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(CNN) - Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday he thinks a filibuster of Chuck Hagel's nomination for secretary of defense would be appropriate.
The conservative Republican from Kentucky said in an interview to air on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" that his unanswered questions on Hagel – particularly speaking fees Hagel received since leaving the Senate – rise to the level where he might set a roadblock to the former senator's nomination.
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"If they're not going to give us the information, the only way to get the information is to threaten to hold them to a higher standard of sixty votes," he said in the interview.
Paul joins Sen. John McCain, whose spokesman told CNN earlier Wednesday that he is reconsidering his previous pledge not to block Hagel's nomination.
McCain "is not calling for a filibuster in the sense of stopping the nomination cold," Brian Rogers explained to CNN. He added that McCain and Sens. Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte are "entitled" to answers on questions about the Benghazi attack which they have been asking for months, and it "should be very easy for the administration to answer."
Earlier in the day, Paul said in a statement that he would block the nomination of John Brennan to be President Barack Obama's next director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
"I have asked Mr. Brennan if he believed that the President has the power to authorize lethal force, such as a drone strike, against a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, and my question remains unanswered," Paul wrote in the statement. "I will not allow a vote on this nomination until Mr. Brennan openly responds to the questions and concerns my colleagues and I share."
Paul said in the CNN interview Wednesday that he generally deferred to the president – even one with whom he disagrees on policy about nominees.
"My inclination has been - even though I'm a conservative Republican - to give the president the prerogative to decide who is in his Cabinet. I voted for John Kerry even though politically I don't agree with much of anything Kerry represents as far as a U.S. senator, but I think he's an honest person," he said, noting the recent confirmation vote for Kerry as secretary of state.
But the situation with Hagel is different, he said.
"My first inclination was to give him the benefit of the doubt," he said, noting that Hagel had "served honorably, he was wounded in combat" as a soldier.
"I'm starting to have some doubts and my doubts are that if you're going to run the Department of Defense, you really need to reveal if you've had financing from foreign groups," he continued. "There's all kinds of rumors all over the internet about foreign groups that may have provided financing and I think he needs to reveal that, and so I am one who is saying, yes, I do need a little more information before making a final decision."
- CNN's Kevin Liptak, Ted Barrett, and Dana Bash contributed to this report
Paul cites "all kinds of rumors all over the Internet" as a credible source? Guess that's what we should expect from a guy who made up a phony "professional" organization when he couldn't get into the real and accredited one ...
If Paul doesn't want Hagel at DoD, he should simply vote no when Hagel's nomination comes up on the floor? He is not a real libertarian.
What a jerk! And he seriously thinks he has a chance to get to the Oval Office?
This non doctor is more scary than his daddy. He is trying to get in line for 2016 and he still doesn't realize that, as he thinks, we, the people, will not go back to the pre civil rights era and since you don't think establishments should only serve those "white" folks they want or you think beating up on women is a-okay then we can tell you that we don't like you or your kind and we vote.


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Jeremy Goodwin
Chief Meteorologist
Topeka, Kan.
Thanks for clicking on my bio page!
You can catch my forecasts weekdays on 13 News at 5, 6 & 10PM. I was born in Morocco believe it or not. That's on the northwest part of Africa. My father was in the Navy at the time. From there, we moved to Poplar Bluff, MO where I became fascinated with thunderstorms as a child. That fascination has not faded.
I am a graduate of the University of Missouri Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Soils & Atmospheric Science. I am certified by the American Meteorological Society and was the 98th meteorologist in the world to obtain the title of "Certified Broadcast Meteorologist".
My first job in television was with KRCG-TV in Jefferson City, MO. I will never forget the 30-mile drive to work at 3AM for the morning shift. I was terribly nervous my first few times on air. The studio was so quiet and my heart was so loud. I can never thank my former boss Mike Roberts enough for his patience and guidance in my first years on air.
I joined WIBW-TV in February of 2001 and have had amazing experiences here. We see everything in Kansas from blizzards to tornadoes. In my time with WIBW-TV, I have reported temperatures ranging from -20 to 110 degrees. Northeast Kansas has such distinct and extreme weather swings. It keeps you on your toes as a meteorologist.
One of my favorite parts of this job is talking to school kids. The curiosity about weather always reminds me of the feeling that I had at their age. I always wonder which ones of them will become a meteorologist.
I love to try new things and see new places. Of course, my favorite hobby is storm chasing. When severe weather is in our area. I will be in the office and on your television. On the occasion that severe weather is in progress in other parts of the Midwest and will not affect northeast Kansas. You might see me driving toward some of the nastiest clouds in the world.


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Break for the Border is a unique, Stylish, upbeat Super- pub located next to a Shoppers Paradise Grafton Street & next to one of Dublin's liveliest Night Life Areas "South William Street"
Break for the Border offers a unique experience with 5 Bars, Outdoor Smoking Area, Heated Mazzini Smoking Area,3 Dance Floors & Nightclub all wrapped up in Friendly Service. Break for the Border is an Ideal Venue for after work with a Selection of Drinks & Cocktails to suit all tastes or if you fancy a Chilled out, relaxed night or to Dance and party Break for the Border has it all.
Break for the Border has a unique twist on Mexican Cuisine, serving some of our most impressive dishes like our "Sizzling Faiita"it will definitely get your party talking or for the traditional in us we offer our mouth watering BFTB Burger. Something for everyone……
Friday & Saturday Nights we have our Resident DJ playing all the latest Music keeping that party feeling going till Late. Table Reservations are available for any size party or occasion.


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Consortium of Foreign Study Abroad Centers Worldwide
Study abroad for a week ... or several months ... in any of over 40 countries. Study at a foreign Language school... or accredited university. Take a learning vacation ... or an accredited course. Learn a foreign language ... or take drama or humanities courses. Experience homestay living in another country ... or choose a hotel, shared or private apartment or pension. You'll find foreign centers flexible and accommodating.
All ages are welcome ... and new programs start weekly throughout the year. Last year, over 25,000 international visitors attended these schools - with great reviews.
Evaluates Foreign Language Immersion Centers and Universities around the world.
Selects the best programs which extend a hospitable welcome to international visitors.
Encourages the learning of foreign languages intercultutal exchange and the understanding of other cultures.
- Registers/Enrolls people of all ages who wish to attend one of the top rated foreign study programs around the world.
NRCSA's Mission Includes:
Stay Up-to-Date :
To get updated information about learning programs in a specific country, E-Mail your name, foreign language (or country) of interest, and occupation to firstname.lastname@example.com. We will add you to our E-Mailing list and periodically send updates for your region of interest.
Evaluating Foreign Programs:
NRCSA maintains a correspondent relationship with thousands of foreign schools - referred to us by government agencies, past students, or other sources.
Over the years, we have conducted on-site evaluations of thousands of their programs - reviewing their facilities, sitting in on classes and talking to administrators, students and teachers.
Selecting the "Best":
NRCSA attempts to select the "best" schools in a specific area which meet our guidelines. Currently, NRCSA works with schools in over 40 countries, maintaining current information about their programs, dates, fees, lodging options etc., and register people interested in attending their programs.
In selecting a school, we may not approve all programs offered by that school. If a school offers 5 programs of which only 3 meet our guidelines, NRCSA information will only cover the 3 approved programs, i.e., NRCSA information about a school may not include all options offered in the school brochure if all programs don't consistly offer the quality we are looking for.
NRCSA encourages all students attending foreign programs to send us post-study evaluations. If students send poor evaluations for a particular school, that school loses it status with NRCSA and is placed on probation (i.e. NRCSA no longer refers students... and works with the foreign school to address problems) and subsequently dropped from the NRCSA consortium if problems are not adequetely addressed.
Encourage Intercultural Exchange:
NRCSA encourages participation in cultural and foreign language programs as a means to improve intercultural understanding - both within and between countries. We are happy to provide program information to interested individuals, as well as schools, employers, media, libraries, and others.
It is heartening that more employers are extending tuition reimbursement options for cultural diversity and intercultural study programs for employees - and universities are frequently accepting transfer credit for such programs. Your suggestions on how we can better facilitate information about intercultural programs will be appreciated.
Registers Students for NRCSA Schools:
Register for any of these programs through NRCSA. NRCSA registration services give you the better foreign schools around the world, a higher degree of program predictability and conveniences such as:
- Use of one simplified PreRegistration Form for schools in over 40 countries.
- Charging the school deposit to your credit card if you choose.
- Confirmations within 3 working days in most cases.
- Coordinated registration for multiple schools (if you attend 2 programs on the same trip).
Just the Facts:
Over 300 US universities have formal programs with foreign schools in the NRCSA Consortium. Most focus on foreign language immersion training and area studies. Others specialize in business, education, art, etc.
Teachers from over 1,000 school districts have attended NRCSA member institutions abroad over the past years to pursue graduate credit, in-service credit or simply to expand their professional competence.
Working adults, retirees and professionals constitute a majority at many schools affiliated with NRCSA. Most pursue vocational or avocational interests abroad. Foreign short courses frequently combine lectures with fieldtrips or cultural events providing an enjoyable and stimulating learning experience.
The Wisconsin Department of Public instruction has reviewed and approved programs offered by most NRCSA Centers Abroad for ECU (equivalency clock hours). Hundreds of US colleges have awarded credit to their students who have attended these schools.
The most significant approval, however, has been from the hundreds of thousands who have attended schools in the NRCSA Consortium over the past 37 years.
NRCSA Member Institutions use their local resources and contacts to make your international experience truly unique, be it for middle, secondary, college or adult programs. They welcome individual students as well as arrange special programs for groups.
You can preregister in this country to minimize surprises and delays abroad -- and do so at excellent institutions with high standards. Simply complete the Preregistration Form. For more information about programs available through NRCSA and other intercultural divisions of Mibar Ltd., contact the National Registration Center for Study Abroad, 207 E. Buffalo St., Suite 610, PO. Box 1393, Milwaukee, Wl 53201 USA. Tel: (414) 278-0631; Fax: (414)271-8884.


