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Thursday, January 24, 2013
* Snow Day Play: Make Ice Animal Balls with Balloons and Water.
Temperatures have been in the teens and twenties all week
and we finally got our first snow last night.
We needed some fun winter distraction to fight cabin fever
and decided to take advantage of the freezing outdoor temperatures.
"E" brainstormed this idea yesterday afternoon and I went along with it.
She's my partner in crafty-fun-crime!
We raided the birthday party decoration box for some balloons in less-desirable colors.
Then we carefully inserted some small plastic toys inside them.
I held the opening of the balloon apart while my daughter slipped in each toy.
Then, we used the sink to fill them (just like making water balloons.)
I would be lying if I told you we stayed dry --
two different times we didn't get the balloon hooked onto the faucet correctly
and ended up spraying the whole bathroom and ourselves!
(and the poor dog because she has to be wherever we are)
After mopping up the bathroom (twice!)
we set our water balloons out on the deck to freeze overnight.
This morning, after breakfast, we peeled off the balloons on two of our
ice balls and took them upstairs for some bathtub play.
We're planning to unwrap the rest in the next day or two.
They're really lovely -- like handblown glass paperweights.
I can think of all kinds of beautiful things to freeze in these balloons
including real or fake flowers and leaves,
small insects, buttons and marbles, etc.
The girls love them and they were a fun and easy snow day activity!
Stay warm my friends!
Pink and Green Mama
Sunday, January 20, 2013
* This Year's Stitched Heart Valentines: Recycle Artwork to Make Easy and Beautiful Cards!
Today we decided to make one of our favorite kinds of homemade Valentines --
stitched heart Valentines made with fun scraps from old art projects,
paint samples, maps, and watercolored coffee filters, and fun paper scraps!
I first debuted this project on my blog here in 2010.
We love them so much, we decided to make them again.
This year's scrap heart pile was so pretty on my desk that I took a photo!
I'm thinking it would make a cute screensaver for my computer this month.
Same technique as last time.
We cut hearts out of scraps of fun paper then laid them out on some
plain white cards from the craft store (you could also just fold a piece of paper.)
If cutting out hearts isn't your thing, you could use a heart shaped craft punch!
I used hot pink thread this year (red last time) in the sewing machine.
Just sew a straight line through the paper to stitch the hearts in place on the card.
Trim the excess threads - be careful they can come un-stitched easily
if you pull the thread too hard. You could put a little tiny dot of glue on the thread ends
on the inside of the card if you were worried about them unraveling.
Close-up of my yellow and gray heart on a creamy, pale yellow card.
We even stitched up this heart that was from a cut up/re-cycled washi tape picture!
Got wild and crazy and made one card with not one,
but three(!) rows of stitched hearts.
They remind me of balloons!
A cute little set of homemade valentine cards, ready to send!
These sweet little cards also make great thank you notes,
mother's day cards, birthday cards,
and anniversary cards for your sweet heart.
I made one for my husband a few years ago with a heart
cut from a map of our honeymoon destination.
Happy Homemade Valentine Making!
Pink and Green Mama,
Labels: Create, Holidays, Homemade Cards, Mother's Day, Paint Sample Crafts, Recycle Crafts, Sewing Fun, Valentine's Day
Saturday, January 19, 2013
* Blog Makeover and Update
Some of you may have noticed that my blog has been acting a bit strangely over the past few days.
Your mind is not playing tricks on you -- I've been typing away like a crazy woman trying to fix my blog. A few days ago half of my blog disappeared along with my blog designer from 5 years ago. She vanished and so did half of my stuff. It left me scrambling to fix everything and if we're being honest,
I'm much more comfortable with felt and Mod Podge than I am with coding and computer stuff! I decided to use the "opportunity" that was given to me as a chance to make a fresh start for the new year. I'm doing some blog housekeeping and fixing some glitches that have been neglected for a while.
I always clean out the house and purge a lot of stuff around the holidays to take back some of my OCD control over the clutter and chaos of the holidays. I take down holiday decorations and streamline countertops and bookshelves. I frequently rearrange furniture this time of year to create more space. I'm also streamlining my blog and clearing some clutter as well. You should see underneath my bathroom cabinets and my closets right now -- they're awesome! I hope you all like the new design and format.
I'm doing the best I can here but I also have a house to run, a dog to walk, art lessons to teach at school, and kids to raise so it's taking a bit longer than I would like. Please be patient with any funny spots or glitches you may encounter on my site right now!
I'm also in the middle of planning birthday parties for both girls. As you know, we like to do fun themed parties every year with lots of personalized touches. The girls have birthdays that are exactly two weeks apart so I'm gearing up for a double header of birthday parties as well as making class valentines and fixing my blog mess! Thank goodness they have small parties with their most special friends, otherwise I'd have a nervous breakdown right now. I'm excited to see where this new year goes, I have a lot of fun project ideas I'm looking forward to sharing with you.
In the meantime, here's a sneak peek of the homemade felt birthday banners, I've been working on this week. If you follow me on Instagram, I shared this photo earlier this week before the blog crash. I'm PINKANDGREENMAMA on Instagram if you want to follow me -- I apologize for the all caps, it looks like I'm yelling.
"E" is planning an Ocean Themed bash for her 10th birthday in March with blue and green as the color scheme. "C" is planning a pink and purple Rapunzel Princess party for her 6th birthday in February. I'm making them each a new banner since our original Rainbow birthday banner doesn't really match their parties!
Thanks for sticking with me. New fun stuff is on it's way, I promise!
Pink and Green Mama
Labels: Fun With Felt
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
* Get Organized For the New Year! What to do with Kid's Toys, Art Supplies, School Papers and More...
The Pink and Green Mama house has been stuffed to the gills all month with Christmas decorations, food, crafts, out of town relatives, family, friends, and gifts! Now we are settling back into a normal routine and cleaning up the house to enjoy a quiet and reflective new year. I always like to work on organization and streamlining projects around the house in the month of January. A bit of out with the old (hello Freecycle and Goodwill!), re-arrange the old to make it feel new (I love to rearrange rooms, closets, and baskets),and find homes for new toys and stuff that arrived with the holidays. Organizing and de-cluttering have always been two of my favorite things (in addition to nesting, arts and crafts, gardening, and cooking yummy homemade food)
Today I'm rounding up some highlights from posts over the past 5 years to share some
of my favorite organizing tips and tricks from around our house, playroom, and art studio.
I hope it inspires you or helps you think of new ways to rearrange toys, craft supplies,
or memories in a way that is easy, affordable, and completely do-able. You don't have to do it all in one day. As I like to say, organizing my house is like eating an elephant, I can only do it one tiny bite at a time!
Here are my TOP 12 Organization Posts
* Tame the Playroom Clutter *
* Organize Those Toys and Collections! *
* Tame the School Paper Messes *
* Eliminate Magazine Piles *
* Corral Art and Craft Supplies *
This post is a mini tour of some of our successful kid-friendly spaces in our home.
What works best in our house is to use a classroom model.
All of our spaces are:
Kid-Friendly, Proportional, Accessible, and Organized.
My labeled basket and bin system that we've used for the past 5 years in our playroom.
Easy for friends, pre-readers, and babysitters to know where everything is
and most importantly how to clean it all up again!
This post shares how I organized my own Barbie Doll clothes when I was
a little girl in a set of big binders. The girls love this system!
This is what we do with our American Girl Doll-sized clothing,
accessories, and baby doll clothes.
Who knew a bean bag slip cover would be Mommy's favorite organizing trick?!
Out of sight but accessible. Helps with the dust.
This post highlights our daughter's Rocks, Minerals, and Fossil Collection
and....for a homemade eco-friendlystorage solution try
These boxes hold collections of tiny things in our house like coins, shells,
novelty erasers, Bakugans, Marbles, etc...
When everything you need for a project is in one place,
it's much easier to sit down and create something when inspiration strikes!
We use a "color box" system that I used in my art classroom
and a magazine holder box system for easy kid access.
An easy to maintain system for keeping all of those school photos,
awards, and special memories at your fingertips.
Why not set up a letter writing center for your kids?
It's a great way to write thank you notes and get teach the lost art of letter writing.
One line a day, how easy is that? Just think how many
memories and little moments of your children's lives you can capture this way?!
Mine is on my bedside table.
12. Clutter Busting:
I've used this binder system for my ridiculous magazine habit
for the past 10 years and it still works like a charm!
Here's to a happy, healthy, and organized 2013!
Pink and Green Mama
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To celebrate Women's History Month, Lisa Alzo at The Accidental Genealogist has outlined 31 blogging prompts in a series titled Fearless Females.
Day 4 – Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.
These are records from the marriage of John William McCauley and Verda Waller Hankins, my paternal grandparents. The marriage bond was signed in Hopkins County, Kentucky on 26 Sep 1904 by the groom and the father of the bride (Thomas Leander "Lee" Hankins).
The marriage license was issued on the day the bond was signed and the wedding took place the next day on 27 Sep 1904 at the home of the bride's parents in Earlington. The ceremony was performed by James H. Dame who, no doubt, was a friend of the bride's father. Lee Hankins and Dame both belonged to the General Baptist Ministers Association. Witnesses were W. T. Hodges and Samuel Wyatt. Wyatt was married to Lee Hankins' cousin, Dicie Goodloe, but the relationship, if any, with Hodges is unknown.
This clipping announcing the marriage was published in the Earlington Bee on 29 Sep 1904.
Click on images for a larger version.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK, New York — A day after a double whammy of bad news, General Motors had something to cheer Tuesday: its June sales.
The automaker said June sales rose 1% from a year earlier, marking its best performance for the month since 2007.
"I'm pleased with the numbers across the board. I was looking for GM's June sales to be down 5 or 6%," said George Magliano, auto economist at IHS Global Insight.
The improved figures come after more than 27 million GM vehicles have been recalled in the U.S. this year. That includes 7.6 million vehicles announced Monday, part of worldwide recalls totaling 8.4 million.
The company has recalled nearly as many cars in 2014 as all automakers did in the record year for recalls, 2004.
GM has come under intense scrutiny for a decade-long delay in publicly revealing an ignition switch flaw that resulted in at least 13 deaths and numerous injuries. The company retained attorney Ken Feinberg to develop a victim compensation plan, which he outlined Monday.
But there hasn't been a noticeable impact in the showroom.
In particular, its Buick brand had its best sales since 2006. Deliveries were up 18% from a year ago, driven by an 82% increase in sales of the Encore, its small crossover SUV.
It was also the strongest June in 7 years for Chrysler, whose sales were up 9%.
Ford reported a 6% decline in sales last month that Magliano of IHS called "disappointing". But despite that overall decline, Ford said its Fusion and Transit models had their best June ever.
Asian automakers also reported gains in June. Nissan's sales were up 5.3%, Toyota's sales were up 3.3%, and Hyundai's June sales gained 3.7% from a year ago.
One particularly weak report came from Volkswagen. U.S. sales plunged 22% from a year ago, despite starting delivery of its all new Golf GTI model.


