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Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday download Oct 31: Crafts, Tutorials, and More!2 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 9:32 AM
Crafts, Tutorials...
Today I'm sharing all kinds of free stuff to print out on the web that I've found.
Starting with stuff for the kids....
Disney is offering a limited edition printable version of Escape From Haunted Mansion as a game on their web site. You can download all the parts, pieces and instructions this week only (October 25 - 31) and fold, glue, and assemble the set to play on your own.
Ray Keim has spent a lot of time to create models of all of the Disney Haunted Mansions world-wide. They're amazingly detailed...and they're free to download!
(Special bonus: the site also has downloadable tombstones!)
Another haunted house can be found at 3D Paper Model Crafts . There are also lots of links of free downloads of 3D Model toys for children to download, print, fold, and play with. Some of these are pretty complex.
Free sudoku puzzle to print out!
Now for the grown-ups.
Two dozen grocery lists and shopping lists that you can download and print. I downloaded te "Grocery List with extra space" in a Word format. Because it's in word format, you can replace items that you rarely buy (like artichokes) with items that you commonly buy. Oh, and I was able to eliminate the entire BABY section of the grocery list. (Hee hee. Been there, done that.)
Free online business card maker. Great for those who are starting a business - everyone should have business cards!
Pretty gift boxes and chinese take-out boxes to print and fold
More than 200 free gift tag designs that you can download, customize, and print. (Just do a google search for free printable gift tags to find dozens and dozens of sites.)
500 free certificate designs that you can download and print. (Customizable versions are available but they're not free.)
And if you want to adorn your desk with the cutest car on the planet, you can download a Mini Cooper to enjoy. (Almost lifesize model.) It even allows you to pick colors, stripes, and roof designs - just like in real life.
And More!!!
Continuing with the Halloween theme...
Some cute animals in costume!
Scary google!
And, by the way? Did you see the google banner for today? I think it's one of their best ever!
Did you know that google has a holiday banner museum. It contains all the google logos commemorating holidays and events since the first time they did it in 1999.
Sound Dirty on Halloween
1. So…What'd you get in the sack?
2. Once you get under the sheet, start moaning and groaning!!!
3. Just hop on that broomstick and ride it!
4. Those small suckers are gone in a few licks!
5. I got the best piece from that house.
6. Quit screwing around on the porch!!!
7. Stick your hand in and guess what you're feeling….
8. It was so filled and heavy, I had to use TWO hands!!
9. They'll suck you dry if they get their teeth in you.
10. I bobbed and bobbed, but couldn't get my mouth around it!
11. She's a goblin!
12. Let me see your bag….OH! You're having a great night!
13. Just get on your hands and knees and bob your head.
14. She's got a couple of nice pumpkins on her porch.
15. If you just lick it, it'll last longer.
16. Show me your JuJuBees and I'll let you see my Zagnuts.
17. Have your mom check it before you put it in your mouth…
18. You scared me stiff!
19. He's got Candy spread out on the living room floor!
Bat Suicide
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Thursday, October 30, 2008
By the time I get to Phoenix...0 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 6:01 AM
...it'll be almost time to turn around and go back home.
And that's exactly what I'm doing. One day of meetings and 1 1/2 days of travel to get back home.
Andrea of Castalian Designs was the first to guess where I am this week. She said the Gila Monster was the most critical clue and helped her narrow it down to the US Southwest.
So what about those clues I left for you on Tuesday?
First clue. The Gila Monster is found in the SW US and is native to the Gila River basin, where Phoenix is.
As I said on Tuesday, the Gila Monster even starred in its own B- movie. The stars of this ..ahem.. avant garde film are a sheriff of a small Texas town and a leader of a hot-rod gang who try to find out why teens have been disappearing. A series of tragic motor accidents occur (!) and it becomes apparent that a giant gila monster is roaming the area and depleting the town of its hot-rodding teen-agers. And guess who ends up attending the BIG record-hop party! (I saw some outtakes on youtube and they were pretty hilarious. They used a real gila monster on some scale balsa wood models - but it was SO CUTE!)
2nd clue. The mountain my daughter and I climbed is called Camelback Mountain because it resembles one (see right).
Obviously early settlers had active imaginations. Or maybe they never saw a real camel.
And there's a large rock formation on Camelback Mountain that's called the Praying Monk. Shown on the right, it's said to resemble a monk bent on one knee, praying.
(Didn't the settlers also partake of certain "mushrooms" found in this area?)
It's a lot larger than you'd think from the photo. To give you some perspective, below left is a photo of a professional climber as he scales the cliff walls of the Praying Monk. Pretty impressive.
(I think I would need to indulge in a lot of mushrooms or similar substances before I would try to scale a really tall and really vertical sheer expanse of rock like that one.)
The last clue was a play on the word "phoenix". I stated that this new city was founded on the remains of an ancient civilization. So, like the ancient phoenix, it arose from the ashes.
(OK. It was late at night and I had had a drink. It sounded like a great clue at the time.)
Stay tuned for another "Where in the World is Contrariwise" next week. I'll be heading for a more "distant" location.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Let's play: "Where in the World is Contrariwise?"7 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
I'm on a "4 business trips in 5 weeks" roll, and I'm off traveling again. This time it's a fairly short trip: about one and 1/2 days of travel and just a single day of meetings! (hint hint)
When I last played "Where in the World is Contrariwise" , I was really surprised at how quickly someone guessed that I was in Vienna! And I even thought the photos I used were pretty obscure - I know I would never have guessed the location!
I think this week's location might be a bit easy to guess, so I'm going to try to make it as hard as I can and not use the most obvious clues or photos.
First clue. The animal on the right lives here. However, even if you're a native of the area, it's pretty doubtful that you might see one. They're very reclusive and only come out at night - and rarely at that. One really interesting fact about these animals is that they only eat about 5 or 6 times a year.
A really cool creature, this animal even starred in its own B horror movie.
2nd clue. There are lots of mountains around here. But If I showed you a picture of a local mountain, you might be able to name it from its profile - it's quite well known. (So I'm not going to post it!)
I've even climbed this particular mountain with my daughter earlier this year!
On the left is what we saw as we just started our climb. (The large rock in the center is also a landmark and has a very picturesque name.)
It took us over 3 hours to climb the trail and get back down. I'm not as fast as my daughter. Here she is waiting (somewhat) patiently for me.
3rd clue: This is a relatively new city, being founded in the latter part of the 19th century and was actually founded on ruins of much more ancient settlements.
OK. Time to guess where I am!
Put your guesses in the Comments. If no one guesses right, I'm going to add some more clues later today.
Tomorrow, I promise to you know where I am and to explain the clues in this post.
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Monday, October 27, 2008
How to stop being a bad mommy12 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
Get your politically incorrect parenting tips RIGHT HERE! (This one was forwarded on to me by a friend. Don't know the origin.)
UPDATE: I think that this may be the original source of the ad. (Great site, by the way, with some awesome links.)
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Labels: humor
Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday Download,Oct 24: Crafts, Tutorials, and More!6 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
Crafts, Tutorials...
Blade Runner
I found this great idea from Ready Made.
Instead of buying an expensive knife holder, you can make a really cool one from recycled or renewable source materials. Easy, useful, and rather elegant, too!
1. Drink all the liquid out of a 2 liter bottle or pull one out of your trash.
2. Clean and dry said bottle.
3. Remove the bottle's label.
4. Using a utility knife, cut off the top of the bottle of so that it now measures 10 1/2" tall.
5. Fill the bottle's bottom with about two cups of salt, sugar, or sand.
6. Start packing the bamboo skewers (sharp ends down) until the bottle is full and tight.
7. Gently stab your finest chef's knives into the bamboo.
Or if you'd prefer, you can buy a similar model from Martin Robitsch, of Austria for only $125!
Do it yourself Wedding (and other) invitations.
When someone says that you should make your own invitations, my mind runs immediately to sloppy, very homemade-looking projects that advertise how small your budget is. But, thanks to different websites, you can create invitations worthy of a million-dollar wedding. Choices include dramatic petal fold envelopes, fancy papers, pretty ribbons to tie them with - all are included in a do-it-yourself (DIY) package, complete with instructions.
Just do a quick google search for "DIY Wedding invitations" and you 'll find dozens of sites. Usually, they provide you with a microsoft word template, the paper, and the decorations. You print the invitations, decorate, and assemble them.
They're definitely cheaper than professional printers, but some still seem pretty pricy to me.<---Look, this invitation is even Green! I love that it has seeds embedded in it.