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Construction Market Activity Continues Slow Growth Pattern
NEW YORK — Turner Construction Company announced that the third quarter 2012 Turner Building Cost Index, which measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States, has increased to a value of 832. This reflects a 0.73 percent increase from the Second Quarter 2012 and 2.21 percent yearly increase from the third quarter 2011.
Karl F. Almstead, Turner vice president responsible for the Turner Building Cost Index, said, "A modest increase in construction costs over the last few months is driven by labor and material cost increases." He continued, "Market optimism also contributes to the moderate increase in costs. However, any significant change in the market will require a change in the overall economy."
Turner has prepared the construction cost forecast for more than 80 years. Used by the construction industry and Federal and State governments, the building costs and price trends tracked by the Turner Building Cost Index may or may not reflect regional conditions in any given quarter.
The cost index is determined by several factors considered on a nationwide basis, including labor rates and productivity, material prices and the competitive condition of the marketplace.
Founded in 1902, Turner is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, a publicly traded company and one of the world's leading international construction service providers.


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Earth is not exactly getting its youth back, but a new study has determined that the collision from which the Earth and moon were formed may have occurred much later than previously thought, making our planet and moon younger than scientists had commonly believed.
The Earth and the moon were created as a result of a giant collision between two planets the size of Mars and Venus. Until now, it was believed that the collision occurred when the solar system was 30 million years old — roughly 4.5 billion years ago.
But, according to a new study that was recently published in the scientific journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the true age of the Earth and moon can be determined by examining the presence of certain radioactive elements in the Earth's mantle.
The results of the research show that the Earth and moon must have formed much later than previously thought — perhaps up to 150 million years after the formation of the solar system. That makes our home planet a bit younger than scientists thought.
"We have determined the ages of the Earth and the moon using tungsten isotopes, which can reveal whether the iron cores and their stone surfaces have been mixed together during the collision," said Tais Dahl, who conducted the research as his thesis project in geophysics at the Neils Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with David Stevenson from the California Institute of Technology.
The theory surrounding the formation of the planets in our solar system is largely a tale of cosmic bumper cars. The planets as we see them today were created as the result of a series of collisions between small dwarf planets orbiting the newborn sun. By slamming into each other, the small planets melted together and formed larger planets.
The last of these giant impact events was thought to be the one from which the moon formed, said Dahl.
The planetary bodies that collided in this impact smashed into each other at a time when both had a core of metal (iron) and a surrounding mantle of silicates (rock).
It is believed that the collision took place in less than 24 hours, and since the temperature of the Earth was a scorching 12,600 degrees Fahrenheit (7,000 degrees Celsius), it was thought that both the rock and metal melted and emulsified together in the turbulent impact.
"The big question is: how do we date and determine the age of this event? There has been a lot of discussion about that," Dahl told SPACE.com.
Researchers previously believed that the rock and iron mixed completely during the collision and subsequent planet formation, and it was therefore concluded that the moon was formed when the solar system was 30 million years old.
This new study, however, paints a different picture.
The researchers were able to determine the age of the Earth and moon by examining the presence of certain radioactive elements in the Earth's mantle.
Hafnium-182 is one such radioactive substance, and it decays and is converted into the isotope tungsten-182. Hafnium and tungsten have markedly different chemical properties, and while the tungsten isotopes prefer to bond with metal, hafnium is prone to bonding to silicates, such as rock.
It takes 50-60 million years for all hafnium to decay and be converted into tungsten, and during the moon-forming collision, nearly all the metal sank into the Earth's core. Yet, researchers were unsure if the tungsten had fallen into the core as well.
"We have studied to what degree metal and rock mix together during the planet forming collisions," Dahl said. "Using dynamic model calculations of the turbulent mixing of the liquid rock and iron masses we have found that tungsten isotopes from the Earth's early formation remain in the rocky mantle."
From these models, the researchers claim that the moon-forming collision occurred after all of the hafnium had decayed completely into tungsten. As such, the Earth and moon must have formed much later than scientists had thought.
"Our results show that metal core and rock are unable to emulsify in these collisions between planets that are greater than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in diameter and therefore that most of the Earth's iron core (80-99 percent) did not remove tungsten from the rocky material in the mantle during formation."


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Lyakhov Islands
Lyakhov Islands lyä´khəf [key], c.2,700 sq mi (7,000 sq km), southern group of the New Siberian Islands, N Siberian Russia, between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Sakha Republic. They include Bolshoy Lyakhov, Maly Lyakhov, and Stolbovoy islands and are separated from the Anjou group of the New Siberian Islands by Sannikov Strait and from the mainland by Dmitri Laptev Strait. They were discovered (1770) by Ivan Lyakhov, a Russian merchant. In 1928 the Soviet government established a geophysical station there.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Arctic Physical Geography


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Image is copyrighted. No image reproduction and rights are granted to Client, until Gunter Marx Stock Photos has received full payment of invoice, outlining copyright license and usage fee.
Sports, Recreation, & Lifestyle, British Columbia Rockies Region, Camping, Recreational Vehicles, People, Dining / Eating
activities, activity, adults, adventure, barbecue, barbeque, bbq, BC, boys, British Columbia, British Columbia Rockies Region, brothers, campers, campfires, campgrounds, camping, campsites, Canada, canadian, children, color, colour, coniferous trees, conifers, cooking, dads, day, daytime, enjoying, environment, evergreen trees, exterior, families, family, fathers, female, Fernie, forest, friends, group, group of people, holiday, image, kids, Kootenays, Lake Koocanusa, lakes, leisure, lifestyle, male, men, moms, mothers, natural, nature, North America, outdoor, outside, Pacific Northwest, parents, people, photo, picture, quality time, recreation, recreational vehicles, RVs, relatives, reservoirs, scene, siblings, sitting, sitting around campfire, smoke, spending time together, summer season, sunny, trees, vacation, vehicles, view, Western Canada, wilderness, women, young, horizontal


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Struggling through tears, the mother of an 8-year-old who was abducted from a Florida Walmart and later raped and killed said the man accused of the crime had convinced her he was a good Samaritan who was trying to help her family out.
Rayne Perrywinkle sat facing 61-year-old defendant Donald Smith in a Jacksonville courtroom, and testified about the day her daughter, Cherish Perrywinkle, disappeared.
Smith is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and rape. If convicted, he faces a possible death sentence.
Rayne Perrywinkle said Smith had been hovering around she and her three daughters while they shopped at a discount store earlier in the day. She was looking for clothes for all three children and could not afford it.
Smith watched as Rayne tried to work out how to pay for the clothes, Rayne testified, and said when she came outside he was waiting. He offered to take them to a nearby Walmart and make purchases with a gift card.
The mother testified that she was wary, but accepted because Smith assured her his wife would meet them at the Walmart.
"He looked into my face and told me I was safe," Rayne Perrywinkle said.
"Did you want to believe him?" prosecutor Mark Caliel asked.
"Very much so," Rayne replied.
The mother and her three daughters piled into Smith's white van. They went to a nearby Walmart and she began shopping with her girls, placing three small piles of clothing in a shopping cart.
It got late, after 10 p.m., and Smith's wife never appeared. Rayne said her daughters were getting restless because they had not had dinner.
Smith told Rayne he would go to a McDonald's inside the store and get them cheeseburgers. Cherish followed him and was never seen alive again.
Rayne Perrywinkle said some 20 minutes later, she realized the McDonald's inside the Walmart was closed and she began to panic. Her cellphone didn't work a daughter had dunked it water to try and clean it so she cried out for help realizing her daughter had been taken.
"I was yelling 'Call 911! My daughter's been taken,' and no one would help me right away," she said. About 40 minutes after her daughter disappeared, an employee gave her a cellphone and she called 911, prosecutors said.
Surveillance footage from the store caught the image of Smith and Cherish exiting, the girl skipping out behind him.
"No one noticed. It looked like a grandfather and a granddaughter," State Attorney Melissa Nelson told the jury during her opening statement.
She said Cherish's mutilated body would later be found in a creek. She'd been raped, smothered and had blunt force trauma to the back of her head. She was wearing an orange dress with a fruit pattern on it. When Smith was arrested, Nelson said he was wet from the waist down.
Smith's defense attorney, Julie Schlax, suggested to the jury that Rayne Perrywinkle made poor decisions getting into the van.
She said she would cross-examine Rayne, but after the mother's testimony Smith told his attorneys not to cross examine her, so they told the court they had changed their mind.
Before his arrest for Cherish's death, Smith had a long criminal history dating back to the 1970s related to lewd and lascivious conduct. Doctors determined that he met the criteria of a violent sexual predator after arrests in 1999, and he had served prison time and been ordered to get treatment, according to the Florida Times-Union newspaper.
In 2009 he posed as a child welfare worker and asked a child sexually explicit questions on the telephone and was arrested on felony charges, which were later reduced to misdemeanors, the newspaper reported.
Follow Jason Dearen on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JHDearen


