough - Nick and Sally are trying to guess what animal is the toughest one - is it a lion? Oh no, it must be the enormous elephant! Why not at all, says The Cat. The toughest of all is a teeny tiny Waterbear. Huh? Off to meet Cat's friend Wally the Waterbear. D
2:30 pm
Wild Kratts "Cheetah Racer" Chris and Martin announce that no creature or vehicle can travel as fast over the rough and tumble African savannah as the cheetah. Aviva takes the challenge and declares she will build a ground racer that can run even faster than a cheetah. Of course Zach wants to prove that he is a better inventor than Aviva and joins the race. D
3:00 pm
Sara's Weeknight Meals "Pantry Raid" Friends drop by at the last minute, but even on a weeknight, it's not a problem for Sara because she just pulls ingredients from the pantry. No need to go to the store with Linguine with White Bean, Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Sauce, decadent Nacho Pie made healthier with home-made tortilla chips and surprisingly Savory Waffles topped with a Poached Egg in Hollandaise. D
3:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Eastern Turkey" Rick experiences a Mount Ararat sunrise, visits Abraham's 4,000-year-old home town and tours one of the world's biggest dams.G
4:00 pm
Song of the Mountains Bobby & Blue Ridge Tradition; Moron Brothers. D
5:00 pm
PBS NewsHour NULL
6:00 pm
My Hero "Big" Ollie's half-human, half Utronian physiology causes him to grow at an accelerated rate from nine-month-old to 19-year-old in 24 hours.G
6:30 pm
Are You Being Served? "Hand of Fate" Everyone hopes fate is working for his or her particular promotion.G
7:00 pm
As Time Goes By "Future Imperfect" To ease Lionel's financial situation, Alistair suggests the country house be sold.G
7:30 pm
The Thin Blue Line "The Green Eyed Monster" The promotion board will be visiting the Gasforth police station and Grim and Fowler are the most likely candidates. When Grim tells Fowler that they usually go for family men, Fowler proposes to Dawkins in a most unromantic way, causing her to break up with him.G
8:01 pm
The Red Green Show "The Driving Test" Red makes an anti-radar device. Bill demonstrates alternative modes of transportation. Harold impersonates Red at the driving test after Red loses his license.G
8:30 pm
Keeping Up Appearances - The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket "What to Wear When Yachting" Hyacinth is thrilled about the opportunity for a weekend on a cruiser. She occupies herself with purchasing the correct yachting gear and plans a nautical light buffet.G
9:00 pm
Old Guys "The Therapist" Roy is feeling so low, Amber suggests he see her therapist, Ned. Roy reveals to Ned his secret dreams and fantasies about Sally, then is horrified when Sally meets Ned and there is a mutual attraction.G
9:30 pm
My Family "The Guru" Ben is mentioned in a book dedication by a successful and wealthy celebrity dentist, whom Ben cannot remember having met. Susan reveals a romantic encounter in Albania.G
10:00 pm
My Hero "Big" Ollie's half-human, half Utronian physiology causes him to grow at an accelerated rate from nine-month-old to 19-year-old in 24 hours.G
10:30 pm
Are You Being Served? "Hand of Fate" Everyone hopes fate is working for his or her particular promotion.G
11:00 pm
As Time Goes By "Future Imperfect" To ease Lionel's financial situation, Alistair suggests the country house be sold.G
11:30 pm
The Thin Blue Line "The Green Eyed Monster" The promotion board will be visiting the Gasforth police station and Grim and Fowler are the most likely candidates. When Grim tells Fowler that they usually go for family men, Fowler proposes to Dawkins in a most unromantic way, causing her to break up with him.G


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Sunday, May 14, 2017
Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past
2 comments:
What a beautiful post. I am sure many of those pieces do 'speak to you' and you sometimes wonder about the families that gathered round the table where those dishes were used as serving pieces. Lucky girl to do what you love!! xo DianaReplyDelete
Oh, I have such a hard time going to thrift stores because there are so many beautiful examples of lovely pottery and porcelain. Dainty tea cups and saucers can be had for a song since they aren't in fashion and too fancy to use every day. Do I need another cup or dish? If you saw my house, you would say, NO! but I find it very difficult to leave a beautiful piece behind, just because of its history and former life. Some of these pieces are a snapshot in time, from a period that will never be seen again. I usually buy something and repurpose it. Having an imagination certainly justifies many purchases, or at least that's my rationalization. Your work always inspires me.ReplyDelete


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- "the newspapers, especially in Russia, are presently "discussing" a completely different question: Is mathematical education, and mathematics itself, really necessary in contemporary society ". At the risk of sounding patronizing, I find it terribly worrisome that the place that spawns such amazing mathematicians, and has such a legendary training program for scientists, should even indulge in such a discussion. Especially now, with all the handwringing in the US about the lack of mathematical training at school level, it seems a particularly bad time to abdicate what is a clearly a competitive advantage.