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Presentation by Kurtis L. Schroeder, Cropping Systems Agronomist & Plant Pathologist, on Soilborne Diseases of Cereals: Identification and Management for the Integrated Pest Management Website hosted by Umatilla County Extension Service.
Turfgrasses and Lawn Care in Eastern Oregon
Today, turfgrass is the single largest irrigated crop in the United States and covers three times the land area of any other cultivated crop. An estimated 40.5 million acres of grasses are planted in residential, commercial and...
How to establish a wine grape vineyard
While the type of soil is important, location takes precedence when starting a vineyard for wine production.
I have droopy asparagus, what can I do?
Q: We have had a wonderful patch of Jersey Giant asparagus for the past twenty five years. This year, we have something "infecting" a few of the clumps of our asparagus and we can't identify it. It appears to be some kind of wilt or virus?
My pears have rust, what can I do?
Q: Last year crop was a total failure due to this. This year I have gently removed close to 6 small fruit starts. I just found some leaves on the pear with these spores. I have been treating the soil and the tree with...
Blueberry bacterial and fungal diseases
Pacific Northwest blueberry growers must identify and control a number of bacterial and fungal diseases in order to ensure the highest yields. Fortunately, only a few of the diseases that occur on highbush blueberry in this region cause significant losses when left unchecked.
How to collect a plant specimen for disease diagnosis
A guide for how to collect and where to get a sample analyzed for plant diseases.
Greenhouse Tomato Production in Oregon
Tomatoes are the most commonly produced greenhouse vegetable crop. Although greenhouse promoters claim each plant can produce 30 or more pounds of marketable fruit per year, that level of production is only possible with very ...
How hormones and growth regulators affect your plants
Plant hormones and growth regulators are chemicals that affect flowering, aging, root growth, distortion and killing of organs, prevention or promotion of stem elongation, color enhancement of fruit, prevention of leafing and/or leaf fall, and many other conditions.


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Psycadelik Thoughtz
Tighter Slim Fit T-Shirt
Beautiful Girl Gold Plated Necklace
That is funny, Bobby comes out with amazing music, cool video game, awesome gear and a amazing cd which is the greatest. 1st it was the UGK era(UGK 4 Life) but now its the B.O.B era and i will always support Bobby.
damn funny!!! this made my day


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PORTSMOUTH — No one would have blamed the Portsmouth High School football team for taking a knee.
Up by six points in with 38 seconds to go in the first half of their annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl against Dover on Thursday, the Clippers took over on their own 30 yard line following a Green Wave punt. Portsmouth was five days removed from winning its second straight Division III championship and were nine starters. A number of those who took the field were hoping to avoid injury and be healthy for winter sports.
Call it a half and head to the locker room, right? Not Portsmouth on Thursday. The Clippers twice threw deep with the hope of building a bigger lead at the break. Although the drive did not end in a score, it showed that Portsmouth had come to play.
"Every single time we run the two-minute offense, it's always to score," Portsmouth quarterback Donovan Phanor said. "Never a field goal, never something like that. It's always a touchdown. We're going for points."
The Clippers went on to win 27-14 at Tom Daubney Field and snapped Dover's three-game winning streak in the teams' seven-year Thanksgiving series, which ended with Thursday morning's contest.
"Coming into the game it kind of felt like we were just going to go through the motions," Portsmouth sophomore running back Mikel Toar said. "But first play of the game, we turned it on. We definitely wanted to win and end the season on a good note."
That they did. After an exhausting 54-27 win over Goffstown in the D-III championship game last Saturday, Portsmouth finished the season 10-2 with wins over a pair of teams (Londonderry and Dover) in larger-school divisions.
Portsmouth coach Bill Murphy said it was his offensive coaches' decision not to take a knee to end the first half.
"I think they had the mind set that we wanted to win this game," Murphy said. "We wanted to prove that we were a good football team. We had an opportunity to get some points and they rolled the dice."
Portsmouth's effort on Thursday was in stark contrast to how it performed in the same game one year earlier. On that day, both teams were coming off championship-game experiences. Dover, which had lost at Bishop Guertin in the D-II final, stormed back from a 14-6 halftime deficit to win 41-21.
"I'll tell you what, it would have been sour not to win this game," Phanor said. "The championship game was a great game and having come here and get beat by Dover, it wouldn't have been good."
Dover, which missed the playoffs and hence had more than two weeks to focus solely on Portsmouth, finished the season at 3-8.
The Green Wave struggled all morning to find any type of offensive groove. A 72-yard pass from Derek Stegman to Jarrett Hudson set up a 9-yard touchdown run by Kyle Seawards which cut Portsmouth's lead to 21-14 early in the fourth quarter. A Seawards interception on Portsmouth's next drive gave Dover some hope for a late-game comeback, but the Green Wave quickly turned the ball back over to the Clippers with a fumble four plays later.
After the game, Dover coach Ken Osbon had high praise for Portsmouth defensive lineman Ricky Holt, who had three sacks and a key deflection that led to a Clipper interception and touchdown that shut the door on the Green Wave.
"Today we couldn't handle their defensive front," Osbon said. "Ricky Holt's a player. We knew about him, we had a scheme against him and our kids just physically weren't able to handle him."
Portsmouth came to play
PORTSMOUTH — No one would have blamed the Portsmouth High School football team for taking a knee.


