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Last night on TBS's Conan, Mr. O'Brien touched on game reviewers' fears that the more mature, emotional storyline for Gears of War 3 might alienate hardcore gamers. I say he knows nothing of French cinema!
I don't see what the audience finds so funny. Seems like a typical Gears of War 3 match to me.
You can contact Michael Fahey, the author of this post, at email@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


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Jeep Strollers
Jeep strollers are diverse, durable and affordable. While they may not be the lightest or be able to carry the most passenger weight compared to their competitors, they are great strollers with innovative features and rugged designs. No matter your stroller needs, you should give the line up of Jeep strollers a test drive. These goals are easier to accomplish when we have others to support us with motivation, experience, camaraderie, and humor. Running with a group will be of great help for any of the following 10 reasons: To lose some weight and enjoy a healthier lifestyle To get fit and feel stronger To meet new people and make friends To feel better about yourself by setting and achieving goals To find healthy ways to release the stress of life To do something positive in the local community To feel pride in being part of a team To have activities and events to look forward to on a regular basis To improve performance in a particular sport through cross-training To accomplish a life-long dream such as run a marathon Who would be interested?
When I first started running I spent only 15 minutes. If you belong to the class of jogging avoiders, then wogging is the answer for you.
So, now that you know how important it is to keep track of how long you work out, you should also learn about how many calories a day you burn. This will help in formulating your weight loss program and then ensure that you burn more calories than what you consume on a day to day basis. Why would they join? Here are 10 possibilities: Runners who feel like athletic loners and seek more enjoyment. Start a new club? The type of wheel is very important on a jogging stroller. Jogging strollers have one of two types of wheel configuration: the swivel and the fixed.
We can prolong and enjoy our lives by this simple exercise. It also will not fit in your trunk or through a doorway. Let's hope that a double seat stroller will do for you. Double strollers can accommodate two children or one child and lots of stuff. First of all, are they needed at all? Jogging watches are highly important since they come with heart rate monitors and calorie level indicators. In addition to these, some of the watches even consist of distance measurers, stopwatch, etc. Do you need it to hitch to your bike? How small do you need it to fold?
Fifth, it can help you maintain a normal blood pressure. Jogging Watch – A Must Have For Health Enthusiasts The growing stress levels of today's generation are the root causes for several deadly diseases related to the heart and other vital organs of the body. The nature of the jobs today inflicts enormous stress to the workers. Over a period of time, if these stress levels are left unchecked, serious consequences may result. Even at my age, I think exercise by jogging is still possible if you do it right. Do you want to know what benefits I received aside from getting physically fit?

subset: commoncrawl


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SAN FRANCISCO - My day in the life of a sommelier started in the cramped quarters of the wine cellar for the Fifth Floor Restaurant in San Francisco, where I helped Emily Wines - yes, that's her real name - restock her upstairs bar.
Wines is the head sommelier at Fifth Floor, and lucky for me, she has quietly begun to welcome the public for behind-the-scenes glimpses into her rarefied world. Seven years ago, she joined Fifth Floor, the Hotel Palomar's signature restaurant, and helped her predecessor, Rajat Parr, create an impressive 1,400-bottle wine list that has won Wine Spectator's Grand Award several times. Now she is spearheading an ambitious program that includes theme tasting seminars, classes in wine and food pairing, and a weekend sommelier experience for hotel guests.
What I began to learn in that cool, dim storeroom is that the business of being a sommelier is a lot less mysterious ("Deciding what you should drink doesn't have to be intimidating; it should be about what you like") and more ephemeral ("wine is a living thing that constantly changes, especially after you open it") than I'd thought.
Wines aims to do away with the intimidation factor, and her friendly, unassuming manner and ready smile make her the ideal teacher. She's equally at ease choosing bottles for snobby businessmen as she is clambering up a floor-to-ceiling rack dressed in a suit and high-heeled boots. "Lots of practice," she told me with a grin as she grabbed an out-of-the-way selection.
A busy day starts in the cellar, pulling wines to replace those sold the previous evening. The conversation starter that particular morning was a $1,550 bottle of 1982 Cheval Blanc, a vintage red Bordeaux blend purchased the night before by a customer who may have been showing off for his girlfriend. When I asked what makes aged bottles so special - don't they turn into vinegar at some point? - Wines gave me a tutorial in wine, pulling down a 1937 German Riesling. If a wine is well bottled, she said, it will have an evolving palette of flavors that lasts for decades.
"This one will probably have a bit of an orange-peel flavor. As it ages, the wine becomes a lot more complex and not as sweet. The sugar molecules get longer, and it becomes a whole other wine." The sweetness of a Riesling, she added, helps preserve it.
Oenology aside, the fun part of being a sommelier, of course, is tasting and selection. That afternoon, Wines was trying out Chardonnays - she wanted a new wine for the restaurant to sell by the glass - and we headed upstairs to meet a vendor and do some sampling. (An added perk about a San Francisco sommelier experience: You can easily head north to Napa or Sonoma to continue your education in local wine.)
Fifth Floor occupies an elegant space in a 1908 landmark building, with zebra-print carpeting, velvet banquettes, and a focus on contemporary French food. Though it recently lost acclaimed chef Melissa Perello, a two-time James Beard nominee who also was named one of Food & Wine's 10 Best Chefs three years ago, the restaurant still serves up a sophisticated dining experience. Included in the wine package is a "flights and bites" tasting menu supervised by Wines. (The previous evening I tasted a dessert trio of peanut butter soufflé, goat cheese fritters, and white chocolate parfait, accompanied by a gorgeous Muscat, a Hungarian Tokaji, and Graham's 10 Year Tawny Port.)
Crucial advice to remember during a tasting: Spit, spit, and spit. As Nicole Blakeley, the vendor, lined up glasses on the white tablecloth and began pouring, Wines pointed at the silver spittoon between our chairs. "You'll still get a little drunk with the alcohol soaking into your gums, but at least you won't be incapacitated," she explained. "There's a lot to get through today."
And so we bravely set off to find a bigger, oakier Chardonnay to complement the delicate white Burgundy that Wines already had on her list. We swished, spun, sniffed, sipped, and spit. Wines decided one Chardonnay was too clean and crisp, and deemed another slightly corrupted by the floral, jasmine quality of Viognier grapes. At the end of the hour, with the room spinning ever so slightly, we had a winner: a Foley 2005 Chardonnay from the Santa Rita Hills that Wines described as "toasty and creamy, but still balanced." She ordered three cases, and I asked for some water.
Afterward, I accompanied Wines to a class on Rhône Valley varietals at the Grand Café, located at the Hotel Monaco, a sister hotel to the Palomar (they are both Kimpton properties). She peppered the tasting with historic tidbits: a wine-growing area that took its name from a castle built by popes when the papacy left Rome in the 14th century (Chateauneuf du Pape); the wine Thomas Jefferson liked (Hermitage).
Then it was back to Fifth Floor to join the staff for "family dinner" - a trough of orzo with tomatoes, Roquefort, and olives - and house lineup, where menu changes were discussed. An hour later, we landed back in the kitchen to taste the evening's new dish, a creamy garlic velouté with cranberry beans and bacon, and to choose a wine to pair with it. Wines pulled five bottles to try; the dish's starchy smokiness overpowered the Riesling, and the sauvignon blanc was too tropical. When she asked me what I thought of the Chardonnay, I told her that its oak struck me as a weird flavor combination with cream and bacon. Though garlic has a green taste that usually is more white-friendly, we decided on a Bourgogne, a red that featured interesting characteristics that didn't compete with the food.
Out of the fluorescent brightness of the kitchen and into the candlelight of the dining room, I was briefed on the secret language of beverage service: bottles on coasters vs. bottles on bare tablecloth (a coaster meant that the bottle had been presented to the table), and whether or not a table had been "bubbled" (did they get their Champagne?).
In the dining room, everything was about theater - from the music and lighting to wine presentation and timing of courses - all well coordinated to make customers feel special.
Back into the storage room we went to track down a bottle for a guest, and I remembered something Wines had said that morning when she pulled down a rare 1893 Château d'Yquem white that had turned yellow over time. "This one won't last long when you open it," she said, turning over the bottle and showing me the cracked label. "At first, you'll probably get a very tight, barnyard smell. But an hour later, it's like dried rose petals. It's an adventure, and you won't know until you open it."
Bonnie Tsui, a freelance writer in San Francisco, can be reached at bonnietsui.com.