- He talks about not understanding "the American way of life" as regards how money is viewed. There's a juxtapositon of images that I've always been struck by, and that tennis lovers will recognize: At Wimbledon, the winner is crowned with a fanfare, royalty, and a trophy (or plate); the prize money is never really discussed. At the US Open on the other hand, along with the fanfare comes the huge check handed out by some corporate sponsor while the PA blares out the amount. The trophy presentation, although making for good photo-ops, seems almost anticlimactic.
I am a little skeptical though whether offering prizes like the Clay prize convinces people that mathematics is a lucrative profession. After all, this hasn't happened for the Nobel prizes.
- On the false-duality: I've heard a variation of this argument many times. It goes basically like this: "Either you're interested in subject X and don't need motivation, or you aren't, in which case no amount of motivation is going to help". This is possibly true for identifying students likely to make the transition to being professionals in subject X. In fact, I've heard an anecdote from the world of music, about a maestro who would tell all his students that they would fail professionally at being musicians. His argument was that only the ones who cared enough to prove him wrong had what it took to survive.
One has to realize though that the teaching of a subject is not about creating Mini-Mes: only a small fraction of the students we come in contact with will become professional computer scientists/mathematicians/whatever. But a large fraction of these students will vote, many of them will go onto position of influence either in industry or government, and they will all contribute to a general awareness of the discipline. So it's a mistake to give up on motivating students; even if they never end up proving theorems for a living, a better appreciation for those who do will help all of us.
Ruminations on computational geometry, algorithms, theoretical computer science and life
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Three thoughts on Anatoly Vershik's article...
Via Peter Woit and Luca Trevisan comes a pointer to an article by Anatoly Vershik in the new Notices of the AMS, lamenting the role of money prizes in mathematics. Three thoughts:
Posted by Suresh Venkatasubramanian at 12/13/2006 03:46:00 PM
Labels: outreach
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We all have a few games we let slip by - the ones we always "wished" we had played - and for too many people one of those titles is probably Darwinia. The jewel in Introversion's back catalogue is just one example of the innovative gameplay the bedroom developers from London are capable of.
So the VideoGamer.com video team went down to Introversion's London offices over the summer of 2007 to give you lucky readers a comprehensive look into their unique development process, chronicling each of their games from Uplink, to upcoming Multiwinia.
For any budding games designers out there, these guys are proof that you can achieve so much with so little - "you don't have to slave away in an EA sweat factory" as Kieron Gillen puts it in the documentary.
So head over to our exclusive video, enjoy, and stay tuned for more exclusive videos.


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The photography program offers a wide range
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The certificate of achievement program and the
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This list is not all-inclusive. Some careers require
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stock photographer.


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It's almost that time of year again — time for the Herald to announce its Person of the Year. But who will that person be? Even I don't know yet.
That's why I'm reaching out to you, the residents of Valley Stream and the loyal readers of the Herald, for suggestions. Choosing the Person of the Year is a responsibility I take very seriously, and I want to make sure the Herald gets it right.