Well , at least here's one invitation we better not need for her. -------->
Even less expensive invitations!
Wedding fanatic has a video that shows you how to make really inexpensive invitations and provides a free template too! It can easily be modified to be used for other occasions. (You should check out her blog. It's not just full of amazing tips but it's also just a feast for the eyes.Or, if you're not into making these kinds of papercrafts, you could always check Etsy. There are a lot of talented people who make unbelievably creative cards and invitations.
...and more!!!Continuing with the wedding theme:
Do you think last night's Stag Party might be to blame?
Can you tell that she's definitely improving!
http://view.break.com/591376 - Watch more free videos
And now from the Contrariwise homefront:
A kitchen peeler, potatoes, and a 13 year old girl. What do you get?
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
Part 2. Adventures in Jewelry Making: What did I make with my dapping block and disc cutter!?9 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
Part 1 of this story can be found here.
As you read in my last post, I wanted to learn to make domed discs and incorporate them in my jewelry designs.
Starting with copper, which is obviously WAY LESS expensive than sterling, I learned by trial and error to make discs. The sheets of copper fit easily in the slit on the side of the disc cutter. (See right.) I found that one sharp blow with a heavy hammer was best - it resulted in the discs having sharp distinct edges. Only minor filing was required to make the edges smooth and ready for the next step, doming the discs to create softly concaved shapes.
To make concave discs, I started with the largest depression in the dapping block and used the largest punch. ( If I didn't start with the largest depression, I ended up with folds in the disc. An interesting look, but not one that I wanted. Trial and error - AGAIN!)
Then I progressively moved to smaller depressions until I got the shape I wanted.
After getting comfortable with the copper, I made a few discs in silver and domed them with the dapping block.
In the photo on the right, you can see three different discs.
On the upper right is a small non textured disc. The lower 2 discs have been texturized. They've been hammered with punches to get a texture that I liked. The one in the middle has also been oxidized and polished to bring out highlights.
I liked the earthy feel of the oxidized and textured discs. I could easily make them into jewelry, but I felt that they needed something else. I went through my boxes and boxes of beads and findings. I tried combining all kinds of beads with the sterling discs but finally settled on some coin pearls which I felt could stand up to the heft and the texture of the silver, and contrast it nicely.
On the left you see the final result. Sterling silver domed discs and coin pearls. I call them my Moonlit earrings.
(Modesty aside, isn't the photo great! Seriously, this is one of my favorites. Other than cropping it, nothing else has been done to enhance this photo.)
I really like the textures of the sterling against the iridescence of the pearls. I even made a pair of these earrings for myself- but I sold them off my ears from someone at work - and made a custom matching pendant.
Unfortunately, this is all I've been able to accomplish with my new tools recently. My full time job has been keeping me so busy that this jewlery sideline of mine - the artistic part of me at this point in my life- has languished. New designs have been really sparse. It's all I've been able to do to keep up with my Etsy Shop.
I've got lots of ideas drafted on paper. I only hope I can get them visualized.
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Labels: jewelry making, tutorial
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Adventures in Jewelry Making: a dapping block and disc cutter - oh my!8 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
I've been obsessed with the idea of adding small silver or copper discs in my jewelry designs. The discs look like they might be fun to make and I really really wanted to try my hand at them.
Eventually, my OCD kicked in; I NEEDED to make them. I COULDN'T GO ON without trying to make them.
I searched through google to learn about how to make flat and concave discs. It didn't seem so hard. Of course I would need to buy some new tools: a dapping block, punches, and a disc cutter. (New toys! Yeah!)
I checked around and found that not only are these items pretty pricey, but shipping is really expensive because, being made from solid metal, they're very heavy. I was itching to try this technique but wasn't sure that I'd use it a lot. So I really didn't want to invest a lot of money.
The absolute cheapest metal dapping block, at $35, was at my local Harbor Freight store. Even though I wouldn't need to pay shipping and handling charges, I still balked. So I visited it often at the store, contemplating buying it.
Then one Saturday while I was loitering at the HF store - walking through the aisles and lusting after the tools - I saw the dapping block on sale for $22.99!
It went home with me. I'll admit, it's not the best quality. I got what I paid for. There are minor scratches in the hollows on the block, and a couple of punches have slightly flattened tips.
BUT DOESN'T IT LOOK COOL ON MY SHELF?! (Can you tell that I'm pretty happy.)
Next step: find a (cheap) disc cutter.
Whoo hoo!
Now what do I do? Neither the dapping block or the disc cutter came with instructions. The dapping block was pretty intuitive, but the disc cutter wasn't.
Look at the ends of the punches. One is end is flat and the other is slightly rounded. Which end is for what?
I assumed I slide a sheet of metal in the little slot of the side, insert the punch, and then hammer away... or do I? Should the cutter lie on a surface or be supported? I wasn't sure, even with all the instructions I found on the internet!
Yes, I know that sounds stupid, but I didn't want to ruin my new toy with my first blow. Frustrated, I decided to leave this for another day.
Then, a few weeks later, I met a very friendly artist at a street fair in San Francisco It was obvious that he knew what he was doing. I finally got the courage and told him that I made jewelry too. He was very interested and we chatted. I asked him about disc cutters and he gave me some very useful advice. He also suggested start with copper sheets and use a heavy brass hammer instead my regular steel ballpeen.
OK. Need to buy more stuff: brass hammer, sheets of copper, and one (very expensive) sheet of sterling silver.
Now here I was, two months later and a couple of hundred dollars poorer. I had everything I needed and was ready.
You know what's next? Yup, you're right:
To be continued.....
(I promise to show you what I made with my new tools.)
Contrariwise Jewelry is now a proud member
Contrariwise Jewelry is now a proud member of Metal Smiths in Action: http://metalsmithsinaction.webs.com/index.htm
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Labels: jewelry making
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday Download, Oct 17: Crafts, Tutorials, and More!11 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
Crafts, Tutorials...
There was an amazing response from last week's recycling/green tutorial on repurposing trash bags into useful items like totebags or throw rugs. So I thought I would focus on a couple more GREEN tutorials this week.
Autumn Bouquet made from Maple Leaves
I think it's close to the peak for the fall foliage season, so this craft is very timely. Doesn't this look amazing.
I've summarized the instructions below. Yes, there's a lot of steps, but they're really easy to follow and you won't even need the instructions after your 1st couple of roses. (Just remember to use leaves that are not too dry.)
Don't you think single or small groups of roses would look great incorporated into a fall wreath.
Fairy Lights
These lights are made from recycled cardboard cups. They can be enhanced with feathers, paper, cardboard cones or...egg carton cups! You can hang your fairy lights in a dark area, over a mirror or above a bed for a cozy, warm effect.
They're made from egg cartons - which are made from recycled paper already! For the entire tutorial, visit Esprit Cabane.
....And more
How Many of Me?
I think this is absolutely fascinating. To find out how many people have your name, click here.
(I found out that there are only 94 people in the US with the same exact name as mine.)
Some suggestions based upon what other people are searching for:
Your name: The first suggestion is right in the site name. How many people have your name?
Relatives: Search through your family tree. Search the names of your parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or anyone else related to you.
Nicknames: Does your name not have many (or any) results? If you're using a shortened form of your name (like Will, or Bill), you may get fewer results than you expect. Try using your full name (such as William).
Baby Names: Is little Junior on the way and you want to make sure he (or she) isn't stuck with the same name as 5 other kids when he gets to preschool? Try the names out here, see how many results you get.
And if you'd be interesting in subscribing to my blog and receiving it by e-mail, just click Subscribe to Contrariwise ramblings by Email. Otherwise, Blogger now has an option to be a blog follower. Just click on the link in the upper right corner of my blog.
When wedding vows go horribly wrong
I don't need to say anything. Just watch the video.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
When will you realize... Vienna waits for you...11 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
And we have a WINNAH!
Jen guessed that I was in Austria. Wow! good effort! But a blogger named Just Janes came even closer by guessing that I was in Vienna. (Links to her blog and etsy shop are here.)
The photos in my last post were from the Summer Palace in Vienna, called Schönbrunn Palace, which is one of Vienna's top attractions.