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State on high alert after explosions at marathon
Simultaneous explosions just before 3 p.m. Monday a short distance apart near the crowded finish line of the Boston Marathon injured dozens, with two deaths reported, and were later followed by an incident miles away at the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester.
"We've had a horrific attack here in Boston this afternoon," Gov. Deval Patrick said at a late afternoon press conference.
The explosions on Boylston Street occurred between 50 to 100 yards apart at 2:50 p.m., according to Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. "Each scene resulted in multiple casualties," said Davis.
"We have at this point in time determined that there has been a third incident that has occurred," said Davis. "There was an explosion that occurred at the JFK Library. So this is very much an ongoing event at this point in time.
"We are not certain that these incidents are related but we are treating them as if they are. We're recommending to people that they stay home, that if they are in hotels in the area that they return to their rooms and that they don't go anyplace and congregate in larger crowds."
Davis at a later press conference said the incident at the JFK Library involved an "incendiary device" or a fire. He said just before 6 p.m. that reports of a suspect in custody were "not true."
Asked if he considered it a terrorist attack, Davis said, "We're not being definitive on this right now. You can reach your own conclusions based upon what happened."
Bags and parcels discarded as crowds dispersed are being treated as suspicious devices, Davis said.
Families of victims or who are trying to locate people should call 1-617-635-4500, Davis said.
Anyone with information about the incident should call 1-800-494-TIPS, Davis said.
"People should be calm but they should understand that this is an ongoing event and they should understand that we need all the information that we can get available to us," Davis said.
President Barack Obama called Gov. Patrick and assured him the cooperation of the FBI. Patrick said the State Police and the National Guard were fully deployed.
Statements poured in late Monday from elected officials.
"I am shocked at the horrific and unconscionable attacks that took place today against our city," said Senate President Therese Murray. "My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and all who were near the explosions. Thank you to the volunteers and first responders for their courage in the face of this unexpected event, and to the medical professionals who are taking care of those who were injured."
Said House Speaker Robert DeLeo: "Today is a day of tragedy for our city and state. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by these events. I have contacted Governor Patrick and offered the fullest assistance of the House of Representatives as needed. The spirit of the Boston Marathon has long defined our region and can never be extinguished."
Congressman Edward Markey suspended activity in his campaign for U.S. Senate this afternoon in response to the attack, "including canvassing, phone banking, fundraising and television advertisements."


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A Chalone vertical
Somehow or other, I'd never managed to visit the Chalone estate winery in all these years. It is of course a very historic property, and I was well familiar with the story of how the late Richard Graff—a true Renaissance man—and, a bit later, Phil Woodward had founded the winery in the oddest of places: the wild heights of the Gavilan Mountains, in Monterey County, nearly 2,000 feet above the Salinas Valley floor, just beneath the operatically dramatic jagged spires of the Pinnacles.
But, as I say, I'd never been there, until yesterday, when winemaker Robert Cook invited me to a vertical. We tasted through 20 wines: 4 Chenin Blancs, 4 Pinot Blancs, 6 Chardonnays and 6 Pinot Noirs. These four varieties have been Chalone's specialties over the years. All grapes were grown on the estate, which is in the Chalone appellation. Here are my notes. In general, I was surprised how well the wines are holding up, although it must be said the older ones certainly were made in an older style, with lower alcohol, higher acidity and less oak than today's versions.
1978 – Smells sherry-like, maderized. Clean, still showing sweetness, good acidity, with roasted hazelnut and dried fruit flavors. A lovely old wine and amazingly interesting for being more than 32 years of age. 90 points.
1986 Reserve – Old gold color. Drier than the '78, tastes older and less fresh, with peanut brittle flavors. 85 points.
1994 Late Harvest Reserve – Somehow this sweetie made it into the tasting. Robert said he hadn't even known there was any left. Dark old color. Maderized, but saved by the sugar. Clean, racy with honey and coconut macaroon sweetness. 92 points.
1996 Reserve – Maderized, like a fino sherry. Getting tired and brittle. 87 points.
1979 – From magnum. Pretty golden hue. A bit heavy, but surprisingly rich for 32 years. Shows honey, dried apricot, sautéed banana and citrus flavors, with a hint of petrol. Bone dry. Worth 92 points for being so fresh and clean, with just a hint of maderization.
1981 – A first bottle was corked. The second bottle was clean, elegant and lively, but getting maderized. Showing lots of honey and dried apricot and tangerine fruit. A lovely, interesting, fino-like wine. 91 points.
1992 Reserve – Dry, sour, Sherry-like. Not much richness. An interesting old wine to talk about if you know the property and history. 87 points for sheer longevity.
1994 – Interesting and complex, a little soft, but very dry, showing dried lemon and apricot fruit, spice and toffee flavors. A connoisseur's wine. 90 points.
1977 – From magnum. Old Chardonnay, if you like that. Roasted macadamia nut, dried citrus and pear, fino yeast. Tired, but clean. 87 points.
1981 Reserve – From magnum. Corked, maderized. No second bottle.
1992 Reserve – From magnum. Old Chardonnay, Rather threadbare, with alcohol showing through. Yeasty, tired. Some orange macaroon. 87 points.
1994 Reserve – From magnum. A bigger style, gooey in the modern way, oaky. Seems obvious a stylistic change was ensuing. Buttery, ripe citrus and tropical fruit. Tiring and drying out, but still an interesting wine. 87 points.
1995 – Turning gold color, an old Chardonnay, with dried pineapple and apricot flavors. Fino sherry yeastiness. Some honey and minerals. Drying out, but complex and pleasant. 88 points.
1995 Reserve – Similar to the above wine, but bigger in every respect. Lots of sweetness: vanilla, pineapple. Drying out and a little tired, but another intellectually interesting wine to talk and think about. 89 points.
1976 – Dark, opaque. Aromas of cherry pie, heavy, baked. Spicy, very tannic. Sweet cherry-blackberry fruit, orange, fruit punch, toffee. But totally dry, and very tannic. For a 35 year old wine, pretty good. 87 points.
1980 – Very dry, with mulling spices, dried fruit. Extremely tannic still. Tired, but another wine to talk about, especially with the winemaker, on the premises, in the context of a vertical.
1981 Reserve – Lots of sweet cherry liqueur, cola, leather, beef jerky and spice flavors. Drying out, with big, astringent tannins. A little coarse and rustic, almost like an old Grenache. But savory and complex for a 30-year old Pinot. 92 points.
1983 – Dark and impenetrable. Feels heavy, dense and tannic, but quite rich in cherries and beef jerky. Turning the corner, starting to show mushroom and dried fruit complexities, funky and earthy. Burgundian, if you will. The wine of the flight in terms of vitality and interest. Really superb, but best now before it slides downhill. 95 points.
1989 – A little moldy, with a vinyl smell. Dry, tannic, sour cherry candy flavor. 86 points.
1992 Reserve – Opens with a blast of new oak. Again, that stylistic change of the period is evident. Very rich, young, fresh, flashy. Oodles of cherries, cola, raspberries, licorice, bacon, rosehip tea. Drying out, but so sweet in fruit. A wonderful Pinot for 19 years of age, but it's very tannic. 93 points.
With wines of this age, you have to give them credit for sheer longevity. They're showing some white hairs, but are still elegant, cavalier, intellectually interesting—an enthusiast's wines, especially tasted in context. It would be patently absurd to taste these wines blind, without any explanation, and expect a coherent interpretation. The question—and I don't know the answer—is if modern era Chalone wines (the company has been owned by Diageo since 2005) will show the same estate quality and longevity. We can only hope so.
Are any of those wines available to wholesalers or retailers?
I've had a couple of opportunities to sample some older vintages and they were a treat but mostly in an historical way as they were not available or were only available at the winery for big $.
That local is not far from the old Paul Masson location, I think, across the road and up the hills.
Personally I am glad they had some older Chenin Blanc and they seem to have held up rather well. (drooling at the thought)
I may be mistaken but I do recall there was a style of PN that was bigger several years ago. Reads like these fit the bill.
Did you get a chance to try anything newer? I really liked the 2007 Pinot from Chalone and half expected Raj Parr or someone else to talk about it, as it's an exercise in balance, imho.
I always wondered why Mr. Graff chose Chalone to grow Pinot Noir; besides the limestone soils, of course.
During summer, average daily high temperatures are scorching: around 95°F; and solar radiation levels are among the highest in CA (both increase the risk of damaging – or cooking – Pinot Noir's thin skins). The place has no water at all and receives less than 15 inches of rain per year; which makes dry farming impossible. October highs are in the (low) eighties. The growing season has a median length of 190-200 days: enough to ripen Syrah, Tempranillo, Malbec; even Cab (marginally).
The greatest surprise of all is that Chalone's "Estate Pinots" can be remarkably good (especially in cooler years) but also austere, earthy and idiosyncratic; quite the opposite from what one would expect from such a clime.
Very nice notes; thanks for taking the time to write them up. Most of them are pretty much about where I would expect them to be.
My impression that the Chalone (Estate) wines are not what they used to be since being under Diageo.
Their whites used to be amazingly long lived. I tended to think the PinotBlancs outlived the Chards.
DarrellCorti bought the entirity of their original vines CheninBlanc. In his latest newsletter: http://www.cortibros.biz/WEBSITE/Newsletters/Newsletters/2011/Spring2011/Spring2011P1.asp
Had it a few days ago and it is quite a pretty CB, one of the best I've had from Calif in many yrs. But the oak is way down from what they used to be. However, I think this '07 should have a pretty long life ahead of it.
Ah, Mr. Hill. A man with a memory.
Too bad that so few ever had the opportunity to know Chalone at its best. I have a pretty wide ranging collection of older Chalones. Sure the whites are pretty dead, but amazingly, hot entirely, and yes, the CBs and PBs have shown well over the years.
And so too have the Pinot Noirs from that era. As Steve has pointed out, it must be the soils because the dry conditions up on that bench should, by all rights, produce softer wines than what we have seen.
Incidentally, Tom, if you stop by this response, I would invite you to comment on the CGCW blog today, which addresses some issues of wines going back to the 1970s.
My introduction to Chalone was via a bottle of 1976 Pinot Noir that I had in the late 1980's. It was one of those rare wines that stops time.
Since then I have drunk quite a few bottles from Chalone both whites and red. The vertical here drove me to inventory what remains: a magnum each of the Pinot Noir 80 and 84. a mostly intact vertical decade of the 1980's Chenin Blanc. I have some Chardonnays from the 90's.About five years ago I had three Pinot Blanc magnums — 84, 85 and 88, I think, and they were superb with the 84 a bit of a disappointment.
Steve, thanks for these tasting notes. I was around Chalone in the 70's and 80's. The Graff wines were phenomenal. All four varietals were aged in French oak. The chenin blanc was the best chenin blanc I've ever tasted. The superb pinot blanc was often mistaken for chardonnay but the finish was a tad shorter. The chardonnay and pinot noir were simply the best in California at the time. While the climate could be hot, it wasn't hot everyday, and the amount of sunshine was tremendous. Water, in the early days, was trucked up the mountain and emptied into a small reservoir, not the big one you saw, and drip irrigated. The plaque on the winery was the hallmark of the operation."In order to make a great wine, the vines must suffer." They suffered, struggled, but yielded small tight clusters of superior grapes. Dick, Peter, and John Graff performed the magic in the barrel.
I just saw this Chalone thread and recall I first bought the Chardonnay in 1985 when living in San Luis Obispo years before I started working in wine. I think I was attracted by the classic label and the numbered bottles. I know they impressed my boss. The Chenin was always pretty special.