I've been with the Herald for more than five years now, and this will be my sixth time selecting a Person of the Year. I'm very proud of my past selections, as they have represented some of Valley Stream's finest and most giving citizens.
In 2007, the honor went to two people — John Faust and Chris Viggiano of the Valley Stream Little League for their efforts in getting a new baseball field built at the Howell Road School. In 2008, I chose Jim Buckley for his years of dedication to the Historical Society.
Salvatore Spinicchia got the honor in 2009 for his commitment to numerous veterans organizations and the volunteer fire department. Carol Crupi, who has led the fight against the new flood maps implemented by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was our 2010 Person of the Year for her ability to organize community members and stand up for the average citizen. Last year was Ida D'Angelo, who given years of service to Friends of Bridge, the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library board and numerous other organizations.
These are some of the outstanding people that make Valley Stream a great place to live. But there are more people out there just as deserving of the honor, and I want to make one of them the Herald's 2012 Person of the Year. Although I've been covering the community for so long and know many of these great people, there are also many I don't know about, whose great deeds have gone unnoticed.
The requirements are pretty simple. The person should call Valley Stream home. They should not be an elected official, or someone who gets paid for their good deeds.
We want to give the honor to someone whose volunteer service is nothing less than exceptional. If the person is a member of a community organization, it should be someone who goes above and beyond the expectations of their position. Simply put, it should be a person who strives to make Valley Stream a better place.
The Person of the Year will be announced in our Dec. 27 issue on the front page. I welcome your nominations, which must be received by Friday, Dec. 7. Please tell me who you have in mind, and why they should be our Person of the Year.
You can call me at (516) 569-4000 ext. 265 or send me an email at email@example.com. I look forward to hearing from you and I look forward to selecting a Person of the Year.


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Once Upon a Time in Wonderland has unfortunately been canceled by ABC after just one season on the air.
While it is upsetting that we won't get another season of the show, it was originally envisioned as a miniseries to bridge the gap between seasons of the main Once Upon a Time series, according to THR.
The fantasy series aired in ABC's very troubled 8pm slot on Thursday nights where a new series has not been successful since Ugly Betty vacated the time slot back in 2009.
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland starred Sophie Lowe, Michael Socha, Emma Rigby, Peter Gadiot, and Naveen Andrews. We sure can't wait to find out what they will be up to next!
ARE YOU SAD about the cancellation of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland?


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Northern Ireland have lost influential defender Jonny Evans for the World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Wednesday, with Andy Little and Alex Bruce also ruled out through injury.
While Little (foot) and Bruce (knee) would be unlikely to make the starting XI for the Group F clash, Evans (groin) is one of Michael O'Neill's most important players and was one of the top performers in the side's memorable 1-1 draw in Portugal last month.
O'Neill has responded to the withdrawals by adding uncapped Liverpool teenager Ryan McLaughlin and Burnley's Danny Lafferty to his squad.
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.


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Thomas & Friends: Harold Sing Along
Thomas & Friends Sing Along For more Thomas & Friends adventures, visit the Official Thomas & Friend YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/thomasandfriends Be sure to subscribe to our channel so you can be the first to watch all the great Thomas & Friends videos available on YouTube! To shop for Thomas & Friends engines, games, and other fun products, visit our store at www.thomasandfriends.hitshopusa.com. For everything else, go to www.thomasandfriends.com!
Length: 02:05


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ShaneLaPan needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 64 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
Legacy Wealth Alliance
We are an established financial planning company based in Arizona. We're looking to grow, so we require a complete re-branding including name, logo, and website.
Our culture is based on trust. Our clients are long term - we're not in this for a quick buck. We want our clients to grow with us, as a trusted ally.
We target most of our efforts towards entrepreneurs/business owners, and those with portfolios 6 figures and above.
We would like to include the following guidelines for creating the logo:
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A Bastrop man faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on a charge of forceable rape.
Morehouse Sheriff Mike Tubbs said Tuesday that his office had received a complaint on March 19 of this year concerning a sexual assault occurring in 2011 in which Brent W. Rogers, 1817 S. Elm, was listed as a suspect.