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Thursday, January 08, 2009
Harper's New Calculus
A reaction to a strengthened Liberal Party, the new approach could be a seen as a recognition that the Conservatives understand they are now dealing with a different animal, one that is better placed to replace them. Ignatieff is already on record, saying the Liberals won't tolerate continual confidence motions, so there is some logic in believing Harper is merely responding to a new landscape. There is probably some merit in that view, although I think the changing tactics are indicative of something else.
The government may have calculated, that their best hope with the Canadian people is too look conciliatory and non-confrontational. Dumping confidence motions at every turn, is a way to denote a serious agenda, that doesn't voluntarily seek conflict, but wishes to govern by finding common ground. A healthy dose of cynicism, any epiphany on this score is surely a political survival tactic, rather than genuine want. Whatever, moving away from constant conflict, would probably help Harper reshape his badly damaged image. Again, I see some merit in this particular impetus for the new approach, but it's only part of the story.
I believe, the most credible rationale for the changed approach, the Harper government merely wants to wait out the economy. Harper's latest interview on the economy offers some clues, as the Prime Minister sees a relatively strong position, that should result in a less protracted downturn. In other words, Harper sees a light at the end of the tunnel, which is politically advantageous. Avoid confrontation in the short term, don't allow election justification, and then when things start to turn around, revert back to previous form. At this point, the government would have a compelling argument, they could take credit for any perceived turnaround, a sense that the worst is behind us, their policies having helped the situation. A risky assumption, because nobody really knows the depth and length of this downturn, but clearly Harper is counting on some rebound in the not to distant future. Whatever the odds, it's probably the government's best hope, so operating within that scenario, does make sense politically.
This government will avoid non-confidence motions because it fears going to the polls in the present circumstance. In essence, Harper will try to ride out the economy, dance with the opposition, until he sees a future opportunity. I don't buy a "different approach", in the sense that it has nothing to do with good government, but what is good for the government, entirely motivated by self interest. Harper will look the "team" player, because that is what he needs, until the economy gives rise to reasonable optimism. "We made it through the worst of this crisis under this government, and our sound management deserves partial credit for our ability to come through it". To my mind, that is the preferred slogan for the next election, and everything will be done in the intermediary to ensure avoidance, until the time is right when the desired sales job finds empirical backing.
27 comments:
- CuriosityCat said...
My reading is that Harper (unlike some Liberals) understands the potency of the Accord signed by the three opposition parties, and fears that his government will simply be replaced (without an election being called, because of the recent election) by the Governor General calling on the leader of the Liberal Party to form a new, replacement government, should the Tories lose a confidence vote.
Harper is a fairly astute political animal, and understands the reality of power. The power equation is against him, as long as the Accord continues.
The day that the Accord ends, Harper will once again have the upper hand, and his bullying will start again.
- 12:27 PM, January 08, 2009
- Unknown said...
I think Mr. Harper expects Mr. Ignatieff will support the budget to avoid a coalition, which might reflect poorly on Iggy (and also having to wear the recession).
It looks to me like the budget will not have much that the opposition is calling for, but rather more tax cuts. This won't appear as partisan as a poison pill, but it still makes it hard(er) for the Liberals to support it, if it's too different from their vision.
In short, I think Harper will DARE Iggy to bring him down. And I'm conflicted on whether he should or not.
- 12:43 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
"It looks to me like the budget will not have much that the opposition is calling for"
What newspapers do you read?
- 1:20 PM, January 08, 2009
- Susan said...
I'm with the Rational Number. They're setting it up in the media to deliver a watered down stimulus package and to corner the Liberals into having to appear 'reasonable. The phrase of the day 'long term deficit'. Anything they don't want to do they'll say will contribute to a long-term deficit. They will do the corporate and business tax cuts they've always wanted to do and count on the public not noticing that after the personal tax cuts their pay check is only up by 5 cents. That's what they did last time and that's what Flaherty has been setting up in his speeches.
- 1:40 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
If the budget even remotely resembles what you're suggesting, then we are in for an election, or coalition. Cornered?
I'm sorry, but I honestly don't get any sense of Harper daring anyone on the budget, more likely he looks like a guy just trying to survive. What happens after is anyone's guess, but thinking Harper enters this budget from a position of strength is just nonsense IMHO.
- 1:47 PM, January 08, 2009
- Unknown said...
Chantal Hebert wrote about it:
- 2:01 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
Well, that's interesting that you cite an article which undercuts your initial point:
"Yet the odds that Stephen Harper's Conservatives will produce a budget later this month that the Liberals will not be able to support have also been going down with every passing day.
The government can't afford to earn a second consecutive failing grade on the budget front."
Doesn't quite jive with your comment:
"It looks to me like the budget will not have much that the opposition is calling for"
- 2:19 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
Also, the idea that Harper would change gears, force an election, when the economy hits bottom, defies the most basic of logic. Yes, let's head to the polls, when everyday will be filled with poor economic data, always a winner for the incumbent party. More likely, Harper will change his tune when things start to look up, the indicators turn.
- 2:21 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
Steve you basically paint a case as to how the longer WE WAIT to have an election the better it is for Harper. If you are against bringing him down now when he's most vulnerable, WHEN do you suggest trigering an election that will MOST advantageous to US as Liberals?
It now seems evident the budget vote will be the ONLY confidence vote of the coming session. So it's bring him down now or wait till the fall (unless Harper does as Hebert says and calls one himself if he's riding high) for our next chance. In the fall the only confidence vote may be the throne speech and you've already said how ridiculous you thought it would be to trigger an election over a throne speech. So then that takes us to Budget 2010. By that point the economy may well have mostly recovered (or at least be on the mend) and we may have lost our best chance.
I think we have to take a long view here, but I'm curious as to your take on this.
- 2:43 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
There are plenty of opportunities to take down a government, whenever you choose, opposition days being the most obvious, so I'm not too worried about Harper denying us any opportunity, only that he won't seek confrontation.
My view is that the Liberals pretty much have to support this budget, particularly when it will address some of our demands (hopefully not all, because we don't want to "wear" anything, just enough that it appears we swallow, with reservations). People can debate supporting it, in my mind the coalition is 99.36% dead, and the option of an election is remote. Reaching that conclusion, I would argue we use the next couple months to get some serious candidates in place (an election now, you'd basically have most of the same people just rejected), I suspect Ignatieff can attract a good slate, raise some money, develop a platform, and then be ready to move at the end of the spring session or the fall. I think the fall is the optimal time, because of the economy and our readiness. Waiting much longer than that, might play into the scenario I suggested in this post.
- 2:54 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
That's a fair view. Not sure we'll get to use our opposition days though, Harper could just delay them and prorogue again. The precedent is there it would odd for Jean to refuse him next time.
With luck he could get through this session without having faced a confidence vote and then prorogue until Jan for Budget 2010.
The one thing that motivates me to want to see Harper voted down now is that I believe Jean would face overwhelming pressure to bend to all the precedents that exist and let the coalition govern (she does have constitutional advisors who know quite well that public opinion should irrelevant to her view).
I know the coalition only has 40% support or so but it would force a conservative leadership race and infighting of the like we've never seen.
First and foremost I'd like to see Harper's career ended rather than give him another chance. Anything that see him out of politics at the soonest possible opportunity I think benefits the Liberals.
- 3:00 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
If Harper tries to prorogue again, I think you have a strong argument that Canada has a government in name only, it isn't doing the people's work and you force the issue. The only reason prorogue was accepted this time, was because it avoided a coalition, which people didn't generally support, it was an extraordinary moment. If Harper pulls that again in the fall, if anything, it strengthens our hand.
One other point to consider, and we will no more in the coming months, the economy may not rebound for quite some time, some see 2010 as just as bad, if not worse, so we can reaccess.
I want Harper gone too, the sooner the better. My hesitation, you don't want an election where he can use the coalition against us, still fresh, coupled with the simple fact that we really aren't in the best possible shape to fight another one right now. If the budget is obnoxious, then I'd reconsider, but assuming it isn't, if you want Harper gone, a brief pause to get our house in order, seems the best move from here.
- 3:11 PM, January 08, 2009
- CuzBen said...
The "sit tight, play nice" strategy makes the most sense for Harper, as you say Steve, and I tend to agree with your budget predictions. But I thought the very same thing after the election and we all know how that turned out. Never underestimate the stupidity of this young government. They have opposition in their blood and can't seem to resist pettiness. Curiosity Cat said that Harper "is a fairly astute political animal and understands the reality of power." I disagree wholeheartedly. I would say that Harper is an obsessed political animal who neglects the reality of power. His rule has been utterly artless and that's why I'm not 100% convinced he'll do the reasonable thing on Jan 27.
Even if that's the case, I agree that brining them down now is a bad idea. "Poison pills" are confusing to the general public in their details. They will only hear "election" or "coalition": two very nasty words in the minds of the electorate.
Instead, the Liberals should rebuild and reform from the inside out until at least Budget 2010 or even later in that year. That's my bet for the turnaround.
- 3:13 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
Fair points for sure.
With regard to Harper being "astute", I think we give him WAY too much credit. Keeping it real for a second, he came to power mostly because of timing and a convenient RCMP investigation. Since then, Harper has had the benefit of a Liberal Party, weaker than at almost any moment in history, so it's pretty easy to look artful, when you face feeble resistance. Harper was so astute the last election, he voluntarily THREW Quebec away. I would argue that is evidence of a political tin ear, rather than a keen strategist. Harper has since been so astute, that he completely misread the opposition in the fall, and he's now lost the advantage of having a lame duck Dion at the helm, faced with a far more formidable opponent, not distracted by months of leadership wrangling. Harper basically had a free ride for this year, but he blew it, and his reputation has suffered. I'm not saying Harper shouldn't be feared, that he doesn't demonstrate capability, but this notion of shrewd tactician, PLEASE. This isn't the gold standard people, in fact, the evidence suggests ordinary at best.
- 3:22 PM, January 08, 2009
- CuzBen said...
"so it's pretty easy to look artful, when you face feeble resistance"
Tell me about it...;)
- 3:44 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
Again fair points Steve, though I think do think we underestimate the ENORMOUS powers of incumbency, especially of the Prime Minister's office, to control the agenda. As you say Harper has screwed up again and again, but he will do EVERYTHING he can to ensure HE controls the timing of the next election and that it happens on his terms.
We really thought we had him finished in December and now everyone is convinced he'll survive at least until the fall. That's thanks to the powers of the PMO. I still say we are better off if we take those powers away in January when we will have our last chance to do so without an election.
The GG HAS to comply, the meeting didn't take 2 hours with Harper for no reason, she obviously wasn't a complete push over. Both Clarkson and Shreyer (past GG's) have said Jean would have to let the coalition govern if a govt fell within 6 months of an election.
Then WE would control the timing of the next election, not Harper and the coalition would in time be more popular.
- 3:49 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
LOL. Hey, at least he might have a seat now ;)
I'll never under-estimate Harper, because you're right, he'll do whatever he can to ensure the timing suits him (see last election). Part of my point of view, I honestly believe we are at the beginning of a new era for the Liberal Party, so I'm not prepared to accept the past dynamics as necessarily the same in the future.
I'm not so sure on the GG, I think she will take public opinion into consideration and could well allow another election. For me, it isn't as cut and dry as some suggest.
One thing to consider moving forward, if Harper wants to play the "above partisanship" game and look like he is serious about getting things done for the Canadian people, it sort of negates the same sort of attacks we've seen in the past. If the Cons start with the negative ads against Ignatieff, it contradicts the desired appearance, they end up looking small and distracted by nonsense. That's the drawback for the concilatory Harper, if he reverts to aggressive attacks on Ignatieff, it won't work.
- 3:58 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
Anon at 3:49,
You are wrong with your assessment.
"do think we underestimate the ENORMOUS powers of incumbency, especially of the Prime Minister's office, to control the agenda."
A coalition propped up by the Bloc WEAKENS the PMO and is designed to do so PERMANENTLY. The person in charge of the PMO would have been a lame-duck PM Stephane Dion, a leader rejected by the voters and not that popular with the rank-and-file. Unless the Grits are willing to play second fiddle to the Cons in the forseeable future, the coalition is detrimental to the party's prospects.
A coalition government means the use of a PMO as a bully pulpit will be curtailed. This means the coalition CANNOT control the timing of the election (it will be the Bloc) and it cannot dissolve itself until 2011. Thus, the coalition will have to wear the economic recession with a Prime Minister that cannot control the agenda. The agenda is based on the coalition framework promoted by the Grits and the NDP, which is arguably not that well developed.
"The GG HAS to comply"
That is like saying that the GG HAD to allow the coalition to govern INSTEAD of the proroguing Parliament. The GG prerogued Parliament and this is an indication that she may grant Harper the dissolution he wants or threatens, if worse comes to worse.
"Then WE would control the timing of the next election"
No, the next election will have to be at the whim of the Bloc who will be keeping the government alive on supply and confidence measures. Something that the Grits and the NDP will have to disengage themselves with, as the talking points of collaborating with the separatists will persist no matter when the next election is.
- 4:19 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
There was no existing precedents re: prorogation. In fact Harper likely made the case that he technically still enjoyed the confidence of the House since he won the last confidence vote on the throne speech. EVERY precedent from past federal minorities and minorities in other countries with westminister systems has seen the GG/head of state(President/monarch, etc...) ask the opposition if they can form a government if an election has just recently occured.
And Dion is gone so the stuff about lame-duck leader no longer applies. And I think 18 months is more than enough time (which is all the Bloc agreed to) to be in good position to go back to the polls, and the Bloc will respect the deal because they'll fear losing seats to Ignatieff in the next election and will prolong the coalition no matter what it throws at them (essentially they will be powerless). I'd much prefer than then seeing an election called BY harper when it suits him.
- 4:25 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
"And Dion is gone so the stuff about lame-duck leader no longer applies."
From a lame-duck leader to an interim leader who has not been ratified by the party rank-and-file. An interim leader who the junior coalition partner is hostile to working with, due to his pro-American views and his ability to take votes away from the NDP. The coalition benefits the NDP with Dion at the helm, but hurts Layton with Iggy in charge. Much different scenario.
- 4:31 PM, January 08, 2009
- ottlib said...
Remember that just days before the economic update Stephen Harper was talking about uniting with the world to stimulate the global economy. He stated that deficits might be necessary to accomplish this. He also made concilatory noises towards the Opposition.
He then did a complete about face on the economic front and launched a frontal attack on the Opposition.
So, I would not take anything he is saying now seriously or at face value.
Stephen Harper will say and do anything if he believes it will afford him some short-term political gain. All of his public statements and appearances are geared towards that.
So, if you want to really see what he is up to with his recent actions you need to discover what he expects to gain from it politically.
- 4:54 PM, January 08, 2009
- Anonymous said...
"if you want to really see what he is up to with his recent actions you need to discover what he expects to gain from it politically."
Staying in power and ensuring that the likes of Prentice, MacKay, and Baird keep their limos and Cabinet privileges. They are in survival mode.
Harper has been read the riot act. The party grass roots may want to go Sarah Palin, but the risk is too high for a minority government in power. But, Harpo may just be that high risk, high reward politiciaan.
- 6:26 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
"So, if you want to really see what he is up to with his recent actions you need to discover what he expects to gain from it politically."
Ottlib, that's the point of the post. I believe this new tone has everything to do with riding out the economic storm, then reverting back when opportunity arises to claim at least partial victory.
- 6:47 PM, January 08, 2009
- ottlib said...
I am thinking shorter term than that and I believe so is Mr. Harper.
I have been watching him closely for the last few weeks and I think he has taken that old adage "A week is a lifetime in politics" to heart.
I believe he is taking this a week at a time. He is setting weekly political objectives and he is trying to achieve them. If he does achieve them he believes he has won a political victory.
I do not believe that he really has thought as far ahead as you assert here. My belief is the major decisions on the budget have not been taken yet. They will be taken just days before budget day and after he assesses how many weeks he has won since he prorogued the House.
My guess, the budget is going to have a thrown-together-at-the-last-minute feel to it as a result of his current thought processes.
- 7:05 PM, January 08, 2009
- Steve V said...
You may be right, but my view comes from the operating assumption that Harper doesn't want an election this spring. I don't see how the Conservatives could entertain the idea, when they no full well they can't control the pace of any campaign. The numbers are about to get ugly in the coming months, which is the last thing a sitting government wants in the middle of a campaign. An election, during the roughest patch in literally decades, that doesn't fit the controlling mentality, to many unknowns for this lot. That's my view, but I appreciate how others can see it differently.
- 7:21 PM, January 08, 2009
- Unknown said...
IMHO Harper just can't move left at all, not one bit. Maybe its him. Maybe uniting the right changed him, or maybe he thinks he united the right and the center (I'd disagree). Maybe, fresh from the Conservative convention, he feels too much pressure from the further right within his party.
But he can't move left, and can't abandon the right as he understands it.
Suppose Harper went further in wooing Quebec, or Ontario - or anywhere other than the West. How would his supporters within his party feel about him?
He can APPEAR conciliatory, but he CAN'T BE conciliatory without risking dissension. He already APPEARED conciliatory, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice...
I'm optimistic that he can never gain a majority - unless it is given to him by the opposition by mistake.
Finally, I think he hasn't changed his mind from laissez-faire handling of the economy - and IMHO it follows he doesn't see the economy as his problem, but one he must get out of his way to a socially conservative agenda.
- 8:17 PM, January 08, 2009
- ottlib said...
I would agree that your argument is logical but I am not so certain he has thought that far ahead.
When Stephan Harper pretty much had it easy he had the luxury of planning ahead and he rarely did so, more often than not, making decisions that satisfied his short-term political objectives. (And forget about actually governing.)
Now that he has been badly wounded and he is facing a Liberal leader perceived to be more credible it looks to me that he has retreated even further into the short-term.
At least when things were going well he seemed to think a few weeks or even months in advance. Now he does not seem to be even thinking beyond next week.
The constantly changing stories on the economy a few weeks ago and his decision on the Senate are prime examples of that. If he were thinking long-term or even medium-term he would have handled both much differently.
- 9:49 PM, January 08, 2009