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Archive for the 'ubiquitious Wi-Fi' Tag
CWAP Beta Course – Recap
If you read my latest posts, you already know that I attended the Certified Wireless Analysis Professional beta course hosted by the CWNP program in Atlanta, GA last week.
I really enjoyed all the side bar discussions between attendees. There were at least 3-4 vendors represented, as well as VARs/Integrators and enterprise wireless network administrators. I spoke about my favorite side-bar discussion, which was about locating wireless devices through spectrum analysis on my Computerworld blog.
Attending the course also really reinforced what a big believer I am in the CWNP program. It's great to see a vendor neutral training and certification body in our field. I really think that along with the IEEE and Wi-Fi Alliance, they have done a great job promoting and educating the community about wireless technology, which helps drive growth / adoption, which is good for everyone involved.
Therefore, I wanted to take the time to interview one of the CWNP co-founders, Kevin Sandlin, to have him explain about the program and how it fits an emerging trend in the marketplace:


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|Monday – September 01, 1879
|Coffin Rock, CO [MAP]
|Posse Role-Call:
Allen Jabour with his flock (Anne Wilmarth, Bernard Ackeley, Henry Noyes, Nathan Green)
Lucius Jones
Sterling Simms (a.k.a. David Davidson)
Tennesy Waya
Tobias Rogers
Yang Li
Game Notes
This epilogue marks the end (at least temporarily) of roughly 1.5 years of role-playing in Deadlands Reloaded (2.5 months of game time). We usually met one night a week every two weeks. Even with such a low frequency, real life responsibilities forced several players to quit the game. It just goes to show that we can't game like when we were teenagers; time is too precious.
Exploring Coffin Rock cleared up a couple of major loose ends in the game, such as Yang Li's brother and Sterling's patron, so it seemed like a good place to stop and re-evaluate. We may pick the game back up in the future, try something new (I own Hell On Earth Reloaded now), or just enjoy other activities for a while. I think everyone enjoyed the game and hopefully, you enjoyed reading my updates on Obsidian Portal. This was my first time both running a game of Deadlands Reloaded (or even Savage Worlds) and using Obsidian Portal to document my own game.
Session Notes
The last several weeks were busy and full of changes for the folks in Coffin Rock. After the battle at the church, the posse was met by a group of the townsfolk led by Shelly Pearl Daly. They were coming to investigate all the commotion. (Shelly Pearl had arrived in town that morning after speaking with the posse in the hills.) Tobias came out to meet the posse as well; although haggard, he appeared better than he had in days. Brother Allen recommended they all retire to the Six Feet Under to hear the tale. Once there, he told how he and the others, with help from the Lord Almighty, managed to defeat the evil summoned by Reverend Cheval. Coffin Rock was pulled back from the brink of damnation! (Way to lower that Fear Level, Preacher! – Ed.)
Although not everyone fully believed Brother Allen's tale of demons and abominations, the townsfolk could feel that the pall over the town had been lifted and most had never liked Reverend Cheval's cult. Many a glass was raised in honor of the posse that afternoon.
Additionally, Tobias told the others an interesting story. On their first night in town, Tobias had met a man who was interested in playing cards. The man's name was Mr. Ares. Mr. Ares had lost a few hands at the Six Feet Under Saloon when he suggested upping the stakes. He then played Tobias for his soul… and Tobias had lost. Tobias did not remember anything else until he was woken up by the bartender as the bar closed. When he asked about Mr. Ares, the bartender didn't know what he was talking about; Tobias had been sitting alone all night. As the days passed, Tobias knew something was wrong; he couldn't leave the hotel and he also couldn't talk to the posse about it. He became violently ill if he even thought about saying anything. His illness did not leave him until the posse's battle at the church was ended. Obviously, Mr. Ares had wanted to insure that Tobias and his magic were kept out of the fight. Of course, no one could be sure that Tobias had fully recovered his soul, or what might result if he still did not have it.
The posse also learned that Deputy Smith had been seen riding from town that morning and no one had seen him since. This really didn't seem to worry the townsfolk. The general consensus was that Clem Smith was just as bad as Marshal Bryce and the other deputies – only Shelly Pearl wished she and her gang had the chance to "say goodbye" to the deputy.
As the sun set that day, Brother Allen led a delegation to the church to burn it down – "clean out the last traces of the heathens with fire" as he put it. The fire burned most of the night and when dawn came, little remained but a few smoldering timbers. Oddly enough, as Brother Allen was looking over the ruins the next day, he found his missing Bible lying in the ashes, whole and unharmed – a true miracle! (Yang Li was the Bible thief. He had been inspired by his book, The Art of Funny, to replace the Bible with a fake he had made in Denver. Once he realized how angry the loss had made Brother Allen, he was too embarrassed to return the Bible directly. Therefore, he left it for the preacher to find himself, with no one being the wiser.)
The following week saw the funeral service for Ed Green (which was attending by all the townsfolk as a sign of respect), the discovery of the town deeds in the mayor's office (leading to Shelly Pearl reclaiming her birthright), and the exorcism of Lucius Jones by Brother Allen. During the exorcism, Lucius confessed all his sins to the preacher and eventually found forgiveness in the Lord's arms. He was buried next to Ed under his own name, Boyd Sutton, and a letter was sent to his parents back in Georgia.
In the days following Lucius' burial, a new copper vein was found in the mountains surrounding Coffin Rock which soon led to new claims all over the area. Tacheene apparently kept his promise of a reward (but don't tell the Preacher that! – Ed.). The Cooked Earth Mine did the best — copper was found in every tunnel and new seams opened almost daily.
Soon after Lucius' funeral, Sterling quietly left town. After his actions in the battle at the church, he never quite earned back the trust of the other members of the posse. Still seeking fame and fortune, he claimed an urge to explore the rest of the West and perhaps visit Salt Lake City.
Brother Allen travelled to Denver with Tennesy, Tobias, and Yang Li, returning with marble tombstones for Ed and Lucius, and a strongbox containing a large percentage of his family fortune. With this money, Brother Allen helped Shelly Pearl with initial operating expenses for the mine and became a partner in the Crooked Earth Mine. He even loaned Shelly Pearl a strange mining tool that almost doubled the normal output for a single miner. He also invested in several businesses around Coffin Rock, helping it to reach the booming vision of John Daly.Shelly Pearl was soon elected mayor in a special election called by none other than Mayor Hambly himself. He claimed that the job had taken enough from him and it was time for new blood to take the reins. One of her first duties as mayor was to offer the position of town marshal to Tennesy, who accepted graciously on behalf of himself and his new deputy, Yang Li.
Eventually, the green slime protection that Brother Allen had worn for so long dried and hardened, losing the ability to react to kinetic energy. Allen was forced to painfully cut it off as Yang Li had, but suffered no other ill effects.
Although peace had come to Coffin Rock, it was still located in the Weird West. Rumors of nightmare creatures and disappearing miners in the mountains occasionally cropped up, and there were still claims that the abandoned school was haunted. Luckily, there was a group in town who had some experience dealing with ghosts and other horrors, but that is a tale for another day…