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A new session of each course opens each month, allowing you to enroll whenever your busy schedule permits!
How does it work? Once a session starts, two lessons will be released each week, for the six-week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends.
Keep in mind that the interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes 2 weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
You guessed it! This course is going to help you lose weight and keep it off by teaching you healthy, proven techniques for weight loss that you can personalize and begin using immediately. In this first lesson, you'll take a crucial step toward your weight-loss goals by keeping a record of what you eat and drink. You'll explore how easy it is to weigh and measure your food in order to track portion size and calories. Then, you'll learn to distinguish between low-fat and high-fat food preparation methods (a great skill to have when you're eating out). You'll also discover how to use your hands to guesstimate and manage portion sizes when you just don't have the option to weigh and measure your food.
You've established a food record to help you keep tabs on what you're eating and drinking. Now it's time to figure out how what you eat relates to your body. In this lesson, you'll discover how body type relates to health and weight management and then use interactive tools to calculate your body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and personal daily calorie intake. With all this information in hand, you'll be ready to develop your own SMART goals for weight loss and weight maintenance—goals that are sensible, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-oriented.
Now that you've learned how to develop SMART goals, it's time to delve into the finer details of food composition, meal planning, and meal timing. In this lesson, you'll find out what's in the food you're eating and how to use that information to plan meals and snacks that support your weight-loss goals. You'll also learn how to time meals so that you're less hungry between meals—and have more energy!
Time to get motivated to move! In this lesson, you'll learn the differences between cardiorespiratory exercise, strength training, and lifestyle activity. You'll also find out why and how much of each type of exercise supports weight management. You'll learn about some easy ways to make exercise work when you don't have a lot of extra time and then explore the common (but frustrating!) obstacles to exercise. By the end of the lesson, you'll be developing your own SMART exercise goals.
Water plays a role in countless body functions, including weight loss. Increasing water intake can be an inexpensive, easy way to maximize fat metabolism, slow digestion, and discourage your appetite! This lesson will discuss the role of water in weight management. You'll learn how much water is enough, and discover how to determine how much water you lose during exercise. You'll also uncover tips and tricks for overcoming obstacles to good hydration.
Stress has a variety of negative effects on weight management. The hormones your body releases when you feel stressed wreak havoc on your appetite, encourage the storage of abdominal fat, and ramp up the formation of fat. This lesson will unravel the influences of stress on weight, and you'll discover how to use stress management techniques to minimize or even eliminate the effects of stress. Because eating to self-nurture is a challenge for many people, you'll spend some time examining the connection between food and love and how to self-nurture without sacrificing your weight-management goals.
Are your thoughts getting in the way of reaching your SMART goals? In this lesson, you'll discover how emotional eating and the way you think about your body affect your ability to follow through on healthy choices. The lesson will talk about 10 cognitive traps to watch out for, and you'll learn 10 cognitive tools you can use to overcome unhelpful thought patterns. As you discover more about motives, you'll see how you can put them to work to reach your weight-management goals.
A good night's sleep is a crucial part of your successful weight-management plan. In this lesson, you'll learn how sleep deprivation interferes with metabolism, encourages cravings, and increases your appetite. You'll problem-solve for ways to get more sleep and discover how you can stay on track with your SMART goals even when you haven't had enough rest.
Eating out can make maintaining or losing weight so much more challenging. But, actually, with preparation and some strategies for making healthy food choices, you'll find that eating out doesn't have to wreak havoc with your SMART goals. In this lesson, you'll begin by learning how to stick with your SMART goals when you're eating out. After that, you'll explore how to make preparing food at home easy, quick, and healthy for you and your family. The lesson will wrap things up by discussing techniques you can use to keep your SMART goals in focus, even in social situations.
Whether you're an exercise newbie or a seasoned athlete, you need to change up your exercise routine from time to time. In this lesson, you'll discover how and why to do just that! You'll see how FITT principles, cross-training, exercise lite, and other techniques can help you develop and improve your workouts. Because your thoughts affect your actions and feelings, too, you'll learn how to become your own cheerleader in ways that make exercise easier, more effective, and fun.
Do you suspect that your genes are making it hard for you to lose weight? Have you noticed changes in your body as you've grown older, had a baby, or entered perimenopause? In this lesson, you'll learn how genetics and life changes can affect weight management, and you'll discover how to successfully manage your weight during these life stages. You'll also discover when and how to satisfy food cravings without abandoning your SMART weight-management goals—and when and how to enjoy the high-calorie foods you really love!
This lesson will discuss methods for determining your personal ideal weight, and you'll explore how to shift from weight loss to weight maintenance once you've achieved it. Maintaining weight can be a lot easier than losing it if you get into the maintenance mindset, so the lesson will talk about the importance of using self-monitoring and self-motivation tools to stay aware and enthusiastic about the choices you're making that influence your weight. You'll learn how to put your assertive communication tools to work in the social situations you're likely to encounter and discover how seeing things differently once you're in the maintenance mindset can make it easier to stick with your SMART weight-management goals. And because scientific research is constantly changing, you'll learn the basics of evaluating research. When the next diet craze hits, you'll be able to determine if it's right for you. By the end of this lesson—and this course—you'll have the know-how to help you enjoy weight loss for a lifetime.
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Saudi crown prince threatened Khashoggi in 2017, says NYT
Clip: 02/09/2019 | 5m 12s
The New York Times reports U.S. intelligence recorded Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying in 2017 that he would "use a bullet" on Jamal Khashoggi if the journalist didn't stop criticizing the Saudi government. Meanwhile, Congress is "furious" over the Trump administration's response to Khashoggi's murder. Nick Schifrin talks to Lisa Desjardins and Times reporter Mark Mazzetti.
Aired: 02/09/19Video has closed captioning.
The full episode is no longer available for online streaming. Why?
Please continue to enjoy extra(s) from this episode.
Problems Playing Video?
Major corporate funding for the PBS NewsHour is provided by BNSF, Consumer Cellular, Leidos, Babbel, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by Mutual of America. For a complete list of funders for the PBS NewsHour and PBS NewsHour weekend, click here.