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One of the issues with modern computers has been airflow and cooling. The latest generation of NVIDIA video cards, the GeForce GTX480 has been jokingly referred to as the graphics card that can fry an egg. CPUs are getting increasingly large amounts of TDP and temperatures that are exceeding 75C are not unusual.Case manufacturers have been releasing cases with higher airflow to allow for cooling running temperatures
Cooler Master builds and sells cooling systems for the CPU, cases, HDD enclosures and many other devices too many to name here. Cooler Master has used their High Air Flow (HAF) case line to bring cases with a large amount of airflow into the market. The HAF 932 and 922 are cases that have won awards for their design and airflow. Today I'm reviewing the newest entry in the HAF series, the HAF 912 which is slightly smaller in size than its predecessors.


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Camden is blessed with several nice beaches on Penobscot Bay, local lakes and ponds, as well as other locations for water access and views. Below are the ones most visited. If you have any questions please give us a call at 236-3438. For information on Camden's saltwater boat launch ramp send a note to the Harbormaster or call 236-7969.
Laite Beach Park is located on Bay View Street about 1/2 mile from the middle of downtown. It overlooks Camden's outer harbor and Curtis Island. Amenities include: toilets and changing rooms, a large open gently sloping lawn, a children's amphitheater, a swing set for toddlers, picnic tables, barbecues, a protected saltwater beach with coarse sand, and a swim float a few yards offshore. As with all Camden beaches there is no lifeguard on duty. Between May 1st and September 30th pets are only allowed in the park and on the beach from 6 AM to 8 AM and from 6 PM to 10 PM.
To check out the beach status and monitoring data from Maine's Healthy Beaches Program click here.
Barrett's Cove is located on Lake Megunticook on Beaucaire Ave. near the intersection with Route 52. This freshwater beach and park has been a favorite destination for swimmers, picnickers, canoers and kayakers for many years. Amenities include: changing rooms, portable toilets, open lawn and shady areas with picnic tables and barbecues, a sandy and gently sloping beach, and a deep water swim float. There is no lifeguard on duty. Pets are restricted during the summer as indicated with Laite Beach above.
This little gem of a park is a favorite of locals in the Millville section of town. It is located on Washington Street about 1.75 miles from downtown. Amenities include: a portable toilet, lawn, picnic tables and barbecues, and a gently sloping access to a deep and slow moving section of the Megunticook River. The bottom of the river here is sandy but above the high water mark there is only lawn. Pets are restricted during the summer as indicated at the beaches above, but you may need to shoo off some Canada geese to spread out your blanket on the lawn if you are the first to arrive for the day. Hand launched canoes and kayaks can gain access to the deep and slow moving section of the river above Seabright Dam from this park.
Located on Molyneaux Road at the intersection of Beaucaire Ave. this small park is further upstream from Shirttail
point and is just below the outlets of the Megunticook River from Megunticook Lake. Hodson Park is primarily visited by fishermen and picnickers because the water is shallow for swimming, often runs with a strong current when the dams are opened, and there is no beach. However this is a good park to bring your dog for a dip during the summer when other waterfront parks do not allow dogs during the middle of the day. Amenities include a few picnic tables located under majestic pine trees.
Harbor Park is located at the head of Camden's iconic harbor in the heart of downtown. It offers spectacular views of the inner harbor and up toward Mount Bettie. At the top of the park is Camden's famous Amphitheatre where you might see a wedding taking place or an outdoor concert during the summer. The park consists of sweeping lawns down to the edge of the harbor and several walking paths with benches to enjoy the views of the schooner fleet and dozens of other boats moored in the harbor. There is water access, and a nice view of the waterfall where the Megunticook River enters the harbor, but there really isn't a beach for swimming or wading. Harbor Park is managed by the Camden Harbor Park Conservancy, a division of the Camden Public Library. For more information about Camden's most famous park and photographs click here.
HOSMER POND at the RAGGED MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA:
The Ragged Mountain Recreation Area (home of the Camden Snow Bowl) borders on 55 acre Hosmer Pond. There are several points the pond can be accessed for shoreline fishing and there is one location that is used as a multi-purpose site for: trailer-able boat launching, hand carried boat launching, swimming, fishing, and dog dipping. As a result it can get pretty busy at times. The surface is gravel and gently sloping. Other amenities include picnic tables, ramp to floats attached to shore, and a portable toilet about 100 yards away. The water in Hosmer Pond is clear and consistently tests very high in quality. The pond is stocked with Brown Trout and has native populations of several other species including bass, perch, and pickerel. It is common to see Canada Geese, Loons, Ospreys and even Bald Eagles visiting the pond. Due to its relatively small size there is very little motor boat traffic and boats are restricted to idle speed by state statute in all but a very small portion of the pond.