[ WARNING: the following paragraph contains a history lesson. ]
The palace started out as a hunting retreat for Emperor Maximilian II in the late 1500's. It was then built up in the 18th century to resemble Versailles…though it didn't quite pan out that way. The original plans proved too expensive for the imperial budget, and the palace was significantly cut back in size—leaving Emperor Leopold I to make do with a modest 1,441 rooms as his summer residence (ouch!). In the days of Empress Maria Theresa (who had 16 children, by the way, before her husband died prematurely), the palace was elaborately remodeled and finally repainted in a pale mustard color—a shade that became all the rage in aristocratic circles and is still known as "Schönbrunn yellow." (Website: Schonbrunn Castle)
[/ History lesson over. ]
If no one had gotten the answer to "Where in the World is Contrariwise", here are some of the other photos that I was going to post. The Vienna Opera House. Which, in person, is much bigger and much more ornate that I had ever imagined it. (Can you see the open arches on the first level? Well, the ceilings are decorated with ornate paintings.)
I didn't have time to go inside, though. You either have to have a ticket to the opera, or go on a tour.
And St Stephens, the Vienna Catherdral which they started building in the 1300's. I only saw this in passing. If I have time, I'm going to try to get inside.
I have business meetings for the next two full days. But I'll have some free time on Friday afternoon.
Hey, who knows, maybe I'll even find some bead shops.
Hmmmm.....I seem to recall something about Austria being know for crystals.
[Note to JustJaynes: no, you CAN NOT have my job.]
Stay tuned, there will be another episode of "Where in the World is Contrariwise" next week.
And if you'd be interesting in subscribing to my blog and receiving it by e-mail, just click Subscribe to Contrariwise ramblings by Email. Otherwise, Blogger now has an option to be a blog follower. Just click on the link in the upper right corner of my blog.
Monday, October 13, 2008
New Game: Where in the World is Contrariwise?14 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 8:36 AM
Well, I'm traveling for business again. This is a rough month for both me and my family. I have 4 scheduled business trips!
Rather than telling you where I am, I thought I'd play a little game. I'll post a few pictures while I'm traveling, and let's see if you can guess where in the world I am?
I just arrived at my hotel this morning and have a meeting this evening. I'm pretty tired and would love a nap but if I did that, I'd be awake all night. Which would be a really bad idea. So, as I usually do on the first day, I take some time for some sightseeing.
I took the subway and then had a bit of a walk to a famous tourist site. On the right you can see a typical building I saw along my way. The weather's a bit crisp and there's a slight fog that I hope will burn off before too long.
The photo below is where I went sightseeing. Pretty impressive, isn't it. (At this point, if you're guessing that I'm not in Indianapolis, you'd be right!)
I toured inside and then went to see the beautiful grounds around the building.
And this beautiful fountain and buildings can be seen from the back of the building:
While I was walking around the grounds, I came across an older couple that were feeding the birds and squirrels. The animals were so tame that the squirrels would come right up to the lady and take peanuts from her hand that she held out to them. And birds would actually land on her hand and peck bread crumbs held in her palm!
The squirrels are quite a bit different looking that the standard variety around my house. They're almost black and the ears have little tufts of hair growing out of them.
Do you know what city and country I'm in?
Post your guesses in the comments and I'll check back. If no one guesses, I'll add some more photos and hints!
New jewelry design: Sweet pearl o' mine15 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:03 AM
Every piece of jewelry I make has a story. This one is a bit convoluted - but isn't that usually the way inspiration works?
About a year ago, I was making headpins and decided to put little swirls on the ends, to hold the beads in place. The swirls kept getting more and more complex until they were bigger than the beads! But they were so cool.
So I searched through my bead box to find a bead that would complement the swirl. I found some coin pearls and tried one on the swirl.
Eh, not bad. Should I create another and make earrings? No. I decided I wouldn't and put the combo away in my "projects in progress" box.
Just last week I was looking for something and found my neglected pearl/swirl. All of a sudden - and I mean the idea came to me in a flash! - I knew that it would make a great pendant.
It was already made and all I had to do was add it onto a chain. So here's my Sweet Pearl O' Mine necklace.Simple and sweet.
And where did I get the inspiration for the name? I had the radio on, and Guns 'N Roses was playing "Sweet Child 'O Mine".
Hey, you get inspiration where you can.
Check my Etsy shop for this and other Contrariwise Jewelry designs.
And if you'd be interesting in subscribing to my blog and receiving it by e-mail, just click Subscribe to Contrariwise ramblings by Email. Otherwise, Blogger now has an option to be a blog follower. Just click on the link in the upper right corner of my blog. (Could I make it any more obvious?)
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday Downloads, Oct 10 : Crafts, Tutorials, and More!15 comments Posted by Contrariwise at 12:01 AM
Crafts, Tutorials.....
Green Living
Save the planet one day at a time - All you need is a crochet hook
OK, you know the pile of plastic grocery and shopping bags that we all accumulate? (Ever wonder if they actually start breeding after a while? I do.) Here is just the cleverist project for making tote bags from recycled plastic bags:
(I have got to try this. It is just too stinkin' cute not to at least give it a try. )
Don't have enough plastic bags? Most grocery and department stores have collection bins for used grocery bags. Don't be shy. This is a great way to increase your color stock of plastic bags.
Also, these sites have got tons of ideas of what else you can do with plastic bags:
Crochet a beach bag
Plastic bag handbag
Throw rug instructions
Another plastic bag rug
Plastic knit tote bag
Plastic Bag Raincoat - clever stuff!
Crochet a Recycled Clothes Pin Bag
Recycled Plastic Bag Purse
Pot Scrubber Crocheted from Plastic Bags
Dog Leash from Braided Plastic BagsMessenger bag (video)
Water bottle holder
Making plastic beads and wallets
Plastic bag sandals -
The above links are via Green Living Tips
Project Alphabet
PROJECTalphabet™ lets you make your own calendars, alphabet and counting books with digital pictures, then print them out yourself.
And it's all FREE. So make one for your kid, class, dog, town or family vacation.
Here's how it works:
Check out this page of cute examples of alphabets and counting books. One that I thought would make a special gift is a bridal ABC. A lot of thought and effort went to make it.
....And More!
Dust Bunnies
I have enough dust bunnies. Here, take this one that I found under the bed:
9 Amazingly Simple Home DIY Solutions
1. If you're choking on an ice cube, simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. presto! the blockage will instantly remove itself.
2. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold the vegetables while you chop.
3. Avoid arguments with the females about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers ~ simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure on your veins. Remember to use a timer.
5. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. then you'll be afraid to cough.
7. You only need two tools in life - wd-40 and duct tape. if it doesn't move and should, use the wd-40. if it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
8. Remember - everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
9. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
Think you work hard to make your family a nutricious meal?
You got nuthin'.
Japanese women spend a good part of their mornings preparing box lunches, called obento, for their families – there is even a sense of competition among mothers to see who can produce the most cute, appetizing, and healthy lunch for their children. Here are among the most amazing obento lunches I've ever seen:
All of these come curtesy of a site called Hello Kitty Hell.
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Canandaigua Lake
February 1, 2015 by Innkeeper
Nordic Skiing By Moonlight
February 20, 2011 by Innkeeper
This past Friday night Bristol Mountain had a Nordic Skiing by Moonlight event. It started with a little yoga by Melissa Endres, Spa & Fitness Director, Life Path Spa, dinner (hot dogs or burger), an hour of cross-country skiing by moonlight and then a bon fire with hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows. The 1795 Acorn Inn hosted Snow East Magazine Travel Writer, Paris Wolfe, for the evening. Paris, Valerie Knoblauch, President, Finger Lakes Visitors Connection and I had a chance to attend the event. It's safe to say a fun time was had by all. And you should have seen that moon! Thank you to Drew Broderick, Director of Sales & Marketing Director, Bristol Mountain for hosting the event.
There is still plenty of skiing left especially after the eight or so inches of snow we had yesterday. Do I see cross-country skiing in my future this afternoon?
Don't forget about our Stay Two Nights Get One Night Free Package. It makes for a relaxing winter getaway … and, you can get in plenty of cross-country skiing.

subset: commoncrawl


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Women's History month is the perfect time to raise awareness that multicultural views and perspectives must be part of the curriculum all year around. Wow! By far one of the best group projects I have seen recently is about Women's Rights, created by Larry Reiff, an English teacher from Roslyn High School, NY.
Using Proboards.com, Mr. Reiff has set-up an online forum for his students' group based discussion on women's rights around the world. Each group is assigned a video clip for viewing along with several thought provoking questions to discuss together during class. When they go home each student must watch the remaining videos and blog the answers to their questions using Proboards.