After an extensive investigation, a report of the complaint and the finding was turned over to the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office. The findings were presented to the Grand Jury, which returned a true bill on the charge of forcible rape against Rogers and a warrant for his arrest was signed by Fourth Judicial Judge Wendall Manning, with a bond set at $150,000.
Rogers came to the MPSO Tuesday and turned himself in on the charges and remains in jail.
Tubbs also noted a juvenile has been placed in Green Oaks Juvenile Detention Center following several residential break-ins.
The 16-year-old was taken into custody following a 911 call from a homeowner who stated she felt like someone was inside her residence. Lt. Tyree Rowden, Sgt. Chris Thirdkill and Dy. Jeremy Streeter went to the home and located the juvenile inside. He was transported to the MPSO and later released to his parents. Further investigation revealed the juvenile was the prime suspect in another break-in.
"We were able to obtain video surveillance of one of the homes broken into and the juvenile was seen on tape trying to break in a second time," Tubbs said. "Mayor Rose Worley has been working closely with the DA's office on this matter and she was able to have the juvenile housed at Green Oaks until a juvenile detention hearing could be held."
"It is scary when this type of person enters homes knowing that the homeowner is there," Tubbs continued. "We want to make sure this youthful offender is off the streets before something worse than a break-in occurs."
The hearing for the juvenile is slated for later this week.


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Pynenberg Named to D3football.com All-Decade Teamby Brent Harris • January 14, 2011 Share:
Adi Pynenberg '08, the all-time leading tackler in Wabash College football history, has been named to the D3football.com All-Decade Team.
Pynenberg was named to the All-Decade Second Team at linebacker. He was a three-time All-America selection by D3football.com, earning First Team honors in 2007, Second Team in 2006, and an Honorable Mention selection in 2005. Pynenberg was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 and received First Team All-Conference honors in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was also one of ten finalist for the 2007 Gagliardi Trophy, named for Saint John's University head football coach John Gagliardi and presented to the outstanding football player in NCAA Division III, honors excellence in athletics, academics, and community service.
A starter in all 45 games during his career at Wabash, Pynenberg set the school's all-time tackle record with 451 stops. He made 168 total tackles in 2007 to set the Little Giant single season record. He also ranks first in career tackles for losses with 73-1/2 and fifth in career sacks with 26-1/2. Pynenberg's 26-1/2 tackles for losses during the 2007 season also set a school record.
Pynenberg helped Wabash earn three NCAC titles in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Wabash advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals in the 2007 football playoffs before losing to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater. He was an assistant coach for the Little Giants in 2008 and 2009, helping Wabash earn a fourth league title in 2008 and a second-place finish in 2009.
The D3football.com All-Decade Team encompasses players who either played or finished their careers during the span of years from 2000 to 2009. Pynenberg was one of only two NCAC players to be named to the All-Decade team. He was joined by Wooster running back Tony Sutton, a Fourth Team selection who played for the Scots from 2002-2004.


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lauantai 10. joulukuuta 2011
Russian legislative elections 2011 - statistical evidence of vote fraud.