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Pictured: Sean O'Hara had a two-run single for the Crimson in its home opener
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Holy Cross struck for eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings as the Crusaders downed Harvard in its 2011 home opener, 11-6, at O'Donnell Field on Wednesday.
Harvard (3-16) led 6-3 after three innings of play but the Crusaders' (12-10-1) four-run fourth inning was started by three walks and a hit batsmen by the Crimson bullpen. Following the free passes, Jack Laurendeau blooped a two-run single to right and Nick Ciardiello followed with a seeing-eye single through the left side to account for the big inning.
Holy Cross used four hits and two walks in the fifth inning as well against a Harvard staff that utilized 10 pitchers on the day in a tune-up for its Ivy League opening weekend.
After a two-run homer by Ciardiello in the top of the first inning staked Holy Cross to an early lead, the Crimson fought back with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Sean O'Hara singled sharply to center field, bringing home Dillon O'Neill 9single) and Sam Franklin (double) before Marcus Way singled home O'Hara.
Each team scored an unearned run in the second inning and Harvard grabbed its biggest lead at 6-3 in the third as Jeff Hajdin laced a two-run single to right to plate Danny Moskovits (single) and Way (single).
Franklin and Way had multi-hit games for the Crimson, which was out-hit by Holy Cross, 12-8 on the afternoon.
With Harvard clicking on all cylinders offensively in the early going, Holy Cross received timely relief from Andrew Boyce (1-0) with Boyce scattering two hits over 4.1 scoreless innings in which he fanned three batters.
Harvard received scoreless relief work from Jonah Klees (1.1 innings, 1 strikeout), Joey Novak, Jordan Haviland and Moskovits, who came on from first base to throw a scoreless eighth inning with a strikeout.
Alex Maldonado, Laurendeau and Ciardiello all had multi-hit games for HC at the top of the batting order with Laurendeau and Ciardiello each driving home three runs and Maldonado stealing two bases.


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Westphalia Community Center
Westphalia Community Center
After major improvements, the Department of Parks & Recreation's Westphalia Community Center re-opened its doors to the public, November 17, 2017.
This new 16,223-square foot center,
located at 8900 Westphalia Road,
serves residents of the Little Washington and Westphalia area.
Interior Improvements
Concourse/reception area
Large fitness room
Multi-purpose room with a serving pantry
Staff offices
Storage space
Teen lounge
Exterior Improvements & Amenities
The Department of Parks and Recreation also completed a number of exterior improvements and new amenities including, a parking lot expansion to accommodate the new community center. The old play equipment has been removed, and an exciting new playground has been installed, as well as tennis and basketball court renovation.
A large patio on the west side of the building provides an area to host community get-togethers in warm weather. Pedestrian access to the surrounding neighborhoods, stormwater management systems, and additional landscaping make this wonderful new amenity convenient and beautiful.
Central Avenue Connector Trail (CACT)
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Concord Manor at Walker Mill Regional Park
Glenn Dale Hospital Historic District
Little Paint Branch Trail Extension Project
Peppermill Community Center Renovation
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text: After 10 (!) years my original battery finally died.... Because weather was bad and job is simple I did not take the Z8 to the dealer and replaced the battery myself (with OEM BMW battery). When I got into the car I saw that the head unit did not show the 'navigation' submenu (rest is working fine). I also noticed that the navigation cd diskdrive keeps spinning every 20 seconds. The (red) power led is NOT on... Could it be that the MK3 navigation computer has to be reset? Take it to the dealer? Thoughts anyone?


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At a glanceThe Maxi-Cosi Pebble car seat is suitable for babies from birth to 13kg (29lbs) and is compatible with a range of pushchairs to form a travel system. It features side impact protection to keep your little one safe and can be used with a range of Maxi-Cosi bases to make it simple to install in your car.
Features and benefits for Maxi-Cosi Pebble Baby Car Seat - Intense Red
- Suitable from birth to approx 12/15 months (up to 13kg/29lbs)
- Compatible with a range of Maxi-Cosi bases (Familyfix and Easybase2) to make it simple to move in and out of your vehicle, or can also be installed using the vehicle's seat belt
- Unique adjustable upward position for older babies when used with the Maxi-Cosi Familyfix ISOFIX base (sold separately)
- Side impact technology for optimal protection in the event of a side on collision
- Easy access integral sun canopy stores under flexible rim
- Stay open harness allows you to place your child in the seat in seconds
- Can be used with any Maxi-Cosi, Bugaboo, Quinny and Stokke pushchair to form a travel system
- The Pebble is compatible in both upper and lower positions on tandem pushchairs
- Car seat weight: 4.1kg
This infant car seat is simple to install in your car, using the seat belt.
Want To Know More?
The Maxi-Cosi Pebble is a group 0+ baby car seat suitable from birth until approx 12/15mths (13kg/29lbs) and is compatible with a range of Maxi-Cosi and Quinny pushchairs to form a travel system.
The Pebble car seat can be installed in the car using the seat belt. The belt routing system prevents misfitting so you can be assured that the seat is correctly installed. For ease, the Maxi-Cosi Pebble car seat can also be used with one of the Maxi-Cosi car seat bases (FamilyFix or the EasyBase 2) which are sold separately. Simply click the seat onto the base or release and lift the seat from the car without the need to use fasten or unfasten the seat belt. When used in conjunction with the Maxi-Cosi Family Fix ISOFIX base, a light and sound indicator reassures you that the seat is correctly installed. The car seat can also be adjusted into a unique upward position allowing older babies to have more leg-room and to be able to use the seat for longer in the rearward facing position which is the most preferable, and safer way for younger children to travel.
For ultimate protection in the event of a side on collision the car seat feature a side impact protection system. To ensure your little one stays comfortable in their car seat as they grow the harness and head hugger easily adjusts together. For simplicity when seating your little one, the harness features special hook retainers to keep the harness straps out of the way, allowing you to fasten baby in the car seat in seconds.
The Maxi-Cosi Pebble car seat comes complete with all the accessories you need to ensure your baby is comfortable during their travels including a newborn support pillow, headhugger, plus an easy access integral sun canopy.
To find out more about Isofix please click here
Don't Forget...
… To purchase a raincover and footmuff separately to protect your little one from the elements when you are out and about.
Fabric composition: 100% Polyester
Care instructions: Shell: Wipe clean only; Cover: Hand wash, do not use bleach, do not tumble dry, do not dry clean, do not iron


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Made by Sterling Cut Glass.
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The chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party is joining the competition to be the next leader of the Democratic National Committee.
Ray Buckley plans to officially announce his candidacy Tuesday.
His bid comes as the Democratic National Committee is deciding how to move forward after major losses in the presidential contest and races nationwide. The party is also still dealing with distrust over its perceived favoritism of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary.
New Hampshire
The latest news from around the state
Buckley says the DNC "from top to bottom needs urgent reform."
New Hampshire was a bright spot for Democrats at the top of the ticket this year, with outgoing Gov. Maggie Hassan winning a U.S. Senate seat and Democrats taking both congressional seats.
Buckley's competition includes Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison and former DNC chairman Howard Dean.