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Jimbocho's Mikasa is a temple to yakisoba, even the noodles are made from scratch here. Yakisoba is a humble dish. Noodles stir-fried with vegetables and a protein and seasoned with a sauce or salt and dusted with aonori, an aromatic sea vegetable. It's a messy dish and is not photogenic, but would win a congeniality contest as everyone seems to love yakisoba.
There is often a line at Mikasa, no matter the time. Weekends can have up to 50 people in line when the shop opens. It's a cheap meal, 700 JPY, considering the handmade noodles are made with Hokkaido wheat. Each dish is made to order, starting with boiling the noodles. Boiling the fresh noodles allows them to keep a chewy texture. Just order the spicy sauce or salt and the size, an oomori extra portion of noodles is free.All of the sauces used are made in-house. For an additional 150 JPY you can add some squid and shrimp.
The owner, Nakata-san, realized that there were many udon and ramen shops in Tokyo, but that yakisoba specialty shops were lacking. His nickname is Jimbocho yakisoba god, kami-yakisoba, which is a nice play on kanji considering the area is in Jimbocho, using the same character for "god". 神保町の神やきそば。
Mikasa is a sliver of a restaurant. Be sure to check out the space behind the counter where the chefs are. Tiny. The space for the customers is not much bigger. Imagine squeezing behind these folks to get to your seat. I don't think this would pass any fire code in the US.
Note only 120 portions are made each day.
Order from a vending machine in the front of the shop. Below is some Japanese to help.
ソース焼きそば (so-su yakisoba) sauce yakisoba
塩焼きそば (shio yakisoba) salt yakisoba
イカ・エビトッピング (ika/ebi topping) squid and shrimp topping
大盛り (oomori) large portion
小盛り (komori) small portion
Jimbocho Yakisoba Mikasa 神保町やきそばみかさ
Chiyoda-ku, Jimbocho 2-24-3


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Gun Safety: Tips For Safely Keeping A Gun In Your Home
Over a third of American households currently contain at least one working firearm. With so many homes containing weapons, gun-related accidents make all-too familiar tragic headlines, compounded by the knowledge that most could have been avoided had added safety precautions been taken.
Benjamin Nuzzi is a family man and former active duty United States Marine Corp. Sergeant marksmanship instructor. Nuzzi is no stranger to either weaponry or to having small children under foot. "Many individuals would argue that gun-safety precautions defeat the purpose of having a gun in the first place. Having to first remove, unlock, chamber and fire would take too long, costing precious seconds in a life-threatening situation. And to an extent, that is true. However, you must ask yourself, what is the greater threat to my children's lives: a weapon present 100 percent of the time or a potential home invasion?"
Here are some of Nuzzi's tips for gun safety:
- Any weapon not used for a potential home-defense situation should be locked away with ammunition locked away in a separate location. There is no excuse for someone being harmed with a range/sporting weapon.
- Weapons used for home defense, such as pistols, should always be kept out of sight of little eyes. Nuzzi keeps a "false book" hidden under non-descript papers.
- Always use trigger locks. Keep the key where you need it, i.e., in reach of your bed, but never next to the lock.
- Never keep the weapon with a round in the chamber. Pulling the slide on most pistols, thus chambering a round, is too difficult for most children to do. And always keep the weapon on safe.
- Take time to know your weapon. Practice with it and make time for the shooting range. This will reduce the time it takes to engage in a dangerous situation.
Talking to children and teaching them about gun safety is of paramount importance, says Stephanie Himel-Nelson, a navy spouse and the director of communications at Blue Star Families. "We've taught our children a bit about guns. If they ever see one, they know they shouldn't touch it and must immediately find a parent or other adult," she says. "In addition, we don't allow toy guns in our home because we want our children to understand that weapons are not toys."
Nuzzi agrees. "Don't make gun use taboo," he says. "Teach your family about firearms and firearm safety. Want to dissuade children from playing with guns? Take them to the range and let them hear one fire. They are loud! Once a child learns that guns are not fun toys, much temptation will be removed." And so, hopefully, will many gun-related accidents.
Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
for more features.


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Peter Barns
Published by Boddaert Books at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Peter Barns
Smashwords Edition, License Notes.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This novel is a work of fiction. The names, characters and events portrayed are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental.


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Carrabba's Italian Grill
Carrabba's is best known for its wood-burning grill, inspired by the many tastes of Italy. Signature dishes like Chicken Bryan, Pollo Rosa Maria and of course Marsala, are enhanced by the taste of the grill. Other house specialties include Signature Pastas, with sauces made from scratch every day. Traditional dishes such as Calamari, Margherita Pizza and Chicken Parmesan share the spotlight. Little ones ten and under will enjoy the "Bambini Menu" and pizza dough is offered to keep young customers entertained. A gluten-free menu is also available. Serving dinner nightly and lunch on weekends.
Contact Details
(843) 467-2600
6803 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC
(843) 467-2600
6803 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC
Featured Resorts
Litchfield Beach & Golf
Pawleys Plantation Resort


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It was a dropped meatball off of 4-year-old Kayla Garcia's Subway sandwich and her slow pace walking home one day three months ago that prompted a horrific discipline session resulting in her death, the child's mother told a judge Thursday.
Melanie Garcia wailed, shouted and occasionally spouted expletives at her ex-boyfriend's lawyer as she recalled her daughter's last day of life, testifying at a hearing in which co-defendant Matthew Carrillo asked to be released from jail for lack of probable cause.
Magistrate Judge Andrew Carruthers denied Carrillo's request but did order his bond reduced from $200,000 to $100,000.
"She used to tell him that he was her best friend," Garcia said through tears of her daughter and her boyfriend, who was living with them at the time of the death. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I love my daughter."
Garcia, 21, and Carrillo, 23, were both charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury in May after Kayla was taken to the hospital with a head injury, bruises all over her body including her genitals and a burn on her thigh. Neither adult has been indicted yet, but prosecutors have indicated that capital murder charges would be considered.
The mother testified Thursday that she was told by prosecutors she could still face charges but was released from jail without bail after agreeing to submit to a lie detector test and to testify against Carrillo if necessary.
She said Carrillo had the child pull down her pants and underwear and brace herself against a couch.
When the child threw herself to the floor as Carrillo struck her, he picked her up by one arm and began hitting her all over with his belt as she dangled in front of him, Garcia said.
He then had her lift a phone book and a box parallel to the ground for an extended period, Garcia said.
Carrillo slapped the child and pushed her to the ground, causing her to hit her head, Garcia said.
When Garcia called an ambulance hours later, she initially told authorities her daughter had fallen from a wagon. That's what Carrillo ordered her to say, and she complied because she was afraid of him and his family, she testified.
Defense attorney Anthony Miller pointed out that the young mother is bipolar and suggested she had good reason to cooperate with authorities and pin blame on his client.
"You have a little bit of an anger problem, don't you?" he asked after Garcia yelled, "Can I (expletive) finish my response?" at him.
If not allowed out of jail outright while awaiting trial, Carrillo's bond should be reduced to about $50,000 to more closely fit his estimated $300 per month income, Miller argued. Prosecutor Linda Molina asked that Carrillo's bond remain $200,000, pointing out that his uncle owns a restaurant.
Information, praise, comments or concerns, please email: firstname.lastname@example.com
In-depth, investigative journalism isn't easy or cheap. Support our work by subscribing to the Express-News.