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I noticed hat Dawn's how to submit tuts was from a couple of years ago and the site format has changed since then, so I am submitting a more updated one. Enjoy!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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Browsing Departments by Author "Ekman, Susanne"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Paradoxes of Modern Knowledge WorkEkman, Susanne (Frederiksberg, 2010)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The thesis is a thorough empirical study of discourses, fantasies, and patterns of interaction in highinvolvement knowledge work. My interest in the issue was sparked by a fascination with the intensity and contradictory nature of working life for many high-skilled workers. I was curious about the ambiguities and paradoxes existing within the same dynamic, and I was puzzled by the fact that such tension-ridden and precarious machinery could keep functioning despite its constant episodes of breakdown – be they emotional or organizational. My intention was to find a gaze and a language which could capture these ambiguities and tensions, rather than insisting on classical dualisms such as profit versus meaning, instrumentality versus authenticity, power versus freedom, and influence versus vulnerability...... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8061
Files in this item: 1Susanne_Ekman.pdf (2.207Mb)
Now showing items 1-1 of 1


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County monitoring propane situation
The cold winter is a growing concern for Minnesotans who use propane to heat their homes as prices rise and long-term supplies are stretched.
Governor Mark Dayton has signed a peacetime emergency to monitor the situation surrounding the rise in propane costs. The state is currently working to free up resources to increase the transportation of propane, in hopes of avoiding the threat of households running out of heating fuel. In the meantime, the situation does not appear to be of immediate emergency. Both the state, as well as Carlton County are monitoring and maintaining awareness of the situation as it pertains to propane customers and the safety of Carlton County residents.
After conversations with local propane companies, Carlton County Emergency Manager Brian Belich stated, "Propane companies are working with their customers to make sure they are taken care of. If customers have questions, they are encouraged to contact their propane company".
Minnesota residents with questions about the current propane situation or who are in danger of running out of heating fuel can call 1-800-657-3504. This is the main hotline for the state that is open seven days a week, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
People who use propane to heat their homes can take several steps at this time.
- Conserve energy as much as possible. Turn down thermostats and be aware of your propane use.
- Reach out to family and friends for assistance.
- Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly and families with small children.
- Check locally for updates about the situation, http://www.co.carlton.mn.us.
- Call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
Sarah Buhs, Captain and Public Education Coordinator for the Cloquet Area Fire District, encourages residents to use caution when using alternative heating sources such as space heaters:
- Keep anything that can burn (including pets and people) at least three feet away from heaters or any type of heating equipment.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Use a heater that has been tested to the latest safety standards and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters will have the most up-to-date safety features; older space heaters may not meet the newer safety standards.
- Remind kids not to touch or play around heaters.
Additional low-income assistance information: Emergency assistance may be available for qualifying customers. If interested, call the state emergency assistance hotline to access local resources: 1-800-657-3710.
Consumers who need financial assistance to pay heating bills may find help through the Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Department of Commerce administers LIHEAP in Minnesota, which helps low-income households, especially those with seniors, children, veterans and people with disabilities, with their heating bill.
Money is still available for households that have not already applied.
Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman announced that LIHEAP crisis payments would increase from $500 to $1,000 for applicants heating their homes with propane and heating oil. The crisis payments could be available as early as next week.
Qualifying families must apply for assistance at the local service provider in their area; Minnesota has 32 local service providers. A list of local service providers and information on applying for the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program is available by visiting the Energy Assistance section of the Division of Energy Resources website or by calling 1-800-657-3710.
Other local resources:
- Salvation Army's Heat Share Program: Carlton County residents only, contact Jackie at (218) 879-1693, ext. 10 for more details. This program is not income-based.
- Fond du Lac: The 2013-2014 Minnesota Energy Programs Application is available on the Fond du Lac Reservation website http://www.fdlrez.com, go to the "Community Services" tab under "Energy Assistance."
The State of Minnesota's Department of Public Safety is updating information at: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/Pages/default.aspx.


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Kazuo Ohno (1906-2010)
After he lost his ability to walk, in 2001, Japanese dancer Kazou Ohno simply danced in his wheelchair.
Sadly, the dance is now over, as Ohno, at 103, passed away yesterday. Not exactly a household name, Ohno's image crept into pop culture early last year as he graced the cover of Antony and the Johnson's The Crying Light.
But avant garde art fans are likely to know Ohno as the emotional force behind butoh, a dance form that originated in Japan in the late 1950s and gained popularity in the west in the 1980s.
Ohno is one of those artists who lived life like it was art itself, which probably explains why his work is so captivating. Though he didn't begin to dance until he was nearly 30, once he did, he never stopped. In 1933 he began to study modern dance, an activity that was derailed by his being drafted into the Imperial Army during World War II. After his release from a New Guinea prisoner of war camp after the end of the war, in which he'd spent 9 years, he immediately returned to the artform.
In 1960 Ohno teamed up with dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, who had created controversy the year before with his new style of dance. Together the two created one of the most otherworldly styles to hit the stage.
To watch butoh is to see a dancer move with a ghostly presence. The action is sometimes so slow it's barely intelligible, though at other times dancers hop along a stage in a series of painful-looking movements.
Sometimes considered performance art rather than dance form, butoh's legacy is not without controversy. But lets not get into that. Lets, instead, just remember a master, one of the most graceful performers to ever take the stage. The man who, two years ago, said "On the verge of death one revisits the joyful moments of a lifetime. One's eyes are opened wide-gazing into the palm, seeing death, life, joy and sorrow with a sense of tranquillity."