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Emirates will accept sporting equipment as checked baggage and part of your standard baggage allowance. If you intend to take a bicycle as checked luggage, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance. Special packaging rules may apply.
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Individual items with total dimensions exceeding 300cm (118 inches) cannot be transported as checked baggage, and must be sent as cargo or freight. There are no exceptions to this rule.
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The total dimensions (length + width + height) of the entire division of sporting equipment must not exceed 300cm (118 inches). Any sporting equipment with total dimensions exceeding 300cm (118 inches ) cannot be transported as checked baggage and must be sent as cargo or freight.
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SCUBA equipment normally consists of diving suits, flippers, masks, snorkels, buoyancy control devices and so on. If air bottles are also carried, they must be emptied.
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Firearms designed for sporting purposes, such as target pistols and rifles, air guns, safari rifles, hunting rifles etc, may be carried as checked baggage on Emirates flights under the following conditions:
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Learn more about the rules for ski equipment when travelling to or from destinations in North, Central or South America.
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Emirates will accept wind surf boards, kite surfing equipment, kayaks, body boards, pole vault or other sporting equipment as checked baggage and part of your standard baggage allowance, provided:
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Should your overall baggage weight or amount exceed the normal free allowance, excess baggage rates will apply. Please contact your local Emirates office for information on excess baggage rates. For information on travelling with other sporting equipment, particularly sporting weaponry, please contact your local Emirates office, as other rules may apply.
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BULLETT: How old were you when you realized you were different from your peers?
CHLOE SEVIGNY: Maybe 2nd or 3rd grade? I grew up in a really wealthy community and even the young girls would flaunt their wealth and ostracize girls who didn't come from money. There was this one girl in particular who was the queen bee at school, and she would have the other girls tie her shoes. Me and a few other girls would go up against her.
Where did you fit into the hierarchy?
My parents were a little bit like outsiders, so I became friends with outsiders too: the daughters or sons of alcoholics and kids from divorced families, which then bred rebellion. From a very young age, I knew that I wouldn't run with the preppy pack. I knew that there was something different in store for me.
What were you good at when you were younger?
I was really exceptional at entertaining myself for hours on end. My mother never had to give me a drawing book or crayons. She could just, like, leave me alone for hours and hours and I would entertain myself by playing imaginary games with my dolls, or just sitting in the backyard for five hours at a time. Nobody had to say anything to me. I didn't need to be around anybody.
Were you terrible at anything?
Other than mathematics? I sometimes think that's why I'm an actor, because I can't add and I can't spell. [Laughs.] As a kid, I was never that great at sports. I played softball, but I really wasn't into group activities, especially in high school. I never did anything extracurricular. I guess I was more of a loner.
What was the toughest part about being a kid?
I was really unhappy with the town I lived in. I felt really dissatisfied, like I wasn't being exposed to the outer world, and I was really mean to my parents because of that. I think I lacked confidence, which made growing up really hard. I didn't like the way I looked, and that was so hard.
How many times did you fall in love as a teenager?
I think I was in love once as a teenager. My first true love was [photographer] Mischa Richter, with whom I'm still close. I was very much in love with him. I was a freshman and he was a senior. We went out for a few years until he went to college in California, which was too hard to maintain. He was my first true love, and my only love in high school.
What was so special about him?
He was a total rebel, a skater, and a punk kid. He had this beautiful profile and this curly, dark hair. He looked different than me, really exotic. At first I thought he was Russian. He also had a great personality and was really nice to his friends. But he had a dark streak. He was really sensitive to me and that was something I'd never experienced with a boy. Boys didn't really like me in junior high school, or even in high school, but he did.
What was your most prized possession in elementary school?
When I was really young, I had this doll that had belonged to my grandmother. She only had one leg—the doll, I mean—and she was my favorite thing. I dragged her everywhere with me. It was really creepy. My mom and I eventually brought her to a doll hospital, to get her a second leg, but after they fixed her I lost interest.
What about in high school?
I had a Volkswagen bus that I bought with my own money in Vermont, and I was really into it. It was perfect for weekend getaways. I was driving down the New Jersey Turnpike to a Grateful Dead show one weekend, and I blew a piston rod and the Volkswagen bus was killed forever. I called home—real high, I'm sure—and my dad had to come down and pick us up. It was awful. I think I might've even been on acid. It was that kind of trip.
Oh, shit! [Laughter.] What about now?
I don't know if I have a favorite possession now. I mean, I like my apartment, but I don't know if that counts. I have a bejeweled Estée Lauder compact—this is so embarrassing— that I got in Europe, because I get paranoid and have to check myself a lot. It sounds so egocentric, but I can't exude confidence if I'm worried that there's something on my face. I have to be able to check my nose and powder my face, or the other way around.
If you had to wear one piece of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I've always fantasized about finding a '70s Yves Saint Laurent jumpsuit or a big, comfy dress, and wearing it for the rest of my days.
What is your most embarrassing guilty pleasure?
God, I don't really have one. I see all the movies, but I don't think that's really a guilty pleasure—that's just supporting my industry. I was a huge American Idol fanatic for a while when I had a TV. I love reality TV.
What about Jersey Shore?
I think it's really depressing that people are propping these people up as celebrities. The way they behave is embarrassing, and I think it's kind of diminishing our culture. Most reality TV people behave like pigs, and it's unfortunate that they get put on pedestals for doing so.
If you saw Snooki wearing something from your collection, would you approach her?
I read somewhere that Abercrombie & Fitch offered to pay The Situation not to wear their clothes—but who am I to say who should be wearing mine? I do remember someone saying that…what's Paris Hilton's sister called? Isn't it Nicky or something? Anyway, she apparently talked to someone about my first collection, and was like, 'I don't get it.' I was like, Good! I'm glad she doesn't get it. It's not for her. Besides, what's there to get with clothes? So if Snooki wants to wear my clothes, go for it. I think she'd look a lot better in them.
She needs someone to fix her up.
She's probably just so used to certain things, you know. I have to admit, I do find that JWoWW sexy in a really weird way. It's like that sexy, dirty kind of girl—not dirty, but like a hot mess. We've all gotten too drunk and acted crazy at parties, but I don't maintain that and I'm kind of fascinated by those girls who do.
If you could do anything without getting caught, what would it be?
You know, I always kind of adhere to my whims. If I wanted to do something, I don't see why I wouldn't. When I first moved to New York I saw a lot of crazy stuff and I went to a lot of crazy places, and I feel like there's not much I didn't get to experience. I think it's really important to experiment, especially when you're young, and I think a lot of what annoys me about the whole tabloid culture is that people are now so afraid of looking stupid.
What convinced you to create your own fashion line?
I'm pretty sure everybody knows that I make it all just so I can wear it!
Why is Opening Ceremony, in your opinion, the right partner for you?
Humberto Leon and Carol Lim are such good people and they run such a good company, and I believe in them. They're my peers and they're living the American dream, and I want to be there to support them.
What movie could this collection be designed for?
Oh, god. Pump Up the Volume? [Laughs.] I don't know, maybe Christiane F.? It would have to be a rebellious film. Gleaming the Cube, that terrible skating film, could be a good fit.
Who are you dying to dress?
It would for sure be one of the Fanning girls. I don't think I'd faint, but I would get excited.
What feeling best describes your new collection?
When I was backstage with the models before the show, I remember saying to them, "I want you to go out there with the attitude of someone who hasn't seen her boyfriend in a while, and who intends to show up at his doorstep and knock his socks off."
Photographer: James Orlando
Stylist: Evren Catlin
Makeup: Asami Matsuda, The Magnet Agency
Hair: Mischelle Navar, The Wall Group
Models: Darla Baker, Ellen Capri


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Anaqua Springs Ranch is a place of enchantment. Enter this environmentally-preserved community and forget that you are just minutes from the bustling city. Gaze across the vast landscape and enjoy the contrast of rising limestone bluffs, lush wooded valleys and the springs and waterfalls of Leon Creek. This premier Hill Country community provides the very best in technology and amenities, while preserving the natural beauty of the land. This delicate artistic balance between majestic custom homes and breathtaking, unobstructed views creates a visual masterpiece like no other.
Like the Native American legends of the "healing" Anaqua tree, let the natural splendor of Anaqua Springs Ranch wash away the stress and strain of the outside world.


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Now that Tiger Woods has admitted to "transgressions," many wonder what is next for his marriage. Many sources are saying that for now, wife Elin Nordegren, who is often a fixture on the 18th green at golf tournaments, is standing by her man.
"She and Tiger have had problems in the past, this is obviously as bad as it's ever been, but she's not leaving as of now," said one person with knowledge of the couple's marriage over the years.
A report in the Chicago Sun Times claims that "intense marriage counseling" is taking place, but Elin's motivation might also be linked to her personal bank account.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
"The links legend's spouse is reportedly being paid a hefty seven-figure amount — immediately transferred into an account she alone controls — to stick with her husband," Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker reported. He goes on to write that Elin, the mother of Woods' two children has demanded and is getting a total rewrite of the couple's prenuptial agreement.
Reportedly, the couple had an agreement that stipulated they must remain married for 10 years in order for Elin to collect a settlement of $20 million, and that is the part of the settlement being negotiated.
While it would seem obvious for Woods to have a prenup, no one close to Woods has confirmed that the agreement exists.
One veteran reporter remarked, "Everyone keeps saying 'oh yeah, he's got to have the (ironclad) prenup,' and I think the media is all like, 'he went to Stanford, he can't be that dumb.' But maybe he does and maybe he doesn't."
Courtney Hazlett delivers the Scoop Monday through Friday on msnbc.com. Follow Scoop on Twitter @courtneyatmsnbc