In the above picture the X-axis shows vote turnout and the Y-axis shows amount of polling stations. From left to right the four curves represent Mexican legislative election 2009, second round of Polish presidential election in 2010, Bulgarian legislative election in 2009 and Swedish legislative election in 2010. Tendency towards a normal distribution is obvious. Now let's take a look if Russian elections in 2011 follow the same logic:
You can see the normal distribution all the way to the 55% turnout. Then something strange happens. For some reason turnout significantly larger than the mean is far more likely than turnout significantly lower than the mean. This cannot be explained by existence of very small polling stations since the results are weighted. So maybe it's just one of those Russian things like excessive alcohol consumption. Let's take a look at the previous four election in Russia:
The pale brown curve is for the 2003 legislative election, the dark brown curve is for the 2007 legislative election, the light blue curve is for the 2004 presidential election and the dark blue curve is for the 2008 presidential election. Once again we observe normal distribution until the 55% turnout mark. But take a look at those spikes at 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% and 98%! There are two ways to explain this. First explanation is that for some unknown reason voters of large amount of polling stations coordinate their actions by setting a target turnout. The second explanation is that there is systematic vote fraud at some of the polling station with specific target amount of votes. Take for example the 98% spikes in the curves. Imagine that you are committing a vote fraud. You don't want to get caught and 100% turnout is easily proven false as soon as one of the citizens of the area tells that he didn't vote since he was out of town. So, since you live in Russia and not North Korea, you make the turnout 98%. Take for example the 2011 legislative election in Chechnya: the turnout is 93.31% and 99.48% of votes go to United Russia party. One could use the argument that the even percentage spikes are there because of very small polling stations. In a polling station with 20 voters all of the possible turnout outcomes end with 5 or 0. But there are not that many small polling stations, and even if there were, you would expect the similar spikes at polling stations with low turnout.
So, now that we concluded that there is something fishy about Russian election, the next question is who benefits from this? The opposition blames the United Russia party, which holds the majority of lower and higher house parliament, as well as the presidential seat. United Russia denies vote fraud. Accusing opposition of vote rigging would take away the legitimacy of the election and if you're the one in power you don't want to do that. One might ask why would United Russia, Putin or Medvedev resort to vote fraud despite the fact that they are truly popular in Russia and would get a majority or close to a majority of parliament seats/votes even without the fraud. That is a fair question, but politics is a game that has wide array of possible outcomes, not just win or lose. It is a completely different thing to do what you want when you can claim a mandate of 80% of the people instead of just half. But is there evidence that the United Russia is benefiting from vote fraud? Imagine that you are going to a polling station and that you already know who are you going to vote. At the door to the polling station you find out that the turnout there is already over 40%/60%/80%. Does that influence your vote? Probably not. Let's take a look the next picture.
Picture on the left is about Russian legislative election 2007, the second picture is from Moscow city parliament election in 2009. Every dot represents the amount of votes that a party had at a polling station. The X-axis is for turnout of the polling station and the Y-axis is for the percentage of votes a party had at that station. Different colors represent different parties. Take a guess what party the purple dots represents. That's right, United Russia. Now lets take a look at the 2011 election results from Moscow:
The Y-axis is for the amount of polling stations, the X-axis is the vote percentage. We see curves for five different parties, four of them are close to the normal distribution curves and one of them belongs to the United Russia. You see two spikes: one at 30% which is what surveys predicted for United Russia and one at 50-55% which is what was probably United Russia's own target. Now the vote result in the city of Magnitogorsk:
This is a curve of United Russia votes in Magnitogorsk, a South Russia city with a population of 400000. I guess the people there are really divided or something. And then there's the last picture about the correlation between the vote turnout and the vote percentage of United Russia:
In conclusion, I would say that the vote fraud was definitely there, but it's to early to tell how much it affected the result. United Russia would probably have been the biggest party even without the fraud. But that's not the point. The point is that a rigged election does not give legitimacy to the new Duma. Even without the vote fraud there's still the issue of not allowing all opposition parties to take part in the elections and the lack of freedom of press. I, as a citizen of Russia voted in these elections at a Russian embassy in Helsinki. Yabloko party received 25% of the votes here, 22 points more than in Russian regions while United Russia got less than 20%. Is it because people with more "western" views are more likely to migrate from Russia or because of the free press here? That is a topic for a whole other discussion.
References: http://lenta.ru/articles/2011/12/06/elections/
22 kommenttia:
No, I think that's because people with more "western" views are ready to sell Russia for a dollar or so and don't care if they motherland is accused of practically everything wrong on planet Earth while the "true democratic" country (blink, US) with big stick is ruining other countries and doing everything they can to make things stay the same. United Russia IS most popular party in Russia, THERE IS free speech in Russia, elections ARE legitimate and if somebody did rig it I would blame the opposition (well if we can't win, let's make it at least look not legit, right?) that is so eager to tear apart everything that was achieved during the years of Medvedev/Putin tandem.