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Tiara RV in Elkhart, Ind., kicked off its spring selling season with a successful open house this past weekend.
"We were more than satisfied," Brian Calhoun, sales manager, told RVBusiness.
The open house drew shoppers from as far away as 200 miles and generated some sales that would not have been made without the event, he said.
"People still perceive, 'buy close to the manufacturer and save money,'" he said.
Internet sales are a vital part of Tiara's business, generating approximately 75% of it sales, he added.
The dealership featured 2010 model towables and motorized products by Keystone RV Co., Four Winds International Corp., Forest River Inc., Carriage Inc. and KZRV LP.
He identified Keystone's Montana and Carriage's Cameo as the units garnering the most interest, but he also saw interest in motorized RVs and used product such as Keystone's Springdale.
He said "fulltimer RVers and snowbirds" remain the dealership's biggest customer base.
Tiara, which was founded in 2002, reported a record sales performance in the first quarter and expects to turn a profit this year.
"There is a buyer out there. There is a market, you just have to tap it," he said. "As long as the retail consumer is credit worthy, we have had no problem."
Typical buyers have credit scores of 700 or better, "but bankers look at more factors than just the score. Some lenders still buy the people, he said, "if you have a good record of making payments and your debt to income ratio is not out of whack."
Calhoun identified Tiara as "a pretty good discounter. But our profit margins have been good. We're aggressive, especially in this kind of market because everyody is aggressive but there are buyers out there."


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Eligibility programs designed to provide temporary financial support for food, energy, cash and more.
We are hiring! The State of Michigan offers many opportunities to make a difference.
Are you registered to vote? Visit our Voter Information Center to help with all your voting needs.
Save time. Quickly renew your driver's license and much more online with the Secretary of State.
Find out if your new venture could require a state license or permit.
Information regarding corporate, small business, and withholding taxes.
Looking for employees? Review thousands of applicants at mitalent.org.
Search for records of corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships.
One of the state's most valuable and accessible resources for those seeking employment.
Information for workers who are temporarily unemployed.
An online marketplace connecting job seekers with employers.
A talent system that supports business growth and a diverse skilled workforce.
Make your reservations online and enjoy the outdoors at a destination everyone can enjoy.
Plan your trip – including events, deals & packages, road trips, featured destinations and more.
Get a free, color state map mailed directly to your home.
Find camping and recreational activities anywhere in the State with this simple tool.
We will feature sledding, camping demos, ice fishing and snowshoeing demos.
We will feature a Michigan-themed scavenger hunt with tasty prizes!
Celebrating Michigan's 180th birthday - free admission all day! Lansing.
Rick Snyder became Michigan's 48th governor when he was sworn into office for a second term on Jan. 1, 2015. In his inaugural address, he described his vision for reinventing Michigan by creating more and better jobs, revitalizing the educational system, and revamping government to focus on providing excellent service to its customers, the state's 10 million people.
MiPage is a free application that serves as your real-time link to all things Michigan. Tell us your favorite places in Michigan and we'll give you the latest news and events for those locations. ...
A traffic, construction, and lane closure information resource center for driving Michigan roads.
The mobile myHealthButton application is a one stop shop for your Michigan Medicaid, Children's Special Health Care Services and MIChild coverage information.
The Secretary of State Branch Office Locator will help you find office locations, fax numbers, service hours and more.
This is the Official application from the Michigan Lottery. Check winning numbers and jackpots for all games, generate easy picks with the Number Generator and more!


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Financial Support for Social Work, M.S.W.
Click the following to learn more about options for financing the Social Work, M.S.W.
There are a limited number of graduate assistantships in the University. They are part-time, paid work experiences for graduates in their field of study, which allows them to expand and/or apply their discipline knowledge and skills under supervision. Tuition is also paid based on requirements of number of hours worked and course credits being taken per semester.
Graduate Student Presidential Research Grants
Related Pages
For more information on Financial Support , scholarship search, and filing for FAFSA, please visit the GVSU Financial Support website.