Proboards allows teachers to set up free forums for their classes to interact on. Mr. Reiff set his pages up so that the students could easily find their assignments by clicking on the tab that had their group number on it. More importantly, the content of each video expressed authentic, real-life struggles and successes of women from around the world such as the Dowry Killings in India or the moving speech "Ain't I A Woman" read in honor of the author and abolitionist Sojourner Truth.
This is exactly the kind of rich multi-cultural content that ELLs and all students need exposure too. When it is delivered to the students through tools such as Proboards and video, the diversity of the world comes to life in the classroom, the content is more comprehensible and the students will remember it! By the way, I discovered that Mr. Reiff is currently a participant in the Apple Distinguished Educator program. Congratulations to him!


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Get your tickets for 'Passengers'
- Written by Woodinville Weekly Staff
It's fun to look at people waiting for airline flights or trains or busses and imagine what their real stories are.
Playwright Sam Bobrick does just that in "Passengers," a comedy of eight scenes that the Woodinville Repertory Theatre will present in June. And in his telling the stories are sad, weird and often hysterically funny.
Bobrick's play looks at 17 different characters (played by just four actors) waiting for a bus at a small Midwestern bus station. They include Frank, a loser, who decides he will turn his life around by robbing a bus. June dumps a man who can give her everything to run off with an old boyfriend, who offers nothing. Fred, a successful businessman, runs into an old flame who is now a bag lady. Mrs. Evans is awaiting the ashes of her husband, killed while attending a circus out of town. And she's returning the ashes of the circus clown sent by mistake.
The play, directed by Steve Cooper, will be performed weekends June 7-29 at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Three Sunday matinees – on June 9, June 16, and June 23 – are at 2 p.m.
All shows will be at the Denali Slab and Tile Studio, 16120 Woodinville-Redmond Road, Woodinville. For details, visit www.woodinvillerep.org. For tickets, check http://www.woodinvillerep.org/tickets/. Tickets are $18 online, $20 at the door. Tickets are $15 for seniors and students.


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ROCHESTER — The following items are based on 964 entries on the Rochester Police Log from March 5 to 11:
Tuesday, March 5
7:45 a.m. — Tenika L. Lavoice, 25, of 479 Chestnut Hill Road, Farmington, is charged with receiving stolen property.
10:05 a.m. — A man calls police to see about getting his money back from a local motel. He alleges that his fiancee has had to go to hospital "after suffering numerous bites in Room 6." The caller gets half his money back, and the manager gets the room key returned.
11:16 a.m. — A wallet is found in the Walmart parking lot.
1:02 p.m. — Loose change and meds have been stolen from a Northgate apartment.
1:20 p.m. — A toter is taken from North Main Street.
1:20 p.m. — A woman hands in guns belonging to her recently deceased father.
1:58 p.m. — At the station, a woman alleges her ex boyfriend forged a bill of sale for her car and sold it to a third party, who won't give it back.
2:03 p.m. — Stacey D. Bessette, 24, of 11 Pine Grove lane, Lebanon, Maine, is charged with willful concealment at Walmart.
5:50 p.m. — A mother reports that her preteen daughter is being bullied at school by another girl.
8:05 p.m. — A Norway Plains Road resident says her boyfriend's sister has stolen her wallet.
9:02 p.m. — Melissa St. Hillaire, 31, of 260 Main St., Apt. 3, Somersworth, is charged with criminal trespass and contempt.
9:35 p.m. — Scott Allen Dockham, 36, of 11 Townsend Lane, is charged with driving after suspension, stalking and speeding.
10:31 p.m. — Austin Howard, 19, of 29 Stafford Road, is charged with unlawful possession of alcohol.
10:32 p.m. — Construction staging is stolen from Pine Street. A pickup truck leaves the area.
10:45 p.m. — Douglas W. Buck, 37, of 79 Cannon Road, South Portland, Maine is charged with receiving stolen property and five counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.
Wednesday, March 6
12:02 a.m. — Sandra Jean Fallon, 25, of 18B Atkinson St., Dover, is charged with failure to answer a court issued summons.
2:39 a.m. — Someone is assaulted at Amazon Park.
8:58 a.m. — A toter is taken from South Main Street.
9:00 a.m. — A loose pitbull defecates on Given Circle.
9:53 a.m. — A cell phone is stolen from a car on Trade Wind Lane.
11:30 a.m. — There's been a hit-and-run at Kohl's.
12:16 p.m. — Scott McAllister, 22, of 22 Ledgeview Drive, Apt. 2, is charged with receiving stolen property and willful concealment.
3:44 p.m. — A concern comes in about one-way traffic and flaggers on Brock Street.
3:57 p.m. — Richard Daniel Kent Sr., 61, of 7 Leisure Drive, Center Ossipee, is charged with unsworn falsification.
4:33 p.m. — A woman reports that someone has opened a Direct TV account in her name.
5:34 p.m. — Care Pharmacy reports a theft of prepaid cards, which has been caught on video.
6:03 p.m. — A man comes into the Jenny Wren Gallery and yells at the owner.
6:06 p.m. — A man calls to find out the legal protocol for selling a gun to his sister.
9:17 p.m. — A Nutter Street woman reports a relative has stolen her wallet.
9:31 p.m. — There's a disturbance on North Main Street over items in an apartment. It gets settled.
Thursday, March 7
6:49 a.m. — Scott Randal Searles, 22, of 10A Ela Court, is charged with driving under the influence and driving after suspension.
9:46 a.m. — Bulky trash sits on a Portland Street sidewalk.
9:59 a.m. — Randee Stilson, 33, of 22 Riverlawn Ave., is charged with stalking.
2:55 p.m. — A man in Kmart is acting "strange." He may be mourning the death of adverbs.
3:33 p.m. — At the North Main Reptile Store, a man keeps coming in, he annoys the customers, gets underneath their skin.
4:24 p.m. — Philip Gage, 46, of 44 Lafayette St., is charged with driving after revocation.
4:39 p.m. — Corey Denyou, 35, of 108 Oak St., Apt. 1, Rollinsford is charged with failure to use required turn signals and driving after suspension.
5:35 p.m. — A custodian finds a jacket and wallet at Health & Human Services.
7:20 p.m. — A Lafayette Street man is punched right in the face.
8:00 p.m. — A fight downtown is dispersed.
8:03 p.m. — A lady and gentleman are yelling at each other on Rudman Drive.
9:28 p.m. — A man steals twisted tea alcohol at Walgreens.
10:56 p.m. — Shane Briney, 34, of 8 Hope Drive, is charged with resisting arrest and attempt to commit simple assault, and taken into protective custody.
Friday, March 8
12:46 a.m. — A man described as highly intoxicated is taken into protective custody at McDonald's on Wakefield Street.
11:14 a.m. — Two men have stolen tools from OKeefe's and taken off in a red Jeep.
12:39 p.m. — A toter is taken from Felker Street.
2:04 p.m. — Two kids build a snowman right on Eastern Avenue, cars are going slowly by, but not to catch a view, police are called to move it for it can't stay there, o no, man! It really frosted neighbors so that snowman had to go, man.
4:05 p.m. — A Deerfield Court resident says a relative has ripped up clothes and stolen ultrasound pictures.
5:16 p.m. — At Walmart, Stacy Grundy, 32, of 19B Emery St., Sanford, Maine, and Danielle Roberge, 30, of 53 Brook St., Sanford, Maine, are charged with willful concealment.
6:34 p.m. — Two people who "purchased beverages together" have a schism. One assaults the other.
7:16 p.m. — On Olde Farm Lane, there is a civil dispute about borrowed furniture.
7:40 p.m. — On King Street, a lady is repeatedly backing into a telephone pole. She is given an involuntary emergency admission exam.
8:30 p.m. — A noise complaint on Pine Street does not involve yelling and fighting, as first thought, but a loud radio.
10:07 p.m. — Kids fire snowballs at cars on Periwinkle Drive.
10:15 p.m. — A couple quarrels on Lincoln Street.
Saturday, March 9
12:08 a.m. — There is a fight at the rear of the Draught Pick pub.
12:33 a.m. — On Bridge Street a man bleeds from the head, but it's a female who goes to Frisbie.
1:02 a.m. — On Gagne Street a man reports being assaulted, and says he disarmed someone who had a hatchet. Now he is barefoot, and near the river, but is unsure where. When police arrive he declines an ambulance and makes no statement.