Dennis Granau
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 8.50
That's some rhetoric there, but how do you explain the statistics Dennis?
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 9.10
- Anton kirjoitti...
Ah, yes. The classical "they lynch black people in US"-defence.
If disagree with the evidence provided in the post, please tell us why the statistics are wrong or provide links to different kind of information. Using caps lock to tell us you completely disagree is very close to trolling.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 9.11
Dennis, your comment sounds a bit like a huffy, little patriot. Like "and don't care if they motherland is accused of practically everything wrong on planet Earth " This is a very clear and easy to follow article on one topic: election fraud.
And your idea that the US (a county with big problems concerning human rights and the tendency of their democracy, I fully agree) is running the hole movement here is really scary. If your conspiracy mind goes so far imagining that all these people on the streets in Russia are under control of US influence in one way or another: Wow, you considere your fellow countrymen really weak and the US ridiculously strong. Which would also mean that something went very wrong in Russia.
I dont agree with that. I think real patriotism is to have an open eye on things happening in your country and to react consciously and brave the moment you see that things are going down the drain. (Instead of patriotism you could even say: sympathy for people effected by the state control) I have immense respect for all the people on the streets in Russia now.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 10.10
- artied kirjoitti...
- Kirjoittaja on poistanut tämän kommentin.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.16
- artied kirjoitti...
Thanks for this..clear, concise, well illustrated and linked.
Is there any chance of getting the links to the raw/original data?
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.25
- Anton kirjoitti...
To get the original data go here:
Click the region you want to study, find a link that says: Выборы и референдумы
Then find a link that says "Выборы депутатов Государственной Думы Федерального Собрания Российской Федерации шестого созыва" and then find a link that says "Сводная таблица предварительных итогов голосования". Then click on of the links in the upper row of the table and you'll get the stat's for all of the polling stations in the area.
If you want to investigate futher, use google translate :)
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.29
- voldemarz kirjoitti...
- Blogin hallinnoija on poistanut tämän kommentin.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.47
- voldemarz kirjoitti...
About the graph of the results in Moscow you said "The X-axis is for the amount of polling stations, the Y-axis is the vote percentage."
It's other way around.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.49
- Anton kirjoitti...
Thanks, fixed it.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.54
- achompas kirjoitti...
Anton, this is an excellent article. Is there any way you can zip this data up into a file and post it somewhere? If not, no worries--I'll get to work with Google Translate. :)
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 17.50
- Alex kirjoitti...
There's another analysis in English at http://samarcandanalytics.com/ and I've also posted some copies of the raw data pulled from the web site, including some with with all english headers since some people have problems opening the Russian files.
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 18.00
First set of statistics only proves that a large number of Russians voted at a small number of stations, which is to be expected considering the size and distribution of population in Russia.
Second set of statistics doesn't really prove fraud either, it just suggests strangeness in the system. Like if UR had a rally or something, we see the same thing in America.
Could you send the raw data to me for analysis? It doesn't look like anyone did any post hoc.
My email:
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 18.54
- Anton kirjoitti...
This should be the original data in exel form: http://peregrins.com/elect/results.csv.gz
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 20.15
- Bardamor kirjoitti...
You forgot to prove before that Democracy is not just a trick. And that statistics are not modern lie. Stop Mathematics, open your eyes, (French advise).
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 22.45
- Anthony kirjoitti...
Interesting and thought provoking post. Speaking as an American, I can guarantee that the U.S. doesn't have the power to influence the protests in Russia one way or the other. Americans also don't speak with "one mind." We are a very heterogeneous group (and that includes our politicians). We can't even decide how to tackle important issues in our own country.
It's actually humorous sometimes to note that some people have replaced God or the devil with "the U.S." They ascribe any action to U.S. intervention or such (when usually the U.S. has nothing to do with it)...