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How to Use
the Readings
Inquiry Question
Reading 3: The Confederates
After the Mexican War, the Santa Fe Trail was transformed from an international trade route to a national road, carrying freight and supplies to trading posts and army forts in the newly acquired territory. In 1855 trade along the trail was valued at $5 million. For Fort Union, the new supply depot located near the junction of the Mountain and Cimarron branches, the trail was a lifeline. The crossing of Raton Pass, still difficult even after the improvements made by Kearny's army, continued to limit use of the Mountain Branch. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1860, however, Confederate raiders and the threat of attack by Southern Plains Indians virtually halted traffic over the Cimarron Cutoff. The Mountain Branch again became "the" Santa Fe Trail.
In the summer of 1861, Confederate forces invaded southern New Mexico from Texas, which had seceded in February. This invasion was to be the first step in a grand design to detach the Southwest from the Union and extend the Confederacy to the Pacific. If successful, the plan would yield large quantities of military and other supplies, provide new recruits for the Confederate armies, and take control of the rich gold fields of California, Nevada, and Colorado. Lt. Col. John Robert Baylor moved up the Rio Grande with about 300 men to seize military posts near the Mexican border. He then named himself governor of a newly-proclaimed Confederate Territory of Arizona, which included the southern parts of the present-day states of New Mexico and Arizona.
The following winter, a larger Confederate force led by Brig. Gen. Henry H. Sibley left Texas with the aim of taking over the whole of New Mexico and continuing north into Colorado. Sibley had served in New Mexico as a Union officer and knew the area well. Sibley's 2,500 Texans defeated Union forces at the Battle of Valverde and occupied Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Only a small garrison at Fort Union, with its $300,000 in stores, stood between the victorious Confederate forces and the Colorado goldfields.
William Gilpin, staunchly pro-Union governor of the newly formed Colorado Territory, hurriedly raised a regiment of volunteers, including many tough Pike's Peak miners. Raton Pass again played a crucial role. Crossing the pass in the snow, the Colorado volunteers rushed to join the garrison at Fort Union, covering the 100 miles in two days. On March 22, the Federal army of about 1,300 men under the command of Col. John Slough, set out to meet the Confederates advancing from Santa Fe.
The battle opened on March 26, 1862, with a clash between small Confederate and Union units in Apache Canyon. The Union forces drove the Confederates back, but suspended the battle as darkness fell. They retreated to their camp at Koslowski's Ranch at the east end of the pass.
Both sides received reinforcements on March 27, and the Battle of Glorieta Pass was fought the next day. The fighting in the pass was intense, but indecisive. Maj. John Chivington took 400 Colorado volunteers up through the mountains in a maneuver to go around Col. Edward Canby's forces and box them in. After a 16-mile march, Chivington reached the top of Glorieta Mesa and discovered the Confederate base camp directly below him. His men crawled, slid, and leapt down the bluff and burned the 70-80 wagons full of ammunition, food, clothing, and forage; slaughtered hundreds of horses and mules; disabled a cannon; and withdrew with 17 prisoners to their camp at Koslowski's Ranch. Although Lt. Col. W. R. Scurry, the Confederate commander, believed he had won the battle, the loss of his supplies forced him to turn back, leaving the field to the Union. His army retreated down the Rio Grande and returned to Texas.
Glorieta Pass was a small skirmish in terms of both numbers involved and losses (140 Federal, 190 Confederate). Yet the issues were large, and the battle decisive in resolving them. The Confederates might well have taken Fort Union and Denver had they not been stopped at Glorieta. As one Texan put it, "if it had not been for those devils from Pike's Peak, this country would have been ours."1 This small battle marked the end of Confederate plans for New Mexico and the territories farther west. In April, volunteers from California pushed the remaining Confederates out of present-day Arizona at the Battle of Pichaco Peak. In the eastern part of the United States, the fighting went on for three more years, but in the Southwest the war was over.
The Santa Fe Trail continued to be an important trade route until the railroad finally reached Santa Fe in 1880. Like the trail, the railroad and the later highways ran through Raton and Glorieta passes, still the best way to get through the mountains.
Questions for Reading 3
1. Why did Confederate armies invade New Mexico?
2. How did Union forces take advantage of the terrain in Glorieta Pass during the battle?
3. Why did the Confederate commander abandon the field even through he thought he had won the battle?
4. What effect did the Confederate loss at Glorieta Pass have?
5. How many men were involved in the battle? How many casualties did both sides sustain? Do you think figures like this are the best way to measure the importance of a battle? Why or why not?
Reading 3 was adapted from Richard Greenwood, "Glorieta Battlefield" (Santa Fe County, New Mexico) National Historic Landmark Nomination Form, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1978; and Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod, "Santa Fe and Chihuahua Trail," and Alan Axelrod, Patrick H. Butler, III, and Charles Phillips, "Civil War," Encyclopedia of the American West (New York: Simon and Schuster Macmillan, 1996).
1 Quoted in William Waldrip, "New Mexico During the Civil War," New Mexico Historical Review, Vol. 28, 3, 4 (July-Oct., 1953), 256-257; cited in Richard Greenwood, "Glorieta Battlefield" (Santa Fe County, New Mexico) National Historic Landmark Nomination Form (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1978) 8/2.
1 Quoted in William Waldrip, "New Mexico During the Civil War," New Mexico Historical Review, Vol. 28, 3, 4 (July-Oct., 1953), 256-257; cited in Richard Greenwood, "Glorieta Battlefield" (Santa Fe County, New Mexico) National Historic Landmark Nomination Form (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1978) 8/2.