7:19 a.m. — A man behind the Mobil on Farmington Road is being violent and talking about angels and the government.10:31 a.m. — On Winter Street a lady has found a "small black and white." What, is not revealed. Could be a panda, could be a skunk, could be a young zebra.
12:13 p.m. — A boy calls the station for an officer to tell his mother to stop screaming at him.
2:53 p.m. — At the liquor store a man pays for one nip and pockets 10, and glugs them in the parking lot, and leaves, ne'er to be seen again.
3:07 p.m. — A Dockside Lane property has been fraudulently put on Craig's List.5:09 p.m. — A Charles Street resident's TV's put out for collection — here's the catch, a snow bank melts, the thing rolls down and clunks a car and makes a scratch.5:26 p.m. — At McDonald's on Wakefield Street, a man has a major beef "because they got his order wrong."
5:40 p.m. — A woman who appears to be drunk is banging on doors on Olde Farm Lane.
6:26 p.m. — Michael James Watson, 23, of 15A Chestnut St., is charged with violation of a protective order.
7:33 p.m. — There has been a text threat to harm a lady when she leaves Planet Fitness.
Sunday, March 10
3:20 a.m. — A cab driver has been robbed, at gunpoint, of $500 by a passenger while on Haven Hill Road.
7:22 a.m. — A man in a pickup dumps an unwanted chair at Varney's Laundromat, despite advice to take it to the Salvation Army.
10:52 a.m. — A Joshua Street woman reports her car has been keyed.
3:57 p.m. — Two large bags of trash have been at Hannaford on North Main Street. A plate number is obtained and a Barrington address from the trash's mail.
4:03 p.m. — At the Lilac Mall Hannaford, a man with a shaved head steals lobsters worth $54. The store manages to claw them back, and the thief takes off, smoking a cigarette.
5:59 p.m. — At Hillview Manor Apartments a man and woman have been throwing things at each other for several hours.
7:52 p.m. — A Chestnut Street woman says a man has stolen her laptop, games and more.
9:19 p.m. — A radio is blasted on Summer Street.
9:32 p.m. — A man is threatened with having his teeth knocked out if he walks down Pine Street again.
9:34 p.m. — A Reagan Drive lady receives a threat from a woman who is going to come over to beat up her family, burn down the trailer, and steal her aunt's ashes.
Monday, March 11
6:39 a.m. — A Charles Street vehicle has been daubed with paint or a marker.
7:01 a.m. — Joseph H. Cote Jr., 43, of 10 Green St., Apt. 204, Somersworth, is arrested on a bench warrant.
10:27 a.m. — A man reports that he was told to scrap a vehicle that was on his property, by its owner. Now he is being accused of theft.
10:30 a.m. — Seven different alarms are going off at the Court House. They are having an alarm issue. You think?
11:22 a.m. — A HRCU customer says someone has used her account to order a subscription to an adult website.
11:33 a.m. — Sizaida M. Maldonado, 33, of 23A Woodman St., is charged with willful concealment.
12:56 p.m. — A Farmington Road business credit card and tools have been stolen.
2:27 p.m. — Six people yell at each other on Chestnut Street. Musically, they would be known as a sextet.
4:19 p.m. — At Bridle Woods a dog is barking again and leaping up and down in a window.
4:20 p.m. — A Farrington Street home is broken into. Copper piping and radiators are stolen.
4:27 p.m. — Three big pigs are in Old Dover Road. They're gone when police arrive.
5:22 p.m. — Tina Marie Chandler, 45, of 39 Chestnut St., is charged with willful concealment at Walmart.
7:20 p.m. — James Braman, 50, of 105 Whitehouse Road, Lot 37, is charged with simple assault.
8:40 p.m. — Someone is given an involuntary emergency admission after a Salmon Falls Road incident.
10:19 p.m. — Myrtle Street music manages to rattle a house.


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John Logsdon, who has half a century of perspective closely following NASA, says the space agency's human spaceflight program is floundering.
During a teleconference Thursday, reported by Space Policy Online, Logsdon said the following:
The "lack of leadership of this administration" has "put us in a situation which is unfortunate."
By this time President Obama should have invited international partners to work together to define the future of the space program and should have given NASA "a relatively crisp sense of what it's role should be," he insisted, but Obama "hasn't done that" and "that's been very disappointing to me."
In other words, Logsdon is critical of the administration's decision to unilaterally push NASA into pursuing an asteroid mission for its human spaceflight program, rather than consulting with international partners. Like Congress, many of NASA's international partners on the International Space Station would like to see the space agency return to the moon.
To my knowledge these are the most critical comments Logsdon has made to date of the administration's policies, however we was careful not to criticize the agency itself, which is caught between directions from the President and Congress.


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May is National Stroke Awareness Month
Dick W.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
By: Dick Warden
This is a short story revolving around my cerebral stroke in October, 2008. Five years before, as a Deacon with our local church, I was asked to call on a very successful businessman, who had a stroke and heart attack and was confined to an assisted living home. We became good friends and I was inspired to make clothing, which was of high quality yet used velcro tabs under the buttons since he had no mobility with his hands. The first article was to be a man's white dress shirt, but no progress was made until I recovered from stroke.
My stroke occurred while I was in my car waiting for the light to turn green at a busy intersection. Someone behind me beeped their horn and I reached to turn my steering wheel only to find that my hand just floated in space. I passed out and my car gently rolled across the intersection without hitting anything and crashed into a brick wall on the other side of the street. The only thing I remember is that a woman opened the car door and asked me my name. I told her my first name very vaguely and she asked if she could pray for me. I said, "yes" and she led me in the most comforting and peaceful prayer that was perfect for my condition at the time. She was truly my Guardian Angel.
After my miraculous recovery from my stroke, I changed my NO Button Clothing project from a "for profit" approach where we were going to sell the shirts to a "non profit" corporation that serves as a Ministry dedicated to God's guidance and to giving the shirts to "caring communities" free. We called this effort the Hand Aid Foundation and you can learn more about us at www.handaidfoundation.com Our shirts are now being used my PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America), ALS Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association,United Cerebral Palsy and several Stroke Rehab Units at local hospitals in a very small way around San Diego.
We are planning for next year and listening to God's voice at every turn.
In His service,
Dick Warden Servant
Display of the Faces of Stroke stories does not imply National Stroke Association's endorsement of any product, treatment, service or entity. National Stroke Association strongly recommends that people ask a healthcare professional about diagnosis and treatment questions before using any product, treatment or service. The views expressed through the stories reflect those of the authors and do not reflect the opinion of National Stroke Association.
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CJ Brown's MLS career was perhaps a bit improbable.
A hard-nosed defender that caught the eye of MLS club's in 1997 during the USISL San Francisco Seal's Cinderella run to that year's U.S. Open Cup semifinal, Brown was selected first overall by the Fire in the 1998 MLS Supplemental Draft.
The pick was the beginning of a 13-year career which saw the defender help the club capture six domestic championships. Brown's career has been characterized by passion, humility and hard work, tenets set by the likes of Peter Nowak, Lubos Kubik, Frank Klopas, Chris Armas, Bob Bradley and Peter Wilt.
On Tuesday, the club announced that C.J., now an assistant coach for Real Salt Lake, would join that group of six in the Ring of Fire on Toyota Park's east-side fascia when the two teams meet on May 9.
"Honestly I've been trying to figure out words to describe it since [Andell Managing Director] Javier Leon called to tell me," Brown told Chicago-Fire.com Tuesday morning. "It's obviously a huge honor to be considered and be put in the Ring with those guys."
Showing the humble side he's come to be known for, Brown continued, "I personally look up to them. I don't think I compare to any of them as a player or person but it's really awesome to know they look at me in that way. Being looked at in that way by the organization and these guys is huge to me because I felt like I did everything I could for the club. It's a special feeling for me, the guys I played with, my family – my parents, my kids and wife -- all the coaches that have been a part of me growing and me becoming the player I was."
C.J.'s Career
While the examples shown to him by the likes of Nowak, Kubik, Klopas and Armas in the early days certainly helped, perhaps the biggest reason for C.J.'s strength and endurance were his recognition of who he was.
"From early on I thought I was pretty in-tune with myself and knew what I was about. I didn't score a lot of goals, I wasn't a finesse player, I wasn't a guy that could play on the ball and be fancy. I was a hard-nosed defender. I came to training the same way I came to games, I wanted to win in training just as bad as I wanted to win every weekend."