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Aliens: Science Fiction or Reality?
Are we alone in the heavens? Is there life, including intelligent life, elsewhere in the universe? What would be the implications for humanity and our relationship to God if there are other intelligent beings? And what are the implications if we truly are alone?
These questions have captured the human race for millennia. The second-century Assyrian writer Lucian of Samosata, a city of the Roman Empire in modern-day Turkey, wrote what may be the first known example of a science-fiction novel, about a visit to some aliens on the moon and Venus. The third-century Christian theologian Origen believed that stars and planets were rational, spiritual, living beings far higher in the spiritual hierarchy than human beings. However, some of them fell due to sin, and thus endured the punishment of serving as the souls of human bodies. Later, the fifteenth-century French monk Guillaume de Vaurouillon argued that "Infinte worlds, more perfect than this one," each with their own life forms, "lie hid in the mind of God."
The modern history of the idea of extra-terrestrial life coincides with the Copernican revolution, the gradual discovery that the Earth is not the centre of the universe. As throughout most of human history, in sixteenth-century Europe, people thought that the whole of the universe revolved around the Earth as its centre, while religious orthodoxy drew a sharp distinction between the earth and the heavens, believing the heavens to be perfect and eternal, while the earth was corrupted and temporal.
This ideal began to change after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus' book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium was published posthumously in 1538. Copernicus became the first major astronomer to challenge the orthodox view when he suggested that the Earth and the other planets orbited the Sun, not the other way around. Though it took more than a century for this view to be widely accepted, the 16th-century priest and monk Giordano Bruno latched onto the current of thought that he had set in motion, and proposed an even more radical and heterodox vision of the universe. According to Bruno, the planets were other Earth-like worlds, and the earth and the heavens were equally sacred. He even suggested that the stars were in fact suns orbited by their own earth-like objects. This was more than 400 years before the first exoplanet – a planet orbiting another star – was discovered. Furthermore, Bruno postulated that these planets contained living creatures, just as Earth does.
Bruno's and Copernicus' ideas about the solar system were proved correct less than ten years after Bruno's execution by Galileo's observations through his telescope. (Bruno was burnt at the stake by the Roman Inquisition for deviating from Catholic doctrines such as the Trinity, transubstantiation and the virginity of Mary; whether his scientific views about the universe played a part is a matter of debate among historians.) As well as proving beyond reasonable doubt that the Earth and the other planets did indeed go around the Sun, Galileo also showed that Jupiter had four moons of its own (today we know that there are at least 67); the Moon was rough, not smooth as people had thought; and there were many more stars than were visible to the naked eye.
As the reality of Galileo's discovery gradually sank in, the old religious orthodoxy of the Earth as the center around which the universe revolves gave way to a new religious orthodoxy, which held sway for the next three centuries: If God has indeed created other Earth-like worlds, he must have put other intelligent beings on them – otherwise, why would he have created them?
Belief in man-like extra-terrestrials was promoted by thinkers on both sides of the Atlantic. The French author Bernard de Fontenelle posited that the extra-terrestrials had personalities consistent with their natural environment. Inhabitants of Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, were hot-tempered; those of Venus, the next planet from the Sun, were "full of wit and fire, always in love, writing verse, fond of music, arranging festivals, dances and tournaments every day"; while the residents of far-flung, freezing Saturn possessed dull, lethargic minds and bodies. In the United States, Benjamin Franklin suggested that there were many alien races both superior and inferior to humans, while John Adams believed that every planet in the universe contained some form of intelligent life.
Belief in extra-terrestrial intelligence was still common when, in 1877, the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli made what appeared to be a startling discovery: Schiaparelli claimed to have glimpsed a network of long, straight, dark lines around the equator of Mars which he called canali, a word which, unlike its English equivalent, does not necessarily suggest an artificial origin. Nevertheless, some people, including the American author Percival Lowell, suggested that they could be irrigation canals built by intelligent Martians, used to transport melting water from Mars' polar ice caps to the equator during the summer. Others disputed the existence of the canals, arguing they were an optical illusion, while the British naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, co-discover of the theory of evolution, argued Mars was too cold for liquid water to exist on its surface.
It was not until NASA's Mariner 4 spacecraft flew past Mars in 1965 that the idea that any sort of complex, intelligent life existed on Mars was buried for good. The probe photographed a barren, dead surface and measured temperatures as low as -148 degrees Fahrenheit. Today we know that there is almost no liquid water on the surface of Mars. Water is an essential ingredient of life, and the Earth is the only planet in our solar system located in what scientists call the 'habitable zone', or colloquially the 'Goldilocks zone': the area that is the right distance from the Sun for water to exist as a liquid, not as ice or steam. Every planet on either side of Earth is either scorching or frozen. Observation of Venus, once considered a lush, life-nurturing environment, has revealed poisonous sulfur dioxide clouds, temperatures of up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit and air pressure that exerts 90 times the force of that of Earth on every square centimeter of your body. Study of any planet beyond Mars reveals temperatures approaching absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature, at -460 degrees.
Not surprisingly, scientists have given up hope that any intelligent life exists elsewhere in the solar system. Nevertheless, the discovery of microscopic creatures on Earth collectively known as 'extremophiles', which can live in extreme conditions previously thought completely incapable of sustaining life, has led to the idea that simple, microbial life could exist beyond what we once thought of as the 'habitable zone'. Some of these weird and wonderful creatures thrive at the bottom of the sea or up to three miles underground, with negligible light or energy from the sun; others in extremely hot, cold, acidic or alkaline environments; still others with exposure to intense nuclear or ultraviolet radiation. One species of extremophile called the water bear has even survived being taken into the vacuum of outer space. If some life forms can survive, even thrive, in such extreme conditions on Earth, could other life forms live in equally extreme conditions on other planets?
Deposits across the surface of Mars of the mineral gypsum, whose chemical formula dictates that it can only be created from water, show that liquid water used to exist on Mars, meaning that simple microbial life could have existed. The presence of methane in Mars' atmosphere, a gas that on Earth is only created through biological or geological processes such as mud volcanoes (all of Mars' volcanoes have been inactive for millennia), suggests that there could be life in caves below the Martian surface, where large amounts of ice could melt into liquid water. Just in the last month, scientists have even uncovered evidence that a small amount of liquid water does still exist on the surface of Mars, though this would probably not be enough to sustain life.
Jupiter's moon Europa – one of the four Galilean moons – is another possible habitat in our solar system. Underneath Europa's icy surface is thought to lie a huge, hundred-mile-deep ocean of water, kept liquid by heat energy from the gravitational pushing and pulling of Jupiter and the other moons. Titan, one of Saturn's moons, is cold enough to have liquid methane: methane lakes and methane clouds producing methane rain; this could act as a substitute for liquid water.
Although the chances of actually finding complex, intelligent life in these places is effectively zero, the discovery of the sheer, unimaginable vastness of the universe has shifted our attention to beyond our own backyard. Since the invention of the telescope, we have gradually discovered that our green and blue planet is a tiny droplet in an indescribably vast ocean. Our Sun is one of around two hundred billion stars in our galaxy the Milky Way. The Milky Way is so huge that it would take light – the fastest thing in the universe – 100,000 years to cross it, and what's more: our galaxy is just one of an estimated 170-200 billion galaxies in the observable universe.
It is estimated that the observable universe contains 10,000 stars for every grain of sand on every beach or desert on Earth. Moreover, we now know that, as Bruno suggested all those centuries ago, some of these stars do have their own planets orbiting them. Even if the chances of life developing on an individual planet, or in an individual solar system, are minute, surely there must be some planets with intelligent life out there, somewhere?
In 1960, the British astrophysicist Sir Frank Drake formulated the Drake equation, a formula to work out the number of alien civilisations in the Milky Way that are trying to communicate with us. The formula tries to work this out by multiplying together factors such as the how many stars have planets, including planets with life, on how many of those planets life has developed intelligence and civilisation, and how many of those intelligent civilisations have developed communications technology that they are using to send communications out into space.
The trouble is that we can make informed, educated estimates about only the first three values in the equation: the rate of star formation in our galaxy (R* in the equation as above), the fraction of stars that have planets (fp) and the average number of habitable planets per solar system (ne). The first we know to be about 7 per year; evidence increasingly suggests that a star having planets is the norm rather than the exception; and it is thought that about 1 in 5 stars has an Earth-sized planet in the star's habitable zone, though one has to take into account the other factors that make a planet habitable as well.
As for the remaining four, we have very little to go on. The fraction of habitable planets that actually do develop life (fl) is very difficult to say. The fact that life could develop on a planet does not necessarily mean that it will, and life only began once on Earth – so far as biologists know, every life form on Earth can be traced back to the same evolutionary source. If life was found to have begun independently elsewhere in our solar system – which, as we saw earlier, is possible – then that would suggest a high number, though we would still be working from a very small sample size.
The fraction of planets with life whose creatures go on to develop intelligent civilizations is equally difficult. Some argue that intelligence is an inevitable outcome of evolution on planets like Earth, though it should be remembered that on Earth, simple microbial life forms can survive a far wider range and variety of conditions than complex, intelligent life forms, and again, we know of only one planet – Earth – that has life, and on which that life has happened to develop intelligence. We can't really draw any general conclusions. Estimates of the fraction of civilisations that send communications out into space (fc) and for how long those civilizations send the communications (L) are equally speculative.
Despite all of this, given the vastness of the Milky Way, even conservative estimates of each of the factors in the Drake equation suggest that there may be hundreds of advanced civilizations trying to communicate with us just in our own galaxy. And given that there are over 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe, that means that, give or take the factors making a galaxy hospitable or hostile to life, there could be trillions – yes, trillions – of advanced civilizations in the universe.
A different but equally important question is: If aliens exist, will we ever find them? Nearly 2000 exoplanets –planets orbiting other stars — have been discovered since 1995, including a few that could support life. However, it is very unlikely that finding exoplanets will help us to find life. The light-year distances of these planets from the Earth and the huge difference between the brightness of a star and the brightness of its planets make direct imaging extremely difficult. Therefore, most exoplanets have been detected indirectly, either by detecting wobbles in a star's motion that must be caused by the gravitational pull of a planet, or a slight drop in the brightness of the star caused by a planet moving in front of it. Because exoplanets are so hard to detect, most of the ones we have found are giant gas planets like Jupiter that could never sustain intelligent life; so far, we have found only one Earth-sized planet in her star's habitable zone. Nevertheless, finding potentially habitable exoplanets can help direct our search.
Since the 1960s, scientists have been monitoring electromagnetic waves to check for alien transmissions, and sending transmissions from their own planet – including every television and radio programme – out into space, in the hope that one day an intelligent civilisation will receive and respond to them. Astronomers measure distances by the speed of light, the same speed at which these transmissions will travel. A light year is the distance that light can travel in a year: about 6 trillion miles. Our nearest foreign star, Proxima Centauri, is 2.4 light years away. If there is intelligent life in our corner of the galaxy, we should be hearing something pretty soon and could, over years, decades or centuries, have two-way communication with them. If there used to be alien civilisations on the other side of the galaxy (with its diameter of 100,000 light years) or in our nearest foreign galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy (2.5 million light years away), we may even receive a transmission from a civilization that lived thousands or millions of years ago.
Given the numbers, it is perhaps strange that, after half a century, we still haven't found anything. The contradiction between the apparently overwhelming likelihood of the existence of extra-terrestrial life in the universe, and the fact that we haven't found anything yet, is called the Fermi Paradox, and that is a whole other issue with an even greater variety of unknowable answers.
Yet, if we do discover intelligent, extra-terrestrial life, what will be the implications, for humanity and for Christian belief? It would certainly be yet another leap away from the pre-Galilean view of the universe, with the Earth and humanity at the centre. We know that Earth is one of eight planets orbiting a medium-sized star near the outer edge of our galaxy. That star orbits the centre of the Milky Way along with hundreds of billions of other stars, and the Milky Way drifts through the cosmos along with hundreds of billions of other galaxies. The idea that there is another race of intelligent beings, maybe even billions of other races, would be one step further.
Some of these races may even be far more technologically advanced than us, if they and their planet are older than ours. Our Earth is predicted to survive for another 4 or 5 billion years, and the human civilisations a thousand years from now may be as incomprehensible to us as today's world would be to someone from the Middle Ages.
Christianity would be able to cope with all of this. It eventually coped with Galileo's discovery by recognising that science and religion operate in different, overlapping fields of inquiry. Church doctrine and scripture may be a reliable guide to theological and philosophical matters (the 'why' questions), but are not necessarily a good guide to empirical, scientific matters, which require observation or experiment to settle. The Copernican revolution did not undermine God; it merely undermined human ideas and interpretations about God, and the arrogant human presumption that we can know how God would create the universe – and because we know, we can expect everyone else to agree with us.
Perhaps other alien races are intelligent, but lack souls, lack the ability to distinguish between good and evil. Perhaps they do have the ability, but chose to do good rather than sin. Some, such as C.S. Lewis in his essay 'On Religion and Rocketry', have argued that there may be other races which are not fallen – in fact, as Lewis puts it, we may be the single lost sheep for which the shepherd has abandoned all the others. I would argue that it is the likelihood is always that at least one person will sin, and once sin enters a race through one person, the whole race becomes corrupted. Origen, the third-century Christian theologian whom we met earlier, saw the theme of fall and redemption as present throughout the universe and, if there are other beings with souls like us, I would agree: the fall because nobody is perfect like God and some beings will always choose sin; and redemption because God will always seek to redeem everyone who sins.
It could be argued that the idea that human beings are not the only intelligent species for which God has a plan is in conflict with the very anthropocentric focus of the Bible: the creation story of Genesis paints a picture of mankind being the crowning point of creation, and the story of the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection is seen as a rescue mission particularly for humanity. Yet the story of creation as told in the Bible is told from a human perspective, and therefore naturally focusses on humanity. We may be the only creatures created in God's image on earth, but that does not exclude the possibility of extra-terrestrial creatures created in his image too, who are equal to us before God.
Nevertheless, because they are anthropocentric, some Christian ideas would perhaps need some adjusting and clarifying. Does mankind entirely make up God's image, or are we merely a part of his image that is completed by other races? Do Christians on Earth make up the entire body of Christ, or, if there are Christians on other planets, do we make up only an incomplete part of it?
Another question also pops up if there are other soul-endowed yet fallen creatures in the universe: If God saved humanity through Jesus, how is God saving the other species? For, as C.S. Lewis put it, "If we find ourselves to be but one among a million races, scattered through a million spheres, how can we, without absurd arrogance, believe ourselves to have been uniquely favored?" Perhaps Jesus' incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection redeemed the entire universe. Or, perhaps more likely, especially if we are one species of millions, God has redeemed every intelligent species according to their particular needs. Part of the point of the incarnation is that God really knows what it is to be human. Since alien species will be different and have different experiences, and the nature and level of their sin might be different, different diseases may require different cures.
C.S. Lewis wrote that, if redemption is so far unique to us, we one day encounter extra-terrestrial beings, it may be God's plan that we spread the redemption that we have received by evangelizing to them. However, Lewis thanked God that this had not happened yet, for if we did reach them we would exploit them, treat them as inferiors and exercise the same "theological imperialism" that we had done on other human beings that differed from us. Some scientists argue that we are now ready to meet aliens, being far more open and less prejudiced than we were in, for example, Lewis' time. Let's hope they're right.
The most exciting thing about the search for extra-terrestrial life is that we are on the cusp, the cutting edge of what we know about the universe. We have made enormous progress in understanding the universe in which we find ourselves, especially in the four centuries since the invention of the telescope. Yet in this area, for the moment, we are as in the dark as we were then, when we thought that the Earth was the center of the universe. Human beings have always wondered, "Are we alone?" We may be about to find the answer.
By J.D. Wilson