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For those who have been wondering, yes, we'll be liveblogging the Oscars tonight! Snarky's Machine, Sweet Machine, Fillyjonk and I are all on board, though we can't guarantee we'll all be there from start to finish. We'll start with the red carpet at
6 EST/5 CST/3PST 7 EST/6CST/4PST (we decided we can't take quite THAT much merriment) and keep going until we're bored or too drunk to type.
All this will be happening over at the brand new Shapely Prose Liveblog site, which we hope will work better than Cover It Live did for the Golden Globes. If all goes well, that's where we'll do all liveblogging in the future, and the archives will remain there for anyone who missed the events.
If you can't watch on TV, here's a list of options for watching at least some of the coverage online. (We'll try to agree on one of those sites toward the beginning, so we're not all talking about 5 different things.)
In the meantime, Erica Kennedy has a glorious rant about Gabourey Sidibe's stylists over at The Feminista Files. I'm not sure I agree that Andre Leon Talley is the answer here, because I still haven't forgiven him for Jennifer Hudson's space bolero, but I heartily agree with this:
Now if you had read this on USA Today's site and not on another blog that was linking to it, you would have noted, as I did, that they felt the need to put "full-sized" in quotes like it's such a derogatory thing to say about a woman that they needed to soften the blow with… well, kinda.
She IS full-sized, mofos. She's not ashamed of it. Stop trying to be ashamed for her! DAMN.
I'd noticed that Gabby was showing up to a lot of stuff in off-the-rack dresses — mostly ones I'd lusted after on the Saks website, so at least it wasn't like, as Kennedy puts it, "She HAS to do the red carpet and then to have to say 100x, 'It's… Lane Bryant'?!" But then I was online window shopping the other day, and I stopped by SWAK Designs, which at the time had a bunch of pictures of Gabby (supposedly) in their dresses — which I think top out at $99.99 — at major events. And she's certainly been out on the town in Igigi.
Now, I'm a fan of Igigi, and when I have semi-formal events to attend, it's one of the first places I check. And for most of us here in the real world, those dresses ain't cheap. But most of us here in the real world are not FUCKING OSCAR-NOMINATED ACTRESSES. Gabby is allowed step it up. Gabby is expected to step it up, in the crowds she's now running in. Remember when I attempted to run up an imaginary tab as high as Sarah Palin's from high-end department stores, and utterly failed? Yeah, here's what I said then:
If a fat woman were running for office at that level, she'd still be in suits that cost under $1,000, 'cause that's all that's out there. Some of the career wear for fatties is very well made and plenty expensive, but if you buy the only argument in support of Palin here — that women of her stature are expected to dress a certain way, and it costs that kind of money — then a fat woman who aspired to be a woman of Palin's stature and look the part would be shit outta luck.
And of course, it goes without saying that a woman who wears over a size 24 is already shit outta luck. Everything I'm saying here about upper-class fat women being shut out of dressing like their peers goes quadruple for fat women who are sized out of high-end department stores.
Also, is Tadashi really the only fucking designer making plus-size evening wear? (What happened to Carmen Marc Valvo's plus line?) There are loads of dresses that cost over $1,000 in Saks's straight size section, and some a lot more than that, but only one over $500 in "Salon Z." Again, if fat women want to move in the circles where women blow a couple thou on a dress for one night, we don't even have the option of dressing to the same level. We've got to show up to our charity events and opera openings in gowns that don't cost much more than the average bridesmaid's dress.
Gabby is moving in circles where women blow many more than just a couple thou on a dress for one night (or at least, are loaned/given dresses worth that much). And yet all of the above still applies. (Except that David Meister has joined Tadashi in Salon Z –more on that in a moment.) Sure, she can also have stuff made — she did for the Golden Globes, and apparently for tonight. But even though Kevan Hall, who designed the GG dress, talks a good game — "it's all about picking the right silhouette for her shape," he told Robin Givhan — that dress was such a fucking disappointment to me.
I think the color's gorgeous, but the sleeves are bog standard Fat Girl Arm Tents, and the beading doesn't look much more impressive than what you find on a $150 Igigi. And as for it being "the right silhouette for her shape," um, am I the only one who can't even find her shape under there?
Which brings me around to the other side of this rant, in which I note that sometimes, off-the-rack is not such a bad thing. This dress, which she wore to a Precious press conference in Toronto (I have no idea who it is or where she got it), is slammin' — sleeves and all.
And as for formal gowns, in my opinion, she has yet to top this $530 David Meister.
FAT GIRL IN SHINY FABRIC WITH BARE ARMS! THE HORROR! And yet, if you can get past that (and okay, the wrinkles at the bottom), she looks a lot younger and prettier than she did at the Golden Globes. There's that.
As long as she looks like the beautiful, confident twentysomething it girl she is, I really don't give a shit if her clothes were a dollar a pound at Goodwill. Sharon Stone wore Gap to the Oscars, and everyone found it charming. But the difference is, Sharon Stone had a bazillion other options. Her Gap top was seen as a conscious rejection of the pressure to princess out for Hollywood's annual circle jerk, and hooray for that. But the problem for Gabby is, you can't consciously reject things they won't let you have in the first place.
And my big problem with Gabby's event wardrobe is not that it's cheap, comparatively — as I said, some of her off-the-rack dresses have made me swoon — it's that it shows such a stunning failure of imagination on the part of whatever stylist(s) she's working with. People who get paid a lot of money to make her look her absolute best apparently default all too often to the fashion approach ordinary fat women are all too familiar with: If it fits, it'll do.
We all deserve a hell of a lot more than that, but an Oscar-nominated fat woman attending A-list events left and right not only deserves it, she should be able to get it easily. So if her stylists can't be bothered to think outside the Salon Z, and designers can't be bothered to cut more fabric for a hot, young, highly visible actress, we've got a problem. Not that that's a surprise, but still.
Anyway! Here's hoping Gabby looks more gorgeous than ever tonight. If she doesn't, I am going to be making this face all night.
See you at the liveblog.