And C.J. won a lot. The Fire Original joins fellow Ring inductee Chris Armas and goalkeeper Zach Thornton as the only three players to be a part of all six of the club's domestic championships.
Beyond that, Brown became a league standard bearer in longevity with one club, with his 372 games played putting him third all-time in competitive appearances for one MLS team behind only Jaime Moreno with DC United (415) and Cobi Jones with the LA Galaxy (392). He also holds club records for MLS (296), Playoff (35) and U.S. Open Cup (25) appearances.
"I think I approached it the best way I know how – it was a great, great job I had. It was fun, it was something I loved to wake up and do every day so I put all I had into it whether I was on the game field, practice field or wearing a Fire polo at an event. I tried to represent the club and the badge the best way I knew how, making sure people knew I thought the Fire were the best thing ever."
With so many games and years under his belt, Brown understandably has a lot of memories from his time with the Fire, combining relationships made with the on-field success he tasted.
"I spent 13 years [in Chicago] so obviously the first thing you look at is the double in 1998. You never anticipate that happening, you never anticipate playing much your first year. [Brown played 28 of 32 regular season games in 1998.] I have memories from relationships of people I grew up with during my time in Chicago. Fans that I met the first day that I keep in touch with now, the supporters in Section 8 and the memories you have hanging out and partying with them. Just coming from Soldier Field, seeing Toyota Park being built. I was able to see the Fire grow, it was like our child. We brought it up, watched it thrive and it's a part of my family."
May 9, 2012
The tears that streamed down C.J.'s face upon his first return to Toyota Park with RSL last June showed evidence to what the Chicago Fire means to him.
Speaking of what this year's ceremony will be like, Brown said, "I know it's going to be a very emotional time for me because Chicago has a deep place in my heart. I truly am going to do whatever I can to get my parents out there. They've been going through some rough times and I think they need to be a part of this somehow."
More than that, the ceremony will be a fulfillment of one of the goals he always had as a Fire player.
"It's going to be kind of crazy. I remember coming on the field, looking up before games and thinking 'I want my name up there one day.' Once it's up there, it's up there. You look up and see it's a good group of guys that truly get it and are great players and great people. To see that my name will be among that company, if I never live in Chicago again, my name is still there. Having my name up in Toyota Park, known for being a good person and someone that matters to the club, I think it's better than any type of money or bonus. It's something I worked very hard to be a part of and that night will be very emotional for me.
The CJ Dance
Knowing Section 8 Chicago will hope for the jig made famous by Brown and carried on by current Fire captain Logan Pause following home wins, the longtime Fire defender was bullish about bringing it back to Toyota Park in May.
"I only bring out the CJ dance when we win and I'm not playing anymore," Brown laughed. "I have to see if I remember it to be honest, I'll have to go back and watch some videos. That is a very lasting memory that a lot of people talk to me about. It's a special moment so maybe that's a time it needs to come back out.
"But I have to get in shape before I do it."


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Welcome to BGA Extra, where I draw a line under the previous weekend's game by responding to your questions from BGA during the week. After the jump, I respond to your questions about Sunday's big loss to the Steelers. If you would like your questions answered in future, remember to read my BGA game breakdowns every Monday and leave your question in the comments section.
• Prof. EsqSeveral people asked this. I can confirm that it was on his first pass of the second drive. He was 4-for-5 for 80 yards on the first drive and 6-for-22 for 58 yards thereafter. So, on the face of it, you could definitely pinpoint this as a turning point.
Do you have the numbers for before and after Sanchez was hit in the head? Before the hit, Sanchez looked good and the offense was clicking. After he was hit, the ball was all over the place and the jets didn't do very much. There was no mention of a concussion or anything like that, but we have seen in the past that after a big hit Sanchez starts to get happy feet.
Yes, he misfired to Holmes in the endzone a few moments later. However, he also had he deep throw to Stephen Hill which was an accurate, confident throw. Also, when I watched the footage, Sanchez didn't seem to be that badly affected by Timmons' hit. He just raised up onto one knee, took a second to compose himself and then got to his feet. We've seen him down for much longer than that on previous plays. A further slow-motion review of the hit shows the his head doesn't snap back when Timmons' helmet collides with his - rather it seems to be a glancing blow that turns Sanchez's head to the side and maybe looks worse than it was because the helmet twisted around slightly while still on his head.
So, yes, Sanchez took the hit and played nowhere near as well as he had before it, but I don't know that I'm 100% convinced that there was a direct cause and effect. I does seem pretty likely though - and even if Sanchez wasn't physically rattled, it might have affected him mentally. Can't blame the offensive line for that, though - on the play, Sanchez rolled out and couldn't find anyone open and Timmons came up from the secondary to hit him. That was a moment where the decisiveness he displayed in week one deserted him.
• a57seIt's pretty unlikely any back could have done anything with that, since the Steelers didn't bite on the redirection and that left Konrad Reuland with two guys to block. Had Tebow kept the ball and ran to the left, the play might have had a chance to be successful. Having said that, on the previous play, the play didn't look like it was going anywhere and Joe McKnight made a few guys miss and turned it into a nice gain, so maybe it does make sense for someone more elusive to be back there. At this stage of the season, they're developing tendencies within that package.
I don't think Greene is the right guy for that misdirection toss out of the wildcat, Mcknight would have had a chance to get past Clark on that play because of his speed but Greene is just too slow in that situation.......what do you think?
• BrendanLet's flip your question around and look at the five completions he gave up. On four of them, including the touchdown, he was playing well off his man. On the other, the first completion he gave up, he was in press coverage, but didn't even attempt to get a jam on Wallace at the line. Wallace came back for the ball to get an 18-yard catch.
When Cromartie did actually press at the line, did he do well? I'm to the point where Rex should sit him if he refuses to press WR's. It's so incredibly frustrating watching him play off the LOS when he's so good playing on it.
I've heard it mentioned that Jets coaches have determined that Cromartie has NEVER given up a catch when he gets his hands on his man at the line - a stat which was obviously kept intact here. Clearly that's something they need to get him to do and it's not as simple as putting him in press coverage, because he still needs to get his hands up on his man when he is pressing.
• juunitNo problem.
Can you do a play-by-play analysis for the beginning of the game, leading up to our TD? I know I'm not the only one who was switched onto the game right as we were kicking the extra point, with 4:19 seconds left in the quarter, meaning lots of us completely missed the only good part of the game.
- After a touchback, Pittsburgh gained eight on a WR screen to Antonio Brown. Heath Miller made a good block on LaRon Landry to spring it.
- Bart Scott exploded into the backfield to blow up the next play - a run left by Isaac Redman - for a seven yard loss. David Harris finished him off.
- On third and nine, Brown picked up a first down on a Jet Sweep to the right side. Eric Smith and Josh Mauga got blocked out on the play and Miller drove Ellis Lankster back at the second level, although it looked like a favorable spot at the marker.
- On first and ten, a run up the middle was blown up by Sione Po'uha for a short gain.
- Wallace then gained 18 on the above mentioned play where Cromartie pressed but didn't jam.
- On the next play, the ball was dumped to the fullback in the flat and he ran for a 26-yard gain as Garrett McIntyre passed him off to the man behind him, but the man behind him (Kyle Wilson) was occupied by the slot receiver.
- Wallace then gained six on a pass underneath with Cromartie playing off him.
- Kenrick Ellis blew up the next play for a loss in the backfield on a handoff to Redman.
- On third down, Demario Davis pressured Ben Roethlisberger off the edge and McIntyre sacked him when he stepped up, forcing the Steelers to settle for a field goal.
- The Jets next drive started on the 10 after a Bilal Powell hold and began with two Shonn Greene runs and an illegal substitution penalty on 3rd and 4. With confusion in the Steelers defensive backfield, Holmes ran to the sticks and broke off his route where the ball was perfectly timed for a first down to the 21.
- On first down, Sanchez made a playfake and rolled right, but his first option wasn't there and he hesitated allowing a defensive back to come up and hit him. He span away from the sack and threw the ball away.
- On second down, Sanchez threw an out pattern to Holmes who drew a pass interference flag. It was illegal contact, but not pass interference.
- Sanchez then pump-faked right and threw deep down the seam to Kerley in the left slot. He hit him in stride but he was caught from behind inside the 20 for a 45-yard play.
- Greene was stuffed in the backfield by an unblocked Lawrence Timmons on first down. Matt Slauson blocked the other inside linebacker, which may have been a mistake on his part.
- On second down, they clawed most of the yards back on an out pattern to Clyde Gates despite Austin Howard getting beaten by Lamarr Woodley.