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Michael Gerson: Obama wants to justify risk-aversion
After five and a half years, President Obama finally has a foreign policy doctrine all his own, which White House aides summarize as: "Don't do stupid ------."
FDR had his Four Freedoms. Harry Truman would stand against the further expansion of communism in Europe. Ronald Reagan would attempt to roll back communism by providing assistance to freedom fighters. Jimmy Carter would use military force, if necessary, to defend American interests in the Persian Gulf. George W. Bush would support the growth of Democratic movements and institutions as an antidote to radicalism.
Obama doesn't do "stupid -----."
Like any good foreign policy doctrine, it has a number of corollaries. "Don't do stupid -----," except calling for Syria's Bashar al-Assad to step down, then doing almost nothing to make it happen — encouraging the creation of a chaotic terrorist haven at the heart of the Middle East. Except drawing a red line against the use of chemical weapons, then rewarding Assad with engagement and legitimacy when he actually used them. Except launching a war for regime change in Libya and then failing to do postwar reconstruction, leading to the creation of another terrorist haven. Except for failing, after a pathetic attempt, to conclude a Status of Forces Agreement with the Iraqi government that might have helped stabilize a key country in a key region. Except for needlessly alienating our Canadian ally by refusing to approve the Keystone XL pipeline for political reasons. Except for initially poisoning our relations with Israel by demanding a settlement freeze. Except for surging troops to Afghanistan while announcing a drawdown date that has encouraged the resistance and patience of the enemy.
The Obama Doctrine has the virtue of simplicity but it defies the rhetorician's art. "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we don't do stupid -----." It is hard to carve the sophomoric and insipid into marble, or to inspire a nation with shrunken ambitions.
The natural result of this foreign policy theory is a speech such as the one Obama recently delivered at West Point. The president does not inspire. He does not persuade. He justifies himself. The world he depicts is a choice between foolhardy extremes. The proper response is not primarily an assertion of American values or the defense of American interests; it is a trust in Obama's own balancing judgment. America will not, as some people hope, invade and occupy every country on earth to impose our imperial will. And we will not, as others urge, enter nuclear bunkers and live as mole people. We will instead act with reason and moderation, employing force only with universal agreement, while morally posturing about Syrian refugees and kidnapped Nigerian girls.
America will lead the global war against straw men; on all other matters, let's not get carried away. It is a message that a foreign policy seminar of academic realists might have hooahed. It was an odd choice for delivery to newly minted Army officers serving in a military currently at war: Put none but the risk-averse on guard tonight.
This purely negative doctrine — America will not assume "every problem has a military solution" or "rush into military adventures" or attack people "to avoid looking weak" — is, above all, a method of political self-justification through the caricaturing of critics. The president's argument can be summarized: Those who think I'm weak want war. If you accept the premise, Obama is beyond criticism. This approach is also a rhetorical distraction from other, more positive but failed foreign policy enterprises. Obama, for understandable reasons, does not want to talk about the "new beginning" in the Middle East, or the "restart" with Russia, or the "pivot" to Asia (as China exposes its emptiness).
The West Point argument, in a narrow political way, works for the president. It also exposes the unctuousness of Obama's strongest foreign policy supporters. A doctrine of risk aversion can only be justified by minimizing the seriousness of global challenges and miniaturizing the role of presidential leadership. Was serial risk-aversion effective in the Syrian crisis? Will it effectively deter Russian adventurism? Will it deal with the rise of China?
And this is the Obama Doctrine's most serious problem: Its vapidity is evident to leaders around the world, who are even less inclined to trust or fear the United States when determining their own actions. Which is where the doctrine hits the fan.
Michael Gerson is a Washington Post columnist. Email him at email@example.com


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|Open in a new tab to enlarge.
To be very honest, I wrote that letter as a dare to myself, too. And now that it's out there, I'm feeling very fragile and scared and stressed out!
I feel a change coming. I've been feeling it since 2009 actually, and it was perhaps brought about by my pregnancy. You can read all about it here, but I'll post an excerpt anyway:
There's still that ambitious part of me that's screaming in my head in absolute fury. I know opportunities like this don't come traipsing along every day, and I'll just have to live with this decision for the rest of my life. But now that it's done, my agony is over, my insomnia is cured, my world is again at peace.
Whatever the future holds, I only know that what I choose will always be the one that, in the words of that timeless song, will need all the love I can give, every day of my life for as long as I live.Well, just reading the comments section of that two-year-old post made me realize that my pregnancy had nothing to do with it after all!
Anyway, I do know that I am still enjoying my magazine gig. I have so many plans this year and if you've been following the magazine, you'd see its transformation. It really is getting better and better with each new issue and I am very excited about the stuff my team and I have planned this year for our loyal readers.
You all also know I dipped my toes in entrepreneurship last year. The bag business is closed now but I took away some pretty good realizations there and I will do it again! It was very hard work, made me cry and freak out and stress many times, but I am convinced I can and will do better next time!
I also have big plans for my blogs. It's no secret that I earn from my blogs and 2011 was very good to me. My readership has gone up. Brands and PR companies have been wooing me. So many opportunities have come up! But I have had to turn down a lot of those opportunities because it will present a conflict with my job or because it will take me away from my family.
Yes, my lovely, wonderful, amazing family. I never would have thought this but I am really such a mother. I am also a committed wife. There's absolutely nothing I enjoy more than basking in the devotion of my husband and son. But because of the many many many things on my plate, I haven't really been fully immersed in my roles as mother and wife. And I feel like I'm giving so much to the things that make my life fun and not to the ones who make it worthwhile. I talk about my sadness about that over at Topaz Mommy.
So a change is coming. I can feel it thrumming in my veins. Right now, I still don't know if the change means my life will get crazier or maybe it will become quieter. My life will either get bigger or smaller. Both options are so very real, I can taste them. I'm very scared. But I'm also very excited!