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+ What would happen if the Key Club did not redevelop?
Dear Editor:
First I would like to clarify that I am Tom Cail III and not my dad, Dr. Tom Cail, who lives on Longboat Key.
Although I am not a resident of the island, I have worked on Longboat for many years, have been a resident of Sarasota for more than 30 years, and my wife and I are members of the Longboat Key Club. My memories as a child vacationing on Longboat are fond ones, and I might add the reason my family moved here, but then I'm sure many of us can tell a similar story.
That being said, let's look at what is happening here: The Colony is closed; Whitney Plaza is a ghost town and was operating as a flea market on weekends; Avenue of the Flowers shops are deserted; taxes may have to be raised; the town is contemplating layoffs, including police-and-fire personnel; property values are declining; and I think it is not off base to say that this island is losing some of its luster. It's all pretty sad.
I believe the Longboat Key Club is integral to the vibrancy of this island, to its allure and, quite frankly, to its future as a world-class destination. But there is another side to this that nobody is talking about and that is the tremendous member of our community — Sarasota, Bradenton and Longboat Key — that the Key Club has been. Besides the obvious, the number of people it employs, the dollars spent in this community as a result of the guests who stay at the club, the new friends and neighbors we enjoy every year as a result of tourists' exposure to Sarasota via the club, how about the impact that this club has had on the charitable organizations in this town?
Literally millions of dollars have been generated for those in our community who are sick, young, abused, neglected or in need due to the generosity of this group. As corporate neighbors go, this group is world-class.
And, speaking of world-class, how about building the Tennis Gardens, hosting a professional tennis tournament two months later and pulling it off without a hitch? Seems I remember a bunch of grumbling about traffic and parking prior to the tournament but none after. Not only did it do all this, but it was recognized by the United States Tennis Association as a facility of the year, unheard of for a brand-new facility. When the club does something, it does it well.
You have as your neighbor an organization that wants to build a world-class facility, has proven that it knows how to do it and is willing to do it in an economy such as this and is asking for no taxpayer money to do so. In addition, you have a member of the community that truly gives back, more so than perhaps any other in this region. I'm fairly certain there are communities all over the world who would relish the opportunity to have this group as a neighbor. On the other hand, you have an island that is losing resorts, businesses, hotel rooms, shops, amenities, doctors, dentists, property values and, let's face it, some of its allure.
My questions to you are these: Have you given thought to the future of the island if this project is not approved? What will draw people to this island? Can an antiquated facility draw new visitors? At what point does functional obsolescence make remodeling of the existing facility, as it stands, fiscally irresponsible for the owner of the club? What happens then? You have a tremendous neighbor in Loeb (owner of the club), one who wants to create a world-class resort that will be a catalyst for a re-awakening of this island, who is a tremendous asset to our community as a whole and is asking for nothing from you in return other than the right to do so. Who might the next neighbor be?
With an aging and outdated facility such as this, it could very well be someone who will squeeze every last penny out of the facility as it stands and do the minimum needed to keep it up and running. 'Twas a wise man who said, "Be careful what you wish for." You will have won your fight and then perhaps the only thing that will be asked of you is a name change: "Budget Inn on The Beach," anyone?
Thomas W. Cail III
+ Islandside renewal: common sense and some nonsense
Dear Editor:
When the Longboat Key Club's proposal for the Islandside redevelopment first surfaced last year, I was as skeptical as many. Then I put my bias aside and really looked into it. I read the original filing in its entirety. I read the letters on both sides of the issue in the local papers, met with club officials, played golf with opponents and ultimately decided that the opportunity to have $400 million invested in renewing a major facility on the island had numerous positives and few true negatives.
I use the word "true" deliberately, as there has been a great deal of misunderstanding, distortion and misrepresentation coming from those who oppose the redevelopment. They have hired lawyers to throw procedural roadblocks in the way of reaching the filing and public-hearing stage. The fog and confusion being sewn is intended to frighten fellow citizens and intimidate the commission into making decisions based upon the desires of a few and not upon legality or what is in the best interest of Longboat Key going forward. Let's examine specifics:
The median age on Longboat Key in the 2000 census was 67-plus. Some of the condominiums on the beach are nearing 30 years. The golf membership at the Key Club has declined 33% since 2000, and, of those remaining, the majority appears to be more than 70 years old. Aging facilities do not improve without investment, and communities need to continually attract new people to carry on and revitalize.
Visitors can be a nuisance, but we need tourists to bolster our tax revenues and support the dwindling number of merchants that we, as residents, want to have available to us. Some tourists come here as meeting attendees. If other resorts and communities are perceived as more attractive, partly because Longboat has allowed itself to deteriorate or has inadequate facilities, we lose revenue and services. Or our taxes go up. Or both. And, if we (or our estates) want to sell our residences, we are better served by being located in a fresh, exciting community where values are rising rather than stagnating.
There has been considerable noise coming from residents of L'Ambiance, The Pierre and Sanctuary that two eight-story buildings 900 feet away in the direction of Gulf of Mexico Drive will spoil their view. Not that the right to any view is a fundamental right under law. Their desire to assert their wishes as a few individuals to something not assured in their condominium covenants, even if it causes future harm to the rest of the island, is not something to admire.
It's so big it defies description
Longboat Key currently has 6,058 condominium units. The club's proposal adds two buildings totaling 132 units, two town-house-style condos totaling 10 units and 34 condo residences as a part of a new hotel.
Something in the order of 3% of total Longboat Key condos. Yep, seems huge to me.
Opponents have tried to turn a new meeting center into a convention center simply by calling it that over and over. This semantic trick doesn't fly. I don't know what conventions they have attended, but it is doubtful they were housed in 17,000 square feet spread over two floors. This is a meeting center with improved flexibility for the business functions the club is fighting to attract.
If we reject this, "someone" will buy the club and we'll get a better deal.
And if we believe really hard, Tinkerbell will come back to life. Let's live in the real world, people. We have been given a $400 million gift horse that some are urging we not only look in the mouth but kick in the teeth.
Rather than gambling on a hypothetical devil we do not know, let's work together to make promises into commitments and commitments into reality.
Watch out! The club may trick us
Some have expressed the belief that if the club gets the approval to build the residences and hotel, they will, then, not improve the golf course. The plan includes a staging schedule, with the golf course being the first element to be implemented. The commission, through the approval and permitting process, can give this legal force.
A brief word about the Colony
The tragic possible loss of this widely renowned resort makes seizing the Key Club proposal for redevelopment and renewal even more urgent.
Let's have an honest discussion
Exaggerations and distortions are not a positive path to progress.
Nor is threatening businesses with retribution if they support one side or another. Nor is pressuring businesses to advertise only with certain media perceived to oppose the redevelopment.
The Town Commission's responsibility
• Is the density the club has requested a permitted use?
• Is the proposed redevelopment positive for Longboat Key and all its citizens now and for the next decades?
• Is there a positive impact upon the tax base?
The town itself independently studied the density issue in 2002 (the Pomeroy Report) and concluded it had the legal authority to approve up to 696 additional units at this property. The commission should not let itself be distracted by lawyers' dizzying barrage of code citations, outdated memoranda, etc., and should keep focused on the underlying legality. And, it should remain focused on what is right for the entire length and breadth of Longboat Key, not upon the limited desires of a handful.
Our beautiful island has a golden opportunity to renew and revitalize. Let's not let it pass us by.
Terry Gans
Longboat Key
+ Americans should employ offshore drilling methods, too
Dear Editor:
Let's see if I got this straight. China is helping Cuba drill for oil off the coast of Florida, and the current administration is giving money to Brazil to drill for oil off of its shores. But it's not OK for Americans to drill off of ours. If the environmentalists, "greens" and tree-huggers are against drilling for oil off the coast of Florida, then I'm all for it. Drill, drill, drill!
Milan V. Adrian
Longboat Key
*Disclaimer: Please let it be known that my husband, Milan Adrian's, comments in past, current or future letters to the editor do not reflect my own views or attitude.
Linda Adrian
Longboat Key
+ We are opposed to offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico
Dear Editor:
We are adamantly opposed to any offshore oil and/or gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. All efforts should be focused on developing alternative sources of fuel and not on prolonging our dependence on fossil fuels.
The placement of oil-and-gas rigs three-to-nine miles offshore will be visible from shore. No offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Pat and Ed Zunz
Longboat Key
+ Key needs to be receptive to cell-phone ordinance
Dear Editor:
I have lived on Longboat Key for many years and think it is a wonderful place to live, but it better start living in the present or things will only change for the worse as time goes by.
We have fewer restaurants, an almost empty shopping center at Publix, only one service station with no mechanic on the island (we had three stations in the past, one of which had a mechanic on duty) and now we have an ongoing battle over a cell-phone tower, which is sorely needed to bring cell-phone performance on the island to a normal level. The cell phone has become an integral part of our ability to communicate.
What will happen the first time there is an accident or other emergency on the island and people trying to report it to authorities cannot get through to the police or fire department to respond? I bet the powers that be hope they, a friend or relative are never a victim in a case like that. Let's get with it, commissioners, and let Longboat Key get in sync with the world. Either find another method of making transmission possible or put up a tower and join the 21st century.
I found it almost humorous to read the article on the following page, "Town feels pressure of federal demands," which stated that there is criticism of the "Welcome to Longboat Key" signs being developed as they have been likened to choices "that belong in a cemetery." Maybe if our attitudes don't change that would be appropriate.
Larry Simonds
Longboat Key