- On third down, a playfake and quick slant to Holmes went for an easy touchdown.
• damionRex said it was mostly because the bigger linemen match up better with the Steelers, but on the five plays where they ran the ball with him in, he did fare well. Presumably McIntyre's unexpected good play was a factor too. Hopefully this will only serve to keep Coples hungry.
Can you give me a reason as to why Coples wasn't out there more?
Maybe the coaches saw him on film last week and didn't like what they saw, I felt he would have a monster game. The defense that seemed ready to dominate in the preseason, but has yet to find its way(in terms of being DOMINANT) but no Po'uha in week 1 and no Revis in week 2 doesn't help.
You make a good point about the defense. People are bashing them, but they haven't played a game with both of their best two players in at the same time yet. Let's see if they give us a reason to bash them when they're at full strength.
• npr jet fanAnother good point, building on my previous comments. Although, I will add that Cromartie usually played Wallace one-on-one in 2010, so I don't know that Revis being there would have prevented that.
With Revis in there would have been no touchdown on the right side to Wallace, more man coverage and added more pressure on the qb, we could of rolled our coverage to help someone else, and put our offense on the field a few more times. Playing with a lead could of kept us two dimensional and in the endzone.
• 'NYCPE'inGermanySeveral people asked a version of this too. They wanted to know why nobody other than Holmes (thrown to 16 times on 35 dropbacks) was targeted and wondered if there were open receivers that were not getting seen or receivers failing to get any separation.
It seemed to me that the Jets receivers couldn't handle the Steelers DBs agressive press coverage. How have the Jets WRs who were here last year handled this? Have they always had so much trouble?
My approach to this is to look at each of the 13 throws to Holmes that were NOT completed. Other than those throws, Sanchez was 7-for-16 for 110 yards (with one play negated by a penalty) - obviously not very good, but slightly better than his success rate throwing to Holmes (3-for-11, five plays negated by penalties).
1. This was an all-or-nothing misdirection play - a classic example of an attempted "chunk" play. Holmes ran a deep crossing route as the Jets faked a run to the right out of a three-TE set and Sanchez rolled left. Holmes was the only receiver on that side of the field, but the Steelers were playing zone so the safety remained deep and the corner on the weakside didn't fall for the playfake and instead rushed Sanchez. Still, Holmes was one-on-one with the safety so could have been an option, but Sanchez had to avoid the rushing defensive back and couldn't get a clean throw off. Jeff Cumberland leaked out as a secondary option on down the middle, but again Sanchez didn't have time to hit this.
2. This was the play where Holmes drew the penalty on the quick out, as detailed in the play-by-play above. It was a one-on-one matchup, so Sanchez really didn't (and probably shouldn't need to) look anywhere else. Here, it's worth noting that the Steelers blitzed a safety from Jeremy Kerley's side and dropped Lawrence Timmons off the line, both clearly moves to discourage the Jets from looking for a quick slant or crossing route from the slot.
3. Again, Holmes was basically in one-on-one coverage, with a safety coming over late. The other three receiving options were on the opposite side. Sanchez threw a quick toss down the sideline and Holmes was held - although this time it was pass interference, not holding, because the ball was clearly in the air. Again, Sanchez didn't really look to the right, although he did glance at Jeff Cumberland who ran a short route to the sticks (it was 2nd and six). Clyde Gates ran downfield and Konrad Reuland was pretty much open in the right flat, although Gates' man would have likely prevented a big play.
4. This was the play where Sanchez rolled out and threw high with Holmes open in the end zone. Again, Sanchez made the right choice here. Reuland and Hill were both jammed at the line by a linebacker to slow them up and then picked up by a safety downfield. Holmes was single-covered again and did get open, but the throw sailed on Sanchez.
5. Holmes was a hot read on this play, as once again the Jets had isolated him on one side with three receiving options on the right side. A five man rush, including the safety on Holmes' side, came and Sanchez got rid of the ball immediately. Holmes initially broke off his route then kept going and Sanchez threw it to the spot where he would have gone if he had not kept going. It was third and long though, so he'd have had to break Ike Taylor's tackle to get a first down anyway.
6. This pass was ruled incomplete, but Holmes definitely caught it. However, it wouldn't have counted anyway because of a holding call. Hill was in single coverage this time with the defender backing off him and came back to the ball where he was open downfield, similar to what happened on the flea-flicker against the Bills. You can't really fault Sanchez though, as he connected with Holmes in a tight window. John Conner would have been a checkdown option underneath.
7. On third and 16, the Jets left two guys in to block and had three receivers bunched over on the left. Gates ran a post pattern, Kerley ran a quick out and Holmes ran to the sticks in between them. This was clearly designed to go to Holmes with the other receivers hopefully creating enough space to get the throw completed. Kerley was all alone in the flat, but had a guy sitting back at the marker and no potential blockers, so would have struggled to make the first down. Gates did draw some attention and Holmes was open, but Sanchez threw high again and Taylor broke it up. A lower throw could have resulted in a successful conversion.
8. The Jets were in a two-TE set with Smith and Reuland. Bilal Powell was in the backfield but motioned out wide left. Clyde Gates ran a go-route from the slot to clear out the outside for Sanchez to throw to Holmes, who again ended up single-covered by Taylor. Reuland was double covered underneath and Smith stayed in to block. Holmes dropped the pass on yet another play where it was clearly set up for him to be the main option.
9. This was the play where Taylor was seemingly called for a phantom pass interference penalty. Sanchez actually connected nicely with an open Holmes on the left side, but Clark's hit jarred the ball loose. On the play, the Jets left Greene in to block but Reuland (from the fullback position) ran a route to the flat and Cumberland chipped a linebacker on the right side then ran an in-route. Stephen Hill was on the right side, but Sanchez didn't look his way because his first option was Holmes, who had a step on his man.
10. A couple of plays later, Holmes was hit from behind before the ball arrived but didn't get the call this time. The ball hit him in the chest. Hill was lined up wide left, but Holmes was obviously the primary option underneath and again was open. Both tight ends ran slower-developing routes and Powell leaked into the left flat, but this was a quick throw. Holmes was showing clear frustration after this play.
11. Here, they had four wideouts with Holmes isolated on the left and the other three on the right. Sanchez pump-faked to Holmes and then threw the ball away without having time to look right. He perhaps didn't trust his protection on that play with a pass rusher coming off the edge, but Powell picked it up. I think they were looking for some kind of pump-and-go, but Taylor jammed him at the line which messed that up.
12. On this play, the Jets had three receivers on the right side and left two guys in to block. While this was called a target to Holmes - the ball skipped to him as he cut off his route just beyond the marker - it looked like Sanchez was actually looking for Kerley here. Kerley ran a whip route and Sanchez's throw was just wide of him, maybe because of a bad route or maybe because of a bad throw. Hill ran a deep clear-out route.
13. Finally, Holmes drew another pass interference call downfield as his man was playing outside technique and he ran down the seam. Another well delivered pass by Sanchez, as Hill and Kerley were both jammed at the line. Sanchez could have opted to dump it to Jeff Cumberland, who initially stayed in to block, but then leaked out into the flat and had some room ahead of him.
There's so many conclusions to draw about these plays, not all of them negative. Clearly the Jets designed a lot of plays where Holmes was the first option and although the Steelers anticipated a couple of these or got lucky with the defense they were playing, they mostly seemed to be well-designed plays that could have worked if the receiver or passer did a better job.
Perhaps this shouldn't be too much of a surprise - after all, the Dolphins targeted Brandon Marshall a ton over the last few years, so Tony Sparano's philosophy is obviously to put his main guy in a position to make plays. He achieved that, although Holmes' hands let him down on this occasion (as was often the case with Marshall too). The positive part of this is that it simplifies things for Sanchez. The obvious negative is that it becomes too predictable. The Jets need to have faith in some of their other receivers to be the guy they put in a position to make some of these plays. Of course, Dustin Keller would usually be one of the primary options on a lot of plays too.
While Holmes clearly started to get frustrated towards the end of the game, it's difficult to fault his ability to get separation when single-covered and the Jets engineered those situations, while the Steelers seemed content to take their chances. It was a bit like a basketball game where you don't bother to double-team the best scorer and instead focus your efforts on keeping everyone else quiet.