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BadgerCare Cuts Coming! Get Help Through Affordable Care Act MarketPlace
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is slashing BadgerCare eligibility effective January 1, 2014. The Affordable Care Act Marketplace, sometimes called "ObamaCare" is the best place for Wisconsin residents to find out if their BadgerCare eligibility will be slashed January 1, 2014. It is also the place to shop for new insurance in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, and to find out if you will be eligibile for an income tax credit to help pay for the insurance.
If you have received a notice from the State of Wisconsin saying your BadgerCare eligibility is ending, get more information here
Click here for the Wisconsin Affordable Care Act website or call CALL 1 (800) 318-2596 or TTY: 1 (855) 889-4325
Rights of Victims of Identity Theft in Criminal Background Reports Contrasted
The NBC affiliate in Chicago has contrasted the disparity of legal remedies available to victims of identity theft in criminal background checks. In one case, from Illinois, the victim was able to use a federal law covering consumer reporting agencies to obtain a monetary settlement that will provide a significant incentive to stop the circulating of incorrect criminal background check reports. By contrast, the Wisconsin case, which involves criminal background reports produced by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, has no such remedy.
View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.
Wisconsin Appellate Courts Require Hearing in Wrongfully Terminated Day Care License Cases
In 2009, in its haste to "do something" about newspaper reports of fraud in the child care program, the Wisconsin legislature an ambiguous statute. The new law permanently disqualifies people who have been convicted of a crime involving "fraudulent activity" by a participant in any one of many, specifically listed, public assistance programs. One of the people swept up in that statute asked for an administrative hearing to prove that the new law did not apply to her. The Department of Workforce Development convinced an administrative law judge that she was not even entitled to be heard on whether the new law applied to her.
On February 7, 2012, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reversed the administrative law judge and remanded the case for
a hearing. Calling the State's position "troubling," especially given the harsh consequences of the ambiguous new law,
the Court of Appeals held that the state could not conclude without a hearing that the new law applied.
The Wisconsin Attorney General appealed. On January 13, 2013, the Wisconsin Supreme Court affirmed the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. Jamerson v. Department of Children and Families. Three months later, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, applied Jamerson. In Blake v. Racine County Human Services Dept., 3013 WI APP 45 that evidence beyond the criminal complaint is required to establish both "fraudulent activity" and that the activity was by a participant in one of the listed public benefits programs.
|© 2002 - 2009 Legal Action of Wisconsin. All Rights Reserved.


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Connecticut Military Records
This entry was originally written by Alice Eichholz, Ph.D., CG, in Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
Connecticut's military records, starting with the Pequot War, have been published and are widely available. In addition to the sources available at the National Archives (see pages 11-12) and archival sources at the Connecticut State Library, the following can be consulted:
- Shepard, James. Connecticut Soldiers in the Pequot War of 1637. Meridan, Conn.: Journal Publishing Co., 1913.
- Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society. Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755'1762. Vol. 9 and 10. Hartford: Connecticut Historical Society, 1903'05.
- Connecticut Adjutant-General. Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War. Hartford: Connecticut General Assembly, 1889. Transcripts of original papers with a cross-index to all records. Connecticut provided large numbers in the ranks of patriots and the largest number of African-American soldiers from all the colonies (see Ethnic Groups of Connecticut).
Many Connecticut men were Loyalists as well, although a comprehensive listing of them is not available. Many sought refuge in Canada. See Angus Baxter, In Search of Your Canadian Roots (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989) for a discussion of United Empire Loyalists.
- Connecticut Adjutant-General. Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the Army and Navy of the United States During the War of Rebellion. Hartford: Case, Lockwood, and Brainard Co., 1889.
- Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States in the Spanish-American War. Hartford: Case, Lockwood, and Brainard Co., 1919.
- Service Records: Connecticut Men and Women in the Armed Forces of the United States During World War I 1917'1920. Hartford: Office of the Adjutant General, [1941?].
The Connecticut Historical Society has a large collection of military documents and manuscripts. The Connecticut State Library maintains a card file on veteran's deaths with place of burial.
Ancestry.com has two Revolutionary War indexes called Connecticut Men in the Revolutionary War and Connecticut Revolutionary War Military Lists, 1775-83. In addition, there is a military index of Connecticut Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1755-62.