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The Failed Revolution? 23 February, 2013Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Politics.
Tags: DER, DERNSW, education, ICT in Education
4 comments
I've posted several articles here about Kevin Rudd's/Julia Gillard's Digital Education Revolution, from its ambitious inception through to one state's innovative interpretation of it, and ultimately its relegation to national folly status. Then I read Greg Whitby's latest article.
I tried posting a comment on the Australian Teacher Magazine's guest article last night, but comments are moderated because their teachers and readers can't be trusted to comment professionally, and I just can't allow Mr Whitby's post to stand without any visible responses.
I'm so sorry that other states and educational jurisdictions did not have the foresight back in 2007/8 to realise that the Federal Government's original funding plan for computers to allocate to students alone was never going to be "revolutionary". The $2.3B plan was flawed from the start and every state should have challenged the Federal government to deliver a viable end to end solution rather than something that might sound good to voters. You can't get value from PCs if they are not connected to the Internet and if they don't have local technical support. And most importantly, you can't use them effectively as a teaching and learning tool without targeted professional development for teachers.
That's exactly what the NSW Government of the time did through the strong recommendation of the NSW Education Department. They actually directed all public high schools in NSW to boycott the first year's funds (something that was totally unheard of!) until the Federal government finally relented and agreed to a further $550M to also fund managed wireless in every single learning space, a full-time in-school Technical Support Officer for every high school and funding to allow for necessary ongoing staff development each year and the creation of relevant and practical resources. In addition, the NSW Government understood how critical it would be that every high school teacher also has their own laptop computer and funded that purchase themselves. All of this was done to ensure that that state's version of the Revolution could have the chance to actually be successful and revolutionary.
The DER NSW project is now in its 5th and unfortunately, final year. Did its legacy deserve to be described as Greg Whitby did? Hardly. It's worth looking at a real academic evaluation of the program before judging it as "an initiative of its time". The NSW Government arranged for such research and has proudly posted it all for the world. That's why "the New South Wales Government (is) seeking a funding guarantee from the Commonwealth to replace outdated computers", Greg.
Corporate IT Support and the 21st Century User 9 November, 2011Posted by paralleldivergence in ICT in Education, Internet, technology.
Tags: ICT, IT support, Service desk, technology
8 comments
TRADITIONALLY, ICT Support is a regimented service, based on providing known or predictable support for a limited range of products in a carefully structured business environment. Users are supplied with access to standardised hardware systems and applications that have been approved in the standard operating environment and their range of access is limited according to their status. When they are faced with a problem (aka 'incident'), they are usually directed to one recommended path to gain ICT support, but often they have a negative perception of it – too arduous to report and too long to wait for action, leading to a view that ICTs are too unreliable to use.
Courtesy: The IT Crowd
The Digital Education Real Illusion 18 July, 2011Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, Politics, technology.
Tags: DER, DERNSW, Digital Education Revolution
28 comments
THE PROMISE. The challenge. The delivery. The difference. The Australian Digital Education Revolution was rightly heralded as a real gamechanger in school education nation-wide. When Kevin Rudd as opposition leader proclaimed, "This is the toolbox of the 21st Century" while holding up a laptop computer and subsequently promised access to a computer for every student in years 9 through 12, we knew this was something big. This truly was an Education Revolution.
iPad Changes Everything 2 June, 2010Posted by paralleldivergence in apple, education, ICT in Education, Internet, ipad, Life, technology.
Tags: apple, education, ipad, Life, technology
24 comments
Every so often an invention comes along that is a game changer. Most of the really good ones like the Wheel, Electricity, Light Bulb and Plumbing pre-date me, but I am fortunate to live in a time where the rate of progress now is such that I can witness many of the newest breakthroughs first-hand. Arguably, the Apple iPad is one of these breakthroughs.
Image courtesy of philderksen
How many light bulbs does it take to change teaching? 3 January, 2010Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, My Thoughts, technology.
Tags: DER, Digital Education Revolution, edtech, ICT in Education
54 comments
Everyday my email inbox alerts me to at least one teacher who has become a new follower on Twitter. Now while I'm definitely not the best ed-tech guy in Twitterland to follow, I like to think that for each of those emails, a light bulb has switched on somewhere and a teacher is working to change, or at least keep up with the change that's continually going on all around them.
photo courtesy of purplemattfish
You Better Start Swimmin' or You'll Sink Like a Stone 4 September, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, Life, My Thoughts, Politics, technology.
Tags: Digital Education Revolution, education, edutech, ICT in Education, iwbnet09, learning
21 comments
Today I "attended" an educational technologies conference. Well sort of. I wasn't there, but then again, I was. IWBnet's "Leading a Digital School" conference was on at the Gold Coast in sunny Queensland and while I was unable to be a delegate at the venue, I had the next best thing. Many of the delegates who were there, were happy to instantly share their experience with the rest of the world via Twitter.
Relive the IWBnet Conference via Visible Tweets
Is this Technically the Best 1:1 Rollout in the World? 20 August, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, Life, My Thoughts, NSW, technology, windows.
Tags: 1:1, Digital Education Revolution, education, laptops, Lenovo, NSWDET, students
15 comments
October 20, 2007 – Australian Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd is on the election campaign trail making a promise that made state governments, educational authorities and teachers shudder in their boots. While holding up a laptop which he referred to as "the toolbox of the 21st Century", he promised to provide a computer to every high school student from grades 9 through 12. Then he became Prime Minister and the pressure was really on, because while he would provide the funding, the Federal Government does not control school education and would not be responsible for implementation – the individuals states would.
Which Teachers Should get a T1 Laptop? 26 June, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, technology.
Tags: 1:1, classroom, education, education revolution, laptops, Laptops4Learning, NSWDET
68 comments
The initial rollout of Laptop Computers as part of the New South Wales Digital Education Revolution is pretty clear-cut when it comes to students – ALL year 9 students will get one this year. But when it comes to teachers, the T1 rollout sees high schools receiving enough to cover only one-third of their staff. This begs the question, which teachers should get a T1 Laptop?
Lifelong Learning is NOT a 9 to 5 Job 14 June, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, Life, technology.
Tags: education, Life, lifelong learning, schools, teaching
12 comments
Late last year I attended my son's high school graduation where speech after speech espoused the knowledge and skills that the Class of 2008 have gained over their thirteen years of schooling. As the students prepared for the next phase of their lives, it was heartening to hear that they all had been instilled with the fundamentals of lifelong learning. I wish.
Image by Tragicomedio
What ICT Teachers Think… 20 May, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, My Thoughts.
Tags: computers, education revolution, ICT in Education, teaching
10 comments
EVERY School Term for the past ten years, in conjunction with my team, I have been running Information Days for school ICT Coordinators. Over 250 teachers representing over 200 public schools consistently come to find out the latest information relating to ICT in school education in our little part of the world. Now while I'm usually the one passing the latest news onto them, I often like to ask them what their point of view is – that is, being a school educator that uses ICT in the classroom, or in other words, being a minority within the teaching faculty. Here's what some of them have told me.
Still Waiting for the Revolution… 26 January, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in education, ICT in Education, Internet, NSW, Politics, technology.
Tags: Alan Kay, Digital Education Revolution, education, ICT in Education, revolution
7 comments
Date Log: January 2009. Still waiting for the revolution.
Australia's Digital Education Revolution is coming. Even before it started, it was identified that the $1.2 billion promised was not going to be enough, so now with the injection of a further $807 million, Educational Authorities across the country are investigating hardware options including laptops and wireless connectivity. But Dr Alan Kay is still not convinced that this will be the revolution our children need.
"Clickers" or "Virtual Clickers"? 8 January, 2009Posted by paralleldivergence in Brad & Phil, education, ICT in Education, technology, windows.
Tags: clicker, education, student response
4 comments
For a few years now, Personal Response Systems (PRS) and Student Response Systems (SRS) have been making major inroads into classrooms and lecture halls, particularly in Universities and Colleges. These "clicker" systems literally put engagement, motivation, participation and instant feedback into the palm of each student's hand.
…in my Spare Time, I write Software. 17 August, 2008Posted by paralleldivergence in children, education, games, ICT in Education, Internet, TV Shows.
Tags: educational, gameshow, jeopardy, windows
5 comments
That's what I've been doing lately instead of writing more articles here at Parallel Divergence. So I thought I'd share with you my latest hobby project. It's called Stu's Double Jeopardy! version 3.1 – and as usual, it's completely free for anyone who wants it.


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I've been planning to start a blog for at least six months. I've written several short essays to post on it, I've researched the various ways to create and publish a blog and I've asked a friend who blogs for a bit of advice. Being a natural introvert, the hardest part was working up the nerve to write something and post it directly to the internet, where it could be read by anyone and everyone. I know, of course, that it will probably only be read by my close friends and family, but still….
So today I finally decided that I was going to start my blog, no more waiting, no more excuses. I re-read the "Get Started in WordPress" site I had carefully bookmarked, took a deep breath and went to the wordpress.com site and plunged in. I managed to get the title put in, and added a tag line. I tried to change the background of the page, but couldn't figure out how. I tried to go directly to my new blog by typing the name in my browser, only to be told that "Positively Middle-Aged" (the name I selected) didn't exist, but that "Positively Middle Aged" did. Only it was written by someone else.
So I figured I had to pick a new name, but decided that I could wait a little bit, and maybe go ahead and publish my first post. The problem was, I couldn't see any place on my new blog where I could actually post anything! I could comment on my blank page, but not post anything. Frustrated, I exited the site, planning to try again later after I had a chance to ask one of my kids (who could probably start a blog in their sleep) for help. There is nothing that makes me feel more old and obsolete than having to turn to my son or daughter for help on my computer (or I-Pad, or I-Phone….), but the simple fact is that I am old enough that I wasn't raised on this stuff they way they were.
And yet…..I really should be able to do this on my own. Word Press does give good directions, even if I am a bit slow in following them. And if I can't even figure out how to start the blog, how in the world am I going to be able run it? So I logged back in, found the little pencil icon that I thought would indicate where I should write a post….and here it is! If you are reading this, it means I figured it out and have actually started a blog. I'm going to have to change the name, and the ugly colors in the header are going to have to go, but at least I did it! Maybe I'm not too old to learn something new after all.