Due to the way these plays are designed, we can't learn too much from them about how the likes of Hill and Kerley fared in terms of their efforts to get open. Hardly any of them were situations where Sanchez had to throw to Holmes because nobody else was open - it was more the case that they chose to make him the first option and threw it his way because he was open. However, in the few examples where they were potential options, Hill and Kerley did seem capable of getting open. I'd also add that the other receivers saw plenty of attention in terms of safety support and getting jammed at the line, so the Steelers perhaps smartly assumed the Jets would be focused on ball security and baited Sanchez into making the offense one-dimensional. In Sanchez's defense, his decision making and accuracy on these 13 throws wasn't that bad either.
I don't think the Jets should go away from this philosophy, but they do need a better Plan B going forward. I'd start by designing some plays to get more different players involved.
• __fenseI'm sure there is. My previous research indicated that approximately 75% of the league usually averages between four and six missed tackles per game. The Jets have missed 19 in two games - which is challenging last year's Bucs team (almost 11 per game) for futility. PFF pointed out during the week that the Jets missed only 14 in their first four games last year.
So what's up with the tackling? Is this a league-wide thing, where no one can tackle? I heard someone on TV say it has to do with the limited number of contact practices. Do you think there's any validity to that?
So, is it a league wide thing? Well, only one team has had more missed tackles than the Jets - Carolina has 29 in two games! - but so far 15 teams are averaging more than six missed tackles per game, which is more than usual. Clearly there are quite a few teams off to a bad start in this area. This is especially relevant, considering the fact that missed tackles usually increase once it starts to get cold. It doesn't apply everywhere though. Houston has only missed four tackles so far in two games.
• JBKReuland can line up in the backfield. He did in preseason with San Francisco and has done it six times with the Jets already.
How did Vlad look at LG? Do you think Slauson can play RG as Moore's replacement or are we better bring Moore back for less money ... What's going on with Conner? If he can't go, it will be time to cut or IR two players from the 53 man roster ... Maybe 87 (Reuland) becomes an h-back
I don't know yet who the starters will be at guard yet - ask me again nearer the end of the season. I think there's a good chance Vlad is one. The other might come down to money. Slauson will probably do well at RG because it's typically easier to play there.
• patdI think this is my "comment that bears repeating but doesn't need any further insight from me" of the week.
Missed tackles...uuugghh
• JetsFaninNCI've yet to see any evidence that Tebow can be a capable blocker. I'm sure the coaches are evaluating and developing him in that area and might apply him there if he's ready. I think the Tebow package is still being revealed. A lot of what they're doing presumably sets up some big plays when they start adding some wrinkles later on. Any time the defense looks like it knows what's coming, that is in play. Then once they have success with a more creative variation, it should make the base package more effective (in theory).
I'm wondering... you talked a little about the use of Tebow in Part 1. Do you think that this limited usage is all that they have in mind? I would have thought that he'd be more heavily used yesterday, in order to throw the defense off a bit. They seemed to know what was coming, and we didn't throw in too many wrinkles. Maybe the personnel wouldn't have changed with him in the game, but you'd think at least keeping him on the field (maybe for Connor as a FB after he went down) would give the Steelers some pause as to what's coming.
I'll boil it down - my question is, based on what you saw, do you think that just keeping Tebow on the field (with Sanchez) could have given our offense a little more breathing room?
PS - I do NOT want to see Sanchez benched in favor of Tebow. I just thought that he'd be used more as a swiss army knife, along WITH Sanchez.
I know he was working with the scout team playing Roethlisberger's role this week, so maybe that ate into his preparation time for working with the wildcat packages.
• justwinbabyMulligan blocked a punt and caught the winning touchdown for the Rams on Sunday, but we'll have to wait and see if mistakes creep back into his game and start limiting his effectiveness. Don't look now, but the other contender for that least like Jet crown from last year - Wayne Hunter - gave up just one pressure in 54 snaps protecting the blind side, so it seems likely he is going to play better without as much expectation placed upon him. Obviously, you'll get an update in Expendables at the bye week.
How do you like Mulligan catching touchdown passes in St Louis? I think Mulligan was one of the least liked jets last year, so I'm glad he found somewhere he could be happy.
• jon in bkSteelers were 9-for-16 including conversions via penalty. The average distance required was 6.3 yards on the ones they made and just under ten yards on the ones they missed. This was skewed by a 3rd and 32 though. Remove that and the other ones they missed were just under six yards to go. The Jets were 5-for-13 after starting off 4-for-4. The average distance required was 3.4 yards on the ones they made and 9.5 yards on the ones they missed.
Something I'd be interested to see in BGA Extra (if possible): The party line seems to be that it was just 3rd down performance that made the difference. Are numbers available on what the average 3rd down distance was, though?
They will probably be skewed by a couple of 3rd and-forevers for the Steelers, but it seemed like the Jets were behind the sticks a lot on offense, and not great on D either.
The dirty little secret of the Jets defense is that for all their talk about aggressiveness, their gameplan is usually to ensure they stop the run and put the other team into passing downs, then rely on their secondary to keep the quarterbacks to a low success rate in those situations. Phase one of that plan went pretty well on Sunday...
• reprocityCoples had 16 and Maybin 14. As for McIntyre, it was obviously his most productive game but his first sack came because Roethlisberger had to step up due to pressure from Demario Davis and his big hit in the backfield came as he was completely unblocked. He also had two costly breakdowns in coverage, so it wasn't a flawless performance by any means. I do like McIntyre though and he gives the Jets good depth at a position where their starters are aging.
How many snaps did Coples and Maybin have? Did McIntyre really have the game of his career?
• WW85This is something that can't really be accurately measured statistically. A lot of teams just ran out the clock, but they had either less time or worse field position than the Jets. Then again, most of the teams that tried to score got the ball with better field position and/or more time. The closest comparison was the Lions who got the ball with the same amount of time remaining but at their 9-yard line or Miami who got the ball (also down three) with slightly less time remaining and slightly worse field position (20-yard line, 46 seconds). They both chose to run the clock out. Then there's the Giants, who got it with 53 seconds to go on their 25-yard line and ended up throwing a pick-six, so that's hardly a good argument for going for it.
Do you have stats on end of half laydowns? I don't agree. when I see top 10 offenses with about a minute to go with timeouts, I see them go for it. I don't doubt weak offenses don't go for it.
You make a good point about the top offenses going for it in those situations, but the Jets offense is not a top offense - and being more aggressive in those situations wouldn't immediately turn them into one.
• Greg DrohanThe main reason he's not seeing the field is that Powell is a better pass blocker than him. I think McKnight has the potential to be good in that role and figured that the weight he added would help him to improve, but right now Powell is doing a good job and McKnight is getting a lot of special teams work (where he is an asset). He made a nice run on Sunday for sure, so I hope they do give him some more chances to give them a spark.
Glad to see you mention McKnight. I thought he naturally showed more shiftiness than Greene or Powell possess, but also seemed he had nice patience on that run. I swear the Jets just hate small fast RBs and if a Ray Rice was on the team, he'd be lucky to get 5 touches a week. Do you think it's mainly about the fear factor? His past with fumbles? If so, then Powell should be starting over Greene after last week.
• Greg DrohanI commented in preseason that he seemed to have lost a step in terms of getting off the initial block and bursting back to the quarterback, which was how he picked up five of his six sacks last year. I wonder if they're better off letting him shed the weight and just using him in a one-dimensional role, because their attempts to turn him into a three-down player have just made him worse in the role he used to have.
Wondering what you think about [Maybin's] weight? I thought he was probably playing unusually fast as he was 20 lbs (or more?) under weight last season. Now that he bulked up has he lost a step or three?
Having said that, after I made those comments in preseason, he had eight pressures in two games, so hopefully he is just trying to find his feet.
I'll be back on Monday to break down the Miami game.


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I was riding a 10.5m RRD obsession today, unhooked and went for a dangle pass, missed the bar and the kite hit the water with really slack lines. I could not recover in time and the kite was rolled through the lines by the wind. Next thing the bridal in part wrapped around the back of the kite and part front (bow tied) and kept trying to take off. Trided pulling lots of different lines to sort it out with no success.... (it flags out on the 2 front lines so you can not pull a single front line in)... I am guessing you really want to pull a side line in loads and get the kite in the position you put it in on the beach after pumping it up (facing straight into the wind), then relaunch check its sorted, drop to the water and pass the bar through the centre lines.
I have had this happen very occasionally and never really found a good method... any sugegstions as there is a realrisk of shredding the kite if you don't act quite quickly... suprised it did not pop. It was pumped up very hard.