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The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether a Minnesota law banning political items in and near polling places violates free speech rights.
The high court announced Nov. 13 that it accepted the Minnesota Voters Alliance appeal from the 8th U.S.Circuit Court of Appeals, which had upheld the law. The alliance sued several Twin Cities election officials and Secretary of State Steve Simon.
It is one of three free speech cases the court put on its docket for early 2018.
Minnesota law prohibits anyone within 100 feet of polling places on election day from wearing "a political badge, political button or other insignia."
The alliance says the law violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment free speech rights.
Andrew Cilek, an alliance official, went to a polling place in 2010 and was temporarily prevented from voting because he wore a T-shirt proclaiming "Don't tread on me," with a logo for the Tea Party, court documents indicate. He also wore a badge saying "Please ID me," a slogan supporting a voter identification law, with Election Integrity Watch's website and telephone number printed on it.
While the appeals judges said the law is constitutional, the alliance claims that other federal and courts have upheld free speech in similar cases.
The alliance said the case is important because nine other states have laws similar to Minnesota.
The election officials have responded by saying a polling place is "a nonpublic forum in which speech restrictions are constitutional as long as they are reasonable and viewpoint neutral." They point to court decisions that back their side.
People wearing articles that are not allowed typically are asked to cover up the material, then may vote.
State officials say that besides apparel, the law prohibits campaign literature from groups that hold political views.
Appeals judges upheld the Minnesota law in 2013 and 2017, saying it helps maintain order in polling places.


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text: Researchers in Japan and at Penn State have come up with a ceramic material that allows people to heat up their food twice as fast, allowing them to spend less time staring at the microwave and more time living their (read: our) rich, fulfilling lives. The new cookers are made up of 20% magnetite and 80% petalite, which unlike traditional bowls, heat up alongside the food so that the food isn't passing off heat by warming up the bowl. As an added bonus, the container stays hot for 15 minutes, meaning you really need oven mitts to transport this thing, Jason Statham style. If you can't wait for technology to catch up here, it's already on sale in Japan. [Live Science]


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Update: Nico, the deaf shelter dog whose photo inspired online rescue community, has a new home in Indiana
Last year, guest blogger Janet Kinosian shared the story of Nico, a shelter dog who was rescued through the efforts of Southern California rescuers and a community of animal-loving Facebook users. Since then, Nico's story has gotten even better; here, Kinosian fills us in on what's been going on in the life of this hard-luck dog who became one of the luckiest couch potatoes in Indiana.
Remember Nico, the defeated deaf white Dogo Argentino at South Los Angeles animal shelter -- who moved so many people with the sad photo of him first posted on Facebook? Nico, the forlorn animal who evoked the agony and utter defeat so many discarded animals must experience? Well, it's a joy to update you on Nico's life.
Just look at these two photos side by side: Can this possibly be the same animal?
Photos like the one on the left aren't anything new on the Web: Tens of thousands flood Facebook alone on a daily basis. What was different about Nico's photo, though, was what it captured: the loneliness of an animal that lay against the shelter's wall full of sadness, seeming to have lost all hope. That only spurred on Southern California rescuers.
And that's where the photo on the right comes in.
Things have worked out well for Nico SwanGarris. That's his new name and he lives now with his two moms and new sister, Brisby, a pit bull mix who is also deaf and white, in Indiana. He still loves balls, baths and life as a major couch potato, says Bridget Swan, who, with her partner Melissa, adopted Nico in November 2009.
Last August, Southern California animal rescuer Nikki Audet first posted Nico's photo on Facebook, and Kelley Gibson, a rescuer and animal transporter based in a San Diego, helped get him to the Hamilton County Humane Society in Indianapolis. Nico likely didn't know how lucky a hand he'd been dealt.
He quickly went through training to help him with issues resulting from his deafness and teach him how to navigate in a world of sound. His bumps and nicks and battle scars were attended to. He was happy and safe when Bridget and Melissa decided they wanted to adopt a dog, and Bridget's friend said she should see this dog at the local humane society.
Swan remembers that, at first, the animal agency was a bit wary of her adopting Nico. She didn't understand why until she was clued in by shelter staff that Nico was a bit of a celebrity and they wanted to make sure she was adopting him for the right reasons.
These days Nico walks in parades with his new moms, "loves to sit up close on your feet so he knows when you are walking away," says Swan, and "in general is 100% low-key. He'll get a wild hair in him once in a while, but he's a mellow guy, and he deserves it after all he went through back then. He just loves people -- despite whatever was done to him -- and gives lots of kisses. He's very generous and free with his kisses. He's just so dependent on us, and he likes to hang with you 24/7."
Nico has had one setback: A cancerous tumor was discovered and removed shortly after his adoption. Recently, Swan and Garris learned that the cancer has returned, but they remain optimistic about his future. "We are attempting a holistic approach so that we can hopefully avoid an ear amputation," Swan says. "We know that he will beat this just like all the other terrible things he has put up with in the past. He is a loving fighter and is strong."
According to Swan, finding toys for Nico can be a bit of a problem, as he loves and chews up Kongs, bones and anything he can wrap his canines around. He also has hundreds of fans on Facebook who hear about his daily happenings and send him messages of love and support.
Asked what Nico might say now that he's safe and sound, Swan replies: "The main message is this: Just because it's a cute small dog or puppy doesn't mean it'll be your best companion. Go for the downtrodden, defeated dogs, look at the underdog, because they will give you all their love and gratitude and forever be grateful you literally saved their life."
So this soulful, special dog, once full of sadness, now lives out the good life in the Midwest. It's the happy story ending all dog rescuers wish for but often don't always see -- though every animals deserve nothing less. We're wishing Nico a happy, healthy and cancer-free future!
-- Janet Kinosian
Janet Kinosian has written freelance for the Los Angeles Times, L.A. Times Magazine and L.A. Times Syndicate for 18 years. In addition to reporting, she's a media consultant who can be reached at JanetKinosian.com.
Top left photo: Nikki Audet
Top right photo: Deena Crouch
Family photo of Nico with his adopters and "sister," Brisby: Akasha Thorpe
All other photos: Bridget Swan


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Belovers of kitsch and naff! Here's your new object of desire: the Jellyfish lamp. It absorbs light and then glows in the dark "very exquisitely," says the manufacturer. And you can even change the light to any of the seven colors available.
Of course, they are not real jelly fishes in that plexiglas. They only use the real jelly fishes as molds for the lamps. Which, mind you, it's good enough for me. The size goes from 3.75 inches to 7 inches, ranging from $35 to $170. [The Amazing Jelly Fish via Oh! Gizmo]