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Joe Oliver: Pension remarks not an intrusion into Ontario election
Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver said mandatory pension plan amounts to a tax that Ontarians can't afford
Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver says he didn't intrude on the Ontario election campaign when he criticized the economic centrepiece of provincial Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne's platform.
The Conservative government found itself knee-deep in the budding campaign last week when Prime Minister Stephen Harper panned Wynne's proposal to introduce a new mandatory pension plan for Ontario.
On Monday, Oliver echoed his boss when he said the province's economy is too fragile to support what he dismissed as a new tax on Ontario voters.
"It's not the time, in my opinion, to impose this type of tax when the Ontario economy is so fragile," Oliver said of a proposal he argues will cost $3.5 billion for Ontario workers and companies.
Wynne's pension plan proposal is little more than a tax voters would refuse to support, Harper told a news conference Friday after Wynne effectively kicked off the campaign — and called out Harper in the process.
"On a number of important issues, the interests of the people of Ontario are at odds with the policies of Stephen Harper's government," she said.
"Ontario workers want improved pensions for a more secure retirement. Stephen Harper will not act."
The following day, Oliver took aim at Wynne's pension pitch in a CBC radio interview, warning it would hurt Ontario's weakened economy and kill jobs.
Wynne is no stranger to beating up on Ottawa. But it's already clear that singling out the prime minister is a key element of her campaign strategy.
She has accused the federal Conservatives of balancing their books on the backs of Ontarians by cutting transfer payments for health and social spending, and described federal support from the Canada Pension Plan as lacklustre.
And on Monday, she singled out Harper by saying his prime-ministerial pension is about 10 times the maximum payout available under the CPP.
"Stephen Harper when he retires is going to have about 10 times that amount in his pension," she said.
"So the reality is that if he doesn't believe that the Canada Pension Plan should be enhanced, then he should move out of the way and let Ontario do its work."
University of Waterloo political science professor Peter Woolstencroft said it's common for provincial leaders to attack Ottawa as a way to show they will defend voters. What's unusual, he said, is to see a federal government to strike back.
In the leadup to Quebec's election last month, the Harper government made a point of saying virtually nothing about the campaign.
"I'm surprised the federal government even bothered to pay any attention," Woolstencroft said.
"(The Conservatives) are miffed because, whether you agree with them or not, they think it's a cost to the economy and it will make it harder for employers to hire people."
A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office tried to ease tensions Saturday by saying it will be up to Ontario voters to decide the election and that the federal Conservatives will work with whatever government is elected.
Wynne called the June 12 election after opposition parties, in particular the NDP, refused to support the provincial budget, which included the pension proposal.


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Xataface 1.2.5 has been released. It includes a number of minor bug fixes and security updates. It is recommended for all users of 1.2.x.
You can download it from Sourceforge:
Change log:
-Fixed metadata not being updated when saving related record. Thanks to fantomasdm.
-Fixed notice at line 62 of delete_file action that caused a notice when deleting an attachment from a table where there is no mimetype field associated with the container
-Fixed XSS scripting vulnerability in search and full-path disclosure
-Fixed warning about undefined variable on line 2046 of Table.php
-Added logger class to log notices and error messages
-Fixed PermissionsTool delegate to only contain the filterPermissions(&, &) method. This can be used to filter the permissions on a temporary basis. In particular it is usedby the register action right now to convert the register permission to the new permission.
-Added ajax_record_details, before_ajax_record_details, and after_ajax_record_details slots to the Dataface_AjaxRecordDetails.html template
-Added val() method as shortcut to getValue()
-Fixed php notice if filter is not set
-Fixed issue with blank queries being kept in the query.
-Added {filters} tag to templates to show result filters
-Fixed broken tags in registration template introduced by last commit
-Added heading to registration form and slot to override this header: registration_form_label
-Added Dataface_Registration.label string which is used for heading of the registration form
-Fixed register action to use the register permission instead of the new permission.
-Added support for a permissions tool delegate if you need to slightly modify how permissions are handled temporarily
-Added support for before_authenticate trigger in application delegate class
-Added support for startSession method in application delegate class
-Fixed 'Notice: Undefined variable: HTTP_SESSION_VARS' on line 78 of config.inc.php


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Sunday, 25 March 2012 08:11 AM EDT
Such a launch would only further isolate the impoverished North, which much show its sincerity if on-again-off-again, six-party aid-for-disarmament talks are to restart, Obama said.
Seoul and Washington say the launch is a disguised test of ballistic missile. North Korea says it merely wants to put a satellite into orbit.
Beijing's actions of "rewarding bad behavior [and] turning a blind eye to deliberate provocations" obviously are not working, Obama said, adding that would raise the matter at a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday.
"I believe that China is very sincere that it does not want to see North Korea with a nuclear weapon," he told a news conference in Seoul before a global summit on nuclear security. "But it is going to have to act on that interest in a sustained way."
Obama's comments were his strongest push yet to get China to use its influence to rein in its ally North Korea and dovetails with recent calls for Beijing to meet its responsibilities as a rising world power.
In an election year when Republicans have accused Obama of not being strong enough with Beijing, talking tough on China is seen as a vote-winner after three years of troubled diplomacy in dealing with Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.
China is host to the six-party talks, which also involve the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.
Obama earlier visited a U.S. base on the edge of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a solemn North Korea came to a halt to mark the 100th day after "dear leader" Kim Jong-il's death.
"You guys are at freedom's frontier," Obama, wearing an Air Force One bomber jacket, told about 50 troops crammed into the Camp Bonifas mess at one of the world's most heavily fortified frontiers.
"The contrast between South Korea and North Korea could not be clearer, could not be starker, both in terms of freedom and in terms of prosperity."
He spent about 10 minutes on a camouflaged viewing platform at the DMZ, talking with some of the soldiers on guard as the flags of the United States, South Korea and the United Nations flapped loudly in the brisk, cold wind.
The White House cast Obama's first visit to the DMZ, which has bisected the peninsula since the end of the Korean War in 1953, as a way to showcase the strength of the U.S.-South Korean alliance and thank some of the nearly 30,000 American troops still deployed in South Korea.
The 2.5-mile wide DMZ was drawn up at the end of the 1950-53 civil conflict, which ended in a truce that has yet to be finalized with a permanent peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas in effect still at war.
Washington has condemned next month's planned rocket launch as a violation of North Korea's promise to halt long-range missile launches, nuclear tests and uranium enrichment in return for food aid. Obama said that if the North goes ahead with the rocket launch, a February food aid deal could fall apart.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a military official on Sunday as saying the main body of the rocket had been moved to the launch site on North Korea's west coast. The launch will coincide with big celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of the state's founder, Kim Il-sung.
North Korea's defiance is clouding Obama's much-touted nuclear disarmament agenda, which is also being challenged by Iran's continued nuclear developments in the face of sanctions and international criticism.
Obama said the window of opportunity for diplomacy with Iran was still open, and he also discussed the Syrian crisis with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
Obama will join more than 50 other world leaders on Monday for a follow-up to the inaugural nuclear security summit he organized in Washington in 2010 to help combat the threat of nuclear terrorism.
While North Korea and Iran are not on the guest list or the official agenda, they are expected to be the main focus of Obama's array of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the two-day summit.
Obama's visit coincided with the end of the 100-day mourning period for the North's long-time leader, Kim Jong-il, who died in December. Tens of thousands of people crammed into Kim Il-sung Square in central Pyongyang to mark the occasion.
The state's new young leader, Kim Jong-un, the third member of the Kim family to rule the state, bowed before a portrait of his father at the palace where he lies in state. He was joined by his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, and military chief Ri Yong-ho.
Standing alongside South Korean President Lee Myung-bak at media conference, Obama told reporters it was difficult to get a clear impression of how the succession process was going because it was not clear who was "calling the shots" in the North.
The young Kim himself made a surprise trip to the DMZ at the start of the month. He looked across the border through binoculars and told troops to "maintain the maximum alertness since [they] stand in confrontation with the enemy at all times".
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'Sister Wives' Mother's Day -- To The Buffet!!!
"Sister Wives" star Kody Brown knows there's only one way to please all 4of his wives on Mother's Day ... and it involves an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET IN VEGAS!!
TMZ spoke with the TLC reality star -- who tells us he's taking Meri, Christine, Janelle, and Robyn to the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas for their famous Mother's Day Brunch buffet.
Kody says he isn't really a "breakfast guy" -- but his wives are huge fans of the Rock's quiche, eggs, and waffles ... and at $23.99 a pop, it fits in the budget.
Meanwhile, the Duggar family from "19 Kids & Counting" are also having a cost-friendly Mom's Day ... hitting church in the morning ... followed by a family luncheon honoring the women.
In other Mother's Day news -- TMZ also spoke with "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro ... who told us he's finally gonna take the day off this year and spend it with his wife Lisa ... who gave birth to their 4th kid this year.
Happy Mother's Day people.


text: My boss is gearing up a Security Awareness Program and the financial institution where I work. She is asking for help picking a theme/mascot/slogan for the program. I have some ideas of my own, but I thought y'all might be able to lend a hand, too. Any suggestions? (nothing already in use/copyrighted, please)