- 12. joulukuuta 2011 klo 22.52
Well, these graphs does not actually prove anything.
First of all you can never claim something "definitely" based ONLY on statistical/regression analysis. The cause/effect relation is totally forgotten - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bizweekdesign/6433349525/sizes/l/in/photostream :-).
The assumption that there HAVE TO be normal distribution and no high correlation between turnout and % of vote is absolutely wrong. For example here - http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/elections/results/general_elections - is database of UK general elections 2010. This graphic - http://imageshack.us/f/847/uk2010con402x302c2.png/ - shows correlation between turnout/vote for Conservative party (correlation coefficent is bigger than for United Russia :-) ) and here -http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/807/ukd1c.png/ - is distribution of votes for three major party (should be normal distribution :-) ).
Again if I understand correctly the results of election were pretty same as the results of opinion/exit polls conducted by independent and non-governmental Levada-center.
- 13. joulukuuta 2011 klo 12.58
- Anton kirjoitti...
Yes, you are right that you can't draw conclusions based on statistical analysis. The translation that I provided here was to support all of the other evidences that are very well documented.
Lack of correlation between the turnout and votes is a wrong assumption based on the graph you provided, but it fit's the allegation of the vote rigging.
Distribution of votes doesn't have to be normal, but in Russian elections it seems to be close to normal for all the other parties exept for UR. They also have these intresting spikes around convenient numbers, how do you explain those?
And what about vote distribution for the whole election, do you have examples of fair election where vote distribution is not normal or is only normal up to 55% like in Russia?
Votes were in line with the polls, but not the exit polls (40% to 48% for UR). In Moscow for example the the actual procentage of votes received by UR was 50% higher than the levada polls or exit polls predicted.
The craft of making polls is not as straight forvard as one might imagine. For some reason people don't always answer honestly to the polls and that's why pollmakers usually apply correction coefficent to their answers based on previous election. When opinions shift dramatically such coefficents do not give truthful polls (as happened in Finnish legislative election in 2011 for example). Only votes given in fair election count.
You also have to notice that election are about seats, not votes. You might need only slight rigging to make sure that your candidate get through. UR got 52,88% of the seats with only 49,33% of the votes.
- 13. joulukuuta 2011 klo 14.31
What real evidence of fraud that MASSIVELY (not talking about some youtube-videos) affected result has Russian opposition? Any lawsuits started? I found that independent organization named "Golos" (http://www.golos.org/news/4533) says that United Russia get 15.8 "extra" vote, but, if I understand correctly, it is also based on statistical analysis?
I would say that these spikes are result of fraud, but after all how much votes they bring to this downward trend of curve?
As far as I know the election fraud is identified (if we talk about mathematical methods) through polls/result ratio and analysis of voting time-series (e.g turnout or % of votes for ruling party cannot change dramatically from last elections), not such distribution analysis (I must admit, that I never seen such before :-)). As UK example shows central limit theorem doesn't actually work well when it is question about human behavior and these distributions can be whatever they are.
If I understand correctly organization called "ФОМ" has conducted exit polls that shows pretty same results for all Russia as official report and really different result for Moscow. So I would say that it was definitely election fraud at least in Moscow, but not so sure about other Russia.
- 13. joulukuuta 2011 klo 20.01
> It is a completely different thing
> to do what you want when you can
> claim a mandate of 80% of the
> people instead of just half.
True. But also, I think, their current concern was mostly a suitable make-up application. I.e. it's nobody's business to analyze e.g. some minor decline tendencies or what so ever of the all-mighty. And that's a kind of implicit thought that is generally quite widely accepted in Russia, I'm afraid...
- 16. joulukuuta 2011 klo 12.26
For the record, I checked the Finnish parliamentary elections 2007 and 2011 by using the same method. Image here: http://tinyurl.com/ckjhp47. The original data is available at www.stat.fi.
- 19. joulukuuta 2011 klo 22.41
I don't believe that the fraud (which indeed took place) can be detected and measured statistically.
- 16. tammikuuta 2012 klo 4.51